Here are two great ideas for autumn scavenger hunts that work in some reading and alphabet practice too!
- Make a checklist for an autumn "treasure hunt". Idea found here. This is the list they used:
something that is alive
a leaf with jagged edges
an interesting weed
a dry leaf
a leaf with smooth edges
three acorns
a seed from a tree
a twig
a pinecone
a handful of grass
a feather
a branch with leaves on it
a red leaf
a yellow leaf
a green leaf
a smooth stone
three little pebbles
wild berries
a leaf bud
a piece of bark
a tiny bit of moss
- Or you can take an ABC nature walk. Fill up a bag with interesting "materials" you find on your walk and use them to make the letters of the alphabet. Photograph the letters and use them in a project!
Just in time, we have a couple of FREE Halloween Printable skill/activity sheets for you!
The first activity is Halloween Candy Store. Students decide what candy they would buy with $1.00 to spend! Click HERE to download for free.
The second activity is Halloween Colorful Hats. Students color the witch hats based on a color code. This is a great activity for practicing place value! Click HERE to download for free.
- Books for Treats " Books for Treats is a program that encourages you to give 'gently read' children's books at Halloween instead of candy." We're teachers, so of course we love this idea. We're no scrooges, we think kids should still get candy at Halloween. But they'll get plenty of it and a great book will last much longer.
- The Book Fairy is an idea I heard about from a mom (can't find it anywhere online, sorry!) She has her kids fill a smaller bag with their favorite treats after they get home from trick or treating. Then they put the rest of their candy on the porch for the Book Fairy who trades the candy for new reading material. This is a great way for kids to have the experience of trick or treating, get to enjoy some yummy treats, and get some new books!
If you want to still give out candy, that's ok! But we thought these ideas were really great and worth considering if you were looking for something new this year.
Just saw this on the Scholastic blog and thought they were great suggestions for educational activities when your kids are home sick from school.
"Being sick is no fun...but learning while home from school can be! Francie Alexander, our Chief Academic Officer, offers these tips for keeping kids learning even while they're under the covers.
1. Curl up with a good book: Both for comfort and to keep learning. Your child will be getting smarter while getting better.
2. Listen to an audiobook: Too sick to read alone? With an audiobook, kids are still gaining vocabulary and comprehension skills
4. Play games: Word games and crossword puzzles are fun ways to get reading practice. Visual puzzles help younger kids with problem solving and spatial relationships."
Check us out over at the Back to School Market on Poppytalk Handmade. And be sure to check out the other fabulous vendors participating as well. We're so proud to be among such talented artists.
Can you believe it's been 40 years since the moon landing? I can't! Well, mostly because it happened 10 years before I was born, but I do remember the 20th anniversary of the moon landing. At the time I thought 20 years was an eon. Now it's 20 years later, so that must make me officially old! :)
Take some time on July 20 to celebrate our beautiful moon and the creative, dedicated thinkers who made such an incredible feat possible. If you have a planetarium or museum nearby, chances are they're hosting an activity or two in commemoration.
The moon is waning now so that means it rises late. You'll be able to see the little sliver of the moon before it sets about 8:00 PM (MDT). You can find out the rising/setting time here. There's a link in the "modify parameters" box that allows you to change the location.
If you're looking for some home based entertainment how about snacking on a moon pie? Or try some favorite astronaut recipes. There are some great suggestions listed here. Follow the links she provides for even more suggestions. I wonder if Pillsbury still makes their Space Sticks?
If you order quickly, you might be able to get some freeze dried ice cream delivered in the mail before July 20. I took some back to my students after a trip to NYC and they loved it!
There are lots of fun moon crafts available on line.
If you have adolescents try having them do an oral history project. They're too young to know how the moon landing changed life, but there are plenty of people around who remember. Have the kids generate questions and then interview the more mature members of the family or neighborhood. They could compile their findings in a book or even create a website!
Posts
- Make a checklist for an autumn "treasure hunt". Idea found here. This is the list they used:
The first activity is Halloween Candy Store. Students decide what candy they would buy with $1.00 to spend! Click HERE to download for free.
The second activity is Halloween Colorful Hats. Students color the witch hats based on a color code. This is a great activity for practicing place value! Click HERE to download for free.
Two Halloween/book ideas we're loving today:
Just saw this on the Scholastic blog and thought they were great suggestions for educational activities when your kids are home sick from school.
