Spooktacular Nouns

We have been working on common and proper nouns.  Today, we went on a little hunt and found eyeballs all around the room!  Some were common nouns and some were proper nouns. 
 

The students had to write the words in the appropriate columns. Simple, but fun! It's always fun to get up and move around the room...while learning!

 

The Runaway Pumpkin

Here's a little FREEBIE to add to your Halloween collection or sub tub.
Read the book The Runaway Pumpkin  by S.D. Schindler.
Then have the students read the statements and decide if they did or did not happen in the story. Then have them cut and paste yes or no in the box next to the statements.

                                            

To get it click here.

Trick or Treat Roll and Add

Today we played roll and add  using this cute little witch game board.  The children take turns rolling, add two to the number rolled, and cover their number.  The person with the most covered at the end is the winner. We used the cute little candy corn and Frankenstein erasers I found at Target last year in the dollar section to cover the numbers.  I've looked this year, but haven't found them again sadly.  If you find them, grab them up.   Well, you KNOW how they love competition.  They had a blast and didn't want to stop to go to PE. Some played the game three times. 

50th Day of School

It is hard to believe that it is already the 50th day of school!  Where has the time gone???

Of course our number of the day was 50.  We have a certain format we use to work with our number of the day.  After watching me model for the first 30 days of school, they finally get to take turns doing it on the interactive board.  The kids love using the interactive board to show what all they know about numbers.  We also practice once a week on paper so parents can see what we do everyday!

Then we played a game called "Rockin' and Rollin' to 50".  We played Teacher vs. Students first on the white board!  I show no mercy and always try to win!!  Today, they did!  We were going back and forth trying to get the last square!  They finally rolled a "1" and won the game!

After the whole group game, they played with a partner!  I let them play two times so they would have a game page to take home!  Plus, each child had a part on the bottom to do.  They had to write to 50 by 2's. 

After all that Math...WE HAD TO DANCE!  

We had a lot of twistin' goin' on! 

It's really hard to capture "dancing" in a picture, but trust me, they were good!!!

The Little Orange House

This is one of my favorite activities to do during the month of October.  It's a story about a little witch that was looking for a house.  She found a piece of construction paper and decide to make a house.

First, she folded the paper in half.   Next, she cut the corners to make a roof.  Then, she cut herself a door.  She had to make a point at one side for her tall hat.  She thought her house was perfect, but maybe just a little dark.  So, she cut herself a window.  Now, her house was perfect. 
She went back outside a saw a little ghost.  The ghost was sad and crying because he had no where to live.  She invited the ghost to live with her and even made the ghost his own special door.  In the end, the lived happily ever after!

 

Of course the actual story is a lot longer, with more detail, but you get the picture.  I do it in front of the kids and then ask if they'd like to see inside the witches house.  When I open up the house they are amazed!!! 



Next I pass out paper and let each of them to the house.  I retell the story, telling them exactlly where an how to cut.  I've been doing this 26 years.  Believe me, you will have atleast 1 (more like 3) that will not listen and then you will have tears.  Just do it again for those while the others clean up!

Peas and Carrots

Does anybody out there still use painted Lima beans for math activities?  I have had mine for 25+ years and they are really starting to show it!  I may need to paint some more of these real soon!   When doing the Spill the Beans activity, I always use the term "Peas and Carrots" because my beans are green and orange.  I think I started saying this about 15 years ago, after doing a Marilyn Burns math activity.  It just kind of stuck with me.  And it sticks with the kids too.  They know the equation has to match the picture.  Peas first.  Then carrots.

 

Some of the YOUNGER teachers has not heard of this saying.  I started to question myself and googled it!  There are a million examples of PEAS AND CARROTS!  I'm not totally crazy!