Shoe Box Turtles

Suggested Grade Level: Preschool-K

Based on: Barney & Friends #705: "Bunches of Boxes"

Objectives:
Young children learn about the world around them through the use of their imaginations – through pretend play. It is important that they be provided a variety of opportunities to help develop their imaginative play. Empty boxes - different shapes and sizes - are wonderful for encouraging creative, imaginative play.

The children will:

• discover that it's fun to use your imagination
• use their imaginations to create with boxes
• know they can take an old box and use it to make something new
• learn basic facts about turtles

Skills:

• Art
• Pretend play

Materials:

• One shoe box per child (without lid)
• One old (clean) sock per child
• Markers or crayons

Directions:
Show children pictures of real turtles. Discuss their parts such as their shell, legs and head. Compare them to other animals. Discuss how different animals vary in size, body coverings, and ways of moving.

Turn shoeboxes with the open side facing down.

Each child can decorate his/her shoebox to look like a turtle.

While the children are decorating their boxes, walk around and cut one hole in each small end of each child's box.

When children have finished making their boxes into turtles, they can put the sock on their hand and slip it through the hole.

As a group, use the shoebox turtles to act out this rhyme:

"There Was a Little Turtle"

There was a little turtle,
Who lived in a box.

It swam in the puddles,
It climbed on the rocks.

It snapped at a mosquito,
It snapped at a flea,
It snapped at a minnow,
And it snapped at me!

It caught the mosquito,
It caught the flea,
It caught the minnow,
But it didn't catch me!"

Extension:
Provide a variety of cardboard boxes in all shapes and sizes to use in the block center. Encourage children to be creative and make as many shapes and buildings that they can create!

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