Garlands

LESSON 8

Children practice fine motor skills, creativity, and pattern recognition through the creation of popcorn and cranberry garlands.

  • String

  • Needle (a larger or blunted needle for younger children)

  • Popcorn

  • Cranberries

Materials

  • Gather materials

  • Set up a space to watch the winter solstice episode of Little Bear. It is episode 20. You can find it on amazon prime or watch it here.

Preparations

  • Prompt engagement by encouraging children to guess the snack they'll be making, based on the story "Night Tree," fostering participation.

  • Provide clear instructions on threading popcorn and cranberries, ensuring children understand the process.

  • Integrate a multimedia component by coordinating the activity with the winter solstice episode of Little Bear, reinforcing the lesson theme and enhancing the learning experience.

  • Support children in developing pattern recognition skills by offering guidance on creating patterns with the popcorn and cranberries.

  • Monitor and assist children as needed, ensuring safety during activities involving tools like needles and scissors.

Objectives for Teachers

  • Children practice fine motor skills by stringing popcorn and cranberries onto the garland, enhancing hand-eye coordination.

  • Children engage in creative thinking by guessing the snack they'll be making based on the story "Night Tree," promoting imaginative thought.

  • Children demonstrate pattern recognition while stringing popcorn and cranberries, fostering the development of pattern recognition skills.

  • Children enhance storytelling comprehension by connecting the winter solstice episode of Little Bear to the lesson.

  • Children will strengthen counting and measurement skills by cutting a specific length of thread promoting early math skills.

Objectives for Children

Collect and Connect

  • Practice saying the poem with the actions you came up with.

I Heard a Bird Sing

I heard a bird sing in the

Dark of December.

A magical thing,

And sweet to remember.

We are nearer to spring

than we were in September.

I heard a bird sing in the dark of December.

-Oliver Herford

Activity Flow

  1. Begin this activity by reflecting on the previous two activities, and the dried fruits and seed feeders you’ve created. Let your child know that they will be crafting another snack to hang in the tree for the animals to enjoy. Encourage them to guess what they will be making today based on the story “Night Tree.” Then reveal that they will be creating popcorn and cranberry garlands.

  2. Making these garlands is not only fun but also excellent for fine motor skills. While stringing the garlands, you can watch the winter solstice episode of Little Bear. This episode ties in perfectly to this lesson, showing how traditions are celebrated by decorating a tree with special treats for "snow angels." In the end, the snow angels turn out to be the animals enjoying the tasty treats left for them.

Popcorn and Cranberry Garlands:

  1. Cut a length of thread or fishing line, about 2 to 3 feet long. Thread the needle, making sure to tie a knot at the end.

  2. Decide how you would like to string your popcorn and cranberries. You can create a pattern, or create one garland of each item. Then begin to string them onto the needle and thread.

  3. Once you've reached the desired length, tie a knot at the end of the thread to secure the garland.

  4. Repeat the process to make as many garlands as you'd like. This will give you more options for decorating the tree or spreading the snacks around.