I happen to love teaching in the month of October…Well, I actually am stressed in October because of all the outside teaching responsibilities…progress reports, conferences…you know the drill.
But, I love including Halloween themed activities for my students. If you also love adding some seasonal resources to your schedule AND you teach a primary grade, then this post is for you! (Upper grade teachers, click here. My last blog post went over some activities your students will love!)
The good news for you is that you don’t have to spend hours and hours creating resources because I created some for you! From Halloween math games to digital Nearpod activities to differentiated passages, I’ve got you covered!!!
Halloween Morning Work Games
I just posted a NEW resource you and your students are going to love…Halloween math games that can be used as morning work, bell ringers, and for early finishers.
This resource includes 8 games where your students will practice their addition and subtraction fluency. All you need is dice, playing cards, and dominoes. (If you do not have these items, don’t worry! I included printable versions in the resource.)
Want more fun and less screen time? These printable games are a fun way to practie addition and subtraction!
Digital Activities
For those of you who have been part of my teaching community for a while, you know that I love Nearpod. (Yes, I know that there are many newer programs out there. I use those too!) But, Nearpod has always had a near and dear place in my “teacher heart”.
Reasons I STILL love Nearpod:
- Nearpod is engaging. Rather than watching a passive presentation, students can interact with these activities. (If you have IPads in your classroom, I recommend using those, especially for the drawing activities!)
- Nearpod is accessible, even for younger learners. One of the options is for the teacher to control the class’s screens, so the students cannot move ahead on their own. This is great for classroom managment!
- Nearpod has multiple uses. It can be used as a center, an acitivity for early finishers, a homework assignment, or even added to your “Must Do May Do” list. It can be assigned as a self-paced lesson or used as a whole class acitivity. There is so much flexibility!
It is for those reasons and more that I have a whole section of my TpT store dedicatd to Nearpod digital games and activities. Two of my favorite resources for the primary grades are listed below.
This math Nearpod resource targets addition and subtraction up to 20. Activities include writing/drawing, drag and drop, matching, and an interactive Time to Climb game!!!
This literacy activities is great for centers, Fun Fridays, or even class parties! Activities include writing/drawing, drag and drop, matching, and an interactive Time to Climb game!!!
Differentiated Passages
Small group reading and small group intervention are crictical to a child’s ability to decode and ultimately become literate. (Hence the importance of the Science of Reading.)
I have a monthly resource of themed passages that target specifics phonics skills, include four levels of each passage, and have vocabulary/sight word practice embedded.
When I use these passages for a small group lesson, I have students read the passage three times:
- 1st Read: I typically have this be a “teacher read” where students follow along, and I model fluent reading. We highlight every word that has our target phonics skill.
- 2nd Read: This is when we do a choral read. Students circle any words that were tricky for them. (If needed, I help the student break down those words, especially if they are multi-syllable words.
- 3rd Read: This is when I have students “whisper read” the passage on their own, so that I can hear them read independently.
If you are looking to combine phonics AND fluency into one lesson, check out this post! A how-to reel is on that post and posted on Instagram.
But, the question on every primary grade’s teacher’s mind is “How can I differentiate without breaking the bank or needing to work hours and hours outside of my contracted time?” (Yes, teachers are allowed to have a life outside of teaching!)
My solution is simple: Invest in ONE resource that allows you to teach phonics, fluency, and comprehension, and then use a FREE assessment ot help you set your flexible groups.
Want to make phonics fun and engaging? Read this!
These differentiated October passages are Halloween themed.
This product includes 12 leveled passages that target short vowels, consonant digraphs, long vowels, magic e words, r-controlled vowels, OR diphthongs (BOTH colored and black & white versions included).
I hope that this post has helped you get into the Halloween spirit and has saved you some time when prepping your math and literacy centers.
If you have any questions, want a brainstorm buddy, or would simply like to share your success stories, email me or DM me on Instagram @learningnprogress. I would love to hear from you!
Next month, our focus will be how to have fun while practicing math. It is one of my favorite things to talk about…well, besides differentiated instruction! My first blog post will cover everything you need to know about implementing math games, and the second post will cover how you can easily differentiate those games without buying more than one resource. Until then, remember to always keep learning!!!
