1)  Leaves are dropping from the trees
 Yellow, brown, and red.
 They patter softly like the rain-
 One landed on my head.
 
 Come out! Come out! The weather is clear.
 Come out! Come out! October is here.
 I'll show you some presents from Jolly Jack Frost.
 They are hidden in the leaves that the wind has tossed.
 
 The brown nuts are falling and squirrels are at play.
 They are finding all the good ones to hide them away.
 
 Crimson leave and yellow.
 Apple red and mellow.
 Golden pumpkins on the ground.
 Sights of autumn all around.
 
 Falling, falling autumn leaves are falling.
 Falling, falling, falling to the ground.
 Whirling, whirling autumn leaves are whirling.
 Whirling, whirling, whirling to the ground.
 
 Down down yellow and brown
 the leaves are falling all over the town.


2) One of my favorite books on harvesting is TOPS AND BOTTOMS.  (I don't have
the author's name right in front of me, but will get it if you need it.)  It
doesn't deal with pumpkins, though.  It's a humorous story about the
different parts of the plants that we eat....the tops of lettuce, the bottoms
of carrots, the middles of corn....it's really cute. 

If it's specifically PUMPKIN harvesting you're looking for... Here's a couple
things I've saved on pumpkins from other places...use what you can.

Pumpkin, Pumpkin by Jeannie Titherington. It is the sequencial story of the
journey from seed to pumpkin and back again. The story features softly
illustrated pages with interesting details. Available as big book from
Scholastic.

Paper pumpkin patch: Stuff lunch sacks with newspaper and twist the top.
Secure with masking tape. Paint the bottom part orange and the top green to
look like a pumpkin. Let dry. I like to display these with vine cut from
paper hanging on them.

 Pumpkin on the Ground
  Sung to "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"
  
  Pumpkin, pumpkin on the ground,
  How'd you get so big and round?
  You started as a seed so small.
  Now you are a great round ball.
  Pumpkin, pumpkin on the ground,
  How'd you get so big and round?

Have each student plant a pumpkin seed in a ziploc bag with a little dirt and
water. (Soak the seeds in water overnight first.) Zip the bags tight, hang
them up somewhere and they require no further maintenance. The bags will fog
up and clear up and you can explain to your class how it is similar to clouds
and rain. The ziploc bag is like its own little world. The other really
awesome aspect of the bags is that you can see the seeds open and the roots
grow down and the sprout grow up. Send the plants home shortly after they
sprout, because they need to be transplanted.

Estimate the circumfrence of the pumpkin by having the students cut a piece
of yarn that they think will fit around the pumpkin. Sort pieces by too
short, too long and just right.
  
The Vanishing Pumpkin (Johnston)-You will need to have a pumpkin in the
room that the children are aware of. Read the book and then go somewhere
with your class. Make sure you are with your kids or else they will
think you took the pumpkin. Have someone come and "snitch" the pumpkin
while you are out of the room and hide it in a predetermined place. When
your students come back and see that it's gone. Then "find" a clue in
the classroom. Follow that clue to others that you have hidden around
the building. The last one will lead you to your pumpkin!


3) Heres a fall fingerplay:
 
 	See the lovely autumn leaves of red and gold and brown  (hands waving in
air)
       Gently floating on the breeze  (hands moving down slowly)
       And falling on the ground


4) Here are three of my favorites.

1.  THE LEAVES (Tune:  The Wheels on the Bus)

   BEFORE singing the song I give each child 1 laminated Red leaf 
and 1 laminated Orange leaf. They both have long yarn stems.  As we sing 
the first verse each child holds one leaf in each hand.  As we sing the 
first verse they raise the leaf who's color we are singing.

The leaves on the trees turn Orange and Red
Orange and Red, Orange and Red,
The leaves on the trees turn Orange and Red
All around the town.

We stand up for the next verse - still holding our leaves.  We make our 
leaves tumble to the floor without letting go of the stem.

The leaves of the tree come tumbling down, 
tumbling down, tumbling down,
The leaves of the tree come tumbling down,
All Around the town.

For this verse we "swish" our leaves across the floor.

The leaves of the trees go "swish, swish, swish,"
"swish, swish, swish, swish, swish, swish,"
The leaves of the trees go "swish, swish, swish"
All around the town.

For this verse we "gently" drop our leaves into the middle of the circle 
and jump in place.

We'll rake them in a pile and jump right in!
Jump right in, Jump right in!
We'll rake them in a pile and jump right in!
All around the town.

2.  LEAVES ARE FALLING (TUNE:  Jingle Bells)

Leaves are falling, leaves are falling
One fell on my toes.
Leaves are falling, leaves are falling,
One fell on my nose.
Leaves are falling, leaves are falling
One fell on my head!
Leaves are falling, Leaves are falling,
Yellow, Orange, Red!

I've adapted this song for when the snow falls.

Snow is falling, snow is falling
Some fell on my toes
Snow is falling, snow is falling
Some fell on my nose!
Snow is falling, snow is falling
Some fell on my head.
Snow is falling, snow is falling
Let's go get the sled!!

And here's a verse for Spring.

Rain is falling, Rain is falling
Some fell on my toes,
Rain is falling, Rain is falling
Some fell on my nose.
Rain is falling, Rain is falling
Some fell on my head,
Rain is falling, Rain is falling
Let's just stay in bed!!

3.  APPLE SEED (Tune:  Eensy Weensy Spider)

Once a little apple seed
Was planted in the ground.
Down came the raindrops
Falling all around
Out came the bright sun
As bright as bright could be
and the little apple seed
Grew up to be an apple tree.