March

THEME: SPRING / TEXAS COLOR: GREEN / BLUE SHAPE: SHAMROCK

OBJECTIVE:
1. Experience and learn about changes in the weather.
2. Experiences with concepts, objects and environmental aspects
special to Texas, including
food, flowers, animals, songs, dances, and cultural aspects:
both traditional and modern.
3. Learn about the shamrock (looks like three hearts - from
February- on a stick).

Block:
Horse stables. Alamo
Train Station . Six Flags
over Texas - amusement park.
Stagecoach trail and stations. Local Buildings the
children know about.
Pony Express route . Lake Belton or
Stillhouse Reservoir.
Local Zoo with native animals. Exotic game farms.

Art: Creative Experiences
Sand Art. Free Form
Cowboy / Cowgirl Hat.
Horse Shoes. Wind
Painting.
Pinata. Making
your own greens from yellow and blue.
Local flowers for collages. Rain washed art -
chalk drawings in the rain.
Texas Flags. Painting
with green - all hues and values.
Cloud pictures with cotton.
Making maracas (small painted plastic water bottles filled with
beans).
Make finger cymbols with buttons glued to gloves.
Working with clay - beads, bowls, free form creations.

Science:
Weather instruments the children can use and understand.
a) simple measuring tools for rain - measuring cups or bowls.
b) weather vane to tell the wind's direction or wind sock to
"see" the wind's strength.
c) standing undercover with their own instruments - hands and
heads - exposed to "feel the
rain or wind".
Calendar to keep a record of the changing weather (Check it twice a
day if their memories are
short!).
Lengthening days will show now - keep a record somehow - chalk
marks on sidewalk to
measure shadows or how soon the sun comes to a certain spot in the
sky (behind a tree, above
a building).
Cooking with local common foods - cornbread, beans, chili, etc.
Don't do the ordinary - or if
your group can do the preparation for part of the normal meals with
local foods do it ... check
the menus.



Cooking with pecans.
Kinds of dirt we have here - which ones hold water, which ones turn
to clay.
How we can hear lightning - What is it? How we stay safe around
it.

Literary:
The Armadillo from Amarillo - The Texas Dinosaur.
Tumbleweed - The Little Leprachaun.
Alamo books and books about it's better known participants.
Winnie -the- Pooh and the Blustery Day/ The Cat in the Hat.

Dramatic Play:
Hoedown. Ranch or Farm
Living.
Barn Raising.
Rodeo.

Music:
Country songs Line Dancing Irish jigs
Clogging Traditional Southwest Native drums
Guitar music. Hispanic influenced music.
Songs about Texas Streamer Dancing

Outdoor Activities: Indoor
Alternatives:
Football Spring
Training
Cheerleading Moving to
weather music
Rodeo races Circle
Dances
Cattle roping

Holidays:
St. Patrick's Day - 17 March
San Jacinto (Freedom from Mexico) - 19 March
First Day of Spring - 20 March