Kindergarteners Go Around The World: Week 2 – India
This post is part of the series “Around the World in 28 Weeks: Art, Literature & Geography Lessons for Kindergarten.” For an introduction, overview of the entire course, and links to more lesson plans, please click here. Thank you for visiting Cotton Ridge Homeschool!
Introduction to Week 2
This week you will be introducing the children in your class to the continent of Asia and the country of India. You can do the lesson plan activities in the order that you prefer.
For a Printable Lesson Plan Schedule for the entire 28 weeks, please see the Around the World introductory post.
Below is a free printable lesson plan for week 2 in PDF format. Just click on the thumbnail below to open and view. For best results, download to your computer before printing.
Prep Work
- Gather books and supplies (see list below)
- Make or purchase self-hardening clay
- Print out handouts and 3-hole punch them for notebooks (see below)
Check back during the year, as I will be adding pictures of completed projects and let you know if the kids enjoyed the lesson and any changes I would make for next time. Thanks for joining us!
Disclosure: The books and supply links below lead to products on Amazon. I am an affiliate and will receive a small commission if these links are used to make a purchase.
Week 2 Lesson Plan
Date and Destination
Date: First week of September**
Continent: Asia
Country: India
Pretend Passport, Long Version: Stand at the front door right before class starts. As the children come into class, inform them that they are entering Customs at the local airport and hand them their passports (from Week 1) and an airline ticket (free printable below). Direct them toward your helper, who is standing behind a small table in another part of the room and ask them to stand in line. Have your helper “stamp” the children’s passports with a U.S. immigration stamp. (from free printable below – glue on first page and stamp with Date Stamp.) Your helper should direct them to the spot in the room where you will be having story time. When all children have arrived and are seated, inform them that they are on an airplane to India. Pretend to fly the airplane to India, then “stamp” their passports again with an India immigration stamp. Let them know that today’s stories are old tales from that country, then read.
Pretend Passport, Short Version: As the children come into class, inform them that they have just arrived in India. Hand them each an Airline Ticket and ask for their Passport. “Stamp” their passports with an India immigration stamp (cut out from printable and glue on – see below) and stamp it with a Date Stamp
Reading (10 – 15 minutes)
Story: The Four Friends and The Mouse’s Bride, The Lion Storyteller Bedtime Book
Discussion: Ask questions to determine reading comprehension; tailor these to your children’s ages and abilities. Depending on the size of your class and as time permits, try to allow each child to participate. Don’t drag this part on too long or your kids will lose interest. Here are a few to get you started:
- Did you like the story? Why or why not?
- What was your favorite part?
- Questions based on the Who?, What?, Why?, When?, and How? of a story are great for getting kids thinking.
If you have planned a snack, you may want to have your discussion time while you eat.
Geography (5 – 15 minutes)
Globe or Wall Map Activity: With your class,
- find the Continent of Asia
- point out the different countries on the continent, including India
- find the capitol of India, New Delhi.
India Map Handout*: Pass out the India Map Handout to your class and allow them to color the page as time permits. You may want this to be the last activity of your class so they can be kept busy until the next class starts or until their parents pick them up. Have the kids place their handouts in their World Traveler Notebook (3-ring binder) before they leave.
Following is a free printable India Map & Surrounding Countries Handout in PDF format. Just click on the thumbnail below to open and view. For best results, download to your computer before printing.
I used the Bright White Modeling Clay (recipe on printable below) for my class sample. It worked very well, but it needs to air-dry for several days. Don’t move it around too much while it is drying or it will crack.
Art (20 – 30 minutes)
Stone Inlay: from Global Art: Activities, Projects, and Inventions from Around the World
- Self-hardening clay (fist-sized amount for each child)*
- Multicolored pebbles and/or flat marbles and/or rhinestones
(flat back)
- Dinner-sized paper plates
- Disposable tablecloth to protect tabletop
Note about the process: I plan to have my kids make a round tile, with a hole for hanging (the book suggests a box). Have the kids mold their creations on a paper plate, so they can transport it home easily. This way they can let it dry at home, instead of leaving it in the classroom.
*Such as Crayola Air-Dry Clay
Other Activities (5 – 10 minutes)
India Facts & Flag Handout*: Pass out and read this handout to your class and allow them to color the page as time permits. You may want this to be the last activity of your class so they can be kept busy until the next class starts or until their parents pick them up. Have the kids place their handouts in their World Traveler Notebook (3-ring binder) before they leave.
Following is a free printable India Facts & Flag Handout in PDF format. Just click on the thumbnail below to open and view. For best results, download to your computer before printing.
*If there is not time in class, provide these as handouts for the kids to do at home. The pages can go in their World Traveler Notebooks as a record of their journeys.
**Our homeschool coop begins during the last week of August, but the Around the World course can be started at any time of year. Some re-arranging of the weekly plans may be necessary due to holidays, but with a little planning ahead of time, this should be very manageable.
Supply Lists
General Supply List
- Globe
- 3-Ring Binder
for each child for handouts, 1-1/2″ size
- 3-Hole Punch
- Date Stamp
- Markers, crayons, and/or colored pencils
- Roll of paper towels
- Computer and Printer (color printer
Week 2 Supply List
- Book: The Lion Storyteller Bedtime Book
- Book: Global Art: Activities, Projects, and Inventions from Around the World
- Passports and World Traveler Notebooks for each child from Week 1
- Self-hardening clay, fist-sized ball (at least) for each child
- Objects for inlay: flat rhinestones, small flat pebbles and/or flat marbles
- Dinner-sized paper plates
- Disposable tablecloth to protect tabletop
- Printables from this post: Week 2 Lesson Plan, Airline Tickets, Passport Stamps, India & Surrounding Countries Map Handout, Play Dough & Modeling Clay Recipes, and India Facts & Flag Handout
Copyright 2014 Kathryn Depew
Image from flickr.com used under the Creative Commons license. Taj Mahal Image credit: Dennis Jarvis.
Disclosure: The books and supply links on this page lead to products on Amazon. I am an affiliate and will receive a small commission if these links are used to make a purchase.
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