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Tuesday, September 20, 2011

HAPPY FALL, YA'LL!



Friday, September 23, is the first day of fall, so this week I’ll share some ideas to help you celebrate.

Nature Walk – Take a nature walk and look for signs of fall.  Why do squirrels gather nuts?  How do other animals prepare for the winter? 

Gray Squirrel

Gray squirrel, gray squirrel,         (Hold hands close to chest like paws.)
Swish your bushy tail.                  (Wiggle your bottom.)
Gray squirrel, gray squirrel,
Swish your bushy tail.                  (Wiggle your bottom.)
Wrinkle up your little nose,         (Wrinkle nose.)
Hide a nut between your toes.     (Pretend to hold a nut in your paws.)
Gray squirrel, gray squirrel,
Swish your bushy tail.

Gray squirrel, gray squirrel,         (Hold hands close to chest like paws.)
Swish your bushy tail.                  (Wiggle your bottom.)
Gray squirrel, gray squirrel,
Swish your bushy tail.                  (Wiggle your bottom.)
Climb up in the tallest tree.         (Arms climb up above head.)
Let your tail blow in the breeze.  (Wiggle bottom.)
Gray squirrel, gray squirrel,
Swish your bushy tail.

Gray squirrel, gray squirrel,         (Hold hands close to chest like paws.)
Swish your bushy tail.                  (Wiggle your bottom.)
Gray squirrel, gray squirrel,
Swish your bushy tail.                  (Wiggle your bottom.)
If you’ll be a friend of mine,         (Point to self and then a friend.)
I will be a friend of yours.
Gray squirrel, gray squirrel,
Swish your bushy tail.

Note!  Visit drjean.org, click on September, 2007, and then click on “Gray Squirrel.”  You will be able to download an adorable book that Martha Sheehan created to go with this song.  The song is on disk one of my CD “Happy Everything.”

Gray Squirrel – Have children draw the body of a squirrel on a gray sheet of paper and cut out it out.   Staple the squirrel to a straw to make a puppet.  Staple a piece of felt or fake fur to the squirrel for a bushy tail.

Nutty Math – Purchase a bag of mixed nuts at the store.  Children can use these for counting activities, as well as sorting and patterning.  Children will also enjoy cracking the nuts open and picking out the “meat.”
Note!  Be aware of allergies before using nuts in your classroom.