Jungle Theme Ideas and Troubles

[SilverSabre25]

So I'm planning a jungle theme for September, to start next Tuesday. I'm having trouble with the ideas online though because many of them seem to misunderstand what--and where-- a jungle is. They add in animals that live on the Africa savannah (lions, giraffes) and talk about foods that are tropical, but not necessarily jungle (pineapple, coconut, macadamia nut) and just in general...are wrong. Maybe I'm nitpicking. Maybe *I'm* wrong. But, I do know that when I student taught in a kindergarten classroom, the same misconceptions were in place and being taught. Of course, that teacher also got mad at the kids for coloring animals colors not found on them in nature ("Now, have you ever seen a pink elephant?" )

I'm struggling with ideas for gross motor activities--I need a couple more art activities, a few more math activities, lots of language activities...eh, whatever you've got, I'll take.

[SilverSabre25]

Ok, partly I'm wrong. I looked into it more and many people refer to the "African Jungle". Apparently they are using a different (though from what I can find, perfectly valid) definition of "jungle".

But it still bothers me...lions and giraffes STILL don't live in the same jungle alongside tigers and anacondas and things.

Maybe I'm just stubborn. I might rename my theme "Rainforest" to better capture what I'm going for, or I might choose to ignore the imperfections of the definition of "Jungle" because these kids are ONLY 2 and 3.

[Blackcat31]

So I'm planning a jungle theme for September, to start next Tuesday. I'm having trouble with the ideas online though because many of them seem to misunderstand what--and where-- a jungle is. They add in animals that live on the Africa savannah (lions, giraffes) and talk about foods that are tropical, but not necessarily jungle (pineapple, coconut, macadamia nut) and just in general...are wrong. Maybe I'm nitpicking. Maybe *I'm* wrong. But, I do know that when I student taught in a kindergarten classroom, the same misconceptions were in place and being taught. Of course, that teacher also got mad at the kids for coloring animals colors not found on them in nature ("Now, have you ever seen a pink elephant?" )

I'm struggling with ideas for gross motor activities--I need a couple more art activities, a few more math activities, lots of language activities...eh, whatever you've got, I'll take.

I am probably no help at all, but I seriously could not resist this! It is about 7 or 8 blocks from my daycare.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fans-of-the-Pink-Elephant/122714211101296?v=wall