I have been wanting to do an activity based around Go Away, Big Green Monster for some time, but it wasn't a theme that could last two days . . . but we only have one day on UEA week, so it's perfect for doing all sorts of activities based on silly monsters!
Go Away Big Green Monster, by Ed Emberly, slowly introduces the reader to the monster, then makes it go away piece by piece. I thought the kids would have a fun time making their own monsters and describing the things they add, like in the book. It can be as simple as talking to the kids while they make their monsters (How many eyes are you putting on? Tell me about that hair!), and helping them to use numbers and descriptive words, or as complex as actually writing down what their monster is composed of like the book . . . with preschool always start at the simplest level. If you don't have the book (obviously the best), Youtube does have some options. Watch a girl read it to you here. Watch an animation of it here. Watch somebody's grandma read it here. Watch some teacher named Tasha read it here. I'm giving Tasha the award for best job, but you can't see the book very well.
I have some other books I thought would be fun to use.
If You're a Monster and You Know It, by Rebecca Emberly. To the tune of If You're Happy and You Know It, kids get a chance to roar, click their claws, and other fun monster things. The book is good, but you can listen to the entire song at the link . . . it's a song, so the book isn't essential if you don't have it.
Monster Musical Chairs by Stuart J. Murphy is a fun way to incorporate math. Five monsters play musical chairs, and each time someone gets out it says, "Stomp, stomp, wiggle, shake, shimmy, shout, when the music stops this monster is out!" And then a monster gets out. I once demonstrated it with magnets while reading, then played the game with the kids. The kids were very excited, but got sad when they got out . . . I'd make sure to have a second circle for "out" kids to play in.
The Monster at the End of This Book by John Stone. Such a cute book, I remember it from my childhood, and my kids adore it. You may know it . . . Grover is scared because he thinks there will be a monster at the end of the book, but in the end it's just him. It's interactive and fun. I don't have any lesson plan ideas for it, I just like it. Grover is actually reading it here, but so much is lost by not actually having the book . . .
I also have some creature magnets that would be fun for counting, sorting, and patterning. I have also used them to play "how many are missing?" Put a few magnets on top of a cookie sheet, and have the kids count them. Then, have them close their eyes while you put some under the cookie sheet. When they open their eyes, have them figure out how many are under the cookie sheet. For preschoolers, use really small numbers. This activity also works with older children, using larger numbers.
This is obviously not a science or social studies topic, so use the time to do some activities . . . you could work in literacy, math, art, and music with the ideas I have already listed. Or . . . you could fit in science, too. Do some type of fun Halloween science project, or stick with monsters - explore textures!
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