Category: Teacher’s Pay Teachers

October is such an exciting time in the classroom! With fall in full swing and Halloween just around the corner, it’s the perfect opportunity to integrate seasonal themes into your lesson plans with fall activities or spooky activities for Halloween.

If you’re looking for fall activities for kids or Halloween activities for kids in the classroom, you’re in the right place! 

Thematic teaching not only makes learning more fun, but it also helps students make connections across subjects. Here are a few creative and engaging thematic lesson ideas for October that your kindergarten and first-grade students will love.

1. Pumpkin Math

Pumpkins aren’t just for carving—they can also be used to teach important math concepts! You can have students estimate and count pumpkin seeds, measure the circumference of pumpkins, and even compare the weight of different sizes. These activities allow students to practice counting, measuring, and comparing in a hands-on way that keeps them engaged. Need ready-made resources? My Pumpkin Activities Resource includes everything you need to get started with pumpkin-themed learning.

2. Fall Literacy Centers

Bring the beauty of autumn into your literacy centers with fall-themed activities. Use fall vocabulary words for sight word practice, or create a writing prompt about what happens during fall, encouraging students to describe the changing leaves, the weather, and their favorite fall activities. Incorporating thematic word walls or writing activities makes literacy practice more engaging for young learners. Looking for a way to simplify planning? My Fall Literacy and Math Bundle provides a range of activities, from letter writing to sight words practice, with a seasonal twist!

3. Halloween Fun with Social Studies

October is a great time to introduce a simple lesson on cultural traditions with a Halloween-themed social studies unit. Explore how different cultures celebrate fall festivals around the world, or dive into the history of Halloween. This is a fun way to make social studies more relatable and interesting for young students. You can even combine this with a Halloween art project to solidify what they’ve learned.

4. Spooky Science

What better time than October to introduce some spooky science experiments? You can teach concepts like density, chemical reactions, or weather patterns through fun, Halloween-themed science experiments. Try creating ghost rockets (baking soda and vinegar-powered) or make “slime” to get students excited about learning!

Need More Thematic Lessons or Fall Activities?

If you’re looking for more thematic lessons that make planning easy, check out my Fall Themed Would You Rather resource! You’ll be every student’s favorite teacher by making writing enjoyable! Would You Rather Prompts are great conversation starters, ice breakers or writing prompts. Use these interactive, editable Google Slides to easily have students show one or two fingers to share their choice.

Want more fall activities? Check out my post here! 

Teaching our younger kindergarten and first grade students social-emotional skills is just as important as academics in these grades. Social-emotional learning (SEL) helps these little learners understand their feelings, build healthy relationships, and develop essential life skills like cooperation and empathy, which is more important than ever in our society. When students can manage their emotions and interact positively with others, it’s sure to create a happier, more productive classroom environment.

If you’re looking for SEL activities for kids or wondering how to apply SEL in the classroom, you’re in the right place! 

Here are a few easy ways to incorporate SEL activities into your daily routine!

1. Morning Meetings with Feelings Check-In

Start each day with a quick “feelings check-in” during morning meetings. Give students the chance to share how they’re feeling by selecting an emotion from a feelings chart. This helps build emotional awareness and encourages students to communicate their feelings in a safe environment. A simple prompt like, “How are you feeling today?” can go a long way in helping students identify their emotions!

2. Role-Playing Social Scenarios

Role-playing is a fun, interactive way to teach young students how to handle common social situations. You can create simple scenarios like sharing toys, taking turns, or solving conflicts, and have students act out the proper way to respond. This method makes learning social skills more engaging and memorable for students.

3. Calm Down Corner

Setting up a calm down corner in your classroom is a great way to help students learn to manage their emotions when they’re feeling overwhelmed. The calm down corner should include cozy seating, calming visuals, and tools that will help your students relax, like stress balls or sensory bottles. Teach students how to use this space when they’re feeling upset, and encourage them to take a break to regain control of their emotions.

 4. Reading Social Skills Stories

Reading stories about social situations is a fantastic way to introduce and reinforce SEL concepts. Stories that focus on things like friendship, sharing, and handling big emotions can spark discussions and help students understand these important lessons. Incorporating social skills stories into your read-aloud time also makes it easier for students to relate to the characters and apply what they’ve learned.

Looking to Boost Social-Emotional Learning in Your Classroom?

Creating a classroom where students feel supported emotionally is easier with the right tools. If you’re looking to help your students develop key social and emotional skills, check out my Calm Down Corner Visuals and Activities. It’s packed with engaging visuals and interactive tools to help young students learn to manage their emotions in a healthy way. 

If you’re looking for more tips for the classroom, check out these classroom organization tips!

A new school year is the perfect opportunity to revamp your classroom organization! A well-organized classroom can make a world of difference in how smoothly your day runs and how engaged your students stay. If you’re looking for some classroom organization hacks or classroom organization ideas that will set you up for the best year ever, you’re in the right place! 

Here are some practical and fun organization hacks that will help you start the year off on the right foot!

Create Clear, Labeled Stations

Whether it’s a reading nook, a math center, or a sensory table, creating designated stations in your classroom helps students know where to go and what to do. Clearly labeled bins and shelves with pictures and words can help even the youngest students understand where items belong. Plus, this encourages responsibility and independence as students learn to tidy up after themselves.

Use Color Coding to Your Advantage

Color coding can be a game-changer for organizing supplies, student work, and even classroom jobs. Assign each student or table group a specific color, and use that color for bins, folders, and other materials. This system helps students easily identify their items and keeps things visually organized for you. Color coding is also a great way to manage classroom rotations and transitions—students quickly learn to associate their group with a color, making transitions smooth and efficient.

Incorporate Flexible Seating Options

Flexible seating is not only fun for students but also a great organizational tool! Offer a variety of seating choices like floor cushions, stools, or wobble chairs to give students a sense of control over their learning environment. Use storage bins or caddies to keep supplies handy near each seating option, so students can grab what they need without causing a traffic jam. This setup helps maintain order and keeps the classroom flow moving.

Implement a Visual Schedule

A visual schedule is a must-have in any early elementary classroom. It helps students understand the flow of the day and reduces anxiety by letting them know what to expect. Use pictures and simple words to represent each part of the day—from morning circle time to centers and recess. When students can see what’s coming next, they’re more likely to transition smoothly and stay engaged in each activity.

Maximize Wall Space with Vertical Storage

Think vertically when it comes to storing classroom materials. Utilize wall space for hanging organizers, magnetic whiteboards, or pocket charts. This not only saves space but also keeps frequently used materials easily accessible. Try using a command center on the wall for daily reminders, student goals, and important information that you want to keep in plain sight.

Ready to Get Organized? Start with a Visual Schedule!

A well-organized classroom is more than just a tidy space—it’s an environment where students feel safe, focused, and ready to learn. If you’re looking to take your classroom organization to the next level this year, consider starting with a Visual Schedule. It’s a simple yet effective way to help students understand their day, follow routines, and transition smoothly from one activity to the next. 

Want to make your classroom more organized and student-friendly? Check out my visual schedule resource designed specifically for kindergarten and first-grade classrooms. It includes easy-to-understand visuals, editable templates, and everything you need to create a seamless daily routine!

Check out the black and white version here and the boho version here! 

Want more classroom management tips? Check out my post here! 

Fall is here, and it’s the perfect time to bring the cozy vibes of the season into your classroom! The changing leaves, cooler weather, and exciting holidays make it an ideal time to introduce engaging, fall activities for the classroom. If you’re looking for fall activities for kids or fall crafts for kids, you’re in the right place! 

Here are five simple and fun activities that will capture your student’s attention and make learning a breeze!

Leaf Sorting and Counting

Turn a nature walk into a math lesson! Take your students outside to collect leaves of different colors, shapes, and sizes. Back in the classroom, have them sort the leaves by various categories (color, size, type) and then count how many leaves are in each group. This activity helps with sorting, counting, and recognizing patterns—all essential early math skills!

Pumpkin Investigation Station

Create a pumpkin investigation station where students can explore the different parts of a pumpkin. Provide pumpkins of various sizes and allow students to observe, touch, and even measure them. Set up a sensory bin with pumpkin seeds and pulp for some hands-on fun. This activity encourages exploration and observation skills while sneaking in some science learning!

Fall Sensory Writing Tray

Fill a shallow tray with colored sand, cornmeal, or even fall-colored rice. Add in some small fall-themed items like acorns or mini pumpkins. Encourage students to practice writing their letters, numbers, or even simple words in the sand. The added tactile element makes this activity perfect for fine motor development, and it’s a fun way to reinforce literacy and handwriting skills!

 Apple Tasting and Graphing

Who doesn’t love a good taste test? Bring in a variety of apples—red, green, and yellow—for a fun tasting activity. After sampling each type, have your students vote on their favorite. Create a simple bar graph together on chart paper or a whiteboard to display the results. This activity is a delicious way to incorporate graphing and data analysis into your day.

Scarecrow Shape Craft

Combine art and math with a scarecrow shape craft! Provide students with different shapes (triangles for hats, circles for faces, rectangles for bodies, etc.) and let them build their own scarecrow. After they finish, have them identify and count the shapes they used. This fun craft activity is a creative way to practice shape recognition and counting.

Here are some ready-made Fall activities for kids that your students will love! 

Fall Writing Activity

Help your students FALL in love with writing this autumn with these writing prompts! There are 60 prompts to set students up to write narratives, opinions, or persuasive writing pieces. They are great for centers, writing instruction, early finishers or homework.

Fall Would You Rather Writing Activity

Be every student’s favorite teacher by making writing ENJOYABLE! Would you Rather Prompts are great conversation starters, ice breakers or writing prompts. Use these interactive, editable Google Slides to easily have students show one or two fingers to share their choice.

Fall Directed Drawing Activity

Show students HOW TO DRAW FALL images with their writing using these directed drawings for primary and intermediate grades in 5 simple steps. Pick and choose what works for you to create a journal or a gift for others.

• Ten different images
• Ten 5-Step Posters 
• Ten 5-Step Primary Writing Papers
• Ten 5-Step Intermediate Papers
• Ten Draw-Only Pages 
• A Keepsake Calendar is included for gift ideas

I hope your students love these activities! If you want more fall fun, check out these Halloween activities!