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EARLY CHILDHOOD NEWSLETTER

Volume 6, Issue 11
May 27, 2008

A WORD ABOUT THIS ISSUE'S THEME

Watermelon! Cool, juicy, and sweet. As warm weather approaches, this fruit makes a refreshing unit topic. In this issue, we offer lots of curriculum connections that feature this summer treat. So take a "bite" from our offerings and bring on the .

Susan LaBella
Editor, Early Childhood Education Newsletter

-- watermelon clipart courtesy of FreeClipart.net

ACTIVITY IDEAS

THE ENORMOUS WATERMELON
Ask children if they know what the word enormous means. Discuss their responses. Then read to children The Enormous Watermelon by Brenda Parkes and Judith Smith. Talk about the word again and ask "What other things could be enormous?" Record responses on chart paper. Give each child a piece of drawing paper with this sentence frame on it: "A _________ is ENORMOUS." Children can choose a word from the chart to complete their sentences and then illustrate them. Bind pictures together into a class book titled "What Is Enormous?"

A WALL OF WATERMELONS
Cut out from green paper an oval watermelon shape for each child and write his/her name on it. Staple the watermelons onto a bulletin board covered in brown paper. Cut watermelon vines from a darker green paper by starting with a paper circle and cutting toward the center in a spiral pattern. Weave and staple the vine among the watermelons on the bulletin board. Finally write a headline for the top of the bulletin board: "Look Who's 'Growing' to Kindergarten [or whatever your students' next level will be]!"

WATERMELON TREATS
Cut seedless watermelon slices ½ inch to ¾ inch thick. Using favorite cookie cutters let children cut shapes out of the slices. Provide vanilla yogurt or another flavor yogurt and granola. Invite children to "frost" their slices with yogurt and sprinkle granola on top. Yum!

LET'S MEASURE
Bring a watermelon to class and have students study it. Let each student estimate how big around the watermelon is by cutting a piece of yarn that shows his/her estimation. Now use a tape measure to measure around the middle of the watermelon. (Lead students into a discussion about why you did not use a yard stick to find the actual measurement.) Tape your tape measure onto the board and lay a strip of red paper alongside it to show the actual measurement you found. Invite each student to come forward and compare his/her piece of yarn to the red strip of paper. Record each student's name and the length of his/her yarn. Finally discuss results: Whose estimate was closest to the actual measurement? To extend this lesson in measurement, you might challenge students to measure the distance around the watermelon with other non-standard units such as paper clips, a piece of lightweight jewelry chain, or Unifix cubes.

LOOKING AT "W"
Use your watermelon unit as an opportunity to talk about other words that begin with the same sound that "w" makes in watermelon. [Examples: window, walrus, worm, walk, wave, water, winter, wood…] Then provide for each child a plastic laundry soap scoop. Hot glue four macaroni wheels to each front and rear side of the scoop to create a wheelbarrow. Help children fill each scoop ¾ full with potting soil and plant watermelon seeds. Water lightly. When the plant starts to grow, add a plastic worm to the soil. Let children take their creations home and talk with their families about all the "w" words they learned, including the ones represented by their creations: watermelon, wheelbarrow, water, and worm.

ON THE WEB

Watermelon Facts
You'll find great information and interesting facts all about watermelons.
http://www.watermelon.org/kids_facts.asp