Materials
We Were Tired of Living in a House by Liesel Moak Skorpen
Camping props, such as flat sheets, rope, rectangular blocks for a fire ring, empty
paper towel rolls for fire wood, sticks, cotton balls for marshmallows, campfire
cooking utensils, flashlight, canteen, and sleeping bags
Instructions
1. Send a note home with the children explaining that they will be allowed to
bring their favorite blanket to school the next day. Ask the parents to write a
short note about the child's blanket (such as who made it or who gave it to
the child). Bring in a few extra blankets for children who forget to bring their
own.
2. Encourage the children to spread out their blankets on the floor and lie on
them at Circle Time.
3. As the children lie on their blankets, read them a book about blankets. Good
choices are Owen by Kevin Henkes, On Mother's Lap by Ann Herbert Scott,
or Ira Sleeps Over by Bernard Waber.
4. Encourage the children to share their blankets. If they brought a note from
their parents, read it aloud to the class.
5. Use the blankets to practice concepts:
* Put the blanket under you.
* Put the blanket over you.
* Get on top of the blanket.
* Put the blanket beside you.
* Get under the blanket.
6. Make a floor graph. On each piece of paper, write a descriptive word for the
children's blankets, such as red, blue, quilt, and so on. Read the words out
loud and with the children, talk about the different kinds of blankets. Place
the labels on the floor and ask the children to put their blankets in the appropriate
categories. Discuss which group has more, less, or is equal.
7. Teach the children this poem:
I have a special blanket,
At night it's on my bed,
And when I lay me down to sleep,
It's where I put my head.
More to do
Literacy: Ask the children to dictate stories about their blankets. After you write
down their words, they can illustrate them. Make a class book with their stories.
Encourage the children to take turns bringing the book home to share with their
families.
More Literacy: Ask the children to respond to the following statements. Write
down their responses and make a sensory booklet for each child.
My blanket feels like ___________
My blanket looks like ___________
My blanket smells like __________
Self-concept: Take photographs of the children with their blankets and hang the
photos on the bulletin board.
