Happy Halloween!

Here are some fun lesson plans that revolve around Halloween that can be used in the classroom, enjoy!

Title - Haunted House for Sale
By - Linda Biondi
Primary Subject - Language Arts
Grade Level - 3-5

Note:

This is a simple, yet fun activity for writing advertisements about haunted houses for sale.

Procedure:

Show the students typical real estate advertisements - the format is short, with lots of adjectives about the amenities of the house. Then let them draw a picture of a haunted house and have them color it. They will write an advertisement for their house, using Halloween vocabulary words in the description and determining a price for the house. This makes a great Halloween display, and helps with adjective enrichment in writing.

Creature Recipes: Grades 3-6

Objective

This is a good activity for upper grades, and it's a great opportunity for technical writing practice.

Materials

• 3" x 5" index or recipe cards
• Writing utensils
• Scissors
• Glue or paste
• Construction paper
• Paper scraps (construction paper, wallpaper, gift wrap)
• Yarn
• Cotton
• Paper clips, brads, staplers
• Craft supplies you have on hand (buttons, dried pasta, jiggly eyes, popsicle sticks, coffee stirrers, raffia, etc.)

Procedure

Discuss the two main parts of a recipe (ingredients and directions). Have students write a recipe for a creature using the "ingredients" you've provided — and their imaginations. Emphasize the importance of being precise in recipe writing, so that others can follow the directions easily. If time allows, have students draft a copy, edit it, and write the final on 3" x 5" cards. If time is limited, have students write the recipe directly on the cards. Place all the recipes in a basket and have students draw one out of the basket. This is the recipe they will follow to make a creature. Have students make the creatures using the provided materials and following the recipe. As follow-up, have them get together with the recipe writers, and see how close they came to the writers' "visions." Take pictures of your students with their creations!

And here are some ideas for Journal Topics:

Journal Topics

• Describe your scariest childhood Halloween memory.
• Describe the best Halloween costume made yourself or that you helped to make.
• Describe the best way for children to celebrate Halloween.
• How would you like to celebrate Halloween differently?
• Describe Halloween from the viewpoint of a vampire bat.
• Create a holiday you would like to substitute for Halloween.
• Write an autobiography of a Jack O Lantern.
• Write a poem about Halloween

Taken from: http://712educators.about.com/cs/halloween/a/halloweenless.htm


These are just a few ideas, if you have any other great ones, please send them my way!

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat

Joseph had a Little Overcoat is a children story by Simms Taback. This book is a 2000 Caldecott Medal winner and is absolutely fantastic.

The story is about a tailor who is resourceful and keeps transforming his overcoat into smaller items. The message Simms Taback is making is that you can always make something out of nothing. Aside from the great message this story offers, the colors are rich and vibrant, and has many small details in the background.

If you haven't read it already, I recommend going out and buying it right away, or at least going to the library and checking it out :)

You can also create many great lesson plans based off of this book.

First Day Jitters

First Day Jitters is a children's book by Julie Danneberg and is absolutely WONDERFUL!

I read it for the first time last semester, and think it's a perfect book for students as well as teachers. The surprise ending will really make you smile, and your students will appreciate it as well!

If you haven't read it already, I recommend going out and getting it right away.

I think on my first day of school as a teacher, I will read this book to my students.

Read it and tell me what you think!

http://www.amazon.com/First-Day-Jitters-Julie-Danneberg/dp/158089061X

Future Teacher

In about a year, I will graduate college, and finally be able to set up my own classroom.

Since I was five years old, I've been passionate about teaching and never wanted to do anything but teach (except be a rock star).

Since sophomore year of high school I've been training to become a teacher, working with children, educational internships, babysitting, taking classes, and even volunteering for Kasper (an after school program that watches children whose parents are working).

I'm in my final year of training for a teacher, and feel it's about time, I begin reflection about what I have learned and memories I've made.

Through this blog I will share the chronicles of teaching. I will talk about the process of becoming a teacher, working with students from ages three all the way to twelve.

I'm in my final year, and know it will go by extremely fast. It's about time I get myself prepared, write about what I have learned, and what I still have to learn.

I would love advice from other teachers or soon to be teachers, and if you need advice or want to know about the teacher education program at Western Illinois University- I will be glad to help!