Rowing :: We're Going on a Bear Hunt

This week we "rowed" We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen. This was probably my favorite row so far. The kids got really into the book. We did motions. We did voices. We acted things out. #4 would say "thick, oozy mud" whenever he came across something gooey all week. It was a blast. Again I had a lot of prep work done early. And again this is proving to be something that when I do I enjoy the book, when I don't I don't think the book went too well...a lesson to be learned here for sure!

We watched this YouTube video of the author "performing" the story a couple of times. The second time was better because the kids really got into it better.

The kids all watching the video...they love videos!

Memory work ::

We memorized a poem from the lapbook packet I'd found at homeschool share.

Mud 

by Flanders & Swann

Mud, mud, glorious mud,

Nothing quite like it for cooling the blood!

So follow me, follow

Down to the hollow

And there let us wallow

In glorious mud!

Seatwork ::

I found so many fun activities for the little boys to do as seatwork and I've found THE way I want to keep and organize them.

First we did a little math. I printed and cut these bear paws out (killer on the ink though) for number recognition work. I got out the counting bears (I'm determined to make these a great purchase...have to show Mr. Wiedz  how often we use them so he knows I wasn't wasting money when I bought them), they each counted out the right number of bears and added them to the bear paws (that's why there are double the number of bears on each paw in the picture).

Continuing with some more math work they worked on pattern strips. I suggested putting the bears in the same pattern then coloring but #3 went straight to coloring...then got tired of that real fast too.

Another day we worked on sequencing the story with these cards and words. We ended up stapling the pages together like our own book.

Notice #4's face art?..nap time exploration with the markers.

Another day we sequenced the story with these beautiful photographs, just gluing them onto construction paper.

I also printed this activity for postitonal words. We didn't talk about over, under and through too much but every time I read the story I'd do over and under with my hand and the book to show the position. When we did this activity they already got it.

Fun & Food ::

We made chocolate pudding which of course is just like mud (squelch, squerch). I put some spoonfuls on the table and let the kids "fingerpaint" with it. It was still a little warm which I think they thought was really cool. It took awhile for them to get their fingers into it...they weren't too sure at first.  Later that day we had it for snack all traditional in bowls. This week we also had a snack of teddy grahams to go along with the story...fun story for snack go-alongs!

My BFIAR Organizing ::

I made a fun name printing strip and narration exercise like I'd seen on homeschool creations. I had each boy do this page for the story then when we're done with our week of activities (especially the seatwork stuff) I make a stack with the narration/name page on top, staple it together and file it in each boy's box in my craft room. The goal is at some point (2020 maybe) I'll scrapbook the pictures I've taken and their packets can go along with the pictures.

I'd love to make this an uploaded document anyone could print and use...that seems to be testing my computer abilities...I'll see what I can come up with :)

I'd say that We're Going on a Bear Hunt was our best "row" yet. I'm hoping that it is because I was really organized and had a good number of activities and was able to spread them out per day so they were still interested and fun.

Next week: ABC Bunny

Links:

Story sequence photographs and numbered bear claws
Lapbook - positional words, mud poem, pattern bears,
Story sequencing - cartoon pictures with words from the book