Animals in the Polar Regions

We’re so happy to be back after the wonderful holiday break!  The children each brought a toy they got for Christmas for Show and Tell.  They loved getting to share with their friends and see what they got for Christmas too!

We are learning about Animal Habitats during January and February.  Animals are so diverse and interesting and such a great way for kids to learn about the world around them.   We started with animals from the Polar Regions!  When we learned about polar bears in the Arctic, we read some great non-fiction books about how polar bears live and what they are like.  We learned that polar bears use their huge paws and claws to dig their dens in the snow.  As a class, we pretended to dig our own little dens and then the kids curled up like polar bear cubs in their den!

Then the kids worked on their polar bear pictures for their project.  They turned out so well!  The kids glued down the “snow” and the polar bear, drew the moon, and drew claws and the polar bear’s face.

The children enjoyed looking at the polar bear and penguin books after snack time.

When we learned about the penguins in Antarctica, we learned that they huddle together to stay warm when it’s so cold! We also watched a little clip of “March of the Penguins” so the kids could see real penguins in action!!

We learned that penguins swim really fast in the sea and catch fish, squid, and krill to eat.  For snack, the kids pretended to be penguins and ate penguin food!  The older kids measured out their snacks of fish and “krill” (goldfish, pretzel fish, and sunflower seeds)!  They thought it was a great snack! 

For project, we went fishing with a “penguin beak” in the icy water for fish.  This was a lot of fun and a perfect way to strengthen those fine motor skills that children need as they learn to write.  This was also a great activity to hone their eye-hand-coordination.

Our letter this week was “P.”  We practiced writing the letter, writing our names, and then the kids got to draw their own picture.  Drawing on white boards is another wonderful way to let kids practice writing and strengthening their little muscles.

Pictures from centers!  I love how well these children play together!  They are working on their social skills every day!