In Kindergarten we focus on all the actions makers must do to make all the amazing things we see around us. Most lessons are tied to picture books and the emphasis is on skill building, not final products. These lessons can mostly be used in any order and can be subbed in-and-out to meet the needs of students.

Disgusting Critters!!!

The Disgusting Critters series is a marvelous, silly, non-fiction series by Elise Gravel. Each little book gives an informative and entertaining deep dive in one of the world's creatures who is often the victim of gasps and shreeks. We are starting the 2023-2024 school year with these books.

Each book is a 2 lesson adventure. First we will read the books and take notes in the form of adding drawn details to an outline to the animal. The next lesson will see us building a simple model of that animal. These can be visited in any order and are designed to be built with common materials. I do laser cut some components and I am happy to share the .svg files.

The toad outline for note taking.

the toad outine.pdf

Toad Project

Hopping Frog Project

To make this adorable hopping toad you need.

• template

• 2 Dixie cups

• elastic band

• scissors

• double-sided tape

The Fly Outline for note taking and some examples of kindergarten notes.

The cockroach outline for note taking.

To make the cockroach you need:

• styrofoam egg

• laser cut eyes with center holes (any circle you can put a pin through will work - craft foam, cardstock, felt)

• 8 ball head straight pins

• black permanent marker

• fabric remnant cut into a 2" square (corduroy used here)

• 1 toothpick

• 4 pipe cleaners cut in half (8 pieces total)

• scraps of tulle for wings

To make your cockroach attach eyes to the egg with straight pins. 

Stick 2 pipe cleaners into the top of the egg by stuffing the wire into the foam. These are your antenna.

Attach 2 arms and a leg on each side of the egg by attaching the pipe cleaners in the same way you attached the antenna.

Draw on a mouth with the marker.

Snap the toothpick in half. Stick the snapped side into the faom to make teeth emerging from the mouth.

Attach the fabric belly with 4 straight pins.

Attach the tulle wings to the back with straight pins.

The rat outline for taking notes/

To make the rat you need:

• toilet paper roll

• pink pipe cleaner

• rat parts template (see below)

• tape

• scissors

• hole punch

Punch a hole at one of of the toilet paper tube.

Color and cut out the rat template pieces.

Curve the rat head into a cone shape and secure with tape.

Tape the rat head onto the toilet paper tube at the end opposite the punched hole.

Tape the rat feet on the underside of the rat.

thread the pipe cleaner through the tube hole and twist to secure.

The slug outline for note taking.

To make the slug you will need:

• a yellow latex balloon

• cotton balls

• googly eye ring

• pipe cleaner

Stuff the balloon with cotton balls until you have a satisfyingly sluggy body.

Fold the end of the ballon over the googly eye ring. Adjust so that the end of the balloon forms a mouth.

Wrap with a pipe cleaner to secure.

Lice

Lice outline for taking notes.

To make the louse you will need:

laser cut louse head

The Bat

The bat outline for taking notes.

To make the bat you need:

• black clothespin

• black tissue paper

• laser cut bat head

• black permanent markers

• black masking tape

• 2 black pipe-cleaners

Glue the head to clothespin on the side of the clothespin you squeeze.

Thread 1 pipe-cleaner through the center of the clothespin's pivot point.

Center the pipe-cleaner in that hole

Cut 2 wings out of the tissue paper.

Fold over the top of each wing and secure with tape to form a threadable pocket.

Thread each wing onto one side of the pipe-cleaner. Bunch into a wing shape. 

Form the end of each pipe-cleaner into a little "V" shaped hand.

Thread the second pipe-cleaner into the same pivot point. 

Bend 2nd pipe-cleaner into legs and feet

The Worm

Worm outline for note taking.

Give students some time to create.

Be sure to leave class time to share what they made and what they hope to be.

Rose's Garden

• Read Rose's Garden by Peter Reynolds

• Ask if anyone has every made a paper flower.

• Demonstrate a simple paper flower.

• Ask students what actions I had to do to make the paper flower.

• Demo again and review the action: layer, bunch, pinch, wrap, twist, bend, fluff

• Give each student tissue paper and pipe cleaners to make paper flowers,

If time remains, teach rhyme: 

Flower, flower don't you know

I just love to watch you grow.

 The Color Monster

Read The Color Monster by Anna Llenas

Share some colors and how they make students feel.

Talk about the color you feel most like right now.

Demonstrate how to gather, thread, crinkle, wrap,  and twist. To make a color monster with google ring, tissue paper, and pipe cleaners.

Unplugged

We'll read about Blip and their adventures in both the digital and natural world. We will then practice threading, twisting, winding, and assembling as we make out own Blip figures.

Violet The Pilot

We will read about Violet and her amazing flying creations. Then we'll build our own model airplanes.

Nerdycorn

We'll read about Fern who is made fun of by the other unicorns for being different. Then we will celebrate all the ways we are each unique by making our changing character.

back template

front template

Intro to Design Thinking 

Don't Hug Doug 

We'll read all about Doug, who doesn't like hugs, and then use the Ethical Creativity Design Process to make a way to share our love for Doug in a way he feels comfortable.

Lesson 2 - Wonder

The second step of the ethical design process is wonder.  When we wonder we ponder those really big questions - ones that often have no easy answers. 

We begin by reading Tiny T. Rex and the Impossible Hug.  Tiny T and Doug have different attitudes and challenges about hugs. When we think about both their stories and the concept of hugs, big questions might include:

• Why do people like different things? 

• Why might something feel good to one person but bad to another?

• How can you tell if some one comfortable or uncomfortable with something?

• Are there people who want to give hugs but can't ? Why?

We'll review some parts of our story and then spend some time talking about our wonderings. Then we'll color Doug and make his wondering clouds fluffy with possibility.

Lesson 3 - Ask Question

In this phase of the ethical creativity process we want to do our research by asking really good questions and listening really well. We'll begin class by generating a list of questions for Doug then we'll reread the story and listen extra hard for answers to our questions. Then we'll record our data.

Our question asking will continue on each week as we read different books about hugs and gain a variety of perspectives.

Lesson 4 - Brainstorm

Now the we have a good understanding of Doug, why he does not like hugs and what he likes, we can think of ideas for ways to show him we care for him WITHOUT hugs. We want to start by coming up with lots, and lots, and lots of ideas. This is called brainstorming.

We'll review what Doug likes and does not like. Then we will come up with as many ideas as we can to show Doug we care.

Ask students to write an idea on each lightening bolt.

Then cut out the bolts and glue them on chipboard disk. Attach a cork to the disk with a pushpin to create a top.

Lesson 5 - Prototype

Now that we've thought a lot about hugs students will have a chance to use a selection of fun materials to prototype a hug aid.

Suggested Materials:

• toilet paper tubes

• colored paper

• colored tape

• pipe cleaners

• markers

Weaving and Tying

Session 2

• Summarize A Bad Case of Stripes and review pattern names.

• Demonstrate how to weave with paper.

• Give students back their pattern pages and have them cut into strips.

• Have students practice weaving with their pattern strips

Rainbow Weaver

We will enjoy Linda Elovitz Marshall's vibrant, bilingual tale of Mayan weaving, Rainbow Weaver, and then try our hands at making colorful God's Eyes.

 Kunu's Basket

We will read about Kunu and his family of basket weavers from Indian Island in Lee DeCora Francis's beautiful book Kunu's Basket. Then we will try our hands at some simple basket weaving.

Sock Stuffies

We read books about animals like: Heads and Tails, Not That Pet!, and The Barnabus Project. Then we make out own no-sew stuffies.

We will read Michael Catchpool's enchanting environmental fable, The Cloud Spinner, and learn how to finger spin raw wool into yarn.  We will use our handmade yarn to adorn our own decorative clouds.