1-2-3 Come Do Some Pumpkin Stuff With Me!

Our pumpkin theme was one of my Y5's favorites.  We especially enjoyed all of the fabulous pumpkin books available.  I'd always introduce a theme with a selection of interesting books, many of which, my little ones asked to have read over and over again.  Click on the link for a copy of my October bibliography. 

Songs were also a special part of our day and a great way to get the wiggles out.  

One of our favorites was Pumpkin Round and Fat.  I have a huge collection of puppets that made reading and lessons extra special, so I often helped my kiddo's make a puppet-manipulative of their own. 

When I Googled this poem, to get some ideas, I found a sweet Popsicle puppet idea over at Teacher Mama.  This is my version: Click on the link to view/download the Jack-O-Lantern Popsicle stick puppet. 

I've had several requests for some coin activities involving pumpkins, so I dreamed up an easy-reader entitled, Pumpkin Payment.  Besides reinforcing the penny, nickel, dime and quarter, it also reviews all of the basic 2D shapes kiddo's are required to know, including that crazy hexagon.

Children trace and write the coin words, coin values, as well as the shape words.  They trace the shape and then draw one of their own on the pumpkin.  Finally, they cut and glue the appropriate coin(s) to the matching numbered boxes. 

When everyone has completed their booklet, read it as a whole group to reinforce concepts of print.  Click on the link to view/download the easy-reader booklet, Pumpkin Payment.

For more math extensions, with a 10-frame format, I think your students will enjoy 1-2-3 Count Pumpkins With Me.  

• Students read, trace and write the number and number word. 
• They see a "thing" in a sentence and say it. 
• They spy the number in a sequence and circle it.
• They X-out that many boxes or use a bingo dot marker or stamp. 
• They cut and glue the set/group to the matching numbered box. 

Another quick booklet, that would work well for a Daily 5 activity is the easy-reader Pumpkin On A Vine.  Students read, trace and write the simple sentences and then cut & glue the pictures to the matching numbered boxes.

Finally, Let's Count Pumpkins  covers quite a few Common Core State Standards which includes an easy reader where students read, trace and write the numbers, + circle them in a sequence. 

Children circle capital letters, add end punctuation to the simple sentences, + count the pumpkins in the group/set and color the puffy numbers as well.

This pumpkin math packet also includes trace and write worksheets for counting from 0 to 120, + skip counting by 2's, 3's, 5's, and 10's. There are 2 sets of pumkin number cards to use for sequencing, games, and making equations using the matching math symbol cards.  

You can practice counting forwards and backwards with the pumpkin bookmark that is also included in the packet.  Use this as a whole-group assessment tool too. 

Give each child a bookmark and a candy pumpkin.  Students trace the numbers.  Teacher calls out a number and students put their pumpkin on that number.   You can tell at a glance who is struggling and make a note of it.  As a special treat, students can eat their candy pumpkin when the lesson is over.   Click on the link to view/download the Let's Count Pumpkins math packet. 

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"Knowledge and understanding are ife's faithful companions who will never be untrue to you.  For knowledge is your crown and understanding your staff, and when they are with you, you can possess no greater treasures."  -Kahlil Gibran

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.

Thanks for visiting today.  I design and write daily, so I hope you can stop by tomorrow for the newest FREEBIES.  Feel free to PIN away.  To ensure that "pinners" return to THIS blog article, click on the green title at the top; it will turn black, now click on the "Pin it" button on the burgundy menu bar.   If you'd like to take a look at all of the wonderful-educational items that I PIN, click on the heart button to the right of the blog. 

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

1-2-3 Come Get Organized With Me!

I'm a visual person.  I need to see things to help make sense of whatever I'm learning.  I'm also a maker of lists.  I have zillions for all sorts of reasons, so you can only imagine how a graphic organizer makes my life a whole lot easier.

I found that when I helped my elementary kiddo's, as well as my college students, design graphic organizers to get their thoughts together, writing became easier for them, and things flowed better and were more concise as well.

I use them for a variety of reasons and wanted to design some with Common Core State Standards in mind.  If children are able to jot down specific details in a certain order (beginning-middle and end) they are better able to re-tell a story, and then later, write one themselves.

With that in mind, I made an apple and pumpkin graphic organizer, to help students retell a story on those themes, and then practice writing what they learned in the appropriate boxes.  I used pictures that represented the beginning-middle and end of the apple and pumpkin life cycles as well.

Click on the link to view/download the Apple and Pumpkin Graphic Organizers. I blog every day, so I hope you can pop back tomorrow for the newest FREEBIES.

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN anything from my site that you think others might find helpful.  To ensure that "pinners" return to THIS blog article, click on the green title at the top; it will turn black, now click on the "Pin it" button located on the burgundy menu bar.  If you'd like to take a look at all of the wonderful educational items that I pin, click on the heart to the right.

"If education doesn't prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives, then it is a failure, no matter what else it may seem to have accomplished."  -Sydney J. Harris

1-2-3 Come Do Some Apple and Pumpkin Activities With Me!

One of the much-needed skills for little ones, is the ability to cut.  Just learning how to hold a scissors is quite an accomplishment for some.  To help my Y5's strengthen their hand muscles and increase dexterity, I incorporated cutting practice in some form or another every day.  To make this less tedious and frustrating, many of the activities revolved around creating a craft that included other skills as well.

Keeping this in mind, I designed "A-peel-ing Apples" so children could practice cutting in a circle.  This is a wonderful opportunity to add the term spiral to students' vocabulary as well.  Giving a red, yellow or lime green color choice for the apple, also reinforces that science fact. 

To add a bit more pizzazz, older students can glue two different colors together.  The thicker paper lessens the drop of the spiral, and the double-sided colors add interest to the dangler.  Students glue a stem and leaf to the top.  Punch a hole; add a yarn loop and suspend from the ceiling, or as a border against a hallway wall.  Click on the link to view/download the A-peel-ing Apples activity.

Cutting on a straight line is also not that easy for some little ones. These apple and pumpkin "strip" puzzles, will not only give your students practice with that skill, but review and reinforce sequencing numbers from 1-10, skip counting by 10's, or counting backwards from 10-1. I've used a dashed-line font, for the numbers on the apples and pumpkins, so that students can get some writing practice in.  Encourage children to count quietly as they trace the numbers.

Simply choose a number concept you want to work on and run off the puzzles on construction paper.  Children choose a puzzle; trace the numbers; cut the strips, lay them in the proper sequence on a sheet of black construction paper, and then glue them down. 

Remind students to keep a small space between the strips.  Students add a stem and leaf to the top.  You can make the pumpkin more of a keepsake, by having children, or a room helper, trace their hand, with their fingers spread, onto green construction paper.  They trim and glue next to their stem.  Completed projects make a sweet harvest bulletin board.

You may want to laminate one of each kind, to keep in your math center.  Each puzzle has its own Baggie.  Children can work indepently, or pick a partner to play "Speed" against.  The first one who completes their puzzle, is the winner.  Click on the link to view/download the Apple and Pumpkin Number Puzzles.

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away.  To ensure that "pinners" return to THIS blog article, click on the green title at the top; it will turn black, now click on the "Pin it" button located on my menu bar.  If you'd like to take a look at all of the wonderfully creative stuff I PIN for school, click on the heart to the right of the blog.

"Imagination is the highest kite one can fly." -Lauren Bacall

1-2-3 Come Make a Pumpkin Slider With Me!

Making a hands-on craftivity, is a fun way for students to learn about, and review the basic 2D shapes and the shape words associated with them.  I tried to do at least one shape activity a week with my Y5's. The more exposure they had to shapes, the better the chances of their light bulb going on, in an interesting and non-stressful way.

My "sliders" have always been extremely popular, so I wanted to make a pumpkin one with shapes.  They are called sliders, because students pull(slide) their strip through slits, to reveal whatever I want to teach.  Sliders are a quick and easy way to whole-group assess.  Simply call out a shape and have students find it on their slider and then hold it up.  You can also individually assess with a slider; the game-like activity, lessens a child's apprehension when being tested.

Here's how to make the Pumpkin Shape Slider:

• Run off the sliders on white construction paper and the pumpkin on orange.
• For younger kiddo's, you may want to pre-slit the lines on the pumpkins, where the sliders will be pulled through. I use an exacto knife.
• Students trace and color the eyes. Encourage them to use different colors, so you can also review that standard. For a bit more pizzazz, have students add some color to the stem, nose and mouth sections.
• Teacher asks students to make their pumpkin’s eyes triangles. Children pull their “slider” ‘til they have located the triangle eyes, and then pull the mouth strip ‘til it says the word triangles.  
• Everyone “reads” their pumpkin together as a whole group.
• There’s a teachable moment for fractions (cut and glue 1/2 the strip) as well as plurals: The pumpkin has 2 eyes so the shape word needs to have the letter s on the end.

Click on the link to view/download the Pumpkin Shape Slider. I also made a Pumpkin ABC-123 Slider that has different strips, so you can review: upper and lowercase letters, numbers from 0-30, skip counting by 2's, 3's, 5's and 10's, as well as counting backwards from 10 to 0 and 20 to 0. Run off whatever strips you want your students to work on.  Make a laminated one yourself to use as a demonstration, review, or assessment sample. 

So that the strip is easily managed, students can fold the ends up. Have children TRACE the letters/numbers with two different colored highlighters in an ABAB pattern. Click on the link to view/download the ABC-123 Pumpkin Slider. There are 3 pumpkin templates to choose from: students can draw on their own face, add wiggle eyes, or use the pumpkin that has a face on it. TIP: Decorate the pumpkin on both sides and glue 2 slider strips back-to-back for double duty.

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN anything from my site. To ensure that "pinners" return to THIS blog article, click on the green title at the top of the page; it will turn black, now click on the "Pin it" button located on my menu bar.  If you'd like to take a look at all of the wonderful items I pin, click on the heart button to the right of the blog.

"The only place success comes before work, is in the dictionary!" -Vidal Sassoon

1-2-3 Come Do Some Pumpkin Activities With Me!

A quick, easy and fun way to help little ones understand number sense, is to have them practice 1-to-1 correspondence. The numbered apple cards, were such a huge success, I decided to make some with pumpkins. With the repetition, children feel empowered, as they know what to do; you don't have to spend time explaining directions, and because there's a new theme, students' interest is still high.

I've included a set of 1-10 pumpkins in color, as well as a set in black and white. Print off, laminate and trim several sets of colored pumpkins.  Using small manipulatives such as mini-pom pom's, flat-backed jewels, or pony beads is great fine motor practice.You can run off the black line set and send home with students who need more help, or as a table top worksheet, have children draw X number of "seeds" to match the number on the pumpkin.

I've found that using a smaller card, instead of one with all 10 pumpkins on it, is less overwhelming for little ones, and keeps them from messing up their piles as they work. When a child completes a mat, they can get another one with higher numbers. You can also use a set of mats to review ordinal numbers.  Click on the link to view/download the 1-to-1 Correspondence Pumpkin cards.

Another quick and easy fall game, is Peek-A-Boo Pumpkins.  It took me an entire morning to design yesterday, but only half an hour to make the actual game, so little ones can play it.  You'll find it so worth your effort, as you can do lots of things with just the letter cards!  I've included a list of activities + Kaboom cards to play even more games. 

To make the Peek-A-Boo alphabet game, simply trace the pumpkin template onto orange construction paper and cut 4-6 pumpkins at a time.  Fold the pumpkins in half, and glue just the edge, to the left side of your yellow-construction paper cards, so that the pumpkin will flip open on both sides of the card, revealing the little ghost.  You can write the letters by hand, or use an extra set of pumpkin tiles and glue them to the front of the pumpkin.  I colored mine to add a bit more pizzazz. 

Children choose a card, and look at the letter on the front of the pumpkin.  They place the matching lowercase letter tile on the card, that they think will match the ghost hiding under the pumpkin.  They flip up the pumpkin to see if they are correct.

To add math practice to the activity, have children keep track of how many answers they get right, by making tally marks on their "pumpkin pal". When children have done all of the uppercase pumpkins, they can flip the cards over and do the lowercase ones on another day.  Click on the link to view/download The Peek-A-Boo Alphabet Pumpkin Game.

For a Pumpkin Word Find, click on the link. There's an alphabetical list of wonderful pumpkin words to increase your students' vocabularies. 

As a little something for "early finishers" print off some easy-to-difficult pumpkin mazes, by clicking on the link:  "A-maze-ing" Pumpkins. I hope YOUR "little punkins" enjoy these fall activities with a pumpkin theme.

Thanks for visiting today.  I blog daily; so I hope you can stop by tomorrow for the newest FREEBIES hot off the press.

Feel free to PIN away.  To ensure that "pinners" return to THIS blog article, click on the green title at the top; it will turn black, now click on the "Pin it" button on my menu bar.  If you'd like to take a peek at all of the awesome-educational items, I spend way too much time pinning, click on the heart to the right of the blog. I have an entire board of just pumpkin activities.

"The one exclusive sign of thorough knowledge, is the power of teaching." -Aristotle

1-2-3 Come Measure Pumpkins With Me!

Since the Apple Investigation booklet was such an overwhelming success, I decided to make one for your pumpkin studies.  This quick and easy booklet, will help your kiddo's learn about measurement in an interesting and fun way.

Students measure height, weight, width and circumference of their pumpkin. They trace and write vocabulary-building words, predict, answer questions, + collect and analyze data.  Investigating pumpkins, will help with Common Core State Standards: K.MD.1a, K.MD.2, 1.MD.1, and 1.MD.2.

Introduce measurement, by showing students all of the measuring materials and ask them if they know the names of these objects and what they are used for. 

Discuss the value of measurement, as well as how and why people measure things. 

You can do this booklet as a whole group activity using one or two large pumpkins, have students work in groups of 2-5 sharing a pumpkin, or use miniature pumpkins, and ask for donations. 

One year I had a parent who grew the gourds that look like miniature pumpkins; they brought in an entire box full. Another year, a child's family grew pumpkins, and donated a class supply of really small ones.  Often, farm markets will give teachers a discount, if you simply ask. 

Allow a few minutes for children to really examine their pumpkin by touching it, smelling it, and then describing their pumpkin to a partner etc.  I think one of their favorite pages will be measuring a partner with a pumpkin.

To make this do-able for non or beginning readers, work on the booklet as a whole group.  Read the 1st page aloud and model what you want your students to do, then have children do that portion of their investigation with their pumpkin. 

If you are teaching PreK, you might want to do just 1 booklet as a class.  Older students can work on this independently.  Allow enough time, so children don't feel rushed, and everyone gets a turn using the scale etc. 

To expedite things, you may want to borrow several other scales from fellow teachers for that part of your day.  To keep interest, with little ones, and because of time, you can also work on just one or two pages a day.

When your pumpkin booklet is completed, read it aloud once more, and have children share their results as you read that page.

Reinforce vocabulary by reviewing the measurement tools and words, and asking students: "What is a scale? What is it used for?"  "What is height? How can you measure it?" etc.  Click on the link to view/download the Pumpkin Investigation booklet. Looking for more Pumpkin Activities? Click on the link to pop on over to that section of my site for lots more FREEBIES!

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away!  If you'd like to see all of the creative educational items I pin, click on the heart button to the right of the blog.  I have a board especially for pumpkin activities.

"The whole art of teaching, is the art of awakening the natural curiosity of young minds, for the purpose of satisfying them afterwards." -Anatole France

1-2-3 Come Play Some Pumpkin Games With Me!

Games are a wonderful way for students to practice important life skills.  They are also a quick & easy way to grab and hold children's interest, while they review and reinforce a variety of standards.   One of my little ones summed it up: "We didn't even know we was learnin' cuz we was havin' so much fun!" 

Because subitizing (being able to "know" how many there are, without counting) is extremely important; playing with dominoes and dice, are a great way to help students recognize these groupings at a glance.  Before too long, I could flash 6 dots (in the pattern on a dice/domino) and my students would call out the number 6, without having to stop and count the dots.

Keeping this in mind, I designed 6 pumpkin-themed dice games + a listening and following direction activity, that will help review ordinal numbers. They are all in one Pumpkin Games packet.  To view/download it, click on the link.  Because the rules are pretty much the same, students feel empowered, as they know what to do, and can get down to business, and you aren't using up valuable minutes explaining things for the umpteenth time.

Because the apple basket counting game, was a popular download, I decided to revisit that concept using pumpkins.  Print off the farmer's wagon on brown construction paper, laminate and trim.  Do the same thing with the pumpkin tile master.  Have each child take 20 pumpkin tiles, (or to expedite things, have 20 pre-counted and put in Snack Baggies. After children have played the game, to make sure that they have 20 pumpkins, have students count them one at a time into their bag.) This is great counting practice for little ones, and also ensures that you don't have incomplete games, because pumpkins fell on the floor. 

Children choose a partner and share the wagon.  The object of the game is to get all of your pumpkins into the wagon, by taking turns rolling the dice.  Whatever number a child rolls, is how many pumpkins they pick up from their pile and place in the wagon.  You can make the game more difficult, by having students roll an exact number towards the end of the game.  i.e. if they have only 1 pumpkin left, they need to roll a one.

In the game "Roll and Color," children roll a dice.  Whatever number they roll, is the matching numbered section on their pumpkin, that they color.  The first child with a completly colored-in pumpkin is the winner. 

"Roll and Draw" works with the same rules, only children draw a shape on their pumpkin to make a Jack-O-Lantern.  This is a great opportunity to review a square, triangle, circle and rectangle, and possibly introduce the crescent shape as well.

Because 5 Little Pumpkins Sitting On a Gate, is such a popular rhyme/story in October, I thought it would be fun to follow it up with a game.  To conserve paper, you can print, laminate and trim the gates.  If copying is not an issue for your school, it's nice if each child can have their own "gate" so they can continue to practice at home.

Run off the pumpkin master.  Students color and cut out their pumpkins and place them on the gate.  When you are explaining the game, you have a great opportunity to review ordinal numbers as well.  Children take turns rolling a dice with their partner.  Whatever number they roll, they take the matching numbered pumpkin off the gate and have it go "rolling into the night..."  The first child who gets all of their pumpkins off the gate is the winner.

Pumpkins in a Row on a Roll is similar.  Children color the numbered pumpkin that matches the number that they roll.  I also made an ordinal number activity with this same template.  This is wonderful practice for listening and following directions too, as the teacher reads what (s)he wants students to do.

Finally, children trace the numbers and color their pumpkins as they take turns rolling the dice in Pumpkins On A Roll . Simply run off the template, trim and give each student a strip of pumpkins.  Click on the link to view/download the Pumpkin Games packet.

Thanks for visiting today.  I blog daily, so I hope you can pop back tomorrow for the latest FREEBIES hot off the press. Feel free to PIN anything from my site.  I think sharing is so important, and truly appreciate everyone's creative abilities, that help us roll with it"  rather than spend time, we don't have, reinventing the wheel.  To ensure that "pinners" return to THIS blog article, click on the green title at the top; it will turn black, now click on the "Pin it" button, located on the menu.  If you'd like to take a peek at my awesome educational boards, click on the heart to the right of the blog.

"A college degree and a teaching certificate, may define a person as a teacher, but it takes hard word and dedication to truly be one." -Evan Esar