Teddy Bears *Teddy Bear Visitors *For Bear day we will all bring teddy bears from home. I will have all thekids make up a story with their bear as the main character that I will typeand print for them. We will watch all the Winnie the Pooh's that I have (Which is most of them!) and read some Berenstain Bear books and some Little Bear books and some bear books by Frank Asche like "Moon Game and "Moon Dance".For crafts we will make some paper bears and glue them to craft sticks and have a puppet show with them. *Teddy Bear Tea Party Each child brought their favorite bear (or stuffed animal) and we had a tea party. We had play dishes, cups and saucers for the bears and the bears sat at the little table and the kids served their bears pretend tea and cookies. Then the children ages 2 to 4 went to the "big" table and had cookies and apple juice (their tea). I had printed off a paper place mat with a picture of a bear for the placemat and they colored it when they were done eating. The day before we made the cookies so this was a 2 day project. The kids had a ball! *A week before you start this theme send home an invitation to each child inviting their favorite teddy. ~Read stories about teddy bears. ~Dress up clothes for the teddy bears(good fine motor skills). ~Bear sponge paintings ~Take pictures of the children and their teddies put pictures in album to share with parents. ~Eat honeycomb cereal, or bake bear shaped cookies let the kids decorate. ~Let the children act out the story were going on a bear hunt. ~Use a large blanket or table cloth to make a cave and pretend your bears. ~Don't forget the three bears story. Let the kids try porridge. ~Tea party with all the bears. ~Bear lacing cards. ~Brown playdough with bear cookie cutters. ~Plastic bears in the sand and or water table. *The three bear family: First I get a refrigerater or wash machine box and cut off one of the sides. Then on the center piece I cut a peeked roof and a window on each of the sides. It's no longer a complete box but an opened up "U" shape. The kids can get on both sides of it and paint it using bright colors. When this is dry, we use it as kind of a back drop for the house. The kids build beds, chairs, and a table using the hollow blocks - good math activity trying to figure out the different size beds: if we use two blocks for the baby bed, how many for mom's and dad's? Same thing with the chairs. I provide pillows and blankets, and: a baby bonnet for baby bear, an apron and hat for mama bear, a tie and hat for papa bear, a dress and barrette with yellow curls for goldilocks, a giant bowl, middle sized bowl and baby bowl, a giant wooden spoon (the kind that hangs on the wall - a thrift store find), a tablespoon and a baby spoon. Then we enact the play. *The one thing I've found that helps participation at music time more than anything else, is giving the children a chance to contribute ideas. Following is a very simple bear song that does that. It is in 3/4 time like a waltz. The letters above are the notes and the numbers the timing. On the movement part, the kids get to say how they want the bears to move and you sing it. It's the same tune only with four fast beats instead of 3 slow ones: 1 2 3 123 1 2 3 123 1 2 3 12 3 123123 G E C G E C D F E D C Sleep-ing bears, sleep-ing bears, sleep-ing all a-round G E C G E C D F E D C Sleep-ing bears, sleep-ing bears, sleep-ing on the ground 1 2 34 1 2 34 1 2 3 4 1234 Movement: Danc-ing bears, danc-ing bears, danc-ing all a-round Dancing bears, dancing bears, dancing on the ground Sleeping bears, sleeping bears, sleeping all around Sleeping bears, sleeping bears, sleeping on the ground New movement: Wiggling bears, wiggling bears, etc..... * This is a story song that the kids enact either sitting or in a gross-motor way. If you do it sitting, the kids will also sing with you. If sitting: For walking, pat hands on thighs, faster for running, pantomime all other actions: (Spoken) Once upon a time there was a little bear who was sleeping in his bed. C DE F G E F D E C Have a lit-tle sleep bear, sleep bear, sleep bear C DE F G E F D C Have a lit-tle sleep bear, sleep bear, sleep The next day, the sun came out and the bear woke up and stretched. Have a little stretch bear, stretch bear, stretch bear Have a little stretch bear, stretch bear, stretch And since it was a very sunny day, the bear decided to go for a walk. Have a little walk bear, walk bear, etc..... But this was a very active little bear and soon he became bored with walking and decided to run. Have a little run bear....... And after all the running he was so hot and sweaty. Before him was a big cool lake, So what do you think he did? Yes he jumped in and swam! Have a little swim bear..... And after he swam, he climbed out of the water and he was all drippy wet. And do you know how bears dry themselves off when they're wet? Yes, they shake! Have a little shake bear.... And after all that shaking he looked up and saw a taaaaall tree. And you know how much bears like to climb trees! Have a little climb bear..... And when that bear got to the top, do you know what he saw? Some golden, sweet, delicious HONEY! And you know how much bears like honey! Have a little taste bear...... But you know, wherever there is honey, there are also BEES! And those bees did not like that bear messing with their honey. And you know what bees do when they get angry! Have a little sting bear, sting bear...... And the bear said, "OUCH!" (Do all of this next part fast and frantic) Have a little climb bear, climb bear..... Have a little swim bear.... Have a little shake bear.... Have a little run bear.... Have a little walk bear.... And the bear got inside and said, Mommy, mommy, I went for a walk and ran and swam in a lake and shook myself off, and climbed a tall tree, tasted some honey and a BEE stung me on the nose! And mommy said, "Awwww" Have a little hug bear, hug bear, hug bear Have a little hug bear, hug bear, hug. *When the children bring their bears I will help the children trace around them onto a large piece of paper. The children then color them to look like their teddies and to the side of these drawings I write these sentences: My bears's name is ________. ______ is ________inches long. (together we use a ruler to measure teddy) ________came to live with me when_____________. (the story of where bear came from) __________ and I like to ______________. (what the child likes to do with teddy) The children can fill in the lines with my help or I will fill in the lines for them. The sentences can be changed to any topic that might capture the interest of children. Once we changed the sentences to discribe what teddy and the child liked to eat at our teddy bear picnic. The children couldn't wait to show their parents their teddy bear poster! *Five Little Bears: Counting up One little bear Wondering what to do Along came another Then there were two! Two little bears Climbing up a tree Along came another Then there were three! Three little bears Ate an apple core Along came another Then there were four! Four little honey bears Found honey in a hive Along came another Then there were five! * Five Little Bears: Counting Down Five little bears Heard a loud roar One ran away Then there were four! Four little bears Climbing up a tree One slid down Then there were three! Three little bears Deciding what to do One fell asleep Then there were two! Two little bears Having lots of fun One went home Then there was one! One little bear Feeling all alone Ran to his mother Then there were none! *Bear Stories Good as New It's the Bear and Where's My Teddy Little Bear's Trousers Old Bear Cordury and A Pocket for Corduroy The Big Hungry Bear Where's My Teddy and It's The Bear by Jez Alborough Corduroy and A Pocket for Corduroy by Don Freeman The Teddy Bears' Picnic-I have a few versians of the book and song How Teddy Bears Are Made, A Visit to the Vermont Teddy Bear Factory (Ann Morris & Ken Heyman) * Movement Activity Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn around, Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch the ground, Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, reach up high Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, wink one eye, Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, slap your knees, Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, sit down please. * Art Activity Each child gets a button to glue on paper and draw a picture of where he or she thinks Corduroy's lost button is. *Each child gets assortment of Teddy Bear Grahams and grid paper to make graph (& then eat!) *Using Teddy Bear Counters for weighing with balance scale, sorting, and counting *Lace & Peg Bears *Pegboard with variety of cards with teddy bear stickers for sorting *Video: Corduroy-has a train scene that wasn't in the book but the children always love! * Cinnamon Bear simple bear shape (pre-cut for younger ones) cinnamon sugar liquid glue 1) mix sugar and cinnamon 2) have older children cut out bear shape 3) children can place glue anywhere on the bear and add cinnimon and sugar mixture 4) glue poem to middle of bear so they can share with there parents *Cinnamon Bear Toast Make toast, cut into bear shape and sprinkle cinnamon on them * IMAGINATION CORNER - set up the three bears house (cave)....beds could be 3 different sized towels...3 diff sized chairs, bowls ect. * MATH - measurements of the 3 towel, 3 chairs, 3 bowls talk about sets of 3 * BEAR LACING - cut out and laminate bear shapes and use with colorful shoe laces. * BEAR TOAST - cut bear shape from toast with a bear cookie cutter, spread with butter and sprinkle with cinn and sugar mixture. (children can do all this) * CINNAMON BEAR POEM Cinnamon, Cinnamon Cinnamon Bear Sitting on a kitchen chair. Cinnamon sugar in a shaker. Shake, shake, shake it Like a baker. Sprinkle it on buttered toast. It's the treat You'll love the most. Cinnamon, Cinnamon, Cinnamon Bear, Do you think that we may share? * SIZING UP BEARS - let children bring their favorite teddy and line up shortest to tallest. * BEAR AWARDS - teacher decides on award after looking at ea teddy, awards are given with discription written on it.....for example: Tallest Bear, Purplist Bear, Silliest Bear, Bear with the Biggest nose, Most Hugged Bear, ect ect. * ESTIMATION STATION - fill a container with Teddy Grahams and have ea child guess the number of crackers * MUSIC/MOVEMENT - Sing "T-E-D-D-Y" to the tune of "Bingo". We also do "Goldilocks, Goldilocks Turn Around". Goldilocks, Goldilocks, turn around ,(turn around) Goldilocks, Goldilocks, knock on the door. (knock with hands) Goldilocks, Goldilocks, eat some porridge (pretend to eat) Goldilocks, Goldilocks, have a seat. (squat) Goldilocks, Goldilocks, go to sleep. (put cheek on folded hands.) Goldilocks, Goldilocks, run, run, run. (run off) * BOOKS - Blueberries For Sal - make blueberry muffins *Glue sandpaper to tag board and then cut out bear shapes. Give the children cinnamon sticks and let them rub the sticks on the sandpaper. The bears will smell like cinnamon! *Little Bear (tune: Frere Jacques) Are you sleepy, Are you sleepy Little bear, little bear? Wintertime is comming, Wintertime is comming, Very soon, very soon. Find a cave, Find a cave, Little bear, little bear Wintertime is here, Wintertime is here, Go to sleep, go to sleep. Are you sleepy, Are you sleepy Little bear, little bear? You will wake in springtime In the warm, warm springtime Little bear, little bear Time to wake up, Time to wake up Little bear, little bear Springtime is here, Springtime is here Wake up now, wake up now! * Awards given out: (to each bear there) Best Bear Family (who had the largest, smallest, unique) Best Sports Bear Best Celebrity Bear Owner-Bear Look Alike Well Worn - Most loved Bear Most Patriotic Bear Largest Bear/Smallest Bear * Healthy bear Check Ups: (a certificate was given out to each bear signed by a B.D. *bear doctor!*) The B.D.'s checked the bears with stethescopes, blood pressure cuffs, tongue depressors. If the bears had an ailment...they put a band-aid or some gauze on it to make it better. The doctors prescribed Bear Hug's twice daily and lots of bed rest with the owner. Sometimes the bears had to have an x-ray. They had gotten ahold of some old x-ray film and cut out teddy bear shapes from that. To check their eyes, they put patches (with a pawprint on the front) over the bear's eye and had them read which way the paw pointed (up, down, left, right). Then because the sun was so bright, they had paper sunglasses taped to the bear. This was also a great time to learn about healthy bear snacks and exercises. *Teddy Bear Health Certificate Bear Patient Name__________________________________________________________________________ ______ Next of Kin_________________________________________________________________ (put child's name here) Well Bear__________Tender Loving Care Syndrome (TLC): Too Much____ Just Right_____Not enough____ Ailing Bear Symptoms: Loss of Limb____ Paw____ Arm____ Leg____ (check one) Stuffing Herniation______ Weakness of Auxiliary Seams______ Squint Due to Loss of Eye______ Jaundice Due to Color Loss____________________ Old Age Debilitation _________________ RX: Hug Bear Twice Daily__________ Bed Rest with Owner __________ Date__________________ Checked by: ________________________________ B.D. (Bear Doctor) * Beary Loud Growl: Each child had a chance to growl into a microphone. * Teddy Toos: Teddy Bear Tattoo's were applied to children's skin * Bear Craft: The children made teddy bear hats and cards. (any teddy bear art project would do here) * This was a great day! All the children looked like they were having fun (my godson is 10 months old, but we had a great time. We even took our Celebrity Bear with us....Beary Ray Cyrus!!! he he. I got tons of new ideas from this community event, what a great way to learn new things! *Lacing Bear Shapes Cut brown posterboard into bear shapes and let them punch holes around the edges. Let the children choose pieces of colorful yarn (dip the yarn tips in glue and let dry or wrap with tape to keep them from fraying) ... lace the yarn through the holes. You could even have available a teddy bear hole punch instead of the circle type punch. * Have children bring in their teddy bears...you have some extras on hand....Let the children count the total number of teddy bears * Ask the children to sort the teddy bears by categories (size, color, those wearing bows, etc.) Then count the number in each category. Also, let the children come up with ideas for categories. Talk about more and less. * Review the concepts of heavy and light by having one child at a time hold a different teddy bear in each hand. Which bear feels heavier? Which feels lighter? Provide a balance scale to compare the weights of different bears. * Creative Movement with Teddy Bears (do actions with the teddy bears to suit) Pick your teddy bear up from the ground, Then go dancing all around. Hold him high and hold him low, As round and round and round you go! substitute other words/actions for the poem... ...Hold him left and hold him right, Hold him tight with all your might!... ...Hold him close and hold him far, Pretend that he can drive a car!.... ...Hold him in front and hold him in back, sit down with him on your lap!..... Make up more verses with help from the children.