Rectangles!

This week the shape we learned about was rectangles.  (I'm going to be honest, I like slowing down and spending a week on each shape, but it does get harder and harder to come up with good activities for the less common shapes.).   Our window art for rectangles was similar to the circle shape art.  We used contact paper and I found a packet of colored plastic file folder pockets for .67 cents.  I cut them in rectangles and voila.  It is very pretty in the day when the sun shines on it and makes color spots on the table and floor.  :).   We also talked about books that are often in rectangle shapes and I read a shape book to them during calendar. The rectangle song involves yelling so of course it was a big hit:
There is a shape that has four sides but it is not a square, NO!
It's a rectangle, it's a rectangle, it's a rectangle, it is not a square NO!
Two sides are long, two side are short, it is not a square NO!
It's a rectangle, it's a rectangle, it's a rectangle, it is not a square NO!

Day two of rectangles was trains!   We talked about train cars and how they are often in the shape of 

rectangles.  I also pulled out the new train toy which the girls all had a lot of fun playing with and learning to share and take turns with.  :).   They did a simple train art complete with LOTS of glue!

The third day of rectangles was flag day!  We watched a video of the song Grand Old Flag and we also watched a video clip of a college flag color guard in a parade.  We then made our "spring flags". I found some white fabric in the scrap material and we colored them with sharpies.  I duct taped them to wooden dowels) And had an outside parade marching up and down the front sidewalk and singing and waving our flags.   It was lots of fun and there were plenty of people driving by staring at us.  Hopefully they were thinking "what a fun Spring Day activity", but they were probably thinking "what's that crazy lady up to with those girls now?" Lol.  :).  

Third day of rectangles was door day!   Hooray for messy painting.  This was truly a masterpiece.  My DH put the door out on the porch and we were out there at least a half hour painting.  I used the left over paint from the kitchen and dining room.  Their favorite part was holding the soaked paint brushes above the door and drizzling it all over.  It is Beautiful!   The door is the one we are using for the classroom door.  It really brightens up the room.  :)

Day five of rectangles was table day.  I hid the picnic table in the bathtub so the girls had to find it.  They loved it.  The table is adorable and just their size.  (Thank you Uncle Allen).  We set it up in the dress up/play kitchen room.  While they were taking their nap I took it out on the front steps then they had to find the table again for their snack.  So much FUN!  We also put stickers on our shape books this week.  I will have to try to remember to get a picture of that before the end of the shape unit.

Bonus pictures... I don't know how this came to be, but all this week and last week, if the girls had to wear their coats they wanted them on backwards.  So, here are the crazy backward coat girls.  (Yet another reason for the neighbors to wonder what that crazy lady is going to do with those girls next. ). ;)