Big book: Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? As I read to the class, I have students come up one by one and point to the sight word you. Children love being a "word detective" and finding you in the book. We also predict which animal will come next in the story. By the end of the week students know in correct sequence the order of animals.
Dramatic play: My objective is to teach students about hibernation. At the beginning of the week I make a KWL chart to determine what students know about hibernation, what they want to know, and what they learned. Students enjoy sorting animals via various habitats.
Science: All about ice! Using a globe, we discuss where ice can be found. Then we list animals that live in icy climates. Students are always amazed to learn that penguins do not live in the northern part of the world. In the science center I set up two ice stations. This center is a teacher guided center. At the first station students try to pick up an ice cube using a piece of string. Without salt, nothing happens. You need to sprinkle salt on the ice cube, then place the string on top of it for 20-30 seconds. My students enjoyed trying over and over again! At the second station I place two bowls. One is empty and the other has ice in it. Students use tongs to transfer ice from bowl to bowl. This is a great counting activity as well.
