• Celebrate Black History Month
• Think Green!
• A Dose of Humor
• Blossoms 'N Birds
• Fun With Father
• Men And Their Cars
• Dog Days Of Summer
• Walking (and Talking)
• Wildlife Resources
• Autumn: Sights, Scents, And Sounds
• Christmas Nostalgia
• The Color White

JANUARY 2009 - CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH

• Author Alex Haley popularized genealogy for people of all races with the publication of the 1976 book, Roots: The Saga of an American Family, which details seven generations of African-American family life. Define the word genealogy (the history of a family). Ask: Why do people study their family trees? Did you ever trace your own family’s immigration history? Invite a guest speaker to talk about the avocation of studying one’s ancestral roots.
• Plan a Duke Ellington Dance. Play any of his numerous recordings and let group members pick their favorites. Invite guests, dress up, and dance - or simply snap your fingers to the music. If a piano is available, ask for resident musicians or staff members to play some Ellington numbers. (Adapted from the ElderSong book Heroes, a featured product for January.)
• Define "soul food." Name some authentic soul food from the Deep South, e.g., cornbread, black-eyed peas, greens, fried chicken. Sample popular desserts such as rice pudding, pound cake, bread pudding, or sweet potato pie.
• Listen to or read excerpts from the audio book My Life with Martin Luther King, Jr. by Coretta Scott King. Ask: Were you involved in any civil rights demonstrations in the 1950s or 1960s? What do you remember about Dr. King?
• Sing the anthem for African Americans, "Lift Every Voice and Sing," composed by James Weldon Johnson and J. Rosamond Johnson. Ask: What is the song’s message?
• Invite a gospel music choir from a local church to perform some African-American gospel songs, or listen to a recording of gospel singer Mahalia Jackson.
• Enjoy some comedy from America’s favorite dad, Bill Cosby. (Options: episodes of The Bill Cosby Show, comedy recordings, book on fatherhood) Ask your participants if they remember Cosby’s Jell-0 Pudding commercials.
• Study the lyrics to Louis Armstrong’s pop song hit "What a Wonderful World" (see CD Louis Armstrong Greatest Hits, a featured product for January.)
a featured product for January) and talk about how Armstrong brought joy to people through his music.
• Watch the inspiring 1963 movie Lilies of the Field, starring Sidney Poitier. Poitier was the first African American to win an Academy Award as Best Actor, for this film.
• Listen to "Sweet Georgia Brown." Challenge your group to whistle the tune, which became the theme song of the Harlem Globetrotters. Recall some memories of their antics on the basketball court.
• Invite your group to learn some basic tap dance steps, in honor of tap dancing pioneer Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. Show some tap dance segments from some of his films, including a variety of Shirley Temple films and Stormy Weather, an all-black musical that featured his dancing.
• Display posters of the great jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald. Enjoy some of her recordings, including her 1938 hit song "A Tisket, A Tasket." Discuss why the "First Lady of Song" is considered a music legend. (Hint: She won 13 Grammy Awards)
• Invite a historian to share the story of the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II. Pass around historic photographs of the first black military aviator unit. Ask: What common values (love of country, heroism, duty, honor, service) were important to the Greatest Generation, regardless of skin color?
• Share some poetry from Langston Hughes (see "Dreams" and other poems) or Maya Angelou. Ask: What was inspiration for the poems?
• Reminisce about black baseball legends (e.g., Satchel Paige, Jackie Robinson, Hank Aaron, and Willie Mays) and their impact on the game. A local library may have a short biographical film to view. Display props such as a Louisville slugger bat and old Topps baseball cards.

FEBRUARY 2009 - THINK GREEN!

• Celebrate Saint Patrick's Day on March 17. Sing some Irish songs, "When Irish Eyes are Smiling," "I'm Looking Over a Four-Leaf Clover," "My Wild Irish Rose," "The Wearin' of the Green." Encourage participants to don something green - hat, tie, socks, or t-shirt.
• Discuss the meaning of the saying, "Luck o' the Irish." Make a holiday craft that is symbolic of luck, such as a Felt Shamrock Necklace or Tissue Paper Shamrocks. (See the ElderSong resource Crafts Through the Year for detailed craft instructions.) Ask: Did you ever have a good luck charm, like a rabbit's foot? Did you ever see a four-leaf clover?
• Enjoy a travel video of the Emerald Isle - Ireland. (Use the DVD The Magnificent Scenery of Ireland, a featured product for February.) Ask participants if they remember Johnny Cash's Irish song, "Forty Shades of Green."
• Share some fresh key lime pie with your group. Serve the treat on green Depression-era dessert plates. Ask participants if they recall going to a five-and-dime store with their parents/grandparents to purchase some of the Depression glass dishes.
• Smell some fresh mint leaves. Sip some mint herbal teas - spearmint or peppermint.
• Sow grass seed in pots and containers. (Caution: Do not let anyone taste or eat the seeds.) During Easter week, fill the grassy baskets with decorated eggs.
• Ask the ladies to identify types of green houseplants. Repot some small plants. Ask: Did you have a "green thumb"? What tips can you share for growing healthy houseplants?
• Ask the men to share memories of being "on the greens" at the first sign of warm weather. Challenge your group to a golf rules trivia quiz. Reminisce about famous golfers - Palmer, Snead, Hogan. Display some golf equipment.
• Celebrate National Nutrition Month (in March) with a taste test of green vegetables and fruits.
• Enjoy one of the first signs of spring - new green buds on trees and plants. Force some flower buds indoors. Forsythia or pussywillow are good choices.
• Agree or disagree with the wisdom of the proverb: "The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence." For some humor, read some excerpts from Erma Bombeck's popular book, The Grass Is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank.
• Tint some white flowers the color green using food coloring. Experiment with shades of green - sea green, mint, kelly green, lime - using tempera paints/sponge painting.
• Display some green gemstones - emerald, jade, or peridot. Ask: Did you enjoy receiving jewelry gifts? On what occasions did you receive jewelry? Describe your tastes. Is bigger always better?
• Discuss the meaning of the term "go green." Demonstrate some green products for spring cleaning. Ask: What do you recall about the environmental movement in the late 1960s and 70s? Did you ever participate in an Earth Day event? Did you ever belong to a group, like the National Wildlife Federation or the Sierra Club?
• Green is the color of money. Pass around some one-dollar bills in your group. Ask: Did you keep the first dollar you earned? If you owned a business, did you frame the first earned dollar?
• Sing or listen to some green songs, such as these: "Green Eyes," "Greensleeves," "Mountain Greenery," "Wearin' of the Green," "Green, Green Grass of Home," "Green Grow the Lilacs," "Little Green Apples," "Green, Green." Ask group members to name other songs that have colors in the title.

MARCH 2009 - A DOSE OF HUMOR

• Celebrate April Fool's Day on April 1. Encourage participants to wear a zany outfit. How about stripes and polka dots, a blouse worn backward, or mismatched socks? Eat a silly food combination, like ice cream with pickles.
• Take a funny group photo - wear big red clown noses or floppy hats.
• Act out some short humorous skits. (See the ElderSong resource Skits for Seniors: Volume 1- Humorous Plays for suggestions.)
• Watch a wacky comedy with an all-star cast, like the 1963 hit It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. (Spencer Tracy, Buddy Hackett, Milton Berle, Ethel Merman, Phil Silvers, Sid Caesar, Mickey Rooney, and Jonathan Winters star in the film.)
• Listen to excerpts from a humorous audio book, by an author like Bill Cosby, George Burns, Erma Bombeck, or Dave Barry. Ask: Do you have a sense of humor? Can you laugh at yourself and with others? Have you learned to laugh at life's annoyances? What do you find humorous?
• For the men: Watch a baseball bloopers video. Listen to Abbott and Costello's famous routine, "Who's on First?" Sing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game."
• Lnjoy funny anecdotes, one-liners, and riddles from the Reader's Digest column, "Laughter, the Best Medicine."
• Listen to the lyrics of some funny songs, like "Alley Oop," "Yakety Yak," "Name Game," or "Charlie Brown." Laugh at funny song titles. (See the ElderSong book Funny Bones Don't Get Arthritis, a featured product for March.)
• Laugh with children - share knock-knock jokes, riddles, or silly rhymes. Watch episodes of Art Linkletter's Kids Say the Darndest Things. (See the ElderSong catalog for Linkletter DVDs.)
• Watch episodes of the TV show Dennis the Menace. Ask: What are shenanigans? Were you ever considered a mischief-maker? Tell us about some of your childhood mischief.
• Quiz your group on comic strip characters (see the trivia quiz later in this newsletter). Browse through some old humorous comic strips and ask your participants which ones mimic their lives. Ask: Did you grow up reading the comics? Did you grab the comics section first when reading a newspaper? Name some of your favorite characters.
• Bone up on joke telling - clean jokes only! (Be sure to rehearse the punch line.) Hold a joke-telling contest. Vote on the best delivery. Winner gets a gag gift.
• Define prank. Name some synonyms for prank. Reminisce about school, Halloween, or April Fool's Day tricks and jokes.
• Wear pins and buttons with funny sayings - e.g., Life is uncertain...so eat dessert first!
• Enjoy a hilarious comedy routine from the piano-playing comedian, Victor Borge. (See the DVD set Victor Borge: Classic Collection, a featured product for March.) Reminisce about other favorite comedy routines - Jack Benny or Uncle Miltie?

APRIL 2009 - BLOSSOMS 'N BIRDS

• Show photographs of the American robin. Sing the song "When the Red, Red Robin" or lip sync the song "Rockin' Robin." Ask: Did your family watch for the first appearance of robins and nesting birds in the spring? Did you ever discover a bird's nest in your backyard? Did you see the babies leave the nest? Tell us about the experience.
• Fill a vase with lilac flower plumes and savor the comforting fragrance. Ask participants if they had lilac bushes in their backyards.
• Show pictures of a flock of migrating birds, like blackbirds or starlings. Ponder the meaning of the proverb "Birds of a feather flock together." Apply the proverb to your own life experiences.
• Invite a speaker from a bird club (or a local Audubon Society) to share suggestions for attracting songbirds to your backyard. Listen to a relaxing audio recording of bird calls and songs. (See the CD Ambient Gardens: Songbirds of Spring, a featured product for April.)
• Craft a bird's nest from natural materials - dried grass, straw, twigs, pine needles, moss, paper, feathers - for a table centerpiece. Fill the nest with eggs, birds, or butterflies (available from a craft store).
• Pass around the spring edition of nature magazines such as Audubon, Birds and Bloom, and National Geographic and enjoy the stunning photographs of our feathered friends perched on blooming branches. Sample: a male northern cardinal among crabapple blooms.
• Show pictures of the northern mockingbird, one of the first birds to sing of the arrival of spring. Share tales of the bird's springtime behavior, including courtship rituals and nesting. Listen to Patti Page's 1951 hit "Mockin' Bird Hill."
• Invite a nature photographer to show pictures of flowering tree blossoms, or bring in some small flowering tree branches to show. Ask your group to identify the kind of tree - apple, pear, cherry, dogwood. Listen to the wartime tunes "I'll Be With You in Apple Blossom Time" and "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree," sung by the Andrews Sisters.
• Show some unique birdhouses and feeders. Invite a local Cub Scout troop to display birdhouse projects. Ask the men in your group if they built birdhouses in woodworking class in school. Name the tools needed to build a birdhouse.
• Display dainty beaded white gloves and a vintage floral hat. Reminisce about joining the Ladies' Garden Club. Talk about favorite events, like an annual flower show. Host a Garden Tea Party and enjoy some seasonal teas.
• Ask the ladies to design the ultimate garden club hat, using silk or paper flowers.
• Pass around spring fabric samples with a floral print. Ask the ladies to describe a favorite dress with flowers.
• Invite a speaker to talk about the hobby of bird watching and bird photography. Display equipment such as binoculars, telescope, tripod, camera, field guide, bird watching journal. Ask participants if anyone was ever involved in a local bird count. Name favorite places to go bird watching.
• Make a simple bird treat (no cooking required) with your group. Suggestion: Seed cones with peanut butter and birdseed. Ask if anyone ever made suet cakes. Name some popular ingredients.
• Enjoy inspiring spring poetry, like Henry Van Dyke's "Spring in the South" or Robert Frost's "A Prayer in Spring."

MAY 2009 - FUN WITH FATHER

• Define playfulness. Ask the men: Did you enjoy playing with your children? Tell us about some of your playful activities. How did you encourage fun and laughter in your family? Were you more fun-loving with your grandchildren?
• Encourage the men to share any baby photos they have of their children or grandchildren. Ask: How did you feel about becoming a first-time father or grandfather? Tell a funny new-parent story about life with a newborn. (Example: Putting a diaper on backwards!)
• Display some vintage childhood toys that have been enjoyed by grandfathers, fathers, and sons alike. Some generational classics to show and discuss: Tinker Toys, Lincoln Logs, jacks, kites, marbles, spinning tops, pogo sticks, yo-yos, toy soldiers. Ask some staff to demonstrate the hula hoop.
• Listen to some amusing tales from Bill Cosby's 1986 bestseller Fatherhood.
• Watch the 1951 comedy movie Father of the Bride, starring Spencer Tracy as Stanley Banks. Reminisce about the special bond between fathers and daughters.
• Display a picture of a young child licking an ice cream cone, and encourage participants to name favorite places to buy ice cream treats with their children (neighborhood Good Humor Ice Cream truck, Baskin-Robbins ice cream store, or Dairy Queen walk-up window). Listen to the old song "I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream."
• Share memories of Father's Day gifts, including the popular necktie! Display a collection of vintage neckties - bow tie, clip-on, skinny, fat. Wear a funny necktie. Ask for a volunteer to demonstrate how to tie a necktie.
• Gather around a table and teach some children how to play the classic family card game, Rook (or another favorite). Snack on Toll House cookies.
• Hang a "Gone Fishin'" sign and display an old fishing rod. Share some memories of fishing with kids at a favorite hole or pond. Name fishing terms, like hook, fly, lure, reel, rod, bait, net. Tell a funny fish story about a big "catch." (Try to do this with a straight face!)
• Display a baseball glove and ball. Ask the men about playing catch with their kids in the backyard. Ask: Did you ever add a pet dog to the mix? Tell us how to teach a dog to fetch.
• Reminisce about special father-son activities, like Cub Scouts. Ask: What kinds of fun-filled Scout activities did you enjoy - dinners/picnics, field trips, fishing? Did you ever participate in a Pinewood Derby? Give the Cub Salute - 2 fingers only!
• Make a simple woodworking project, like a napkin holder. Ask the men if they ever built a tree house, clubhouse, playhouse, fort, swing set, or sandbox for their children. Listen to handyman sound scenes and sing some work songs (use the ElderSong resource I Hear Memories! Volume Two - "Handyman's Workshop").
• Listen to travel songs like "On the Road Again" or "King of the Road." Share memories of summer vacations/day trips in the family station wagon. Ask: What was it like to travel in a station wagon with kids? How did you keep them amused? Give us your best response to the question: Are we there yet?
• Watch some episodes of TV sitcoms from the 1950s: Leave It to Beaver, Father Knows Best, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, The Donna Reed Show. Ask: Can you identify with any of the fathers in the sitcoms? How are you alike or different?
• Reminisce about fun on the farm during the Great Depression. Name favorite activities, such as ice skating, riding on the back of a wagon, going fishing in a farm pond, riding a bike, or playing on bales of cotton. Tell us about some of your "handmade" toys (EX: sock monkeys and wooden toy trucks).

• Did you and your friends ever make a raft to float on a pond? Tell us about it.
• Did you have a workshop at home? Describe your workbench. What are the best tools to own when you have a workshop?
• Do you like to work with your hands? What do you like to do?

JUNE 2009 - MEN AND THEIR CARS

• Display props such as new car brochures, old license plate, car ads, car magazines and books, road maps, photos of vintage classic cars, and model cars.
• Show pictures of classic cars and ask participants to identify the make and model. (Use the resource Historic Cars Photo Cards. a featured product for the month.) Ask: Did you or your parents own any of these classic automobiles? Did you ever visit a vintage car museum or go to a classic car show?
• Reminisce about learning to drive and buying a car for the first time. Ask: Who taught you to drive? Did you learn on a stick or automatic transmission? How old were you when you got your license? When and where did you buy your first car? What kind was it? Did you haggle over the purchase price? How long did you keep your first car?
• Listen to some car and driving songs, such as "In My Merry Oldsmobile," "Little Deuce Coupe," "409," "Little Honda," "Mustang Sally," "Little Red Corvette," or "Pink Cadillac."
• Reminisce about the 1960s icon, the Volkswagen Beetle (with German roots). Watch the 1969 Disney comedy, The Love Bug, about an aging Volkswagen Beetle named "Herbie."
• Reminisce about family trips in a favorite car, like the station wagon. Plan a trip out West using historic Route 66. Listen to the song "Route 66" by Nat "King" Cole. Share vintage Route 66 memorabilia.
• Invite a hobbyist to share some model car kits from the 1950s and 60s. Ask: As a father, did you ever teach your son to assemble a kit? Did you ever collect die-cast model cars?
• Display copies of Hot Rod magazine. Show a picture of the 1932 Ford Deuce Coupe, a street-racing icon. Share memories of hot rodding, drag racing, and the custom car craze. Ask if anyone ever helped build a hot rod or custom car. Did anyone belong to a car club?
• Show photographs of 1950s tail-fin cars, like the Cadillac. Ask: Did you ever own a tail-fin? Did you like the chrome and grille styling? What did the cars symbolize?
• Wave a small green flag and announce, "Gentlemen, start your engines!" Share recollections of the famous auto race, the Indy 500. (EX: Past winners like A.J. Foyt and Bobby Unser; tradition of winner drinking milk in Victory Lane; breaking 150 mph speed in 1963). Ask: Do you like to drive fast cars? What is the fastest you've ever driven?
• Hang a "Made in America" sign. Share recollections of The Big Three automakers in the 1950s and 1960s. Ask: Did your family have a tradition of buying cars from Ford, General Motors, or Chrysler? What was your favorite car? Did you ever buy a foreign- made car?
• Define muscle cars (think big engine, loud, fast). Show a picture of the 1966 Pontiac GTO, a classic muscle car. Listen to the 1964 song "Little GTO" by Ronny and the Daytonas. Ask: Did you ever own a muscle car? Why are they appealing to men?
• Reminisce about the effects of World War II on cars and driving. Ask: What do you recall about gas rationing and the rubber shortage? How did you change your driving habits during the war? Did you walk more or share a car? How did your lifestyle change?
• Discuss the car crazy culture of the 1950s, using the following key words: suburbia and commuting, interstate highways, drive-in movies, drive-through restaurants, shopping malls.
• Display some tools used for auto repairs, like wrenches and sockets. Ask participants if they knew how to make basic repairs on their cars or if they preferred to use a favorite mechanic at a local repair shop. Share memories of neighborhood filling stations, like Esso, Texaco, or Sunoco. Ask: Who taught you to change the oil in your car or change a flat tire? Did you like to tinker around in the garage?

• In automobile slang, what was a "Woodie"?
• Cars in the 1940s and 1950s often had small triangle-shaped windows on the passenger and driver side to provide ventilation. What was the name of this window?

JULY 2009 - DOG DAYS OF SUMMER

• Say the following key words to your group: pigtails, bare feet, hopscotch, fireflies, ice cream, Kool Aid, four-leaf clover. Ask participants to share childhood memories of lazy summer days and cool, relaxing nights. Snack on watermelon.
• Dress up like a 1950s soda shop waitress - cap, pink flared skirt, white blouse, and short apron - with a tray! Participants can wear white paper hats. Serve root beer floats. Pass around a photograph of an old A&W Root Beer Stand (drive-in restaurant) and share recollections of carhop service in the 1950s.
• Reminisce about summer concerts in the park. Ask: Did you grow up going to outdoor concerts at a band shell? What kind of music did you hear - swing band, orchestra, marching band, jazz group? What did you like about the experience?
• Watch the 1950 musical film Summer Stock, starring Judy Garland and Gene Kelly. Ask participants if they ever saw a play or musical at a summer stock theatre in the 1940s, 50s, or 60s.
• Hold a Scrabble competition or a bridge tournament.
• Listen to the lyrics of songs like "In the Good Old Summer Time" and "In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree." Sing parodies of the songs. (Several parodies are in the ElderSong resource Funny Bones Don't Get Arthritis: Humor for the Young at Heart.)
• Paint some pictures of poppies in bright red, orange, or yellow. Enjoy a summer bouquet of sunflowers, snapdragons, and poppies.
• Reminisce about summer water fun. Show old photographs of swimming and family beach activities. (Use the photographs titled "Swimming" and "Beach Vacation" in the ElderSong resource Everyday Life Photos: Children & Family Life. You'll also find discussion questions in the companion book.)
• Show a photograph of a house with an old-fashioned porch swing, rocking chair, or glider. Share recollections of this favorite family gathering spot. Sip some fresh lemonade or iced tea. Pass around old paper dolls, a childhood favorite.
• Ask participants to describe the perfect summer nap, complete with shade tree and hammock. Ask: Do you enjoy catnapping? What are the benefits of napping? Where is your favorite place to catch forty winks?
• For some intergenerational fun, plan an old-fashioned pie and ice cream social. Enjoy the flavors of the season, including strawberry, peach, and cherry. Add music, games, and prizes.
• Make a small terrarium or dish garden, using African violets.
• Encourage participants to talk about life before air conditioning. Ask: How did you stay cool at home, in the car, at work, at church, on buses or trains? Do you remember going to air-conditioned movie theaters as a child? Show some vintage handheld fans or make simple paper fans with craft sticks.
• Plan an indoor summer picnic (no ants allowed). Use recipes from an old cookbook, like The Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook, first published in 1950.
• Sing some old campfire songs around the piano or ask a volunteer to play the guitar for accompaniment. Ask: Did your family take an annual camping trip? Did you stay in a tent, cabin, or RV? What kind of activities did you enjoy on the trip? Describe ideal weather for camping.

• 20 black-and-white vintage photographs on 8-1/2" x 11" card stock
• Companion book with a detailed description of each photo (Things to Notice) and discussion questions on each topic (Questions to Ask)

• In automobile slang, what was a "Woodie"?
• Cars in the 1940s and 1950s often had small triangle-shaped windows on the passenger and driver side to provide ventilation. What was the name of this window?

AUGUST 2009 - WALKING (AND TALKING)

• Naturalist Henry David Thoreau once stated: "An early morning walk is a blessing the whole day." Ask: Do you enjoy walking? Did you walk for fitness every day? What was your favorite time of the day to take a stroll? How did walking benefit you? Did you have a walking partner? What's the longest you've ever walked?
• Ask participants to name some synonyms for walking - stroll, meander, saunter, trek. For a bit of fun, ask for a volunteer to demonstrate each form of walking. Example: Show us how to stroll through a beautiful garden or saunter through the mall.
• Sing or listen to some "walk" songs, like "I Walk the Line," "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'," "Climb Ev'ry Mountain," "Winter Wonderland," "I Don't Want to Walk Without You," "Tipetoe Through the Tulips," or "You'll Never Walk Alone."
• Reminisce about nature walking tours and venture to some of the world's most beautiful places - all from the comfort of your chair. Use the DVD Scenic Walks of the World, a featured product for August.
• Ask your group to share memories of walking for charity. Ask: Did you ever participate in a walk-a-thon for charity, like the March of Dimes, CROP, or Relay for Life? Whose fundraiser was it? How long did you walk? How much money did you raise?
• Display a pair of bronzed baby shoes (often a family heirloom). Ask participants to reminisce about children/grandchildren taking their first steps.
• Show a colorful photo of children running barefoot through the grass. Challenge your group to describe the experience as vividly as possible (cool grass, warm day, dirt between toes, etc.).
• Do some gentle arm swing exercises while walking in place.
• Read Robert Frost's famous poem "The Road Not Taken." Ask participants to talk about choices in life and the road less traveled.
• Show a vintage wedding photograph of a father-daughter walking down the aisle. Ask one of the men in the group to share his thoughts on the ritual.
• Read some idioms on walking and ask group members to reflect on them. Examples: "walk a mile in some else's shoes," "walk on eggshells," "walking on thin ice," "give someone walking papers," "walk on cloud nine"
• Invite a high school marching band director to demonstrate a special form of walking - marching. If your group is able, simulate a marching band with a mini-route around the room to the tune of "76 Trombones."
• Display props related to walking and hiking: walking shoes, pedometer, backpack, sunglasses, hiking shoes, socks, reflective vest, and water bottle.
• Share some funny stories about walking a pet dog. Ask: Did your family have a pet dog? What kind? Who took the responsibility of walking the dog each day? Did you encounter other pets often?
• Name some jobs that require a lot of walking, like mail carrier, waitress, pet sitter, park ranger. Ask: Did you ever have a job that required lots of standing and/or walking? How did you handle being on your feet all day?

SEPTEMBER 2009 - WILDLIFE

• Ask participants to describe the terms wildlife and animal kingdom. Reminisce about favorite places to observe animals in the wild (e.g., national parks, wildlife refuge, mountains, game preserve, desert, jungle, lakes). Ask: What is your favorite animal? Tell us about its behavior. Did you ever encounter a wild animal while camping or hiking? What kinds of wildlife have you seen in your own backyard?
• Listen to a recording of the song "Talk to the Animals," from the 1967 musical Dr. Dolittle. (The song won an Academy Award for Best Original Song.)
• Reminisce about camping trips. Ask about sleeping in tents on a sleeping bag; carrying drinking water; gathering firewood; starting and cooking over a campfire; encounters with wildlife like skunks, deer, snakes, toads.
• Plan an intergenerational safari-theme party. Suggestions: animal costumes, stuffed animals, khaki shirts, camouflage bandannas, binoculars, safari hats, green vines, palms, animal crackers, animal charades, scavenger hunt, animal story books.
• Watch the animal kingdom come alive to the sound of classical music. Use the DVD Wildlife Symphony, a featured product for the month.
• Invite local nature photographers and wildlife artists to exhibit their artwork.
• Enjoy episodes from Mutual of Omaha's TV show, Wild Kingdom, with host Marlin Perkins. The show aired on NBC, beginning in 1963. (Look for programs to purchase on the internet.)
• Invite a park ranger to talk about local wildlife and the conservation of rare and endangered species.
• Watch the touching 1966 animal movie Born Free, about an African game warden and his wife who take in three lion cubs.
• Read some nature essays/poetry from Henry David Thoreau (Walden) or Ralph Waldo Emerson.
• Name some fictional tigers (or another wild animal). Example: Tony the Tiger in Kellogg's Frosted Flakes, Esso's "Tiger in Your Tank," Detroit Tigers mascot.
• Listen to a recording of wild animal or jungle sounds and ask participants to identify the sounds. For fun, ask the men for some animal call imitations. (See I Hear Memories - Volume 1) for zoo sounds.
• Make some simple crafts, like a clothespin butterfly, yarn octopus, bird plant pick, clay pot turkey, or reindeer ornament. (See the ElderSong resource titled Crafts Through the Year for detailed instructions.)
• Display wildlife magazines, like National Geographic or National Wildlife magazine, or magazines published by state wildlife agencies.
• Munch on some jungle snacks - tropical fruits such as bananas, pineapple, mango - and sip on tropical fruit punch.
• Explore the meaning of animal idioms, such as go ape, monkey business, sly as a fox, cry wolf, rat race, eager beaver, and quiet as a mouse.

OCTOBER 2009 - AUTUMN: SIGHTS, SCENTS, AND SOUNDS

• Read Robert Frost’s poem "After Apple-Picking" and share a favorite line or image. (A copy of the poem is available in the resource titled Favorite American Poems , a featured product for the month). Reminisce about the family tradition of going to the apple orchard. Sample varieties of apples and vote on a favorite. Ask your group to list 20 ways to use apples.
• Display an old spice box and spice tins. Identify fall spices (e.g., cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, ginger) by scent. Ask: Do you prefer apple or pumpkin pie? Tell us about a favorite recipe using apples or pumpkin. What other kitchen spice smells do you like? Sample spice cake or gingerbread and mulled cider.
• Put a colorful fall cornucopia on a table for your group to view. Use a variety of items such as flowers, fruits, nuts, berries, Indian corn, gourds, leaves, and grain to fill the centerpiece. Remove the arrangement and ask participants to name the items in the cornucopia.
• Learn how to weave wheat stalks. (You can get directions on various Internet sites.)
• Reminisce about Oktoberfest activities. Tap your toes and clap your hands to some lively polka music. Demonstrate the Chicken Dance. Sample some popular desserts such as Black Forest cake or apple strudel. Ask: Does anyone in your family have a German heritage? Have you ever been to an Oktoberfest celebration? Name some of your favorite activities at the event.
• Highlight the vibrant color orange. Ask participants to wear something orange, like a tie, socks, shirt, or hat. Display orange-colored fall items - pumpkins, leaves, gourds, mums, squash. For fun, guess the weight of some pumpkins. Snack on candy corn.
• Show some photographs of Canadian geese during their fall migration. Learn about their habits and why they fly in a V-formation. Imitate a goose call.
• Celebrate Halloween with a simple costume contest - silly hats and crazy wigs. Vote on funniest. Ask participants to talk about some of the Halloween costumes worn by their children or grandchildren.
• Make some autumn leaf rubbings or decorate pumpkins with tempera paints. (For directions, see the resource titled The Best Friends Book of Alzheimer’s Activities, Volume Two, a featured product for the month.)
• Sample fall fruits from a local farmers’ market or stand: pears, apples, grapes. Make a simple fruit cobbler with your group.
• Display some football equipment. Listen to the sounds of a school band playing "The Star-Spangled Banner." (Use the ElderSong resource titled I Hear Music, a featured product for the month.) Share favorite fall football memories.
• Show vintage photographs of past World Series championship teams. Invite participants to talk about memorable players in the playoff series. Make pennant flags for this year’s contenders.
• Sing a favorite seasonal song, such as "Shine On, Harvest Moon." Encourage recollections of harvest time. Ask: Have you ever attended an old-fashioned barn dance? Name some favorite potluck supper foods. Do you know how to square dance? Did your family enjoy listening to the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday night?
• Gather swatches of colorful fall fabrics - with antique gold, crimson, scarlet, purple, maroon. Ask participants to name the colors in the fabric. Reminisce about attending a fall wedding. What colors did the bride use?
• Watch a travel video on favorite places to view fall tree foliage. Describe an autumn drive on an Indian summer day. Make a simple wreath from colorful fall leaves.

• Compact disk with 20 sound vignettes, about a minute each;
• 20 historical black-and-white photographs that correspond to the sounds;
• Activity guide with discussion questions, song and prop suggestions, and related activities for the 20 music topics.

• What kind of dancing is associated with the song "Turkey in the Straw"?
• Name some dishes that use cooked apples.
• What is the name of the very large flower that produces edible seeds, popular in health food stores?
• When would you use a Mason jar seal and lid?

NOVEMBER 2009 - CHRISTMAS NOSTALGIA

• Listen to Andy Williams' recording of the popular holiday tune "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year." Ask: Do you enjoy the holiday season? What do you like about Christmas? How has the holiday changed over the years?
• Ask participants to name red, green, and white items associated with Christmas. (Examples: holly, evergreen, Santa suit, dove, snowmen, cranberries, poinsettia, candy cane)
• Sing the song "Deck the Halls" (use the CD and lyrics book Christmas with ElderSong, a featured product for the month). Reminisce about decorating for Christmas, using some key words: Putz village houses, wooden nutcrackers, Shiny-Brite ornaments, flocked trees, Coca-Cola Santa, snow globes, cranberry chains, popcorn strings, metallic tinsel, ceramic Christmas tree, Dept. 56, creche/nativity sets, red bows, crystal icicles, bubble lights, angel tree topper, toy trains. Look for more ideas in old holiday issues of Better Homes and Gardens and Good Housekeeping.
• Create some simple holiday crafts - like a snowman, stocking, reindeer, or angel - to use as room decorations. (For ideas, use the ElderSong resource Crafts Through the Year , a featured product for the month.)
• Display an aluminum Christmas tree, red or blue ornaments, and color wheel. Reminisce about Christmas in the 1950s/1960s, as you listen to "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee.
• Don an old Santa suit. Reminisce about the arrival of the Sears and Montgomery Ward toy catalogs, trips to a department store to see Santa and the window displays, and letter writing to Santa. Share memories of hanging stockings and leaving cookies for Santa. Sing the song "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town."
• In the spirit of Christmas, sing the song "Toyland." Show pictures of vintage childhood toys such as a Raggedy Ann doll, teddy bear, American Eagle wooden sled, Radio Flyer wagon, pedal car, Lionel train set, dollhouse, Kewpie doll, Shirley Temple doll, Big Little books. Ask: What was the best toy you ever received for Christmas? Did any toy become a keepsake that you passed on to your children or grandchildren? What kinds of toys did you buy your own children?
• Make a simple fragrant holiday gift: orange pomander balls.
• Sing the song "Over the River and Through the Woods." Share recollections of sweet treats at Grandma's house during the holidays. (Examples: cherry cordials, chocolate cream drops, gum drops, candy canes, peppermint sticks, hard candy, fudge) Display old holiday tins and candy dishes.
• Sing the song "O Christmas Tree." Share family traditions related to cutting down the Christmas tree and trimming it. (Funny stories are welcome!) Decorate a small tabletop tree. Serve warm cocoa with cinnamon and whipped cream.
• Watch the 1954 musical White Christmas, starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera Ellen. Cut paper snowflakes to hang. Ask participants if they "dream of a white Christmas." Share recollections of Christmas day with lots of snowfall.
• Read the Christmas story (Luke 2:1-20) and sing some traditional Christmas hymns. (Suggestions: "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," "Silent Night," "O Holy Night," "Away in a Manger") Display a collection of nativity sets. Reminisce about children, Christmas pageants at church, and handmade costumes!
• Ask for volunteers to read some holiday skits. Try a modern-day version of the nativity, "No Room in the Inn," in Skits for Seniors: Volume 2 - Holiday Plays, a featured product for the month.
• Host a Christmas tea party with a ginger(bread) theme. Include some spiced Christmas tea and ginger thins.
• Talk about unusual holiday desserts, like plum pudding, sugarplums, Buche de Noel (Christmas log), gingerbread, stollen, fruitcake, or mince pie. Encourage your group to name a favorite treat. Sing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas."