Spooky Spiders and the Number 8

Happy Tuesday!  I love, love, love Halloween and the fun creatures we can study that tie into Halloween a wee bit without actually saying the word "Halloween".

Last week we started learning about spiders and the number 8.  I learned on day 1 that my kiddos are not afraid of spiders with this Cara Carroll inspired graph.

 

When learning about spiders, of course the number 8 pops up, which is partly why we started learning about spiders, because that's the number we are learning about.

We counted out 8 legs to make a spider hat...

We also played some games to learn the number 8.  This counting game was played by "spinning" a spinner and counting that number of spiders onto a web.

We also played a spin and record game to review numbers 1 through 8.

(You get these free downloads from my website -  spinner, tracing, and web.)

We also counted out 8 pipe cleaners to make spiders out of play-do.  The eyes are made with google eyes that are hot glued onto plug covers.

Another number 8 activity not involving spiders, was to create a skeleton - you know... a non-Halloween skeletons, with 8 "bones".

For more spider fun, we created a web by simply stringing white yarn through holes on black paper plates...

... then we attached our hand print spiders.

To learn more about spiders and their webs, we explored the stickiness of the web and trapped some insects.

Once the insects were trapped, we did an experiment (no pictures=sadness) in which we explored other sticky substances that also trapped the insects.  One of the sticky things was tape.  Then we came together as a class and stuck an insect to the tape.  We lifted the insect and saw the tape was still stuck to it, as well as stuck to me!  Then we learned that spiders don't stick to their webs because of the oil on their legs.  We dipped a spider into oil and walked him across the tape and noticed he didn't stick.  The cuties loved when I walked his unsticky self across and made munching noises as he gobbled the insect that was stuck to the tape.

Of course, we also enjoyed our spider web parachute and tried to free the insects before the spider got to them.

B-A-T-T-Y and Batty was his name-o! {Freebie Interactive Book}

I made this little song book for my cuties and wanted to share it with you as a freebie in my store.  Click the picture above to grab it!

As you sing the BINGO tuned song with your class, you turn each page to reveal a bat.  When students see a bat, they clap in place of the letter, just like in the song Bingo.

Pumpkins!

Y'all, I am missing kindergarten - TONS, but these new littles are capturing my heart for sure.  They make me laugh ALL THE TIME and they love learning so much.  Everything is so exciting for them.

This week is pumpkin week and we have been doing lots of fun pumpkin activities.  For math, we practiced numbers 1-6 with my (free) Pumpkin Roll and Cover activity in my shop:

We also played a ten frame game with my pumpkin ten frames I found at Dollar Tree.  I used the dice from my Pumpkin Roll and Cover above and stored the materials in these cutie patootie pumpkin felt bags from Target.

We also created our new favorite poem, 5 Little Pumpkins...

...and painted pumpkins.

For science, we read Pumpkin Pumpkin and practiced the life cycle of a pumpkin with my pumpkin life cycle props.

(Do you see the little seed, vine, yellow flower, small green pumpkin, and big orange pumpkin?)

We also enjoyed my little pumpkin book to learn more about pumpkins.

And of course, we explored the ooey, gooey fun inside of a pumpkin!

They had a blast!

Check out my Playful Pumpkins unit for more pumpkin fun!

By the way...  look at my little pumpkin!

5 Little Pumpkins Interactive Song Book

My cuties love the poem/song 5 Little Pumpkins.  They ask to sing it all the time - at the bathroom, in the lunch line, at the carpet...

So I added little pumpkins and numbers to our overhead center for them to act out the story.

AND I added this song book to the center for them to use as well.

You can grab your copy in my store:

I will send it to the first five people to leave a comment.

Happy Tuesday!

Roll a Jack-o-Lantern Freebie!

Happy Columbus Day!  We have the day off in my district, though I honestly think it was a typo in our school calendar.  It's usually a professional development day.  

Since there is not school today, I am enjoying staying up late and making things.  Crafty gifts, TPT products, baked goods... I just love creating for the joy of others.

I just finished up my Gettin' Groovy with Letter Gg unit and created this little fun Jack-o-Lantern freebie:

(Click the title page to visit my store and download it.)

All you need is a dice to play!

I hope your little's can enjoy it.  Also, check out my Playful Pumpkins unit while you're in my store.  

It's filled with playful, pumpkin fun!  It's on sale this week for $4 and I will send it to the first five people to leave a comment.

Have a happy week!