October 6-10: Leaves

{I really feel like structure is important for children--and for me! I do much better when I have a specific plan and my time is structured. That, with my background as a preschool teacher and my belief that children learn through play, has led me to start doing a home-based "play school" with Tempe (and Helena, too). We don't do much, but it gives us a little something every day that is planned and it really helps me get through these long weeks without a car or much to do}

This week we have been studying leaves. We went to the library and checked out as many books about leaves and trees as we could find--Tempe has enjoyed reading them all week! Some of our activities have included going for a walk and looking at the different colors (especially at the cabin over the weekend) and collecting leaves, acorns, pine needles, and different seeds. We used the leaves and other things we collected in two projects: first, Tempe made a collage by sticking everything to clear contact paper (which I then closed with another piece of clear contact paper and masking tape) and then we did leaf rubbings. We also baked leaf shaped sugar cookies with cousins Maddy and Libby, and have eaten leaf shaped foods at lunch every day: toast, sandwiches, and tortillas.

I found quite a few songs about leaves online, and made a few up on my own. Our favorite is sung to the tune of "The Farmer in the Dell" and is really easy to make up new verses:

The leaves are turning brown,

the leaves are turning brown.

The leaves are turning red and brown,

the leaves are turning brown.

The leaves are falling down,

the leaves are falling down.

The leaves are falling to the ground!

The leaves are falling down.

We rake them in a pile,

we rake them in a pile.

We rake the leaves into a pile!

We rake them in a pile.

We jump into the leaves,

we jump into the leaves.

We jump into the pile of leaves!

We jump into the leaves.

And so on and so forth.

So that was this week's "lesson plan"! Next week: pumpkins.