The Potato Head Hospital
Countless
articles have been written about the benefit to toddlers playing with Mr.
Potato Head. See: Potato Head
Learning.
Additionally,
college students have been using Mr. Potato Head in their medical school
studies. See: Mr.
Potato Head Goes to Medical School
The
resources I offer you combine the best of both scenarios and can be used in
PreK-2 classrooms. Even a third grade science class I taught enjoyed it.
I
wrote a story that was a little less graphic than the stories told to the med
students about a horrible bus, train, or plane crash.
I
printed it, bound it, and had a read aloud before I modeled the activity.
The 12 page story is included and can be printed out or displayed with a computer and
projector.
Click here for more info: The Potato Head Hospital
 |
| 12 page story |
In preparation for the activity, I
assembled a number of potato heads and took a picture of each one. I included a
name on the picture and placed them all in a ring binder that served as a
family album. There are lots of great deals for Potato Heads on eBay.
After the story, I showed the students a
picture of a potato head from the album. Then I modeled how to put the potato head back together using the picture and scanning for the right pieces. I also paused for discussion and input from the students.
Loose pieces can be kept in a bin for the
students to pick and scan through. Initially, though, I placed necessary and
some unnecessary parts in a large baggie with a potato head’s name on it to
keep things organized.
We were fortunate enough to obtain a
donation of scrubs to keep in our center.
Students worked together to treat their
patients and reassemble their potato heads.
Lots of language, thinking, and
collaboration always took place.
They would also diagram and write about
their potato heads.
While
using these activities with my kindergarten classes, we had a visit from Doc
McStuffins. After my principal saw the activity, she bought 4 stuffed Doc
McStuffins to use in our center. It remained a favorite center throughout the
year.
