Materials
What to do
1. Use the following poems throughout the school year.
September
September is the month now.
Time for school to start.
We'll make lots of friends
And keep them in our heart.
October
October is the time we dress up me and you,
Put on scary costumes and then yell BOO!
November
November is for turkeys they eat till they wobble.
Then on that special day, we say, "Gobble, gobble!"
December
Ho, ho, ho! December is here.
Santa comes with presents.
And our hearts are filled with cheer.
January
January is a cold month.
There can be lots of snow.
And if you have a sled.
Then down the hill you'll go!
February
February is a time of hearts of pink and red and white too
It's also a time of saying, "I love you!"
March
March brings St. Patrick's Day and that silly leprechaun.
When the 17th arrives you put your green on.
April
April showers bring May flowers and also Easter Eggs
Don't forget the bunny who hops upon his legs!
-Lisa M. Chichester, Parkersburg, PA
Instructions
1. At the beginning of the year, take a photo of each child.
2. Trace the apple pattern (see illustration) onto red construction paper. Cut out
the apple shapes.
3. Give the children their photos. Help them cut their photos to fit onto an
apple.
4. Help the children glue their photos to their apple shapes.
5. Cover each apple with clear contact paper or laminate it.
6. Punch a hole into the stem of each apple. Pull a short piece of yarn through
the hole and tie in a knot.
7. Draw a large tree on a
piece of butcher paper
and hang it near the
door to the classroom.
8. Attach small plastic
game pieces to the tree
using a hot glue gun
(adult only). Ask the
children to hang their
apples on the tree.
9. Every morning, call on
each child individually
and give him an apple.
10. Sing, "This is Steven's
apple. Where will
Steven play? Tell me,
tell me, tell me, now
what's the plan today?"
(Tune: Row, Row, Row
Your Boat)
11. Encourage the child to
say aloud what he will
do that day. For example,
"I am going to play
in the Construction Zone
and make a big tower."
12. Finally, the child takes his apple and places it on the apple tree.
13. Continue until each child has had a turn.
14. This makes a great opening exercise each morning and gives the children
experience in making a daily plan and following it.
Cut out the photos from the apple each month and glue them to a new shape,
such as a pumpkin in October, a turkey in November, and so on. This makes a
nice shape display for the room as well.
