Materials
recording of the song "Five Little Ducks"
tape
feathers
Instructions
- Introduce the popular song "Five Little Ducks" to the children. When you sing the song the first time, show the children that the fingers and thumb, on one hand, can represent the five ducks.
- The second time you play the song, the children will act it out.
- Before you play the song again, pick one child to be the lead duck. This child will wear a feather taped to the back of her shirt. Tape a feather on her back.
- Choose four others to line up behind the first duck.
- The group sings the song as the four children follow the lead duck around the room. When the song ends, tape the feather on the back of the second child. The first child then sits down and chooses another child to be the new fifth duck.
- Repeat this until all the children cycle through the group of five ducks, moving from the fifth duck to first duck.
- Encourage all the children to help sing the song. Encourage the children being ducks to waddle as they walk.
More To Do
* Incorporate a "feelings" activity by talking as a group about how it feels to be
the lead duck as opposed to one of the following ducks, as well as how it
feels to be a watcher or singer.
Assessment
Consider the following:
* Do the children learn the song well enough to sing along?
* How well does each child take turns as a singer, leader, follower, and so on?
Instructions
1. Encourage the children to experiment by placing various items from the
classroom on a table in front of a slide projector or overhead projector in
order to see the shadows they make on the wall.
2. Suggest they make a design they like, and then copy the shadow by tracing
it on paper taped to the wall.
3. Ask the children if they would like to sit still so you can trace their shadows
on the wall, using white pencil on black paper. It helps if someone sits
behind the child to help hold his head still. Tell them this is called a
"silhouette." Let them trace your silhouette, too!
4. Cut out silhouettes and glue them on a different color of paper. Show the
silhouettes to the children during group time and challenge them to
recognize their friends.
5. Keep the slide or overhead projector in the classroom for several days,
moving it to any area where children can create things that might be fun to
"shadow" on the wall. For example, bring it to the block area to make a
shadow of an interesting tall structure, bring it to the playdough table and
let children make shadows by placing their creations on a table, and put it
near the sand and water so children can see the shadows from pouring
water or drops of water.
