Another way to involve the children in the theme unit is to have them make stick puppets to use with songs and poems. They especially work well with counting poems, such as 5 Little Buses. I wrote this little poem to go in our Back to School unit.
5 Little Buses
One little bus driving to school.
Along came another bus and then there were two.
Two buses rolling along merrily.
Along came another bus and then there were three.
Three little buses wishing there were more.
Along came another bus, then there were four.
Four little buses feeling so alive.
Met another bus, then there were five.
Five little buses rolling on their way.
Taking children to the school to spend a happy day!
Each child would color and cut out 5 buses and then glue them to a craft stick. They had so much fun adding buses to their hands as the poem was said. And, they learned a little about addition as well!