Ring! Ring! Bananas Calling!
B is for bunches and there are bunches of banana ideas for teaching across the curriculum from vowels to emergency phone numbers. Time to Talk, sing, read and learn about bananas.
So let the phone ring and start to sing...
Banana Phone Table of Contents
A Banana Unit Study

- When do you play Bananagrams?
- We Eat Bananas
- Banana Spelling
- Banana Math Center
- Bananaphone or Banana Phone
- Sing Bananaphone along with Raffi
- Banana Math
- Bunches of Bananas
- Fractional Bananas
- Paper Doll Bananas
- B is for Banana
- Bananagrams
- Who loves bananas?
- How to Follow the Banana Diet
- Banana Diet
- Fly Down to Costa Rica for some Bananas!
- Growing Bananas
- Do you have a Banana Phone? Do you sing about it?
- About the Author of this Bananaphone Lens
Bananaphone by Raffi
Ring Ring Ring Ring Ring Ring Ring BananaphoneRing Ring Ring Ring Ring Ring Ring Bananaphone
I've got this feeling
So appealing
For us to get together and sing...
Children love to sing with Raffi and the Bananaphone song is no exception. Use this song to introduce a thematic unit on bananas. Connected it to monkeys and phone calls and it becomes a most appealing subject that kids will love to monkey around with.
Reading in the Banana Jungle


Pull up to the banana tree, sit on a banana, snuggle with Curious George and find an appealing book to read. Banana chairs are a snuggly incentive for silent reading time.
Apples and Bananas change their Vowels
by Raffi

Raffi makes up new and funny lyrics by changing the vowels in the words to Apples and Bananas. It is a fun way to teach the various vowel sounds. We use a banana pointer to point to the vowels as we sing the song.
You can make a flip book with a card for each vowel in the words apples and bananas. Use laminated cardstock and keychain rings. Put two rings at the top of each vowel square.
Come to the Banana Table for Center Time

This banana shaped table would be great for center time with a banana theme. Get out your Bananagrams and start spelling all the banana words you know.
We Eat Bananas

Learn all about how bananas grow, where they come from, where they are grown now and how they get to our tables.
Banana Spelling
Don't Slip on your Spelling Words!
When a banana's peel is scratched it turns brown. You can use a common pin to scratch your spelling words into the peel.Be careful not to get the juice from the banana peel on your clothes as it makes permanent stains.
Banana Math Center
Help the monkey add and subtract the bananas.

Learn simple additional through monkey play!
* Monkey needs to balance an equal number of bananas on each side: when a correct amount is hung, he looks straight ahead with his arms level
* If his arms and eyes go crooked when the bananas are placed, it's time to recount and try again!
Bananas by the Bunch

Here's a rhyme to learn to read the number words.
One banana, two banana,
Three banana, Four.
Five banana, six banana,
Seven banana, more.
Eight banana, nine banana,
Ten banana, Lunch!
Ten bananas make a big fat bunch.

Use this rhyme to count groups of ten bananas.
Make bunches of bananas to practice place value.
Marti Gras beads are inexpensive math manipulativesmath manipulatives. If you know of someone who is traveling to New Orleans ask them to donate any that they bring back.
- Banana Bead for Marti Gras
- Mardi Gras would not be complete without a good set of beads like our Banana Bead 42". Each strand is 42 inches long, hand strung, and comes with 5 94mm tall yellow banana charms. The beads include 6mm black balls, and 12mm yellow balls.
- Glass Fruit beads, - Jan's Jewelry Supplies
- A variety of fruit beads for your jewelry and craft needs.
Learn your Phone Number

This award winning phone helps children learn how to call home and the 911 Emergency Service.
You can program a message so that when your child dials the number correctly they hear the message you recorded. You can change the number as often as you like.
Variation:
Program the phone with spelling words, dictation or the Bananaphone Song.
Banana and Monkey Bead Patterns

Cut apart necklaces of bananas and monkeys and turn them into math manipulatives. Children re-string them to make to make patterns and record their patterns on index cards.
Later, the index cards can be used to reproduce the patterns.
Patterns are the basis of all mathematics.
Banana Phone
Talk on Your Banana

Use the banana phones for children to practice dialing and learning their own phone numbers. My students made Banana Shaped phone books with the numbers of all their classmates.
Run to the Banana Phone
Bananas in Gym Class

Everyone put on your banana costumes, When you hear the phone ring, run to the banana phone but don't get caught by the gorilla.
Bananaphone or Banana Phone
Which would you rather?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand bySing Bananaphone along with Raffi.
groovyoldlady says:
Bananaphone 'cause it annoys grouchy adults. :D
(Besides, I HATE talking on the phone!)
Posted October 06, 2008
Talk on a Banana Phone.
KimDion says:
I like phones so I would have to say the phone, however the banana song would get a lot of laughs..
Kim Dion
Internet Free Traffic Queen
Posted October 09, 2008
lakeerieartists says:
I would rather talk on a banana phone or ride in a banana car like in Things That Go.
Posted September 24, 2008
Sing Bananaphone along with Raffi
There's words here too to help young monkeys to read.
Banana Math

Four bananas plus one banana equals five bananas.
4+1=5
- Taste the Happy!
- Edible math manipulatives!
Balancing Bananas
Addition and Subtraction with a Banana Phone Theme

Concrete activities in math are essential to a true understanding of the concepts of addition and subtraction.
Just hang an equal number of colorful bananas from each of the monkey's hands. If you've done your addition correctly, the monkey will look straight ahead and his arms will be level. If the numbers are not equal, his eyes will be crossed and his arms will be up and down.
Bunches of Bananas
Counting Bananas by the Bunch

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Chong Kneas Village, Tonle Sap Lake, Siem Reap, Cambodia, Indochina, Southeast Asia
Morandi, Bruno
Buy at AllPosters.com
Lay out bunches of bananas and Skip Count to see how many you have.
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand byFractional Bananas
Bananas on the Numberline

Photo Credit: First Cut
on Flickr, Creative Commons.
What a great idea! Using bananas to illustrate the meaning of not only the whole numbers but also the fractional numbers on the numberline. I can imagine possibly using banana peels for the negative numbers.
The following blog talks about using this technique to teach the true meaning of fractional numbers. These kids are well on their way to being able to add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions thanks to a night with a bunch of bananas..
- Math with Bananas
- MATH with my KIDS Blog
 I pulled out the number line again, which had markings for 0, 1 and 2, as well as 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, ...Next I asked for zero bananas. They both understood that with no problem. "Now, how many bananas do we put by this 1/2?" I asked. ..
Finally I got out a knife: "Show me half a banana." He was starting to get it now. He cut a banana in half. ...eventually we got 5/3, "one and a half," 4/3, and 2/3 on the number line in their correct places (!) and ended up with a bunch of cut up bananas. Smoothies for breakfast!
Bananas
by Jacqueline Farmer

Learn all kinds of facts about bananas including:
1. The common yellow banana is called the Cavendish banana.
2. Bananas grow mostly in tropical places. They can also grow in Iceland, where geysers provide the heat bananas need.
3. The banana plant is the world's largest herb.
4. Banana plants can be rooted like potatoes. Dig up the root, cut it up, and grow lots of banana plants!
Paper Doll Bananas

- Bananas in Pyjamas - Make & Do - Cards
- Bananas in Pyjamas has kids all over the world going bananas!
Bananaphone Literacy Bag
B is for Banana

- Banana Printable Coloring Page
- Banana Printable Coloring Page. Fun with Pictures.com regularly adds new coloring pages for kids. So keep coming back :-)
- Letter B Banana | Preschool Lesson Plan Printable Activities and Worksheets
- Letter B Banana alphabet lesson plan printable activities and worksheets for preschool and Kindergarten.
B is for Banana Literacy Bag
Unique Banana Stuff
You never know what you can find on Ebay. I usually look for games or manipulatives that I can use for teaching math or literacy activities.
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand byBananagrams
Fast fun Banana Game
Bananagrams are have been the best selling game for 2008 and 2009. Practice spelling, phonics and vocabulary while playing this fun, fast-paced game. Peel the banana and start playing...
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand byWho loves bananas?
Banana Unit Study Lovers
Do you love bananas? Have you ever played Bananagrams?
I say...
What others are saying...
How to Follow the Banana Diet

Photo Credit: Banana Diet
on Flickr, Creative Commons.
Drink lots of water,
Eat only bananas for breakfast.
Don't eat anything from 8-12 pm and be in bed by midnight.
Check out this article to learn all about the Banana Diet.
- How to Fallow The Banana Diet | eHow.com
- How to Fallow The Banana Diet. There is a new diet fad out called the banana diet. The banana diet comes from Japan were they are selling out of bananas in the stores. It is easy to fallow and requires you to only eat bananas...
Banana Diet
Could you loose weight by eating Bananas?
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- AllTimeLow98052
- okay, i have gotten over my banana diet 0.o but now i cant stop eating applesauce :P
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- PhilaFoodie
- I eat well. But, man, do I wish I had @NewmanWines (Jon Newman's) Philly Diet, banana and all: http://bit.ly/8YRtqI (via@GrubStreetPHL)
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- koolout7
- RT @mitzimoments: Blowin my diet by suckin down this banana shake. On an upnote, at least the oral skills are skill on point. #dowithitw ...
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- NIKKI0J3
- * fell. out. * RT @mitzimoments Blowin my diet by suckin down this banana shake. On an upnote, at least the oral skills are skill on point
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- sehanley
- OK - I've confirmed it - 3 cookies, a banana and 4 cups of coffee is not an appropriate diet for today..but I'm still at work!
Fly Down to Costa Rica for some Bananas!

Growing Bananas
Grow Your Own Bananas

Photo Credit: Banana Plant
on Flickr, Creative Commons.
If you are lucky enough to live in a tropical climate you may even be able to grow your own bananas. Bananas do not grow on trees, as I thought when growing up. The fast growing plants send up a sturdy stock that produces a large red flower and the bananas grown in concentric circles just above the flower.
- Going Bananas | Home Educate in the Sunshine State
- There are potential homechooling lessons all around us - even in our own backyards.
...For a number of months, our banana plant (technically not a tree, I've recently learned) was just a big, leafy stalk in the ground that didn't generate much interest. Within the past few weeks, however, it has become our most watched plant. We are finally getting fruit! Now I am awed each day as we observe the process. Our girls are tickled to be able to go out and see the fruit's progress as they anticipate the first bite of "their" bananas...
Banana Related Lenses
Talk on the Banana Phone or ride on the banana colored bus. We're all going bananas for banana phones.-
Bananagrams, Faster than Lightening, well Faster than Scrabble!
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I have always loved board games, especially Scrabble. But Scrabble always had one drawback; it was too slow. Now I can form words fast and competitively, while other players are straining every nerve to beat me. My wife and I actually spotted this ga...
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Beep, Beep Goes the Bus
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One of the most popular themes for preschoolers is transportation. Listen to the sound of a bus going beep, beep, beep. Hear the roar of the bus as it pulls up to the bus stop. Notice the hiss of the air coming from the brakes. With their bright col...
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Bananagrams Game Review- A Fun Word Game!
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The Bananagrams game is one of the most fun word games I have ever played. I bought this game to play with my family on Christmas and everyone enjoyed the game. We played with 4 adults, but you can also play Bananagrams with kids at the appropriate...
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Bananagrams, Faster than Lightening, well Faster than Scrabble!
-
I have always loved board games, especially Scrabble. But Scrabble always had one drawback; it was too slow. Now I can form words fast and competitively, while other players are straining every nerve to beat me. My wife and I actually spotted this ga...
Who's talking about banana phones?
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- toin9898
- @MissyMoo38 BANANAPHONE
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- Petote
- @skin_diamond http://twitpic.com/s62kl - you need to draw buttons on those guys! #bananaphone
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- adr_w
- @elatadexico Essa eu tenho numa versão melhor ainda :P Bananaphone (8)
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- kerryjones
- RT @tahirisunrider Looking for a man who knows where his towel is. Call me on my bananaphone ASAP http://bit.ly/3mzr3G
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- jaydorn
- Ring ring ring ring ring ring ring... bananaphone
Do you have a Banana Phone? Do you sing about it?
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Reply
- poutine poutine Sep 23, 2009 @ 1:19 pm
- Interesting and funny lens.
I love bananas and banana shakes and cookies and muffins and cakes.....and.....
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Reply
- Tipi Tipi Aug 22, 2009 @ 8:59 am
- I don't have a banana phone, no. I love bananas however, they are the #1 food for the world's top athletes to eat. Its a banana a day keeps the doctor away. ~ Love you lens, you have really gone bananas on this one. :)
Susie
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Reply
- hlkljgk hlkljgk Apr 23, 2009 @ 8:56 pm
- i totally love this lens!
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Reply
- Phildave Phildave Mar 11, 2009 @ 10:31 am
- Great lens - 5 ****
Try GROWING Banana's. I live in the UK and get a few surviving our winters (see Growing Bananas Plants) although they do need "protection".
Phil;.
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Reply
- nightbear nightbear Dec 10, 2008 @ 9:23 pm
- What a cute lens, I don't see how a chid could help but learn from you.
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About the Author of this Bananaphone Lens
Evelyn's Hands-On Learning Blog.
Find out what I'm up to when I'm not talking on my Banana Phone:
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Evelyn Saenz: Lensography of a Teacher
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My passion is teaching and finding ways to teach children in fun, hands-on, creative ways. The unit studies I make on Squidoo reflect my view that learning should be integrated and no skills should be taught in isolation. I believe that each topic s...





















