O is for Octopus

A fairly simple craft with a TON of skills utilized. As a product piece, it would look like this. Click for printable heading and numbers. 

But we did this as a process piece with some more artistic freedom allowed.

This was a good use for the center we had to cut out from a paper plate to create the window for our aquariums.

1. Cut center from a paper plate, or a 6-7 inch circle from cardstock or construction paper.

2. Fold circle in half.
3. Center a template and trace.

4. Cut out smaller 1/2 circle.

 5. Decorate the created O either with orange to maintain the O theme, or as desired. 

Since we are more Reggio based, freedom of artistic expression reigns here as much as possible.

6. Cut eight 1/2 inch strips from the short end of a sheet of construction paper, again using orange to maintain the O theme or as desired. For older children with cutting skills, accordion fold the paper to create cutting lines for them to follow.

7. Use a glue stick to attach the 8 strips to the back side of the O. If discussing symmetry, have them align one on each side of the fold line and continue to add on either side.

8. Number the octopus arms in order 1-8. The numbers can be written on with teacher assistance, written in by the teacher in pencil and traced by the child with marker, written on by the child, or added with stickers or stamps. The numbers need to be at the top of the arms for the children to easily be able to see them and count.  

 9. Add the corresponding number of Cheerios to the numbered arms.

10. Add Cheerios to the top for eyes.

 11. Curl the remaining ends of the arms up with scissor stripping.

SKILLS:
Language: Letter O recognition and phonics
Math: 1-8, 1-1 correspondence, rote counting, logic/reasoning, number order, symmetry, big/little circles, same arm width & length, circle, rectangle
Science: Why octopuses have suckers on their arms, octopuses have 8 arms
Art: Creative expression, mixed media
Social: Following directions, sharing resources, waiting turn
Fine Motor: tracing, cutting on a line, marker drawing on a ring, glue stick, placing arms, liquid glue interval placement, picking and placing of Cheerios
Visual: Spacing of arms and glue and Cheerios, unit discrimination, symmetry

I combined at least 5 different Pinterest posts for this one. When I put them all together, this is what we got. 
Tags: ocean, theme, unit, kindergarten, childcare, daycare, child, care, letter, letter of the day, letter of the week, o, math, counting, eight, ocho, octopus, sea, beach, luau, Hawaii, fine motor, craft, art, numbers, rote counting, Cheerios, cut, psate, glue