5 pages.

Your room will smell delicious when you make these acorns that are sprinkled with ground cinnamon & /or ground cloves.  Practice name writing with the glitter acorns.  Both make cute borders for your November bulletin board featuring student work.

1-2-3 Come Do Some Awesome Autumn Craftivities With Me!

To help motivate my Y5's to get down to business, stay focused and complete their morning table top lessons, I'd often offer a simple & quick craftivity that they could transition to, when they were done, or if I spied them quietly working.  The textured acorn is perfect for this.

Here's How: 

• Run off on brown construction paper & rough cut.
• Students trim and write their name on the back.
• Individually call them up to the ‘sprinkling” center, to work one-on-one with you or an adult helper.  
• Children brush glue over the top with a large foam brush.
• Children sprinkle mustard seeds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds or bird seed on the top.  Gently shake off excess, then they brush glue on the bottom. 
• Children sprinkle ground cinnamon &/or ground clove onto the bottom.  Set aside to dry.
• Your room will smell wonderful while making these.
•  
• Another craftivity you can do with the acorn template, is to have children write their name on the bottom; you help them trace the letters with glue and then sprinkle with coppery-orange glitter. You can also add glitter to the top of the acorn and sprinkle with another color.

Use the acorns as a border on your bulletin board that displays student work.  Your caption can be: “We’re simply nuts about...” and then fill in whatever you’re studying. Click on the link to view/download the scent-sational acorn craftivities.

Another sweet-smelling craftivity I call the pumpkin pie pomander. Simply cut a paper plate into 1/8ths.

For a quick and interesting review of fractions, do this in front of your kiddo's to demonstrate how fractions are formed, by first cutting the plate in 1/2 then in 1/4ths and finally into 1/8ths. I've included a set of fraction pies for even more reinforcement.

Punch a hole in the corner and tie a yarn or ribbon loop.  Call quiet students up to the painting center.  They paint their slice of pie with light brown paint.  While the paint is still wet, help them sprinkle on ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice.  Shake off excess.  When it dries students can glue the little poem to the back. I've also done this as a whole group activity. 

You can skip painting and simply have children color the edge of their "crust" with a light brown or tan marker or crayon.  Instead of using paint, students brush Elmer's glue onto the bottom portion of the pie using a Q tip. 

Remind students that they just want to make their pie sticky and not sloppy with glue puddles. Have a mixture of  cinnamon-clove powder sprinkled on 8" paper plates  (1 per table). Students carefully place the wet side down onto the powder and press.  Click on the link to view/download the Pumpkin Pie Pomander craftivity.  

Finally, since the Thankful Tree was such a popular download, I thought I'd make another option called the Thankful Wreath. 

I've included a variety of leaf templates + an acorn.  Prior to the activity, brainstorm with children about the things they are thankful for.  Write them on the board so students have help with spelling. 

There are several ways to make the wreath:  Children flip over a paper plate and glue the poem in the middle. 

They select 8 leaves that you have run off on a variety of fall-colored construction paper. Older students can cut their own leaves, but I'd pre-cut for pre-K's to expedite things. If you want them to have some cutting practice, have them trim the elm leaf.

Children write something they are thankful for on each leaf.  Before they glue, have them arrange the leaves in a circle around the poem.  When they are satisfied with the appearance, they glue the leaves to the wreath. In the picture I used two oak leaves to make a "bow" and put an acorn in the middle with a child's photo glued to it.

The other way you can make the wreath is to skip the poem and cut the center of the plate out.  As I was making samples, I liked a thinner circle so that the white didn't show through, but you still had enough "base" to glue things on, so I cut quite a bit of the ribbing off as well.  

After students have written on the leaves, they rub glue all over the wreath and then press their leaves on. 

My Y5's absolutely loved anything with glitter, so I thought that some "sparkles" would help add the "wow" factor they so enjoyed. 

Completed projects make a lovely bulletin board, or hang them back-to-back from the ceiling in the hallway.  Click on the link to view/download the Thankful Wreath patterns.

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away.  I blog and design daily, so I hope you can stop by tomorrow for the newest FREEBIES.

"Without Thy sunshine and Thy rain, we could not have the golden grain.  Without Thy love we'd not be fed.  We thank Thee for our daily bread." -Unknown.

1-2-3 Come Do Some "I'm Thankful" Writing With Me!

If you're looking for an alternative to the "I'm Thankful" writing prompt activity, where students write what they are thankful for, on turkey feathers, (I did that for years) you may want to try the Thankful Tree. 

This craftivity offers a twist, as students write the things that they are thankful for in each season.  The tree-top writing prompt pages are larger, so students can write a bit more than on the typical feather. 

It's an interesting and fun way to review the 4 seasons, and a chance to showcase students descriptive writing, by encouraging the use of adjectives.

Here's what to do:

Print off the tops of the trees on appropriate colors of construction paper.  i.e. a green cover page, an orange one for fall, white or powder blue for the winter page, pink for the spring page, yellow for the summer page, and finally, ending with another shade of green, for the last "I'm most thankful for..." page, where students can include things like family, friends, etc.

Via a discussion, review the various seasons and what kinds of things children see and like to do in them. 

To help students with spelling and recall, write a list on the board.

Look at the list and ask students to think of descriptive words that would make those things and activities "come alive". 

List those as well.  This will help jump-start your students' brains, and ensure that they incorporate lots of adjectives in their writing.

Students should compose their rough draft on scratch paper. 

You may want to have them underline the adjectives, so that they can see at a glance, if they have included at least two per sentence. 

If they haven’t, they need to go back and add some. 

Children can work on a page a day, as part of their writing block, or for the writing portion of your Daily 5 activities. 

Remind students to use proper spacing and end punctuation, as well as trace the beginning words of each sentence, underlining the adjectives as they go.

Once they have written their sentences, students cut out their tree trunk and tops for the tree.  They need to make sure the pages are in order.  

Children start with the last page and glue it to the top of the tree, and then staple the rest of the tree-top pages together onto that last page, so that the staple acts as a hinge and the tree-top pages flip up.

To add that finishing touch, students glue their school photo to the hollow of the tree.  Children can also draw seasonally appropriate things to each of the tree tops, like leaves, apples, snowflakes, flowers etc.  They could also use stickers, clip art or paper punch-cut shapes. 

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, The Seasons of Arnold's Apple Tree by Gibbons, as well as Sutherland's, Thanksgiving is for Giving Thanks are great read-aloud books, to go along with this craftivity.

Click on the link to view/download The Thankful Tree.

Thanks for visiting today.  I  design daily and try to blog about the newest items, so I hope you can stop by again tomorrow.  It's time for me to do a little grocery shopping,or my sweetie won't be very thankful for a loving wife, because of a non-existant dinner. 

"I read; I travel; I become." -Derek Walcott

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

     November is such a fun month!  So many goofy things going on to trigger kids'  thoughts and get them excited to write!  From pizza to football, turkeys to forget-me-nots, there's a little bit of everything! Here are just a few:

• November 10^th is Forget-Me-Not Day!   Does anyone out there know who thinks up these things? Does someone form a committee? Do they have to vote on them before they become a National Something or Another and then get added to our calendar? Anyway they make for some smilie-moments as I’m surfing the net trying to find out what’s going on in the month of November to jump start some writing prompts and get those creative juices flowing for your students. Hope you find these creative and thought provoking!

 Play it again Sam:

• National Saxophone Day shares election day status on Nov. 6^th. If you could play any instrument and be a concert virtuoso at it, what would you play and why?
• What’s your favorite kind of music to listen to? Why? On the other hand, what kind of music drives you up the wall? Why do you hate it?
• It’s Election Day! People were jailed and some even lost their lives trying to get the right to vote. Today, many young people are apathetic about the entire process and many have never voted. Why do you think this is? Will you vote when it comes time? Why do you think it’s important?
• You’re running for office. What office are you running for? How do you get those apathetic friends of yours out there to vote?

Forget-Me-Not!

• There’s a part of your brain called the amygdala. It tends to remember things that are unforgettable. For example if you are a baby boomer like me, you remember exactly where you were the day president Kennedy was shot, or more recently, what you were doing when 911 happened. Tell me about something that happened in your life that will remain unforgettable as long as you live.

Going Nuts!

• It’s Peanut Butter Lover’s month. Are you a lover of peanut butter? Why or why not?
• Some things just drive people NUTS! What are some of the things that drive you nuts and why do they? What do you think you can do to calm yourself down?

Football Frenzy!

• It’s that time of year again when the fans hit the stands and the men hit the field. Here’s the scenario, and they actually made a movie out of this story: A girl is a super football player. She wants on the team. Should she be able to try out? Why or why not?

I’m thankful for our Veterans! Happy Veteran’s Day!

• My dad was a Vet. He was in the 2^nd World War and drove a tank for the army. He often talked about his time in Italy & Germany. I’m very proud of him for that. I couldn’t be in the military. I love my country, but I couldn’t shoot another person. How about you? Here’s the scenario: Obama declares war. Will you enlist? Could you shoot another person? Tell me how you feel?

I’ll take it with everything on it!

• National Pizza Day is the 12^th. What’s your favorite kind of pizza? Now here’s your challenge. There’s a $1,000 prize to come up with a new pizza. What does yours have on it? What shape is it? Anything else cool or unusual about it? What’s it called? What will you do with the money if you should win?

Paging Miss Care Giver; you’re wanted in the OR Stat!

• Operating Room Nurses Day is the 14^th.  Would you want to be one? Why or why not? Or…has a nurse every really helped you? What happened? Details please.

If you can read this, thank a teacher!

• It’s National Book Month. You’re a famous author. What kind of books do you write? Why? What’s the title of your latest book? Why should I read it?

Now Read This!

• National Button Day is the 16^th. What’s your favorite button say? Now you design one. (Teachers let’s have a class contest!) I still have my Badge – A – Minute™ button maker in the basement. I used to use it to help my pom pom girls raise money to pay for their uniforms. I also make photo magnets for my students to give to their families at Christmas. It’s been a fun craft tool I’ve used & enjoyed for a years. J

A is for Adopt

• Nov. is National adoption month. If you’re adopted tell me about it. Do you want to find your birth mother? If you’re not, do you think parents should tell their children that they are?
• Here’s the scenario: You’re adopted. You want to find your birth mother. You’ve located her! She knows nothing about you, and has not tried to contact you. She’s married and has a family. What do you do…tell me the story.

I’m fighting for my life!

• It’s National Diabetes Awareness Month. You’ve just been told you have diabetes. Tell me how you react, what you say, what you do, what your plans are.

Hello there!

• November 20^th is World HELLO Day! Tell me 5 things you can do to make this world a friendlier place.
• Find out how to say Hello in 3 different languages. Bring it to class tomorrow to share.

Happy Thanksgiving:

• What are the things you are most thankful for and why?
• You’re in charge of the Thanksgiving feast. Where is it going to be? What are you having? Who’s coming? What’s the attire? What’s the entertainment afterwards?
• Would you rather have been an Indian or a Pilgrim at the first Thanksgiving feast and why? Write as if you are that person. What are you wearing, bringing, doing?

This freaks me out!

• Nov. 26^th is Pins & Needles Day. What makes you feel like you’re on pins and needles and simply freaks you out? Why? What do you or can you do to peel yourself off the ceiling?

Oh Yeah!

• Nov. 29^th is National Square Dance Day. I remember having to learn how to square dance in gym class. It was one of the rare times the boys got to have gym with the girls. We had to wear our dorky gym outfits and I was so self-conscious and embarrassed. Tell me about a time that you could have died of embarrassment.
• Do you like to dance? Why or why not? If you do, what’s your favorite kind of dancing. 
• It’s the ballroom dance championships. You are one of 5 finalists. What dance will you be dancing? What is the song you will be dancing to? What does your costume look like? What is your partner wearing? What does he/she look like? Where is this taking place? Do you win? Tell me the details.