Kindergarten Pretend and Learn Lesson
Unit: Amazing Creatures
Pretend and Learn Theme: A Bug’s Eye View
Implementing the Pretend and Learn Lesson in the Kindergarten ClassroomCenter Introduction (Whole Group)
1. Have the students imagine they are tiny insects. “What might the world look like to you if you were so small?”
2. Pretend to be insects. Have the students act out and explain what insect they are and what the “insect” is dong.
3. Brainstorm what types of animals you would find on the forest floor. Generate a list, as a class (shared writing) and post it in the center as an anchor.
4. Discuss the various roles available (insects, animals, explorers, etc.) and role play how they could all work together.
Center Participation
Students can:
· use art supplies to create costumes to act out (insects, animals, explorers, etc.)
· use art supplies to construct animals to label and add to the center walls.
· use booklet paper to “observe” and record findings in a Field Journal or write a fictional story from a bug’s point of view.
· use a camera or iPad to take photos to be printed and used in a booklet or displayed in center.
Center Organization
1. Provide construction paper, pipe cleaners, scissors, markers, sequins, etc. in buckets, baskets, or bins.
2. Take photos of what the items should look like when they are put away.
3. Use labeled (words/photo) bins, buckets, baskets, and/or shelves to keep the materials separated and easy to use.
4. Keep props in a separate bucket, include photo of expected placement.
Content Area
Social Studies, Language Arts, Science
Vocabulary
English and Spanish vocabulary cards are located below
Materials
Consumables
*Butcher Paper (to cover furniture and create scene)
Paper Towel Rolls
Construction Paper
Markers, Crayons, Colored Pencils
Scissors
Pipe Cleaners
Sentence Strips/or Small Paper for Labeling
Craft Pom-Poms
Booklets “field journal”
Anchor Chart
Paper Grocery Bags
Non-Consumables
Wings
Bug Costumes
Plastic bugs
Antennae
Explorer Hat (Safari)
Butterfly Nets
Magnifying Glasses
Specimen Viewer (box)
Lily Pads
Oversized Stuffed Animals (frogs, lizards, snakes, fish, insects)
“Fly’s Eye” Viewer
Camera
Ipad
Connections
Literature:
Beetles / Escarabajo (Treasures)
Salta, Ranita, Salta
The Magic School Bus Hops Home
The Magic School Bus Gets Ants in it’s Pants
The Magic School Bus Butterfly and the Bog Beast
The Magic School Bus In a Beehive
The Magic School Bus Spins a Web
Face Bug by Patrick Lewis
Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold
Diary of a Fly by Doreen Cronin
Diary of a Spider by Doreen Cronin
The Very Busy Spider
The Very Lonely Firefly
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
The Grouchy Ladybug
The Mixed-Up Chameleon
The Very Clumsy Click Beetle by Eric Carle
Writing:
Field Journal (see anchor below)
Lists of animals
Write fictional booklet based on an animal in the habitat (example Diary of a Fly)
Make labels
Technology:
Bugs, Bugs, Bugs (Tumblebooks), The Magic School Bus (United Streaming), Student Photography (using iPad or class camera, teacher may choose to print photos for display in center)
Examples
¨A Bug´s Eye View¨ is a center with limitless creative possibilities.
· Set-up: Use butcher paper to cover your pretend and learn furniture and to create larger-than-life blades of grass, flowers, and a stream. If you cover your table in blue paper and let it drape down onto the floor, it gives the effect of a flowing stream. The area under the table instantly becomes a small animal/insect habitat.
· Pipe cleaners, pom-poms, sentence strips, and construction paper can be used to make antennae and wings.
· Large stuffed animals or insects (to continue the idea that the students are small insects) make fun props for students to play with and imagine that they are on level with the forest creatures.
RealSimple.com C+C Preschool Factory Pinterest
Additional Resources and Links
Free from TeachersPayTeachers.com
· Math Rainforest Fun
· Rainforest Write the Room and Vocabulary Cards
· Rainforest Emergent Reader with Real Photos
Videos
· Watch the first 5 minutes of "Its a Big Big World", Explanation of "Point of View" and "Being a Butterfly"(dressing up and acting like an ant occurs further in the video)
· 9 minute video from an insect's point of view
· The Magic School Bus Videos can be found on UnitedStreaming.com
tadpole
frog
pond
minnow
frog eggs
goldfish
lily pad
algae
cattail
butterfly
ladybug
praying mantis
dragon fly
firefly
June bug
beetle
biologist
bee
renacuajo
rana
estanque
pececillo
huevos de rana
pez dorado
hoja de lirio
algae marinas
totora
mariposa
mariquita
mantis religiosa
libélula
luciérnaga
abejón de mayo
escarabajo
biólogo
abeja
Bug’s Eye View Field Journal
1. Make your book’s front cover with Title, illustration and Author’s name.
2. Draw and label. Write sentences about your observations.
3. Share your writing with your classmates.
Diario desde el punto de vista de un insecto
1. Crea la portada del libro: Título, ilustración y nombre del autor.
2. Dibuja y añade etiquetas a tus dibujos. Escribe oraciones acerca de tus observaciones.
3. Comparte lo que escribiste con un compañero.
In the Bug’s Eye View Center
I can...
Draw insects and write their label
Create a costume
Pretend that I am an insect and create a fictional story
Create a field journal
Act like an animal
Hunt for food
Be a biologist or explorer
Catch insects in a net
Take pictures
Centro del punto de vista de los insectos
Puedo...
Dibujar insectos y añadir etiquetas
Crear un disfraz
Fingir que soy un insecto y crear un cuento de ficción
Crear un diario del punto de vista de un insecto
Actúar como un animal
Ir a cazar
Ser un biólogo ó un explorador
Atrapar unos insectos con una red
Tomar fotografías
Austin ISD Kindergarten 2015