Halloween lands on a Saturday this year, but you can make Friday a lot of fun for the children. I decided to do a pumpkin theme the entire day of school.
Math: Buy pumpkin stickers. Put them on paper and scatter them all over. Have students make combinations of 10 using the pumpkins. Another option, create a pumpkin graph. You can purchase pumpkin candies such as M&M’s and give about 15 or so to each student. Have them create a graph to see which color they have the most, least, etc.
Writing: Bring in a pumpkin, carve it right in front of your students. Have them write a how-to (procedural) on how to carve a pumpkin.
Reading: Read a spooky Halloween story such as Go Away Big Green Monster by Ed Emberley. Have students do a re-telling of the book (listing the beginning, middle, and end).
Science: Plant pumpkin seeds three different ways (in a cup of dirt, in a plastic bag with water, in a wet paper towel). Have students predict which way the seeds will grow the best. Watch them over a weeks time and have students keep a daily response in their science journals.
Art: Buy or have your students bring in mini pumpkins. Have them decorate their pumpkins by cutting out body parts and limbs from magazines. They can paste them onto their pumpkins and create their own Picasso Pumpkins.
One thing I’m not quite sure I understand is tardiness. I have two students who are consistantly tardy each and every day they come to school. When I ask them why they are tardy, they simply reply, “My mom has to take my brother to school also.” I had to stop and digest this because my first immediate response is to say, “And where is she taking you? Aren’t you going to school as well?” I can understand being late to school occasionally, cars breakdown, moms and dads get sick, but tardy each day? There is no excuse for it. Parent’s don’t understand that when their child comes in late, not only have they missed the morning curriculum, rituals, and routines, but they are also disrupting the teaching and learning that goes on in our room.
As I teacher, when I see something free I jump on it. I was browsing and found free downloadable lables and stickers from Martha Stewart. These cute labels can save you loads of time when writing your name in books. You can buy labels from Avery at Walgreens or Walmart. Stick them in your printer and print away. Check them out!
What could possibly be better than a free shopping spree? Well Ann Taylor Loft is giving one lucky winner a chance to win $1000 shopping spree, two tickets to New York City, A styling session with the director of Ann Taylor Loft, and a Scholastic classroom library.
As a science teacher, Iknow what it takes to be organized. Having lesson plans, materials, and files makes life so much easier. I am also always looking for ways to be more organized. I came across this article about being organized and loved some of the tips and suggestions. I have listed the PDF file below for you to read. The article talks about many ways to be organized. Being organized can save a lot of time and stress. You don’t have to be a science teacher to enjoy the article. These tips are great for all teachers, elementary through high school.
Sticky Notes & Beyond
We (and I mean our school) are constantly telling our students to recycle, plant trees, and be green. I found some great materials from abcteach.com The resources may be helpful when introducing the topic. They have everything from posters and games to arts and crafts. This can be tied into social studies and science or you can create an entire unit on the topic. It can be incorporated with all subjects. Another great website is Back to School with Family Education. They too offer an assortment of topics and ideas to use in your classroom.
Many teachers fumble with the idea of having a class pet. Here are some reasons why I think it’s a great idea:
*Teaches responsibility
*Fun for the children
*Learning experiences
*Can be tied into lessons
*Can manage behavior
*Learn to be affectionate
Today it was pouring outside when I was picking up my students from lunch. As we were walking back to class they began screaming and scattering about. I was not happy by their response to the rain. First of all it is just rain and secondly, there was a fifth grade class, whom we were walking passed that was taking a test. I firmly put my finger to my lips and gave them the death stare. It worked for most of them, but a few did not catch on. What is it about rain that gets kids so excited? I’m quite sure they do not have this reaction at home, so why at school? The funny thing is every single year I’ve taught, each class has the same reaction. It’s like they are seeing rain for the very first time!
