JOHNNY APPLESEED DAY

September 26 is Johnny Appleseed Day in honor of his birthday. However, here's a finger play and story you can tell any day. Johnny (John Chapman) is remembered for planting apple trees throughout Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. He was well known and liked for his kindness and generosity. Say “cheers” to him every time you eat an apple.

Apple Tree (You can say it or sing it to the tune of “This Old Man.”)
Way up high in the tree, (Point up.)
One red apple smiled down at me. (Hold up 1 finger and then smile.)
I shook that tree as hard as I could. (Pretend to shake a tree.)
Down came an apple, (Bring down one hand.)
Mmm! Mmm! Good! (Pat tummy.)

Variations:
Adapt the number of apples, or use other fruits:
Two yellow pears… (Hold up 2 fingers.)
Three purple plums… (Hold up 3 fingers.)
4 orange peaches… (Hold up 4 fingers.)
5 green limes… (Hold up 5 fingers.)

Make a flannel board from a file folder to use as a follow up for this rhyme.

And, here’s a story that I bet Johnny would have loved.

The Star
Materials: shopping bag or grocery sack
Apple (red delicious works best), knife

Directions: Put the apple and knife in the bag and have it on your lap as you begin to tell the story below. Insert children’s names in your classroom to capture their interest.

One day first child’s name went to visit grandmother. Grandmother said, “How would you like to go on a secret mission?” “Oh, I’d love that,” replied first child. So grandmother said, “I want you to find a little red house with no doors and no windows. There should be a chimney on top and a star in the middle.”

First child was so excited as he set off on his mission. As first child was thinking about what it could be, he ran into second child. “Do you know where I can find a little red house with no doors and no windows. There should be a chimney on top and a star in the middle.” Second child said, “I’ve never heard of anything like that, but would you like me to help you?” “Sure,” replied first child and off they went.

They walked on a little further until they saw third child. “Have you seen a little red house with no doors and no windows? There’s a chimney on top and a star in the middle.” “Gosh. I don’t know what that could be, but would you like me to help you?” replied third child. So off they went on their mission.

The story continues as more children join in the search.

Finally, the children had about given up when they ran into grandpa. He was on his way home from the store with something he had bought. “Grandpa,” the children said. “Grandma sent us on a mission. She told us to find a little red house with no doors and no windows. There’s a chimney on top and a star in the middle. What could it be?”

Grandpa laughed, “Well, I have the answer to your riddle right here in my sack.” And he pulled out an apple. (Pull the apple from your sack.) The children said, “How does that solve our riddle?” Grandpa said, “This apple is like a little red house. See, it’s round and the stem is like a chimney.” “But where’s the star?” wondered the children. Grandpa took a knife and sliced the apple in half. (Take the knife and slice the apple in half diagonally.) “And here’s the star!” The children were amazed to see that sure enough, there was a star in the middle.

Grandpa said, “You know people are like this star. We’re different sizes, colors, and shapes on the outside. But if you look inside, you’ll find a special star inside each person you meet!”

*Encourage each child to tell what makes him or her special.

*Bring apples for snack. Cut them in half so the children can all see their stars.

*Pick out seeds from the apples. How many seeds do they have? What would happen if you planted the seeds? Plant some and see what happens.

*Talk about where apples come from. How many parts of an apple can the children name.

*Make a list of words that describe apples.

*Purchase several different varieties of apples. Cut them into bite size pieces so everyone gets a taste. Make a graph of which apple the children liked best.

*Make apple prints. After cutting the apple in half let the halves dry on a paper towel. Dip into paint and press on newsprint or newspaper. Can you find the star?

GREAT GREAT TEACHERS 112

Take a look at some of these TERRIFIC ideas from Toledo in 2013!  Great ideas never go out of style!


Self Control (Becky Gilsdorf)
Use this visual cue to help children who are out of control.
Cross hands over your chest. (Self)
Slide both hands down the sides of your body. (Control)
As the child repeats the movements silently it will calm them down.


Hand Poem (Barb Williams)
Hands up high. (Hands in the air.)
Hands down low. (Hands down.)
Hide those hands, now. (Hands behind your back.)
Where did they go? (Shrug shoulders.)
One hand up. (Right hand up.)
The other hand, too. (Left hand up.)
Clap them, (Clap.)
Fold them, (Fold in lap.)
Now we’re through!

Quiet Coyote (Alyssa)
Hold your hand with the pinky and pointer fingers up like ears. Tap the middle and ring finger on your thumb.


1, 2, 3 Eyes on Me (Rooe Aliakbar)
Teacher says: 1, 2, 3 - eyes on me.
Children respond: 1, 2 – eyes on you!

Wiggle Song (Sarah Drummond)
(Sing in a whisper voice.)
I wiggle my fingers.
I wiggle my toes.
I wiggle my ELBOWS. (yell this word)
I wiggle my nose.
Now, no more wiggles are left in me.
So I will sit still -
As still as can be. (Fold hands and place in your lap.)


Verb Chant (Linda Pelger)
A verb, a verb, is an action word, an action word.
You can do it, do it, do it, do it, do it.
Can you jump? (Jump two times)
Can you hop? Swim? Dive? Laugh? Frown? Jog? Etc.


Attention Grabber (Sherry Raessler)
I am looking.
What do I see?
I see (student, class) sitting (or standing or whatever you need)
Properly.


Rhyming Chant (Tina Ponzi)
(Slap knees and clap hands to get the rhythm.)
When I say bat, you say cat.
Bat – cat
Bat – cat

*You can also use this chant for opposites.
When I say hot, you say cold.
Hot – cold
Hot – cold


Stinky Brain Break (Jamie Garner)
The kids get to take their shoes off during center/workshop time and we call it a “Stinky Brain Break.” 


FREEZE (Jamie Garner)
Teacher says: Freeze!
Students respond: Ice Cold! (Wrap arms around self as if shivering.)
Teacher: I’m looking for frozen students.


Grab Your Partner (Tina Rufenacht)
Pass out one Old Maid card to each student and when they find their match, it’s their partner.
*You can also use shapes, clocks, beginning sounds, etc.

Quieting Tricks (Meghan Boyle)
*Before going in the hallway say, “Hands on your hips. Smile on your lips.”

*Hush little children don’t say a word.
We’re leaving the room and shouldn’t be heard.
Hands at your side and do not talk.
Tip toe in the halls when we start to walk.

GREAT TEACHERS 105

SONG CATCHER was a popular movie in 2000 about a musicologist who discovered a treasure of traditional English ballads that had been preserved in the mountains of Appalachia for over a hundred years. Her goal was to "catch" the songs, preserve them, and share them with the outside world.

I liked to think of myself as a TEACHER IDEA CATCHER. As I traveled across the United States I would invite teachers to share their ideas so I could keep them alive for you on my blog.

Focus Finger Play (Pat Kesler uses this before handwriting. It wires up the brain!)

Two tall telephone poles (Fists touching with index fingers pointing up.)

Across them a wire was strung. (Touch middle fingers.)

Two little birds hopped on ((Put thumbs up on middle fingers.)

And sung and sung and sung. (Swing fingers.)



Facebook (Ruth Lefko )


Take two boxes and write "Facebook In Box" on one and "Facebook Out Box" on the other. Provide children with scrap paper, pencils, and markers. Children fold a sheet of paper in half and draw their face or a picture on the front. Inside they write a note to the teacher or a friend and place it in the "In Box." The messages are delivered and then the teacher or friend write a reply and place it in the "Out Box." What a great idea to encourage writing!

Short Vowels (Joanne Poland)
Here’s an active way to help children remember short vowel sounds.at the chair – children stand at their chairs as you emphasize the short /a/
edge of the chair – children sit on the edge of their chairs = short /e/
in the chair – children sit in the chair – short /i/
on the chair – children stand on the chair – short /o/
under the chair – children crawl under the chair – short /u/

Name Game (Kristin Murray)
Put stickers on unifix cubes and write the letters in the children’s names.
-Count how many letters in each person’s name.
-Pair children up and see who has more, less, or the same.
-Graph names. Whose name is shorter, longer, or the same as the teacher’s name?

A Fuzzy Little Caterpillar (Leanne Hutchison, Jackson, TN)
(Tune: "I Had a Little Turtle")
A fuzzy little caterpillar wiggled right by me. (Wiggle index finger.)
He wiggled long. (Wiggle finger away.)
He wiggled short. (Wiggle finger close.)
He wiggled right at me. (Wiggle finger at your face.)
I put him in a box. (Cup hands.)
"Don't go away I said!" (Point finger.)
But when I opened up the box
There was a butterfly instead! (Clasp thumbs and wiggle fingers like a butterfly.)

*You can adapt this song for "I had a little tadpole...I put him in a jar... Don't go away I said. . But when I opened up the jar a frog hopped out instead!"

Word Bags
Prepare bags with different multi-sensory materials similar to those below. Children choose a bag, take it to their desk, and then spell words (sight words, vocabulary, spelling) using the material in the bag.
*Wikki sticks
*magnetic letters
*colored pencils for rainbow words
*alphabet stickers
*alphabet blocks
*dry erase board

Chant Sight Words (Becky Ashton, Indianapolis, IN)
HE - muscles up and say "h"
muscles up and say "e"
flex muscles and say "HE"
SHE - flick hair on "s"
flick hair on "h"
flick hair on "e"
hands on hips and say "SHE"

Yummy Words (Sarah Kilfoil)
Let each child select a favorite word - yummy word! It can be a favorite food, something they like to do, etc. Place the words in a pocket chart or word wall and use for attendance.

Back to Back
This is a great brain break that a teacher in Indianapolis demonstrated with us. Every child needs a partner and touches body parts as the teacher calls out:
back to back (touch backs)
shoulder to shoulder (touch shoulders)
elbow to elbow
knee to knee
head to head
wrist to wrist
feet to feet
hip to hip
Continue calling out vaious body parts...
End with "bottom to chair" as children sit down!

Can You Dig It? (Rachel Lawrence)
Hide magnetic numerals in a sand table. Each student is given a sheet with math facts appropriate to their level. During math centers they have to do their facts and then dig out the answers (magnetic letters) in the sand.
*You can also hide letters and have children spell words.

Shape Crackers (Pamela Pounds)
Send a note to parents the first week of school asking them to send crackers to help the children learn their shapes. (Ritz - circles, Club crackers - rectangles, Doritos - triangles, Wheat Thins - squares, and Town House crackers - ovals.)
*Give children two crackers and ask them to describe how they are different.
*Have children eat one half of a cracker.
*Give children a square cracker and challenge them to nibble it into a circle.
*Give children two like crackers. Ask, “Are they the same amount?” Next, have them break one of the crackers into little pieces. Ask, “Are they the same amount now?” You’ll be surprised at their response. (This is called conservation of quantity and is an experiment Piaget used to demonstrate developmental stages.
*Give children a sheet of paper. Pass out a square cracker to each child and tell the children to draw what it looks like on their paper. Next, give them a circle shaped cracker and ask them to draw it. Continue with other shapes. It’s a fun way to practice pre-writing skills.

WHAT A NOSE!

Elephants are amazing creatures. I read a book called ELEPHANT BILL about how elephants were used in Burma in WWII - absolutely fascinating! I never knew that elephants have feelings and protect each other's children just like humans.

Here's a silly elephant puppet that my children always enjoyed making. There's nothing like putting a puppet on your hand to tell a story or sing a song.

Materials: old socks, paper plates, crayons, brad fasteners, gray construction paper.

Hint! Ask each child to bring in an old sock. This shouldn't be too difficult because everyone has a lost sock or two.

Directions: Cut 2 ears out of the gray construction paper. Cut a circle large enough for the child’s hand out of the middle of the paper plate. (Color the plate gray if you desire.) Draw a face on the plate as shown. Attach the 2 ears to the sides of the plate with brad fasteners. Insert the hand in the sock and then stick the sock through the back of the plate to create the elephant’s nose.  

Click here to download the pattern.

What a Nose!

(Tune: "I'm a Little Teapot")
Elephants walk like this and that. (Stick out one arm like a trunk and stomp
from side to side.)
They’re terribly big and terribly fat. (Arms out wide.)
They have no hands. (Hold up hands and shake head no.)
They have no toes. (Point to feet and shake head no.)
But, goodness, gracious, what a nose! (Stick out arm like a trunk.)

Click to view video.

One Elephant Went out to Play (Tune: "Five Little Ducks")

One elephant went out to play - (Hold up one finger.)
Out on a spider's web one day. (Roll hands around.)
She had such enormous fun. (Stick arms out wide.)
She called for another elephant to come. (Cup arms by mouth.)
Two elephants went out to play.... (Hold up two fingers.)

*Let children act out this rhyme. The first child chooses the second child. The second child chooses the third child, etc.

*What does "enormous" mean? What are other things that are enormous?

*Could an elephant really play on a spider's web? Why not?

CD Puppet

You can also make an elephant puppet from an old CD. Draw a face on the CD with permanent markers. Tape on construction paper ears and let the children insert their index finger in the hole to make a trunk. (Obviously, my big finger was too large for the hole!)

Note! This is kind of like a history lesson because most kids don't know what a CD is.

.

WHERE'S MY BUNNY?

YOU'LL FIND THE CUTEST BUNNIES ON THESE NEW VIDEOS CREATED BY ALEX MAY!

Click to view

Click to view

Where Is My Bunny?

Where is my bunny? (Put hands behind your back.)
No one can see. (Shake head.)
I think that my bunny
Is hiding from me. (Look over shoulder.)
Here is my bunny. (Hold up 1 thumb.)
He’s found a friend. (Hold up other thumb.)
Look at all the others. (Slowly stick up fingers.)
Now there are ten! (Wiggle fingers.)


Here Is a Bunny

Here is a bunny (Hold up index and middle fingers.)
With ears so funny. (Wiggle fingers.)
And here is his
Hole in the ground. (Make hole with fist of the other hand.)
At the slightest noise he hears,
He pricks up his ears, (Wiggle fingers.)
Then hops to his
Hole in the ground! (Pretend to hop bunny ears into the hole.)


Bunny Ears 

Cut ears out of construction paper and glue them to a headband. You can also trace around children's feet and use them for the ears of the headband.

Bunny Basket 

Fold the sack in half lengthwise as shown. Draw ears on the sack similar to those shown. Cut on the lines and then cut off the sides. Open the sack. Staple the top points to make ears. Put a face and cotton tail on your bunny basket.

Hand Bunny 

Trace around each child’s hand and cut out. Cut off the middle finger. Fold down the pinky and thumb. Glue on a sheet of paper and add a mouth, whiskers, eyes and nose. 

BABY BIRD STORY

Your children will be delighted when you share this "cut and tell" story about the baby bird. And, don't be surprised if they beg to hear it every day for the next month.

Here's a video where I demonstrate this story.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfZuGmjlyPM&t=165s

Baby Bird Story
It was spring time and mother and father bird decided to build a nest. Who can tell me some of the things they might have used to make their nest?

(Fold the paper in half and cut accordingly.)



Mother bird sat on the nest and laid a beautiful egg. (Open the nest to reveal the egg shape.)



Now, mother bird could not leave the egg. She had to sit on it and keep it warm and safe. Even when it rained and the wind blew hard, mother bird had to sit there and protect her egg. Fortunately, two little bugs who lived in the tree made friends with mother bird and kept her company. This is one little bug. His name was _____. (Use a child’s name in the class.)


(Draw a little dot for the bug.)
This is the other little bug. Her name was _____, (Use another child’s name in the class.)
(Draw another little dot on the opposite side.)

One day as mother bird was sitting on the egg, she heard a little cracking sound. She looked down and saw a little crack in her egg. (Cut a little slit on the fold slanted toward the eyes.)


Then she heard a great big cracking sound. (Cut around the eye and slit as shown stopping before you get to the end of the egg.)

And guess what mother bird saw coming out of the big crack in her egg? She saw her baby bird! (Open the egg and bend up the beak as shown.)



You'll find directions you can download here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljOGhrSnJKWVVfekU/view?usp=sharing&resourcekey=0-L6cCKxoW2Gla5PdeWDUHjw


Two Little Bluebirds
Two little bluebirds sitting on a hill. (Stick up both thumbs.) One named Jack (Wiggle right thumb.)
And one named Jill. (Wiggle left thumb.)
Fly away Jack. (Put right thumb behind back.)
Fly away Jill (Put left thumb behind back.)
Come back Jack. (Bring back right thumb.)
Come back Jill. (Bring back left thumb.)

Opposite variations:
One named Happy and one named Sad… (Say happy and then sad.)
One named Loud and one named Soft… (Say loud and then soft.)
One named Fast and one named Slow… (Move one fast and one slow.)
Continue letting children think of names and motions for the birds.

SPECIAL DELIVERY

Note: If you are at a school that doesn’t observe holidays, you can easily adapt these ideas for writing or math standards.

Special Delivery
You will need a gift bag or cloth bag for this game. Write "Special Delivery" on the bag. Write each child’s name on an envelope and place it in the mailbag. One child is “it” and skips around the room as you sing the song below. At the end of the song, “it” reaches in the bag and chooses an envelope. “It” delivers the envelope to that child and they exchange places. The game continues until each child has had a turn and received an envelope. 

The Mailman's on His Way (Tune: “The Farmer in the Dell”)
The mailman's on his way.
The mailman's on his way.
He's bringing lots of Valentines,
I hope he comes my way.

*Change to "maillady" and "her way" when a girl has the bag.

Hint! Just use first names for younger children. Write first and last names for older students.


Five Little Cookies
(Hold up 5 fingers to begin.)
Down around the corner at the bakery shop
Five little cookies with sprinkles on top.
Along came (child’s name) with a penny one day.
He/she bought one cookie and ate it right away!
4…3…2…1…

*Make cookies out of felt or fun foam. Pass out pennies to five children have them exchange their penny for a cookie when their name is called.
(I used puff fabric paint to make my sprinkles.)


Heart Puzzle
Cut 4" circles out of red paper. Cut 4" squares out of red paper. Give each child a circle and a square. Demonstrate how to fold the circle in half and cut on the crease to make two half circles (aka semi-circles). Can the children make a heart from the two halves and the square?

Valentine Concentration
Cut 4” squares out of red poster board. Take duplicates of valentine stickers and place them on the squares. Mix up the squares and place them face down on the carpeting. Play a memory game where children turn over two squares at a time and try to match up like stickers.

Here's the youtube link where you can watch me demonstrate these projects:
https://youtu.be/d4om_IAcVmw

WILL YOU BE MY VALENTINE?

Will You Be My Valentine?
(Tune: “Do You Know the Muffin Man?”)
Will you be my Valentine, (Point to various friends.)
Valentine, Valentine?
Will you be my Valentine?
I’ll be yours if you’ll be mine! (Point to self and then a friend.)

Some are red, some are blue, (Hold up fingers.)
Some have lace and ribbons, too.
Some are funny, some are not. (Smile and then shake head “no.”)
I like the candy ones a lot.
*Download this book at drjean.org.


Chocolate Play Dough
Make play dough using your favorite recipe. Omit the food coloring and let the children knead the dough in cocoa. It will look and smell like chocolate. Purchase a box of valentine candies and remove/eat the candies. Children can roll up the dough and put them in the paper containers.

Valentine Sandwich
You will need a heart shaped cookie cutter, bread, cream cheese, and red food coloring to make this sandwich. Mix the cream cheese with red food coloring until it is pink. Cut a heart out of the bread with the cookie cutter. Spread on the cream cheese.



Love Is…
Do a language experience chart where each child completes the sentence, “Love is…” You could also make a class book where each child completes the sentence “Love is…” and draws things that she loves.

Predictable Books
Have children make blank books using one of these titles: Love is… I love… Happiness is… A friend is… My favorite things to love… Things I love from A to Z.


Heart Critters
Give children several choices of hearts in different colors. Children glue them on a sheet of paper and add details with markers to make imaginary critters. Ask them to think of a name for their critter.


King Kong (The more dramatic you are, the better the kids will like it and get engaged! Say “King Kong” in a loud deep voice & “teeny tiny monkey” in a squeaky little voice.)
KING KONG (Flex arms.)
Was just a teeny tiny monkey (Hold up pinky.)
Compared to my love for you. (Cross arms over chest and then extend.)
KING KONG (Flex arms.)
Was just a teeny tiny monkey (Hold up pinky.)
Compared to my love for you. (Cross arms over chest and then extend.)
I love you day (Make circle with arms.)
And night. (Lay head on hands.)
My love is out of sight. (Hands in air.)
KING KONG (Flex arms.)
Was just a teeny
Tiny monkey (Hold up pinky.)

Compared to my love for you! (Softly say this line as you point to children.)

SNOW MEN AND SNOW LADIES

Toys and fashions come and go, but snowmen are never out of style. They might melt, but they will never go away!


Five Little Snowmen Finger Play
Five little snowmen fat. (Hold up five fingers.)
Each wore a different hat.
Along came the sun and melted one. (Bend down one finger.)
Now, what do you think about that?

Four little snowmen fat… (Hold up four fingers.)
Three…Two…One

Cut snowmen out of felt as shown. Place a different colored hat on each one. Remove one snowman as each verse is said.

*Place the flannel board and snowmen in a center so children can practice saying the rhyme and make sets.

*Make a simple flannel board by gluing a piece of felt to the front of a file folder. Staple the sides. Store pieces inside and glue a copy of the poem to the back.


Snowman Puppet
Cut a snowman out of heavy paper and decorate with markers. Cut a circle for the nose the width of your index finger. Cut another circle the size of your index finger out of a cup. Match up holes and tape the snowman in place. Put your hand in the cup and stick your index finger through the hole as you repeat the rhyme below.

A chubby little snowman
Had a carrot for a nose.
Along came a bunny
And what do you suppose?
That hungry little bunny
Looking for some lunch
Ate that little snowman’s nose
Nibble, nibble, crunch! (Slowly pull your finger back into the cup.)

Flo The Snow Lady
*Cut a snowman shape out of the front of a file folder. Decorate like a snow lady. Insert orange, red, blue, green, yellow, purple, and white paper. Glue the words to the rhyme on the back. As you tell or sing the chant remove the paper to reveal a new color.

(Tune: "Happy Birthday")
My name is Flo.
I'm made out of snow.
I can change my color
when I twitch my nose.

Make Flo orange, red, blue, green, yellow, purple, and end with white.

I can be many
colors it's true,
but being myself
is the best thing to do!


This was one of the cutest ideas I ever heard about to make a winter day FUN! Peg Caines (Greensboro, NC) shared it with me several years ago. Peg did it with her children, but I think it'd also be fun for teens or adults. What a perfect way to encourage children to cooperate, collaborate, and problem solve!

Build a Snowman
Peg said she gave each group a snowman kit with a construction paper hat, nose, buttons, and mittens. There was also a crepe paper scarf, a roll of masking tape, and a roll of toilet paper. (It took them awhile to figure out what to do with the toilet paper.)

Snowman’s Mystery Word
Draw a snowman on the board. Think of a word or phrase and put blanks for each letter. Children guess letters (similar to Hangman). The teacher writes the letters on the appropriate spaces. If a letter that is not in the word/phrase the teacher erases part of the snowman and puts the letter in the “trash pile.” Can they decode the word before the snowman is erased?



Disappearing Snowman
Draw a snowman on the board. If children are noisy or are not following directions explain that you will erase part of the snowman. Erase one part of the snowman throughout the day as a reminder. It won't take long before all you have to do is pick up the eraser and they'll be quiet!!!

LET'S TALK TURKEY

Let's Talk Turkey Today!

Albuquerque Turkey(Tune: “My Darlin’ Clementine”)
Albuquerque is a turkey (Put hands on hips like wings.)
And he’s feathered and he’s fine.
And he wobbles and he gobbles (Strut and wiggle.)
And he’s absolutely mine.

He’s the best pet you can get, (Pretend to stroke a turkey’s head.)
Better than a dog or cat.
He’s my Albuquerque turkey,
And I’m awfully proud of that.

Albuquerque is a turkey,
And he’s happy in his bed. (Lay hands on palms as you smile.)
Cause for our Thanksgiving dinner,
We’ll have pizza pie instead! (Palm up in the air like a pizza.)


Turkey Handshake

One child makes a fist and sticks out her thumb to make the head and body of a turkey. The other child opens his palm, spreads the fingers apart, and puts it next to their partner’s fist to make tail feathers.

Handprint Turkey

This idea is old as the hills, but it will be new to the children in your classroom. Have children place their hand on a sheet of paper extending all the fingers. Trace. Children turn the thumb into the head of the turkey and color the other fingers to look like feathers. Add legs, and there’s your turkey! You can also do this with paint. Paint brown paint on the child’s palm, red on the thumb, and a different color on each finger. Press firmly on a sheet of paper. Add legs and other details.

Turkey Glyph
What a fun math project for a small group of a center. Each child will need a cut out of a turkey's body. Provide them with paper feathers in the following colors. Children can add feathers to their turkey according to the foods they plan to eat for their Thanksgiving Dinner:
green – beans or peas
yellow – corn
white - mashed potatoes
orange – pumpkin pie
red – cranberries
purple – gravy
blue – dressing
brown – turkey
black – roll

*Challenge children to identify what their friends will eat from their turkeys.

Mr. Turkey and Mr. Duck
Mr. Turkey went for (Start with hands behind your back.)
A walk one day (Bring right thumb out in front of you.)
In the very best
Of weather.
He met Mr. Duck (Bring left thumb out in front.)
Along the way
And they talked (Have thumbs look at each other.)
Together.
“Gobble, gobble, gobble.” (Wiggle right thumb.)
“Quack, quack, quack.” (Wiggle left thumb.)
“Good-bye.” (Bow right thumb.)
“Good-bye.” (Bow left thumb.)
And they both walked back! (Wiggle thumbs behind your back.)

Gobble, Gobble
Gobble, gobble. (Teacher says.)
Who is that? (Children respond.)
Mr. Turkey (Children and teacher say together.)
Big and fat!

He is big and fat and he (Spread arms wide.)
Gobble, gobble, gobbles. (Wiggle from side to side with hands on hips.)
He spreads his tail and he (Fan arms behind you.)
Gobble, gobble, gobbles. (Wiggle from side to side with hands on hips.)
But when Thanksgiving Day is here, (Point finger.)
Then it’s our turn to
GOBBLE! GOBBLE! GOBBLE! (Pretend to spoon food in your mouth!)

JOHNNY APPLESEED

Another special holiday in September is Johnny Appleseed Day (September 26th) in honor of his birthday. Here's a finger play and story you can tell any day. Johnny (John Chapman) is remembered for planting apple trees throughout Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. He was well known and liked for his kindness and generosity. Say “cheers” to him every time you eat an apple.

Apple Tree (You can say it or sing it to the tune of “This Old Man.”)
Way up high in the tree, (Point up.)
One red apple smiled down at me. (Hold up 1 finger and then smile.)
I shook that tree as hard as I could. (Pretend to shake a tree.)
Down came an apple, (Bring down one hand.)
Mmm! Mmm! Good! (Pat tummy.)

Variations:
Adapt the number of apples, or use other fruits:
Two yellow pears… (Hold up 2 fingers.)
Three purple plums… (Hold up 3 fingers.)
4 orange peaches… (Hold up 4 fingers.)
5 green limes… (Hold up 5 fingers.)

Make a flannel board from a file folder to use as a follow up for this rhyme.

And, here’s a story that I bet Johnny would have loved.

The Star
Materials: shopping bag or grocery sack
Apple (red delicious works best), knife

Directions: Put the apple and knife in the bag and have it on your lap as you begin to tell the story below. Insert children’s names in your classroom to capture their interest.

One day first child’s name went to visit grandmother. Grandmother said, “How would you like to go on a secret mission?” “Oh, I’d love that,” replied first child. So grandmother said, “I want you to find a little red house with no doors and no windows. There should be a chimney on top and a star in the middle.”

First child was so excited as he set off on his mission. As first child was thinking about what it could be, he ran into second child. “Do you know where I can find a little red house with no doors and no windows. There should be a chimney on top and a star in the middle.” Second child said, “I’ve never heard of anything like that, but would you like me to help you?” “Sure,” replied first child and off they went.

They walked on a little further until they saw third child. “Have you seen a little red house with no doors and no windows? There’s a chimney on top and a star in the middle.” “Gosh. I don’t know what that could be, but would you like me to help you?” replied third child. So off they went on their mission.

The story continues as more children join in the search.

Finally, the children had about given up when they ran into grandpa. He was on his way home from the store with something he had bought. “Grandpa,” the children said. “Grandma sent us on a mission. She told us to find a little red house with no doors and no windows. There’s a chimney on top and a star in the middle. What could it be?”

Grandpa laughed, “Well, I have the answer to your riddle right here in my sack.” And he pulled out an apple. (Pull the apple from your sack.) The children said, “How does that solve our riddle?” Grandpa said, “This apple is like a little red house. See, it’s round and the stem is like a chimney.” “But where’s the star?” wondered the children. Grandpa took a knife and sliced the apple in half. (Take the knife and slice the apple in half diagonally.) “And here’s the star!” The children were amazed to see that sure enough, there was a star in the middle.

Grandpa said, “You know people are like this star. We’re different sizes, colors, and shapes on the outside. But if you look inside, you’ll find a special star inside each person you meet!”




*Encourage each child to tell what makes him or her special.

*Talk about where apples come from. How many parts of an apple can the children name.

*Make a list of words that describe apples.

Note! I bet your families would love a copy of this story. You could also tell them how to make apple prints by drying the apple half on a paper towel. Dip into paint and press on newsprint or newspaper. Can you find the star?