1-2-3 Come Do Another Scarecrow Writing Prompt Craft With Me

I love doing some scarecrow activities in the fall. Displays of my students’ work can go up in September & stay up through November, which is a huge time saver.

With that in mind I designed this quick, easy & super-fun “Scarecrows Have / Are…” writing prompt craftivity.

This is what I call a “bite size” bit of writing. The topic is specific enough so that students aren’t overwhelmed, while providing nice practice using descriptive adjectives.

Whenever I toss a bit of craftiness in with our writing, my students get extremely excited and WANT to get down to the business of writing and making their own scarecrow.

There are 4 scarecrows to choose from, as well as two writing prompts.

Students can choose the “Scarecrows ARE” writing prompt worksheet, or the "Scarecrows HAVE” one.

For more writing practice, have students do both.

One can be done in class, and the other as homework, or take two days to complete the project.

If you do both writing prompts, have students glue one to the back of their scarecrow. 

Punch a hole in the top, tie on a yarn loop and suspend from the ceiling. 

The assembly is easy-peasy.

Students choose a scarecrow, then color and cut out the top & bottom halves. 

After editing their final draft, they write it on the worksheet, which is the rectangular mid-section of their scarecrow's body.

Cutting around the "hair" and "fingers" of the scarecrows can be a bit tricky, so I've also included patterns with an "easy trim" edging. 

Students simply cut on the dashed line. 

For more creativity, the scarecrow head patterns also come with and without a face.

To help get your students creative juices flowing, I’ve also included 28 photographs of “real” scarecrows.

There are 7 photo-posters, with 4 pictures on each page.

You can laminate them, then pass them around to give your students some ideas of what to write. 

You could also cut each photograph out, and have students choose one to describe. 

If you decide to make an autumn bulletin board with your students completed scarecrows, add these photographs for some extra pizzazz & interest.

For more writing practice, extend the lesson by doing the Venn diagram activity that’s also included in the packet.

Venn diagrams are an interesting & simple way to practice comparison and contrast writing.

This activity can be done as a whole group, or children can choose a partner with a different scarecrow than theirs, then create a Venn diagram together.

These make a nice addition to your display.

I've also included two, Scarecrow "Are-Have" posters as well.

Today's featured FREEBIE is another fun, fall writing prompt.

This one is "How to Make a Pumpkin Pie". 

How to do something, is a writing standard for many schools.

These completed projects also make a "sweet" display.

That's it.  Thanks for stopping by. 

The wicked wind has snatched the rest of our autumn leaves from the oak and maple tree branches, so there's  quite a thick "blanket" of autumn colors festooning our lawn. 

Guess what's on our "To Do" list for this afternoon? 

Wishing you a wonderful week.

"Children must be taught how to think, not what to think." -Margaret Mead

1-2-3 Come Do A Few More Scarecrow Activities With Me

I thought I was finished diddling around with scarecrows for the season, and was ready to move on to turkeys, until I got a request for some scarecrow alphabet cards. 

I enjoy making ABC cards; they don't take that long, so I'm always happy to oblige special requests, even if they come from only one visitor. I think others will also enjoy them as well.

Click on the link to view/download the scarecrow alphabet cards, along with a 3-page tip list of what else to use them for, and some "Kaboom!" cards to make alphabet games even more fun.

A teacher from Michigan, e-mailed me that she really liked The Scarecrow's Shapely Nose packet and wondered if I could make a shape slider of a scarecrow like the puppy pal.  Great idea Lynn! 

Click on the link to view/download The Scarecrow's Nose Shape Slider.  For extra pizzazz I added "straw" that was made by running yellow construction paper through my husband's shredder!

Children are bound to get antsy when doing seatwork, so I liked to include some gross motor activities to help get the "wiggles" out.  Brain breaks are equally important.  I tried to include my theme whenever I could. 

One of my Y5's favorite movement-songs was This Scarecrow.  It's sung to the tune of This Old Man.  The packet is filled with lots of silly rhyming fun. 

I hope your kiddo's enjoy "snapping, clapping, tapping, and slapping" as much as mine did. Click on the link to view/download it.

Finally, because it's difficult to fit in science to an already packed day, I try and design things that incorporate some science, along with a variety of other Common Core State Standards.  My Scarecrow's Senses does just that. 

Students read, trace, write, add end punctuation, underline the adjectives and color.  After asking the scarecrow what he see's, hears, feels, smells and tastes, it's the child's turn to write about their autumn senses.  Click on the link to view/download My Scarecrow's Senses.

Thanks for visiting today.  I design and blog daily.  I hope you can stop by tomorrow for the newest FREEBIES that I so enjoy sharing.  Feel free to PIN away.   If you'd like to take a look at all of the wonderfully-creative educational items that I pin, click on the heart button to the right of the blog.

"For in every adult there dwells the child that was, and in every child there lies the adult that will be." -John Connolly

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

While I was working on the scarecrow packets, it crossed my mind that scarecrows are really not all that scarey?  I thought of the scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz who wanted a brain, and I wondered if a scarecrow had one, what would he say?  My brain needs a shut off button, so one idea led to another, 'til I decided to turn all of these thoughts into interesting writing prompts with a scarecrow character.

Getting students excited about writing, and WANTING to write, can be difficult.  A teacher announcing that "It's time to write." is often followed by a lot of groaning, as if you had asked students to whine in unison. 

To get my students enthusiastic about writing I'd dream up creative and interesting writing prompts to jump start their brains.

Instead of  informing students that it's time to write, ask them:  "If you were a scarecrow what would you want to wear?"  or "Do you think scarecrows are scarey? If you were the farmer, how could you make a scarecrow scarier?"  

Watch all the hands shoot up.  With lots of enthusiasm say: "Great! Now choose one of these scarecrow writing prompts and tell me your thoughts in detail." Reveal the prompts listed on the board and have students choose which one they are most "excited" about.  My kiddo's couldn't wait to get started. Woo Hoo!

Click on the link to view/download the 6 Scarecrow Writing Prompts

Thanks for visiting today.  I design and blog daily, so I hope you can stop by tomorrow to check out the newest FREEBIES hot off my computer.  Feel free to PIN away.  I think sharing is so important. To ensure that other "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 menu bar.   If you'd like to see all the creative-educational items that I pin, click on the heart to the right of the blog. I have an entire board of just scarecrow and writing activities.

"It's always better to try and fail, than fail to try." -Unknown

Creative Writing With A Scarecrow--Not So Scary!

This cute scarecrow helps reinforce reading, writing and cutting skills, as students enjoy reviewing the pretty colors of fall that their scarecrow sees.

Students trace the color sight words and can either make a scarecrow out of construction paper or simply color one.  

The pages of the booklet are cut out, sequenced and glued to his tummy. The master has 4-on a page for easy printing.

Because it focuses on color words, the booklet makes  a great activity for "word work" during Daily 5.

When everyone is done, read the book as a whole group reinforcing concepts of print and reviewing Common Core Standards.

Students will be able to take the booklet home and share it with their families, which will help reinforce lessons learned in school further, as well as build their self-esteem.

The scarecrows also make an adorable bulletin board.  Cover the top half of the board with sky blue construction paper and the bottom half with a cornfield-colored background. For a 3-D effect, you may want to lash a few real cornstalks on either side of your bulletin board.

Sprinkle your students work so that the scarecrows are dotted around the cornfield.  A few crows suspended from fishline flying from the ceiling adds the finishing touch.  I have a crow activity in the the November Arts and Activities book. 

Click on the link to check that out.  Click on the link to view/download Scarecrow What Do You See?

A title for your board could be any of the following: Great Work Worth Crowing About! OR: Not So Scary Lessons In Mr(s) ______________ Class! OR: Just Hangin' Around Doin' Good Work In ________________'s Class!

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN anything you think others might find helpful.

"A gentle word, a kind look, a good-natured smile can work wonders and accomplish miracles." -William Hazlitt

Yes There Is Time For Art AND Common Core--Just Combine Them.  Don't Be Scared; Make A Scarecrow!

November is not just turkeys and pilgrims. After the election excitement, spice things up with not-so-scary scarecrows!

Here's a sampling of the 66 - pages of adorable scarecrow arts & crafts projects and activities that will help you teach a variety of subjects and Common Core State Standards.

Some full color pictures + copy-ready patterns and step-by-step directions for each project are included.

These projects all involve many of your report card standards, so children are learning and reinforcing much-needed math, writing, and science concepts while enjoying art.

Hands-on “craftivities” are a great way to help increase listening and following direction skills, as well as practice and improve cutting and other fine motor skills.

You can use completed projects as gifts, bulletin boards, hallway and classroom decorations or for portfolios.

Many make great keepsakes for parents. Some of the projects include songs and poems to reinforce those concepts too.

Click on the link to view/download the Scarecrow Art + Activity Book.

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“The world of imagination is boundless.” –Jean Jacques Rousseau