OVER THE RIVER AND THROUGH THE WOODS

Oh, my goodness!  Thanksgiving is just a few days away!  How could I not remind you of a song I learned as a little girl?  And, I bet you learned it, too!  Time to keep the tradition alive and pass it on to your students.

Over the River

(Traditional Tune:  Happy Everything CD)

Over the river and through the woods       (Pretend to hold reins of a sleigh

To grandmother’s house we go.                  and drive as you bounce up and down.)

The horse knows the way                           (Put hands behind back and nod

To carry the sleigh                                        like a horse.)

Through the white and drifted snow.                 

Over the river and through the woods,        (Pretend to drive sleigh.)

Oh, how the wind does blow.                        (Wrap arms around self and shiver.)

It stings your toes and bites your nose        (Touch nose and point to toes.)

As over the ground we go.

Through the country and cities far               (Pretend to drive a car.)

In sun or wind or rain.

We might go by train                                    (Pull down on train whistle.)

We might take a plane.                                (Fly hand like a plane in the air.)

Or maybe a bus or car.                                (Hold out right hand, then left.)

Through low valleys and mountains high    (Look down low and then up.)

Now, grandmother’s house I spy.                  (Hand over eyes.)

Hurrah, for the fun!                                       (One fist in the air.)

Is the turkey done?                                   

Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!                        (Cheer with other fist.)

Comparisons – Use a Venn diagram to compare what it would be like to visit grandmother a long time ago and how we visit now.  How are things the same?  How are they different?

Graphs – Make a graph of how they will travel to their Thanksgiving dinner.  Car?  Plane?  Train?  Bus?  Boat?  Stay at home!

Olden Days
Bring in a rotary phone, typewriter, record player, and camera.  (A note to parents might help you find one of these.)  Talk about how they were used when their grandparents were kids.  What do we use now instead?
*Hint!  I think it's important for children to know what these items are because most of the books copyrighted before 2000 have pictures or reference them.
            

Family Celebrations – Holidays are a good time to talk about diversity.  Not all families celebrate Thanksgiving, but most families do celebrate something.  Ask children to bring in photos of celebrations they have in their home.  Put their pictures together to make a class book.

WHAT'S A TOOT A ROO???

I was looking through some old photos  and found a few ideas I wanted to share with you today.

Good-Bye Book
Leaving a school in the middle of the year can be heart wrenching to children. Before they leave let each classmate draw a picture and write or dictate something special about them. Put their drawings together and add a class photo to make a book. It will give the child leaving a special memory they can take with them.
                                   
Chalk Board Table
Is this cool? Ms. Smalls found an old table they were going to throw away. She painted the top with chalkboard paint and let the children write special messages, draw pictures, write sight words, etc. on it. The kids LOVED it!

Stickies
You know all those seasonal sticky designs you can put on windows. What a great center activity using cookie sheets!
*The alphabet ones would be perfect for writing words.

                                    
Toot a Roo
I don't know why I got such a kick out of this idea a teacher shared, but it's right up my alley.  Cut paper towel rolls in half and let children decorate them with markers and stickers.  When you want to celebrate or cheer an accomplishment all the children get out their "toot a roos" and go "toot toot toot toot toot toooo!"

OWA TAGOO SIAM

If you've got a few extra minutes today then I've got a tell and draw story for you!  This is good for listening skills and sequencing. Do it the first time and you’ll have a few kids “get it” at the end. On the second telling, leave out some words and let children supply the missing information. After several times invite the children to join you in drawing and telling the story.

                                  
Once there was a little old lady who lived out in the country.

Her house was shaped like an oval.  (head)

It had a little window that was a circle.  (eye)

She had a garden beside her house.  (beak)

And she planted seeds there.

Near her house there was a lake.  (body)

And there was a little island in the lake.  (wing)

Campers from the city would come and pitch tents by the lake.  (feet)

They would walk to the lake to look at the fish in the water.  (legs)

They would also watch the geese on the island.

But the people made so much noise they scared the geese and away they flew.  (feathers)

The little old lady heard all the commotion and went down to the lake to see what was going on.  (neck)

What do you think she saw?

When she got home she laughed and said, “OWA TAGOO SIAM!”

Say this faster and faster and it will sound like, “Oh, what a goose I am!”

Here’s a copy that might be a little easier to follow:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljTmk0bTZxTF9nNmM/view?usp=sharing

GET OUT YOUR BACKPACK!

Let’s make a backpack we can take on our bear hunt!  You'll need lunch bags, scissors, markers, and glue.

1. Make two dots about 1/3 down from the top corners of the bag as shown.
2. Cut down on the corners to the dots and stop.
                
3. Fold the front section of the bag down and hold it with your hand. Cut off the remaining 3 sides.
                                      
4. Fold down the front section to make the backpack.
5. Cut the section of the bag you cut off in half lengthwise to make the two straps. Fold the ends and glue to make loops.

6. Glue the loops to the back of the bag for straps.

                          
7. Let children decorate their backpacks with crayons or markers.

Hint! Attach a piece of Velcro to the flap to close.

Note! This is a little complicated to you will need to do it with a small group at a time.

So, now you’ve got your backpack, how can you use it?

Use the backpacks for “homework.” Have children bring in something that starts with a sound…two things that rhyme…environmental print they can read…a picture of something they are thankful for…

Send home copies of nursery rhymes, finger plays, songs, recipes or other activities children can do with their families.

Send home flash cards with letters, sight words, math facts, or other skills children need to practice.

LOOK OVER THERE....

Someone recently asked me what was the value of doing “The Cool Bear Hunt.” Well, I could write a dissertation, but here are ten good reasons for how children learn as they sing this song.

1. They are developing oral language skills.

2. They are developing auditory memory skills.

3. They are learning positional words.

4. They are learning a sequence and pattern.

5. They are oxygenating their brains and crossing the midline.

6. They are developing physical skills.

7. They are using their imaginations.

8. They are developing the executive function as they self-regulate.

9. They are developing 21st Century Skills by cooperating and communicating.

10. They are using comprehension skills.

Above all, they are getting to do what children do best….PLAY AND HAVE FUN!

Want to go on a bear hunt with me?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6OVwsnuX-Y

Follow Up Activities:

Fist List
Ask children to hold up their fingers as they recall the different places they went in the song.

Story Map
Let children make a story map of the song. Draw a picture of where we started in the song Then where did we go….? Where did we go next…? Etc. Where did we end up?
                                        
*Give children a Teddy Graham to retell the story on their story map.

*Let children illustrate the song. Add lyrics and put their pictures together to make a class book.
             
Where’s Bear?
You’ll need a small toy bear and bathroom cups for this game. Turn the cups upside down and write letters, words, numbers, etc. on them with a permanent marker. Show the children the bear and explain that you will hide him under one of the cups. Children close their eyes as you hide the bear. Children get to take turns calling out something on a cup and looking under the cup. If they find the bear they get a turn hiding it for their friends.

                                  

RHYME ON....

Rhymes are words that end with the same sound. Rhymes are common in poems, songs, and many children’s books. Cat, hat, rat, and bat are examples of words that rhyme. Being able to identify words that rhyme is key to developing phonological awareness.

Now, teaching children to identify words that rhyme doesn’t happen in one day. The curriculum guide may say, “The children will learn to rhyme today,” but you and I know it takes many, many, many activities where children listen, speak, sing, and chant to develop that skill. Traditional nursery rhymes, songs, and books are the most natural way to nurture rhymes, but here are a few more activities where children can rhyme in a “playful” way.

Handy Rhymes
Have children extend their arms as they say pairs of words that rhyme and sing to the tune of “Skip to My Lou.”
     sun (extend right hand)
     fun (extend left hand)
     Those words rhyme.
     sun (extend right hand)
     fun (extend left hand)
     Those words rhyme.
     sun (extend right hand)
     fun (extend left hand)
     Those words rhyme.
     They both end with “un.” (Roll arms around as you say this.)

*As they progress, the teacher says a word as children extend their right hand. Children say their own rhyming word as they extend their left hand.

Rhythm Rhyme
Start a beat by slapping legs two times, clapping hands two times, and snapping fingers two times. On the first snapping beat the teacher says a word. On the second snapping beat the children say a word that rhymes.
     Slap, slap, clap, clap, snap, snap.
     Slap, slap, clap, clap, mitten. (Teacher says.)
     Slap, slap, clap, clap, kitten. (Children say a word that rhymes.)

Rhyme Ball
You will need a ball, beanbag, or other object to toss for this game. Children sit or stand in a circle. The teacher says a word and then tosses the ball to a child. As the child catches the ball, she must say a word that rhymes.

Rhyme Detectives
Tell the children that they will get to be detectives and listen for words that rhyme. You’ll say two words, and if they rhyme they put their pinkies up. Pinkies down if the words don’t rhyme.
For example: Cat - hat (pinkies up), run - dog (pinkies down).

Rhyming Puzzles
Glue rhyming pictures on opposite sides of a 3” x 5” index cards. Cut a puzzle shape between pictures. Mix up and have children put rhymes together.

*Make games with socks, mittens, shoes, etc. where children use clothes pins to put the rhyming pictures together.
                                 

*prekinders.com has some great free printables with rhyming pictures.

Riddle Rhyme Game
Let children make up their own rhymes in this game. First, they choose an object in the room. Next, they say a word that it rhymes with, along with another clue.
For example: “This rhymes with hair and it is something you sit on.” “This
rhymes with look and it is something you read.”

Rhyme Bag Homework
Give each child a paper lunch bag and ask them to bring in two objects from home that rhyme. As children share their items the following day encourage them to think of other words that rhyme.

                                                  

IF IT'S FREE - IT'S FOR ME!

If you missed my LIVE AT FIVE on nursery rhymes yesterday here's a link so you can watch me demonstrate the activities:
https://youtu.be/LIvGr--k4-o

Jack and Jill
Trace around the puppet pattern on heavy paper. Challenge the children to make the puppet look like “Jack” on one side and “Jill” on the other side. Attach a straw and use as a puppet.
                                   
What happened after Jack fell down? Here’s more to the story!
     So up got Jack
     And said to Jill
     As in his arms he took her.
     You’re not hurt, brush off that dirt.
     Now, let’s go fetch that water.
     So up got Jack and
     Up got Jill to fetch that pail of water.
     They brought it back to mother dear
     Who thanked her son and daughter.

Humpty Dumpty
Give children the oval shape and scrap paper. Have them tear the scrap paper into little pieces and then glue it on the oval to make a collage. Attach a stick and use it as a puppet.
          
What happened to Humpty Dumpty?
     So the good children got
     Some tape and some glue
     And they fiddled and faddled
     Til’ he looked like new.
     Then they carefully placed him
     Back on the wall

     And said, “Humpty Dumpty,
     Please don’t fall!”

Baa Baa Black Sheep
Cut the sheep and the tops of the 3 bags of wool from the front of a file folder. Insert colored paper starting with black. Remove the black paper and then fill in the appropriate color word.  (This would be something for the teacher to make and use with the children.)
     Baa baa green sheep
     Have you any wool?
                       

Would you like patterns for the above craft activities?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljTHpaLUk4MXVJY1k/view?usp=sharing

Nursery Rhyme Club
Make a poster that says “Nursery Rhyme Club.” Whenever a child can say a rhyme, they get to sign their name on the poster. It would also be fun to give them a membership card!

Would you like some membership cards?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljZmpEYnVyWFNaVk0/view?usp=sharing

Websites
Here are some good websites where you can download free nursery rhyme posters:
curry.virginia.edu/go/wil/rimes_and_rhymes.htm
enchantedlearning.com
prekinders.com