So my October dilemma.
We have a two-week FALL vacation.
(NO COMPLAINING HERE!)
WAHOO!!!
BUT…
We return on Oct. 18.
MONDAY
21 days (exactly ) until…
YOU KNOW IT
Sunday, October 31, 2021.
Thank You HALLOWEEN for being on a weekend!
Says EVERY teacher, EVERYWHERE!
Happy Halloween!
HALLOWEEN!
Parties,
CANDY,
Kids who can’t wait to get home ( highly DISTRACTABLE!)
(some schools…not mine….)
COSTUMES!
So … My October dilemma.
When we go back,
Do I put out HALLOWEEN themed centers?
Do I keep it OCTOBERish with Columbus, Halloween, Fall, Pumpkins, etc?
Do I just “touch” on the “HOLIDAY” stuff…and Promote the FALL stuff?
Do I add THANKSGIVING?
Should I keep it ALL going until THANKSGIVING?
What to do? What to do?????
FAll Leaves
BTW… I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE FALL!
I love October!
My favorite season.
Pumpkins
Starbuck’s Pumpkins Spiced Latte
YUMMY!
But…
CONTENT is EVERYTHING!
My students MUST take a BENCHMARK ASSESSMENT in December.
I want them to do well.
( I don’t think there will be a
HALLOWEEN question on it.)
Unless it’s about
HOW MANY CANDIES DID YOU EAT ALL TOGETHER?
So ..what to do? What to do?
October INTEGRATE!
I must teach SCIENCE and SOCIAL STUDIES!
( Living things…life cycle…Plants/animals…Lifestyles Long Ago..)
So here is MY October plan:
Reading:
- Nonfiction about pumpkins, apples, plants
- Biographies about Christopher Columbus, Squanto
- Fiction about Fall, Halloween, Pilgrims, Thanksgiving
I am checking my district curriculum
( yes, we have one )
for REQUIRED (Tested ) Skills & Strategies for this quarter.
As we delve into our reading…I make SURE to incorporate TESTED strategies.
Questioning? Sequencing? Retelling? Etc..etc…
Vocabulary? Again…check NECESSARY vocabulary for success!
I spend A LOT of time on the necessary vocabulary. I have 10-12 English Language Learners.
They need visuals, modeling, & practice before they can “TAKE ON” the new information
.
Phonics? Spelling? Grammar?
Required phonics skills for this quarter.
What to use for Spelling?
BOTH!
Required spelling skills AND thematic vocabulary words.
WHAT? WHY?
Because…I want them to have some INTRINSIC vocabulary to use easily in their…
WRITING!
Bear wrapped as MUMMY
I want MY Mummy! 🙂
Sorry…. couldn’t resist.
October Writing:
- “How To”..grow..carve…etc… about pumpkins, apples, plants
- “Informative” about Christopher Columbus, Squanto, Pilgrims
- “Narrative” about Fall, Halloween, Pilgrims, Thanksgiving
- Thank You cards, Invitations, Lists, Etc.
Again…I am checking my district curriculum
for REQUIRED (Tested ) Skills & Strategies for this quarter.
Whatever our REQUIRED writing prompt will be
( I already know mine is INFORMATIVE)
We will practice, practice, practice!
I won’t skip the other genres.
Just FOCUS on the INFORMATIVE!
BUT wait!
I want crafts! I want CUTSIE! I want products!
I Love October BOOKS!
And so…we will make CUTSIE lapbooks, paintings, charts, stories & crafts
about???
Fall, Halloween, pumpkins, apples
, plants, Christopher Columbus,
Squanto, Pilgrims, Thanksgiving
DON’T tell our FIRE MARSHALL.
I might HANG THINGS UP!
Definitely!
I won’t tell if YOU won’t tell.
MATH:
- addition / subtraction
- missing addends
- place value
- graphing
- story problems
And October MATH??
Lots of Graphs, addition & subtraction, problem-solving, story problems
ALL ABOUT THEMES!
How many apples, pumpkin seeds, candies, turkeys, Indians, etc, etc.
(Math Journals are GREAT for this!)
and, yes..
I will need to keep it going until Thanksgiving.
And I will need to use EVERY MINUTE of EVERY DAY!
And yes… it will take planning, and prepping…
Bat craftivity
BATS!
Black Cat Watercolor
Black Cats
Pumpkin plant in the garden
Growing Pumpkins
Crock pot applesauce
Making APPLESAUCE!
Happy Birthday Johnny Appleseed!
And YES
I WILL LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF IT!
You see…
FALL IS MY FAVORITE SEASON OF THE YEAR!
Don’t you just LOVE OCTOBER?
To those of you who hung in there to the bottom of this LONG POST…
A FREEBIE FOR YOU!
Happy FALL!
Boo Bang FREEBIE!
What a great post! It sounds like you have a great plan and have thought a lot about fun ways to incorporate everything into October while keeping it academic as well.