Pumpkin Activities

1-2-3 Come Skip Count With Me

How many seeds in a pumpkin story, how many seeds in a pumpkin, skip counting activities, skip counting by 2s, skip counting by 5s, skip counting by 10s, pumpkin activities, pumpkin investigationDo you read the story “How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin” by Margaret McNamara?

If you haven’t heard of it, click the LINK to see it on YouTube.

how many seeds in a pumpkin, skip counting activities, skip counting by 2s, skip counting by 5s, skip counting by 10s, pumpkin activities, pumpkin investigationIt’s not only an interesting read aloud that your students will really enjoy, but it’s absolutely perfect for exploring estimation and skip counting by 2s, 5s & 10s.

In the story, this is done via a small, medium & large pumpkin experiment, that Mr. Tiffin’s students take part in.

Skip counting is a standard most of us have on our “To Do” list, but finding interesting activities for practice can be challenging.

how many seeds in a pumpkin, skip counting activities, skip counting by 2s, skip counting by 5s, skip counting by 10s, pumpkin activities, pumpkin investigationWith that in mind, I designed a variety of fun, pumpkin-themed, skip counting activities; which will keep your students happily engaged, while they practice skip counting by 2s, 5s & 10s.

I use the story “How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin” as an excellent introduction to skip counting, then transition to the activities.

There’s a nice variety of pumpkin-themed worksheets.

These are great as table top activities, for early finishers, a homework assignment or a sub tub

how many seeds in a pumpkin, skip counting activities, skip counting by 2s, skip counting by 5s, skip counting by 10s, pumpkin activities, pumpkin investigationI've included "trace & write" skip counting worksheets, as well as "What's Missing?", where students fill in the missing skip counted number.  (These are simple & quick assessment tools too.)

My students love the "Skip Count While You Connect the Dots" and the Bingo-dot worksheets.

They enjoy visiting this center, which I set up on a wooden TV tray.

My kiddos use an orange & yellow bingo dauber (you can buy them at The Dollar Store) to make an AB-AB color pattern, as they skip count and dot each numbered circle.

how many seeds in a pumpkin, skip counting activities, skip counting by 2s, skip counting by 5s, skip counting by 10s, pumpkin activities, pumpkin investigationThey also enjoy the puzzles. I've included colorful ones, so you can print, laminate & trim. 

I keep mine in our math center and use them every year in October.

There are also black & white puzzle patterns, so children can color and make their own.

Finally, there is also a variety of games that your students will enjoy, while they learn & practice the various skip counting standards.

how many seeds in a pumpkin, skip counting activities, skip counting by 2s, skip counting by 5s, skip counting by 10s, pumpkin activities, pumpkin investigationOn the craftier side, I’ve also included a pumpkin slider craft; if your students are like mine, they will absolutely love making one. 

To save time, run the pattern off on orange construction paper, then have students add a bit of green crayon to the stem & vine.

They then cut out their pumpkin & insert the "slider" strip, with whatever set of skip counted numbers you want to work on.

If you want a bit of 3D pop, give kiddos a piece of green pipe cleaner to wrap around a pencil then poke into the stem and attach with a piece of Scotch tape. 

how many seeds in a pumpkin, skip counting activities, skip counting by 2s, skip counting by 5s, skip counting by 10s, pumpkin activities, pumpkin investigationI've also included an easy-peasy, square pattern, which is simpler for little ones to cut out.

how many seeds in a pumpkin, skip counting activities, skip counting by 2s, skip counting by 5s, skip counting by 10s, pumpkin activities, pumpkin investigationThere's also a variety of posters, including a "Look Who Can Skip Count By..." poster, which students get to sign, once they have mastered skip counting.

how many seeds in a pumpkin, skip counting activities, skip counting by 2s, skip counting by 5s, skip counting by 10s, pumpkin activities, pumpkin investigationTrust me on this one, this is a "big deal" to my students, and helps build their self-esteem as well.

It takes less than a minute to count together as a class.

how many seeds in a pumpkin, skip counting activities, skip counting by 2s, skip counting by 5s, skip counting by 10s, pumpkin activities, pumpkin investigationI cover the next number with the "Count with me" strip, then move it as children skip count aloud. 

Hang a set in the hallway, outside the bathroom, so when you're lining up waiting for children, you can practice!

how many seeds in a pumpkin, skip counting activities, skip counting by 2s, skip counting by 5s, skip counting by 10s, pumpkin activities, pumpkin investigationYou can also give children a mini certificate of praise for their accomplishment. They come 4-on-a-page, in black & white as well as color.

As with the posters, there's a different one for skip counting by 2s, 5s & 10s.

welcome to out patch free pumpkin posterThere are two featured FREEBIES today. Both have a pumpkin theme.

The first is a sweet little "Welcome to our patch!" poster you can hang on your classroom door.

Pete the cat and the 5 little pumpkins free coloring pagesThe other is a "Just For Fun" trace & color worksheet I designed after reading "Pete the Cat's 5 Little Pumpkins" story. Hope your kiddos enjoy it.

Me 3 2 2Well that's it for today. Thanks for stopping by.

It's really a gray, overcast day, so no Mr. Sunshine to energize me; however, it makes for a great time to check a few things off my too-long "To Do" list. 

Wishing you a terrific day filled with lots of fall fun.

"Try to learn something about everythig and everything about something." -Thomas H. Huxley

 

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

pumpkiin activities, pumpkin math, pumpkin number posters, counting pumpkins, pumpkin booklet“Show Me the Number” is a super-fun, “print & go” booklet, which will help students practice a variety of standards that involve numbers 1-10, as well as 2D shapes.

The pumpkin’s eyes have these shapes:

circle, oval, triangle, square, rectangle, hexagon, pentagon, octagon, rhombus and trapezoid.

I’ve included the latter shapes, as we do a lot of activities with pattern blocks.

Having different eye shapes, makes things more interesting and allows you to cover another standard. Woo hoo!

pumpkiin activities, pumpkin math, pumpkin number posters, counting pumpkins, pumpkin bookletSo that you can diversify your lesson, I’ve also provided two booklet options.

There are 6 pattern pages, with 2 pages on a one-page pattern; which provides a “just the right size” booklet for children to make.

I have a room helper run off, cut and collate the booklets for me.

pumpkiin activities, pumpkin math, pumpkin number posters, counting pumpkins, pumpkin bookletOn the first day, my students color the cover, write their name at the bottom and do pumpkin #1.

When they’re done, I collect the booklets, then pass them out the next day, when they complete pumpkin #2.

You can also space things out, and do every other day.

This is a quick, easy and fun “table top” activity for my young fives.

Since the prep has already been done, it’s easy-peasy for me, and I have a lesson for two weeks!

My students feel empowered, and can get right down to business. I’ve already given directions the previous day, so they know what to do.

On the last day, I do pumpkin #10 as well as the last page, where students trace and write the numbers.

I try to time things, so that they are finishing up on Halloween party day, which can be rather hectic, so this is one less thing I have to make.

Afterwards, children have a nice little keepsake to take home.

pumpkiin activities, pumpkin math, pumpkin number posters, counting pumpkins, pumpkin bookletI’ve also included a (full page) set of colorful pumpkin posters.

Use them to introduce the lesson, as a sample for when students are working on that matching page, as a border, bulletin board, flashcards, or sequencing center.

how to make a pumkin pie writing prompt craft, pumpkiin activities, pumpkin math, pumpkin number posters, counting pumpkins, pumpkin bookletToday'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.

pumpkiin activities, pumpkin math, pumpkin number posters, counting pumpkins, pumpkin bookletWell that's it for today.  Thanks for popping in. 

I'm contemplating whether I should buy another pumpkin today...

We weren't sure what was eating holes in our pumpkins, then today we caught the culprit.

An obviously hungry squirrel happily chomped away, with no fear that we'd fuss. 

I just peeked out the window and the baby pumpkin is pretty much gone, except for the stem and a few bites.....hmmmm.

"When black cats prowl and pumpkins gleam; may luck be yours on Halloween." - Unknown

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

Make learning how to count and identify numbers, super-fun with pumpkins; which are not only perfect for October, but can still be used throughout November too.

pumpkin activities, counting activities, number activities, pumpkin games, halloween activities, halloween gamesI find that if I have an interesting theme for things that I’m trying to teach my students, they get excited and are happily engaged and on task.

With that in mind, I designed a variety of pumpkin number activities, which will help your students practice counting, number recognition, sequencing, subitizing, sorting, patterning, and one-to-one correspondence.

The packet includes:

pumpkin activities, counting activities, number activities, pumpkin games, halloween activities, halloween games* Eleven sets of different pumpkin cards. There's a sample of each set in the photograph.

You can use them for all sorts of activities, including a variety of games like "Memory Match", "I Have; Who Has?", "Kaboom", "Speed" and "Flip It"

I've included a 4-page tip list, filled with interesting and fun ideas of how to use the cards, including directions for a variety of games.

There are also covers for some of the sets, so that your kiddos can make (just the right size) "Itty Bitty" booklets. 

Because of the nice selection of cards, students will also njoy sorting them into "Pumpkin Piles". 

For example, children put all the pumpkin cards that represent the number one in a pile; all those that show the number 2 in another pumpkin pile and so on.

To strengthen upper body muscles, have children lie on their tummies and sequence the numbers in long lines.  A group of my Y5s enjoyed making a "pumpkin snake" all the way out the door!

pumpkin activities, counting activities, number activities, pumpkin games, halloween activities, halloween gamesI also made a specific set of pumpkin cards to be puzzles. These make a wonderful math center

There are 5, strip puzzles on a one-page pattern, which makes them "just the right size" for little learners.

Simply snip on the line to cut the number from the matching group of pumpkins.  Each line is different, so there's only one way for students to complete the puzzle, which will give them the correct answer. 

pumpkin activities, counting activities, number activities, pumpkin games, halloween activities, halloween gamesAnother fun way to practice with the cards, is to make Jack.  This cute pumpkin pattern is printed on card stock, then laminated.

Cut out the jack-o-lantern's "mouth" and place over the opening of an empty Kleenex box. (There are lots of fall-patterns available. A Boutique box also works).

Pass the pumpkin cards out to your students, then call for the number one pumpkin.

The child holding that card comes up, shows the number to their classmates; everyone says "One", then she "feeds" Jack by dropping the card into his "mouth". 

pumpkin activities, counting activities, number activities, pumpkin games, halloween activities, halloween gamesAnother fun, whole group game is done with pumpkin seeds.  I use a package of real pumpkin seeds, which you can buy in most food stores.  You can also save the seeds when you carve your pumpkin. 

Make a class set of pumpkin "mats" that you can use each year, or run off the worksheet. 

My kiddos sit at tables, so I spill a cup of seeds on a paper plate.  They each count 10 seeds and put them in their Dixie cup.

When everyone is set, choose a pumpkin number card;  show it to your class; they count out that many seeds and place them on their pumpkin mat. 

You can see at a glance who is having difficulty. My kiddos LOVE this activity. 

Added bonus: pinching & placing pumpkin seeds, is a great fine motor skill that will help strengthen finger muscles.

pumpkin activities, counting activities, number activities, pumpkin games, halloween activities, halloween gamesI've also including one-to-one correspondence mats that you can use for an independent math center.

If you don't have access to pumpkin seeds, simply print, laminate and trim the page of realistic-looking seeds that I've included in the packet. 

pumpkin activities, counting activities, number activities, pumpkin games, halloween activities, halloween gamesThere are also a nice variety of interesting worksheets as well as "print and go" game sheets, like "I Spy" or "Pumpkins on a Roll" which is played with dice. 

Use them for individual and whole group activities, assessing, and math centers; homework, early finishers and help for those who are struggling.

Nice for a substitute, and fun for a harvest celebration or Halloween party day.

pumpkin activities, counting activities, number activities, pumpkin games,pmpkin songs, halloween activities, halloween gamesDo you know the song "Ten Little Indians?"  This popular rhyme is a super-fun way to help students learn to count forwards as well as backwards.

I substituted pumpkins for Indians, and included a poster poem "10 Little Pumpkins in a Pumpkin Patch" in the packet. 

pumpkin activities, counting activities, number activities, pumpkin games, pumpkin songs, halloween activities, halloween gamesStick Velcro or magnet dots to the back of the 10 pumpkin cards, and use them as manipulatives, to attach to a flannel board or white board.

I make an extra set of the "puzzle" cards, and instead of cutting them apart, I use the whole strip in my pocket chart.

The song poster and set of 10 pumpkin cards from the packet, are today's featured FREEBIE. Click the link to download your copy today. 

While the concentration in this packet is on numbers 0-10, there are several activities which also include numbers 11-20, so that you can diversify your lessons and add a challenge.

pumpkin activities, counting activities, number activities, pumpkin games, halloween activities, halloween gamesWell that's it for today. Thanks for stopping by. Time for a nature walk and much-needed break.

The fall colors are beautiful here in Michigan.

"October's poplars are flaming torches lighting the way to winter." - Nova S. Blair

1-2-3 Come Practice Place Value With Me

pumpkin crafts, pumpkin activities, place value activities, place value crafts, october bulletin boards, math bulletin boards, halloween party day craftsPut some “Woo Hoo!” into studying place value, by creating a super-cute PVP (Place Value Pumpkin).
This is an especially fun activity for your students and a nice alternative to worksheets; making it that “extra special something” you can do on party day or for October math practice.

pumpkin crafts, pumpkin activities, place value activities, place value crafts, october bulletin boards, math bulletin boards, halloween party day craftsCompleted projects turn out absolutely adorable and make an outstanding bulletin board or hallway display.

pumpkin crafts, pumpkin activities, place value activities, place value crafts, october bulletin boards, math bulletin boards, halloween party day craftsI’ve included 2 posters to help decorate, as well as header cards that show the total value of the pumpkin.

You’re sure to get lots of compliments, as the results definitely have that “Wow!” factor.

The packet is very versatile with lots of creative options for your students to choose from, which allows you to diversify your lesson.

Appeals to a variety of ages and abilities.
The versatility allows younger kiddos, as well as older students, to create a pumpkin that will have a two, three or even 4-digit number value!

pumpkin crafts, pumpkin activities, place value activities, place value crafts, october bulletin boards, math bulletin boards, halloween party day craftsKeep things simple for little ones and limit the number of pieces and options, as they create a Place Value Pumpkin "head".

pumpkin crafts, pumpkin activities, place value activities, place value crafts, october bulletin boards, math bulletin boards, halloween party day craftsChallenge older students to add arms and legs which will add to the total value of their pumpkin, as well as increase the cuteness factor. I’ve included hats, gloves and shoe patterns too.

pumpkin crafts, pumpkin activities, place value activities, place value crafts, october bulletin boards, math bulletin boards, halloween party day craftsOnce children have finished their PVP they figure out the value of their pumpkin.

I’ve provided several worksheet options for students to complete, as well as a whole-group activity.

Pick which of the 3 worksheets is the most appropriate for your students. 

Each practices a variety of place value math standards.

pumpkin crafts, pumpkin activities, place value activities, place value crafts, october bulletin boards, math bulletin boards, halloween party day craftsOn the one pictured here, students write the various forms of their number. Students also pick a partner and compare and contrast their Place Value Pumpkin Pal with another classmate's to practice even more math standards.

pumpkin crafts, pumpkin activities, place value activities, place value crafts, october bulletin boards, math bulletin boards, halloween party day craftsPumpkin head patterns take up a full page, so there's plenty of room for creating a nice sized Place Value Pumpkin head.

To show you how tall these creations can get I took a picture of my husband's personal favorite next to a ruler.

Limited time? This makes a super-fun homework assignment, or another idea is to have students work with a partner or create one PVP in a small group of three, which will divide up the work.

Here’s a fun challenge: Give the small group a total pumpkin value, and see how close they can get to hitting that number.

Create extra pizzazz and 3D pop, by giving students the option to add wiggle eyes, glitter, a pipe cleaner vine, bow, rhinestones, or a pom pom topped cap.

I had an absolute blast using all of these "extras" in my samples.  They really added that "finishing touch".

pumpkin crafts, pumpkin activities, place value activities, place value crafts, october bulletin boards, math bulletin boards, halloween party day craftsToday's featured FREEBIE is also perfect for Halloween party day. 

It's an "oldie but goodie" that I created a few years ago before I honed my computer graphic skills, but my kiddos absolutely love cutting out a "Spooky Spiral", which look pretty awesome swirling and twirling from the ceiling.

pumpkin crafts, pumpkin activities, place value activities, place value crafts, october bulletin boards, math bulletin boards, halloween party day craftsWell that's it for today.  So happy to be done with this whopper of a packet chock full of so many fun options.

Time to take a much-needed break. Despite crashing temps from 70s to 50s it's a pretty day. 

The sun is shining and fall has definitely arrived.  Wishing you a joy-filled day.

"Piles of leaves; Crisp autumn breeze; Pumpkin pie; Oh My!" - Unknown

1-2-3 Come Label A Pumpkin With Me

pumpkin crafts, pumpkin activities, pumpkin centers, label a pumpkin activities, 3D paper pumpkin pattern, pumpkin science, fall centerpieces, fall crafts for kids, halloween craftsAlthough 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.

pumpkin crafts, pumpkin activities, pumpkin centers, label a pumpkin activities, 3D paper pumpkin pattern, pumpkin science, fall centerpieces, fall crafts for kids, halloween craftsFew 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.

pumpkin crafts, pumpkin activities, pumpkin centers, label a pumpkin activities, 3D paper pumpkin pattern, pumpkin science, fall centerpieces, fall crafts for kids, halloween craftsThis 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. 

pumpkin crafts, pumpkin activities, pumpkin centers, label a pumpkin activities, 3D paper pumpkin pattern, pumpkin science, fall centerpieces, fall crafts for kids, halloween craftsFor 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".

pumpkin crafts, pumpkin activities, pumpkin centers, label a pumpkin activities, 3D paper pumpkin pattern, pumpkin science, fall centerpieces, fall crafts for kids, halloween craftsCompleted 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.

pumpkin crafts, pumpkin activities, pumpkin centers, label a pumpkin activities, 3D paper pumpkin pattern, pumpkin science, fall centerpieces, fall crafts for kids, halloween craftsA 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.   

pumpkin crafts, pumpkin activities, pumpkin centers, label a pumpkin activities, 3D paper pumpkin pattern, pumpkin science, fall centerpieces, fall crafts for kids, halloween craftsDo 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”.

pumpkin crafts, pumpkin activities, pumpkin centers, label a pumpkin activities, 3D paper pumpkin pattern, pumpkin science, fall centerpieces, fall crafts for kids, halloween craftsThe 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.

pumpkin crafts, pumpkin activities, pumpkin centers, label a pumpkin activities, 3D paper pumpkin pattern, pumpkin science, fall centerpieces, fall crafts for kids, halloween crafts* 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.

pumpkin crafts, pumpkin activities, pumpkin centers, label a pumpkin activities, 3D paper pumpkin pattern,"how to make a pumpkin pie' transitional writing,  pumpkin science, fall centerpieces, fall crafts for kids, halloween craftsToday'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.

pumpkin crafts, pumpkin activities, pumpkin centers, label a pumpkin activities, 3D paper pumpkin pattern,"how to make a pumpkin pie' transitional writing,  pumpkin science, fall centerpieces, fall crafts for kids, halloween craftsThe packet includes printable patterns, completed sample, recipe, list of transitions, transition poster, a graphing extension, Venn diagram activity, plus an adjective worksheet.

pumpkin crafts, pumpkin activities, pumpkin centers, label a pumpkin activities, 3D paper pumpkin pattern, "how to make a pumpkin pie" transitional writing, pumpkin science, fall centerpieces, fall crafts for kids, halloween craftsWell that's it for today. Thanks for stopping by. 

pumpkin crafts, pumpkin activities, pumpkin centers, label a pumpkin activities, 3D paper pumpkin pattern, pumpkin science, fall centerpieces, fall crafts for kids, halloween craftsThe 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 

pumpkin crafts, halloween crafts, retelling a story activities, sequencing a story activities, activities to go with Big Pumpkin, Halloween party ideas, 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:

pumpkin crafts, halloween crafts, retelling a story activities, sequencing a story activities, activities to go with Big Pumpkin, Halloween party ideas, 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.

pumpkin crafts, halloween crafts, retelling a story activities, sequencing a story activities, activities to go with Big Pumpkin, Halloween party ideas, 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  ...

pumpkin crafts, halloween crafts, retelling a story activities, sequencing a story activities, activities to go with Big Pumpkin, Halloween party ideas, 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.

pumpkin crafts, halloween crafts, retelling a story activities, sequencing a story activities, activities to go with Big Pumpkin, Halloween party ideas, 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.

pumpkin crafts, halloween crafts, retelling a story activities, sequencing a story activities, activities to go with Big Pumpkin, Halloween party ideas, For the pumpkin "slider", children pull the various graphics through the "window".

pumpkin crafts, halloween crafts, retelling a story activities, sequencing a story activities, activities to go with Big Pumpkin, Halloween party ideas, 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.

pumpkin crafts, halloween crafts, retelling a story activities, sequencing a story activities, activities to go with Big Pumpkin, Halloween party ideas, 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.

pumpkin crafts, halloween crafts, retelling a story activities, sequencing a story activities, activities to go with Big Pumpkin, Halloween party ideas,  october wirting promptsSometimes 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.

pumpkin crafts, halloween crafts, retelling a story activities, sequencing a story activities, moral of the story activities, moral of the story posters, activities to go with Big Pumpkin, Halloween party ideas, 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.

pumpkin crafts, halloween crafts, retelling a story activities, sequencing a story activities, activities to go with Big Pumpkin, Halloween party ideas, 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.

candy corn activities, candy corn fractions, pumpkin crafts, halloween crafts, retelling a story activities, sequencing a story activities, activities to go with Big Pumpkin, Halloween party ideas, 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.

pumpkin crafts, halloween crafts, retelling a story activities, sequencing a story activities, activities to go with Big Pumpkin, Halloween party ideas, 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 Play A Pumpkin Dice Game With Me

pumpkin activities, pumpkin games, pumpkin centers, math games, number recognition, number games, dice games, graphing activities, apple graphing, pumpkin graphingSince my Apple Puzzle Games have been so popular, I decided to create a pumpkin-themed one too. 

The pumpkin puzzles are a quick, easy and super-fun activity that you can play as an independent center, or as a whole group where children play individually or with a partner.

pumpkin activities, pumpkin games, pumpkin centers, math games, number recognition, number games, dice games, graphing activities, apple graphing, pumpkin graphingThe games  will reinforce numbers 1-6 for PK kiddos, while older students can use the 1-12 number puzzle to practice addition.

There are several ways to play.

pumpkin activities, pumpkin games, pumpkin centers, math games, number recognition, number games, dice games, graphing activities, apple graphing, pumpkin graphingTo reinforce the fact that pumpkins are not only orange but can be red, yellow, green whitish tan & even blue, I have my students color with those six crayons.

So that each students’ work is different, children decide which numbers are what colors.

Because of the variety, completed projects make a sweet bulletin board.

pumpkin activities, pumpkin games, pumpkin centers, math games, number recognition, number games, dice games, graphing activities, apple graphing, pumpkin graphingI've included photographs of real colorful pumpkins, along with a poster to scatter among your students' work.

I've also included larger, full-page pumpkins so you can create independent Center Games as well.

pumpkin activities, pumpkin games, pumpkin centers, math games, number recognition, number games, dice games, graphing activities, apple graphing, pumpkin graphingSimply print, laminate & trim. I keep each puzzle in a ZipLock Baggie.

For this center, students roll the dice and place the matching numbered piece on the pumpkin base.

There are a set of 3 puzzles for numbers 1-6, and another three with pieces 1-12. 

I made multi-colored puzzles (see photo), but you can make yours all one color or whatever...

Challenge older students to put the puzzles together without the help of a base.

pumpkin activities, pumpkin games, pumpkin centers, math games, number recognition, number games, dice games, graphing activities, apple graphing, pumpkin graphingIf they become stumped, they can refer to the "pumpkin challenge" chart for assistance.

Another Idea:

pumpkin activities, pumpkin games, pumpkin centers, math games, number recognition, number games, dice games, graphing activities, apple graphing, pumpkin graphingThe packet also has a “header” card if you’d like to make these as an inexpensive gift for a fall or Halloween treat bag.

The headers come in color as well as black & white.

It’s a super-simple, party day activity that children can do independently, which allows you to be freed up. Woo hoo for an easy-peasy "sanity saver"!

Students are happily engaged putting their own personal puzzle together.

When they’re done, they pick a friend to play the dice game with; using the base that they built their puzzle on, which they’ll now color for the “Roll & Color” dice game.

You can have these pre-cut by a parent helper, or to make the activity last longer, have children cut out their own pieces, getting in some scissor practice which will help strengthen finger muscles.

There’s also a 4-on-a-page blank pumpkin puzzle so that you can program however you want.

pumpkin activities, pumpkin games, pumpkin centers, math games, number recognition, number games, dice games, graphing activities, apple graphing, pumpkin graphingToday's featured FREEBIE is a selection of fall-themed worksheets that help students practice graphing, at the same time reviewing 2D shapes.

fall graphing  worksheets, pumpkin activities, pumpkin games, pumpkin centers, apple games, apple activities, apple centersI've included black & white patterns for children, as well as colorful answer keys.

My students really love graphing, so I hope yours will too.

pumpkin activities, pumpkin games, pumpkin centers, math games, number recognition, number games, dice games, graphing activities, apple graphing, pumpkin graphingWell that's it for today.  Thanks for stopping by.

It's going to be another hot one today in the 90s (!) unheard of for Michigan at the end of September, but it beats snow.

Time to go water my wilting flowers. Wishing you a fun-filled day.

"By learning you will teach; by teaching you will learn." -Latin Proverb

1-2-3 Come Do Some Seed Activities With Me

Fall is my favorite season.  I love sweatshirt weather, hikes in the woods where trees flaunt their spectacular colors, hayrides, and sipping hot cider while shopping the bountiful harvest at a farmer's market.  

sorting seeds, fall math centers, pumpkin activities, apple activiteis, watermelon activitiesWhile munching a juicy honeycrisp apple, I thought it would be fun to have my students compare the various seeds of a few of the items on display here. Leftovers would also  provide a nutritious snack too.

sorting seeds, fall math centers, pumpkin activities, apple activiteis, watermelon activitiesThus the "Exploration of Seeds" packet was born, and mixes a bit of science with a variety of math skills: data collection & analysis, sorting, comparing & contrasting, predicting, guess-timating, counting, sequencing, greater than, less than & equal to, plus graphing.

seed activities, pumpkin activities, apple activiiesI've also included a descriptive worksheet as well as an emergent reader, so you can add a splash of language arts and reading as well.

sorting seeds, fall math centers, pumpkin activities, apple activiteis, watermelon activitiesThere are also 19 photo posters.

Scatter them around your students' investigations to make an interesting bulletin board, or use them as flashcards to check comprehension after you've done your investigation.

Students could choose one and practice using adjectives to describe the photo, or use several as writing prompts.

You can do the exploration activities as a whole group, or set things up as a center and have students work independently on their own seed worksheets.

I've included a letter home to parents asking for donations, so that you can study the seeds of a pumpkin, apple, sunflower, and watermelon, as well as kernels of corn.

If your students are like mine, they will absolutely LOVE these hands-on activities.

As a busy teacher, being able to combine science with math and language arts is a wonderful time-saving bonus.

selfie self portrait writing prompt craftToday's featured FREEBIE is a "My School Daze Selfie".    Do you have your kiddos draw a self portrait?

Why not hop on the "selfie" rage and use these cute worksheets for your kiddos to do their work on.  They're sure to become a keepsake.

seed activities, apple activities, pumpkin activities watermelon activities, selfie portraits, back to school self portraitsWell that's it for today. Thanks for stopping by. The warm breeze on this lovely September afternoon is calling my name. 

Time to take my poodle pup Chloe, for a walk and declutter my brain.  Wishing you an awesome day filled with everything you most enjoy.

"Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall." - F. Scott Fitzgerald

1-2-3 Come Do A Storytelling Craft With Me  

activities for The little old lady who wasnt afraid of anything, pumpkin crafts, pumpkin stories, scarecrow crafts, scarecrow stories, Halloween activities, Halloween stories, halloween crafts, storytelling slidersDo you read “The Little Old Lady Who Wasn’t Afraid Of Anything” by Linda Williams? 
It’s perfect for practicing the “sequencing and retelling a story” standards.

With that in mind, I designed this quick, easy and fun storytelling “slider” craftivity, that will help your students retell the tale in the proper order.

activities for The little old lady who wasnt afraid of anything, pumpkin crafts, pumpkin stories, scarecrow crafts, scarecrow stories, Halloween activities, Halloween stories, halloween crafts, storytelling slidersChildren color the objects on the “slider strip” then cut and glue it together.

activities for The little old lady who wasnt afraid of anything, pumpkin crafts, pumpkin stories, scarecrow crafts, scarecrow stories, Halloween activities, Halloween stories, halloween crafts, storytelling slidersAs they pull on the end of the “slider” the various pictures go through the ”window”, so that children can take turns retelling the story to a partner or reading buddy, then take their “Little Old Lady” home to share with their family, once again practicing these standards.

Storytelling sliders are also an easy & interesting way to assess comprehension.

activities for The little old lady who wasnt afraid of anything, pumpkin crafts, pumpkin stories, scarecrow crafts, scarecrow stories, Halloween activities, Halloween stories, halloween crafts, storytelling slidersI’ve included a “sequence the story” worksheet for this, where students color and trim the picture “windows” then glue them in the correct order on the blank worksheet.

I introduce the lesson by reading ”The Little Old Lady Who Wasn’t Afraid Of Anything”, then share my completed "slider craftivity” with my students.

So that you can quickly and easily make an example, I’ve included a full-color slider pattern.

activities for The little old lady who wasnt afraid of anything, pumpkin crafts, pumpkin stories, scarecrow crafts, scarecrow stories, Halloween activities, Halloween stories, halloween crafts, storytelling slidersAfter I read the story, we retell the tale together using the picture prompts on my slider. I have them guess which object 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 slider of their own.

I’ve also included 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 or other transitions. 

activities for The little old lady who wasnt afraid of anything, pumpkin crafts, pumpkin stories, scarecrow crafts, scarecrow stories, Halloween activities, Halloween stories, halloween crafts, storytelling slidersToday's featured FREEBIE is entitled "Halloween Boo Boos" .

For a fun language arts activity for Halloween, have your students become the teacher.  Pass out the ghostly paper then set a timer.  How many boo boos can they find before the timer rings?

Students circle the mistakes and then write a corrected sentence.  You decide what sentences you want your students to correct.  They circle those numbers and then begin the game. 

activities for The little old lady who wasnt afraid of anything, pumpkin crafts, pumpkin stories, scarecrow crafts, scarecrow stories, Halloween activities, Halloween stories, halloween crafts, storytelling slidersWell that's it for today. Thanks for popping in. Dashing this off before I turn in for the night.

I have a bit of a cold, and am hoping a good night's sleep will perk me up in the morning.  Wishing you a pleasant and relaxing evening.

"There is a harmony in autumn, and a lustre in its sky, which through the summer is not heard or seen, as if it could not be, as if it had not been!" -Percy Bysshe Shelley

1-2-3 Come Do Some Pumpkin-Themed 2D Shape Activities With Me

pumpkin crafts, pumpkin activities, 2D shape crafts, 2D shape activities, Hexagon activities, 2D shape games, pumpkin games, Halloween games, assessing 2D shapes, emergent reader books, Dolch words, Since pumpkins are carved with all sorts of shapely features, I thought it would be fun to make some "pumpkin eye" activities to practice 2D shapes.  Today's blog features my "just finished" packet, along with today's featured FREEBIE.

The packet includes:

pumpkin crafts, pumpkin activities, 2D shape crafts, 2D shape activities, Hexagon activities, 2D shape games, pumpkin games, Halloween games, assessing 2D shapes, emergent reader books, Dolch words, * 2 sets of picture cards featuring pumpkins with the various shaped eyes: circle, oval, rectangle, square, triangle, hexagon, pentagon, octagon, rhombus, trapezoid, heart and star.

These can be used as flashcards or for Memory Match, or "I Have; Who Has?" games.

pumpkin crafts, pumpkin activities, 2D shape crafts, 2D shape activities, Hexagon activities, 2D shape games, pumpkin games, Halloween games, assessing 2D shapes, October bulletin boards, emergent reader books, Dolch words, * There’s also an emergent reader craftivity:Pumpkin Eyes", with 3 options:

* One option features pages with simple sentences using words from the Dolch lists, especially pronouns: “My pumpkin has rectangle eyes.” There is space underneath for students to draw that shape.
* Option 2 includes the sentences as well as the shapes. The 3rd option, for little ones, doesn’t have sentences, just the picture shapes for them to color.

Students cut the pages and staple the "Pumpkin Eyes" booklet to the eye-section of their pumpkin.

pumpkin crafts, pumpkin activities, 2D shape crafts, 2D shape activities, Hexagon activities, 2D shape games, pumpkin games, Halloween games, assessing 2D shapes, October bulletin boards, emergent reader books, Dolch words, * I’ve also included a whole group chant written on a poster. Read and point to the words on it:
“Oh my! We’re wise. We spy a pumpkin with ____________ eyes!”
When you get to the blank, place a shape word card on the poster.

To start the game, pass the various shaped eye cards out to your students. The child holding the called-for shape, puts that eye-card on the pumpkin poster.

Continue the chant ’til you have used all of the shape word cards.
My Y5s absolutely LOVE practicing shapes this way.

* Make an extra set to be used as an independent center. Children place the shape word above the pumpkin, then put the matching eyes on. To make this self-checking, draw the shape on the back of the word card.

* This activity can also be used as a fun tool for individually assessing 2D shapes.

pumpkin crafts, pumpkin activities, 2D shape crafts, 2D shape activities, Hexagon activities, 2D shape games, pumpkin games, Halloween games, assessing 2D shapes, October bulletin boards, emergent reader books, Dolch words, * Afterwards, graph which pumpkin eyes everyone liked the best using the “Graphing Time” poster.

* Another fun way to whole-group assess 2D shapes, is by making a Pumpkin Eyes” slider craft.

pumpkin crafts, pumpkin activities, 2D shape crafts, 2D shape activities, Hexagon activities, 2D shape games, pumpkin games, Halloween games, assessing 2D shapes, October bulletin boards, emergent reader books, Dolch words, There are 2 pumpkin patterns to choose from, as well as two slider strip options featuring the various 2D shapes.

* I’ve also included 2 pumpkin patterns where students draw a shapely face, which makes for a sweet bulletin board. 

pumpkin crafts, pumpkin activities, 2D shape crafts, 2D shape activities, Hexagon activities, 2D shape games, pumpkin games, Halloween games, assessing 2D shapes, October bulletin boards, emergent reader books, Dolch words, Place the “Welcome to our patch” poster in the center of your display.  This poster is today's FREEBIE.  Click on the link to grab your copy.

* Finally, a great “go along” story to read with these activities is Denise Fleming’s “Pumpkin Eye”.

pumpkin crafts, pumpkin activities, 2D shape crafts, 2D shape activities, Hexagon activities, 2D shape games, pumpkin games, Halloween games, assessing 2D shapes, October bulletin boards, emergent reader books, Dolch words, The story is about all of the things the pumpkin’s eyes see on Halloween, so I’ve included a class-made book activity as well.
Class books are wonderful to share at Parent-Teacher Conferences.

pumpkin activities, pumpkin crafts, emergent readers, class made book, october bulletin board ideas, writing prompts for october, pumpkin games, 2D shape activities, 2D shape games, assessing 2D shapes, 2D shape craftsEach child completes the prompt: “My pumpkin’s eyes are ___________. (shape) He sees ____________________.

Students draw those shaped eyes on the pumpkin, then illustrate their page of what their pumpkin saw. Collect the pages, collate, then add the cover.  

pumpkin crafts, pumpkin activities, 2D shape crafts, 2D shape activities, Hexagon activities, 2D shape games, pumpkin games, Halloween games, assessing 2D shapes, October bulletin boards, emergent reader books, Dolch words, Well that's it for today.  Thanks for popping in. 

It's time to put my "Nana hat" on, as I'm watching two of my favorite little "punkins" today.  Wishing you giggles galore and lots of warm snuggly hugs.

"There's nothing quite like a grandchild to put a smile on your face, a lump in your throat, and a warm, loving feeling in your heart." -Unknown

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