E is for eagle, and you can take this high-flying preschool letter E unit in several different directions. Also, I have more alphabet letter fun on my page How to Homeschool Preschool.
You can focus just on eagles, cover birds of prey, and talk about the eagle as a symbol of America, or birds in general.
These amazing birds deserve a special unit study, and they work out perfectly when you are focusing on the letter E.
Whether you gather your books from a visit to the library or on Amazon I have some great suggestions for you as well as crafts and activities that don’t require very many specific supplies.
For the most part, you can do these lessons with what you likely already have on hand.
Adding a few videos and a couple of printouts makes it a very low stress but highly educational preschool study.
More How to Homeschool Preschool Letter of the Week Activities
- Alphabet Letter A is for Apple Craft for Preschool | Fun Apple Study
- Letter O is for Owl Preschool Craft | Fun Great Horned Owl Study
- Alphabet Letter H Handprint Craft For Fun Preschool Horse Study
- How To Make An Alphabet Teeth Cleaning Activity | 5 Preschool Letter T Crafts
- Alphabet Letter R is for Rainbow Craft for Preschool | Fun Rain Mobile
- Alphabet Letter M is for Monkey Handprint Preschool Fun Monkey Study
- Alphabet Letter G is for Gorilla Fun Paper Plate Preschool Mask
- W Is For Winter Craft Easy Snowman Oobleck Activity
- Letter E Is For Eagle Easy Preschool Eagle Study
- Alphabet Letter N Is For Nest Handprint & Fun Nests Preschool Craft
- B is for Bird Craft | Free Preschool Bluebird Study
- X is for X Ray Craft | Unique Crayon Resist Skeleton
Language Arts Focus Day 1
E-E- E is for Eagle, don’t forget to practice that sound throughout the day as you play in sensory bins, make crafts, and yummy snacks.
Letter/Sound Recognition – Create a sensory bin with any base you have on hand -beads, rice, or shredded paper. Place items in the bin that start with Ee including letter tiles as well.
Raid the toy box or print items from free images. Have your child roll the die and count out the number of items that start with e or the letter e that matches. This also helps with beginning math skills.
Book- Is a Bald Eagle Really Bald focuses on the Bald Eagle as the national symbol, its meaning on our Great seal, as well as facts about how eagles live in the wild.
Craft/Activity- Create this cute E is for Eagle Handprint Craft, I just love sweet little handprint keepsake crafts to remember how small they were.
Song/Fingerplay- This Powerful Bald Eagle song is not your typical catchy children’s song (it is catchy though).
But I think it’s fantastic that it focuses on teaching about the bald eagle from the colors to their unique characteristics.
Snack- These Bald Eagle Snacks are so cute and look like a lot of fun to make, they look complicated but it’s really just coating marshmallows in melted chocolate and adding a few items.
Science Focus Day 2
Zoology is one of the first sciences children learn.
Today focuses on what habitat eagles live in (around lakes and reservoirs with lots of fish and forests around).
And they learn what eagles eat (fish, rabbits, waterfowl, rodents, and other small creatures), and their life cycle.
You could also research and see what other types of eagles beyond the well-known bald eagle like the golden eagle, black eagle, and harpy eagle.
Letter/Sound Recognition- Go on a letter E hunt, finding objects that start with the letter E around the house or in books. Here is a list of 50 items to help give you ideas. Remember to make the sound each time you find something!
Book- Bailey the Bald Eagle and the Great Flight centers around fears and how to face and overcome them.
Reading stories like this helps to teach your child how to verbalize feelings, encourages empathy, and is healthy for social-emotional growth.
Craft/Activity- How about some Life Cycle of an Eagle Coloring Pages, while I prefer hands-on activities to worksheets they are great occasionally like this one that demonstrates the life cycle and coloring pages are great if your child enjoys them.
Song/Fingerplay- A funny little rap The Bald Eagle hip hops its way through facts about the eagle, sounds, and how they build their giant nests, and is perfect for a little dancing.
Snack- Create your mix of “eagle food”.
Toss together fish (Swedish fish candy or goldfish), snakes (gummy worms), and rabbits (Annie’s Organic grahams or fruit snacks) as you talk about the things that eagles eat.
Math Focus Day 3
Count eggs, count bald eagle toys, or any other small items you have on hand.
Use a tape measure to measure how large an eagle nest is (up to 9 feet wide) and their wingspan to introduce your child to using new math tools.
Count eggs, count bald eagle toys, or any other small items you have on hand.
Letter/Sound Recognition- As I said, I like hands-on activities for preschoolers, but worksheets can have their place from time to time. This Find the Letter E Worksheet can be circled, marked with a dot marker, or colored over.
It doesn’t require a lot of writing that little hands are not ready to do just yet, just a simple seek-and-find.
Book- A great science reference series is “The Big Book of’ Series”.
Look at this gorgeous large layout on Bald Eagles in The Big Book of Birds.
This volume will get lots of use even when class is not in session because the illustrations are bright and pretty, also there is so much to look at for littles.
Craft/Activity- Grab these free Eagle Number Puzzles print and laminate and let your child match the number, the number of eagles, and if they are ready for it the third part with the number written out as a word.
Song/Fingerplay- This Letter E Song by ABC Mouse lists many words that start with E and the images that go with them to help commit the words to memory in a fun melody.
Snack- Take your pick of either an Eagle Marshmallow Pop or Eagle Quesadilla for a fun on-theme treat to enjoy together.
History/Geography Focus Day 4
The bald eagle is the national symbol for the U.S. Help your child locate Washington DC on a map and where it is to wherever you are.
Letter/Sound Recognition- Most of us have a basket of those oversized LEGOs for preschoolers in the house already, print a few letters and let your child work on building the Letter E with a familiar toy.
Book- The Bald Eagle American Symbols is another good book to have at hand that focuses on the bald eagle as our national symbol through the eyes of Bill the bird keeper.
Craft/Activity- Make a Paper Plate Bald Eagle for your preschooler to fly around, see the directions below.
Song/Fingerplay- I love the idea of learning signs for words that begin with the Letter E E.
Not only is it great for building finger muscles as they form the words and learn sign language, but using a multi-sensory approach when learning is very successful.
Check out this Letter E Signing for Babies (great for preschool).
Snack- You have to enjoy a deviled egg or whatever your preschooler’s favorite choice of egg is for a snack or breakfast.
Not only can you practice making the e-e-e-egg sound but you can talk about how eagles lay eggs like other birds.
Books about E is for Eagle
14 Fun Resources for Studying about Eagles
Add some of these fun activities, books and resources to learn about eagles.
Eyewitness: Eagles and Birds of Prey is a guide to birds of prey of all shapes and sizes. From majestic falcons to soaring vultures, you'll get a bird's eye view of their amazing world. Learn about their styles of flight and their hunting techniques. Explore the preying and feeding habits, from specialist feeders to scavengers.
Every volume of Science Comics offers a complete introduction to a particular topic―dinosaurs, the solar system, volcanoes, bats, robots, and more. Whether you're a fourth grader doing a natural science unit at school or a thirty-year-old with a secret passion for airplanes, these graphic novels are for you!
Following up the hugely successful The Big Book of Bugs, The Big Book of Beasts, and The Big Book of the Blue, The Big Book of Birds is a fact-filled tour of the world’s most wonderful winged creatures. Yuval Zommer’s distinctive illustrations show off some of the most colorful, flamboyant, impressive, and wacky birds of the sky. Picture-book charm pairs with informative nonfiction to make a beautiful, large-format title for parents to share with young children and for older children to read by themselves.
HIGH-QUALITY JIGSAW PUZZLE: The stunning, lifelike image is mounted on premium chipboard. Random cut pieces are thick and sturdy – they come fully separated with cleanly cut edges (dust-free!) that fit together snugly and hold up to repetitive use.
Makes amazing wall décor. Glue it, then mount the masterpiece!
This set brings you some of the most amazing birds of prey from around the world!
5 Piece Set includes Bald Eagle, Falcon, Hawk, Owl, and Vulture.
Use birds of prey figurines including a Bald Eagle to make a diorama or sensory bin, they are also great used for art inspiration. My eagle came from the USA Safari Toob.
Acclaimed naturalist and illustrator Jim Arnosky helps birds and imaginations take glorious flight in this breathtaking nonfiction picture book with six giant gatefolds.
Arnosky will draw out kids' inner explorer as he explains why there are no feathers on a vulture's head, which bird is the deep-diving champ, what makes an owls's wings perfectly silent in flight, and much more.
Readers can use this gorgeously illustrated book to bring the wilderness right into their rooms-or as a guide on their next expedition.
Flip through 100 fascinating facts covering everything from hunting prey to patrolling airports, then test your knowledge with fun quizzes. Each page is packed with activities, projects and mind-blowing facts for a truly engaging experience. With stunning photographs and beautiful illustrations, this fun-filled book is sure to challenge young readers and prepare them for academic success.
Your child will love these to use in sensory bins or dioramas or just as a model to paint or play with.
A bald eagle doesn't sound like an attractive bird. But it's pictured on the Great Seal of the United States and on the dollar bill. Why was this bird chosen as a national symbol?
Bailey is a bald eagle who comes from a long lineage of high flyers, with her grandfather even holding the world record for being the highest flyer. So, it comes as a bit of a surprise to her family when she is scared of heights. This fear keeps her down every day, literally, but it also helps her meet some amazing friends she never would have otherwise. This story is about how we are all afraid of something, but it's how we overcome those fears that matters most.
This is a delightful story about a new family of bald eagles. From newborn's first lessons in life to the first solo flight, this beautifully illustrated book is ideal for introducing young children to the wonders of nature.
It's early morning in the Amazon rain forest. A large monkey is climbing through the branches of a tall tree. Suddenly, there's a flash of white and black feathers. An enormous harpy eagle swoops between the leafy branches and snatches the monkey from the tree. Then the giant predator carries its prey high into the treetops and begins to eat. Filled with information perfectly suited to the abilities and interests of its primary-grade audience, this colorful, fact-filled book gives readers a chance not only to learn all about harpy eagles and their Amazon rain forest home, but also to develop their powers of observation and critical thinking. Built-in activities, such as figuring out how the bird's body is adapted for hunting, and investigating how much weight the eagle can carry in its talons, give readers a chance to gain insights beyond the facts and figures.
This Harpy Eagle Figurine would make an amazing addition to your dioramas, sensory bins, trays
Language Arts Focus Day 5
Letter/Sound Recognition- Place Post-it notes with lowercase and uppercase e’s all over the floor. Include a few others with different letters.
Have your child hop on all the E and make the sound as they do.
Book- My Little Book of Bald Eagles is a great book for 3-5-year-olds. It tells the story of a newborn eaglet through his very first solo flight.
Craft/Activity- Watch this short video All About Bald Eagles for Kids. They will learn all kinds of fascinating facts and see real videos of them in action.
Song/Fingerplay–This song heavily focuses on the letter sound. The repetitiveness will help it stick in your child’s mind- Letter E.
Snack- Sometimes you just need a quick and easy snack without a lot of prep. Make this Bacon and Egg Treat in the microwave quickly with just 3 items to reinforce e is for egg.
Finally, look how to make this adorable eagle craft.
Paper Plate Bald Eagle
You will need:
- 3 paper plates
- Brown craft paint
- Yellow craft paint
- Scissors
- Glue
- Google Eye
First, cut one paper plate in half to create two wings.
Cut a thin bell shape with a flared-out tail at the end of the second one using the majority of the plate.
Also, the ruffled edge of the plate as the tail to give it a little extra fun texture.
Use the third plate to cut out a head with a beak.
Or if you prefer you can cut the beak out separately and have your child glue it on later.
Now to get the look of the bald eagle. Have your child paint just the ruffled part of the head brown.
And the same for the body with the tail.
It will be the reverse. Have them paint the smooth part of the plate brown and leave the ruffled part white. They will then paint the wing entirely brown except for just the tips.
Paint the beak yellow and glue on a googly eye.
Glue the wings together in the center and spread them out in any formation you like.
Glue the head to the body.
Now attach the two parts.
You may want to use hot glue for this final part so it will dry faster and stay together better. A glue stick may not hold all the weight together.
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