Jumping Into Fall: Pumpkins & Spiders

The Fall theme continues at preschool with pumpkins and creepy, crawly spiders!  Last week we learned about the parts of a pumpkin as well as the life cycle of a pumpkin.  I used the Life Cycle of a Pumpkin 3-part cards from Montessori For Everyone along with the Life Cycle of a Pumpkin bracelet idea from Making Learning Fun.  The kids really got a kick out making the bracelet -- even the boys!

Here's a picture of the way the Pumpkin Life Cycle Bracelet work was set up:

I also added some fun, pumpkin - themed practical life works:

Spooning plastic pumpkins.  I found the pumpkin bowls in the Target dollar section and the plastic pumpkins at Michael's.

This is a fun jack-o-lantern buttoning work.  The kids button the felt shapes onto the stuffed felt pumpkin to make a jack-o-lantern face.  This work I made myself!  And, the kids love it!

This is tonging pumpkins. 

This week we are learning about spiders. Although, I still have quite a few of the pumpkin works still out on the shelves!  For the spider theme, I made my first purchase from Montessori Print Shop!  I purchased the spider parts 3-part cards!  I put them together with a book called Spider Names and a magnifying glass.  The kids can look at the different spider parts on the 3-part cards and then try to find them on the spiders in the book.

Here are some spider practical life works:

This is tweezing spiders.  This has been very popular!

And spooning spiders!

I also added a sifting spiders (I didn't take a picture of this one).  This idea came from Living Montessori Now.   And, since the kids enjoyed the "Squirrel Acorn Counting Book" with the plastic acorns and stuffed squirrel so much, I found a spider counting book at Hubbards  Cupboard (I had to add little spiders printed from Word to the book so that kids who do not recognize numbers yet could still do the work) and added some small plastic spiders.

This week I also added spindle boxes and spindles and spider counting cards & counters to the math area.  I do not remember where I found the spider counting cards because I have had them for several years now.  But, they would be simple enough to make, even in Word.

I have been waiting for a good opportunity to start the physical science album, and last week that opportunity finally arrived!  Friday we did the Matter lesson (solid, liquid, gas).  Below is a picture of the matter tray:

I also made a work to go with the tray.  I had a bowl of wooden spools (solid), a pitcher of water (liquid), and a bowl of air (gas).  I gave each of the kids a paper bag with the word matter written on the outside.  They filled small Glad containers (the same as the ones above) -- one with water and one with air.  They each also got a wooden spool.  I printed out clear labels with the words: solid, liquid, and, gas for each of the kids.  They stuck the appropriate label on the solid, the liquid, and the gas.  This was a huge hit!  Almost all the kids made a Matter bag -- there was a line waiting to do the work!

I am linking up with Living Montessori Now for Montessori Monday!