Materials
- pictures of crickets
- clothespins
- green paint
- pipe cleaners
- wax paper
- permanent marker
- green plastic grass
- big box
- small objects
Preparation
- Create cricket clothespins: Paint 26 or more clothespins green, add pipe-cleaner antennae and legs. Use wax paper for wings.
- Draw eyes and a letter of the alphabet on each cricket's body.
- Place plastic grass in a big box with several objects starting with different letters.
What to Do
1. Engage the children in a discussion about crickets. Show the children pictures of crickets and ask the children to describe them. Talk with the children about the sounds that crickets make.
2. Give each child a cricket clothespin.
3. Challenge the children to find an object that starts with the letter sound on the cricket's back.
4. Once the child finds such an object, the child clips his cricket onto it.
S o n G
I'm a Little Cricket by Kristen Peters
(Tune: "I'm a Little Teapot")
I'm a little cricket, I only play music
I hop on the ground, When it's night,
I love to make music, So please keep it dark
Listen for my sound. Don't turn on the light!
Assessment
Consider the following:
- Can the children identify the letters on the "crickets" you give them?
- Can the children find objects
-Kristen Peters, Mattituck, NY
Instructions
Safety Note: Allow the children to do as much as they can, but using the oven is
an adult-only part of this activity.
Ingredients
* 2 1/2 cups flour * 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 4 oz. margarine or butter * 1 1/4 cups powered sugar
* 1 egg yolk * red and black food coloring
* 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Let the children help make the cookies. Put the butter and sugar into your
large mixing bowl, and mix with the wooden spoon. Add egg yolk and vanilla.
Continue to mix. Add the flour until you have a dough-like consistency. Use
hands to finish mixing the ingredients.
3. Roll out the cookie dough on a floured board until it is about 1/4 " to 1/2".
4. Use cookie cutters to make ladybug body shapes. Put shapes on a baking tray
and bake in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes at 375 degrees (adult-only step).
5. Cool cookies on a rack (adult-only step).
6. Put 1 cup of powered sugar into a bowl and mix with water and a few drops
of red food coloring. Add liquid slowly until you have desired consistency.
7. Mix 1/4 cup of powered sugar with black food coloring and a small amount of
water. When the cookies are cool, cover with red icing and leave it to set.
8. Using an icing tube, dot the black icing on for spots and eyes.
9. Have the children choose how many spots they want their Ladybug Cookie
to have.
Assessment
Consider the following:
* Do the children understand the process of making food?
* How well are the children able to participate in the activity?
