September Circle

Rise up O Flame, By thy light shining, Bring to us vision, beauty and joy. (sung, from the floor to rising, slowly)

There's the firm earth under me, The blue sky above me,
Here I stride, Here I stand, And I see you too.
With the blue sky above you, The firm earth under you. (marching in place, arms swinging, then raised high, swinging again. Stand still, arms out to friends, then up to sky, swinging again as we march again.)

I'm in the mood for singing, hey how about you?
I'm in the mood for singing, singing along with you.
Hey, hey, what do you say, I'm in the mood for that today,
Hey, hey, what do you say, I'm in the mood for that.
(singing, clapping, snapping, stomping, smiling, winking, spinning, etc.)

Right hand, left foot, meet in the middle,
Left hand, right foot, meet in the middle,
Right arm over left arm, play the fiddle!
Left hand, right foot, meet down low,
Right hand, left foot, meet down low,
Left arm over right arm, pull the bow!
Reach to the right, reach to the left,
Stretch in front, stretch behind,
Look down below, what do you find?
Right hand reach out to a friend,
Left hand reach out to a friend,
Make a circle without end.
Circle to the left, in a ring,
Circle to the right, we will bring,
Our circle to the center, step inside,
Then back out again, like the tide,
Our circle to the center step inside,
Then back out again, like the tide.

Here is an apple tree with leaves so green, Here are the apples that hang in between.
When the wind blows the apples will fall, Here is a basket to catch them all.

"apple" tossing game (beanbags, toss around the circle while we chant our times tables for Avery or count for Miles)

Come with me and dance with me, in the cool of autumn.
All the trees are golden now, all the bells are ringing.
Ring, ring, ring-a, ding, ding, dong, dance and sing together.
Ring, ring, ring-a, ding, ding, dong, in your shoes of leather! (dancing in a ring, holding hands)

Red and yellow, golden brown, all the leaves come falling down, all the leaves come falling down.
(start fast, then slow down as the children sink to the floor)

footwork (tracing geometric shapes with our feet, first circle, then triangle, square, pentagon, as the month goes on, first a taped line, then no guide, then with a crayon in our toes to draw the shape)

Los pescaditos andan en el agua, nadan, nadan, nadan. (swimming fish motions)
Los pajaritos andan en el aire, vuelan, vuelan, vuelan. (flying bird motions)
Son chiquititos, chiquititos. (tiny hand motion)
Vuelan, vuelan, vuelan. (flying again)
Nadan, nadan, nadan. (swimming)

Come ye Thankful People, come, raise a song of harvest home:
Fruit and crops are gathered in, safe before the storms begin;
God our Maker will provide, for our needs to be supplied;
Come to God's own temple, come, raise a song of harvest home.
All the world is but a field, given for a fruitful yield;
Wheat and tares together sown, here for joy or sorrow grown;
First the blade and then the ear, then the full corn shall appear;
God of harvest, grant that we, wholesome grain and pure may be.

Brave and true I will be, Each good deed sets me free.
Each kind word makes me strong, I will fight for the right, I will conquer the wrong.

I can turn myself and turn myself, and curl up as I will.
I can stand on tiptoe, reaching high, I can hold myself quite still.
I can be as small as a small, small seed,
I can be as tall as a tall, tall tree.
I can be as wide as the wide, wide world,
I can just be me.