Exploring the Letter I, Arctic Animals, and Early Math Fun!

Exploring the Letter I, Arctic Animals, and Early Math Fun!
This week in our early learning classroom, we dove deep into the letter I and i while exploring arctic animals, ice, and hands-on STEM and pre math activities. As part of our early childhood education program, we love introducing new concepts through play, science, math, and lots of creative projects that meet the Missouri Early Learning Standards. Here’s a peek at what we accomplished and how each activity supports children’s development in a preschool, pre k, and pre kindergarten setting.

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Literacy & Language: The Letter I and i.

• We began our study by reading Who Lives Here? Polar Animals by Deborah Hodge and The Pout-Pout Fish Goes to School by Deborah Diesen. These books sparked conversations about where animals live and how letters and sounds help us read new words.
• We focused on letter I recognition by tracing, drawing, and discussing that “I” is for “Ice,” “Igloo,” and “Icicle.” Children practiced writing uppercase and lowercase I on construction paper, then painted them with sparkly silver paint to look like glittering ice.

Missouri Early Learning Standards Connection (Language & Literacy):

• Listening and Speaking: Children engaged in book discussions, learning new vocabulary like “igloo” and “icicle.”
• Reading: They identified the letter I in print, strengthening their letter-sound knowledge.

Arctic-Themed Sensory Play & Science

• We brought the arctic animals to life by building cotton-ball igloos and playdough igloos. We then used the playdough to create mock “icicles” and formed the letters I and i.
• Children explored an “icy” sensory tray filled with dough, giving them a hands-on way to investigate texture, shape, and how animals might move in a snowy environment. They created footprints and “tracks” for their polar bears and penguins, placing them “over and under” the dough snow just like in Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner.

Missouri Early Learning Standards Connection (Science):

• Scientific Inquiry: Children experimented with playdough (a changeable material), building shapes and discussing how animals might live in cold habitats.
• Physical Science: They observed textures and states of matter, associating “ice” with cold, and how it might melt or change.

Number Learning and Early Math

• We focused on number recognition from 1-12 using wooden puzzles from www.PreKWithMe.com. The children were excited to manipulate the puzzle pieces to match each numeral and shape.
• We introduced our new clock puzzle, also from PreKWithMe, which has movable hour and minute hands. The numbers 1-12 are represented on trapezoid-shaped pieces—leading to a mini-lesson on recognizing and naming trapezoids.
• These activities emphasize preschool math skills—counting, numeral recognition, shape identification, and basic time-telling concepts.

Missouri Early Learning Standards Connection (Mathematics):

• Number & Operations: Children practiced counting from 1-12, matching numerals to puzzle spaces.
• Geometry & Spatial Sense: They identified and named shapes (circle, heart, triangle, square, rectangle, trapezoid, hexagon, octagon) and manipulated puzzle pieces to fit corresponding outlines.

Fine Motor Skills & Creative Arts

• Painting our “icy” letter I with sparkle paint allowed for precise brush strokes, which helps strengthen hand muscles.
• Using cotton swabs to dab glue and sprinkle “sparkle sand” encourages pincer-grasp development, an important precursor to correct pencil grip.
• Standing at the chalkboard to trace letters also gave children a different posture to practice writing—helping them gain better arm and shoulder control.

Missouri Early Learning Standards Connection (Physical Development & Creative Arts):

• Fine Motor Skills: Children used small tools—paintbrushes, cotton swabs, puzzle pieces—to refine coordination.
• Creative Expression: They explored art materials and creative processes, expressing themselves while learning about the letter I and winter themes.

Social-Emotional Skills: Taking Turns & Sharing

• During our shape-matching game from PreKWithMe, children cooperated, taking turns and sharing puzzle pieces. When someone didn’t recognize a shape, classmates offered help—reinforcing empathy and teamwork.
• We read The Mitten by Jan Brett, discussing how animals shared the mitten. This opened a conversation about social emotional skills like caring and helping.
• Reading Llama Llama Home With Mama helped us talk about sickness and compassion for friends who are absent or not feeling well.

Missouri Early Learning Standards Connection (Social & Emotional Development):

• Relationships with Others: Children practiced cooperative play and kindness, such as helping a friend who struggled with shape recognition.
• Self-Regulation: They managed frustration or excitement when taking turns, developing patience and understanding.

Why Playful Learning?Our classroom activities are always engaging and fun, ensuring children learn through hands-on exploration. By embedding literacy, math, science, and social emotional skills in playful tasks, children stay excited about learning and build a strong foundation for future academic success. This holistic approach also aligns with the Missouri Early Learning Standards, ensuring we support every aspect of a child’s growth—cognitive, social, emotional, and physical.

Whether it’s sorting shapes, practicing number learning, or creating ice sculptures, our goal is to foster a love of early learning through discovery and wonder. We can’t wait to see how our young learners continue to develop pre math and letter I recognition skills in the coming weeks. Keep an eye out for more updates on our preschool, pre k, and pre kindergarten adventures as we explore new themes, stories, and creative projects together!

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