Integrated Curriculum
Two week lesson plan for preschoolers (age 4-5)
Theme: The world
of Animals
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Literacy CenterReading, Writing,
Listening
Book: Farm/by Penelop
Arlon. Designed by
Victoria Harvey
Book: Beautiful
Butterflies
By Meish Goldish
Book: Wet and Dry/ by/
Lisa Bullard
Book: Some Babies Are
Wild
Book: Long and short/
Lisa Bullard
Welcome song
The Pledge
Calendar time
Books
Teaches kids about farm
animals and the reasons
that farmers keep
animals in their farms.
Teaches kids about the
four stages that
butterflies go
throughout their lives.
Teaches kids about
opposites, and the
animals that live in the
oceans and desserts.
Teaches kids about wild
animals and their
babies. Introduces kids
to opposites, and where
these animals live.
Good picture book
about different groups
of animals. Also teaches
kids about opposites.
Linguistic,
interpersonal, bodilykinesthetic,
What does the letter Ff
sounds like?
What does the Bb letter
say?
Ww, Dd (letter sounds)
Pre-printed sheets
Dot to dot tracing farm
animals.
Art/Music Center
Spatial, logicalmathematical, bodilykinesthetic,
interpersonal
Song: This is the way
we plant the hay
Art: Pig Nose
Materials: yarn, egg
carton, black marker,
paint
Cut the egg carton
bottoms (the part the
eggs sit in) into its
Writing: Encourage the
children to draw a
picture of butterfly and
write the name of
butterfly
Song: Butterfly
Butterfly butterfly
flutter around.
Butterfly butterfly touch
the ground
Art/craft
Wiggling Caterpillar
First, trace four circles
onto the construction
paper. Then fasten the
Ll (letter sound)
Ss (letter sound)
Write the words “dog”
and “cat” on a piece of
paper. Provide a tray of
sand and encourage the
children to use their
fingers to write the
words in the sand.
Song: Fishy Pokey
Put your left fin in, take
your left fin out
Play a guessing game in
which one player acts
like a certain animal,
and the rest of the group
has to guess what
animal the player is
imitating.
Provide construction
paper and markers to
create pictures of
animals that interest
students. Ask each child
to dictate the name of
the animal or additional
information (e.g., color,
size) for you to write on
the picture.
Song: Freeze song
Play a freeze song in a
CD player. Tell children
to listen for the music to
march or dance when it
is on and to stop moving
when the music stops.
Wild Things Mask
Materials Required:
large paper plate ,
Bat and Haunted
House Maze
Mazes are excellent
vehicles to encourage
pre-writing and problem
solving skills.
Song: The Elephant
The elephant goes like
this and that, this and
that, this and that.
(Walk heavily and
stomp feet loudly)
The elephant goes like
this and that, cause he's
so big and fat! (Puff up
cheeks and stretch out
arms)
Math/Science Center
Logical-mathematical,
naturalist, intrapersonal
twelve sections. Let the
children paint it and put
the nostrils on it. Next
attach string to both
sides (staple or punch
holes and tie) and your
children have cute pig
noses
circles together in a row
with the paper fasteners.
After, draw a face on
one end of the
caterpillar. To make
antenna ends from the
back to the front and
curl the ends. Last, tape
a popsicle stick to the
back of the head and tail
circles. Push the sticks
together, then pull them
apart to make the
caterpillar move and
wiggle.
Craft (Fish)
Egg Science
Make a carton of egg
available, let children
count, then explain to
children that they were
laid by chickens, that
baby chickens come
from eggs, but the eggs
need to be fertilized
first, and these eggs are
not fertilized, so will
never be baby chickens.
Children touch, hold
and observe the eggs,
and describe the shells,
shape, and smell. Crack
one of the eggs onto a
saucer. Discuss the parts
of the egg – the yolk,
white and the white
Digging in the Dirt
Place some dirt in
sensory box – children
use hands or various
digging tools, and
magnifying glass, to
explore.
Add clay or plastic pots,
bulbs, seeds, water,
model insects and other
animals
Exploring Fish
Observe fish in a fish
tank. Movement, fins,
gills, eyes, mouth,
sleeping, eating,
interaction with other
fish. Note that is living
in water.
Math
Give the children the
butterfly match game
and challenge them to
match the butterflies by
wing pattern.
Have the children draw
a large outline of a body
and tail on paper. Cut it
out and decorate with
tissue fins, bright
markers and glitter. You
can make it 3
dimensional by stapling
or taping a backing, and
stuff it with bits of
newspaper.
Math: Counting sets of
goldfish crackers on to
paper fish bowls.
feathers, glitters, pompoms (small),
clothespins, glue
Flip over the paper plate
and draw on a lion face.
Poke in holes around the
nose and thread in pipecleaner whiskers. Cut
bits of yarn and glue
them all around the edge
of the plate to make the
mane. Glue on rounded
construction-paper ears.
People can use animal
products
Gather together some
items that people eat
that are from animals,
such as an egg, milk,
goat cheese, bacon,
honey, Have a group
discussion, and the
children can explore the
items.
Math
Categorize the toy
animals that live in
water, dry land or
animals that live in both
areas. Let the children
count how many
animals they found in
Pom-pom Bear
Materials: different size
of pom-poms, white
craft glue, roly eyes,
beads
For the head and body,
glue the medium pompom to the large one.
Then glue a mediumsmall pom-pom to the
face to make a muzzle.
Glue on the other four
medium-small pompoms for legs. After,
glue on two small pompoms for ears and one
for the tail. Last, glue on
the roly eyes and a bead
nose.
Wild and Tame
Animals
Show some photos (or
actual animals) that are
pets. Discuss how they
live with, and depend on
people for their welfare,
and give companionship
in return. Talk about
how cats, dogs, gerbils
etc get food, sleep, and
have shelter. Show
photos of a mixed group
of animals, including
wild, and have the
children choose the
pets. Reasons?
Math: Animal Size
Place some photos or
toy animals around the
string that is attached to
the yolk. Then have
each crack an egg into
individual saucers, and
explore and discuss
their own egg.
Dramatic Play
Center
Interapersonal, musical,
linguistic, bodilykinesthetic
Sock Puppets
Material: sock, scrap
craft materials (buttons,
paper, fabric, yarn,
etc.)glue
Show children how to
slip a sock over his/her
hand, with knuckles in
the heel. Make a mouth
by tucking the toe end
between your fingers
and thumb. Sew or glue,
and hair.
each category.
Veterinarian Clinic
Materials: stuffed dogs
and cats, doctor tolls,
pet supplies, pet
carriers, child-sized lab
coats, scrubs, and
surgical masks.
Have children stand in a
line with one leader
(adult) the other adult
leader stands across the
yard or room. The
leader without children
yells "_______,
_______, how did you
get there? (filling in the
blanks with an animal or
a mode of
transportation) The
other adult leader yells
the mode of movement
for that animal or
vehicle. ex. "Snake,
snake, how did you get
there?" "We slithered!"
at this point all the
children pretend to be
that thing and slither to
the other leader. It goes
back and forth as long
as the attention of your
children. Use horses,
bees, motorcycles,
A caring center
Materials: baby dolls or
stuffed animals, small
blankets or towels,
dress-up clothes (vest,
purse, briefcase, tie)doll
clothes, baby bottle or
spoon, washcloths and
masking tape for diapers
Some children are good
at playing mommis and
daddies. Some need
help, teachers encourage
them by asking what
kinds of things mothers
and fathers do to help
take care of a baby.
room in easy to find
places, and have the
children look for them,
find them, and then
gather together as a
group. Find the biggest,
smallest, tallest,
shortest, longest
animal. Which do think
would be the heaviest?
Lightest? Find an
animal baby. Compare
and discuss the photos
or the toy animals.
For Dramatic play or
sensory make a cow
head and tail out of
poster board. Place the
head on a small chair
and the tail on another
small chair put a broom
stick across the chair fill
a rubber glove with half
water and milk tie it and
then tie it to the broom
stick(make sure you
poke holes at the finger
tips) show the child how
to milk a cow.
Block Center
Zoo
Spatial, interpersonal,
naturalist
Provide plastic animals
and berry baskets to use
as cages. Encourage the
children to build a zoo
and to sort the animals
into cages by those that
are alike. For example,
all monkeys in one
cage, all birds into
another, and so on.
Theme: Numbers
Monday
Tuesday
Literacy CenterReading, Writing,
Listening
Book: Five Little
Monkeys sitting in a
tree/Eileen Christelow
Book: This tree counts!
By Alison
Formento/illustrated by
Sarah Snow
It is a counting book.
Five little monkeys go
to the river for a picnic
with Mama, they
discover it’s not nice to
tease a crocodile. It
might even be
dangerous.
Song: five little ducks
went out one day
Pre-printed sheets
Count the pictures in
each row. Circle the
Farm
Make a farmyard
ground cover and a Silo.
Provide plastic farm
animals and encourage
the children to build a
farm.
It is a counting book
that teaches children
about some animals that
are living safe and free
in their tree homes.
Song: five Little Cars
Five little cars driving
down the street.
The first one said, “stop
when a red light you
meet.”
The second one said,
‘when it’s green, you can
go.”
racecars, airplanes, etc.
Dotted Cards
Dotted cards are made
with index cards and
colored dot stickers.
Make a card for each
number 1-10, with the
numeral written beside
the dots. Children count
aloud verbally as they
place each math counter
on each dot. They use
these when they are
beginning to learn
counting to help them
place the correct amount
of math counters on the
card.
Mystery Socks
Children work with a
partner to play this
game. They will need
one sock and 5 flat
marbles. One child
places an amount of
marbles into the sock.
The other child reaches
into the sock without
peeking, counts the
marbles by feeling them
and says the number.
Stamping game
Children roll a numeral
game die, find the
numeral on their paper,
and stamp it out. They
continue until they have
stamped every numeral.
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Book: Ten Puppies/by
Lynn Reiser
Book: When Sheep
Sleep/Laura Numeroff
/illustrated by David
Mcphail
Book: Mouse Count/ by
Ellen Stoll Walsh
A very nice picture
book about a mother
dog that has ten
puppies. None of them
are exactly alike, each is
remarkable with having
flat noses, pointed
noses, floppy ears,
perky ears, and so on.
Song: Call for help
This is the way we call
for help
Dial 9-1-1, dial 9-1-1
Pre-printed sheets
A beautiful counting
book that teaches young
children that at night
most of animals and
their babies go to sleep.
A counting book with a
nice story about a snake
and ten little mice.
Song: Ten in a bed
There were ten in a bed
and the little one said
“Roll over, roll over”
Song: This old man
This old man, he played
one,
He played knick-knack
paddywhack,
Give a dog a bone,
This old man came
rolling home.
Pre-printed sheets
Write numbers 1 to 8 on
these socks.
Follow the instructions
to draw and learn
numbers.
number
The third one said, “And
yellow means slow.”
The fourth one said, “we
must always follow the
rules.”
The fifth one said, “So
don’t be a fool!”
Five little cars were
driving down the street,
and no accidents did they
meet.
Write the numbers 1-10
or fill in the missing
numbers.
For example color 1
tulip yellow. Color two
tulips red.
Pre-printed sheets
Cross out one and then
write how many are left.
Art/Music Center
Paper Chains
Materials: assortment
of colored construction
paper, scissors, glue,
tape
Show the children how
to cut the construction
paper into strips suitable
for making small loops.
Make a loop from a
construction paper strip
and tape or glue it
together. Then show the
children how to thread a
second loop through the
first to make a chain.
The children might
enjoy the challenge of
making the chain as
long as the whole room.
That can be a
homemade decoration
for a birthday or
holiday.
Rock painting
Materials: different
shapes of sizes of rocks,
acrylic craft paint and
brushes, waxed paper
First, talk to children
how the rocks look like
(a car, bug, bee rabbit).
Paint the rocks any way
they want. Place it on
waxed paper to dry. If
they want the rocks to
shine, coat it with
varnish.
Children can write with
paint numbers 1-10 on
the rocks.
Spoon Puppets
Materials: wooden
spoon, markers, scrap
craft materials (yarn,
felt, cotton balls, paper,
etc.) glue, handkerchief
or square of material (5
or 6 square inches)
ribbon or yarn
Draw faces o either side
of the spoon, or gluing
on bits of felt or scrap
paper. Yarn or cotton
balls glued to the top or
the spoon can become
hair. Cover the spoon
handle with a
handkerchief or square
of material, fastening it
in place on the neck of
the spoon with ribbon or
yarn.
Five-point Star Magnet
Materials: wiggly eyes,
tiny pom-poms, glue,
sticky-back magnet,
paper cup, scissors,
yellow and red markers,
red yarn
First, cut five equally
spaced slits around the
paper cup from top to
bottom. Each segment
of the cup will become a
point of the star. Then,
trim the sides of each
segment of cup so that it
is a triangle with the
point at the top. Fold
each of the points of the
star out from the bottom
of the cup to form the
star. To decorate the
star, color it with the
marker or cover it with
glue and glitter. Give
the star a face by gluing
Playing Card Counters
Materials: pipe
cleaners, craft beads,
glue, scissors, old deck
of cards, wiggle eyes,
clothespins
First, choose two cards
with the same number
on them. Cut a 6-inch
piece of pipe cleaner for
the arms. Lay the arms
across the top portion of
the picture side of one
card. Cover the card and
pipe cleaner with glue.
Set the second card,
picture side down, over
the first card. The
numbers should be on
the outside of the cards
and the pipe cleaner
should now stick out on
both sides of the card
for arms. Then glue two
wiggle eyes and a craft
on the wiggle eyes and a
pom-poms for a nose.
Make a mouth by gluing
on a piece of red yarn.
Last, press a piece of
sticky-back magnet to
the back of the star.
bead nose at the top of
one side of the cards.
Clamp two clothespins
to the bottom of the
cards for the legs. Slide
the correct number of
craft beads on the pipe
cleaner arms to match
the number on the cards.
Apples
Materials: red, green,
and yellow apples, chart
paper, markers, knife,
zipper closure plastic
bag
First, look at the apples
with the children and
ask them to predict
which ones they think
will taste the best. Chart
their responses on a bare
graph labeled
“predictions. Cut the
apples into pieces and
let the children taste.
Chart the children’s
preferences and label
the graph “preferences.”
Talk to the children
about oxidation or the
purpose of the skin on
the apples. Talk about
what happens when we
peel an apple and why it
gets brown and mushy.
Play Office
Materials: old nonworking telephones, a
desk try, clip boards,
Math/Science Center
Mix a batch of play
clay
Material: 1 cup flour, ½
cup salt, 2 teaspoons
cream of tartar, 1 cup
water, a few drops food
coloring, 1 tablespoon
oil.
Mix dry and liquids in
separate bowls, then
combine them. Cook on
medium to low heat,
stirring until the
combination is the
consistency of mashed
potatoes.
Tele-Cups
Material: 2 Styrofoam
or paper cups, or
containers from frozen
juice or yogurt, sharp
pencil or nail 3” to 6” of
sting
Teach children how
sounds can travel along
a tight string.
Colored Pasta
Color many different
types of past, such as
macaroni, wagon
wheels, and rigatoni.
First, spread a double
thickness of newspaper
over your work area.
Pour the food coloring
and past into the plastic
bag. Twist the bag and
hold it closed while you
shake it. Spread the
pasta onto the
newspaper. The
newspaper helps to soak
up the extra liquid. Then
slide it onto a sheet of
waxed paper and spread
out the pasta. After that
children can make pasta
jewelry, sort them, and
count them.
Five senses
Discuss with children
the five senses. Take
them outside or in a
garden. Ask the children
to stand very still and
look carefully at the
garden. Then ask then
what they see and hear.
Let the children to touch
the leaves, flowers, and
fruits and describe the
various textures.
Encourage them to
smell the flower, fruits
and veggies and
describe how it smells.
Finally let them taste
fruits and veggies and
describe how they taste.
Dramatic Play Center
What’s Cooking?
Materials: chef hat, play
dough or paper.
Cape play
Materials: soft blanket,
large scrap of fabric, or
a big towel, large safety
All Aboard!
Material: chairs,
construction paper
”tickets, belts
Playing restaurant
Material: menus made
on paper, pad and
pencil, chef hat, tray,
With a chef hat and play
dough or paper, children
can pretend to whip up a
fabulous meal or
dessert. By using the
play dough or
construction paper to
make pretend food like
burgers, cakes, or
cookies.
Block Center
First Day of School
Castle
On the first day school
before the children
arrive, start building a
castle with blocks. Place
the remaining blocks in
a basket next to the
castle you have started.
As each child arrives,
ask her to grab a
handful of blocks from
the basket and add them
to the structure. After
every child has arrived
and added blocks to the
welcome to school
castle, ask them to stand
in front of it. Use the
camera to snap a
memorable picture.
pin, crown, jewelry,
magic wand, deck of
cards
Pin the blanket, fabric,
or towel loosely around
children’s neck. Teacher
can suggest scenarios
like royal play or super
hero play, and help
children about how
people obey the
commands of king or
queen and how they
bow for respect.
farm Animal Sort
Print out animal
pictures. Ask
preschoolers to sort
animals by size, or by
speed they move, or by
their favorite animals.
Ask preschoolers which
farm animal is their
favorite one, and ask
why.
Let children line up
chairs, then two should
sell tickets (imaginary
tickets from
construction paper)for
the ride. Everybody
should fasten their seat
belt. Teachers should
encourage the children
as passengers to talk
about what they see
outside.
play money or pretend
credit cards
A menu drawn by
children or written by
teacher, talk to children
about jobs in the
restaurant. Children
choose a position like
waiter, busboy/girl,
chef, cashier
paper, office supplies
Structures
Encourage the children
to build block structures
in the block center.
Encourage them to
make it a pattern
building or make a big
and small building.
Take pictures of
children’s structures and
attach the pictures to a
wall or bulletin board
for parents to see the
work of their children.
Map
Before children arrive,
tape a laminated map to
the floor in the block
center. When the
children ask what it is,
explain that it is a map
that tells you where to
go in a city. Point out all
the different things on
the map. Encourage the
children to play with the
map by placing blocks,
toy cars, toy animals,
and traffic signs on it.
Making sets
Use index cards for
small counting mats.
Children count out sets
onto each index card
(from small pattern
animals) children can
count sets of 2, 3 or 4.
Let children make calls,
communicate with each
other, write memos, and
do whatever they want
to do.
Reference
The Giant Encyclopedia of Preschool Activities/ Kathey Charner and Maureen Murphy
Jumbo Book of Easy Crafts/ Judy Ann Sadler
Crafts Numbers/ by Kathy Ross/ illustrated by Jan Barger
http://www.teachpreschoolscience.com/plantsanimalsindex.html
The Complete Daily Curriculum/ Pam Schiller and Pat Phipps