November 20, 2015 by toddletowne2015

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In addition to some patriotic Fourth of July activities, we will be investigating a subject of intense interest to almost all young children, creepy crawly things! We will encourage the children to investigate these creatures, not recklessly or with fear, but with interest and a healthy respect. You can assist by avoiding expressions of fear or disgust when the youngsters show you their discoveries. Children will be encouraged to respect the rights of outside creatures by watching them without picking them up or interfering with them. By observation, we hope that the children will learn to differentiate insects from other creepy crawlies because they have three body parts, six legs, and two antennae. They may or may not have wings. Did you know that spiders are not insects? The children will observe and discuss the way creepy crawlies help or harm us, how they protect themselves, and what they need to live.

Children really love big words and we will introduce lots of them this month. We will be Entomologists as we learn about our creepy crawly friends. An arthropod is the general classification of things that creep or crawl on land or in the water. They all have external skeletons, segmented bodies, and jointed appendages. Arachnida (spiders), Diplopoda (Millipedes), Chilopoda (centipedes), Crustacea (sowbugs & lobsters) and Hexapoda (insects) all have different characteristics and are sub-classifications of Arthropods. We expect to have lots of fun using this theme for learning activities.

BEGINNERS will add the names of various categories of creepy crawly creatures to their vocabularies. They will be matching primary and secondary colors, counting and learning to recognize their printed names. They will also spend a lot of time outside working on gross motor skills: throwing a ball, going from a squat to stand without losing balance, jumping, and turning somersaults. Inside they will refine fine motor skills while building with small blocks, using puzzles, stringing beads, and using crayons.

PRESCHOOL children will use hats, creepy crawlies and summer activities to accomplish skill goals. They will be focusing on counting, and matching number groups to number symbols, writing their names, relationship groupings, rhyming words, shapes, sequencing events, sequencing by size, addition and subtraction with 10 objects, and jumping and hopping.