Trees in the Fall

We spent a lot of October studying trees in the fall, which included exploring acorns, squirrels, sticks, trunks, branches, and the changing leaves.

Fall Colors on the Light Table

 

The Lines in Leaves

This was an invitation to look more closely at the lines in the leaves. Children could make leaf rubbings, make prints in clay, or rub the leaves under tinfoil to see the lines. 

Tree Slices

We used different sized tree slices for loose parts play, as well as these geoboards made out of larger slices for fine motor work and shape/line exploration.

Acorns and Squirrels

We played a lot of acorn "hide and seek," and gathered up a lot of nuts for the squirrel's winter stash in the sensory bin and with a grid counting game.

Fall Leaf Art

The colors of fall are perfect for beautiful art projects, and we tried a few different processes... We worked together to decorate this giant cardboard tree.

We painted with marbles to make these leaves.

And we painted with tinfoil to make our own fall trees.

Leaf Experiment

We talked about why leaves change colors in the fall, and how chlorophyl (the green pigment) covers up the true colors of the leaf. Then we did an experiment to extract the hidden colors of leaves. 

Dancing with Leaf Sticks

Using play leaves and leaf sticks is always a favorite for music time. (And it's always hard to get a good picture... :) )

There are so many ways to explore the wonder of fall! I always feel like I have more ideas than we have time for. Happy Fall!

Pumpkins in the Fall

We are going on a field trip to the pumpkin patch soon, and here are some of the ways we've been getting ready in the classroom.

Pumpkin Counting Games

Making Jack-O-Lanterns

Pumpkin Monoprints (Along with other spooky designs...)

Garden Pumpkin

Last year we grew 30 jack-be-little pumpkins in our garden. This year...there is one little plant holding on for dear life. We'll see how big it gets before the weather gets too cold, but in the meantime, it's given us the opportunity to explore pumpkin plants a little more closely. 

Careful Counting + Math Bags

Last year, I started a weekly routine called Math Bags, and loved the regular opportunity it gave us to apply math to every day objects. One of the most important math skills I try to encourage throughout the year is one-to-one correspondence, or careful counting: associating only one number name per object while counting. It seems like such a basic skill, but it is essential for both math and reading, and can be very tricky for young children. So that is the first skill we are practicing with our math bags right now.

Everyone gets a chance to share what they brought, and then counts it as they add it to the collection tray. This is a great chance for me to assess their ability to count objects and use one-to-one correspondence.

Next week we are going to start sorting through our collection, which is another mathematical skill that will give us practice with counting, comparing, and classifying.

As part of this routine, I also like to include a math story if I can. Bear Counts is one of my favorites to use at the beginning of the year.

 And of course, math bag time isn't the only time we practice careful counting or other math skills. Mathematical objectives are always integrated into our learning topics, and often we have games or activities set out that are focused solely on a certain skill.

One thing I love about the math bag routine is that it helps us to realize that math is everywhere! It's in objects that we find at home or outside or at school...I try to take any opportunity that I see to draw attention to the math in our everyday objects and experiences.