Fall is Here at Fun School Friday!

Fall has definitely made her early appearance here down in the Valley. If that is not the case in your little neck of the woods, feel free to adapt these ideas to whatever season has taken up residence where you live.

Art Challenge: Stained Glass Candle Holders

Materials:
Clear Votive candle cups
Tissue paper in fall colors (NOT metallic tissue)
School glue or PVC glue (Elmer's works well)
Wide tipped artist brushes
Votive or tea light candles

Directions: Tear the tissue paper into small pieces (not confetti, mind you.) Dip the brush into the glue and "paint" the tissue paper bits onto the outside of your votive cup. Cover the outside surface, overlapping the pieces of tissue paper to create interesting color effects. Allow the glue to dry. Insert candle and light it. The candlelight should create a "stained glass" effect when shining through your colored votive cup. (NOTE: NEVER EVER EVER leave your children alone with an open flame!!) You can use these in your window at night, or as a decoration for a table for dinner, or during prayer/devotional time.

Language Challenge: Read, and perhaps memorize or dramatize, some great seasonal poetry. Suggestions:
Robert Frost' s "After Apple Picking," "Gathering Leaves" or "Nothing Gold Can Stay"
John Keats's "Ode to Autumn"
Emily Dickinson's "Autumn"
Emily Brady's "Leaves"
John Updike's "September"

Nature Challenge: Get ready for autumn's natural bounty with an Autumn Watch Guide from Nature Detectives. (For those of you who don't get much Autumn, of for whom this time of year may be Spring, a quick search of the site may help you find nature activities more appropriate to your location and climate.)

Cooking Challenge: Get the whole family involved in making a big pot of your favorite chili, soup or stew. How about baking an apple pie? Or making apple butter or applesauce in the crock pot? If you haven't got any favorite fall-ish recipes, here's one of our family favorites:

Crock pot Cider

1 gallon apple cider or natural apple juice
1 quart cranberry juice
several pieces of cinnamon stick
whole cloves

Place everything in your crock pot. Cook on low until heated through. If needed, stir a little honey, maple syrup or brown sugar in your cider to sweeten it.

Musical Challenge: Listen to Vivaldi's "Autumn" from the Four Seasons. Or, if you prefer, Scott Joplin's "Maple Leaf Rag." Classics for Kids has the music plus an activity sheet and info on Joplin's "Maple Leaf Rag" for those of you who HAVE to make it schoolish.