Learning at Home: Fall

Well, I had planned on showing you our "Human Body" Theme next, but we have been on that theme for like three weeks and the photos aren't quite ready. Having a baby changed our immediate priorities around a  little. ;) But I feel like we are in a groove and we are ready for a new lesson plan. I've waited to do "Fall" activities...cause well, in SoFlo it just hasn't felt like Fall. But pretty soon, in the rest of the country, Fall will be over and these activities may be irrelevant.

There's not really any photos for this post, because we haven't completed this lesson plan yet, and most of the activities are pretty self explanatory. But I wanted to get it posted while it was still Fall in the rest of the country!


Theme: Fall
Letters of the Week: A and F
Songs: 1 Little, 2 Little, 3 Little Leaves....,  ABC phonics song.
Books: Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert; When Autumn Falls by Kelli Nidey; Apple Farmer Annie by Monica Wellington

*ABC phonics song goes like this: "A is for Apple, Ahh Ahh Apple. B is for Baby, Bbb Bbb Baby, etc."  You just sing words for the letter, emphasizing the sound of the letter.



Letters of the Week Coloring (on the chalkboard) ---> Alphabet, Art



Upper Case/Lower Case Matching Game ---> Alphabet, Small Motor
Lower Case Letters are new for my daughter, so we will start off this game really simple. I'll probably just have two different letters out at a time to introduce the concept to her. I'll show her what the lower case letters look like first, then see if she can match them.

from Rub Some Dirt On It 

Pattern Matching ---> Math

I made a felt board by just wrapping an old canvas in some felt. I cut out some felt circles and drew different patterns on each one and cut them in half. I mixed them up and let Adoration try to match them. She did this at first, but then just ended up playing with them after she matched them. (Don't force activities. It's okay if they explore them in different ways than you intended.) 

Apple Printing ---> Theme, Nature, Art Cut an apple in half. Let your little one use the apple as a stamp to dip in paint. You could print on paper or...even on fabric! I'll probably get a canvas tote from the dollar store to let her print on, to use as a library book bag. 



Leaf Collage---> Theme, Nature, Art * Go on a nature walk, collecting leaves.  * On the sticky side of clear contact paper, let your little one place the leaves, making a collage.  * Seal the collage with another piece of contact paper, sticky side down. Display with pride!



Color Matching with egg carton and leaves ---> Theme, Nature, Math, Sorting,Colors
The same concept as this:  

But instead, use leaves/ nature objects your child has collected. I would probably paint colors on the bottom of the egg carton that more closely resemble nature colors instead of the bright primary colors shown in the picture above. 



Which is Bigger, Which is Smaller? with Pumpkins ---> Theme, Math With different sized pumpkins, have your child point out which one is bigger or smaller. 



Carve a Pumpkin/ Bake the Seeds ---> Theme, Sensory, Sorting, Science *Obviously the cutting part is for the adults, but children will love helping you scoop out the goop and seeing the transformation.  *Have your child help you pick out the seeds to bake for a snack for later! Include them in the whole process of preparing/baking the seeds. 



Extra/Just for Fun: *Visit a Pumpkin Patch/ Corn Maze/ etc.  * Bake an apple pie/pumpkin pie together. * Make applesauce * Go apple-picking. * Decorate pumpkins by painting, glitter, stickers, with markers, etc.