Learning about BIG things will be a BIG hit with your preschool students! You will introduce an amazing picture book showing size comparisons of big things with normal everyday things.
How BIG Is It?
To a preschooler, you may seem big. Most likely mom and dad seem big to the preschooler, too. Now it is time to learn about big, big,
really big things and preschoolers will love it! When you are looking for an entertaining and educational idea for an easy preschool lesson plan, big things are great to talk about. For this lesson students will see an incredible picture book to help illustrate big things and then plan a homework assignment.
Use the amazing book called How BIG Is It? A Big Book About Bigness by Ben Hillman. Although the text is too wordy and complicated for the little ones, the illustrations in this book are all you need to astound the kids. Big things are placed in common settings to show the size comparison. Wait until you see the Goliath Spider and the Polar Bear!
Before you begin, write the word big on the board and ask the preschoolers what they think of when they hear the word BIG. Brainstorm some ideas.
Then make sure that the children are close enough to the book to study the pictures. This is the kind of book that you discuss while you are reading.
Do You Know?
With the wonderful education shows for children on TV, many of them may have been exposed to these facts. So ask them first before you give them the answer!
Materials:
Map (to show the United States including Alaska)
Globe (to show the ocean)
graph paper (Prepare ahead of time to show size to scale comparison of a preschooler next to a Blue Whale or Polar Bear)
Do you know…
The biggest state in the USA: Alaska
The biggest animal on Earth: Blue Whale 75-100 feet and 150 tons
The biggest land animal: African Elephant
The biggest bear: Polar Bear
Let’s Compare!
Read the book Clifford the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell. Then discuss the things that were too small for Clifford.
Go around a circle of students and ask each one for a different answer. Say, “Name something that is bigger than you are.” Then ask them, “Name something that is smaller than you are.”
Then name two items that were mentioned in the circle and ask them to compare the items, say for example, “Which is smaller: a house or a car?” Continue around the circle asking students to compare two items by size, big or small .
Home Assignment
Ask the children if they have ever taken a vacation or trip somewhere. Did they see tall buildings or amusement rides? Did they go to a zoo where they saw large animals? Show them the note to the parents to take home. Explain that you want them to bring a
photograph of something that they have seen that is BIG.
Letter to Parent-Example
Dear Parent,
In your child’s class, we are talking about BIG things! If possible, please send in a photograph of something big that your child can share with the class. It may be a photo of a place you went on vacation. It would be great (but not necessary) if the child were in the photo, too, so that we can see a size comparison. It may be a building, a mountain, a roller coaster, a fish that was caught, etc. If you have no photos, you may use a magazine picture or drawing. Place the photo in an envelope with the child’s name on it. It will be returned after the lesson. We also hope that your child will be able to tell his classmates about the picture.
When preparing a preschool lesson plan, “big things” is a great topic. Children will be amazed at how BIG some things are. Your objectives will be for students to understand the word big, to make comparisons between big and small, to complete a homework assignment and share something with classmates. The lesson will be a BIG success!
Reference: How Big is Big? by Ben Hillman
Photo Image: https://www.simmons.edu
