December is here and we’re starting a Sights and Sounds of Winter theme with Mother Goose Time! I’ve always enjoyed their December themes and this year it’s better than ever!
Celebrate the holiday season with music and beauty. March and beat a drum, hear the horns and the harp. Dance with joy inside and out. The sounds continue as you follow the animal tracks down the snowy path, tip toe on crackling ice and hear the hoofs and bells of horses. When you hear the teapot whistle, come back inside for a treat. Sit by the fire, eat cookies and explore the shadows of late afternoon.
This is an overview of the month, a theme web for the Sights and Sounds of Winter preschool theme. I appreciate how well rounded the themes are. They always include topics I know I wouldn’t think of if I planned the curriculum myself. It really covers a wide variety and something to interest everyone.
These are the Basic Concepts we’ll cover throughout the month. If you click here or the image, it will take you to the site where you can listen to the music clip. Excellent music again this month!
I just want to share what’s included in this box. I will be showing all the day kits for Week 1: Orchestra: Drums, Woodwinds, Horns, Stringed Instruments, Piano.
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In each box you will first find these type of materials:
Theme based manipulatives. This month includes these fantastic shape builders. Also giant jingle bells.
In the Teacher Tool Bag: Teacher Guide, Planning Journal, Skills Overview Chart, Theme Web Poster, Gathering List, Sights & Sounds of Winter CD. It’s always exciting to open the kit and get started on a new month!
What’s exciting is the “Celebration Kit” that’s new this year. It’s a comprehensive lesson plan/idea booklet for holiday or seasonal celebrations. In September we had a preschool open house. October was our Pumpkin Patch Party. I’m loving the idea of having a Santa’s Workshop for families to participate in! Look at the cute invitations. I’m thinking cookies, crafts and a couple games for parents to do with their kiddos. Otherwise, the activities can be set up as centers for a child holiday party day. Let’s take a peek at this kit:
- Invitation Postcards
- ‘Twas the Night before Christmas Story Pieces
- Santa Spoon Puppets
- Santa’s Beard Game
- Reindeer Training Game
Song & Story for Circle Time
Art & Snack, Games
Art & Sensory Stations
Each month also includes a Circle Time Tool Bag kit that includes:
- Calendar grid & number/pattern pieces
- Global Friends
- Theme Poster & Looking Glasses
- Hands-On Letters & Hands-On Number Cards
- Phonic Photo Cards
- Vocabulary Builder Cards
- Shape
- Friendly Bee Friendship Trait
- Number Tree Leaves
- Circle Time Song Card Ring
Calendar grid & number/pattern pieces
Theme poster
Global Friends, Friendly Bee Character Trait “Loving”, Shape, Number Tree Leaves
Phonics cards and Hands-On Letters and Numbers
Circle Time Song Card Ring
Daily Discovery Bag Day 1: Drum
Name writing Strips: I use these to access writing progress each month. Of course there’s a lot of writing opportunities but these are saved in the children’s portfolios. I write the date in the corner. Each child writes or traces their name (I write their name in highlighter). Then they are displayed on a pocket chart in our writing area for the month. That way the kids can write each others names and see their letters. Next month we’ll replace them with January’s and I’ll file these in their portfolios. Simple!
Family Newsletter: Such a professional addition to the Mother Goose Time curriculum. It’s impressive for them and adds to my professionalism as well.
Drum Day 1 Materials: Daily topic poster, Drum Prop craft directions and materials, Rhythm Pattern Cards
Woodwinds Day 2: Daily topic poster, Woodwind Game, Kazoo craft materials
Horns Day 3 Materials: Daily topic poster, Guess the Sound Orchestra Matching Cards, My Little Journals
Stringed Instruments Day 4 Materials: Daily topic poster, violin prop materials, Counting Strings activity large rubber bands, Stringed Snack Recipe Card
Piano Day 5 Materials: Daily topic poster, Piano Keys game, The Mississippi Musicians storybook
Those are the materials all included in week one! Wow! Of course that’s just a fraction of the activities and ideas included in the Mother Goose Time curriculum. This just covers what’s in the Daily Discovery Bags. So much to work with and learn about. This is why we love Mother Goose Time. Wonderful quality materials that create a lifelong love for learning.
And now we have a good start on December! Next week is all about Sights and Sounds Found Outdoors.
Outdoor Sounds of Winter - Bells Science Activity & Craft #MGTblogger
Monday 21st of December 2015
[…] theme. Bells are a wonderful sound of the season! We’ve enjoyed the large bells sent in the December kit, listening to Jingle Bells and […]
Outdoor Sights and Sounds of Winter
Monday 7th of December 2015
[…] What outdoor sights and sounds of winter can we find out? In week two of Sights and Sounds of Winter Mother Goose Time curriculum, we are going to be learning about animals, ice, owl, bells and winter birds. This post will show you what is all included in the Daily Discovery bags. I’ve written about what was included in the first week of December’s curriculum here. […]
Rachel @ Wife, Then Mama
Saturday 5th of December 2015
Also, is that what your theme web looks like? I saw this one online and then here, but mine has different daily topics for some day. Like I don't have ribbons, feast or singing at all and my last two days are winter days and winter nights...
Rachel @ Wife, Then Mama
Saturday 5th of December 2015
Ooooh I love the idea of writing the numbers on the calendar so they can match them! I will have to do that! Thank you!
Stacy
Monday 7th of December 2015
Isn't that a great tip Rachel? I learned it from someone else too. ;)