Autumn
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TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION |
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Weather: |
winds, frosts, shorter days, length of shadows, position of sun in sky as compared to summer |
Clothing: |
clothing changes from summer to fall, i.e. from shorts to long pants, sweaters, jackets, etc. |
Nature: |
observe fall colours, leaves falling and getting crispy, animals preparing for winter, birds flying south |
Farms: |
harvest time, preparing for winter, food for animals for winter, types of produce available in local supermarkets this time of year, where they came from, how they got to the store |
SETTING THE MOOD |
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Books: |
stories about autumn, pictures of autumn, farms, insects, animals and autumn, poetry |
Displays: |
create colorful displays around the room depicting autumn, i.e. make a large tree and let each child create his/her own leaf and place it on the tree; make a large montage of foods grown by the farmer from magazine pictures; paint a mural of children raking leaves and helping in the garden; collect various leaves, grasses, seed pods, pine and spruce cones, etc. and display on a table along with a magnifying glass (beware of children with allergies) |
Posters/Videos: |
large pictures of autumn scenes i.e. a combine harvesting, a forest changing colour, a squirrel gathering nuts, children raking leaves, etc. Films relating to autumn or seasonal changes |
Speakers/Trips: |
a local farmer, people to discuss the canning of foods, Zoo or Sanctuary Specialists to discuss animals readying themselves for winter, Naturalist to discuss how insects get ready for winter, Horticulturist to discuss trees and plants and what they are doing in the fall season |