Learning with Dr. Seuss

You don't have to be a kid to appreciate Dr. Seuss's dynamic works - the colors, the rhymes, and, of course, the amazing imagination! In honor of his birthday on March 2nd, Mrs. Pearce, kindergarten teacher and creator of the blog Mrs. Pearce's "I Can, You Can, Toucan" Classroom, created a list of her favorite Seuss-inspired activities and we'd thought we'd pass along a few of our favorites!

There's a Wocket in My Pocket

In this activity, students can tap into their natural "creative banks" by creating their own {silly!} rhyming pairs like "a blandwich in my sandwich", "a splog on my dog", etc. Provide each student with a piece of paper in which to illustrate their wacky rhymes, then compile these into a classroom book!

My Many Colored Days

While they certainly feel them, emotions can be a hard concept for preschoolers {and many adults!} to describe, explain, and sometimes cope with. Preschool offers a great setting for your students to learn about feelings, as well as provide them with the tools to deal with emotions in a positive and healthy way. Pearce suggests using Seuss's book to associate emotions with colors - having students act out each color (i.e. Yellow is the color of sunshine and is most often associated with joy and happiness, as well as intellect and energy. A student might "act it out" by smiling, skipping, etc.).

Bartholomew and the Oobleck

For a fantastic sensory experience, Pearce suggests having your preschoolers make their own oobleck to use at the sensory table. As an extension of the activity, you might consider instigating a discussion of matter, specifically solids and liquids, as they play and explore.

If I Ran the Zoo

Here's another activity where your students' imaginations can run wild. After reading the selection, invite your students to form groups and great their own zoo - complete with imaginary animals to fill it! Have them create at least one creature from each basic animal group - invertebrate, amphibian, reptile, bird, fish, and mammal. You, of course, will need to explain the characteristics of each group and give handouts of examples. Have your students draw or sculpt their newly discovered creatures!

For more Seuss-inspired activities, be sure to visit Mrs. Pearce's full post!