Celebrate the Season.....

Books:

Too many to list here...what are YOUR holiday favorites?

Songs:

Five Little Christmas Trees

Five little Christmas Trees standing all alone.
Their hearts were very sad ‘cause they hadn't found a home.
Then chop went the ax and down fell a tree
And off it went with a happy family!
(continue from 4-1 Christmas Trees)
No little Christmas Trees standing all alone.
Their hearts were very happy ‘cause they all found a home!!!

Here Is The Chimney

Here is the chimney (Make fist, enclose thumb)
Here is the top. (Palm of hand on top of fist)
Open the lid. (Remove hand quickly)
And out Santa will pop. (Pop up thumb)

Way up High on the Christmas Tree

Way up high on the Christmas tree (Point up)
Two little candy canes winked at me (wink),
So I shook that tree as hard as I could (pretend to shake tree)
And down dropped those candy canes (squat down)
Mmm, Mmm, Good!! (Rub Tummy)

Activities:

Santa Hat

Make a Santa hat for next week’s Holiday Parade.

Reindeer Chow

We’ll mix up some oats and glitter to make a treat for the reindeer.

Ornamental Match

Match different circle sizes to their corresponding ornaments.

Stick the Bow to the Present

Like the popular party game with a donkey and a tail!

Games

Reindeer Pokie (Sung To: Hokey Pokey)

You put your antlers in,
you put your antlers out,
you put your antlers in,
then you shake them all about.

You do the reindeer pokie
And you turn yourself around,
That's what it's all about.

You put your hooves in,
you put your hooves out,
you put your hooves in,
then you shake them all about.

You do the reindeer pokie
And you turn yourself around,
That's what it's all about.

You put your tail in,
you put your tail out,
you put your tail in,
Then you shake the,em all about.

You do the reindeer pokie
And you turn yourself around,
That's what it's all about.

You put your red nose in,
you put your red nose out,
you put your red nose in,
then you shake them all about.

You do the reindeer pokie
And you turn yourself around,
That's what it's all about.

You put your whole self in,
you put your whole self out,
you put your whole self in,
then you shake them all about.

You do the reindeer pokie
And you turn yourself around,
That's what it's all about.

Santa, Santa, Reindeer

Play just like duck, duck, goose

Jingle Parachute

Place small bells on a parachute. Have each of your children grab a part of the sheet. Everyone picks up the sheet and the bells are in the middle. As you all sing Jingle Bells Have them move the sheet to jingle the bells. At the end of the song everyone raises their arms quickly which sends the bells flying.

Hooked on Cookies!

Books

The Doorbell Rang  by Pat Hutchins

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

Sam's Cookie by Barbro Lindgren

Who Took the Cookie from the Cookie Jar? By David A. Carter

Maisy Makes Gingerbread by Lucy Cousins
Count Your Cookies by Colin Fletcher

MMM, Cookies! By Robert N. Munsch

Songs

Five Little Cookies

Five little cookies With frosting galore.
(Child's Name) ate the red one, then there were four.
Four little cookies, Two and two you see
(Child's Name) ate the green one, then there were three.
Three little cookies But before I knew,
(Child's Name) ate the white one, then there were two.
Two little cookies, Oh what fun,
(Child's Name) ate the brown one, then there was one.

Oreo

Sung to the tune of Sarasponda:
Chocolate cookie, chocolate cookie,

chocolate cookie, yum, yum, yum.
Chocolate cookie, chocolate cookie,

chocolate cookie, yum, yum, yum.
An Oreo, a Chocolate Oreo.
I like the creamy filling in a chocolate Oreo. Yum!

Animal Crackers

Sung to the tune of 99 bottles of pop on the wall

Oh, once I ate a lion, then a tall giraffe,

and when I ate the elephant he really made me laugh.

well you may think I'm silly but I'll tell you the truth,

they were animals crackers and you can eat them too!!

Activities

Cookie Tracing

Using pencils and cookie cutters we’ll practice tracing skills today!

Cinnamon Gingerbread Man

Kids will rub cinnamon stick on sandpaper gingerbread men then decorate with crayons.

Playdough Cookies

Playdough, cookie style! We’ll cut out cookies and use beads to make them festive.

Large Group Game

Who Stole The Cookie from the Cookie Jar?  

Turkey Talk

Books

A Turkey for Thanksgiving by Eve Bunting

Thanks for Thanksgiving by Julie Markes

This is the Turkey by Abby Levine

This First Thanksgiving Day by Laura Krauss Melmed

Over the River and Through the Wood by Lydia Maria Child

Oh, What a Thanksgiving! by Steven Kroll                  

Songs & Fingerplays   

The Turkey

The turkey is a funny bird
His head goes wobble, wobble,
(move head from side to side)
The only word that he can say
Is gobble, gobble, gobble.
(children walk with a wiggle and repeat the last line)

Five Little Turkeys

Five little turkeys sat in their pen,

“Hide, Turkeys, Hide!” said the little red hen.

One little turkey hopped out the door

And when he was gone, there were four.

Four little turkeys sat in their pen.
"Hide, turkeys, hide!" said the little red hen.
One little turkey flew far away
But the other ...(3) decided to stay.

Three little turkeys sat in their pen.
"Hide, turkeys, hide!" said the little red hen.
One little turkey flapped her wings and flew.
And when she was gone, there were ...(2).

Two little turkeys sat in their pen.
"Hide, turkeys, hide!" said the little red hen.
One little turkey flew far away.
But the last ...(1) decided to stay.

1 little turkey sat in his pen.
"Hide, turkey, hide!" said the little red hen.
The last little turkey flew off toward the sun
And when he was gone, there were ...(none).

Feltboard        

Color Turkey Feathers

Mr. Turkey was so sad.
He lost the feathers he once had.
Now he wants us to help him find
all the feathers of his kind.

We will look both high and low,
we will find them, don't you know.
Here's a red one and a blue.
Look, we've found a green one too.

Here's an orange one and a yellow
soon he'll be a feathered fellow.
Now we've found the purple one,
Black and white-we're almost done.

If we just look up and down,
I know we'll find the feather brown.
Now Mr. Turkey is so glad,
We found the feathers he once had.

Game

Turkey Hunt

We’ll go a-huntin’ for some hidden turkeys!

Activities         

Pumpkin Playdough

We’ll get more use out of our pumpkin pie scented playdough…a favorite activity!

Turkey Feathers

Let’s make turkeys with lots of colorful feathers today!

Stuff the Turkey

We’ll toss ‘stuffing’ into large paper bag turkeys for some large motor fun!

Large Group Activity

Gobble, Gobble
One child is the farmer. The rest of the children are turkeys. The farmer closes eyes and the turkeys all go hide. Once hidden the turkeys can randomly and quietly "gobble, gobble". The farmer sets out and finds all his/her turkeys.

Slice O' Pie

Books:

16 Runaway Pumpkins by Dianne Ochiltree

Ugly Pie by Lisa Wheeler

Pie in the Sky by Lois Ehlert

Thelonius Monster’s Sky=High Fly Pie by Judy Sierra

The Perfect Pumpkin Pie by Denys Cazet

Amelia Bedelia’s First Apple Pie by Herman Parish

The Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall

I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie by Alison Jackson

The Apple Pie that Papa Baked by Lauren Thompson

Songs:

First you take the pumpkin and you pick it, 
You pick it, you pick it, pick it, pick it. 
Pumpkin, Pumpkin Pie Yummy! Pumpkin, Pumpkin Pie Yummy! 

Then you take the pumpkin and you carve it, 
You carve it, you carve it, carve it, carve it. 
Pumpkin, Pumpkin Pie Yummy! Pumpkin, Pumpkin Pie Yummy! 

Next you take the spices and you mix it, 
You mix it, you mix it, mix it, mix it. 
Pumpkin, Pumpkin Pie Yummy! Pumpkin, Pumpkin Pie Yummy! 

You put it in the oven and you wait, 
You wait, you wait, you wait, you wait. 
Pumpkin, Pumpkin Pie Yummy! Pumpkin, Pumpkin Pie Yummy! 

You take it out the oven and you bite it,
You bite it, you bite it, bite it, bite it 
And you chew it, you chew it, chew it, chew it, chew it. (Sing like your mouth is full)
Pumpkin, Pumpkin Pie Yummy! Pumpkin, Pumpkin Pie Yummy! 

Ring Around the Pumpkin

Ring around the Pumpkin,
Pocket full of nuts,
Leaves, leaves,
They all fall down.

March around the pumpkin…

Stomp around the pumpkin…
Tip-toe around the pumpkin…
Jump around the pumpkin…

Activities:

Pumpkin Pie Playdough

Kids will use pumpkin pie scented playdough to serve up some Pumpkin Pie!

Slice O’ Pie

Using pumpkin pie colored and scented glue, kids will create their own Slice O’ Pie.

Pumpkins on the Vine

Kids will use counting skills to count little pumpkins.

Large Group Activity:

Beanbag Games

Ideas for Home

Easy Pumpkin Pudding 
Materials and Ingredients: 
1 cup vanilla pudding for each child  
2 tsp. Libby's easy pumpkin pie mix per child 
A bowl for each child 
A spoon for each child

Description: Help young children measure and place one cup of vanilla pudding in their individual bowls. Next, measure out 2 tsp. pie mix with each child. Ask children to mix the vanilla pudding and the pie mix together for a seasonal and yummy treat.

No Bake Pumpkin Pie
Individual recipe:
Small custard-sized pie crusts
2 tablespoons canned pumpkin
1 tablespoon marshmallow creme
1 tablespoon prepared whipped topping
Sprinkle of cinnamon
  
Mix all ingredients together and pour into the crust. The recipe is then ready to eat; if you wish, it may be refrigerated or frozen.

Terrific Trains!

Books                   

I Love Trains! by Philemon Sturges

The Train Ride by June Crebbin

 Clickety Clack by Rob and Amy Spence 

Songs & Fingerplays

Little Red Caboose

Little red caboose, chug chug chug
Little red caboose, chug chug chug
Little red caboose, behind the train, train, train
Smokestack on the, back, back, back
Running down the, track, track, track
Little red caboose, behind the train

Engine On The Track

Here is the engine on the track (hold up thumb )
Here is the coal car, just in back (pointer)
Here is the box car to carry freight (middle)
Here is the mail car. Don't be late. (ring)
Way back here at the end of the train. (little)
Rides the caboose through the sun and rain

Down by the Station

Down by the station 
Early in the morning 
See the little puffer bellies, All in a row
See the station master 
Turn the little handle 
Puff, puff, toot, toot, off we go.

I’ve Been Working on the Railroad

I've been working on the railroad,
All the live-long day.
I've been working on the railroad,
Just to pass the time away.
Can't you hear the whistle blowing,
Rise up so early in the morn,
Can't you hear the captain shouting,
"Dinah, blow your horn."

Dinah, won't you blow,
Dinah, won't you blow,
Dinah, won't you blow, your horn?
Dinah, won't you blow,
Dinah, won't you blow,
Dinah, won't you blow, your horn.

Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah,
Someone's in the kitchen, I know,
Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah,
Strummin; on the old banjo.

Singing
Fee-fi-fiddle-ee-i-o,
Fee-fi-fiddle-ee-i-o-o-o-o
Fee-fi-fiddle-ee-i-o,
Strummin' on the old banjo

Activities            

Brio Trains

Have fun creating train layouts with Brio trains.

Shoebox Trains

Take the animals for a ride in a shoebox train.

Shape Trains

Use shapes and glue to create your own shape train!

                                                                                

Large Group Movement              

People Train

What could be more fun that pretending to be a long train chuggin’ along the tracks?!   

Ideas for Home

Train Whistle

What You Need: Toilet Paper Tubes, Wax Paper, Rubber Band, Paint

Decorate a toilet paper tube with paint. Then punch a hole about a half-inch down the tube. Finally put a circle of wax paper over one end secure it with a rubber band. Now your children can pretend to be a train and make whistle like noises (sounds more like a kazoo)

Pumpkin Heads

Books: 

It’s Pumpkin Time by Zoe Hall

Joey the Jack O’Lantern by Janet Craig

Very Scary by Tony Johnston

Pumpkin Heads by Wendell Minor

Songs: 

5 Little Pumpkins

Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate

the first one said, "Oh, my! Its getting late!"

The second one said, "There are witches in the air!"

The third one said, "But we don't care!"

The fourth one said, "Let's run, let's run!"

The fifth one said, "Its only Halloween fun."

Then woooooo went the wind, and out went the light,

And five little pumpkins rolled out of sight.

The Pumpkin on the Vine

The pumpkin on the vine, the pumpkin on the vine,

I picked the one that weighed a ton

And that’s the one that’s mine.

I made two funny eyes,

A mouth that’s oversized,

The other gook my mother took,

For baking pumpkin pies!

That Jack O’ Lantern (CLAP!) of mine!

Activities:        

Pumpkin Heads

After reading the book Pumpkin Heads, we’ll have lots of great ideas for creating our own pumpkin heads with construction paper.

Pumpkin Pie Playdough

What more can be said about Pumpkin Pie scented playdough…fun!

Pumpkins on the Vines

We’ll practice counting to ten with pumpkins on the vines.

Next Week:

We're having a Halloween Party! 

The folks at the Senior Center really enjoy our annual Costume Parade, so come in costume!

Please see the sign up sheet for our party supplies and snacks!

Monster Mania

Books:
10-Step Guide to Living With Your Monster by Laura Numeroff
Glad Monster, Sad Monster by Ed Emberly
My Monster Momma Loves Me So by Laura Leuck
Go Away Big Green Monster! by Ed Emberly


Songs & Fingerplays:

Horns and Fangs

(Sung to: "Head and Shoulders")
Horns and fangs and knees and claws, knees and claws, knees and claws.
Horns and fangs and knees and claws, eyes and ears and tail and paws.  

Five Little Monsters

This little monster has a big red nose
This little monster has purple toes.
This little monster plays all night.
This little monster is such a delight.
And this little monster goes:
"Tee-hee-hee"
"I'm not scary, I'm just silly me."
(Hold up hand and point to each finger)

If You Are a Monster 

Sung to: " If you're happy and you know it"

If you're a monster and you know it wave your arms

If you're a monster and you know it wave your arms.

If you're a monster and you know then your arms will surely show it. 

If you're a monster and you know it wave your arms.

Continue with:

...show your claws

...gnash your teeth

...stomp your feet

...growl out loud

Flannelboard

Little Monster, Little Monster

Materials: 6 to 8 colored beds made from felt. A monster cutout small enough to hide behind the beds. Place each colored bed on the flannel board, while children are not looking hide the monster behind one of the beds. Allow each child to choose a colored bed to recite this poem then look for the  little monster under the bed.

***Little monster, little monster, are you under the (red) bed?***

Activities:

Big Green Monster! 

We'll create our very own Big Green Monsters!

Large Group Activity:

Monster Mash!

Let's have a Monster Dance Party!

Scholastic Book Club Orders

 

 

 

 

Book Club Order Due Date : October 13

 

 

 

 

Online Ordering Information

Web address: scholastic.com/bookclubs

Class Activation Code: HF284

 

Dear Circle Time Parent,

 

Now it's easier than ever to find the perfect books for your child -- shop our NEW online Book Clubs Web site. Choose from a much-wider selection of books than in the printed flyer. Plus, you can send your orders directly to me online and use your credit card to pay.

 

It's so simple! Here's how it works:

• SIGN UP at www.scholastic.com/bookclubs. On the parent page, register by clicking click the "Don't have a user name or password?" link. When prompted, enter the one-time Class Activation Code shown above. This unique code ensures that your order is sent to me. 
  
• SELECT the books you'd like to order—choose from thousands of titles—many more than in our monthly flyers. 
  
• SEND your order to me online by the due date and your child's books will be delivered directly to me, I'll bring them to class before the end of the session.
  

Ordering online is fast, easy, and secure.

Of course, you can still order using the form from the printed flyer. But why not see for yourself how convenient it is to order online?


Thank you,
Jean Barresi

October is Fire Prevention Month!

We'll have a special visitor this week to talk to us about Fire Prevention and Safety!


Books:
check out your local library for a large assortment of 
fire safety books!


Songs:

I'm a Firefighter
sung to "I'm a Little Teapot"
I'm a firefighter. (Point to self.)
Here's my hose. (Outstretch arm with finger pointed.)
I put out fires As everyone knows.
When I see a fire (Hand over brow.)
I douse it out. (Outstretch arm with finger pointed.)
"Thank you! Thank you!" people shout!


Hurry Hurry Drive the Fire Truck
Hurry, hurry, drive the fire truck, (steering wheel motion)
Hurry, hurry, drive the fire truck,
Hurry, hurry, drive the fire truck,
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding.


Hurry, hurry, climb the ladder.... (climb ladder motion)
Hurry, hurry, spray the water...   (hold fire hose & spray motion)


Ideas for Home:
Match Hunt

Have a match hunt. Hide pieces of paper cut in the shape of a match around the house. When your child finds a match he/she must alert an adult to throw it out. This will reinforce the Never Touch Matches rule.




Fire Engine Cookies
Graham crackers, red frosting (cherry or strawberry), oreo cookies, black licorice
Cut off one corner of a cracker. Frost with the cracker. Split the oreos apart and place one on the front and one on the back for the wheels lay a black licorice across the top for the ladder.


Links:
http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/kids/flash.shtm

Fresh Fall Leaves

***Please bring in some leaves from home this week!***

Books: 
Fresh Fall Leaves by Betsy Franco 
Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert 
Leaf Jumpers by Carol Gerber 
When Autumn Falls by Kelli Nidey 

Songs & Fingerplays: 
Leaves on the Tree 
Sung to Wheels on the Bus
The leaves on the trees turn orange and brown,
orange and brown, orange and brown.
The leaves on the trees turn orange and brown
All around the town.
The leaves on the trees come tumbling down, tumbling down, tumbling down.
The leaves on the trees coming tumbling down,
Down to the ground.
The leaves on the ground go swish, swish, swish,
swish, swish, swish, swish, swish, swish
The leaves on the ground go swish, swish, swish
All over the ground. 

Flannelboard: 
Five Little Leaves 
Five little leaves, so happy and gay
were dancing about on a tree one day
the wind came blowing through the town
and one little leaf came tumbling down.
Four , three two, one little leaves…(repeat) 

Activities: 
Leaf Rubbings

We'll use fall colored rubbing crayons to create beautiful leaf rubbings!
Matching Leaves 

Put your keen observation skills to the test and see if you can match the pairs of leaves.
Fall Feely Bags

Close your eyes and reach inside and see what you can feel. Kids will use their sense of touch to explore fall related objects.

Large Group Activity: 
Parachute Games

Let's use our leaves to make our own fall fun with the parachute!

Ten Red Apples

Books:        
10 Apples Up On Top by Dr. Seuss

Ten Red Apples by Pat Hutchins
Dappled Apples by Jan Carr 

Songs:

10 Red Apples

Sung to the tune of 10 Little Indians

One red, two red, three red apples,
Four red, five red, six red apples,
Seven red, eight red, nine red apples,
Ten red apples, Yum! Yum! Yum! (rub tummy on yums)
Repeat for yellow, green and brown apples, but last line of brown verse ends..
10 brown apples Yuk! Yuk! Yuk! (push away with both hands)

All Around The Apple Tree

Sung to the tune of "Mulberry Bush"

Here we go round the apple tree, the apple tree, the apple tree
Here we go around the apple tree
On a frosty morning.
This is the way we climb the ladder
-pick the apples
-wash the apples
-peel the apples
-cook the apples

Flannelboard:    

Five Red Apples

Five red apples hanging on a tree (five fingers held up)
The juiciest apples you ever did see! (rub tummy)
The wind came past (cup hands around mouth and blow) And gave an angry frown (shake head and look angry) And one little apple came tumbling down.
Four red apples, etc.


Activities:    

Apple Trees

Kids will make their very own apple trees with construction paper and dot paints today!

Apple Balancing

How many bean bag apples can you balance on your head?
Apple Toss

Fun with a good ol' fashioned apple toss!


Movement Games:    

Worm Through the Apple

Children stand in a line with feet apart. One child is the "worm" and crawls through the "apple" (children's feet). When the child reaches the end the next person in line becomes the "worm".

 
Pass the Apple

Play just like Hot Potato. The children pass an apple until the music stops. Who ever is holding it when the music stops is sent to the apple patch (the center of the circle).