Paper Spiders

Suggested Grade Level: Preschool-K
Based on: Barney & Friends #702: "Up, Down and Around!"

Objectives:
"Up" and "down" are two of the positional words learned by the very youngest of children. Opportunities to reinforce the correct use of "up" and "down" are valuable for young children.

The children will:

• know that "up" and "down" are positional words
• identify things that are "up" and "down"
• be introduced to the word "antonym"

Skills:

• Art
• Problem solving
• Following directions

Materials:

• Crayons and markers
• One paper plate per child
• Strips of black construction paper (eight per child)
• One piece of yellow or orange construction paper for each child

Directions:
Give each child one paper plate and eight strips of construction paper. Children can use crayons or markers to draw a face on the paper plate.

Help children glue four legs (strips of black construction paper) on each side of the spider's face.

Children can use the yellow or orange construction paper to make a sun.

When students have completed their spiders and suns, invite all children to join together as a group. Recite the "Itsy, Bitsy Spider" together:

"The itsy, bitsy spider went up the waterspout.
Down came the rain and washed the spider out.
Up came the sun and dried up all the rain.
And the itsy, bitsy spider went up the spout again."

As you say the rhyme, show children how to move their spiders and suns "up" and "down" as the rhyme indicates. Repeat several times.

Extension:
Play "Simon Says" using words "up" and "down." Some suggestions include:

• Simon says, put your hands "UP" in the air.
• Simon says, lay your hands "DOWN" on the ground.
• Simon says, lift your foot "UP" as high as you can.
• Simon says, sit your bottom "DOWN" on the ground.

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