All About Fall

It is really hard to believe that we are starting our 10th week of school. This week is a short week because of our Fall Break (Yeah)! So, we are going to be studying Fall and the changes that we are beginning to see. We are also concentrating on fine motor skills in the form of puzzles, writing, and painting. Since my class has a wide range of abilities, I am taking advantage of this short week to re-teach skills students have not mastered yet. This week I have three small groups, and yes I am grouping the students by ability. The individual groups will be working on the following skills: copying and repeating an AB pattern using leaf die cuts. Constructing a leaf tree where they are practicing fine motor skills by cutting out the tree and crumpling up color tissue for the leaves. They are also practicing counting out objects up to ten. Finally combing sets by using a roll and cover mat and dice.

Below is a link to our fall theme lesson plans for the week. The lesson plans include the following types of activities: Morning Message with activity, Large Group Literacy, Phonemic Awareness, Small Group, two planned story times, and a closing activity. The standards are based on Bright From the Start GELDS.

DOWNLOAD>> All About Fall Five Day Lesson Plans



Classroom Activities:

Students will be involved in a variety of activities to promote language and literacy skills, mathematical reasoning, exploration, and fine motor control. Some of our center activities will include the following:

• Art - Leaf paintings using a variety of methods such as q-tip painting, brushes, and marble.
• Sensory Table - Students will explore picked cotton. Students will have to "pick" the letters using tweezers and place them in sorting cups.
• Writing Center - Students will practice copying fall vocabulary words and creating their on Fall Stories.
• Library - Students will read and listen to books about the Fall. They can also practice their writing skills by using Magna Doodle Boards.
• Math - Students will practice counting, sorting, and classifying objects.
• Science - Students will explore ornamental pumpkins, pine cones, and squash using magnifying glasses. The students can sort objects based on how they feel: bumpy, smooth, rough, hard, etc.
• Dramatic Play - Students will practice socio-dramatic play. BUT check back next week as the dramatic play center is transformed into a pumpkin patch! 

The students practiced copying and extending a pattern during small teacher led group. 

After reading the book, Rosie's Walk, the students answered the drawing prompt: If you could go for a walk anywhere, where would you like to go?

This is our sensory box for the students to explore fall themed items from nature. The fall box contains the following real and found items: picked cotton, dried guards, pine cones, dried beans, and corn husks. The only item in the fall box that is not real are the leaves. I purchased the leaves from The Dollar Tree.

YouTube.com Educational Links:

I have put together a collection of songs and read alouds about Fall both fiction and non-fiction.

CLICK HERE>> Fall Theme Pre-K

Songs and Poems:

The Leaves are Falling Down   

(Sung to: "Farmer in the Dell")

The leaves are falling down

The leaves are falling down

Red, yellow, green, and brown

The leaves are falling down

~ Original Author Unknown

Scarecrow   

(Sung to: "Teddy Bear, Teddy bear turn around")

Scarecrow, Scarecrow, turn around.

Scarecrow, scarecrow, jump up and down

Scarecrow, scarecrow, arms up high

Scarecrow, Scarecrow, wink one eye

Scarecrow, scarecrow, bend your knee

Scarecrow, scarecrow, flap in the breeze

Scarecrow, scarecrow, climb into bed

Scarecrow, scarecrow, rest your head

~ Original Author Unknown

Five Leaves

Five little leaves so bright and gay,

We’re 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.]

~ Original Author Unknown

Five Red 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!

~ Original Author Unknown

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.

~ Original Author Unknown

Credits: The Doodle Oven