Materials List:
2 cups AP flour
½ cup salt
4 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 tablespoons vegetable or coconut oil
1 cup hot water
Black food coloring

Additional materials for the activity:
– Googly eyes
– Orange construction paper or felt for beaks
– White construction paper or felt for bellies
– Black play dough

Preschool Learning Objectives:
– Fine motor skills: Children will strengthen their hand muscles by manipulating and shaping the play dough to create penguins.
– Creativity: Children will use their imagination to design and decorate their own penguins.
– Following directions: Children will follow the steps of the recipe to create the black play dough.

Dough Instructions
1. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, and cream of tartar.
2. Add Wet Ingredients: Stir in the oil, hot water, and black food coloring (add more food coloring as needed to get a deep black shade).
3. Combine and Knead: Mix well until the color is fully blended. Then knead the dough by hand until it’s smooth and pliable. *Teacher Tip: Let your preschoolers help knead! It’s a wonderful fine motor activity and makes them part of the process.

Preschool Teacher Instructions:
1. Begin by making the black play dough using the provided recipe. Let the children help with mixing the ingredients and adding the food coloring.
2. Once the black play dough is ready, set out the googly eyes, orange paper or felt for beaks and feet, and white paper or felt for bellies.
3. Show the children how to roll the play dough into small balls to form the body of the penguin, then press it slightly to flatten the bottom for stability.
4. Add googly eyes, an orange beak, and a white belly to the penguin to complete the look.
5. Encourage the children to get creative and make their own unique penguins using the materials provided.
6. Provide guidance and support as needed, helping children who may need assistance with shaping the play dough or attaching the features.
7. Encourage the children to play with their penguins, making up stories and engaging in imaginative play.

Teacher Tips for Differentiated Instruction:
– For children who are struggling with shaping the play dough, offer them pre-made black balls of play dough to work with.
– Provide visual aids or step-by-step instructions for children who may need extra guidance in following the directions.

Assessment:
– Observe the children throughout the activity to assess their fine motor skills as they manipulate the play dough and create their penguins.
– Listen to their conversations and stories to assess their language and social skills as they engage in imaginative play.
– Look for creativity and individuality in their penguin designs to assess their ability to think outside the box.