Pre-K & Preschool theme ideas for learning about the USA
Books
American Flags
{Art}
We make a United States flag with a piece of white construction paper as the base. Children glue on 1-inch strips of red construction paper, spaced so that you see stripes of red and white. Then they glue a blue paper rectangle in the upper lefthand corner, and glue white paper stars to that. We don’t try to get 50 stars on the flag, each child probably has about 6 or 7 stars. I have a large bag of white stars donated to me by a print shop, but you could also use a star-shaped paper puncher from a craft store.
Red, White, and Blue Collage
{Art}
The children use a variety of red, white and blue items to make a collage: paper, cloth squares, paper stars or star stickers, pieces of crepe paper streamer, craft foam mosaic squares, colored pasta, yarn, etc. Children sort them by color and glue them onto red, white and blue construction paper. The pages are stapled together to make a book of red, white and blue things.
Drums
{Art, Music}
Children paint a can (coffee can, peanut can, drink mix can, etc) with red, white, and blue paint and add glitter and sequins. The children march to the beat of Sousa’s “The Stars and Stripes Forever”.
USA Letters
{Art}
I cut the letters “USA” on a die cut machine in white construction paper. Children glue them in order on a piece of red or blue construction paper and decorate with foil star stickers and red, blue and silver sequins, and add some glitter glue designs.
U.S. Puzzle
{Fine Motor Skills, Visual Discrimination}
Children put together a puzzle of the United States.
Star Patterns
{Math}
Children make color patterns with red, white and blue stars cut from a craft paper puncher (or use foil star stickers from an office supply store). You can also have the kids make star patterns by coloring a stencil with markers. To make a star stencil, cut a strip of construction paper and punch out a row of about 8 stars with a craft paper puncher.
USA Grid Game
{Math}
I made a grid game using flag stickers in each grid. I spray-painted small wooden stars from a craft store with gold spray paint to use as game pieces. Children roll a die and count out that amount of stars to put on the flags. When the grid is full, they win the game. Children can play alone or with friends. To change the difficulty, use more or less flags on the grid and make your own dice with the numbers that you want to use.
Apple Pie
{Cooking}
Here is one way to make it:
Place graham crackers in a ziplock bag and crush them. Pour the crumbs into a cup. Add apple pie filling and whipped topping.
Here’s another way to make it: How to Make Apple Pie: For Kids
Songs
- Celebrate America, by Jack Hartmann, on the “Colors All Around” CD
The first is a CD and the second is MP3:
Links
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