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

I'm really enjoying fall.  Love the wonderful weather, and the leaves are just starting to turn here in Michigan. 

I've had a few requests for some simple pumpkin games that teachers can use as an independent center. Several visitors have also asked for some pumpkin-themed number word activities.

With that in mind, I just finished the cute Pumpkin Fun Number Packet. It's 22 pages, and includes a seed counting game, where students match the stem with a number on it, to the pumpkin with the number word on it. 

From there, students count to find the matching "pumpkin guts".  These are circles with pumpkin seeds on them from 1-20. 

To make the game self-checking, write the number on the back of the seed circles and pumpkins. 

If you want, run off copies, so that students can make their own Counting Pumpkin Seeds booklet. They glue the stem to the pumpkin and then staple the edge of the seed circle so that it flips up. 

I've included a cover for them to staple to the front.  This would involve quite a bit of cutting, so you may want students working on this for several days, or simply have them do numbers 0-10. This is a nice fit for Daily 5 word work.

For more practice matching numbers to their number word, I've included 2 trace and write worksheets.  These are great for early finishers, your sub folder or homework.

A slice of pumpkin, is another worksheet, where students trace and write the number and dot that many seeds in the appropriate section.  When they are done, they color the picture.

There's also a "Show Me The Number" activity.  These can be done as a separate table top worksheet for your math block, or run off and staple into a booklet and have students work on a new number each day. 

Before you work on any of these activities, I suggest reviewing numbers and number words. 

I've included a set of pocket chart cards and a poster to help you.  Students can refer to them as they work independently.  

Click on the link to view/download the Pumpkin Number Fun packet.

For another pumpkin-themed number word game click on the link. 

This one helps strengthen finger muscles, as students use clothespins to make matches. 

Seven Pumpkin Games is  another FREEBIE that reinforces numbers. 

As a teacher, I incorporate games because my students really enjoy them, and I can cover a variety of math concepts, while helping them improve their "life skills" at the same time. 

If you want to work on higher numbers, click on the Pumpkin Math packet to practice numbers 1-120. 

You can cover quite a few Common Core State Standards with this "Let's Count Pumpkins" packet, which includes an easy reader where students read, trace and write the numbers, plus circle them in a sequence. 

To cover more standards, children circle capital letters, add end punctuation to the simple sentences, plus count the pumpkins in the group/set and color the puffy numbers as well.

The packet also includes trace and write worksheets for counting from 0 to 120, plus skip counting by 2's, 3's, 5's, and 10's.

Click on the link for a larger set of pumpkin number cards, that you can use in a variety of ways: pocket chart cards, a number line, games such as "I Have; Who Has?" and Memory Match; plus students can practice making up equations, and showing greater than or less than.

Finally, if you use 10 frames with your kiddos, I've made a pumpkin-themed 10 frames set. 

That's it for today.  Thanks for visiting. 

I'm off to the dungeon (also known as my basement) to haul up some autumn decorations.  Wishing you a fabulous fall.

"It might be hard at times, but hard is not impossible." -Unknown

My Pumpkin Book Easy Reader

October will soon be here; this easy reader covers a variety of standards, skills and subjects.

You can use the straight version of the booklet and concentrate on reading and writing skills, or you can use the "cut and glue" version (pictured) and incorporate fine motor, cutting, gluing, sequencing, listening and following direction skills as well.  

When students make these easy readers you can review concepts of print with them by asking simple questions: Where is the cover, where is the back page, what is the title? (RI.K5) They will delight in the fact that they are part author as well as the illustrator of the booklet. (RI.K6

You can point out to them that the first word in the sentence is capitalized (L.K2a) and remind them to capitalize it when they rewrite their sentence. Ask them what the end punctuation is. (L.K2b) and again remind them how important it is to include it when they write their sentence. By rewriting sentences or making up additional ones, in some of my easy readers, children are practicing and reinforcing these standards.

Students are also following words from left to right, top to bottom, and page by page.  (RF.K3a ) They are seeing and understanding that words are separated by spaces in print as they trace and then write them. (RF.K3d)

I specifically choose common high-frequency words in the easy readers and repeat them through out the booklets so that simply via repetition students learn them. (the, of, to, you, she, he, my, is, are, a, do, does, it, etc.) This is also a Common Core State Standard: (RF.K3c)

The text has rhyming words which make it a fun read-aloud as well as covering RF.K2a which is being able to recognize and produce rhuyming words.  Take this opportunity to ask your students what other word(s) rhyme with that word.  Which other ones could have fit that would make sense in the sentence.

This easy reader makes a nice activity for Daily 5 or an independent reading or writing center for October.  When everyone has completed their booklet, be sure to read it together as a whole group to review concepts of print.

Because the life cycle of a pumpkin is also sequenced, this is a nice way to cover a bit of pumpkin science too. so don't forget to point out the various stages as you read it aloud.

Why not laminate a completed booklet, attach Velcro or magnet strips to the back and have students sequence the stages on a flannel or white board?

Children will enjoy taking it home to share with their family, which will reinforce lessons learned at school.

Click on the link to view/download My Pumpkin Booklet

Thank you for visiting today. Feel free to PIN anything you think others might find helfpful.

"It is not so much what s poured into a the student, but what is planted that really counts." -Anonymous

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