Kindergarten and Preschool Lesson Plans, Activities and Worksheets

Preschool and Kindergarten Activities for the Colors Theme Unit

Printable Emergent Readers and Literature

Read the book "Green Eggs and Ham" by Dr. Seuss.  This would be followed-up by reading the predictable chart story  "Extraordinary Eggs". The story is about unusual and funny looking eggs.  The children are required to color the eggs as directed in the story line. It also introduces the letter Ee.  The story line is repetitive and easy for young children to follow along. It is meant to also build on the concept of identifying colors and color words. The sentences could be written on sentence strips and the pictures added to give the children clues as to what the sentences say. These could be placed in a pocket chart.  It can also be viewed on a smartboard.

The story line reads: (children required to color the eggs accordingly)

Literature Connection - Mouse Paint

"Mouse Paint" by Ellen Stoll Walsh is a wonderful book to read after the children have experimented with colors.  In this book  three mice discover the magic of mixing colors.  This would be a great book to read prior to the children doing their own color mixing.

Corresponding Emergent Reader - Introducing Letter "m"

The emergent reader "Color Magic" is a simple retelling of the book. This reader is available in both black and white and a color version. It also has enlarged pictures that can be used to make a big book.  There are two versions offered.  Version two is shorter and more repetitive than version one.

Emergent Reader 2- Version 1 - Color Magic and Colorful Mice introduces letter "m" for mouse within their story context.

Sample Page of the Emergent Reader

A Shorter and More Predictable Version - Version 2 - Colorful Mice

There is also a shorter and more predictable version.  This version focuses on the primary colors and not color mixing.  The predictable chart of the reader is displayed on the left.

Music Connection

The song "Macey the Marching Mouse" found on the "Alpha Tunes" CD would be used after to reinforce tlhe "m" sound.

Bonus Readers - Total of 6 Readers
Emergent Reader 3 - Retelling of "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?" Follow-up Activity. 
This reader is also used in the "Five Senses" Theme.

Sample Page from the Emergent Reader

Emergent Reader 5 - Mary Wore Her Red Dress

In the link below you will find the  printable reader "Mary Wore Her Red Dress"

Emergent Reader 6 - My Circle Book of Color Word Rhymes 

The book requires the children to use the picture clue for coloring the circle.  For example, the picture of the queen tells the child that the circle should be colored green because it rhymes with queen.  A page could be worked on each day as a means to develop color word recognition and a more clear understanding of rhyme.

 Picture Mnemonics
Picture Mnemonic Craft Activity - The children would cut out the letter "m" and the mouse head.  They would complete this activity by gluing on wiggly eyes or drawing them.  The children would glue and assemble the "m" mouse.

 Picture Mnemonic Craft Activity - There are two templates available. In the first template the children create their own extraordinary funny egg with the letter "e".  Broken eggs shells could be glued on the extend the effect.  In the second template, the children just cut and color the egg.

Word Family Activity

This word family activity is done by using the plastic eggs that are distributed at Easter time with goodies inside.  Print the word family on one half of the egg and the consonants to make the words related to that word family on the other.  The children can turn the egg to make new words related to that word family as shown in the photograph to the left.

Learning Games - File Folder Games for Literacy

Egg Color Game

The children roll the die and move their game player accordingly.  They must say the name of the color that they land on and mark this off on their game board chart. The person to complete their game board chart first is the winner.  They may have to play the game several times.  This is a great counting, directional, color recognition and color word identification activity.

Both color/black and white versions of the game board can be found in the theme unit or member's area.

Bingo Color Game

This game and templates are outlined in the theme unit.

Alphabet Game

This game is used for review purposes.  The children have been previously introduced to the letters c, u, a, t, e and m.  Each partner is given a game board.  Each review letter is printed four times on bingo chips.  These are placed in a container with about 8-10 blank bingo chips. The children take turns drawing a bingo chip out of the container (without looking).  If they choose one with a letter, they must place it on the picture that begins with that sound.  If they draw a blank one, they can put one on the black circle but the others are returned back into the container and it is the other partner's turn.  The first person to have their game board completed is the winner.

All game board templates are found in the theme unit or member's area.

Sight Word Game
This game is played in partners.  Focus sight words are printed in the squares.  Numbers 1-9 are printed on two sets bingo chips.  These along with blank chips are placed in a container.  The partner's take turn drawing the chips.  If he/she draws a chip with a number on it, they must say the word that is found in that number square.  If they can say the word, they place the bingo chip on the square.  If they draw a blank bingo chip, it is placed back in the container and it becomes the other partner's turn.  The game continues until one person has their game chart completed.

Color Theme Crafts

Preschool and Kindergarten Activities

Extraordinary Egg Craft Version 1 - Used in Conjunction with the Reader "Extraordinary Eggs"

On pages 33-38 in the theme unit you will find hats and accessories  to make an extraordinary egg.  The children would paint or color the egg and accessories and after cut, assemble and glue their extraordinary egg together.  This is a follow-up to reading the predictable chart "Extraordinary Eggs".

Extraordinary Egg  - Version 2

The circles on the egg are colored according to the words found on them.  This is a good color word recognition activity.  The egg is cut in half following the jagged lines.  The clown is colored and glued  to the egg to make it appear like it is popping out of the egg.

Colorful Clown - Version 1

The clown suit is colored (a light color works best).  After the circles are colored (a color word version is available), cut and glued to the dotted lines on the suit. The hat is colored and cut also.  The clown would be cut out (this would need to be done by an adult).  The child's head shot would be cut and added.  The hat would then be glued to the head.

Colorful Clown - Version 2

Done the same as the above only facial features are added to the existing face.
Writing Activity

The teacher would model the writing process by having the children dictate their favorite color.  After, this would be printed on the balloon and added to the clown to make it appear like he/she is holding it.

Favorite Color Craft

After reading the book "My Crayons Talk" by Patricia Hubbard the children will make their own crayon.  They would color it their favorite color.  These could also be used for graphing.

Writing Shape Booklet

The crayon template could be used for making a class shape booklet or an individual one.  The color words in the theme unit could be cut and glued on.

Connection to Literature Craft

After reading the book "Elmer's Colors" by Donald McKee the children can make Elmer.  They would color the graph and after trace the elephant shape on top and cut it out.

Colorful Flower Garden

After reading the book "Planting a Rainbow" by Lois Ehlert, the children can make their own colorful garden like in the story.  The children would paint the grass and stems on blue paper.  After the petals would be painted, cut and glued to the stems.

Color Theme Mixing Crafts

Color Mice

Have the children use Q-tips to color mix.  Dab one end red and the other yellow to make an orange mouse.  This would continue with each primary color.  After the paintings are dry, they can be cut and glued to the picture frame.  The picture frame can be colored and cut to make a "Color Mouse Magic" display.

Mixing Colors Craft

Dilute food coloring with water (primary colors).  Have the children the use an eye dropper to drop the food coloring on a coffee filter.  Have them watch the colors blend and change.  

Rolling Marble Craft  

Instructions for the Craft

1.  Place a paper into a pie plate or another container

2.  Pour the primary colors into 3 containers

3.  Add water to the paint to make it thinner

5.  Children dab the paint onto different spots on the paper (dab with a small spoonful)

6.  The children maneuver the plate to make the marbles roll into the paint and spread it.  They can watch the colors blend and change as the marbles move the paint around.

The children love this craft!  

More Craft Ideas

Warm/Cool Craft 

The children can color the underwater scene using cool colors (watercolor) like blue and green.  They can color the sun picture using yellow, red and orange representing warm colors.  A discussion would take place on these colors.

All the craft templates are found in the theme unit or member's area.

Math for Kindergarten and Preschool

Egg Math Guessing Game

Plastic eggs (12) are placed in an egg carton (ones used at Easter).  Inside each of these plastic eggs are smarties or jellybeans.  Two of the plastic eggs will be empty.  Each partner chooses a game board.  They each take turns choosing an egg.  If they choose one with smarties or jellybeans in it, they must count the number and mark this off on their game board.  If they choose one with no candy, it is the other partner's turn.  Once the counting is completed and the game board is marked off, the egg is returned back to the carton along with the smarties or jellybeans.  This is a great counting, memory and number recognition activity.

Number Match and Recognition Game

Two sets of bingo chips with numbers 1-10 printed on them would be used for this activity.  The bingo chips are placed in a container along with a few blank ones.  The game is played in partners.  Each child is given a game board.  They take turns picking up a bingo chip (without looking).  If they have that number they must say it and place it on their board.  If they choose a blank one, it is returned back into the container.  It is the other person's turn to pick up a bingo chip.  The first person to have their board completed is the winner.

Math Patterning

Patterning and sorting is the focus in this theme.  Activities to develop this concept are outlined in the theme unit.

Music Integration

The songs "Extraordinary Eggs" and "Macey the Marching Mouse" from the Alpha Tunes CD would be used in conjunction with developing the theme concepts and introducing the letters "e" and "m".

Information on How to Gain Access to This Theme Plus