Number 8 Theme Day

Pre-school Theme Day

Number “8” Day

Once my son knew his letters I decided to tackle numbers in the same way, one at a time to reinforce what each symbol/number was.

Print out the Family Theme Day Planner and decide which activities you’d like to do and in what order.

SONGS:

Many children’s albums feature counting songs. Go through your CD’s and see what you can find.

For something completely different play the song “789” by the Barenaked Ladies from their Snacktime album.

SCRAPBOOK ACTIVITIES:

COLORING PAGES:

You can find many free colouring pages online by using your favourite search engine and typing in “Number Colouring Pages ” or print out my “Number 8” Colouring Page. While colouring the page be sure to count the eight stop signs as well as the eight sides on each octagon.

Have your child colour my “Number Poem: 1 to 5” as well as “Number Poem: 6 to 10” reviewing the numbers 1 to 7 and emphasizing the number 8 and what it looks like.

BOOKS:

Raid your child’s bookshelves to find any number books.

Go to the library with your child to find books about numbers and counting.

Go to the library on your own to find counting books to have already on hand for your theme day. Many libraries allow you to go online and search for titles based on subject (search for “numbers” or “counting” under “Children’s Books”). Reserve them if you can to save time.

Try to find some of these fun alphabet books:

· Count Me a Rhyme: Animal Poems by the Numbers, by Jane Yolen and photographs by Jason Stemple, Wordsong, 2006—A unique counting book, this one offers beautiful wildlife photos and a poem representing the animal and number.

· Eight Animals on the Town, by Susan Middleton Elya and illustrated by Lee Chapman, G. P Putnam’s Sons, 2000, This book has bright illustrations and rhyming text that blends English and Spanish as it counts eight animals and the things they want to eat.

· Number Rhymes to Say and Play, by Opal Dunn and illustrated by Adriano Gon, Frances Lincoln Ltd., 2003—This book is a fun way to numbers as it uses rhymes and actions.

· Look Whooo’s Counting, by Suse MacDonald, Scholastic Inc, 2000—I love the unique cut-paper illustrations in this book and all the hidden numbers found in the owls wings as he flies and learns to count and in the animals he counts.

CRAFTS:

NUMBER 8 COLLAGE:

Materials: A copy of my Number 8 Worksheet, old magazines and newspapers, child-safe scissors, washable glue stick, damp facecloth for sticky fingers.

Step 1: Look through old magazines with your child and together look for the number eight and for groups of 8 things together.

Step 2: Help your child cut out the numbers and pictures to glue on the Number 8 worksheet.

Step 3: Show your child how to glue the numbers onto the collage and then let him/her glue the pictures on the paper however he/she likes.

Step 4: When the collage is dry display (fridge, bulletin board, child’s door) or glue into Family Theme Scrapbook.

COUNT TO 8 CHART:

Materials: A copy of my Count to 8 Chart, various stickers, OR stamp (ink) pad and various stamps.

Step 1: Have your child pick stickers to put in each square. Each square gets 8 stickers as you are reviewing the number 8 today. OR Have your child stamp 8 pictures in each square.

Step 2: Count to eight each time the stickers are applied and afterwards as a review.

Step 3: Display or glue the chart in your Family Theme Day Scrapbook.

SPIDER CRAFT:

Materials: Black paper (and another colour of paper for the background), bowl to trace, pencil, child safe scissors, glue stick, white crayon, (Optional) Number 8 sticker.

Step 1: Have your child choose the colour of paper for the background.

Step 2: Using a pencil trace around a bowl or cup onto the black paper to make a round body.

Step 3: Help your child cut out the circle.

Step 4: Using the rest of the black paper cut out 8 strips of paper to be the legs.

Step 5: Bend each strip of paper at each end (1/2 inch or about 2 cm) but in opposite directions.

Step 6: Show your child how to glue the legs onto the spider. With the end bent upwards glued to the body and the end bent downwards on the other end to look like three-dimensional legs. Step 7: Let your child draw a face onto the spider using white crayon.

Step 8: (Optional) If you have a Number 8 sticker have your child stick that to the paper as a review of the number 8.

Step 9: Be sure to count the 8 legs as a further review and then display the picture.

FOOD:

SNACK:

Cut an orange into 8 sections for a juicy snack.

LUNCH:

Make mini Pizzas with toasted English muffin halves counting out 8 pieces of pepperoni (4 for each half) as toppings (use tomato sauce with Italian Spices as the sauce, and sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the pepperoni and then melt under a broiler for 2minutes or more).

DESSERT:

Serve a bowl of ice cream with 8 chocolate chips on it!

LEARNING ACTIVITIES:

NUMBER CHART:

Materials: a copy of my Number Chart and the Cut Out 8 Card, markers or crayons, child-safe scissors, glue-stick, face cloth for sticky fingers.

Step 1: Lead your child to the Number Chart on your fridge, bulletin board or taped to a wall and review the Numbers 1 to 7.

Step 2: Have your child colour the Cut-out 8 Card.

Step 3: Help your child cut the Number 8 Card out.

Step 4: Have your child apply glue to the back of the Cut Out 8 Card and glue it on the Number Chart (or you can have your child use tape).

Step 5: Review what number it is by pointing to the chart.

EGG CARTON COUNT:

Materials: The egg carton craft from my Number One Theme Day, little toys or buttons, OR little snacks like Cheerios or Fish Crackers, OR little treats like jelly beans, chocolate chips, M&M’s, or marshmallows in a re-sealable bag, small cut out pieces of paper with the numbers 1 to 8 on them.

Step 1: Give your child the bag of toys/buttons/snacks/treats and have him/her count out 7 toys/buttons/snacks/treats and then put one in the egg compartments numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8.

Step 2: Spread out the cut out numbers and after counting out the toys/buttons/snacks/treats have your child find the each number (1 to 8) and put it in the correctly numbered spot.

NUMBER TRACING:

Fill a pie plate with sand, sugar or salt and teach your child how to trace the number 8 in the sand. When you are finished tracing dump the sand in a re-sealable bag to use on another day.

FLASH CARDS:

Review numbers using a set of flash cards (found at book stores, educational stores, even craft stores) or make your own by writing each letter on an individual index card (or by printing out my Number Cut-Out Page and gluing each number on index cards).

FOR FUN:

ONLINE GAMES:

There are many different websites that offer games for preschoolers. You can find them by looking up your child’s favourite television characters. Here is one from the Sesame Street website:

Big Bird’s Numbers is a simple game because it only involves your child pressing any key on the keyboard and then a number appears along with a picture that illustrates how many that is:

http://www.sesamestreet.org/game_player?p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_id=gamePlayer_WAR_sesameportlets4369&p_p_uid=7574b28a-486d-11dd-bf7b-df62be721a24

NUMBER WALK:

Walk around your neighbourhood counting different things. You can also do this while in a car or bus etc..

TOYS:

If you have any number puzzles this theme day is the perfect time to play with it together.

Play with any other educational toys that focus on numbers.

EXTENDED ACTIVITIES:

AUDIO VISUAL:

Search through your child’s DVD/ video collection (or visit your local library before hand or the Video Store) to find your child’s favourite shows with a focus on teaching numbers.

Try to find these titles:

· Baby Einstein: Numbers Nursery – Discovering 1 through 5, Disney, 2007 – Even though it geared to babies and toddlers this is a good review of the first 5 numbers.

· Leap Frog: Math Adventure to the Moon, Lionsgate, 2009 – Tad and Lily the frogs go on a rocket adventure to find the perfect collection of things for their school math assignment.

· Leap Frog: Math Circus, Lionsgate, 2004 – Leap, Lily and Tad the frogs help professor Quigley train numbers to count, add and subtract at the Math Circus.

· Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Numbers Roundup, Disney 2010 – Mickey and his friends about numbers and shapes in this DVD.

· The Numbers Express, Mazzarella Media – All aboard a train to learn the numbers!

· Sesame Street: Learning About Numbers, Sesame Street Workshop, 2004 – Big Bird hosts the Number Show.