1-2-3 Come Do Some Activities For The "Room on the Broom" Story
Do you read the story ”Room on the Broom” by Julia Donaldson?
Click on the book cover or this LINK to zip on over to YouTube to see a really cute animated version. (10-minutes).
The TV film was nominated for the Best Animated Short Film at the 2014 Academy Awards!
It’s one of my students’ all-time favorite Halloween stories and perfect for practicing the “sequencing and retelling a story” standards.
With that in mind, I designed this quick, easy and fun ”Room on the Broom” slider craftivity, which will help your students retell the story in the proper order.
There are 2 outside slider options to choose from. One is a square for easy-peasy straight cutting, which is perfect for little ones.
While the other choice is a "cut me out" larger witch, for more advanced cutters.
I made some "broomstick" ends for the "slider strip" for the larger witch, as well as included a "broom straw" pattern to glue on, which results in the slider looking like a broom that the witch is riding on.
Run these patterns off on brown construction paper, then add some shading details with a marker.
For extra pizzazz you can tie on a jute bow.
I make the big one for myself, and run the square craftivity off for my little learners.
Students color the story elements on the “slider strip” then cut and glue it together.
As they pull on the end of the “slider-strip” the various pictures go through the “window” on the witch’s cape, so that children can take turns retelling the story to a partner or reading buddy, then take their craftivity home to share with their family, once again practicing these standards.
I introduce the lesson by reading this rhyming Halloween tale, then share my completed "slider craft” with my students.
So that you can quickly, and easily make an example, full-color patterns are included.
After we read the story, we retell the tale together, using the picture prompts on my slider.
They guess which story element they think comes next, before I pull the picture through the “window”.
My students now know what’s expected of them, and are very excited to transition to making a “Room on the Broom” craftivity of their own.
Storytelling sliders are also an easy & interesting way to assess comprehension.
I’ve included a “Let’s Sequence the Story” activity for this, where students color and trim the picture “windows” then glue them in the correct order on their worksheet. There’s a larger, full-color option so you can do this as a fun whole-group activity with younger students.
There’s also a “Here’s What Happened…” writing prompt worksheet, as another way to check comprehension, plus practice sequential writing, hopefully using a variety of ordinal numbers and other transitions. You can use the colorful template to do this as a whole group activity with younger folks.
Woo hoo! There are two featured FREEBIES today. The first one is a set of Halloween safety tips.
The tips are loaded with Dolch sight words, providing great reading practice and review. Read the list together as a whole group, calling on different children to read a tip. Afterwards, they can color the picture, then take it home to read to their parents.
The second FREEBIE is a set of "Happy Halloween!" note cards, with 6 on a one-page template.
They come in color as well as black and white.
Attach one to a treat bag, or tuck in a folder, lunch box or backpack.
Well that's it for today. Thanks for stopping by.
It's dark, damp, dreary and raining outside, providing the perfect backdrop for creating some more Halloween "stuff".
Stay tuned for several more activities to go along with the "Room on the Broom" story. "Witching" you an easy-breezy day filled with lots of memorable moments.
"There is magic in the night when pumpkins glow in moonlight." - Unknown
1-2-3 Come Label A Pumpkin With Me
Although I’ve seen a variety of 3D pumpkin crafts using paper strips to form the sphere, I could not find a pattern anywhere.
After a few hours of diddling around, I came up with this simple “print & go” pumpkin craftivity, complete with several pattern options and step-by-step directions using photographs of the various stages.
Few teachers have the luxury of simply making a craft just for fun; so to incorporate some science standards, one of the options is to make a “label the pumpkin” craft.
I’ve included labeled templates for little ones, as well as blank ones, so that older students can label their own pieces.
You can also opt to simply make an unlabeled pumpkin, with the “skin strips” going all the way around the “core”, which is a toilet paper tube that's covered with a rectangular pattern sprinkled with pumpkin seed graphics.
This is easy enough for little ones to make, as they simply use the 5-fatter “shell” strips for their open-looking pumpkin.
If you want to make the pumpkin plumper, simply add 5 of the thin shell strips, which will alternate between the fatter ones, creating a fat-thin-fat-thin pattern.
For that finishing touch that's wonderful fine motor practice, have students loop a green pipe cleaner around a pencil, marker or crayon, then gently slide off to make a "vine".
Completed pumpkins are free standing and make adorable fall centerpieces.
For more pizzazz, using a protractor, punch holes in the TP tube prior to assembly, then place over a battery-operated tea light.
I’ve also designed the stem as a “looped handle”, so that the pumpkin "lantern" can be carried, or suspended from the ceiling on various lengths of yarn.
A fun surprise after lunch...
After children have made their pumpkin (leaving it on their desk to go to lunch), tuck a Snack Baggie filled with candy corn inside the hollow TP tube, providing a sweet Halloween treat when they return from recess.
Besides this craft, I also put together a little "Let's Label a Pumpkin" activity packet, that pairs nicely.
Do you have a class pumpkin? We do. It’s an inexpensive and super-fun way to practice all sorts of science.
We carve our pumpkin the last week of October for our party’s centerpiece.
As we carve it, my students learn the vocabulary associated with the parts of a pumpkin, as well as what each part does, or is used for.
They absolutely love this activity. With that in mind, I made some activities to help reinforce “pumpkin parts”.
The packet includes:
* A set of “definition posters”.
* A set of photo posters featuring pictures of real pumpkin parts.
* A set of pocket chart cards.
* A “Match the picture to the word” Memory Match or “I Have; Who Has?” game.
* “Label a pumpkin” posters and worksheets.
* Fill-in-the blank” comprehension worksheet.
* Match the word to the picture worksheet.
* “ABC With Me” alphabetize the words worksheet.
* Plus an emergent reader: “Pumpkin Parts”, featuring 30+ words from the Dolch word lists.
Today's featured FREEBIE also has a pumpkin theme.
Are your students working on transitions and "how to" "directional" writing? "How to Make a Pumpkin Pie" is a quick, easy and fun activity to help them practice.
The packet includes printable patterns, completed sample, recipe, list of transitions, transition poster, a graphing extension, Venn diagram activity, plus an adjective worksheet.
Well that's it for today. Thanks for stopping by.
The weather is in the high 60s here in Michigan, so the fresh autumn breeze is calling me.
Time to go crunch some leaves and enjoy the awesome colors, while I walk my poodle pup Chloe.
She never cares what the weather is, anything for a romp outside.
"Let your life lightly dance on the edges of time like dew on the tip of a fallen leaf." -Unknown
1-2-3 Come Do Some Sequencing and Retelling a Story Activities With Me
Do you read the story “Big Pumpkin” by Erica Silverman? It’s one of my all-time favorite Halloween stories. My students love it too.
With that in mind, I designed 3 different “Big Pumpkin” storytelling craftivities, which are a quick, easy & fun way for children to practice the “retelling & sequencing” a story standards.
The gist of the story is that a witch has grown a gigantic pumpkin, which she cannot get off the vine. Even her spooky friends ( a ghost, vampire, and mummy) can't budge the pumpkin. So how does a little bat think he can succeed where the other stronger characters could not?
Read the story, then pick your favorite crafty option from these 3:
1. A "Big Pumpkin" storytelling wheel, which is in the shape of a pumpkin. Run the pattern off on orange construction paper.
Students trim, then using a brass brad, attach their picture wheel, which they've colored to the back.
2. A "Big Pumpkin" storytelling "slider" which is also in the shape of a pumpkin.
Students color the graphics on the strip of paper, then insert it into the pumpkin to retell the tale, and finally ...
3. A 3 dimensional pumpkin "flip the flap" booklet.
This craft is not as easy as the wheel and slider crafts, so I recommend it for older students.
The pages of the pumpkin booklet fan out so the witch and her "Big Pumpkiin" are free standing, creating a nice wow factor, which makes a cute Halloween centerpiece.
All 3 options have full color patterns to use for an independent center, as well as a sample to share, plus black & white templates, so students can make their own.
When everyone is done, practice retelling the “Big Pumpkin” using the manipulative.
For the pumpkin "slider", children pull the various graphics through the "window".
For the wheel craft, everyone starts by turning their wheel so that the witch with her pumpkin, appears in the “pie-slice window”.
For the flip-the-flap booklet, children begin by flipping the first page to where the witch is seen with her big pumpkin.
Call on a child to begin the story by turning their wheel, pulling on their slider strip, or flipping a pumpkin page.
Continue turning, sliding or flipping, calling on different students to tell you that portion of the story, explaining the “picture prompt”.
After the sixth picture (a slice of pie) is revealed and explained:(The witch made pumpkin pie and everyone ate a piece. After her guests left, she went back into the garden and planted some more pumpkin seeds.) in unison have everyone yell “Happy Halloween!”
To further reinforce the retelling, have students pick a partner and take turns sharing their wheel or slider with each other.
Sometimes we do this with our older, reading buddies. This is a quick, easy & fun way to check comprehension too.
For writing practice, all three options include a “Here’s What Happened” writing prompt worksheet, which students complete and color.
There’s also a full color template so you can quickly & easily make an example to share, or do this activity as a whole group with little ones.
Since this story has a moral to it, I take time to define this language arts term.
I’ve included a poster in each packet for you to hang and use as a guide.
As you can see by the photographs, each packet's writing prompt worksheets and posters are different.
There’s also an additional writing prompt worksheet, where students explain the moral of the story.
Use the colorful pattern as a whole group activity, asking little ones what they learned from the bat, then write their answers down on the paper, which you’ve attached to your white board.
Today's featured FREEBIE is a candy corn-themed packet.
Use it to reinforce circles, the concept of small, medium and large; or have students write whatever you want them to practice, on the individual sections of the candy corn pieces.
I've made examples to give you some ideas, such as CVC words, upper and lowercase letters, shapes, showing a number, counting to 30, color words, writing down examples of things that are those colors etc.
If you're also working on fractions, I've included pocket chart cards for a quick review that you'll find helpful.
Well that's it for today. Thanks for popping in.
It's going to be a chilly, rainy and damp day... perfect for creating some more Halloween activities.
Wishing you a satisfying and snuggly kind of day.
"Acting is like a Halloween mask that you put on." -River Phoenix
1-2-3 Come Do Some Halloween Storytelling Crafts With Me
Do you read ”The Spooky Wheels on the Bus” by J. Elizabeth Mills?
It’s put out by Scholastic and a new favorite of mine.
Perfect for counting, introducing onomatopoeia, and practicing the “sequencing and retelling a story” standards.
Click on the book photo on the left, or this LINK, to see it being read by a librarian on YouTube.
Since my students are familiar with and really enjoy singing “The Wheels on the Bus”, having an alternate version for Halloween fun is particularly enjoyable.
With these things in mind, I designed a quick, easy and fun ”Spooky Wheels on the Bus” “slider” craftivity, which will help your students retell the story in the proper order.
For educational fun on Halloween party day, read the story, sing the song, and make the slider craft. Woo hoo for easy-peasy!!
Choose the simple square cut pattern for little ones, or the "cut me out" bus template for children with better scissor skills.
Students color the story elements on the “slider strip” then cut and glue it together. There are two options for these as well.
I use the numbered strip because my Y5s are learning number recognition, plus how to count and sequence.
You could also use the strip with just the graphics, and have students number their own to get in even more practice.
As children pull on the end of the “slider-strip” the various pictures go through the “window” of their bus, so that children can take turns retelling the story to a partner or reading buddy, then take their craft home to share with their family, once again practicing these standards.
I introduce the lesson by reading the book ”The Spooky Wheels on the Bus”, then share my completed "slider craft” with my students.
So that you can quickly, and easily make an example, I’ve included a full-color slider pattern.
After I read the story, we retell the tale together, using the picture prompts on my slider. I have children guess which story element they think comes next, before I pull the picture through the “window”.
My students now know what’s expected of them, and are very excited to transition to making a “Spooky Bus” storytelling slider of their own.
Storytelling sliders are also an easy & interesting way to assess comprehension.
I’ve included a "Let's sequence the story” activity for this, where students color and trim the picture “windows” then glue them in the correct order on their worksheet.
There's also a colorful, bus answer key poster, which you can use in various ways, including as an independent puzzle center.
A “Here’s What Happened…” writing prompt worksheet, is another way to check comprehension, plus practice sequential writing, hopefully using a variety of ordinal numbers and other transitions.
Since the story is about the WHEELS on a spooky bus, I also made a story wheel craft as well.
This option provides another way to sequence and retell "The Spooky Wheels on the Bus" story.
Like the slider craft, I've included a "Here's What Happened" writing prompt.
There's also another fun writing option, where students continue the story by thinking of an 11th thing that might be riding the spooky bus.
They fill in the blank, compleete the sentence with some sort of onomatopoeia then illustrate their worksheet.
My example has 11 black bats, which go flap, flip, flap all through the town. Students will enjoy sharing what they've come up with, and completed projects make a cute bulletin board.
Today's featured FREEBIE is a set of apple-themed time cards for practicing telling time to the hour and half hour.
There are blackline patterns plus a cover, so that students can make their own "Itty Bitty" Telling Time Flip Booklet, along with two assessments I think you'll find useful.
Well that's it for today. Thanks for dropping in.
I'm absolutely loving the Indian Summer weather we've been having here in Michigan, so it's time to go rake a few leaves out of my flower beds, before the rain that's brewing changes my plans.
Wishing you a fun-filled day.
"Autumn, the year's last loveliest smile." -William Cullen Bryant
1-2-3 Come Make A Glyph With Me
If you have never made a glyph with your students I highly recommend you give it a go with one of these quick, easy and super-fun fall glyphs.
My latest creations are an apple glyph and scarecrow glyph.
No matter what grade I taught, my students absolutely LOVED making glyphs, which is saying a lot because besides 4th, 6th & 7th grades, I've taught them ALL, beginning with PK all the way up through college freshmen!!
Glyphs are a quick, easy and fun way to practice listening and following directions.
They also provide a "hard copy" to use as proof that a child does or doesn't, which comes in handy during parent-teacher conferences, and selecting the yes or no box on a student's report card.
Completed projects make an adorable bulletin board, as each one will be different.
I've included a colorful glyph poster in both the apple & scarecrow packets, to use for the center of your display.
Glyphs are also an interesting way to get to know your students and build a classroom community, so the apple glyph is wonderful for a back-to-school icebreaker as well.
Both packets include several posters you can show to explain directions, which is particularly helpful for younger children.
To practice data collection & analysis, as well as process of elimination, have students pick a partner and try to figure out which glyph they made.
I’ve designed the glyph directions in such a way, that you can easily tweak them to fit your needs and levels of your kiddos, making things super-simple, or a bit more challenging for older kiddos in order to test their listening skills as well as comprehension.
Be sure and make a sample of your own, so your students can get to know you as well.
After everyone is done with theirs, you can share yours and practice inference by asking them questions.
Last fall I designed a pumpkin glyph you may also want to check out.
All 3 of these glyphs are part of "Diane's Dollar Deals".
Today's featured FREEBIE also has an apple-pumpkin theme.
Just like glyphs, my students really enjoy making Venn diagrams, which are a siimple, quick and fun way to practice comparison and contrast writing. They too make an awesome bulletin board.
This Venn diagram compares apples with pumpkins and is an easy way to reinforce all sorts of science facts.
Children can do these individually or with a partner. If you teach younger kiddos, doing one together in a whole-group setting is beneficial.
Well that's it for today. Thanks for stopping by.
I'm watching 2 of my 9 grandchildren today, so we're going to visit Robinette's Apple Orchard and pumpkin patch.
One of the many reasons why I love fall here in Michigan.
Wishing you a fun-filled day.
"Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadows of your wing." -Psalm 17:8
