Communication, Language, and Literacy (Concepts about Print)
An activity for preschoolers
Materials
-clothespins -yarn -printer paper -printer -Alphabet Sheet (see document below) -two plastic containers (I found cottage cheese containers worked best for this project) -hot glue -two dowels (you could also use two new, unsharpened pencils) -pebbles -ruler -pencil -scissors -cookie sheets
(Materials for modifiers) -Alphabet sheet with punctuation marks and numbers
Modifiers/Scaffol
For an easier challenge: -Write the child's name on a piece of paper and place it on their cookie sheet
For most children: -Ask the child, "Which letters are in your name? Can you make them into your name?"
For a trickier challenge: -Encourage the later children to create simple words
Follow-up Ideas
-When introducing new vocabulary terms, use the clothesline and letters and spell the word out with the students. Always have one clothesline and set of letters on the teacher's easel so you can pull it out during circle time.
-Have the students trace the letters on their own alphabet sheet. Or, if their advance enough, let them make their own alphabet sheets. If they enjoy cutting, they could practice cutting the letters out of the alphabet sheet on their own.
-If you laminate the letters, you can further play on the idea that the letters got "wet." You could have a cookie sheet filled with water, and have the kids scoop out the different letters with their hands and hang them to dry on the dowels.
Originating Idea
For some reason, there is always a coffee can full of clothespins hiding in every classroom's cabinet, and it seems like these clothespins are never used for anything other than butterfly crafts. This activity not only came out of a need for language arts activities, but a use for all these clothespins!
How to Make It
First, you need to print the Alphabet Sheet eight or nine times (enough for two per student) and cut out the squares. Then, you take the hot glue and glue the dowels to the bottom of the inside of the container. Once the glue is set, you can fill it up with the pebbles. After that, you tie the yarn between the two dowels; you can reinforce the yarn with more hot glue if you wish. You will need to make four or five of these clotheslines and place each of them on a cookie sheet, along with the alphabet letters your created for your students.
How to Implement It
During small group time, tell the students, "I found a lot of letters sitting outside in the rain. They were really wet! What do you think we can do to help them dry out?" Let the children give you their ideas of what to do to help dry out the letters. Then say, "Well, in the past, people didn't have clothes dryers. They had to hang their clothes on a line and wait for them to dry. We're going to practice doing that today! Everyone will get a clothesline and some letters! Maybe we can even put these letters together to make new words, like our names!"
At this point, the students will be given their clotheslines and letters, and allowed to explore the activity. Most students will put familiar letters up on the clothesline, and try to make their name. Later students will attempt to make simple words and other students' names. Earlier students will simply enjoy placing the letters on the clothesline itself, and may begin recognizing letters in their own name.
Once small group time is over, the teacher will announce, "Ok, now that our letters are dry, we need to let them take a nap. Tuck your letters back into their baskets and let them sleep." Once the students are done cleaning up, have them go to the sinks to go wash their hands.