May I Borrow Your Thoughts?
Posted by Kim Murphy on 24 Nov 2009 | Posted in: Classroom Routines, Planning and Curriculum, Preschool, The Mailbox
I’m hunched over a grid, sweat furrows my brow, and my brain aches with the agony of indecision. What could possibly be causing this intense stress and concentration? Why, I’m trying to decide what themes to put in next year’s issues of The Mailbox® magazine preschool edition! I’m only making the process sound stressful to garner your sympathy. I actually enjoy it very much. It’s a bit like a puzzle—one that’s much more fun than crossword or Sudoku puzzles. (Those make me want to smack my head against a nice solid object.)
While I’m working on this theme plan, I inevitably spend my time trying to get inside your brain. I can spend an eternity wondering. Would you prefer a unit on flowers or butterflies? Or would you perhaps like a unit on ponds or oceans or eggs? The questions and themes are endless! So I’m going to take a minute to ask you: what themes would you enjoy seeing in the magazine?
Thanks for the help!
Kim
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27 Responses to “May I Borrow Your Thoughts?”
More Comments Pages: [1] 2 3 » Show All Comments
More Comments Pages: [1] 2 3 » Show All Comments
I think we need to point our preschoolers to a better future for them to live in. We need to teach them to go green. Remind them to recycle. What to make out of things at home. Be $$ minded. Make a better environment for them to live in. Bring back creativity. I love to sit and create with little minds. Watching them be free with their expressions. Let them learn to be aware of things around them. Not things in the electronic world. Computers in the class room can do more damage then paint with a paint brush.
More activities with lower case letters, more science and math, cooking items with no sugar, no nuts or anything that could be associated with nuts! Thank you~
I sure could use help with math and science ideas for the letters of the alphabet, colors, numbers, and shapes.
also any ideas for the more unusal letters like Q, X, Y, U, and Z
Hi, What a fabulous resource thank you. I love teaching my pre-k class about famous artists, art styles and composers. I would love some simple ideas to introduce them to a variety of art and music styles. There are many wonderful books about artists and composers written for children. A resource list of books would be great also.
Our school has been working very hard on giving back to the community. Fresh ideas for organic gardening, staying green, helping others and giving back to the community would be fabulous. Also, learning about other countries not just the typically found countries in the majority of curriculum books or resources would be great. I would like to teach the children about countries that they may not have knowledge of.
Any of the Todd Parr books would be super cute too!
Island/Reggae theme instead of typical Beach theme…
I have tons of ideas today don’t I?
I would love to see some type of Fairy and Woodland next Fall. I think the kids are open to it with all the new Tinkerbell stuff out there and it’s such a neat tie-in to Earth and there are so many neat directions you could take it.
Soooo many art ideas: I tried this theme in my classroom this year and we tied yarn around pinecones- it was such a hit from 2-4 years old !! I purchased kits from etsy but pinecones from home would be neat too!
LOOVE the idea of a wolf theme!
Love the Fairy Tale themes- please do the storytime book around “Each Peach Pear Plum” — such a fun book for Pre-K!
How about traditional Fairy Tales from around the world theme for around MLK Jr day or around World peace Day…
I’ll buy you forever, I’ll read you for always
As long as I’m teaching, The Mailbox It’ll be…
I would love to see themes on: pond life, rocks & minerals, food pyramid & nutrition, focus on various authors & illustrators, the environment and being “green”, and simple machines. Also, weather unit and manners.
Lots of good suggestions have already been listed above.
I would add a request for units on animals preparing for winter, in addition to hibernating. I find plenty of books and teaching materials for bears hibernating, but it would be nice to also expose the children to how small mammals, snakes, lizards, birds and other forest animals cope with cold weather-migration, collecting food, etc. My preschoolers and I really enjoy the units on animals, science and nature the best! Spiders and insects seem to be their favorites.
How about a unit on wolves and their place in the animal world?
I would also utilize a cowboy/western unit and a medieval castle unit at the preschool level. We built a cardboard castle for our back to school unit this fall and everyone really enjoyed it. Any ideas for including 2-3 basic woodworking projects for 4-5s in our curriculum would be good too. Keep the great ideas coming.
I would love electricity, simple machines, and rocks for Prek-K level. A simple water cycle book would be nice for that level too.
I would love to see a theme on immigration and Ellis Island. I teach 3rd grade, and it is difficult to find books and other age-appropriate materials. This is an important part of American history, but it’s hard to teach when there isn’t much available. Thanks for considering!!!
I would like to see a theme based on rocks or minerals for a preschool level age. Or maybe a theme on living versus non-living things.
An all about me theme that is more “hands on” for the children with emphasis on the five senses and different activities or crafts for each sense would be awesome!
I am looking for ideas to do a theme on pets this year in the spring and what kinds of learning activities, crafts, and dramatic play ideas would work with that.
How about a Kids can cook theme with emphasis on making nutritional choices and snacks versus the cookies, and sugary items.
Thanks for asking!
Kristy
This is my tenth year of teaching/directing a small preschool and the theme boxes I need the most help with are February and March. What about healthy foods/exercise, love/friendships or pond, insects/Eric Carle. I really have a hard time finding or creating activities to go with forest animals. For either fall or spring. (Besides bears). I also always struggle with making 3D people for different activities, for example cowboys, wise men and shepherds. Besides clothespins, paper tubes and chenille sticks, what else is there? We like to make these for take home crafts but also in the block area or on the train/road table.
Traditional nursery rhymes activities are harder to find these days too. I think that’s it! Love this resource so much! Thanks for asking.