PLANTING ACORNS
Submitted by Wendy
Take the children on a nature walk and have them collect acorns. When
you get back to the class room, have them wrap the acorns in a damp
paper towel and put it in your classroom window seal. Redampen the
towels as needed. Watch them Sprout, then if you'd like you can take
the children and let them plant them outside! This is a neat science
idea for the fall!
Squirrel Short Path Game
Materials:
2 pieces of poster board
20 self adhesive circles to form 2 paths of 10
1 squirrel stamp to make squirrel at end point of game
2 acorn caps mounted on different colored thread spools to use as movers
1-3 die
1 basket
Assorted nuts
Child's Level:
This is for the child who is at the beginning counting stage and has
successfully played the game with a 1-3 die. A collection basket
of nuts is added to extend play.
Modifications:
Add 1-4 spinner
Use acorns instead of mixed nuts for collection pieces
Squirrel Long Path Game
Materials:
Posterboard
42 self adhesive stickers to form path
Pictures of acorns to use for bonus and trap spaces
Fall leaf stickers to use for end of game
Squirrel stamp used to mark beginning of game
2 squirrels mounted of different colored wooden spools
2 1-6 dice
Child's Level:
This is for the child who has been successful with a short path game
and a 1-6 die and is ready to move on to a longer path and have an
additional die added on.
Title: Brown Squirrel (Song with actions)
Submitted by Caroline Caroline5@aol.com
Brown squirrel, brown squirrel (stand with hands in front of your chest
and bend your knees twice)
Swish your bushy tail (wiggle your bottom)
REPEAT
Wrinkle up your little nose (point to nose)
Hold a nut between your toes (point to your toes)
Brown squirrel, brown squirrel
Swish your bushy tail.
GO NUTS FOR COUNTING
Submitted by Miranda
Materials: With felt cut out a tree, put a bunch of nuts at the
bottom of your tree made out of felt. Make a squirrel at the
bottom of the tree. Make cards that say different numbers.
Procedure: The kindergarteners or prek pick a card and then get to put
that many number of acorns from the tree in the squirrels mouth! Great
for learning counting and number recognition! They love it!!!
SQIRREL FINGERPLAYS
Submitted by Jan
These finger plays can be made into felt board activities.
You will need a tree with branches and leaves a squirrel and acorns
The Squirrel
These are the brown leaves fluttering down,
And this is the tall tree, bare and brown.
This is the squirrel with eyes so bright,
Hunting for nuts with all his might.
This is the hole where day by day,
Nut after nut he stores away.
When winter comes with its cold and storm,
He'll sleep curled up, all snug and warm.
Five Little Squirrels
Five little squirrels sitting by the door,
One ran away and then there were four.
For little squirrels climbing up a tree,
One ran away and then there were three.
Three little squirrels with coats so new.
One ran away and then there were two.
Two little squirrels warming in the sun,
One ran away leaving only one.
One little squirrel wasn't having any fun,
He ran away and then there were none.
WHERE IS THE SQURREL?
Cut a felt tree and a squirrel.
Bring the felt board and shapes to circle time. Put the tree
on the board. Talk about its branches, trunk and leaves.
Place the squirrel on the board.
Ask the children where the squirrel is in relation to the tree.
For example, it might be on, near, in back of, under, next to, or on top of
it.
Have a child come up to the felt board and move the squirrel to another place. Now
where is the squirrel?
Five Furry Squirrels
One furry squirrel dashes by,
Two furry squirrels are way up high.
Three furry squirrels some nuts to hide,
Four furry squirrels all play outside.
Five furry squirrels chase round and round,
Scattering acorns on the ground.
A Little Squirrel
I saw a little squirrel,
A-picking up acorns.
I saw a little squirrel,
She ran up a tree.
She ran up and ran down,
She ran up and ran down.
A busy little squirrel,
As busy as could be.
ACORN FUN
Scamper into your fall studies with some quick acorn fun. If you live
in an area where acorns are readily available, have youngsters help
you collect some for these activities. If acorns are not available,
squirrel away a supply of nuts from the grocery store. As a safety
precaution, have students wash their hands after handling the acorns.
Sort and classify the acorns into these categories: big/little, cap/no cap,
dark color/light color.
Weigh the acorns on a balance scale.
Crush an acorn to see what's inside. Use a hand lens to observe it.
Encourage a child to make acorn impressions in play dough.
Do acorns float? Find out at the water table.
Roll a large die; then count out the corresponding number of acorns.
SQUIRREL SONGS
Mr. Squirrel (Fingerplay)
Who't that scampering up the tree?
Carrying acorns...1,2,3?
It's Mr. Squirrel with a tail so furry.
He's ready for winter, so don't you worry!
This Little Squirrel
This little squirrel said, "Let's run & play."
(point to each finger in turn)
This little squirrel said, "Let's hunt nuts today."
This little squirrel said, "Yes, nuts are good."
This little squirrel said, "Yes, they're our best food."
This little squirrel said, "Come climb this tree."
(hold forearm up, hand open; run fingers of other hand to
top fast, ending
with thumb & forefinger making a circle)
"And crack these nuts, 1-2-3."
(clap)
SQUIRREL TAILS
Submitted by Staci
A popular project we do each year is to make
squirrel tails. I cut a long tail shape from construction paper. I
tie/tape 2 pieces of string on one side so that I can tie it around
my waist like a belt. I decorate it with yarn or these cool
reeds we find down by the water that look like squirrel tails. I
then tie the tail around my waist before circle time making sure
no children see it. I have left the tail on my chair under
my bottom and tied it while I was talking too, they never figure
it out. Well, after talking about squirrels I tell the children
that I had something that I wanted to show them and cannot find. I
stand up and turn around pretending to look. The l;laugh hysterically
and keep telling me it's on me, I continue to look puzzled and then
finally figure it out. They are now so excited to go make one
them selves and use it in their play.
SQIRREL FUN
Try some "squirrel tail" painting. Use
the long dusters with handles which are similar to feather dusters
but they aren't made of feathers and they are a long oval shape (thus
the "squirrel tail" idea). Drag the duster in cookie sheets
of thick paint and then twirl, wiggle and drag the "tail" on long
sheets of paper. Clean up is easy, just run the dusters under
the faucet to remove paint and hang upside down to drip dry. Fun
and very pretty..especially when using the great autumn colors of
red, yellow and orange.
Fun squirrel facts to share with children:
The squirrel's nest is called a drey. It is
made of twigs and bark and leaves and usually shaped like a
ball. Often times the drey has no entrance so the squirrel
has to push it's way in through the loose twigs.
The squirrel's babies are called kittens.
A Squirrel Song
(to the tune of "She'll Be Coming Round the
Mountain")
I'll be gathering all the acorns till they're
gone.
I'll be gathering all the acorns till they're gone.
I'll be gathering all the acorns, gathering all the acorns,
Gathering all the acorns till they're gone.
next verse:
I'll be eating all the acorns till winter's gone.
SQUIRRELS IDEAS
Submitted by Cheryl
For Art: Acorn Paints
Ages 3,4,5,6
Materials
a.. Several acorns
b.. nutcracker or hammer
c.. bowl
d.. cooking oil
e.. measuring spoon
f.. drawing paper
Procedure
1.. Crack several acorns (at least a dozen)
and collect the yellow meal from inside. Mix with 1/2 teaspoon of
cooking oil to create a paste.
2.. Allow children to paint with the acorn paint.
For Creative Movement: Acorn Maracas
Ages 3,4,5
Materials
a.. Large plastic eggs
b.. acorns
c.. masking tape
Procedure
1.. Place several acorns inside a large plastic
egg and seal with masking tape.
2.. The children use the acorn "maracas" to keep
time to the music.
Developmental Bonus
For fine Motor: Playdough Creations
Ages 3,4,5
Materials
a.. Playdough
Procedure
1.. Ask the children to combine playdough and acorns
to make exotic creations, for example, a decorated cake, funny people with
acorn eyes.
2.. Suggest that the children use the acorns to make
imprints in the playdough.
For Language: Nut Sort
Ages 3,4,5
Materials
a.. A variety of shelled nuts (acorns, pecans,
walnuts, almonds, etc.)
b.. muffin tin
Procedure
1.. Ask the children to sort the nuts into the muffin
pan by color, shape, size or type of nut.
For Science: Acorn Observation
Ages 3,4,5
Materials
a.. Acorns
b.. nutcracker or hammer
c.. magnifying glass
Procedure
1.. Provide cracked and whole acorns for the
children to observe.
2.. Look at the acorns first without the magnifying
glass, then with the glass.
3.. Ask what differences they notice between the
cracked and whole acorns and between using and not using the magnifying glass.
Five Little Squirrels Fingerplay
Five little squirrels sitting in a tree.
The first one said, "It's getting cold for
me."
The second one said, "The leaves are falling
to the ground."
The third one said, "Let's get busy there's nuts to be
found."
The fourth one said, "We better not wait."
The fifth one said, " Fall is really great!"
(Hold up five fingers during the first line. For following
lines hold up the
correct number of fingers to correspond with the squirrel's
number)
Follow up this activity by going on a nut scavenger
hunt.
A Squirrel Song
(to the tune of "She'll Be Coming Round the
Mountain")
I'll be gathering all the acorns till they're
gone.
I'll be gathering all the acorns till they're gone.
I'll be gathering all the acorns, gathering all the acorns,
Gathering all the acorns till they're gone.
(Children make collecting motion with their
hands)
And I'll put them all inside my little home.
I will put them all inside my little home.
I will put them all inside, put them all inside,
Put them all inside my little home.
(children pretend to place nuts in treehouse)
And I'll eat the nuts until the winter's gone.
I will eat the nuts until the winter's gone.
I will eat the nuts until, eat the nuts until,
Eat the nuts until the winter's gone.
(children pretend to eat acorns)
Then I'll do it all again come next fall.
I will do it all again come next fall.
I will do it all again, do it all again,
Do it all again come next fall.
(children make gathering mothin with hands and
arms again)
Squirrel Paper-Bag Puppet
1. Reproduce one squirrel pattern for
each child. Have children color.
2. Glue the squirrel head to the bottom of a lunch
bag.
3. Glue the body and bundle of nuts to the front
of the paper bag.
4. Glue the tail to the back of the bag.
5. Show each child how to place his/her hands in
the bag and curl his/her fingers around the bottom so that when the child moves
his or her fingers, it appears that the squirrel's head is moving.
BOOKS
SEBASTIAN'S GOOD IDEA (Jean Callaghan)
(Sebastian Squirrel
works hard to gather acorns for the winter. Can he find time to play
as well?)
A SQUIRREL'S TALE (Richard Fowler)
(This is a FUN
book! There is a detachable squirrel on the cover of the book. Each
page has slots you can slip him in and out as he travels "through" the
pages. The squirrel is looking everywhere for his nuts. He's
hungry and can't remember where he hid them!)
SQUIRRELS (Brain Wildsmith)
(A very
GOOD informational book on squirrels. Very age
appropriate for preschoolers.)
Title: Five Little Squirrels Fingerplay
Submitted by Mel
Five little squirrels sitting in a tree.
The first one said, "It's getting cold for
me."
The second one said, "The leaves are falling
to the ground."
The third one said, "Let's get busy there's nuts to be
found."
The fourth one said, "We better not wait."
The fifth one said, " Fall is really great!"
Hold up five fingers during the first line.
For following lines hold up the correct number of fingers to correspond
with the squirrel's number)
Follow up this activity by going on a nut scavenger hunt.
Title: ACORN UNIT
Following cross-curricular ideas submitted
by Cherylin
Title: Acorn Painting
In a box lid lay a piece of black (really any color)
paper, dip the acorn in white paint and roll all around, to make a spider web
effect. We did this when we where doing out door bug unit!! Fun
for all ages.
*Bury them in the sand table.
Title: Squirrel and Nut (game)
One child is chosen to be "it" & is given
a nut to hold. The other children form a circle, sitting on the floor. They
extend one hand & close their eyes. "It" tiptoes
around the inside of the circle & puts the nut into one of the
outstretched hands. The one who receives it jumps up & chases
after the other until he catches "it". He/she then becomes "it" & the
games proceeds as before.The children open their eyes as the chase
begins.
Title: Letter Recognition - Acorns
Following cross-curriculum ideas submitted
by Kathy
Cut out 26 acorns and cut the tops off write capitals
on the tops and lower case letters on the bottom halves. The task is
to match the capital letters to the lower case letters
Title: Number recognition and counting
Collect acorns for the children and write numbers on
cards store pieces in cups.
Task: the children count the acorns to match the number
cards
Craft: cut out squirrels and make tail curly by twisting
paper strips around pencils and glue to tail can add a wiggly eye and process
can be finger painting the shape
Title: Whisky, Frisky
Finger Play (traditional)
as written in "Every Day
in Every Way"
Whisky ,frisky, hippity hop
Up he goes to the tree top (hold up one arm and
crawl other hand up)
Whirly, twirly round and round
Down he scampers tthe ground (crawl hand down extended
arm)
Furly,curly what a tail(wave arm like a tail)
Tall as a feather, broad as a sail (hold hands up high,
then wide apart)
Where's his supper? In the shell (hold hands together
in a ball)
Snappity, crackity, out it fell(let hands fall apart)
Title: Five Little Squirrels (traditional)
Five little squirrels sitting in a tree:
The first squirrel said"What do I see?"
The second squirrel said, "I see a gun!"
The third squirrel said, "Oh let's run!"
The fourth squirrel said"Let's hide in the
shade!"
The fifth one said "I'm not afraid."
Then bang went the gun, and away they did run
Title: I'm A Nut
Submitted by Allison
"I'm a little acorn brown,
living on the cold, cold ground.
Ev-ery-body steps on me,
that is why I'm cracked you see.
I'm a nut,(click, click) I'm a nut(click, click)I'm
a nut. I'm a nut I'm a nut(click, click)"
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