February is National Children's Dental Health Month! We are ALL about celebrating in our classroom and there are not many occasions that can get by us without cause for a little party ;)
Our classroom spent two weeks learning about ways to keep our smiles healthy and just how important regular visits to the Dentist Office are. There are a zillion Dental Unit ideas out there, which is great because this is the perfect age to hook little learners on such an important topic AND our lesson extensions were endless! HappyTeacherHappyKiddos!
We completed a food sort to determine the types of foods that make our teeth "happy" & "sad". Little hands were excited to find as many foods as they could that help make a happy smile!
We practiced brushing and flossing our teeth using legos as teeth. Students used toothbrushes and floss to practice removing playdough from in between the lego teeth. They really couldn't get enough, and it's such a simple-to-prep activity that really reinforces the whole concept for them! BLESS'EM!
We had model teeth in our Science Center, where students got to observe the different types of teeth in a mouth and then draw pictures of their observations. Of course, they practiced pulling teeth right out of that model mouth, too ;)
In our Art Center, we used toothbrushes and toothpaste paint to create art work.
Reading Rainbow has an awesome informational video called "First Trip To The Dentist" that is perfect for preschool aged learners! It is basically a virtual Field Trip! If you have not signed up for a Reading Rainbow account, let me tell you, it is SO worth it! One of the teachers right across the hall from me this year discovered this little gem and it.is.amazing!
Our class learned a lot about teeth and ways to practice good hygiene to care for their teeth. I coulda gone on for another week because they were SO engaged in this theme! But we are ready to move into March and celebrate Dr. Seuss week & (hopefully...come on Chicago weather!!) by the end of the month we can dive into all things Spring!
Have a great rest of the week!
