Week one was all about apples. For our sensory bin, I made an applesauce/pie play dough. Z loved playing with the oats, cinnamon sticks, and metal tins to make pretend apple baked goodies.
For snack we did an apple tasting: ranging from tart and crisp to sweet and soft apples with Greek yogurt based dips: peanut butter, honey, and cinnamon spice.
We took apples outside and found out how they roll down the slide. We played catch and bowling using the caution cones as “gloves” and bowling pins
. For a craft we used apples cut into several directions as a stamp. We also dipped a marble in paint and rolled across a box lid creating a multi-colored apple.
For STEM we played “sink or float” and after realizing apples float, we made an apple boat.
For a science snack we hollowed out an apple put OJ in it and blew bubbles- then blew again after adding milk and made great big bubbles!
We watched Johnny Appleseed short and learned about the life cycle of apples. We learned about the parts of an apple by dissecting and looking at seeds.
For our field trip we went to a corn maze and pumpkin patch.
Z loved exploring the twists and turns of the maze and especially climbing up the bridges to see out.
When we picked pumpkins, he wanted a red one (his favorite color).
Z was brave and went on the cow train tractor ride all by himself with mom and dad waving from the side.
Our second week we focused on leaves. We had a sensory bin full of fake leaves, pine cones, acorns, and sand. Z loved blowing the leaves and raking them.
We learned about the clock using a leaf matching puzzle: digital number on the stem (popsicle stick) and the analog on the leaf.
For snack we did pretzels branches and candy corn leaves.
For crafts Z enjoyed using a hole puncher to string a pattern of fabric leaves into a garland. We also did pressed/rubbed leaves with crayons as well as leaf outlines/stamps with paint.
To practice counting and number recognition we read the number of leaves tied with a branch (pipe cleaner) then practiced our fine motor skills stringing the correct amount beads on the branch.
For STEM we explored the parts of a leaf, studying our collection with our magnifying glass. We categorized them: big to small, tall to short, light to dark, rainbow order, and by shape: triangle or circle. We really enjoyed crushing leaves in clear cups with hand sanitizer. In a few hours the liquid became the pigment/color of the leaves.
Z loved going in our backyard (the only place we have non-evergreens) and catching yellow birch and maple leaves as they fell from the trees.
For our third week we learned about pumpkins. For our sensory activity I made a pumpkin spice play dough and added google eyes and green pipe cleaners to make pumpkins. Z had other ideas making some detailed monsters and machines (which he was very proud of).
For art Z painted pumpkins with NaiNai and swirly pumpkins using shaving cream and food dye (by mixing yellow and red together).
For STEM we investigated a pumpkin weighing, measuring, and describing it’s exterior.
Later we explored inside, separating the parts and learning how pumpkins grow.
Z loved playing “save the pumpkin” from the water (the tray) with candy corn pumpkins and pinchers.
Z was so happy to use his hammer and pegs in a new game. He rolled the numeric or alphabet dice and hammered a peg into the corresponding letter or number.
One of Z’s favorite activities was using the ever popular baking soda and vinegar mixture to make a pumpkin volcano. After this I am told Papa and Z put the pumpkin in a bucket and used a pulley system to pull it up to the tree house window, then dropped it watching it smash on the ground.
For snack we did pumpkin bread and pumpkin pie cups.
Later in the week Z enjoyed playing ring the pumpkin and carving his pumpkin with L.
That is just a glance at the first three weeks of our farm and fall unit.
The next three weeks focused more on the farm concept so just wait for more!
A.Greene's Adventures 