Materials
none
Instructions
- 1. On a sunny day in the winter,
talk with the children about
what the sun does to snow. - If possible, point out places
where the snow is melting. - Talk with the children about
how, as the sun comes out
and the temperature rises
above freezing, the snow
begins to melt. Point out that
this would include snowmen as well. - Recite the following song with the children:
Five Little Snowmen by MaryAnn F. Kohl
Five little snowmen standing in a row,
Each had a hat and a big red bow.
Out came the sun and it shone all day,
One little snowman melted away.
(Additional verses: Repeat the song, reducing the number of snowmen
each time.)
Assessment
To assess the children's learning, consider the following:
l Do the children understand what happens to snow in the sun?
l Can the children count backward from five?
Instructions
l Draw a large tree on the mural paper and tack it to a bulletin board with the
bottom of the tree touching the floor.
l Crumple up a large number of sheets of the colored scrap paper or tissue paper.
l Disperse the "leaves" (crumpled papers) about the area beneath the tree.
l Display the jackets, work gloves, and rakes near this tree.
What To Do
1. When discussing the autumn season with the children, talk with them about
what happens to the leaves and trees.
2. Show the children the tree outline on the wall, as well as the "leaves" on the
ground around it.
3. Set out the jackets, plastic rakes, and other materials, and invite the children to
rake up the leaves together.
Teacher - to - Teacher Tip
l For extra fun, hang colored leaf shapes from the ceiling above this dramatic play
area to represent falling leaves.
s o n g
I'm Raking Leaves by Mary J. Murray
(Tune: "Three Blind Mice")
I'm raking leaves. I'm raking leaves.
They're falling from the trees. They're falling from the trees.
Red ones and yellow ones, orange ones and brown ones,
All kinds of colored ones. I'm raking leaves.
Assessment
To assess the children's learning, consider the following:
l Are children able to manipulate the rakes?
l Can the children work together to clean up all the leaves?
