Seasonal Activities for Young Children

Seasonal Activities for Young Children

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Johnny Appleseed

For a biography of John Chapman with further links,try the following page.
JOHNNY APPLESEED HOMEPAGE:
http://www.msc.cornell.edu/~weeds/SchoolPages/Appleseed/welcome.html

The following treasure hunt is an especially fun one,with games, puzzles, pictures, etc., all on the JohnnyA. theme: JOHNNY APPLESEED WEBQUEST:
http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/pages/huntjohnnyamr.html

Test your knowledge with the following puzzle.
JOHNNY APPLESEED PUZZLE:
http://www.marshall-es.marshall.k12.tn.us/jobe/Appleseed.html

Columbus

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS BIOGRAPHY:
http://www.millersv.edu/~columbus/columbus.html
This very good and extensive bio from professor Tirado attempts to put Columbus' life into historical context.

1492: AN ONGOING VOYAGE:
http://metalab.unc.edu/expo/1492.exhibit/Intro.html
Navigate your own way through the historical voyage in this wonderful online exhibit from the
Library of Congress.

COLUMBUS AND THE SPANISH EMPIRE:
http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/HIST/tutor/eurvoya/columbus.html
These tutorials from the University of Calgary present a relatively unbiased account of the Columbus
journeys, and its effects upon the Spanish, American and European worlds.

THE COLUMBUS NAVIGATION HOMEPAGE:
http://www1.minn.net/~keithp/index.htm
The history, navigation, crew and landfall of the Columbus expedition.

PRIVILEGES GRANTED TO COLUMBUS BY THE KING & QUEEN OF SPAIN:
http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/colum.htm
. . . and it really wasn't that much, beyond titles and a certain legal position of authority--it's no wonder he died poor.

COLUMBUS' LETTER OF RELATING HIS DISCOVERY:
http://www.usm.maine.edu/~maps/columbus/translation.html
Translated from the original latin text.

COLUMBUS' LETTER TO THE KING & QUEEN OF SPAIN;
CIRCA 1494:
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/columbus2.html
In 13 articles addressing colonization of the Island of Espanola, 9 of those articles concern themselves with gold.

EXPLORATION & DISCOVERY OF AMERICA BEFORE COLUMBUS:
http://marauder.millersv.edu/~columbus/data/art/WASHBR12.ART

THE CONTROVERSY: EXAMINING THE REPUTATION OF
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS:
http://www.hartford-hwp.com/taino/docs/columbus.html
First published in the Baltimore Evening Sun, by anthropologist Jack Weatherford.

KINDERGARTEN 5 DAY UNIT ON COLUMBUS:
http://www.coreknowledge.org/CKproto2/resrcs/lessons/kcolmbs.htm
Gives students a good idea of geography and routes, and key players in the Columbus discovery scenario.

COLUMBUS DAY MINI-UNITS:
http://www.scholastic.com/inschool/columbus/
Activities across the curriculum to celebrate Columbus Day.

THE INDIANS' DISCOVERY OF COLUMBUS UNIT:
http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1992/2/92.02.01.x.html
High school level, reexamines Columbus in history. Written by the Yale New Haven Teacher's Institute.

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS WEBQUEST:
http://www.public.usit.net/llcave/clmbswbqst.html

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS' CROSSING GAME & LESSON:
http://edweb.sdsu.edu/courses/edtec670/Cardboard/Board/C/Columbus.html

HUNT FOR FAMOUS EXPLORERS GAME:
http://www.kidlink.org/KIDPROJ/Explorers/

Halloween

BATS 4 KIDS!
http://members.aol.com/bats4kids/
A perfect way for your students to go batty, with your permission! They will find bat facts, pics,
puzzles, quizzes and games. We have a "bat lady" in our county, who visits classrooms and state parks with her bats and bat-info presentations-- the kids are absolutely fascinated! If you can't arrange a class bat visit, then this site will point you to some pretty good presentations that are the next best thing, and the perfect time of year to investigate!

HALLOWEEN TIC-TAC-TOE:
http://www.kidsdomain.com/craft/tictac1.html
Especially for younger children; print out the templates for a pumpkin or haunted house gameboard, and then create your ghost and pumpkin gamepieces.

HALLOWEEN HAUNTED HOUSE MAZE:
http://www.familyeducation.com/printables/piece/0,2357,1-9713-245,00.html
A maze for grades K-3.

HALLOWEEN SAFETY RULES AND QUIZ:
http://www.halloweenmagazine.com/teach/game/rule.html
Trick or treaters will want to review this list of rules to keep children safe on Halloween night. The rules have been compiled by law enforcement officials, and are followed by a quiz to test rule knowledge.

HALLOWEEN GAMES & PARTY IDEAS FOR KIDS, FAMILIES AND CLASSROOMS:
http://hometown.aol.com/panda34911/KidsParties/HolidayFunPg11Halloween.html
Moving up to older elementary children, this site has good mazes, word searches, word scramblersand jokes.

HAUNTED HOUSE PAPER PROJECT:
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/7134/Halloween/halhouse.htm
This craft project, suitable for grades 4 to 7, allows students to create their own standinghaunted house from the printable templates.

PRINTSVILLE: HALLOWEEN:
http://www.hp.com/printing_ideas/seasonal_gallery/s_10.html
Hewlett Packard presents a great site for downloading printable projects and goodies for
Halloween. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader (available on-site). For Pre/K to Early Elementary, try the Pumpkin Card: children get to cut out Halloween features and faces, and paste these onto their pumpkin. For Upper Elementary and early middle school, students will go for the eye-masks and some of the face-masks. Older students will get a kick out of some pretty cool iron-on t-shirt transfers, luminaries and pop-up boxes. Banners, hanging decorations and labels, all geared to Halloween, can be downloaded here.

Veteran's Day Activities for Elementary Teachers:
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Troy/9087/veteransindex.html
This site commemorates Veteran's Day with activities in Arts and Crafts, Language Arts, Poetry, etc.

Thanksgiving

THANKSGIVING KINDERGARTEN ACTIVITIES:
http://www.kinderart.com/seasons/nov.htm
Kinderart has a great Thanksgiving activity page, with art projects such as how to make a paper bag pilgrim doll or a pinecone turkey, as well as Thanksgiving themed coloring pages to print out.

THANKSGIVING LESSON FOR KINDERGARTEN:
http://ericir.syr.edu/Virtual/Lessons/crossroads/sec3/k2/unit3/UNIT3-K-Lesson1.html
Kindergarten students will learn who the Pilgrims were and why they came to America, and discuss how their families and communities celebrate Thanksgiving today.

THE MAYFLOWER PASSENGERS & THEIR FIRST YEAR IN AMERICA: GRADE ONE LESSON PLAN:
http://ericir.syr.edu/Virtual/Lessons/crossroads/sec3/k2/unit3/u3g2l1.htm
This grade one lesson plan is organized around various Thanksgiving-oriented books. Children will learn about the Pilgrims and discuss modern- day differences. They will make a collage, put on a skit, prepare recipes as a class and have a classroom Thanksgiving feast, and finally discuss Thanksgiving Day for people in need.

THANKSGIVING WORD SEARCH ONLINE:
http://www.billybear4kids.com/games/online/search/thanks.htm
An interactive word search puzzle with a Thanksgiving theme; once done, click to rescramble the puzzle.

TEACHING ABOUT THANKSGIVING:
http://www.night.net/thanksgiving/lesson-plan.html
This extensive unit on Thanksgiving is written by a Native American teacher. It offers insight into Thanksgiving myth and misinterpretations, and is well-documented. Try some of the Ideas for Enrichment, and use the study and discussion questions. The Plymouth Thanksgiving Story is a good starting point and can be used as reference or lecture material. It includes a very good bibliography, as well as recipes and the story of the corn-husk doll.

A HISTORY OF THANKSGIVING TRADITIONS IN THE UNITED STATES:
http://www.thanksgiving.org/html/traditions/national.html
Follow along a timeline of events supporting the Thanksgiving tradition in America. Also read other Thanksgiving traditions at page bottom.

HOW CHILDREN VIEW THANKSGIVING:
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/2328/views.htm
Elementary children answer what Thanksgiving means to them--this may be a fun project to do with your class, and you could put together a student-illustrated mini-book with the results, or publish it in your school paper!

THE PILGRIMS' THANKSGIVING FEAST: STORY CONTEST!
http://www.eduplace.com/kids/contest/thanksgiving/index.html
Open to students in grades 3-8, with two winners announced from each grade level. Students will read facts about Thanksgiving, and then write a story "...about the people and way of life at the time." Sponsored by Houghton Mifflin, their editors will judge on creativity and historical accuracy. Deadline is Dec. 1st, 1999. Prizes includes books and school supplies, and of course publication!

New Year's

CELEBRATE 2000: EXPLORE THE FUTURE:
http://celebrate2000.amarillonet.com/kids/tms/html/3.htm
In subtopics of environment, animals, food, plants, computers, space, etc. students will find suggestions for learning and activities in the year 2000+.

NEW YEAR: THROUGH THE AGES & AROUND
THE WORLD:
http://members.aol.com/Donnpages/Holidays.html#NEW
Read about New Year celebrations around the world, and then visit the New Years around the world unit plan, or the New Year's scavenger hunt at page bottom.

Y2K: WE HAVE A DREAM FOR YOU!
http://www.ncsu.edu/midlink/feb99/dream/yk.htm
Students write their wishes for the new millennium. Have your students read them, and
then write their own. After they're done, you may want to create your own web page on which to post their wishes.

TIME MACHINE:
http://www.edunetconnect.com/cat/timemachine/index.html
What was the world like. . . 25, 125, 750, 4000--or even 10,000 years ago? Here is a timeline for you to find out!

MILLENNIUM MYSTERY:
http://www.irving.isd.tenet.edu/good/millennium.htm
Students are assigned the wonderful job of brainstorming of what the next millennium will be like. Teacher lesson plans are included.

Email Pam Petty

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