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Days of the Week
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A Paper Chain for Edgar an Andrew
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A
Paper Chain for Edgar and Andrew, is a cute story that can
jump start many ideas for activities as well as prepare children for
separating from parents when these have to go on a vacation or other
similar situation. It is also an opportunity to practice and
help children learn the days of the week and what it is the meaning of
a week.
Edgar and Andrew's Grandmother suggest making a simple craft: a
paper chain with five links. Every day that passes they make
special activities and take off a link from the paper chain and that
helps them see that their parents are coming home soon, not to mention
all the fun things they do with their grandparents every day!
Activity #1: Read the Story - A Paper Chain for Edgar and
Andrew
After reading and discussing the story, suggest to make a fun paper
chain craft and plan for different special them activities for every link in the
paper chain for a week.
Activity #2: Make Themed Paper Chain
Purpose: Get acquainted with the days of the week and plan
activities for each day
The Week Paper Chain (Sun thru Sat):
1. Instead of making a paper chain with five links for five days let's make a
paper chain
with seven links for every day of the week.
1. Every day conduct a short but special activity just for
addressing the making of the paper chain, just like Andrew and Edgar's
grandparents did: blow bubbles, cook something new together, or
play with a balloon and make sure to keep it in the air without using
hands, only head shoulders, legs, knees, etc.
Another suggestion is to discuss and do an activity related to a theme
selected to decorate the paper chain (see themes and printable decorations below).
If you select a farm, or ocean theme, you can do an activity related
to each animal or object (reading a farm animal book, doing a craft,
etc.).
After each
activity for a seven day period, take off one link from the paper
chain. Write the name of the day in each paper link to learn the days
of the week. And say, today is Monday and we are going to ....
read a very special book about... or we are going to the farmer's
market together to see all the wonderful things that are produced on
the farm....
Making the chain link:
Use color paper or construction paper. Make a demonstration of
how to make the paper chain. Making a paper chain can be deceptively
difficult for young children!
Select a theme: days of the week, numbers, children's name
inside the patterns for the themes listed
below. Children can glue a different pattern or card on each paper chain
link.
1. Colors & Color Word Practice Cards
*English: color
| black
& white
*Spanish
colors
| black
& white
2. Days of the Week > The Very Hungry
Caterpillar Day of the Week > Read the book by Eric
Carle. Make a green paper caterpillar chain. Print the
days of the week writing worksheets. Practice writing only one
day or two days. Color and cut out the pictures and glue to the chain
links. The last day make a butterfly.
2. Numbers Practice Cards: black
and white (trace and color)
3. Seashore Treasures: color
| black
& white
4. Book > Story sequencing
Goodnight
Gorilla book activity: attach the printable characters to
the chain in the order they appear in the story.
5. Seasonal > Autumn
Autumn Leaves: black
& white | autumn
colors
6. Christmas
or Winter theme: print and cut out your selection of small
size pattern (4 in each page) (snowflake, bells, gingerbread
boy/girl, etc.) print days of the week, numbers or letters inside. The
paper chains can be used instead as a garland to decorate a classroom
windows, bulletin board or tree.
7. My Name is Special: Use any of the patterns
above and make the chain to showcase the letters of the child's name.
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Print one of the suggested theme images for
the
paper chain listed in the instructions.
*construction paper
*scissors
*glue and/or tape
*something to color with
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