Clouds

We read a few cloud books and followed up with painting clouds.  This activity can be used for younger children with creating clouds and developing fine motor skills, or with older children studying weather and cloud types.  It's also a great way to paint snow or snowmen!


 

The cloud book we started with was Little Cloud by Eric Carle.  We read the book out loud a few times and then created our own clouds on blue construction paper.  To create our cloud mixture, I mixed equal parts liquid glue (such as Elmer's) and shaving cream.  It forms a sticky, fluffy substance (great for developing oral language and discussion) that can be painted/sponged/finger painting/foam brushed onto paper.  It will dry almost as puffy paint, in a textured, raised bubble, depending on how much is applied.  The children then wrote a story about a cloud.

Various clouds by kindergarteners.

This activity is also perfect for the Cloud Book, by Tomie De Paola and creating each type of cloud.

Eric Carle's Rooster's Off to See the World

After reading Rooster's Off to See the World, we made mini books with the animals who traveled with Rooster.  The children had pre-drawn animals to cut and glue in their books and then they labeled each one to practice their numbers and words.  Some children choose to write sentences on each page. 

The children then painted watercolor roosters for the covers of their mini books.

Materials:  pre-made mini books, stapler, staples, pencils, glue sticks, images of animals for students to cut, watercolors, brushes, cups of water