Category: Seasons: Fall Title: A Little Apple Seed Sung to 'Eensy, Weensy, Spider' Once a little apple seed Was planted in the ground. Down came the raindrops, Falling all around. Out came the big sun, Bright as bright could be. And that little apple seed grew up To be an apple tree. -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Add a Tree To develop the concept that some trees change with the seasons, prepare a tree mural at the beginning of each season. Using butcher paper, draw a large tree shape and hang it on the wall. To emphasize seasonal changes, have children add appropriate collage bits or paint at the beginning of each season. Fall - brown, yellow, red, purple, orange paper bits Winter - bare tree with brown leaves on ground and gray painted sky. Spring - popcorn buds and small green paper bits or paint Summer - fully covered with green paper bits and paint -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Apple A Day Snack Serve a different apple each day for snack. Red apples, green, yellow, and even brown (russet). Make an apple dip by stirring some brown sugar into plain yogert and a sprinkle of cinnamon if desired. Title: A Little Apple Seed Sung to 'Eensy, Weensy, Spider' Once a little apple seed Was planted in the ground. Down came the raindrops, Falling all around. Out came the big sun, Bright as bright could be. And that little apple seed grew up To be an apple tree. -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Add a Tree To develop the concept that some trees change with the seasons, prepare a tree mural at the beginning of each season. Using butcher paper, draw a large tree shape and hang it on the wall. To emphasize seasonal changes, have children add appropriate collage bits or paint at the beginning of each season. Fall - brown, yellow, red, purple, orange paper bits Winter - bare tree with brown leaves on ground and gray painted sky. Spring - popcorn buds and small green paper bits or paint Summer - fully covered with green paper bits and paint -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Apple A Day Snack Serve a different apple each day for snack. Red apples, green, yellow, and even brown (russet). Make an apple dip by stirring some brown sugar into plain yogert and a sprinkle of cinnamon if desired. -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Apple Magic Perform a little science magic with this simple experiment. You will need a large bowl of water, a carrot and an apple. First, ask the children what they think will happen when an apple or a carrot is put in the bowl. Place the carrot in the bowl first; then remove it and place the apple in the bowl. What happens? Why? Explain to the children that foods like carrots and apples vary greatly in the amount of air they contain. Carrot matter is packed very tightly and is very heavy, making the carrot sink. The apple is not packed as tightly and has many air spaces, which allow it to float. Slice the apple and carrot for more observation. -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Apple Muffins Make some yummy apple muffins. Take a packaged mix of oatmeal muffin mix and add a cup of peeled and chopped apples. Bake as usual. Truly delicious! -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Apple Sauce Snack Make a potful of applesauce with the children in the morning and serve for afternoon snack! Preparing it is lots of fun and presents a wonderful opportunity to talk with the children. What must we do first, what comes next, watch and see what happens to the apples. 8 apples, peeled and sliced 1 cup water 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon Heat apples in water until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer 5-10 minutes until tender; stir periodically and add water if necessary. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cook until apples are mushy. Cool and serve. -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Apple Seeds Before cutting open an apple, ask the children to predict how many seeds there will be inside. Cut the apple in half horizontally and let the children observe the 'star' that holds the seeds. Count the seeds with the children and have them compare the number with their predictions. Try the experiment with another apple. Does it have the same number of seeds as the first one? Try the same experiment using a different coloured apple. Extension: Set out apple seeds (with several of them cut in half) and let the children examine them with a magnifying glass. If desired, provide other kinds of fruit seeds for comparing. -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Apple Seeds Before cutting open an apple, ask the children to predict how many seeds there will be inside. Cut the apple in half horizontally and let the children observe the 'star' that holds the seeds. Count the seeds with the children and have them compare the number with their predictions. Try the experiment with another apple. Does it have the same number of seeds as the first one? Try the same experiment using a different coloured apple. Extension: Set out apple seeds (with several of them cut in half) and let the children examine them with a magnifying glass. If desired, provide other kinds of fruit seeds for comparing. -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Apple Song Sung to 'Have You Ever Seen A Lassie?' Have you ever seen an apple, an apple, an apple, Have you ever seen an apple, that grows on a tree? A red one, a yellow one, a red one, a yellow one. Have you ever seen an apple, that grows on a tree? -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Apple Tree Decorate your room with apple trees. Draw a tree on large kraft paper. Let the children paint the trunk, branches and leaves. Then add some apples that have been drawn by the children. You can make red, green and yellow apple trees. -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Autumn Breezes Materials: Construction paper, scissors, feathers - Call a circle to discuss Autumn Breezes. - Spark interest with questions such as: How does a breeze feel? How does the wind feel? If you were an autumn breeze, what would you like to push, lift, or blow against? - After the breeze discussion each child chooses a feather and a sheet of construction paper. - The children rold their papers in half. They stand up, drop their feathers, and create a breeze by waving their papers. Who can keep the feather up? - Try it with - a leaf, a cotton ball, a balloon, a kleenex, a paper cup, paper, fan. Which falls quickest? Tell the children that they = choose one to share experience at home. -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Autumn Leaves Materials: Construction paper, waxed paper, old crayon (red, orange and yellow, plastic bag, hammer, iron Preparation: Cut construction paper into leaf frames. Place crayons in a plastic bag and let the children help pound them into little pieces with a hammer. Cut waxed paper into sheets. Plug in iron. Let the children place crayon pieces between two sheets of waxed paper. Then press over the papers with an iron to melt the crayons and waxed paper sheets together. Put leaf frames around the finished picutres and hang them in a window. -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Autumn Leaves Sung to 'Mulberry Bush' Summer leaves are hanging, Hanging, hanging Summer leaves are hanging All day long. (stand with arms outstretched) Autumn leaves are turning colours...All day long. (turn around) Autumn leaves are falling down...All day long. (lower self to floor) Autumn leaves are dancing....All day long. (dance) Autumn leave are being raked.....All day long. (a few children can gather the group closer) -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Autumn Leaves Sung to 'Mary Had A Little Lamb' Autumn leaves are falling down.....Yellow, red and brown. Rake them up as they fall down.....Yellow, red and brown. Here comes the wind on a windy day...And blows them all away. -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Autumn Leaves All Around Me Sung to 'Mary Had A Little Lamb' Autumn leaves are all around me.......What colours do you see? Red and Yellow, Gold and Brown......Falling gracefully. -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Baked Apples Snack Make baked apples for the children to enjoy at snack time. Wash and core one apple per child. Place apples upright in a baking dish. Fill centres of apples with raisins and brown sugar. Sprinkle some cinnamon on top. Bake for one hour at 350. Serve with vanilla ice cream. Sure to be a hit! -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Beginnings New school New teacher New friends New books. I feel new, too. Do you? -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Changing Seasons sung to 'I'm a Little Teapot' I'm a little person who's aware Of the changes in the air. First the leaves turn brown and then they fall. Then the snow comes lightly down. -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Climbing Up The Apple Tree Climbing up the apple tree, (climb in place) Swinging on a limb! (Raise arms above head, away left and right) If I hear a robin, I may (cup hand near ear) Sing along with him! (sing tra la la) 'And Robin, if you fly away, (Put hands over eyes) Here's what I think I'll do: (Point with index finger) I'll wish a pair of sparrow wings (gently flap arms at side and move around) And fly away with you!' -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Cornstarch Impressions Materials: Cornstarch, baking soda, water, saucepan, waxed paper, nature objects such as leaves, twigs and flowers Preparation: In a saucepan, mix together 1 cup cornstarch, 2 cups baking soda, and 1 1/4 cups water. Cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens. Cool, then flatten mixture between sheets of waxed paper. Let the children lay leaves, twigs, flowers or other nature objects on top of the cornstarch mixture and press them down firmly. Then have them remove the objects to see the detailed impressions they made. -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Dissecting Apples Show your children three apples - one red, one green, and one yellow. Ask them to name the colours. Then discuss how they are all apples despite their different colours. Take a knife and cut each one open side-ways. Point out how the seeds inside from a star. Discuss how the apples are all different on the outside, yet the same on the inside. Turn your discussion to people. Talk about how people, like apples, are all different on the outside, yet the same on the inside. -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Dry Leaves Materials: Green construction paper, dry fall leaves picked up from the ground, glue, brushes Preparation: Cut a fairly large leaf shape from construction paper for each child. Have the children brush glue on their leaf shapes. Then let them crinkle dry leaves and scatter the pieces all over the glue. Variation: Draw bare tree figures on pieces of construction paper. Then let the children crumple up the dry leaves and glue the pieces of their papers. -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Eat An Apple Eat an apple; (Bring right hand to mouth) Save the core. (Close right hand in fist) Plant the seeds. (Bend down touch hand to ground) And grow some more. (Extend both arms out) -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Fall Colours Draw a large tree on kraft paper. Have the children trace their hands onto kraft paper and paint them fall colours (red, yellow and orange). These become the leaves for the tree. The more the better. Glue the hands onto the tree and you have a beautiful handmade creation. -------------------------------------------------------- Title: First Day Shiny, sharpened pencils, Desks all in a row. It's the first day of school and I don't want to go. A very different teacher, With a strange sounding name. I want my last year's teacher Things will never be the same! I remember all the things we learned, And all the things we made. The truth is, if you want to know, I'm really afraid. -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Harvest Time Sung to 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star' Harvest Time is here again, In the garden we must dig, Carrots, radishes, onions too, All so fresh and yummy too. Harvest Time is here again, Won't be long till Fall is here. -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Have You Ever Had An Apple? Sung to 'Have You Ever Seen A Lassie?' Have you ever had an apple, an apple, an apple? Have you ever had an apple and heard it go 'crunch'? Have you ever had an orange, an orange, an orange? Have you ever had an orange and heard it go 'slurp'? Have you ever had a banana, a banana, a banana? Have you ever had a = banana and heard it go 'mush'? -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Learning With Apples Counting: Divide apples in halves or fourths. Let your children decide how many apples will be needed for everyone to receive a piece. Counting: When you cut open an apple, let your children count the number of seeds inside. Feeling: Place three different fruits - such as an orange, a banana, and a apple - in a bag. Let your children touch each fruit without looking in the bag. Can they identify the apple by its characteristics? Smelling: Cut open three different fruits. Have your children close their eyes and try to identify each by its smell. -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Leaves Five red leaves, five and no more (hold up 5 fingers) The caterpillar ate one, now there are four (thumb down) Four red leaves, that's easy to see. Along came a rainstorm, now there are three. (index down) Three red leaves, nothing much to do. A big wind blew, now two! (middle down) Two red leaves, that's not much fun. I glued one on my paper (ring down) Now there is one. (hold up pinky) Hang on, pretty red leaf! Your branches won't break. You're one less leaf for me to rake! -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Leaves Sung to 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star' All join hands and circle around While we wathc the leaves fall down. See them twirling to the ground. See them skipping here and there See them flipping in the air. Autumn leaves so peacefully Falling, falling from the tree. -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Leaves Are Falling Sung to 'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star' Leaves are falling round the town Watch them fall right on the ground Autumn's coming, it is true Then comes winter just for you Leaves are falling round the town Falling, falling all around. -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Leaves, Leaves Falling Down Sung to: 'Row, Row, Row Your Boat' Leaves, leaves falling down, (wiggle fingers downward) Falling on the ground. Red, Yellow, Orange and Brown, Triangle, Oval and Round. (With each thumb toughing and each forefinger touching, make shapes.) -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Lucky Leaves Yellow leaves tumbling, (move hands like falling leaves) falling through the air; (repeat action) Falling in my front yard. Falling everywhere. Oh, that I could catch one (grab one in the air) Before it blows away! A yellow leaf, caught in the air, Will bring my luck, they say! -------------------------------------------------------- Title: My Oak Tree The oak tree just outside my door Has its lovely leaves no more, And now, I wonder, What's it for? Not shade, nor home for birds to sing. When leaves return, I'll welcome Spring! -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Pantomine Autumn Have the children in your class pantomine the following actions. Discuss why they are a part of the Autumn season. 1. Squirrels gathering nuts. 2. Leaves floating to the ground. 3. People raking fallen leaves and putting them in baskets. 4. Birds flying south. 5. Animals getting ready to hibernate. -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Paper Plate Apples Let the children paint the back sides of paper plates red to make 'apple halves.' When the paint has dried, attach precut construction paper leaves and stems. Then let the children each glue a few apple seeds in the centers of the white sides of their plates. (Use seeds from other activities in this unit.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Title: Raking Leaves My poor back will surely break, If one more leaf I have to rake! Crusty, rusty brown leaves! Dusty, blustery red leaves! Crunching, bunching, scrunching beneath my feet. In a pile of crispy leaves, I'll find a welcome seat! -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Scarecrow Decorating Materials: Picture of a scarecrow, glue, pieces of material, buttons, noodles, anything that can be used to decorate the scarecrow. Let the children decorate. Cut the scarecrows out and use them as a bulletin board border for a display of completed work. Add a heading such as, 'We're Not Scared of Hard Work', or 'This Class Is Not Scared of Hard Work.' DISCUSS - The reason for scarecrows and the damage done to farmers crops by birds and animals. Ask what other kind of devices could be used to scare away these pests. Provide crayons and paper for children to draw pictures of these substitute scarecrows. Produce a picture or poster which shows a large crow and discuss. -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Stuffed Baked Apples Ingrediants: Firm baking apples, Butter or marg., Sugar, Hot water, Filling for Apples Fillings: raisins or walnuts or honey or banana slices or prunes or nutmeg or brown sugar or coconut or cinnamon candies or orange slices or pineapple. Toppings: ice cream or peanut butter or whipped cream or cheese or vanilla pudding or granola or custard or lemon sherbet or jelly Core apples and sprinkle with 1 t. sugar. Set in baking dish. Stuff apple (combine several if you with). Pour hot water to cover bottom of dish. Bake 400 30-35 min. Spoon liquid over apples every 10 min. while cooking.Cool -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Ten Red Apples Here I have five apples. (hold up five fingers on right hand) And here are five again. (hold up both hands) How many apples altogether? Why, five and five make ten! -------------------------------------------------------- Title: The Leaves On The Trees Sung to 'The Wheels On The Bus' The leaves on the trees turn orange and red..........All through the town. The leaves on the trees come tumbling down.....All through the town. The leaves on the ground go swish....All through the town. -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Two Little Apples Sung to 'This Old Man') Way up high, in a tree: (raise hands over head) Two red apples smiled at me (smile) So I shook that tree as har-r-d as I could; (Pretend to shake tree) Down came the apples, Ummm, they were good!!!! (Rub tummy) -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Veggie Shuffle Children will identify smellls. Materials: Six-ounce paper cups, foil, rubber bands, toothpick, tray, vegetables that have strong aroma--green pepper, onion, tomato, radish... 1. Cut a small portion from each veg and place in a paper cup. Place the remainders on the tray so children can see. Spaced suffieciently so smells do not mingle. 2. Cover each cup with foil and hold in place with a rubber band. Poke several holes in foil and put on tray. 3. Ask the children to smell and to identify the vegetable by name. 4. Ask the child to place the cup next to the veg she or he smells. -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Window Painting Paint a fall scene on your window. Use the following recipe and the paint is easily removed. Give each child a window to decorate. Window Paint 2 Tbsp powdered tempera paint 1 Tbsp warm water 1 tsp Joy dish washing liquid Measure powdered paint into a container. Mix in water thoroughly to achieve a smooth paste. Add JOY, mixing completely, but gently, to avoid making paint too sudsy. Dries on windows in 5 - 10 minutes. Washes off easily with a solution of water and vinegar. -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Woodland Forest Friends Squirrels scurry, Rabbits hurry, Ants hide Food inside Woodland friends, everywhere, For long winter Must prepare. And just in time They pile away their stock All without benefit Of calendar or clock! -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Leaf Bracelets Wrap a piece of masking tape (sticky side out) around each child's wrist. Go on a nature walk and have children collect one leaf from each of several trees, sticking it on their leaf bracelet. When the class returns, sit in circle. Teacher holds up each leaf shape in turn and lets children identify similar leaf on their bracelets. Let children wear their bracelets home and check the types of leaves in their yards. -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Leaf Mobiles You will need a cereal box, thread, scissors and tape. Cut a 1 inch strip the length of the box. Tape it into a circle. Punch 6 holes in the strip. Have the children collect colorful fall leaves on a nature walk. After the leaves have been collected, press them between pieces of wax paper. Punch a hole in the wax paper leaves and tie them with string of different lengths to the circlar strip. Each child could make his/her own or you can use this as a group project. -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Leaf Prints Materials: Liquid tempera, Brushes, Fresh leaves, Paper, Brayers (Available at art supply stores) Procedure: 1. Paint the back of the leaves with tempera (not too much.) 2. Place paper on top of the leaves (paint side up.) 3. Use a brayer to roll over paper. 4. Lift and see leaf print. -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Leaf Rubbings To help children notice the veins in leaves and the different shapes of leaves, let them place a variety of leaves (underside up) under a piece of light coloured construction paper. Using the sides of crayons that have had the paper covering removed, children make crayon rubbings of the leaves. --------------------------------------------------------- Title: Little Leaves tune: Ten Little Indians 1 little, 2 little, 3 little leaves 4 little, 5 little, 6 little leaves 7 little, 8 little, 9 little leaves Blow them all away. Whoosh! -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Raking Leaves I like to rake the leaves (raking motion with hands) Into a great big hump (pretend to pile leaves) Then I move back a bit Bend my knees and jump! -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Welcome Wreath Put toilet paper rolls, paint and brushes on table. When each child comes to the table; let him paint a roll. When child is finished, stand roll up on end to dry completely. When dry, string rolls on piece of yarn and tie. -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Baby Robins Five baby robins watch Daddy Robin soar; (hold up 5 fing) One baby leaves the nest, and now there are four. (thumb) Four baby robins, high up in a tree; One flies to catch a worm,and now there are three.(index) Three baby robins had nothing to do; One tried his new-found wing,and then there were 2.(mid.) Two baby robins frolicked in the sun; Another robin chased a bug, and then there was one.(ring) One baby robin, left all alone; And this baby robin decided to stay home! -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Carrot Top Garden Cut the tops off of three or four carrots. Have your children place them in a shallow dish and water them daily. The carrot tops should be sitting in 1/4 inch water at all times. Sit back and watch your carrot tops sprout new beautiful green foliage. Children especially love 'planting' carrot tops because the greens sprout quickly and they are quite attractive. -------------------------------------------------------- Title: Delightful Kites Materials: 9 in. X 12 in. Art Paper, scraps of art paper in assorted colours, scissors and paste, pencil and eraser, ruler, crepe paper strips Procedure: Fold and cut out kite shape. Use various colours of paper scraps to create spring kite designs. (flowers, butterflies, birds) Use crepe paper for tails.