Corn
Art
Corn Art
Save some husks and corncobs, allow them to dry. Let your children use them
for these activities.
* Dip the ends of the husks into paint and then brush the paint on paper.
* Make prints by dipping the corncobs into paint, then pressing them on paper.
(Use
the ends of the cobs too.)
another idea:
Take a large piece of bubble wrap and lay it out on the entire table.
Have the children use rollers and large brushes to paint directly onto the
bubble wrap. Then they press a corn shaped piece of construction paper
onto the wrap. When lifted off, it looks like Indian Corn.
Corn Napkin Rings
Take paper towel rolls and cut them into 2" sections. Then have the
children paint the paper towel rolls with colored glue (orange, yellow, brown,
green). Next they roll the gluey paper towel rolls on trays holding
a mixture of dried split peas, yellow corn kernels, dried black beans, kidney
beans and just about any type of dried, colorful bean or pea I could find
in the supermarket. After that dried (2 days) the children used Modge
Podge (found at any craft store) and coated the entire napkin ring.
We placed pretty paper napkins alongside colorful Thanksgiving plates and
it was a huge hit with the children and parents. (We used fun foam
and made bracelets.)
Popcorn Wreaths
For each child cut out a cardboard wreath shape and punch a hole in the top.
Provide the children with glue and popped popcorn. Then have them glue
the popcorn all over the wreath. When the glue has dried, string ribbon
or yarn through the holes in the tops of the wreaths to make hangers.
Corn Shakers
For each of your children, place a spoonful of popcorn kernels in a small
zipper top bag. Put the plastic bag inside a paper lunch bag, fold down the
top of the paper bag several times, staple it in place, and cover the staples
with tape. Let your children decorate their shakers as desired and use them
for music and movement activities.
Indian corn
Snip paper strips and gluing them on to corn shapes cut from graph paper.
or
Trace a corncob shape onto construction paper, and then cut out. Crumple
small pieces of brown, orange, yellow, red, and black tissue paper. Glue
the tissue paper to the corncob cutout to resemble corn kernels. When the
glue dries, complete the activity by wrapping a large piece of tissue paper
around the cutout to represent corn husks. Mount these harvest projects on
a wall or bulletin board, arranging them in columns among tissue paper leaves
and stems to resemble cornstalks.
Large Black Crows
Paint crow shapes with black glue and add black feathers, orange beak, and
eyes. The class might then want to make a scarecrow to scare away the crows
and protect the corn!
(I think we will make Turkeys instead since it is Nov. and have the scarecrows
protect the corn from them.)
Sensory Play
Put popcorn (popped or unpopped) in the sensory table.
Dye popcorn kernels with food coloring and rubbing alcohol.
Food Recipes
Cooked Shucked Corn on the Cob
Shuck ears of corn, cook them, and then eat the corn. Delicious!
Corn Snacks
Serve foods that are made from corn for your children to taste and compare.
Here are just a few suggestions:
* Cornbread
* Corn tortillas
* Cornflakes
* Corn chips
Colorful Popcorn Balls
Just follow the directions to make about 15 three-inch balls.
Ingredients and Materials:
12 cups popped popcorn (about 1/2 cup of kernels)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) margarine
one 10 1/2 ounce bag miniature marshmallows
one ounce package of any flavor of gelatin
cooking spray
waxed paper
colorful plastic wrap
curling ribbon
decorative stickers
Directions:
Pour the popped popcorn into a large bowl. Melt the margarine and the marshmallows
in a microwave safe bowl on high power in a microwave (about two minutes).
Add the gelatin; then stir the mixture well. Pour the mixture over the popcorn,
stirring until the popcorn is evenly covered. Allow it to cool slightly.
Spray cooking spray on a child's clean hands. Direct him to shape a handful
of the mixture into a ball and then set the ball on waxed paper until it
cools completely. Wrap the ball in colorful plastic wrap; then tie the ends
with curling ribbon. Have each child decorate his ball with stickers.
Easy Corn Pudding
2 cups fresh corn (could substitute frozen I would think)
3 eggs slightly beaten
2 tsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 tsp. salt
pinch pepper
2 cups milk
Combine corn, sugar, salt and pepper. Add eggs and mix. Add butter to milk;
heat until butter is melted. Blend in milk to corn mixture. Put into baking
dish, bake at 325 for 1 hour or until knife comes out clean.
Corn Bread
Get a package mix and follow the directions. Serve with Tomato Soup
and String Cheese for lunch.
Songs & Rhymes
I Am Popcorn
Sung to: Frere Jacques
I am popcorn, I am popcorn.
In the pan, in the pan.
Watch me start hopping,
Watch me start popping,
Here I go -- POP! POP! POP!
Now I’m ready, now I’m ready.
Puffy and white, crunchy every bite.
Here comes the butter,
Here comes the salt.
Here I go -- Now I’m gone!
See The Little Kernel
Tune: I’m A Little Teapot
I’m a little kernel in a pot, (crouch down)
Turn on the heat and watch me hop. (hop)
When I get all warmed up, then I’ll pop, (jump)
Umm, I taste good when I’m hot! (lick lips)
Popcorn
You put the oil in the pot
And you let it get hot.
You put he popcorn in
And start to grin.
Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle, sizzle
Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle, sizzle
Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle, sizzle
POP!
Popcorn Popping
Sung to: Old MacDonald Had a Farm
Popcorn popping, oh, what fun!
Popping big and white.
We will wait until it’s done,
Then we’ll grab a bite.
With a pop, pop here,
And a pop, pop there,
Here a pop, there a pop,
Everywhere a pop, pop.
Popcorn popping, oh, what fun.
Popping big and white.
Out in the Cornfield
Tune: "Down by the Station"
Out in the cornfield early in the morning,
See all the cornstalks standing in a row.
See the little farmers picking ears of corn.
Pick, pick, pick, pick, watch them go!
Lead your children in a walk up and down imaginary rows of corn as you sing
and pretend to pick the ears.
We Love Corn
Tune: "Three Blind Mice"
We love corn, we love corn.
Yes we do, yes we do.
We love it for dinner and love it for lunch.
It's so delicious to munch and munch.
And popcorn has such a wonderful crunch
That we love corn!
Large Motor Play
Popcorn Parachute Play
When singing with the children each child has a yellow ping-pong ball and
they throw it onto the parachute and make it jump:
"I'm a little popcorn in a pot,
Heat me up and watch me pop,
When I get all fat and white I'm done,
Making popcorn is so much fun"
Pretend the pot (parachute) is getting hot; then it is sizzling; then just
right for the popcorn kernels (ping pong balls) to be put on top of the pan
(parachute). Then ‘pop’ the corn. They love it!!!
Math & Science
Corn Graph
Talk about the ways we eat corn. Then make a graph with headings such as
these: Canned Corn, Corn on the Cob, Creamed Corn, Frozen Corn. Give each
of your children a sticker to place in the column that tells their favorite
way to eat corn. Which way is the group's most favorite? Least favorite?
Popcorn Kernel Math
* Place numbered cupcake liners in a muffin tin. Have your children put matching
numbers of kernels into the cups.
* Invite the children to estimate the number of kernels in a small jar before
counting the kernels with the group.
* Write a numeral on paper for each of your children. Let them glue on matching
numbers of kernels.
Comparing corn items
Let the kids compare fresh corncobs, popcorn kernels, dried Indian corn,
canned corn, cornmeal, corn flakes, and corn chips.
