{FREE} Printable St. Patrick's Day Preschool Packet

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Happy Leap Day!!  I'm very excited to share this free printable St. Patrick's Day Preschool Packet with you!  It has eight pages of fun St. Patrick's Day themed learning activities, including counting, tracing, matching, a journal prompt, and more!  And the best part...it's totally free!

You can download it here, or click on the picture.  The link will take you to my Teachers Notebook page, where you can download the file for free.  If you don't have a membership, you will need to sign up for one (also free!).  I'm starting to use Teachers Notebook because it is well organized and more secure than what I was using before.  I haven't got any feedback from my blog followers since I started using them, so I would love to know what you think!  Have you had any trouble downloading from there?  Let me know!

You are free to share the printables, but please keep the copyright note on them.  You can print them as many times as you like, or put them inside sheet protectors and write on them with dry erase markers!  As always, I'd love to know how you use them!

Teach Me Tuesday (2-28-12)

Teach Me Tuesday is here!  I am so excited to visit you all again!  Here is a great big THANK YOU to everyone who linked up last week--I love seeing what you're all up to!  Let's start off with our most-clicked on links from last week! If you're featured, feel free to grab the button from the right sidebar!

<div align="center"><a href="http://PreschoolPowolPackets.blogspot.com" title="Teach Me Tuesday at Preschool Powol Packets" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j368/cmg38/TeachMeTuesdayButton.jpg" alt="Teach Me Tuesday at Preschool Powol Packets" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Our features this week (the most clicked on links from last week) are:

Train up a Child shared this awesome sensory experience with very little mess...and she tied math and literacy in to the activity!  Check it out here!

Enjoying the Journey shared this cool recipe for Glowing Playdough, as well as some fun ideas to play and learn using it!  Check it out here!

 

Ana Louisa Dziengel shared 20 Activities for Toddler Boys...and many are very appropriate for slightly older boys (and girls) too!  Check out her wonderful ideas here!

Many thanks to these awesome ladies for sharing their great activities with us!  If you missed them last week, but sure to check them out!

Now, onto this week's Teach Me Tuesday linky party!

The guidelines are simple:

1- Link to your post, not your whole blog.  By linking up you are giving me permission to share a picture and link to your post.

2- Your post must be family-friendly.

3- Your post must somehow relate to education (this includes crafts, games, experiments, printables, recipes, essays, and anything else related to education!).

4- After you link up, visit some of the other links and let them know what you think!  Everybody likes to get feedback and know their post is appreciated!

5- This is optional, but I'd sure be grateful if you spread the word by posting the Teach Me Tuesday button (above) on your blog or post!  The party only gets better with more bloggers!

**Please make sure you picked up the button from Preschool Powol Packets, and not my old blog!**

That's it!  I can't wait to get to know you and see what you're up to!  Also, you're always welcome to follow me on GFC, Facebook, Google + or subscribe to my monthly newsletter (links are in the sidebar)!

Sharing Saturday: Dr. Seuss' Birthday

Dr. Seuss' Birthday is March 2!  Theodore Seuss Geisel (1904-1991) wrote over 40 books and was an advocate for early childhood literacy.  His birthday has also become Read Across America Day!  Here's a few ideas to help you celebrate!   If you were featured, feel free to grab a button from the right sidebar!

<div align="center"><a href="http://PreschoolPowolPackets.blogspot.com" title="Preschool Powol Packets" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j368/cmg38/SharingSaturdaybutton.jpg" alt="Preschool Powol Packets" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Seussville, of course!   Online games, news, books, educational links, and more...all from Random House!  What, no picture?  Everything is Flash but, don't worry...you and your kiddos will love it!



Beth from Living Life Intentionally has put together this free, 30-page Seuss Learning Pack!  Downloadable in three parts, this fabulous resource for children 2-7 has dozens of learning activities that include reading, writing, math, and much more!  Check it out here!





Charisa at Madtown Macs shared this fun and inventive way to let your children create and express themselves!  Check out her Dr. Seuss City here!

MiaB at Mama Mia's Heart 2 Heart made a free Cat In The Hat file folder game!  This bright, fun game focuses on first letter sounds and matching!  MiaB has a great idea for storing the pieces too!  Check it out here!

Lina at Fancy Frugal Life has a tutorial for DIY Dr. Seuss shirts, hair clips, and treats!  Check them out here!


Do you have plans for Dr. Seuss' birthday?  Do you or your children have a favorite Dr. Seuss book?  I'd love to know!

 

Ooblek! (Recipe & Dr. Seuss Birthday!)

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To kick off Dr. Seuss' birthday in one week, we read Bartholomew and the Ooblek and (of course) made ourselves some Ooblek!  This ooblek is a sure crowd-pleaser...my 3-year old, 4-year old, and two 1-year olds absolutely loved it!  They had all sorts of ideas of ways to experiment with it, and I was happy to let them go wild.  Added perks: it's natural, easy to clean, and edible (if a bit nasty-tasting).  This was particularly important because I had two young toddlers today, and one of their favorite experiments is the taste test!

I also made up The Ooblek Song...if you're really lucky, I'll figure out how to turn it into a YouTube video before Dr. Seuss' Birthday!  I loved hearing all the little guys singing, "Ooblek, Ooblek, Ooblek..."{Update: You can see it now here! Be kind...it's my first attempt at anything like this!)

Ooblek Supplies:

• 1 pound corn starch (one small box)
• about 10 drops green food coloring
• about 1 1/2 cups water

The Quick and Easy How-To:

Pour water into a small bowl. Dump in the corn starch.  Add the food coloring.  Mix it with your hands!  You can easily halve or double this recipe.  Your child can play with it in the bowl or on the table.  As long as he is playing with it, it will stay solid. He can roll it into a ball or even smack it!  As soon as he stops playing with it, it will ooze out and away as a liquid.  Once it is left alone, it soon dries up and is easily dusted into a trash bin.

Note: Over time the cornstarch will separate out of the water and make solid clumps--it is best to throw the mixture away when you are done (not dump it down the sink).

If you do this with older children, it might be fun to tie a bit of the scientific explanation in to all the crazy experimenting!  Ooblek is a suspension (a liquid mixture that has particles large enough to eventually settle out of the mixture), just like quicksand or some paints.  When you roll it between your hands like a ball or slap it on the counter, the force from your hands or the counter presses long starch polymers together.  They trap the water and the suspension behaves like a solid.  When you stop applying force, the polymers relax, the water flows, and it behaves like a liquid. 

Tomorrow, I'm going to share some more ideas for Dr. Seuss's Birthday (March 2nd) for Sharing Saturday!



I may share at these parties!

Science Experiment: Physics Fun for Preschoolers

I knew my preschoolers would love this science experiment...I didn't know my 20-month old would love it too!  Penny Playground teaches young children about balance and levers in a Montessori-style experiment.

You will need these supplies:

• 5 pennies
• 1 nickel
• any other coins you want 
• 12-inch ruler
• small block or other fulcrum

The easy how-to:

Show your child how to set up the see-saw with the ruler and the block.  Challenge her to find out how many pennies it takes to balance a nickel.  Ask her to make a hypothesis--a guess she can test about what the right answer is!  Make sure you place the coins at the ends of the ruler.  Once she has figured out the challenge, let her experiment and answer her own questions...she will have plenty!

This science experiment comes from the packet 5 Science Experiments With Pennies for Young Children, available at Teachers Notebook. 



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Teach Me Tuesday (1-21-12)

Teach Me Tuesday is here!  Here is a great big THANK YOU to everyone who linked up last week--I love seeing what you're all up to!  Let's start off with our most-clicked on links from last week! If you're featured, feel free to grab the button from the right sidebar!

<div align="center"><a href="http://PreschoolPowolPackets.blogspot.com" title="Teach Me Tuesday at Preschool Powol Packets" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j368/cmg38/TeachMeTuesdayButton.jpg" alt="Teach Me Tuesday at Preschool Powol Packets" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Our features this week (the most clicked on links from last week) are:

Meadow at Pagan Homeschool shared this fun science experiment she used to talk about gasses and other phases of matter.  She also has additional matter phases resources at http://paganhomeschool.com/gas-phase-science-experiment-plus-other-phases-of-matter-resources/!

Lauren at Tutus and Tea Parties shared this awesome Marshmallow Catapult!  See how she combined some serious fun and physics at http://tutusandteaparties.blogspot.com/2012/02/marshmallow-catapults.html!

 

Brittney at Mom's Heart shared this unique way to make a themed meal!  Check out her Humpty Dumpty Lunch at http://moms-heart.blogspot.com/2012/02/humpty-dumpty-lunch.html!  

Many thanks to these awesome ladies for sharing their great activities with us!  If you missed them last week, but sure to check them out!

Now, onto this week's Teach Me Tuesday linky party!

The guidelines are simple:

1- Link to your post, not your whole blog.

2- Your post must be family-friendly.

3- Your post must somehow relate to education (this includes crafts, games, experiments, printables, recipes, essays, and anything else related to education!).

4- After you link up, visit some of the other links and let them know what you think!  Everybody likes to get feedback and know their post is appreciated!

5- This is optional, but I'd sure be grateful if you spread the word by posting the Teach Me Tuesday button (above) on your blog or post!  The party only gets better with more bloggers!

**Please make sure you picked up the button from Preschool Powol Packets, and not my old blog!**

That's it!  I can't wait to get to know you and see what you're up to!  Also, you're always welcome to follow me on GFC, Facebook, Google + or subscribe to my monthly newsletter (links are in the sidebar)!

Science Experiment: Diet Coke and Mentos Geyser

My preschoolers love experimenting with reactions, and the classic Diet Coke and Mentos reaction is so popular it's been requested and repeated more than once!

The INGREDIENTS are simple:

• Diet Coke (you will want several bottles!)
• Mint-flavored Mentos  (at least two rolls!)
• Other mix-ins  (rock salt, nails, and other candy are interesting ones, but let your child choose what she wants to experiment with!)

The HOW TO is fun:

1. Plan how you will put 5 Mentos into a 2-liter bottle of Diet Coke at the same time.  I've used a roll of paper, but prefer to thread them onto a string with a needle.  It doesn't take long to thread, and is so much more effective.  
2. Drop 5 mint-flavored Mentos into a 2-liter bottle of Diet Coke at the same time.  Step back fast!
3. Oooh and aaah!!  Note: the reaction only lasts 5-6 seconds, and the kids usually want to do it again...and soon!
4. Talk about the reaction on whatever level your child can understand.  Then invite her to experiment with other reagents.  Is there anything else that makes as big a reaction as the Mentos/Diet Coke combination?

What does make the reaction?  Interestingly enough, there is still considerable debate about the cause (it's even been on Mythbusters!), but this is the most likely explanation.  As you know, Diet Coke is a very carbonated drink.  The molecules of carbon dioxide (a gas) are surrounded by molecules of water.  The surface tension of water is quite strong (strong enough for insects and even the basilisk to run across the top of water!), but there are lots of ways to break it.  If you shake the bottle before you open it, you release a lot of carbon dioxide that will rush out the top of the bottle when you open it.  When you drop certain objects (or candy) into the drink, you also break the surface tension and release carbon dioxide.  Mentos contain gum arabic and gelatin that seem particularly effective in breaking the surface tension.  Mint Mentos are especially exciting because they have many little holes on their surface (called nucleation sites) that the carbon dioxide will cling to, making the reaction even more explosive!  Fruit-flavored Mentos do not have the nucleation sites (you can feel how smooth they are), and do not make nearly as exciting a reaction.

So, to summarize, the Diet Coke/Mentos reaction seems like a physical reaction, not a chemical reaction.  The final products are the same as the initial ones, but they combine to form a geyser that is fun and exciting!


I'll be sharing this post at some of these linky parties!
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Sharing Saturday: President's Day Ideas for Preschoolers

President's Day is on Monday and I'm so excited to share these ideas with you!  There are so many fabulous things you could do next week--I already have a hard time choosing!  If you were featured, feel free to grab a button from the right sidebar!

<div align="center"><a href="http://PreschoolPowolPackets.blogspot.com" title="Preschool Powol Packets" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j368/cmg38/SharingSaturdaybutton.jpg" alt="Preschool Powol Packets" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

The Preschool Toolbox has several ideas for President's Day, including this log cabin craft, sensory bins, and more!  Check them out at http://thepreschooltoolboxblog.com/?p=2599!

Marie at The Motley Mom shares ideas for President's Day, including this cute mobile, here: http://www.the-mom-blog.com/2011/02/celebrating-presidents-day-preschool.html!

Shannon at Kindergarten Hoppenings has several free printable President's Day worksheets and activities, including math and science projects.  Check them out at http://kinder-pond.blogspot.com/2011/01/presidents-day.html!

Doodle Bugs Teaching made this fabulous Abraham Lincoln...check out the details at http://doodlebugsteaching.blogspot.com/search?q=lincoln! 

Miss Eberhart's Class shares this fun way to tie President's Day with Groundhog Day!  To see the details and more great bulletin/wall ideas, visit http://www.misseberhartsclass.com/bulletin_boards.htm!

Alexandra at The First Grade Sweet Life has several ideas for President's Day and instructions to make them, including this log cabin that ties into reading!  Check them out at http://thefirstgradesweetlife.blogspot.com/2011/02/presidents-day-activities-two.html!



Do you already have plans for President's Day?  I think we'll be having at least two days of President's Day stuff...maybe even more!  We'll have to see!  Have a great weekend, everyone!

{FREE Game} Bats to the Rescue!

Bugs are everywhere!  Inspired by the little boys I spend my days with, I created Bats To The Rescue, a counting game.  This free game lets children practice counting while rolling dice and making bats gobble up obnoxious bugs!  On your turn, you roll a die, count the dots, draw that many bats, and place each bat on a bug on your board.  The one-to-one correspondence prepares children for addition, subtraction, and reading while engaging in an exciting and fast-paced game.

You can use it just for counting, or you can bring it out when you talk about things like bugs, insects, bats, habitats, and food chains.  The boys love it.  And so far, none of my girls have been scared away by the horned dung beetles!

To download it for free, click here!  I'm starting to put all my free items at Teachers Notebook.  You will need to register for an account, but it's all free and much more secure than Google Docs.  Teachers Notebook has lots of things you can purchase, but this file is completely free.  Let me know if you have any problems downloading it!

Click here to download Bats To The Rescue, a free counting game!


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String Painting Art for Preschoolers

We love painting, and using a variety of painting tools makes this art project even more exciting for preschoolers--toddlers can join in the fun too!

Supplies:

• paper
• 2-3 pieces of yarn, twine, or other thick string 12-24 inches long
• 2-3 colors paint (primary colors work well)

The Easy How To:

1.  If your child is able, let her help measure and cut the string.

2.  Fold your paper in half lengthwise (hotdog style) and set it near the paint.

3.  Dip (and coat) each string in paint--I like to encourage the kids to choose one color for each string the first time, and then let them experiment with whatever string/color arrangement they want next time.  (Be prepared to repeat this several times!)

4.  After you dip a string in paint, place it on one half of the paper.  Arrange it so one end of the string pokes out below the paper.  Repeat Steps 3 and 4 until you have 2-3 strings on one half of your paper.

5.  Fold the other side of the paper over.









  

6.  Press down on the paper with one hand while carefully pulling each string out with the other hand.

7.  Ta da!  Beautiful String Art!

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