November brings harvest theme

November is here!

We closed out October with seasonal mask gluing, after cats, bats and pumpkins. We carved our pumpkin after weeks of scrubbing it. We scooped out the pumpkin seeds, baked them and ate them. Surprisingly, everyone asked for more!

Over the next few days, October-themed activities will be put away and replaced by new activities related to Native Americans, native wild animals, food cards for harvest time. Practical life activities also will change with the season with the addition of transferring corn kernels and corn shucking. We will sing songs about apples, other foods, squirrels, wind and fall leaves.

The number three will be in the drop box. The sensory bin will have corn with leaves and other objects. We’ll also glue and paint leaves, squirrels and turkeys. I love all of these fall activities that go so well with these themes!

Jacket Flip

Please review the jacket flip links below. With a little practice, your child will be able to put his/her jacket on by him/herself in no time!

Songs

The songs you may start to hear are:
(Tune: Frere Jaques)
Thanksgiving, thanksgiving,
Here it comes. (2X)
_________ on the table. (Mention a favorite food.)
_________on the table. (Mention another favorite food.)
Yum, yum, yum. (2X)

(Start by patting your legs rhythmically, then stop.)

Alligator pie, alligator pie.
There is nothing I like better than alligator pie.
You can take away the green grass, take away the sky,
But don't take away my alligator pie.
(Substitute favorite foods for “alligator.”)

Like a leaf or a feather, in windy, windy weather,
(Twirl with a leaf.)
Twirl around, twirl around, and all fall down together!
(All falling down to the ground.)

Five little leaves so bright and gay,
Were dancing about a tree one day
The wind came blowing through the town,
And one little leaf came tumbling down.
Four little leaves so bright and gay….

My Lady wind…My lady wind…Round and round the house she blows about
Trying to get in… Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh….Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh.

Through the keyhole in the door,
Through the crack in the bedroom floor,
In and out she blows about,
And around the house she blows once more.
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh (repeat)

Earth, my body,
Water, my blood,
Air my breath and Fire (Clap hands to create a “spark.”) my spirit!

The Earth is our Mother. We must take care of her. (2x)
Chorus: Hey Yanna Ho Yanna Hey Yanna Ho. Hey Yanna Ho Yanna Hey Yanna Ho.

Brown squirrel, brown squirrel, swish your bushy tail.
(Sit on your knees, and pretend to move your tail from side to side.)
Brown squirrel, brown squirrel, swish your bushy tail.
Crinkle up your little nose. (Crinkle up your little nose.)
Put a nut between your toes. (Pretend to place a nut between your knees.)
Brown squirrel, brown squirrel, swish your bushy tail.

A turkey is a funny bird.
His head goes wobble, wobble.
And he only says ONE word,
Gobble, Gobble, Gobble.
Earth who gives to us this food.

Sun that makes it ripe and good.
Dear Earth, Dear Sun,
By you we live.
Our loving thanks to you we give.

I'm a little busy squirrel, looking all around,
looking for a nut that's nowhere to be found.
Did I put it in my pocket? No. No.
Did I put it in the ground? No. No.
Did I put it in my backpack? No. No.
Did I put it in the ground? Yes. Yes.
I'm a little busy squirrel, digging in the ground.
Digging, digging, digging, look what I found!

Hop old squirrel, eideldum, eideldum.
Hop old squirrel, eideldum, dee. (2x)
Dig old squirrel, eideldum, eideldum.
Dig old squirrel, eideldum, dee.(2x)
Climb old squirrel, eideldum, eideldum.
Climb old squirrel, eideldum, dee. (2x)
(Fill in your own movements.)

Down is the earth. Up is the sky.
Here are my friends, and here am I.