L is for Ladybugs.
L Template holepunch and ‘lace’ around it
Colors – red and black
Shape – circles
Literature/Science:
The Grouchy Ladybug – another Carle favorite
Ladybug Ladybug – the familiar verse
The Ladybug and other Insects – be sure to get some life cycle books like this
Listening Walk – L is for Listen too
L is also for Love which makes this the week to be sure to read Love You Forever. If you don’t cry before it’s over then we can’t be friends. ; ) You really must own this one. Another classic is Guess How Much I Love You You know, I have to add an aside here. My second son has been reading the Funschool posts (he lives in an apt) and was saying he enjoys these most of all. He said it reminded him of growing up and all we did. That makes me happier than I can say. They WILL learn to read, write and do math eventually. Make sure you are making happy memories along the way. : )
Montessori trays:
L is for Landforms (pic from site). These are models that demonstrate complementary pairs such as island/lake, peninsula/bay. You can make your own using flat square Ziplock plastic storage containers and self hardening plasticine. Traditionally the land is painted brown and then blue water is used to pour into the trays by the student doing the exploration. Alternatively you can print the cards and/or make a more kinesthetic set by brushing glue over the land parts and sprinkling sand over.
Flashlight – preschoolers cannot get enough of this one. Get an inexpensive plastic flashlight and disassemble it. Keep the parts in a large plastic box. Self-checking – the students have succeeded when they can get it together and shine the light. LOTS of fine motor and critical thinking involved here! Throw a blanket over the table and allow them to make shadows when they finish.
Light/heavy – sort cards of light items like toothbrush, feather, sock and heavy items like bricks, car, oven into appropriate piles.
Lacing cards. Another early childhood mainstay. Easy to make by laminating old calendars or cards and hole punching the outside edges. Provide shoelaces. Christmas cards of the Holy Family are especially nice.
Art/Math:
L is for Landscape. Landscapes by Scholastic is a children’s introduction to this classic art form. This little book is spiral bound with plastic covered pages that lend themselves to lots of handling. Transparent overlays add a way cool dimension. Very simple text introduces famous artists and some of their landscape paintings and asks some engaging questions. I really enjoyed this one! Don’t limit your children to ‘crafts’. Be sure to include fine art in your lessons.
Make a ladybug – trace and cut out two circles, one in red and one black. Cut the red circle in half and spread it apart slightly before gluing over the black. Glue googly eyes and black string for antennae. Double this craft by using it with black beans for…..
Ladybug Math- It is important to provide lots of opportunity and incentive to practice the basic math operations in a very noncoercive, no-stress manner in the early years. This week, use black bean counters and place varying amounts on each ladybug ‘wing’ and add them together. A small chalkboard such as from the craft section of Walmart or a craft store is ideal for these games.
Alternatively your Funschooler can paint large dry lima beans red and use a black marker to make dots and a line on each. Cut a large leaf from green cardstock and count how many ladybugs land on the leaf. Take some away and recount.
Be sure you are mentioning LEFT and RIGHT when putting on shoes and socks and pant legs etc. Reviewing songs from past weeks like the Hokey Pokey is another painless way to bring in this concept.
Songs/fingerplays:
London Bridge (Peter Spier has a book by the same name that works well this week)
Ladybug Ladybug fly away home, Your house is on fire and your children all gone. Coloring page for this verse here.
Five Little Ladybugs
Five little ladybugs, climbing on some plants,
Eating the aphids, but not the ants!
The first one said: "Save some aphids for me!"
The second one said: "These are tasty as can be!"
The third one said: "Oh, they’re almost gone!"
The fourth one said: "Then it’s time to move on!
The fifth one said: "Come on, let’s fly!"
So they opened their wings and flew through the sky.
Snacks: lemonade, licorice, Ladybug Rice Cakes – spread rice cake with red jelly and add raisin dots
Bible/Saint:
This is a good week to learn or review the Lord’s Prayer. There are Catholic and Protestant versions here with lots of nice manipulatives to make puzzles and mini-books for the notebooks. Tasha Tudor has a beautiful little book called Give Us This Day which is perfect for this lesson.
We are reading about St Louis as well. In addition to our Alphabet of Saints we are checking out Amy Welborns Saints book.
L is for Library – be sure to visit with your child this week : )
Starry Sky Journal 
Love it! Thanks for all the time you invest in kids (yours & mine). Today I emailed a new friend your site after telling her about your funschool. She’s in the beginning stages of investigating homeschool.
One category that we have added to our funschool is Geography/missionaries. We have a world map above the kitchen table and I’ve placed post-it notes w/ arrows to countries/states that begin with the letter of the week. My husband and I have a handful of friends who are foreign missionaries so we make a point to pray for them and the people who don’t know about Jesus. Then, we mail a note or care package to them.
One more thing, got the “Cookies” book last night at the library – such a great book. Thanks for pointing us to such good books.
If you’re interested, I found a new fun/kids’ art blog: http://artfulparent.wordpress.com/
Thanks for doing all this Kim, I’m looking forward to doing this with Angelina (w/Maria helping).
You put so much work into this, it’s staggering! Thank-you! Haven’t got the oomph yet to get going on it with my Littles, but know where to find it all when I do!