Orange You Ready? Color and Shape Weeks: Orange

Orange the color associated with pumpkins, carrots and oranges is our first theme of our Colors and Shapes unit. While I'm not thrilled that I will have to become a walking pumpkin on Monday by wearing this Halloween-inspired hue, I am psyched about presenting my orange and triangle lesson plans below.

Orange Paint Can Challenge 

Subject: Math: sorting and recognizing color categories and understanding the color properties of the color orange.

To Do: Sing "Orange" to open activity.Teacher places the orange paints and not orange paints paint cans in front of children. She either passes her "paint chips" (either gotten from a home improvement store or created from card stock) to each child or holds up to the class. The children or individual child will decide if the "paint chip" should be placed on the orange paints or the not orange paints paint can and identify the color (ex. pink).

Song to Sing to Open Activity: Orange (Tune: "Three Blind Mice") (Source: Kidsparkz.com)

Orange, orange, orange,
Orange, orange, orange,
What is orange? What is orange?
An orange, a cantaloupe, and a peach,
pumpkin, a goldfish, and cheddar cheese,
The carrot that my little rabbit eats,
They are orange.

Read before Activity: Orange by Mary Elizabeth Salzman

Shape of the Day: Triangle

Songs that can be sung before triangle activity:

"Triangles, Triangles" (Tune: "Jingle Bells") (Source: Preschoolexpress.com)

Triangles, triangles,
Triangles I see.
Count the points and count the sides,
Count them 1, 2, 3.
Triangles, triangles,
Just for you and me.
Count the points and count the sides,
Count them 1, 2, 3,.

Liz Ryerson

Hold up a triangle and count the points and sides with you children.

"Found a Triangle" (Tune: "Clementine") ( Source: http://stepbystepcc.com)

Found a triangle,
Found a triangle,
Found a triangle with three sides.
It can't roll,
It can't bowl,
It just sits there where it lies.

Triangle Hold Up Activity (Can be used with any shape (s) or color (s) (Source: Kidsparkz.com)

Subject: Math: Recognizing triangle shape, Gross Motor: Performing triangle movement activity, and Language Arts: Following directions and participating in a group activity

To Do: Cut out orange triangles or other shapes and colors. Teacher chants the following movement activity and performs movements with children. Continue with other shapes, if desired.

Put your red (changed to orange) shape in the air
Hold it high and leave it there.
Put your red (orange) shape on your back
Now please lay it in your lap.
Hold you red (orange) shape in your hand
Now everyone please stand.
Wave your red (orange) shape at the door
Now please lay it on the floor.
Hold your red (orange) shape and jump, jump, jump.
Throw your red (orange) shape way, way up!

(Change red to other colors and repeat)