Bird is the Word
For our family time I print off a simple blank calendar. We write special dates on the calendar such as birthdays or holidays. Just to add some spunk and something for the kids to look forward to I look at the nontraditional holiday calendar and find fun days for us to celebrate. Today is international bird day.
You’ve heard me talking about the Explorer’s curriculum that my friend Marcy put together. She has a song birds and squirrels unit so today I was able to pull out some really great pieces to add to our day.
During family time I read a book called “The Grumpy Bird”.
It was about a bird that got up in the morning and he was so grumpy he decided to walk instead of fly… because grumpy birds don’t fly. 🤣😬 He met friends along the way. His friends decided to walk with him. Before the end of the book there was a large group of animal friends walking with him and when he jumped they would jump. When he hopped on one leg they hopped with him . The grumpy bird ended up laughing and having a good day and not being grumpy anymore. Of course there wasn’t anything in the book to learn about birds since this was a fiction book but there was an important lesson. As we read our story one of our friends was in the calm down center. Since break she has had a hard time transitioning in the morning to school. I asked the kids did they think the same technique might work with their friend. If she had other friends with her would she be less sad? A couple of our friends went to the calm down center and talked to her and invited her to play. Amazing! It worked! Turns out we did learn something from “The Grumpy Bird” book. ❤️
Included with each unit is a playlist. I set the playlist up last night. I LOVE the playlist in this new curriculum . The music is not your normal children’s genre. This playlist included some folklore music and even some Spanish music. I have noticed on days that I play music from the Hispanic culture my Spanish-speaking friends that are here speak in their home language more during play. That makes me very happy. Sometimes they will even translate as they go to tell me what they are discussing. I added one song that we have used in the past the kids loved called “Bird is the Word.” The kids love that crazy song.
If you were a bird where would you fly to?
We did a little cooking experience today and made our very own birds nest. We will enjoy their creations at snacktime today. Each child picked out their favorite colors of jellybeans to be used as eggs.
When we came outside Kamden was looking up in the sky . He said “I don’t see any birds! The birds must not know it’s bird day.”
We could hear the birds outside but not one time did we see any birds.
After lunch we had a little time left over to play the bird matching game from the explorers unit.
It was a good day. I could 100% turn back into a thematic teacher given too many opportunities like today. The children are sleeping to the sounds of birds from nature on our ALEXA right now . Go BIRD or go home. 🤣🤣