Neighborhood Clues

Materials

bag or box

cards

marker

pictures of neighborhood workers: mail carrier, lawn care

worker, meter reader, pest control worker, newspaper

carrier, ice cream truck driver,delivery worker,sanitation worker

Instructions

l Select four pages from an old calendar. In addition to having the month's dates, each page should contain illustrations depicting one of the four seasons. Laminate for durability.
l Place the pages in an open area. Mark a line in the floor about 2' from each page with masking tape. Put a cup with 10 buttons next to the starting lines.
What To Do
1. Begin by talking with the children about the seasons. Ask the children how people identify each season. Explain that people know what season it is because of the weather, but also because people use calendars to keep track of the month and the season.
2. Show the children the pages from the calendar. Count the numbers on the calendars aloud with the children.
3. Model for the children how to toss a button onto one of the calendars, name the season and month it depicts, and then name the date on which the button landed.
4. Encourage the children to explore this activity at their own levels.
Teacher - to - Teacher Tip
l For children who have trouble identifying numbers, consider simplifying the activity by having the children toss buttons and simply name the season or month of the calendar page on which they land.
Assessment
To assess the children's learning, consider the following:
l Do the children understand the basic function of calendars?
l Can the children name the seasons and months of the calendar pages?
l Can the children identify the numbers 1 to 31 on the calendars?