1-2-3 Come Do Some Fall Writing With Me

Since the "Apple Sense" craftivity was downloaded quite a bit, I decided this format would also work well for Pumpkin Sense.   No matter what grade your students are in, they need to be reminded to use their senses to make their writing "come alive."  The use of adjectives is equally important, and such a simple thing to explain using examples.  I find that if students can add a bit of art to their creations, writing is more fun and completed projects make wonderful bulletin boards that build self-esteem.   

Run off the pumpkin template on orange construction paper.  Students add a bit of color to the the stem, with a green crayon.  You can make this even cuter, by having students trace their hand (with their fingers spread) onto a sheet of green construction paper, trim and glue their "leaf" next to the stem.  Adding a photograph gives things that finishing touch.

Run the "pumpkin guts" off on yellow construction paper.  Students trim and fill in their answers.  Before hand, discuss the 5 senses, as well as what an adjective is, explaining the importance of using both to write better.  

Brainstorm words that can be used to describe a pumpkin using the various senses and write them on the board.   Students can draw from this word bank when they write. 

So that they are practicing starting a sentence with a capital letter, have students write a complete sentence, rather than filling in their answer.  Review proper end punctuation.  To make sure that they use adjectives, encourage students to underline them.

You may want children to write a rough draft, checking to make sure that every noun has a descriptive word before it.  Can they think of a better word to describe what they are seeing, feeling, tasting, smelling, etc?  When they are satisfied with their final draft, they can write it on the yellow insert.   Click on the link to view/download the Pumpkin Sense craftivity.

Continuing with adjective practice, I designed a Describing Fall packet. 

Students think of words that describe the various fall themes: school, apples, leaves, pumpkins, spiders, bats, scarecrows, sunflowers, turkeys and Pilgrims, and then fill in the appropriate boxes with adjectives.  Once they have done that, students incorporate several words into 1 or 2 sentences that they write on the back of their worksheet. 

Children can add a bit of color with crayons or markers.  When everyone is done, have them share their work.  I've also included a definition of an adjective anchor chart. Click on the link to view/download the Describing Fall Adjective Writing packet.

If you're looking for more activities involving the 5 Senses you may like Sam's Senses craftivity.  Children cut and glue the labels to Sam the pumpkin man.  What makes Sam special is that his hands are the traced hands of the student.  Click on the link to view/download Sam. 

My Fall Senses, is a quick and easy candy corn graphic organizer that again helps students practice their writing skills.  Click on the link to view download this fall writing activity.

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"Strength: A river cuts through a rock not because of its power, but because of its persistence." -Unknown

My October Senses-Some Fun Activities

Here's a few fresh ideas to teach science and writing at the same time!

My 5 October Senses is a wonderful writing extension that not only will help your students understand the important use of descriptive words in their writing, but will review the 5 senses as well.

It’s great for helping younger students increase their vocabulary skills too.

Keep it easy for very young children and have them simply complete the sentence: I see a… pumpkin, or I see… an orange pumpkin.

Brainstorm with your students and discuss possible things they see, hear, taste, smell and can touch during the month of October.

Label the various categories on the board.

Jot down your students’ ideas under each category.

As an example, choose one from each category and have students think of “describing words” for the thing they see, sound they hear, taste, smell or how that item feels. 

Make sure YOU have personally filled out a sheet, so you have an example to share with your students.

I even did this as a small group activity with my college students for the English comp. course I teach on Tuesday and Thursday nights!

They enjoyed munching on a Dixie cup of candy corn, while they worked with 3 other students to come up with a great descriptive sentence for each sense.

This was my example for my college students:

• I hear the rustling, crackling, crunching of the leaves as they swirl and twirl in the wind.
• I feel the slimy, slippery, sloppy, sticky guts of the pumpkin as I scoop out its insides.
• I smell the powerful and pungent smoke as its spooky fingers climb from the flickering flames of the bonfire,  lighting up the dark night.
• I see a kaleidoscope of costumed kids as they trick or treat up and down the pumpkin-glowing street.
• I taste the hot-sweet apple cider, laced with a twist of cinnamon, as I relax on the front porch. (We are also working on alliteration.)

Click on the link to view/print a copy of the “My 5 Senses Descriptive Candy-Corn Writing Grid”

My 5 Senses Take Shape Is a cute cut and glue the matching pictures to the appropriate sense booklet.  The pictures are in a specific shape so you have an extra standard you can review at the same time.

This month’s October Apple Bytes included an adorable My 5 Senses Inside My Pumpkin booklet. Why not consider becoming a Subscriber and you too can receive our 50 - 70+ pages Newsletter Packet each month!

Sam's Senses Pumpkin:

Another fun activity you can do to review the senses this month is to have your students label Sam the Senses Pumpkin.  Click on the link for Sam's 5 Senses Pumpkin.

Trace your students’ hands.  Children cut and glue them to a 9-inch by 1-inch strip of yellow construction paper that they have accordion folded into arms.

Students cut and glue the words for the five senses and label their pumpkin. Trim up Sam and dangle him in the hallway.

Plan ahead for November, and review the 5 senses again, by printing off a copy of My Pilgrims Senses, just click on the link.

Do you have an idea about the 5 senses that works for you?  I’d enjoy hearing about it. diane@teachwithme.com