Welcome spring!
Last week I taught the children all about ants, the previous week was
about caterpillars and butterflies, and this week is all about spiders.
Teaching preschool in the spring last year was probably one the best
things I've done in my life. That is why I'm so looking forward to this
year. Teaching them about nature like the simple steps of planting a
seed or the life cycles of a little creature is so fascinating to them
and very satisfying for me to know I was the first one to present such a
thing. I approach them with these insects in a way where they will not
be afraid of them. Imagine not being afraid of the huge black spider
that's crawling on your ceiling above your bed! I teach the children
about all insects as if they were all really pretty and interesting
butterflies.
Unfortunately I don't feel this way about bugs. I hate spiders and beetles, but I do have a soft spot for worms and caterpillars. When I was a little girl my dad and I used to go fishing. I was in charge of the night crawlers. My job was to rip the worms in half and put the wiggling bloody bodies on the hooks. I loved it. Thank you dad. Thank you for teaching me such a beautiful way to appreciate living things...
Anyways, here are the "spider cupcakes".
Unfortunately I don't feel this way about bugs. I hate spiders and beetles, but I do have a soft spot for worms and caterpillars. When I was a little girl my dad and I used to go fishing. I was in charge of the night crawlers. My job was to rip the worms in half and put the wiggling bloody bodies on the hooks. I loved it. Thank you dad. Thank you for teaching me such a beautiful way to appreciate living things...
Anyways, here are the "spider cupcakes".
Direction #1.
I said: "Okay my friends, peel off the paper and put the chocolate cupcake on your plate."
What they heard: "Blah blah blah chocolate cupcake blah blah blah."
I said: "Okay my friends, peel off the paper and put the chocolate cupcake on your plate."
What they heard: "Blah blah blah chocolate cupcake blah blah blah."
Direction #2:
What I said: "Now take your plastic knife and your cup of frosting and frost the top of your cupcake."
What they heard: "Put as much frosting on your hands and squeeze the cupcakes into a ball of dough. Oh, and make sure you get crumbs all over the floor."
What I said: "Now take your plastic knife and your cup of frosting and frost the top of your cupcake."
What they heard: "Put as much frosting on your hands and squeeze the cupcakes into a ball of dough. Oh, and make sure you get crumbs all over the floor."
Direction #3:
What I said: "Here is some vanilla frosting you can add as well if you'd like. Frost it on top with your plastic knife."
What they heard: "Rub the frosting together on the cupcake with your hands. Please get it on the table, chairs, all over your face, and in your hair."
What I said: "Here is some vanilla frosting you can add as well if you'd like. Frost it on top with your plastic knife."
What they heard: "Rub the frosting together on the cupcake with your hands. Please get it on the table, chairs, all over your face, and in your hair."
Direction #4:
What I said: "Gently take your fingers and place the spider's eyes (Smarties) and sprinkles on top of the frosting."
What they heard: "Immediately dump all the candy on the floor. Then step on it so it gets into the carpet."
What I said: "Gently take your fingers and place the spider's eyes (Smarties) and sprinkles on top of the frosting."
What they heard: "Immediately dump all the candy on the floor. Then step on it so it gets into the carpet."
Hahahaha. This one (above) cracks me up.
Direction #5
What I said: "Slide the pretzel sticks into the side of the cupcake. Spiders have 4 legs on each side. Put 4 pretzels on each side of the cupcake."
What they heard: "Everyone fight over and grab the plate with the pretzels in it at the same time so they spill everywhere and break into small pieces."
Direction #5
What I said: "Slide the pretzel sticks into the side of the cupcake. Spiders have 4 legs on each side. Put 4 pretzels on each side of the cupcake."
What they heard: "Everyone fight over and grab the plate with the pretzels in it at the same time so they spill everywhere and break into small pieces."
Although the entire classroom was a disaster after our creation, they came out awesome.
They also tasted awesome...judging from the silence that came from the lunch tables while they ate them.
