Cornmeal Music Shakers... (Week 2)

If you have been following the cornmeal journey,

you may be wondering...

"Tondra Denise, is that the SAME cornmeal

you spilled on the floor over a month ago?" 

My answer to you is

"Why yes it is, and thanks for asking." 

We have had so much fun with it, and still have

3 more weeks of activities to share with you! 

I'm so glad I didn't throw this stuff away!! 

(told you I saw more) 

Click here to go back to the beginning

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Week 2 activities included... 

Cornmeal Maracas

 

What we did:

Set out cornmeal, beans, and empty paper towel rolls. 

Folded and staple the end of the paper towel rolls, filled

them up and stapled the top. We wrapped ours inside of the

children's artwork to prevent leakage.  Stylish, yet functional! 

(Mathematics, Visual and Performing Arts, Health).

Helpful Tip:

Recycle, repurpose, reuse
what you already have on hand. 

Cornmeal and Rainbow Rice

What I did:

Put cornmeal and Rainbow Rice in

separate bowls inside of our red sensory table. 

(Social- Emotional Development, Language and

Literacy, Mathematics, Visual and Performing Arts).

Helpful Tip:

Keep the rules simple and consistent. Each person must wash

their hands before and after the activity, sift through the

cornmeal after use, and store in a sealed container.

Following these tips allowed us to use

our same cornmeal for over a month!

Cornmeal Textured Painting

What I did:

Mixed cornmeal together with paint

and put it into a repurposed egg carton

(Visual and Performing Arts, Social-Emotional

Development, Language and Literacy).

What they did:

The children used their fingers to explore

the texture of the paint, and dip out onto paper.

Blindfold Sensory Game

What I did:

Separated items (birdseed, feathers, cotton balls, string,

rice, cooked noodles, beans, and cornmeal), asking

children to identify using only their sense of touch. 

(Social-Emotional Development, Language

and Literacy, Visual and Performing Arts).

I see more:

We later read the legend of "The Blind Men and the Elephant"

in which each man (sight impaired), uses only his hands to

explore an elephant.  And as each felt a different part, each

was led to a different conclusion; the elephant is a spear,

a wall, a snake, a tree, a fan, and a rope...

"And so these men of Indostan disputed loud and long,

Each in his own opinion exceeding stiff and strong,

Though each was partly in the right, and all were in the wrong!"

Reinforced Lesson:

The children were so excited about this activity, they invited

their parents to play at pick up time.  Research has shown that learning

is extended when adults get involved and show interest in children's

play as builds communication, teaches them their ideas are important,

and promotes a love for future learning activities.  It was so 

AWESOME to have dads that came in at the end of a LONG DAY,

willing to let their children blindfold them for a 4 minute game! 

The cost of that?...Priceless!!!

Cornmeal Sand Castles

What we did:

Mixed sand, cornmeal, water, added trays, and utensils

to assist in building the perfect homemade sand castles!

Helpful Tip:

Get the most from the cornmeal, do all of

the dry activities first.  Once you add water to

your cornmeal, it must be tossed within 24 hours.

(Click here to see Week 3 activities)