March planning ideas

**sarah707** · 03-03-2009, 09:58 PM

I have just received this email from Education World... it gives some really good ideas for March planning.

I hope you find it useful!

THIS ISSUE'S THEME: It's March!

WELCOME! to Education World's Early Childhood Education Newsletter.

Volume 7, Issue 5
March 3, 2009
Theme: It's March!

Give each child a green paper shamrock shape and help them move as they recite the rhyme below:

March is here, what does that mean?
Wind that's blowing, blowing. (arms over heads and sway)

March is here, what does that mean?
Buds on trees start showing. (point up as if to trees)

March is here, what does that mean?
A green St. Patrick's Day. (hold up paper shamrock)

March is here, what does that mean?
Sweet spring is on the way!

Note: You can find a full-size version of the coloring calendar (right)
in Education World's Coloring Calendar archive.

Susan LaBella
Editor, Early Childhood Education Newsletter

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DR. SEUSS
March 2 is the famous author's birthday (as well as Read Across America Day), but kids will want to celebrate him at any time of the month. You might begin your celebration by reading some of his rhyming classics. Then extend the fun with some simple follow-up activities.
--- Invite a guest to your classroom to read Green Eggs and Ham. Then use an electric skillet to prepare scrambled eggs. Add some green food coloring and serve!
--- Read The Foot Book, then let children draw faces on each others toes! Trace children's feet and cut out the shapes. Children can use the cutouts to create patterns on the floor.
--Read One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, then serve tuna fish on pieces of fish shaped bread or snack on Goldfish crackers. You might also try tinting corn syrup with blue food coloring and having children use it to paint a paper fish-bowl shape. Later students draw and cut out paper fish to glue onto their fish bowls.

MAKE IT GREEN
Create tasty snacks for your St. Patrick's Day celebration.
--- Follow the recipe on the box to make green "jigglers" from lime-flavored JELL-O or gelatin. When the gelatin is firm, cut individual portions using a shamrock shape cookie cutter (found in craft stores) and serve.
--- Add "leprechaun tears" (a few drops of green food coloring) to vanilla pudding. Stir well and serve in cups. Top with multi-colored sprinkles.
--- Add scoops of lime sherbet to a bowl of 7-Up or Sprite. Let children watch as the punch "magically" turns green.
--- Use a shamrock shape cookie cutter to create pancakes, cut bread for sandwiches, or of course, make cookies.

KOOL KITES
After talking about the windy weather we often see in March, help children make these simple kites.
--- Give each child a sturdy paper bag.
--- Let children use crayons, markers, and stickers to decorate the bags.
--- Staple sturdy streamers on either side of the bag (near the opening).
Let children take their kites outdoors. As they run, the bags fill with air and fly along behind them.

EXPLORE THE WIND
After discussing March's windy days, ask students to think about the things that those winds can blow around. Then try a little experiment. Gather objects such as crayons, markers, pencils, a feather, a paper cup, a shell, a magnet, and so on. Have students predict which things the wind might blow. Next, turn on a table fan and let students place each object in front of the fan. Children can create a Yes area and a No area in which to place objects and make comparisons.

LIONS OR LAMBS?
Explain to children that it has been said that March "comes in like a lion" and goes "out like a lamb." Then talk about each animal and let children view picture books to learn more about each one. Next, ask children to decide which of the two animals they are most like. Children can then make a paper plate lion or lamb to show their decision. To do this activity, provide each student with a small white paper plate.
--- For lambs, children will color the plate pink, draw a face on it, glue cotton balls around the face, and glue on rabbit ears.
--- For lions, children will color the plate brown, draw a face on it, glue dark brown paper curls around the face, and add lion ears.
Have children share with the class why they are most like their chosen animal. Then display animal faces on a bulletin board with the heading: Lion or Lamb?

Check out the following Web sites for additional background and activities.

St. Patrick's Day Crafts and Activities
Take your pick from this load of activities and printables.
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/stpatrick/

MyPyramid for Preschoolers
March is National Nutrition Month. This site gives you lots of nutritional information and tips to help kids develop good eating habits and grow well.
http://www.mypyramid.gov/preschoolers/index.html

Make a Cat-In-the-Hat Hat
If you choose to read this book by Dr. Seuss, here's a hat to go with it.
http://www.kckpl.lib.ks.us/YS/crafts/cathat.htm

Spring
Lots of great spring things here to print and use -- letters, numbers, activity sheets…
http://www.kidsparkz.citymax.com/spring.html

LEAVE 'EM LAUGHING

Spellcheck

While my third-grade class was completing a writing exercise, one of the students asked me how to spell the word piranha. I told him I was unsure. Then, to my delight, he went to the dictionary to solve his problem. That's when I overheard another pupil say to him… "Why bother to look it up? She doesn't know how to spell it anyway."

The Three Little Pigs

One day, Mr. Blackstone, a first-grade teacher, was reading The Three Little Pigs to his class. He came to the part of the story where the first pig was trying to accumulate the building materials for his home. Mr. Blackstone read, "...And so the pig went up to the man with the wheelbarrow full of straw and said, 'Pardon me sir, but may I have some of that straw to build my house?'"

Mr. Blackstone paused for a moment at this point in the story to ask his class, "And what do you think that man said?"

One little boy raised his hand and said, "I bet he said... 'Holy crap, a talking pig!'"

Little Johnny Strikes Again

Fifth-grade teacher Mr. Brown posed the following math problem to his students:

"A rich man died and left $10 million dollars. According to his will, one-fifth of the money was to go to his wife, one-fifth was to go to his son, one-sixth was to go to his butler, and the rest was to go to charity. Knowing that information, what does each person get?"

After a prolonged silence in the classroom, Little Johnny raised his hand to offer a response. It was with hesitation that Mr. Brown (after waiting without any luck for others to offer a response) finally called on Little Johnny for his answer.

With complete sincerity in his voice, Little Johnny answered, "A lawyer!"