seeds Archives - JDaniel4s Mom

Counting Seeds Algorithm Game Boards

May 8, 2023 By Deirdre

These counting seeds algorithm game boards invite children to work on counting from one to ten and building coding algorithms. The set features large full-sheet algorithm boards that have more than one way to be solved. Along with the full sheets, half sheets are included. The half sheets have only one way to be completed. Both styles of algorithm game boards focus on sequencing numbers from one to ten.

Getting the Counting Seeds Algorithm Game Boards Pages

First, you will need to download the set.

Counting Seeds Algorithm Game Board Download

Second, if you don’t have Acrobat Reader you will need to download it. The algorithm page is an Acrobat Reader PDF file.

Third, you must go to your download file and open the page. You may be asked if you want the file to open right after you download it. You won’t have to hunt for it in your download file if you are.

Getting Ready to Use the Counting Seeds Algorithm Game Boards

Making the Game Boards Reusable

If you plan on using the game boards over and over again, you may want to laminate them. Below I have suggested products that you may want to use to cover them.

The links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. My Amazon Picks

Scotch Brand PRO Thermal Laminator, Never Jam…$54.68~~$128.93~~ (11154)

Scotch Thermal Laminating Pouches, 100 Count-P…$15.98~~$24.68~~ (63556)

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Exploring the Game Boards

You will find that full page game boards offer a number of ways that your children to complete the game boards. The half sheet pages can only be completed one way. While they are different in size and the way they are solved, they both have a number of things in have in common. First, they have graphics with seeds that are easy to count. Second, both help children sequence numbers. Third, help children understand that algorithms are just a series of steps.

Here is how you could introduce your children to the game boards.

First, you can work through a part of a game board with your children. It will help them understand how to place the arrows in the boxes. Remember that the arrows they draw or the printed arrows should point in the direction they will need to go to connect to the next step. They need to begin at the word Start and finish in the box that will lead them to the End box.
Second, children can work with a partner to complete the gameboard. They can take turns placing the arrows in the squares.

More Algorithm Game Boards

How to Build a Snowman Algorithm Game Boards

Little Miss Muffet Coding Activity for Preschoolers

Help your child learn coding and the phases of the moon at the same time with this simple STEM activity for space themed learning

Coding the Moon

Pre K Tracing Worksheets with a Pumpkin Theme

October 16, 2017 By Deirdre

Prewriting activities like the ones your children can do with this set of pre K tracing worksheets are a great way to work on fine motor skills. Whether you choose to have your children use a pencil to trace the lines or a pumpkin seed and chopsticks, they are sure to have fun. We concentrated on using a chopstick and a pumpkin seed. Your children are going to have fun trying each of the ways we came up with.

Getting the Pre K Tracing Worksheets

You can click right on the words Pumpkin Prewriting Activity to download the complete set of pre K tracing worksheets. You will find that there are six printable in the set.

Getting the Chopsticks Ready

You will need to wrap a rubber band around the top of a set of chopsticks. Then push a pom-pom up between the chopsticks. Having the pom-pom between the chopsticks will cause them to spring open when your children release the pincher grip on the chopsticks.

Using the Pre K Tracing Worksheets

You could just have your children trace over the lines on the pre K tracing worksheets with a pencil. I think your children will have more fun using a set of chopsticks and a pumpkin seed. The hold your children will place on the chopsticks is the same pincer grip your children use with a pencil.

Activity One

Have your children place the pumpkin seed in the chopsticks vertically. The pumpkin seed will look like the tip of a pencil. Then have them move the seed along each line until they have reached the pumpkin.

Activity Two

This time your children will place the pumpkin seed in the chopstick horizontally. This will make the gap between the chopsticks a little wider. Then they will once again move the seed along each line to the pumpkin.

Activity Three

The pumpkin seed isn’t in the chopsticks for this activity. Your children will push the pumpkin seed along with lines with the chopstick. This activity requires the most focus.

The link below is an affiliate link.

This activity was designed to go along with the Virtual Book Club Book of the Week Five Little Pumpkins. Below you will find more Five Little Pumpkin activities created by other Virtual Book Club Members.

Name – Name Pumpkins on a Gate – Preschool Powol Packets
Numbers – Dabber Pumpkin Count – My Storytime Corner
Cooking – Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies – Mama Smiles
Science – Stacking Pumpkins STEM Activity – The Educators’ Spin On It
Pre-Writing – Pumpkin Pre-Writing Activity with Chalk Markers – Inspiration Laboratories
Movement – Puppet Craft Activity and Acting Out the Story-The Moments at Home
Shapes – Pumpkin Shape Memory Game – Rainy Day Mum

Here are a few more Halloween activities:

Halloween Candy Learning Challenge Cards- Let’s Build It

Candy Learning Challenge Cards- Let’s Sort It

Halloween Tens Frames Printables

Plant Life Cycle Activity and Printable Cards

April 13, 2016 By Deirdre

The pictures used to illustrate the plant life cycle were actually drawn to be used on the Plant Growth Algorithm Worksheet. I thought it would be fun to use them to create a second activity with. This plant life cycle activity is supposed to look like plant stakes displaying the various stages of plant growth.

Here are stages the plant life cycle pictures illustrate:

Seeds in a packet
Seed in the ground
Seed with a small root
Seed with root growing and spreading out
Seed with stem forming ( Yes, the stem looks a little like a leaf.)
Seed with stem above the ground and a leaf
A full grown plant

Putting the plant life cycle activity together:

A large mailing envelope was cut in half length wise.
Two horizontal rows of slits were cut into the envelope. The bottom row has four slits and the top row has three.
The plant life cycle pictures were cut out and glued to colored Popsicle sticks. ( You don’t have to use colored Popsicle sticks if you don’t want to.)
The plant pictures on sticks were placed into the slits in order from seed to plant.

Other ways to use this plant life cycle activity

You can leave out some of the pictures and have your children place the missing pictures into the right spots.
You can not place the pictures on stick and glue them in order on to a piece or construction paper.
You can place the plant pictures in stack. Take turn picking a picture and sharing what picture would come before and after that stage in the plant life cycle.

Here are some more wonderful plant themed activities:

Recycled Planter on a String

Parts of a Plant We Eat Flannel Activity

STEM Gardening Paper Plate Greenhouse

You will find more gardening activities on my Gardening board on Pinterest.

STEM Gardening- Paper Plate Greenhouse

March 7, 2016 By Deirdre

Each spring JDaniel and I plant bean seeds. Last year we planted seeds in a plastic Easter egg. A few years ago we planted a seeds in an indoor paper plate garden. We are repeating the paper plate garden or greenhouse project. This year it is going to be a STEM project. We are going to keep track on the temperature of the room we are hanging the plant in and amount of water the plant is being given. JDaniel is going to be given the opportunity to come up with a few other variables he would to explore. The ultimate goal is to have the seeds in the greenhouse grow into healthy bean plants.

Let me walk you through how to make the paper plate greenhouse:

Cut a house shape out of two paper plates. One plate will be the front of your house and one will be the back. Cut a square of the same size out of both of the paper plates.

Decorate the plate that will be on the front of the paper plate greenhouse. While you could use a color motif, free drawing or doodle would be fine too.

Then it is time to assemble the paper plate greenhouse. It is kind of like putting together a sandwich. You have a plastic zipper bag between the two paper plates. The bag is stapled to the plates at the top right above the zipper. The two plates are give two extra staples at the bottom below the bag.

We had to tuck our bag up a little to keep it above the staples. I didn’t want to have holes in the bag. Keeping it holes free kept it a closed environment.

Two bean seeds are then placed inside a folded damp paper towel. We used two seeds just encase one of them doesn’t sprout. This year we are trying to grow organic beans. You can try growing any type of bean or plant you like!

Finally the paper plate greenhouse needs to be hung in a sunny spot. We have ours in the door near the kitchen table. It gets a lot of sun. It is also a place that we can see if the paper towel has dried it. If it does, we can unzip the bag a little dampness to the bag.

You will find more science experiments like this simple pendulum experiment on my Early Learning Science board on Pinterest. Please take moment to check them out.

Building Background

If your children don’t know a lot about gardening , you may want to read a book or do an activity that features them before you start these pages.

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This fun STEAM building kit invites children to create and build a garden of spring flowers.

Oh, Say Can You Seed?: All About Flowering Plants is a wonderful Cat in the Hat book that teaches children about the parts of plants and how they grow.