Books
Brush Your Teeth Please by Leslie McGuire-
Just Going To the Dentist by Mercer Mayer-
Arthur's Tooth by Marc Brown
Arthur Tricks the Tooth Fairy by Marc Brown
Songs/Storytelling
Here is my "Tooth Table"; I have my tooth items that the children can choose to play with. I have my tooth puppet, good foods/bad foods to match to healthy tooth/junky tooth, pom pom teeth, etc;)
Tooth flannel board story-
Six little teeth all in a row
The first one said, "oh my, I have a spot"
The second one said, "oh...it hurts alot"
The third one said "a cavity is no fun"
The fourth one said, "We've got to run"
The fifth one said, "A trip to the dentist is a must"
The sixth one said, "no more cavities for us!!"
Brush Your Teeth song by Raffi-Use large tooth and toothbrush to accompany song.
Tooth puppet story-Make a puppet from a gallon milk jug and slit an opening along his mouth. Inside put only good healthy foods. Let Mr. Healthy Tooth talk to the children about the healthy food he is eating.
Art Activities
Teeth By Mrs. Carden's Kindergarten class.
Happy People Teeth-(This idea submitted by Shonda Carden, my friend and fellow kindergarten teacher, next door)Cut out white paper tooth, add accordion arms, and confetti hair. Then add construction paper toothbrush, and toothpaste, onto each arm.
Set of teeth.(This idea submitted by Patty) We cut an oval shape (you'll have to experiment to get the right size for a pattern). Make this oval shape to fold in half, but lie it out flat. Then glue salad macaroni onto the top half and bottom half. Remember children have ten teeth on top and ten on bottom so have them count these out. They should glue the macaroni standing up to look like teeth. These are not very pretty white teeth and that is why we should stress the importance of brushing. When dry tape a red tongue inside and fold. The students can make the mouth bite up and down or talk, etc.
Sugary teeth-(This idea submitted by Deb) Precut (out of styrofoam meat tray) mouths with teeth outlined. We talked about the invisible sugar that gets on our teeth. The children then painted their teeth with green or yellow "sugar" paint. We let them dry and later let each child use an old toothbrush and some soapy water to brush the "sugar" off of their styrofoam teeth.
Draw mouth shapes onto construction paper(lips with a top and bottom gum) or (lips wide open with top and bottom gum); put a little bit of red food coloring in a tube of glue to make it pink. Invite the children to cover the gum outline with the pink glue. Then let the children stick small white beans onto the wet glue.
Here are our teeth. Didn't the kids do a good job??
Plaster teeth-Use an egg carton for the mold and mix plaster of paris and pour into the mold. When it has hardened completely, remove the teeth. Then let the children "work" on their teeth, brush their teeth, or hide the teeth in the sensory table.
Egg teeth-Boil some eggs and then show them to the children as pretty white teeth. Then soak them in coca-cola overnight. The next day show the children the dingy teeth and explain to them that this is what happens when you eat or drink sugary items. Then let the children brush the "teeth" eggs with homemade toothpaste.
Homemade toothpaste-Combine: 1T. salt, 2T.baking powder, small amount of peppermint flavoring.
Manipulatives/fine motor-Macaroni teeth. Use the short tubular macaroni, to count with or string. If you are going to string, make sure to use dental floss.
Lacing teeth-Make a large tooth cutout and let them lace away.
Pom pom teeth-In a clear container, glue on a picture of a tooth holding toothpaste, etc; then inside add white pom poms. Let the children use tongs to pick up or use them to count.
Sensory table-Place good foods (plastic or laminated pictures) into the table for children to find.
Place "bad" foods into the table for children to find.
After making the plaster teeth, hide them with toothbrushes for the children to find.
Dramatic Play-Place mirrors and giant play toothbrushes, toothbrushing charts, tooth puppet(I make mine from a milk jug), gloves, dentist "tools", and a mouth looking box. For the mouth looking box, I use a shoebox and place all kind of items inside, stickers, manipulatives, etc; Then I tape the lid onto the box. In front of the box I cut a small hole and glue lips around the hole. I then let the children look in the mouth box with a small penlight to "find" items, cavities, etc;.Let the children use the gloves and dentist "tools" to work on their babies and bears.
Listening Center-I make a tape of mouth sounds-brushing, kissing, spitting, etc; along with tooth songs for the children to listen to. I also make a clean white tooth, and a yucky yellow tooth. I laminate good foods and bad foods and then place velcro on the teeth and foods, sot that the children can match.
Snacks-Any healthy food: crackers, milk, vegetables, fruits, etc;
Fruit roll up teeth impressions-Give each child a fruit roll up and let them gently bite into the roll up and leave teeth impressions. Encourage the children to look at their impressions, and then eat the roll up.
Jello lips and teeth-I make red and clear gelatin. I have a lip cutter that I cute the red gelatin with to make lips. I simply cut the clear gelatin into squares, to resemble teeth.
Apple teeth-(Submitted by Deb)
Core apple and cut into 8 wedges. Each child gets 2 wedges. Have them spread peanut butter on one wedge and then add mini marshmallow "teeth". Top with the remaining wedge and you have a delicious Happy smile snack!!
ASL signs to use with unit:
Back to themes
Hmm. Finding good foods is hard work!!
Teeth-Use "F" finger,(thumb and forefinger touching) and place near teeth.
Brushing teeth-Place forefinger horizontally and run across front of teeth.
Tooth Door-I always put a thematic door keeper on my door coming into the room. This is our Healthy Happy Tooth!!
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