Expanded Desert Unit!

Check out our new and expanded “Desert” unit!  We’ve added a few new printables, which you can download. 

Just click the image above to download a single zip file of all the printables. (Can’t unzip it. Try Hamster Free Zip Archiver approved by Amber’s husband. Remember to download carefully.)

You will need to be able to view pop-ups to download the unit, as it will appear in a pop up window from our site!

Download not working?  Grab it here ~ http://bit.ly/OkGZ9a

Here are the printables included in this unit:

• Roll & Graph
• Beginning Writing/Cutting Practice
• Patterns (ABAB and AABB)
• Letter Puzzles
• Number Order Puzzle (1-10 and 11-20)
• Spelling Pages
• Counting Clip Cards
• Which is Different? 
• Shadow Match Activity
• Size Sort
• Letter C Craft
• Cactus Counting Cards
• Desert Size Sorting
• Desert Writing Maze
• Desert Counting Book
• Cactus Shape Match

Also included in this download are the desert animal magnet pages and the memory verse helps for the devotional.

Products We Use with Our Units

Looking for more ideas?

• Devotional & Memory Verse
• Desert Learning Center Ideas
• Snake Track Art
• Recommended Books
• Sandpaper Rubbing Craft
• Family Movie Night Ideas
• Last Year's Post

There are also more  ideas, units, printables and crafts available on this theme.  Check out our Pinterest Board for some of our favorites!

We hope you enjoy these printables and please let us know if you have any issues with downloading or using the items provided. 

We’re linking up to: Preschool Corner.

Special thanks to Phillip Martin for graphics.

Please do not sell or host these files anywhere else. You MAY link people here. When leading others to these printables, please link to THIS page, not to the file page.  Thanks! (See TOU)

Deuteronomy 8:15-Memory Verse Extras

Here are some extras to help your kiddos memorize this weeks verse, Deuteronomy 8:15

You can download all of the printables, including the devotional here.  If you would like to download individual files, click on the image below. 

Memory Verse Card: Use this card daily during your calendar time to work on memorization. 

Memory Verse Puzzle and Cutting Practice:  This puzzle fits together to form this weeks memory verse. 

Memory Verse Color Order and Cutting Practice: Using color order arrange the verse.

Memory Verse Writing Practice: With this you can practice parts of the whole verse, or just work on starting a single letter.  

 

You may also re-visit this verses devotional from last year. 

Snake Tracks Art

This week we have a craft that will fit in with our desert theme.  Follow the directions below to make this cool snake track artwork!

Here is what you will need:

• Some pieces of string-like things that are different widths (I used ribbon, yarn, a pipe cleaner, and bead necklace)
• Construction Paper
• Some Paint (We used craft paint, but you can use finger paint)

 

Directions:

• Take the construction paper and lay it in front of your kiddo
• Talk to your tot about snakes, and tell them that you are going to pretend the pieces of string are snakes
• Dip the string in some paint, and let your kiddo drag it across the paper
• Have you kiddo wiggle the string as they pull it, and talk about the differences in the patterns they make

When your done you will have a cool snake pattern piece of art. 

If you want a paint free version, let your kid drag the string through some sand and talk about the patterns!

Desert Centers

This week we are expanding our Desert Theme printables. 

I have to be honest, this unit was tough. But, I’ve manage to find some fabulous resources that can be used in independent centers or even as an additional supplement to our printables. 

Magnet Pages

Since I had a hard time locating already made printables that would work in a center type environment, I went ahead and made some for you.  BIG THANKS to Chloe for the fabulous suggestion of a magnet center!!

Click to Download a zip file of 8 magnet pages.

You can use several different things with your magnet pages. Do-a-Dot Paints work great, but then you’ll only get one use out of them.  I recommend laminating the pages and using Bingo Chips, Power Magnets or homemade pom-pom magnets with them.

Art

First-School has a variety of desert animal coloring pages. Print off the ones your child would be more interested in and then let them have at it.

Click to Download.

Pretend Play

I saw these awesome miniatures at Hobby Lobby last summer, but wasn’t sure if they were worth the price ($8.99).  However, since then I’ve seen several mommy bloggers use them, so I took the plunge.

Safari LTD Desert Toob.

I think they will work perfectly with the different place units we’ve created.   You can use them in a variety of ways, such as in a sensory bin or even as a counting manipulative.  I personally thought the boy would just love to play with them and if I only pull them out at a specific time I’m sure it would keep him well entertained.

Hope you have fun exploring the desert.

Tots in Action- The Desert Unit

Here are the activities in our Desert Unit and how they look in action!  Don’t forget to check out our new Grab and Gather list below as well!

 

Grab and Gather:

Day 1	Day 2	Day 3
Construction Paper	Fine Grit Sandpaper	Cactus Magnet Page
C template	Marker	Dot Paint or Bingo Chips
Paint or Crayons/Markers	Cactus Clip Cards	Counting Manipulative
Glue	Clothespins (mini)	Animal or Plant Sort
Desert Pattern Cards
Bucket for sand
Sand
Misc. Sand Toys

 

Questions?  Post questions or comments on our Facebook Page.  You may have the same question as someone else.  If you don’t have a Facebook account, feel free to email us.

The Desert

This unit has been expanded. So, make sure and check out the additional printables here.

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Here is what we’ve been doing this week. Let us know what you think.  We hope by providing these materials to you free of charge, it will make your life easier! 

Lesson Plan: The lesson plan includes all the lessons for the week, as well as optional ideas. Items following the lesson plan are just the printables or links to websites we used to teach these plans.  (Please note: On top of our lesson plan we are reading books daily that relate to our theme throughout the week.)

Memory Verse: This memory card is for daily use during our calendar time.  You can learn more about calendar time at 1+1+1=1 or Homeschool Creations.  Our weekly devotional is an object lesson that will help your child apply the meaning of the verse to them.

Day 1:

C is for Cactus- Teaches your child how letters are linked to sounds to form letter-sound correspondence.

 

  

Desert Patterns- This activity will help your child begin to recognize, describe and extend patterns.

Day 2:

Cactus Clip Count- This activity will help your child begin to read, count and model whole numbers 1-10.

Desert PowerPoint- Enjoy learning what animals and plants are found in the desert.

Day 3:

C is for Cactus Magnet- Teaches your child how letters are linked to sounds to form letter-sound correspondence.

Desert Graph- This activity will introduce your child to making a simple graph using concrete manipulatives and to practice reading the data displayed on their graph.

Animal or Plant Sort- Use this activity to review the plants and animals of the desert you’ve learned about this week.

 

We hope you enjoy these lesson plans and please let us know if you have any issues with downloading or using the items provided. 

 

Questions?  Post questions or comments on our Facebook Page.  You may have the same question as someone else.  If you don’t have a Facebook account, feel free to email us.

Sandpaper Rub Mystery

Here is a fun and clean art project.  You will have to do a little prep though, but your child will love trying to discover the hidden image. 

Materials:

• sandpaper 
• white paper
• crayons
• tape

Prep:

• Cut various cactus shapes out of sandpaper.
• Then tape to art area.
• Lay paper over cactus shapes and tape down to table.

Pull out the crayons and let your child have fun trying to guess what image will show up.

My son had never done a rubbing before so, I showed him how by coloring the sky and sun in his picture.

He leads me through the desert!

The verse you will be working on with your child in the next unit, The Desert, is Deuteronomy 8:15.

 “He led you through the desert, that vast and waterless land.”

 Materials:

• A box with a special treat for your tot

Directions:

• Put the box with the special treat somewhere out of sight from your tot. 
• Go into a different room and ask your kiddo if they would like to play a game of follow the leader.  Explain that you’ll be the leader and they will have to follow.
• Lead your tot through your home.  Take a while with this game, almost to the breaking point for your tots patience.   (I did say ALMOST :)
• Finally, lead your tot to the room where you have their special treat.  Make a big deal out of finding the special treat and give it to your kiddo.
• Talk about the devotional with your tot. 

Talk with your child about the following: 
When we started this game, you didn’t know where we were going, did you?  You know sometimes God will ask us to go somewhere and we don’t really know where we will go or what will happen.  That is exactly what happened to Moses.  God called Moses to do something very big, to lead his people out of Egypt where they were slaves, and Moses didn’t think he could do it.  Moses didn’t know where he was going to take God’s people, let alone if he could even get them out of Egypt.  All God told Moses was that he would lead him.  Really Moses was playing a game of follow the leader, and God led Moses and his people through the desert, a place where it was very hot and there was no water to drink.  Just like mommy led you to your treat, God will always lead us to good things.  

Questions to ask:

• Why do we glorify God?  Because he leads me to good things!

 Additional Resources:

• You may want to review last weeks questions with your tot
• Mommy Devotional on the memory verse

Questions?  Post questions or comments on our Facebook Page.  You may have the same question as someone else.  If you don’t have a Facebook account, feel free to email us.

Family Movie Night-The Desert

Family night this week goes along with our unit, The Desert.  We’ve been learning about the desert and the animals that live there, so for our family night activity this week we made “tumbleweeds” and watched “The Ballad of Little Joe” from Veggie Tales.

Our snack is a variation on the sweet treat haystacks.  They are the same thing, we just called them tumbleweeds to fit with our unit.  We also made ours with white chocolate chips and peanut butter, as I am not a huge butterscotch fan. :) Below you’ll find all the ingredients and the recipe. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup peanut butter (we used creamy)
• 1/2 cup peanuts
• 2 cups chow mien noodles

Directions:

• Put the white chocolate chips and the peanut butter in a large glass bowl.

• Heat the peanut butter and chocolate chips in the microwave at 50% power for 3-5 minutes or until melted and creamy.
  
• Mix in peanuts and chow mien noodles.  Stir mixture well until everything is coated.
  
• Spoon the mixture, by tablespoons,  out onto a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper.   You should have about 12 tumbleweeds when finished.
  
• Put the finished tumbleweeds in the refrigerator and allow to cool and harden for about 25 minutes. 

• Enjoy snacking on your cute creations!

Suggestions:

• You may use peanut butter, chocolate, or butter scotch chips if you would like.
  
• While your tumbleweeds are cooling watch some of the movie with your little one and snack on chips and salsa.  Have an intermission to grab your tumbleweed snacks.

  Movie Ideas:

• Below you’ll find some possible movie ideas for a desert movie night.  Most of these movies take place in the desert, but don’t focus specifically on the desert.
  
• Use your discretion on what is appropriate for your child.  These movies are merely suggestions and you should read and consider reviews of these movies before watching them.
  
• Be sure and check Netflix if you have an instant streaming option.  Many of these movies are in their instant queue. 

  

Questions?  Post questions or comments on our Facebook Page.  You may have the same question as someone else.  If you don’t have a Facebook account, feel free to email us.

Must Read- The Desert

We will be learning all about The Desert this week. Below are a couple of our favorites books that we have read, so far: 

Way Out in the Desert is probably my favorite out of all the books we checked out this week.  It is a rhyming counting story that is model after the tune “Over in the Meadow,” which was written over a hundred years ago. The pages are bursting with color and have a number hidden within each two page spread. The book introduces all kinds of desert creatures: horned toad, hummingbirds, javelina, rattlesnake, Gila monster, roadrunner, jackrabbit & more.  The story also introduces various plants that can be found in the desert, such as: wildflowers, palo verde tree, ocotillo door, cactus, etc. At the back of the book there is a glossary that provides further information of all the desert terms.

Baby Coyote Counts is another great book that will introduce your child to things found in the desert, while reinforcing counting.  In this short story baby coyote sees a rattlesnake, two butterflies, three lizards, four prickly cactus needles, and five quails. The pictures offer scenic backgrounds, where your child can point out the other various things that make a desert a desert.  Another fun aspect to this book is that you can get a bilingual version.

 

Here are a few other suggestions: