*A Fall Tree in the Classroom In the Fall we cut trees out of poster board- one for each child, then when we go for our walks we collect leaves and glue them on our trees. *Pressed Leaves Another idea I did as a child was to collect leaves and put them between wax paper and iron them together--that way they stay colorful all year. *Puzzle Trees Found a great easy activity for spring, you know those puzzles that seem to always have missing peices (like the 63 peice one that only has 40 peices left LOL) Cut out the trunk of a tree with limbs glue this or even staple it to another peice of paper (yellow makes a great back ground color) and glue the puzzle peices to the branches of the tree. This could also be used during the fall. *HIDE NUTS - Hide them throghout the room children pretend to be squirrels and gather the nuts fun by tasting the nuts that have been discovered. Nut are good for sorting... as far as shape, size and color. *INTRODUCE HIBERNATION - Primarily with bears and squirrles. *BEAR CAVE - Paint a toilet paper tube brown. Use a cotton ball dipped in powder tempra paint (brown or black) put it in hibernation in the tp tube and stuff with tp or kleenex "snow" in each end in the spring when they come out of hibernation... do bear week and wake them up. *NATURE COLLAGE - Twigs, leaves, small pine cones, nuts... etc. glue onto tagboards cut into wreath shape shows children how to collect items from the ground without damaging the environment. *SNACK - Trail mix *FALL TREE - crumple small pieces of red yellow and orange tissue paper glue them onto a large paper plate cut slit in one end of a TP roll insert the paper plate splatter paint leaves arrange one or more leaves on a sheet of construction paper partially fill a small spray bottle with DILUTED tempra paint spray lightly over the leaves when paint dries, lift the leaves to reveal the design. *SCIENCE - collect green leaves and place them on a tray to dry.... over time they turn brown without clorophyl the leaf loses his green color. *HANDPRINT ART - Need small amounts of assorted fall colors and tempra paint paint the palm and inside of fingers of one hand (excluding the thumb) with brown paint press hand on the paper so that the palm forms a trunk and the fingers form branches dip pad of thumb (thumbprint) in paint, one color at a time and stamp leaves onto the branches I hope you can picture this one... it is really cool! To put it on the wall get green butcher paper and cut out their trees and tape them to the hillside. *LEAF COLORING - paper towels cut out in leaf shapes, food coloring, water, bowls, and wax paper give each child two or three precut leaves and a peice of wax paper the children can choose which color they want to dip their leaves in the leaves can be dipped in more than one color so they can form new colors lay wet leaves on wax paper to dry and mount them just as they are. *LEAF BOOKMARK - Need construction paper, contac paper, leaves and scissors cut construction paper into 3x6 inches have them collect leaves on a nature walk children arrange the leaves onto contac paper. Put the construction paper over the contac paper and cut around the edges. *Pumpkins (To be used in the Spring AND Fall) * Another big hit with the kids is "The Big Pumpkin" by Erica Silverman... with the sing-along story tape .. they never get tired of it... * I sent out my "planting" message on pumpkin activities and then pulled out my materials and remembered these: ***a few more books to use in the fall (jack-o-lantern time) and in the spring (planting time): The Pumpkin Patch (Elizabeth King), Pumpkins (Mary Lyn Ray and Barry Root) and It's Pumpkin Time (Zoe Hall and Shari Halpern) ***This is a game my class loved in the fall; we'll play it again when our pumpkin plants start to grow-Five children are in the middle of a circle of everybody else holding hands and walking around singing, "Pumpkins, pumpkins, in the patch, Pumpkins, pumpkins, on the vine, There are five (then 4, 3, 2, 1), round and orange, I'll take one and it is mine." After each verse, a child is chosen to pick a "pumpkin" from the middle to join the circle. By the end of the game, all children are holding hands in the circle--the final line is "I'll take it and that's the end." This is on a recording I no longer have but I hope this is clear enough. The children really enjoy revisiting something like this that we haven't done since the fall. *A spring idea which may be useful in the fall: I read Jeanne Titherington's Pumpkin Pumpkin to my students in October. We have a pumpkin growth sequencing activity available along with it. I bring in a pumpkin for my class and, like Jamie in the story, we make a jack-o-lantern. Jamie saves six seeds to plant in the spring; we save three for each child in the class (we also cook and eat some). Photos I've taken of the pumpkin, carving process, and final jack-o-lantern remain in the classroom along with a zip-loc bag full of the seeds. In May, we plant our seeds. I take this opportunity to again use Pumpkin Pumpkin and related activity with my class, tying together the beginning and end of the school year. Each child takes home a couple of pumpkin plants; I have had former students visit in the fall with pumpkins they grew in their yards from the seeds we planted from the previous fall's jack-o-lanterns! *Autumn Trees Supplies: ~Large piece of paper ~Crayons or markers ~Glue ~Leaves First go for a walk and collect leaves (the more colorful the better). To make a tree outline, trace the child's hand (with fingers spread) and arm (up to the elbow) on a large piece of paper. Color the inside of the outline, that is the tree. Now, glue leaves onto the branches and around the base of the tree. You can also cut out "apples" and glue them on the tree! *Corn Collage Supplies: ~Yellow and green construction paper ~Glue ~Unpopped popcorn Cut a "corn cob" and "husks" out of paper. Glue the "husks" around the "cob". Spread the glue on the "cob" and cover it with unpopped popcorn. *One Leaf Picture Supplies: ~Leaves ~Paper ~Crayons or markers ~Glue Glue one leaf onto the center of the paper. Use the leaf as the body; draw head arms, legs, ect. Or make it into any design you want! *Leaf Prints Supplies: ~Leaves ~Paint ("fall" colors) ~Black Construction Paper ~Lots of Newspaper Put down lots of newspaper! Paint one side of each leaf (not too thick). Carefully arrange leaves in one layer, paint side up, on clean newspaper. Place a piece of black construction paper over the top of the leaves and press gently! A little messy, but very fun. *Tissue Apples Supplies: ~Round Balloons ~Vaseline ~Red Tissue Paper ~Diluted Glue (or liquid starch) Inflate balloons to the size of an apple. Cut red tissue paper into strips (about 1" by 4"). Cover the balloon with a light coat of Vaseline. Dip strips of tissue paper into diluted glue, don't let them soak. Stick them on balloons. These take about 24 hours to dry. When they are dry, you can pop the balloon with a pin and remove the balloon. *Five Leaves Five little leaves so bright and gay, Were dancing about on a tree one day. The wind came blowing through the town, And one little leaf came tumbling down. [Continue with 4 leaves, then 3, 2, & 1.] [We hold pictures of leaves or real leaves and drop them.] *Fall Leaf Mobiles Cut a 1 inch strip of cardboard & tape into a circle. Punch 6 holes in the strip & have kids collect 6 colorful leaves. Press them between pieces of wax paper. Punch a hole in the wax paper & tie each with a different length of string to the circular mobile. * Glycerin Leaves Place a small branch with fall leaves on several layers of newspapers. With a hammer tap the end of the stem until it is slightly crushed, Place branch in a jar with one part glycerine to two parts water. Keep for 2 weeks. Leaves will be thicker to touch, colors will have changed & they will not disintergrate or fade. * Fall Tree Give your kids a feel for fall by having them create their own tree. Have each child decorate a paper lunch bag, with fall colors, and their name. Take them out for a nature walk. Let them see and feel the tree's bark, fallen leaves, sticks, etc. Have them collect leaves (fallen&fresh), sticks, bark, and small parts of tiny branches. Bring them inside. Lay out newspaper for each child, have them empty the collection onto the newspaper. Give each child a large piece of manilla paper. Have them arrange and glue the sticks, bark and brach pieces to form the trunk and branches, then have them attach the leaves. * Finger Tree Gather colored paper (red, orange, brown, green, yellow) Trace the child's hand onto several sheets of several colors. Cut out. Then cut out a brown tree trunk&branches in proportion to the amount of leaves. Have the child glue the hand shapes to the tree trunk to form the leaves of the tree. Option: Have the child think of things to be thankful for and label the hand/leaves. Another Option: Use as a class project. Use one hand cutout for each child to make a class tree. * Turkey Plate Have your child paint a paper plate with lots of different colors, or have them sponge paint all over the plate. Let the plate dry. Cut out a brown construction pear shape to resemble the body of a turkey. Cut out a yellow triangle and red teardrop shape to form the beak, and punch out two black "eyes" with a hole punch out of black paper. Have the child assemble the turkey and then glue onto the plate as the turkey's feathers. * What's Inside A Pumpkin? Cut out a brown pumpkin stem, a green leaf, and two identical orange pumpkins. Label the first pumpkin, "what's inside a pumpkin?". Have the child glue small pieces of yellow/orange yarn, and pumpkin seeds to the other pumpkin. Assemble the pumpkin and place a brad at the top to hold it all together. Now they can flip and see..."What's Inside a Pumpkin" * What's Inside An Apple? Take two paper plates and have the child color the outsides red. Put the plates facing each other so the outside is showing, punch two holes in one side and tie together with yarn. Open "apple" up and glue apple seeds into the middle of the plate. Cut out stem and green leaf cutous and glue them to your peek-a-boo apple. * Thankful Wreath Cut out an orange or yellow circle to fit a paper plate, and have child glue to center. Then have them crumple up and glue colored tissue paper (fall colors) to the outside of the wreath. Cut out a bow shape and either glue a small picture of the child in the center of the bow, or have the child write his/her name on the bow. Glue the bow to the outside of the plate. Discuss thankfulness, and ask the child what they are thankful for. Then write that in the center of the plate i.e. "I am thankful for my parents.". Then attach a ribbon or string on the back to hang the wreath. * Leaf Necklace Cut out many leaf cutouts using many fall colors. Have the child decorate with markers and crayons. Laminate the leaves!(optional), then punch a hole in the stems and give the child some string or yarn, and have them thread them on to make a Fall Leaf Necklace. * Halloween Candy Holder This is a great craft that the children can use to go trick or treating with, or you can use it as a decoration, and more. Take a large can (coffee can, spaghetti sauce can..) and wash thoroughly, making sure to remove all outside paper and stickiness. !Paint the can with one coat of white paint and let dry. !Then paint the can with a coat of orange paint - let dry. !Then either with black paint, or a black marker draw the face of a jack-o-lantern on the can. !Punch two holes into the top edges of the can on opposite sides. (Use a hammer and nail) Tie string or twine to make a handle. !Now you have a great holiday decoration that you can actually use. !Optional: You can use smaller cans, fill them with candy & stuff and use them as party favors at a Halloween party. * Fall Literature Look for these books in your library or local bookstore and share them with the children. McNaughton, Colin. Autumn (1984) Barklen, Jill. Autumn Story (1980) Dutton, Sandra. The Cinnamon Hen's Autumn Day. (1988) Brandt, Keith. Wonders of the Seasons. (1982) Lambert, David. The Seasons. Kirkpatrick, Rena K. Look at the Leaves (1978) Lerner, Sharon. I Found a Leaf (1978) Johnson, Sylvia. How Leaves Change. (1986) * Clay Leaf Prints Use a rolling pin to flatten clay or a drying type dough. Lay a leaf on the clay & roll over it. Remove the leaf & let the clay dry. Paint the clay with fall colors of tempera. * Pumpkin Peek Cut two large pumpkins from orange construction paper. On inside pumpkin have kids glue short pieces of yarn & real pumpkin seeds that have been washed & dried. Cut a steam & one leaf from green paper. Assemble the shapes with a brad. * Fall Leaf Necklaces spoon 4 cups of flour 1 1/2 cups salt 2 cups water Food coloring waxed paper rolling pin Fallen leaves or silk' blunt knife pencil scissors ruler yarn 1.) mix together the flour, salt and water. then work it with your hands until it has a smooth texture. Add more flour if necessary to make it claylike dough. This amount of dough will make about 16 pendants. 2.) Divide the dough into three or four portions.. Add a few drops of food coloring to each portion and mix to color the dough lightly. 3.) Give each child about 1/'4 cup of dough. Have kids form balls with the dough. 4.) Hlp the children place each ball of dough between two sheets of wax paper whose waxed sides face the dough. Use the rolling pin to flatten each ball until it is about 1/4" thick. 5.) Choose some leaves no larger then 3" across that have large veins. Be sure the laves are not to dry, or they will crumble and stick to the dough. peel back the top sheet of waxed paper and place leaf, veins down, on the dough. Replace the waxed paper and roll over the leaf on the dough. 6.) Remove the waxed paper and the leaf. With a blunt knife,shape the outline of the dough into a circle or oval. 7.) With a pencil, poke 2 sets of holes for the yarn in the top of each clay pendant. *Make sure you leave enough time for the pendants to dry-- Will take a few days or you can place in the oven at 200 degrees and cook for a couple of hours to help with the drying! Hope you like!