Fall

Create Your Own Class Handbook includes directions and editable documents to make it easy for you to create a unique handbook for your classroom. You can customize one of the five cover designs and edit the handbook pages to include information about YOUR own class. Think of it as a survival guide for your students that explains everything they need to not only survive, but THRIVE in your classroom! It’s a great place to include items not found in the school handbook, such as your homework policies, snack guidelines, supply lists, contact information, grading policies, and more! If that list sounds intimidating, don’t worry! Whether you call it a handbook or a classroom survival guide, the process will be easier than you think with these editable documents!

6 Reasons to Teach Poetry in the Fall! Why wait for National Poetry Month in April when you can start teaching your kids to love poetry now!

Keeping kids motivated and on task at the end of the year is challenging at best, especially after state tests are over. Yet keeping kids motivated at this time of year is actually much easier than you might think. Since kids are more chatty and restless right now, it’s just a matter of funneling that energy into something constructive. Here are a dozen effective strategies to turn students' end-of-the-year energy into instructional success.

Do your students have trouble writing interesting sentences? If so, you can use thee fall-themed task cards as starter sentence for them to expand with details. These sentences were created to go with Sentence Go Round which include complete directions and printables. You can also find the basic lesson directions on Corkboard Connections in my blog post, Teaching Kids to Write Super Sentences.

Holidays are fun to celebrate, but they also provide opportunities for meaningful learning. In this 24-page packet you'll find directions and printables for a Veteran's Day activity plus numerous activities for Thanksgiving. You'll also find a list of great books to read aloud or use in small groups during November. Each activity comes with directions and printables to make them quick and easy to use. Many activities are suitable for partner or cooperative learning teams. Preview before purchasing to determine if these activities are appropriate for your students.

Pumpkin Predictions is a perfect fall-themed activity for upper elementary students because it's not a Halloween activity, but it seems like one! The lesson is actually a great math review since it involves estimation and hands-on measurement.

Is there a school district anywhere that still allows traditional Halloween activities? Most elementary students love to dress up on Halloween, but many schools no longer allow Halloween parties and activities. However, there's fun and educational way to sneak in a dress-up activity if you can get it approved! Host a Book Character Day!

Thankful writing is a step-by-step lesson that's both an easy introduction to expository writing and a craft project. Best of all, the final product is a gift that will be treasured for years! In this packet, you'll find a suggested lesson plan and ready-to-use printables to make the process easy.

This 19-page packet from Laura Candler is loaded with almost a dozen engaging learning activities to use in October. Each activity comes with directions and printables to make them quick and easy to use. You'll find two fire safety activities as well as numerous pumpkin and Halloween-themed lessons. Many activities are suitable for partner or team work. Preview before purchasing to determine if these activities are appropriate for your students.

Did you know that October 5th is Do Something Nice Day? No, I'm not making that up! Google it and you'll see! I was looking for holidays in October and this day caught my eye. What a great way to focus on being a good citizen and thinking of others! You can download this freebie and use it on October 5th or any day of the year!

Pumpkin Seed Multiplication is a hands-on activity adaptedfrom a lesson in Laura Candler’s Mastering Math Facts:Multiplication and Division. This activity will help studentsmake the transition from addition to multiplication.

If you haven't implemented a math word problem solving program this year, I have just the thing for you! Download these two Fall Math Puzzler printables to try out an easy and effective program that helped my students soar to success in math. With this method, your students solve just one problem a day, Monday through Thursday, with Friday being reserved for in-depth problem-solving lessons or additional practice with challenging puzzlers. It takes just 10 or 15 minutes a day, and you will be amazed at the results!

Pumpkin Seed Multiplication is a fun, seasonal partner activity that uses pumpkin seeds to help kids make the connection between addition and multiplication. There are no Halloween images, so it's appropriate any time of the year, and especially during fall.

Common Core Aligned with Math Standards 4.NF.1 and 4.NF.2This active-engagement lesson developed by Laura Candler can be used to introduce or to review the skill of comparing fractions. Students will color pumpkin pie patterns to illustrate a given fraction card, and then will mix around the room comparing fractions. You'll find directions, pumpkin fraction patterns, and fraction cards. You may preview the entire ebook here to make sure it is right for your class before purchasing.