This giraffe craft is an engaging extension to Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees, a beautifully illustrated rhyming tale about a giraffe named Gerald. Gerald is clumsy with spindly legs and crooked knees.
At the Jungle Dance, the warthogs start to waltz, the rhinos rock ‘n’ roll, and the lions dance a tango that is elegant and bold. As Gerald approaches the dance floor, he is teased and laughed at by the other animals. They tell him, “Giraffes can’t dance!”
Humiliated, Gerald creeps off toward home. Along the way, he meets a wise and gentle cricket who encourages him to listen to the music around him: the swaying grass and trees and the branches in the breeze. Suddenly, the giraffe begins to dance the most beautiful dance. The other animals quickly gather around him, entranced by his moves. Gerald proves that it’s okay to be different, and that anybody can dance – they just need their own sweet tune.
Provide each child with a giraffe (older students should be encouraged to cut out there own). Learners will uses their fine motor skills to tear small pieces of brown construction paper, and to cut small pieces of yarn and pipe cleaner. Children will then practice their spatial reasoning skills by placing the torn paper within the allotted space on their giraffes. Finally, they will glue the spots, eyes, tail, and horns. Supply crayons and/or markers, so extra details may be added.
During this activity, make it a point to facilitate discussion about the book’s message, and to have some fun with rhyming (e.g. What rhymes with giraffe?).
A young boy named Jack verbally designs his ultimate dream car.
Inspired by zeppelins, Cadillacs, trains, old planes, and the infamous Weinermobile, Jack crafts a spiffy sedan of the future. Composed of shiny chrome and vibrant colors, no detail or amenity has been forgotten; the car has a snack bar, a fish tank, a fireplace, and even a pool!
With Robert the Robot at the controls, it’s time for a test drive! This whimsical creation of the future has the capability of traveling on land, in the air, and on and under the sea.
If I Built a Car car, with it’s 50s retro style illustrations and concepts of science fiction/fantasy, rhyming, and new vocabulary, fosters imagination.
After reading the story, have your students brainstorm some design ideas of their own. Provide learners with this writing prompt and ask them what they would do if they built a car. Older children may want to copy and/or write their own words. Have younger learners dictate to you, and repeat each word slowly as they watch you write it out onto the sheet. Encourage all students to draw a picture of their story in the space provided.
Vroom! Vroom! These transportation learning activities for preschool, pre-k, and kindergarten are sure to get those little brains revved up. This Transportation Math and Literacy contains 12 worksheets and 8 center activities that strengthen the following skills:
– Counting
– One-to-one correspondence
– Number recognition
– Number quantity
– Number order
– Number formation
– Addition to six
– Set recognition
– Shape recognition
– Set recognition
– Graphing
– Size comparison
– Classification
– Language/dictation/self-expression
– Upper and lowercase letter recognition
– Beginning sound recognition
– Ending sound recognition
– Phonological and phonemic awareness
– Fine motor (tracing/cutting)
– Following directions
Please note that these transportation center activities are designed to be printed (on cardstock) and laminated, and to be used and enjoyed for many years to come.
TRANSPORTATION PATTERN BLOCK ACTIVITY MATS (COLOR 6/B&W 6) AND NUMBER CARDS (COLOR 68/B&W 68)
Photos coming soon.
Supply children with pattern blocks. Learners will replicate the images on each mat and count the number of blocks used. The numbers may be recorded using the number cards or a dry erase marker (laminated mat). Discuss which blocks they used more or less of.
DINER DASH – RACE TO THE TOP GAME GRAPH (COLOR 1/B&W) AND 6 POCKET CUBE/DIE CARDS (COLOR 6/BW 6)
Cut out the cards and insert them into a learning pocket cube/die. Provide pom poms, vase gems, mini erasers or some other manipulative for children to use as markers. For individual use, the child will roll the cube/die, identify the picture, and place a marker in the appropriate column. Repeat until a column is full to the top; that vehicle wins.
In small group, provide each child with his/her own sheet. Children will take turns rolling, marking their own roll. First person to fill a column to the top wins the Diner Dash! Encourage learners to take a good look at their graphs, and discuss which of their vehicles came in first, second, and so on.
TRAFFIC NUMBER TOWER MATS (COLOR 2/B&W 2)
Provide learners with Unifix cubes or linking cubes. Learners will build towers using a numbered group of cubes. Each tower should be placed on its corresponding numeral spot. Encourage younger children to use one-to-one correspondence while counting. Older children can use this activity to practice set recognition.
TRANSPORTATION NUMBER PUZZLES (COLOR 3/B&W 3)
Cut these into strips. Students will complete the puzzles (school bus, airplane, and submarine) by placing the pieces in numerical order.
Supply learns with mini erasers, linking cubes or some other small manipulative to use as counters. Encourage children to say each picture name and clap and count each word part. Once they have determined how many syllables are in the word, prompt them to place the correct number of items in the adjacent space.
ALPHABET TRAIN – LETTER-SOUND ASSOCIATION PUZZLES (COLOR 26/B&W 26)
Cut the puzzles in half. Students will say the picture name and work to match it with its beginning letter.
Encourage students to study the picture cards and determine which items travel by land, air, and water. Children will then sort the cards onto their appropriate mats.
THINGS THAT GO – RHYMING CLIP STRIPS (COLOR 10/B&W 10)
Photos coming soon.
Provide students with clothespins. Learners will say the names of each featured picture and find and mark its rhyming partner.
TRANSPORTATION ACTIVITY WORKSHEETS (B&W 12)
Worksheets include a writing prompt to go along with the book If I Built a Car by Chris Van Dusen. You can read more about this book and activity here.
We're Gigi and Zoey. We teach a two-year program (preschool and pre-k), and we're passionate about Early Childhood Education and the philosophy that children learn through play. Our goal is to prepare children for kindergarten while making learning fun.
We hope that our resources inspire you, and that you will share them with your little ones.
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by Chris Van Dusen.
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