I was browsing again at the library for inspring books about fall. Here are two to use in preschool, kindergarten, and first grade classes.
Fall Leaves Fall! can be a springboard for improvisation or creating a dance with preschoolers and kindergarteners. You can read the book and use the actions described in the book - changing colors, falling, stomping, kicking, blowing, and catching. The book also describes the shapes and textures of leaves (pointy, smooth, small, large). These words can also be a starting point for movement explorations.
When doing activities like this, I also like to use "fall music" such as Scott Joplin's "Maple Leaf Rag," the jazz standard "Autumn Leaves," and the fall section of Vivaldi's Four Seasons.
With kindergarten and first grade students, you can also explore the book Autumn Leaves by Ken Robbins. This is a more "factual" book on leaves, with nice, clear photos of leaves with a white backdrop on the pages. I would suggest using the book as part of a warm up activity, exploring shape. I like how the book describes various kinds of leaves (gingko, hickory, sweet gum, etc). The book talks about the size of the various leaves and their particular shapes - like stars, like fans, curled, and pointed.
Have fun this fall!
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