Columbus Day Activities: Classroom Columbus Lessons

It's almost Columbus Day. Are you ready? I'm ready to teach about Columbus Day in the classroom and I've created a few Columbus Day activities that I think you'll love.

I have some great Columbus Day activities for kids. This Columbus Day resource includes a Columbus Day math clip it activity, a Columbus Day craft, Columbus Day prompts, and Columbus Day coloring pages. Click on the image to learn more.

Kids love my clothespin activities. This clip it game lets students use clothespins to match the number to the Christopher Columbus images.

For older students, I've created this lesson that teaches students how to write a haiku. There are instructions for writing the haiku and they tie in with the four Columbus Day craftivities included in the pack. Click this Columbus Day Teaching Resource image to learn more.

I hope that one of these Columbus Day resources for kids is just what you need to teach about Columbus Day!

Thanks,
Robin

Bad Piggies App Review By A Kid and Persuasive Writing

Rovio released its latest Angry Birds app this month called Bad Piggies. The techies of the world have already flooded the Web with their way too technical reviews. In fact, what the techies were doing is writing a persuasive piece, just like we do in the classroom.

It's always good to let students write about what they know about and care about. Yes, you'll get better results. So, without further ado, here's an 8-year-old's review of Bad Piggies. It's also a persuasive paragraph that meets Common Core standards.

Here's a modified version of this Bad Piggies review from an eight-year-old:

Bad Piggies Review By A Kid

You should get Bad Piggies. Even when you don't make it, something funny, and funny means blows up [happens]. You build vehicles and try to get to the flag! You build airplanes and cars. The parts you use are TNT, fire blowers, black and green soda bottles, fans, airplane propellers, springs, balloons, wheels, and engines It is really hilarious. Sometimes you fall. Sometimes you fly! Good Luck!

The key to persausive paragraphs is letting students persuade others to do something they like or care about. As a case in point, look at all those words that this eight-year-old tackled. There's even a super topic sentence.

Johnny Appleseed Printable Puppets

I think the story of Johnny Appleseed it a story that should be told. It's fine to let students read the story, but if you ask me, this tale needs a story teller. Of course, young children still need help seeing a story, so I created some Johnny Appleseed Printable Puppets to make the story of Johnny Appleseed come to life.

There are many ways to use these alphabet stick puppets in your room. You will not have all of the letters in the alphabet, but you can still do alphabet activities.

•Let students create a new stick puppet when a new letter is introduced (you can use these throughout the year)
•Pass out one set of letters to an entire class, and as you call out a letter, the student with that letter holds up the stick puppet
•Pass out one set of letters and let students line up in alphabetical order (they will need to work with alphabetizing by the second letter too)
•Pass out one set of letters and let students hold up their letter as you sing the ABC song (for the letters you have)
•Use them for chants. Hold up a puppet and say, “O is for …” The students say, “Orchard.”
•Write the letter on the back of the stick and ask students to find certain pictures
•Let students keep all of their puppets in a folder and call out either the letter or the picture for the students to find for review
Johnny Appleseed Story Telling Ideas

•Use the puppets for students to put on a Johnny Appleseed play.
•Use them for story starters and let students create stories from the pictures on the puppets
•Hold up each stick puppet as you tell the story about Johnny Appleseed.
•As you read the story about Johnny Appleseed, students hold up the stick puppet they have when you say their word (this really keeps them on task)
•Students can use the puppets for story sequencing activities.
•Students can use the puppets to sequence the stages of an apple

You can also use your stick puppets to help your students learn more about Johnny Appleseed. I’ve left the letters off for older students.

Click {Here} to learn more about my stick puppets or purchase them at my store.

Johnny Appleseed Activities

Who doesn't love teaching about Johnny Appleseed in the classroom? You can cover social studies, science, math, and language arts all with Johnny Appleseed units. I wanted to share a few ideas that I use with Johnny Appleseed that are all in my new Johnny Appleseed Unit. This Johnny Appleseed unit is full of great activities and fall printables.

You can teach about Johnny Appleseed all fall while the apples are ready. Check out my apple craft. The kiddos color and cut out the stages of an apple tree, glue them to the apple patterns, and then create a foldable apple for a fall craft.

Then you can add in a little math and fine motor skills for Johnny Appleseed Day with this math clip it game. The students use their fine motor skills to clip clothespins on the correct number.

Plus, I love to write about Johnny Appleseed. I created these writing prompts so that the students can draw their response for pre-k or write their response for older students. I like prompts that are open ended where there is no wrong answer. It lets students become more creative writers.

Then, I added a few coloring pages. A is for Apple, but J is for Johnny Appleseed and W is for Wagon. I encourage students to have fun with these and use any colors that they would like to create Johnny's clothing. 

I'm selling this 20 plus page Fall Apples and Johnny Appleseed Unit at my TpT store {Here} and my TN store {Here}.

Johnny Appleseed Activities by Robin Sellers

Halloween Writing Prompts Make Super Halloween Classroom Gifts

I love Halloween writing prompts, don't you? I can think of no other time of year when it's better to add a bit of creative writing to the curriculum than at Halloween. It's this time of the year when students can write about magic, monsters, and really any other imaginary thing they wish. In fact, they get encouraged to be creative and come up with creative stories.

Story Starters

I love using story starters during Halloween too. A story starter is a great tool to get students writing using creative ideas. A story starter provides a prompts that creates a scenario that, well, starts the story. Then students have a free license to finish the story any way they wish.

I got a bit crafty with my story starters this year and decided that they would also make perfect Halloween gifts for students. I took my story starters, added great graphics, put them on pencils, and slid on a super scary little plastic spider. It's like my own little trick or treating adventure for students. They can choose their own story starter and even use their new Halloween pencil and write away through the Halloween season.

You can purchase my black and white Halloween Story Starters {HERE} and the color version {HERE}.


Yeah!!

MYGRAFICO 50% Off Sale August 22 through 25 at Cupcake Cutiees Designs

If you are a clipart junkie like I am, you may want to check out the 50% off sale going on over at MYGRAFICO. I buy clipart from that store all the time!  I just love the clip art styles, clip art backgrounds, and doodle borders over at Cupcakes Cutiees Designs. This store is on sale for 50% off from August 22 through August 25. MYGRAFICO IS ON SALE!!!

Check out my favorites:

Backgrounds Just .50 During this Sale

MyGrafico Sale item--Retro Cherry 2.50

Cool polka dots background paper

Sock Monkey Clip art

Please click here-- MYGRAFICO IS ON SALE!!! --- to follow my affiliate links to this store. You can also become a MYGRAFICO affiliate. Click here to learn about becoming a MYGRAFICO affiliate too!

Teachers Notebook Virtual Teaching Expo's Back To School Event

Attention all teachers! Don't miss out on the Virtual Teaching Expo's Back to School Event over at Teachers Notebook. For just $10, you'll get the following super deals:

• A ticket to the event ($19.95 value)
• 30% discount on hundreds of items including my Life Cycle of  a Butterfly Glyph, my Zoo Animals Writing Prompt Craftivities, and my A to Z Stick Puppets.
• Well over $100 worth of items in the Goodie Bag (including my Parts of A Plant Sun Flower Glyph)

• Two teachers will get tickets to the event for free

I hope to see you there! Check out my Teachers Notebook Store at Sweet Tea Classroom while you are there.