1. Cut out cardboard shapes for the blackbird bodies. 2. Stick white tissue paper pieces on to represent feathers. 3. Add orange crepe paper wings and white tissue tail and wings. 4. Draw on eyes with yellow felt tip and stick lentil eyes. 5. Dip black tissue paper in watered-down black paint and sprinkle on bird to change feather color.

1. Istituto “F. Tozzi” di Civitella Paganico - Italia
Scuola dell’infanzia di Paganico - Scuola dell’infanzia di Campagnatico
Via Malavolti 31, 58045 Paganico
Tel. 0039 564 905037 FAX 0039 564 905675 e-mail gric8177p@istruzione.it
Laura Bozzi laura.bozzi@libero.it

3. A long time ago the month of January only had 28 days and it was very spiteful with birds, and in
particular with female blackbirds .
Among birds,they were much admired for their large yellow beaks and their feathers, which were as white
as winter snow.
For this reason January enjoyed tormenting one female blackbird every time it went out in search of
food,and it unleashed storms of snow and wind.
So the female blackbird decided to use cunning: it gathered a good supply of food, put in its nest, and
waited for January to end, without going out as it had no need to do so,having plenty of food in store.
After 28 days, the female blackbird went out and began to tease January:
- Oh my dear, this year I was really well in my cosy and warm nest, and you couldn’t freeze my beak a
single day.
Then, it flew out of its nest to find new supplies, sure that January was going to go away.
But January, vindictive character, didn’t like the cunning of the female blackbird. It went to its brother
February, which lasted 31 days, and asked to borrow 3 days.
- What do you need them for? - February asked.
- I have to revenge myself on an impertinent blackbird. Wait and see.
And so January unleashed a terrible blizzard that lasted for all 3 days.
The poor female blackbird because of the strong wind could not return to its nest and it took refuge inside
the chimney of a fireplace, looking for a little warm.
After those very cold three days it went out from the chimney, safe and sound but ... its white feathers had
become all black because of the smoke and the soot.
Since then, January has had 31 days and February 28.
Moreover the last three days of January are the coldest days of the winter and blackbirds have always had
black feathers.

4. A long time ago the month of
January only had 28 days and
it was very spiteful with birds,
and in particular with female
blackbirds .
Among birds,they were much
admired for their large yellow
beaks and their feathers, which
were as white as winter snow.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 222324 2526 27 28

5. For this reason
January enjoyed
tormenting one
female blackbird
every time it went
out in search of
food,and it
unleashed storms of
snow and wind.

6. So the female blackbird decided to use cunning: it gathered a good supply of
food, put in its nest, and waited for January to end, without going out as it
had no need to do so,having plenty of food in store.
After 28 days, the female blackbird went out and began to tease January:
- Oh my dear, this year I was really well in my cosy and warm nest, and you
couldn’t freeze my beak a single day.

7. Then, it flew out of its nest to find new supplies, sure that January was going to go away.
But January, vindictive character, didn’t like the cunning of the female blackbird. It went
to its brother February, which lasted 31 days, and asked to borrow 3 days.
- What do you need them for? - February asked.
- I have to revenge myself on an impertinent blackbird. Wait and see.

8. And so January unleashed a terrible blizzard that lasted for all 3 days.
The poor female blackbird because of the strong wind could not return to its nest and it
took refuge inside the chimney of a fireplace, looking for a little warm.
After those very cold three days it went out from the chimney, safe and sound but ... its
white feathers had become all black because of the smoke and the soot.

9. After those very cold three days it went out from
the chimney, safe and sound but ... its white
feathers had become all black because of the
smoke and the soot.
Since then, January has had 31 days and February
28. Moreover the last three days of January are the
coldest days of the winter and blackbirds have
always had black feathers.
29
30
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
31
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31

11. THE LAST DAYS IN JANUARY
MUSIC NUMBER 12
(Winter with January and February go in)
Narrator: “ The last three days in January. At the beginning January had 28 days,
February 31 and the blackbirds were white”
MUSIC NUMBER 1
(The blackbird look for the food)
The blackbird addressed to January: “ Why don't you last some days less, it's too cold
and I don't find anything to eat”
January: “ No, I can't and I don't want”
Narrator: “ As January said no, the following year the blackbird got herself organized”
MUSIC NUMBER 4
(The blackbird eats and sleeps”
Narrator: “ When cold was over, the blackbird went out and went to January”
MUSIC NUMBER 6
( The blackbird addressed to January)
“Take that!!!!”
January: “ Ooh! I'm very angry, now I go to February to let me help!”
January addressed to February: “ Lend me three days !”
February : “ Why?”
January: “ Because the blackbird let me get angry!”
February: “Yes, ok! (all right)
Blakbird: “ How, I am happy at last January is over!

12. MUSIC NUMBER 12
(Wind, rain, snow, storm)
January: “ I came back!!”
The blackbird hides herself in the chimney pot.
(We turn down the music)
Narrator: “The blackbird protects in a chimney pot”
(We raise the volume of the music again)
January goes away with the bad weather and only February remains.
MUSIC NUMBER 13
(The blackbird appears again all black dust and says:”
Blackbird: “ What a fright I had !- Looking at herself- “But I am all black!”
Narrator: “ Since then January has 31 days, February 28 and the blackbirds are black!”
MUSIC NUMBER 9
( All the characters of the history gather around February to celebrate carnival)
MUSIC UTILIZED : Andreas Vollenwaider - “ Book of Roses” -

14. What we need:
•Cardboard
•White tissue paper
•Black tissue paper
•Orange crepe paper
•Lentils
•Glue
•Black tempera colour
•Yellow felt tip pen
•Toothbrush
•Cutter
•Fishing thread

15. At first the teacher draws Then children tear a
female blackbird shapes on a sheet of white tissue
cardboard and cut them. paper in small pieces
and stick them on their
female blackbird
shapes.

16. Then they fold another piece of white tissue paper like making a fan, bigger
to make wings and smaller to make the tail of the bird.

17. Children roll up a piece of orange crepe paper

18. Children stick two lentils The teacher cuts the shape where to
for the eyes and draw the put in wings, tail and legs.
beak.

19. Children tear a sheet of black
tissue paper in small pieces
Then they put them in a
glass of water

20. It’s better to add
some black tempera
in the water in order
to have a stronger
black colour.
The paper loses its colour in to the water

21. Children sprinkle the
colour on the bird with
a toothbrush