We have had some absolutely beautiful weather here in Eastern TN and it’s been wonderful being able to spend some much needed time outside. One of my favorite parts of using Mother Goose Time (MGT) is how adaptable the curriculum is to being used in a variety of locales including our backyard. The topic for the day was roots. The initial conversation involved surveying our backyard and looking for examples of plants that have roots; trees, flowers, bushes, weeds, etc.
Ladybug and I reviewed a series of statements about trees and roots. She had to decide if the statements were true or false. This led to a nice conversation about our friendship trait for the month; honesty. The statements we evaluated are as follows:
- Trees grow from tiny seeds.
- A tree is not a living thing.
- Roots are always brown like trunks.
- Roots help plants get water.
- Roots are usually found underground.
Ladybug searched the backyard and found an example of tree roots.
We also learned a simple song, “R-O-O-T-S,” which just spells roots to the turn of “Skip to My Lou.” Ladybug loved this song and can now, also spell roots. We discussed how roots help a tree stay anchored and to grow. We then pretended that we were trees and swayed our branches to the music, while singing our new song.
Ladybug completed the cover page of her “My Little Orchard Journal” by drawing a tree with roots. We then searched the backyard to find an example of roots, which we were able to identify by pulling up a weed. She was able to identify the leaves, stems, and roots of the weed.
Using the In the Orchard theme poster, Ladybug identified several of the animals and fruits in the poster. She also counted the number of apples and pears and looked for items of a certain color. She also identified the tree in the poster and where the roots would be using yarn.
We spent the rest of our Mother Goose Time engaged in outdoor play and exploring the backyard. We found several roots and made a game of jumping over them. We also did a lot of bird watching, one of our favorite activities. We even collected some feathers.
Are you home schooling a preschooler?
I’m looking to connect with other parents who are homeschooling preschool and I’d love to hear from you!
As a blog ambassador for Mother Goose Time, I am happy to share preschool curriculum ideas, activities, and crafts with my readers. Mother Goose Time provides our family the opportunity to use their curriculum free of charge in exchange for honest and authentic stories based on our personal experience. 
