Gather in the Harvest

[Pages:6]Here's a bumper crop of harvest activities just "ripe" for your autumn classroom.

ideas by Resa Audet and Kathy Wolf

Gather in the Harvest

Using reference materials, researching local crop production

Harvesttime brings to mind many images--Indian corn, yellow squash, orange pumpkins,

and bushels of crisp, juicy apples. Introduce your students to harvesttime by reading the classic

Autumn Harvest by Alvin Tresselt. Ask students what they think of when they hear "harvest." Explain

that the harvest happens when crops are ready to be gathered.

Many crops--but not all--are harvested in the fall. Ask students to hypothesize why dif-

ferent crops are ready to harvest at different times. Have older students use encyclopedias and

other reference books to find out when major crops are harvested in their own state. Call your local

Agricultural Extension Service for additional information about crops grown in your area. As a class,

make a list of crops along with the months in which farmers harvest them. If possible, ask a farmer

to describe what harvesttime means to him. Are his crops harvested by machines or picked by field

hands? Help students conclude that harvesttime means hard work. When crops are ready and the

weather is right, farmers and helpers may work into the night to gather in the harvest.

Mystery

Fairy Tales

Folk Tales

Sports

Animals Other

We're Harvesting Good Books!

Promoting an enjoyment of books

To create an October reading-incentive bulletin board, enlarge one copy of the scarecrow pattern and six copies of the basket pattern on page 10. Color and cut out the scarecrow and mount it on the board. Program the baskets and cut slits in them as shown. Create a border of dried corn husks or twisted paper and corn cutouts. Add the title "We're Harvesting Good Books!" Duplicate the corn pattern on page 11 for each student. As each student finishes a book, have him fill in the information on an ear of corn and slip it into a basket.

To vary the display, change the title to "Something to Crow About!" and display students' good work. Or change the title to "We're All Ears for Vowels." Label the baskets with vowels. Program 24 ears of corn with words or pictures for students to match. Laminate both baskets and corn for durability. Place the corn cutouts in a basket near the board. Students choose ears of corn and place the ears in the correct baskets.

King Corn

Recognizing similarities and differences,

identifying corn products

Find out why corn is king when it comes to farming in America. Display foods such as corn chips, corn cereal, corn on the cob, popcorn, canned corn, cornmeal, corn bread, corn syrup, and corn oil. Discuss the similarities and differences among these foods. Explain that all of these foods come from the corn plant.

To share corn facts with your students, make eight corn cutouts (see the pattern and note on page 11) and label each with one of the following facts:

? Corn is the most abundant grain in the Western Hemisphere.

? The United States produces more than half the corn grown in the world.

? Most of the corn is grown in the Corn Belt. ? Native Americans grew corn long before

Columbus arrived. ? The kinds of corn grown today are improved for big-

ger and better harvests. ? Most of the corn grown today is field corn used to

feed livestock. ? Corn is planted in long, straight rows to make it

easier to harvest. ? Corn not fed to animals is made into other products

in mills.

Mount the corn cutouts on a bulletin board and provide each student with a blank copy. Have each student list as many corn products as he can find on his pattern. Students can read labels at home or in grocery stores. (Examples include cereal, syrup, cornstarch, and oil, as well as ketchup, candies, ice cream, margarine, and sausage.) Have students cut out and color their ears and add them to the board.

From Field to Feast

Sequencing steps to plant and harvest corn

For a fascinating social studies lesson, follow the journey of corn from the field to the table. Read aloud Corn Belt Harvest by Raymond Bial. Have students locate the Corn Belt on a map of the United States. Then review the steps in the planting and harvesting of corn.

To prepare, make one copy of the corn pattern on page 11, mask out the words, and duplicate ten ears of corn. Color and cut out the ears; then print each sentence below on an ear. Laminate the ears and place them in a basket. Provide ten clip clothespins and help students clip the ears in order on a line below the chalkboard.

1. A huge tractor pulls a disk to break up the soil. 2. The farmer loads a planter with seed corn. 3. By late spring, young corn plants sprout. 4. By July, the corn may be "head-high." 5. In autumn, the green leaves turn light brown. 6. In late fall, machines called combines pick, shuck,

and shell the ears. 7. Combines unload the corn into trucks or wagons. 8. The corn is stored in grain elevators. 9. Train cars take the corn to mills and processing

plants. 10. At the mills, corn is made into corn products.

You may wish to place the laminated ears and an answer key in a basket at a learning center for individual sequencing practice. As a follow-up activity, assist students in preparing corn bread from a mix. Serve it warm with butter as you review the steps from field to feast!

Crows in a Row

Using manipulatives to reinforce sequencing skills

Explain to children that farmers put scarecrows in fields to frighten away crows that might eat newly planted seeds or damage crops before they can be harvested. The crows learn, however, that the scarecrows are harmless.

For this sequencing activity, students line up these crows in rows. To prepare, duplicate, color, and cut out the art on page 10 and mount it on a string-tie envelope as shown. Program the crow cards on page 12 with ordinal number words to sequence or sets of vocabulary words to put in ABC order. Duplicate each set of cards on a different color of construction paper. Laminate for durability, if desired, before cutting them apart. Program the backs of the cards for self-checking. Band the sets together and store them in the envelope. The student chooses a set of colored crow cards, puts them in sequence, and turns them over to check.

Crows In A Row

1.csCaehrtdoosof.sceroawcolor

2. iPnuotrtdheer.cards

3.

Turn over

cards to check.

squash

pumpkin

7 + 5 = 6 + 6 =

okra

Candy Corn Math

Using manipulatives to solve math facts, writing word problems

Here's a math activity that's something to crow about! Program the crow cards on page 12 with addition or subtraction problems, and duplicate a sheet for each child. Provide pieces of candy corn for students to use as manipulatives to find the answers. Vary this activity by having students create math word problems about crows and write the problems on the crow cards. Put all the sets of cards together at a center, and have each student use the candy pieces to solve the problems posed by his classmates. When the math lesson is over, allow students to eat their candy corn.

8 + 3 =

Animal Harvests

Responding to literature, researching animal harvesters

Autumn is a time of harvest for people and for some animals too. As summer ends, squirrels, chipmunks, and certain types of mice begin gathering food stores for winter. Introduce your class to an animal harvester by reading Heetunka's Harvest by Jennifer Berry Jones. In this story Heetunka the Bean Mouse is busy gathering earth beans to store in her underground home. Trouble begins when a woman takes Heetunka's beans without leaving suet or dried corn to replace them.

After reading this story, have each student illustrate Heetunka gathering her earth beans. Provide each child with a few dried lima beans to glue on his picture. Provide older students with a variety of reference materials to find out how other animals gather and store food.

Scarecrow Pals

Making comparisons, writing from a character's point of view

Share The Scarebird by Sid Fleischman with your students; then make scarecrow puppets to encourage creative writing. This heartwarming story is about a lonely old farmer who builds--and then befriends--a scarecrow. Eventually, Lonesome John realizes the value of human friendship when a young man comes to help him on his farm. After reading the story, ask students to compare the friendship that the farmer had with the scarebird to the friendship he developed with the young man. Ask students to tell why a scarecrow would or would not make a good friend.

Then have each student create his own scarecrow pal. Duplicate the scarecrow pattern on page 10 for each child to color and cut out. Demonstrate how to attach it to a ruler with tape to make a stick puppet.

To set the stage for creative writing, ask children how lonesome it would be to stand alone in a field all day. Who might a scarecrow talk to in a field? What might happen if the scarecrow ran away? On a copy of the reproducible on page 13, have each child write a story from his scarecrow's point of view. Bind the stories in a class book titled "If Scarecrows Could Talk." Younger students can use their stick puppets to act out conversations between their scarecrows and other puppets that you provide.

Here's Something to Crow About! I was tired of

standing all day in a wanFadi.frIiyteltwdo.oIwrakasevkdee!dhIejturhmmepaCegodicrn down and ran away.

Shine on, Harvest Moon

Writing a poem

Full moons are full of magic and mystery. They're made

for storytelling and wishing, too! These harvest moons shine to

inspire poetry. Explain that the harvest moon is the full moon

nearest the September equinox (usually September 23), when

days and nights are equal in length. To set the stage for poetry writing, read aloud the rhym-

ing Barn Dance! by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault, and point out the moonlit illustrations. With your students, make a list of words or phrases to describe the full harvest moon.

ARSrHaheacinorcevnosesosdtntaosmgwieonnoitnlnhikaeeycaeollsorpnwfoiteglllidogwht!.

Then have each child create a poem about the harvest moon.

To make a harvest moon display, each child will need

one 9"x12" sheet of black construction paper, one six-inch yellow

construction paper circle, one small index card, one paper fastener, gold and silver foil

stars, chalk or a white crayon; glue; and a pencil. Have each child write her poem on one side

of her index card. Demonstrate how to glue the card to the center of the black paper. Cover

the card with the moon cutout and attach it, as shown, with a paper fastener. For a final touch,

stick the foil stars to the black paper. Have each child write her name on the back using the

chalk or a white crayon. Display the projects where youngsters can turn the moons upward to

read the poems.

Indian Corn Mosaics

Following directions

Aw, shucks! These colorful corn mosaics will add a bright touch to your room. Purchase a supply of colored popcorn kernels. Fill each section of a muffin tin with a different color of kernels; then place the muffin tin, along with some glue, construction paper, and pencils, at a center. Instruct each student to draw or trace a simple seasonal design on construction paper. Then have him glue kernels of corn to the design. Allow the design to dry; then mount the projects on a bulletin board titled "Indian Corn Mosaics."

Pattern

A Bushel of Harvest Books

Add these titles to your basket of harvest books!

Corn Belt Harvest by Raymond Bial Barn Dance! by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault The Scarebird! by Sid Fleischman

Get ready for a boot-stompin' good time when you host a Harvest Hoedown in your classroom! Decorate your room with bales of hay, pumpkins, and a scarecrow. Invite parents to join you for storytelling and square dancing. Yeehaw!

Scarecrow Announcements

A Guest of Honor

Following directions

Working cooperatively

These inviting scarecrows an-

Gather some good books and

nounce a hoedown to culminate your unit! bales of hay; then build a scarecrow pal

Provide a white, construction paper copy

for your reading corner. Have student

of the scarecrow invitation on page 14 for

and parent volunteers read aloud from

each student. Program the invitation with

your harvest collection (see page 8). End

all of the necessary information before

the story-telling session by reading por-

duplicating it. Have each student color and tions of Scarecrow! by Valerie Littlewood.

fold her scarecrow as shown; then send

Discuss different ways of making scare-

the invitations home. Confirm with parents crows; then give parents and students an

who offer to donate goodies for the cel-

opportunity to make a classroom scare-

ebration.

crow.

Provide a pair of overalls, a long-

sleeved shirt, a straw hat, a bandana,

You're

Invited...

a pair of gloves, a pair of work boots,

to a

Harvest Hoedown!

a paper bag, newspaper, twine, and a selection of scrap materials and craft sup-

plies. With parents' help, have students

stuff the shirt, overalls, and paper bag

with crumpled newspaper. Gather the

top of the bag and secure it at the neck

of the shirt with twine. Insert the gloves

Swing Your Partner!

in the sleeves and the boots in the legs; then secure with twine. Using the scraps

Developing gross-motor skills

and craft materials, add features to the

Plan some high-stepping activities

scarecrow. Put on his hat and bandana

that will have youngsters clapping their

for the finishing touches. Give the guest

hands with delight! If possible, invite a lo-

of honor a name and set him in a chair or

cal square-dance club to demonstrate and on a bale of hay in your reading corner.

teach square dancing to your students.

Or choose some recorded square-dance

Sharing the Harvest

music. Play the music as parents and

Following directions to make a recipe

guests arrive.

As the hoedown hullabaloo winds

Read aloud Barn Dance! by Bill

down, treat your revelers to a hearty

Martin Jr. and John Archambault. In this

feast of vegetable soup. In advance, ask

story a young boy, a fiddle-playing scare-

parents to bring or send in a bag of fresh

crow, and a passel of barnyard animals

or frozen cut vegetables (or a can of veg-

enjoy a rousing, magic-filled night of barn

etable soup), disposable bowls, napkins,

dancing. After reading the story, adjourn

and plastic spoons. You will also need a

to the school gym and invite students and

large soup pot, a ladle, and the season-

parents to grab a partner. Demonstrate

ings listed in your favorite recipe. Help

how to bow to your partner, promenade,

children add the ingredients to a beef

swing your partner, swing your corner, and stock and simmer until snacktime. While

do-si-do. With a bit of practice, your young- the soup is simmering, read Growing

sters will be able to do-si-do like pros!

Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert to young-

sters. Yummm!

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