My Preschool Album
Social Studies (History)
An activity for preschoolers
Materials
-camera
-holiday props (for example, Santa hats, heart headbands, shamrock bow ties, ect.) -printer with printer paper -scissors -glue -stickers for each holiday You can either get: -enough blank books so there's one per child (you can purchase blank books at most craft stores, or you can purchase them online here: http://www.amazon.com/White-Hardcover-Blank-Pages-ASH10700/dp/B001SV2ISC) or get -construction paper -twine -three-hole punch (Materials for modifiers) -glitter -glue Modifiers/Scaffold
For an easier challenge:
-Either peel the back of the stickers for the earlier children -Ask, "What do you like best about your pictures?" For most children -Ask, "What are the differences you see in each picture?" For a trickier challenge: -Include glue and glitter so they can put glitter on their decorations. -Ask, "What changes did we encounter throughout the year?" Follow-up Ideas
-Other materials you can let the children decorate their photo album with include: markers, crayons, glitter glue, felt shapes, foam cut-outs, and even flower petals.
-You can make family trees with each child, going as far back as grandma and grandpa. Let the child discuss their family with you as you create the family tree with them. |
Originating Idea
The whole point of history is exploring our past. However, the past is such an open-ended concept that it's hard for a preschooler to fully grasp it. That's why I wanted to come up with an activity that helped teach them the concept of present versus past.
How to Make It
You collect a number of holiday-themed props. For example, get a Santa hat for Christmas, and a shamrock tie for St. Patrick's day. Then, you either order enough blank books for your class, or make your own photo albums using construction paper and twine. Use the three hole punch to make holes on the side of each page, and tie all the pages together using the string. You could even color-coordinate the pages for each holiday (green for Christmas, orange for Halloween, pink for Valentine's day, ect).
How to Implement It
On the first day of school, tell the children, "I'm so happy to have you here with me! Before I release you for free play, I want to take a picture of each of you. Come to me when I call your name and let me take your picture!" Then, she takes a picture of every child before letting them play. She will go through this same routine for every major holiday, incorporating the holiday props as she does. During the children's nap time, she will print the students' photos, and then, during afternoon large group time, the children will all decorate a page in their photo album, using the stickers.
Most students will be able to use the stickers will a little help, while the later students will probably not need any help removing the backs off the stickers. Earlier students will either need the backs removed on their stickers. At the end of the year, the teacher should decorate the front of each student's photo album with two pictures of the student, showing what they looked like at the beginning of the year and what they looked like at the end of the year. Then, on their last day, the teacher will have the students look at their photo album. She will talk about the different events the students celebrated together. |