Changes to Environment
Pictures of trees Real leaves Fake leaves Tree bark Sticks Child rake Child shovel Gloves Books about trees and leaves Red, green, yellow, orange, and brown Paper, Markers, Playdough, felt, tissue paper, etc Leaf and tree cookie cutters Leaf and tree stamps Tree puppet Leaf puppet Plastic Apples, Oranges, Bananas, etc (different things that grow on trees). Tree magazines Leaf or tree file folder game Water Table: brown water, fake leaves or laminated construction paper leaves, small buckets, rakes, etc. Sensory Table: grass, crinkle grass, dirt, leaves, twigs, rakes, shovels, small buckets, etc.
Teaching Concepts for Indoor Experiences
1. Look at pictures of different trees during the different seasons. Talk about the leaves changing colors and why they fall off the trees.
2. Leaf rubbings
3. Fingerpaint a forest with orange, brown, green, yellow, or red
4. Talk about the different things that grow on trees and show pictures
5. Leaf collage
6. Leaf stamps
7. Glue leaves on paper to make a leaf person
8. Sort leaves by color, make patterns, etc.
8. Look at tree bark and leaves through magnifying glass
9. Look a pictures of things that live in trees
10. Look at different things made from trees (touch and feel box)
11. Paint the bottom pieces of a cardboard egg carton green, make a tree
12. Paint on Leaves
Go on a leaf hunt, gather leaves from the ground and then paint on them!
13. Leaf Color Sequence
Silk leaves from the dollar store come in lots of different colors. Invite your preschooler to put them in order from lightest to darkest, or from red to brown.
14. Four Seasons Tree
his tiny fingerprint tree is a great way for students to learn about the seasons a tree goes through and the changes that come with that. They will make fun spring tree art, as well as beautiful fall trees and everything in between.
Teaching Concepts for Outdoor Experiences
1. Jump into a pile of leaves 2. Leaf hide and seek 3. Ring Around The Tree (tune: Ring Around the Roses) Ring around the trees Pretty autumn trees Red leaves, orange leaves They all fall down 4. Yellow leaf, yellow leaf yellow leaf, yellow leaf twirling ’round and ’round yellow leaf, yellow leaf falling to the ground orange leaf, orange leaf twirling ’round and ’round orange leaf, orange leaf falling to the ground (continue with different colors for leaves)
5. Gather sticks to make a stick crown
Teaching Concepts for Music Movement Wellness IMIL
1. Autumn Leaves (tune: London Bridge)
Autumn leaves are falling down, falling down, falling down,
Autumn leaves are falling down, welcome Autumn.
Sweep the leaves and put them here, put them put here, put them here,
Sweep the leaves and put them here, welcome Autumn.
Jump right in and have some fun, have some fun, have some fun,
Jump right in and have some fun, welcome autumn
2.The Apple Tree
Here is the apple tree with leaves so green. (forearms together, elbows to wrists, fingers spread)
Here are the apples that hang in between. (make hands into fists for apples)
When the wind blows, (wave arms in the wind and let apples fall suddenly)
the apples will fall.
Let’s use a basket and gather them all. (make a basket with both hands, fingers interlocked)
3. Rake the Leaves
(Act out as you say it)
I like to rake the leaves
Into a great big hump
Take two steps back
Bend my knees and JUMP!
4. Sway like a tree to the music
5. Pretend to climb a tree, this will exercise your arms and legs
6. Tree Song (tune: Head,Shoulders, Knees and Toes)
Leaves, branches, trunk and roots (and roots)
Leaves, branches, trunk and roots (and roots)
Trees are important to you and to me
Leaves, branches, trunk and roots (and roots)
(Movements: Hands and fingers are the leaves – wiggle high in the air, move arms straight out for the branches, touch upper body with hands when saying ”trunk”, touch legs when saying “roots” (bend down again and touch legs again when saying ”and roots”)
7. I’m A Tall, Tall Tree
This is my trunk, (point to body)
I’m a tall, tall tree, (hold arms up like branches)
In the springtime, the blossoms, (make fists)
Cover me.
They open, they open. (Open fingers)
This is my trunk, (point to body)
I’m a tall, tall tree, (hold arms up like branches)
In the summer, the breezes blow through me. (raise arms and wave them back and forth)
I bend, I bend. (sway back and forth)
This is my trunk, (point to body)
I’m a tall, tall tree, (hold arms up like branches)
In the autumn, the apples form on me. (form circles with thumbs and index fingers)
They drop, they drop. (clap hands)
This is my trunk, (point to body)
I’m a tall, tall tree, (hold arms up like branches)
In the winter, the snowflakes land on me. (flutter fingers down)
Brrr! Brrr! (hug self and shiver)
Teaching Concepts for Fingerplays
1. The Leaves on the Trees (tune: Wheels on the Bus)
The leaves on the trees turn orange and brown, orange and brown, orange and brown.
The leaves on the trees turn orange and brown, all through the town.
The leaves on the trees come tumbling down, tumbling down, tumbling down.
The leaves on the trees coming tumbling down, all through the town.
The leaves on the ground go swish, swish, swish. Swish, swish, swish. Swish, swish, swish.
The leaves on the ground go swish, swish, swish, all through the town
2. Leaf
One for me and one for you. (point toward yourself then at a friend.) 3. 5 Little Tree’s 5 little trees swaying side to side (hold up 5 fingers) One snuck off and tried to hide 4 little trees dancing in the breeze One got upset as he started to sneeze 3 little trees started to shake One tree said I’m freezing for goodness sake 2 little trees glowing in the sun One tree left then there was one. 1 little tree standing all alone Said goodbye and went on home. 4. 5 little leaves Five little leaves on the tree next door, One fell off and then there were four, Four little leaves all over the tree, A bird pulled off one and then there were three, Three little leaves where the wind blew, One fell off and then there were two, Two little leaves sitting in the sun, A bug ate a leaf and now there is one, One little leaf in the tree all alone The wind blew and blew and now there are none! 5. Leaves Are Floating Down Leaves are floating softly down (Flutter fingers) They make a carpet on the ground (Spread hands apart) Then swish! The wind comes whirling by (Bring hands around fast) And sends them dancing in the sky (Flutter fingers upwards) 6. I See the Wind I see the wind when the leaves dance by. (dance hands around) I see the wind when the trees wave “Hi!” (wave hand) I see the wind when the kites fly by. (raise arms high) I see the wind when the clouds float up high. (wave hand gently) I see the wind when it blows my hair. (lift hair with hands) I see the wind ‘most everywhere! (hold hands out, palms up)