1. Spring Literacy Prop Box by Stephanie Martz READ 366 Section 1

2. Literacy Objective Students will demonstrate an awareness of vocabulary associated with the season spring. Students will complete projects that represent spring. Students will answer questions based on spring.

3. Vocabulary Flower Sunshine Caterpillar Butterfly Rain Bluebird Garden

4. Materials & Props Caterpillars in fish tanks to observe A tub of dirt filled with shovels, watering cans, and seeds to practice making a garden (Sensory play) Small plant to water and watch grow Stuffed animals/toys such as birds, flowers, sun, clouds, spiders, caterpillars, and butterflies Plastic garden tools such as shovels, wheelbarrows, watering cans, and bags of seeds Nature walks to observe signs of spring Small flower pots Bubble wrap Cotton balls Paint Crayons/Markers

5. Websites http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/tdc02.sci.life.colt. plantsgrow/from-seed-to-flower/ This website shows a video of how plants grow and change over time.

6. Videos and Songs “Spring is Here” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DobrRgD5aOU “Five Little Ducks”“Rain, Rain, Go Away” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XECtg0w_YKk “Way Up High in an Apple Tree”“Rain on the Green Grass” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKmFHRrkFuQ “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4HI7q38VmQ

7. Finger plays Itsy Bitsy Spider I’m a Little Flower Pot Relaxing Flowers Five Little Tulips A Little Sun *Since some of these are not well known, here is the website link: http://www.preschooleducation.com/sflower.shtml

8. Poems “Spring Poem” Some days seem like winter, Some are nice and warm. Rainy days and windy days, Maybe it will storm. Warm or cold or wet or dry, What will the weather be? I think Spring is trying to play Peek-a-boo with me “Caterpillar in a Box” A fuzzy caterpillar wiggled down a tree He wiggled long, he wiggled short, he wiggled right at me. I put him in a box and said Please don't go from me, But when I looked again, I saw a butterfly not he.

9. Movement Activity Use bubble wrap to sound like rain: Have children stomp on or use their hands to pop the bubbles

10. Art Activities Make a cloud using cotton balls Paint the wings of a butterfly Color pictures of spring, flowers, and caterpillars Paint a small flower pot Draw their favorite part(s) of spring Paint a picture of a bluebird Classroom decoration: Each child will decorate their own leaf and place it on a large flower

11. Books Ayres, K. (2008). Up, Down, and Around. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick. Burnett, F. H. (2012). The Secret Garden. Hollywood, FL: Simon & Brown. Carle, E. (1986). The Very Hungry Caterpillar. New York, NY: Philomel Books. Cole, H. (2007). On Meadowview Street. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books. Cooney, B. (1985). Miss Rumphius. London, UK: Puffin. DePrisco, D. (2005). Bluebird's Nest. Franklin, TN: Piggy Toes Press. Esbaum, J. (2010). Everything Spring. Washington, DC: National Geographic Society. Ghigna, C. (2012). Little Seeds. Mankato, MN: Picture Window Books. IKids. (2009). In the Garden. Norwalk: Innovative Kids. Showers, P. (1993). The Listening Walk. New York, NY: HarperCollins.

12. Open-Ended Questions What does a flower need to grow? What kinds of tools do you need to plant a garden? What happens to a caterpillar after they come out of their cocoon? What kind of weather might you see during spring? What kind of things might you hear during spring? Why do you like or dislike spring?