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Look Like a Lion

You don't have to spend a lot to make great costumes for performances. My class used just construction paper, paint, yarn, and craft sticks to become lions for our performance of The Lion King. Students wore black clothing and tied their hair back. They simply held their masks in front of their faces using the craft sticks. It was a roaringly good production!--Karen Golem, sixth grade, Parma, OH

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My class hosts a "Pumpkin Party" every fall.

I invite parents to donate pumpkins and spend the afternoon exploring with us. We have four learning stations: measuring, weighing, estimating and counting seeds, and sink-or-float predictions. It's great for math and science, and students and families love it!

--Sarah Wilson, first grade, Casselberry, FL

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Fall is a great time to study trees. We learn about the different types of trees that grow in our area, and study the leaves up close. Students also keep a "tree journal"--we choose a nearby tree and watch it change as the weather gets cooler. Of course, we wrap up the unit by playing in the fall leaves!

--Patricia Slater, Andover, MA

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When I needed a great educational tool, I invested in a karaoke machine. Really! "Quiet" readers benefit from the microphone, and everyone enjoys using it for reports and presentations. Students can also record their own reading for fluency practice. With the headphones on, they can listen to their own recordings--or any book on tape--without disrupting the rest of the class. It's convenient and loads of fun!

--Jennifer Hoey, third grade, Skiatook, OK

For Halloween, we do a "hands-on" spider activity.

First, students make a web by dipping a marble in paint and rolling it across construction paper. When the webs are dry, I let them dip their hands in black paint to create handprint spiders on top. (If students curl in their thumbs, the spiders have the right number of legs.) The finishing touch is a pair of googly eyes: Boo!--Patricia Robl, kindergarten, Newtown, PA

October is a great time to learn about masks. Much more than "costumes," masks are an important part of the heritage of many different cultures. As part of our unit on Africa, we made tribal masks from stiff manila folders and construction paper. The project gave students a real appreciation for African artistry and workmanship--and they'll always remember that masks are used for more than trick-or-treating!

--Stephanie Harker, second grade, Springville, UT

After seeing a Kenyan neck drum at a local museum, we made our own. First, we cut the bottoms off two yogurt cups, put dried beans inside, and glued the cups together. Next, we sewed felt circles around the ends and decorated them with permanent markers to look like animal hide. We braided dental floss to make the neckpiece, which feels like the sinew used in the original. The drums look remarkably like the real thing!--Lisa Nelson, Concord, CA

X marks the spot when I make photocopies. I use a highlighter pen to mark a big X on the original. It doesn't show up on the copies, and it keeps me from giving my original to a student.

--Elizabeth Webb, Mentor, OH

Our owl unit is a real hoot! After researching different species of owls, students make their own out of egg cartons. Eight cups form the body, and we use two cups each for eyes and feet. Students use their research to decide what colors to paint their owls. Then I have them write owl questions that begin with the word "Whooo"--and use the facts they learned to answer them!

--Jackie Howes, second grade, Weatogue, CT

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We practice telling time with a human clock. I mark 12 spots in a circular shape on the floor, and give 12 students number cards to hold while standing on their marks. Two more students stand in the center of the circle, one pointing a ruler (hour hand) and the other pointing a yardstick (minute hand). A volunteer from the "audience" calls out a time to act out, and tells if the "hands" are correct. Then that student gets to replace someone on the clock.

--Stacie Keitt, third grade, Leicester, NC

A rolling clothes rack helps me organize charts and posters. I attach my charts to wire hangers with masking tape, and place plastic hooks around the classroom for easy hanging. I put labels on the top bar of the clothes rack to organize my posters by season. The system is easy to use, and my wall hangings last much longer!

--Terry Tunkel, kindergarten

In October, I take the focus off Halloween. I like to remind kids that this month is special for many other reasons. I create a "Pumpkin Patch" bulletin board with a different October subject written on each pumpkin, such as "Columbus," "The Great Chicago Fire," "The Demonstration of the Electric Light," "National Fire Prevention Week," and "The Dedication of the Statue of Liberty." Students "pick" a pumpkin and write a short report. They're always surprised to learn that October is about much more than costumes and candy!--Cornelia Brown, third grade, Chicago, IL

My students get crafty when we study plant and animal cells. Sometimes looking at a diagram just isn't enough, so I try to incorporate hands-on art projects into my science lessons. To create cell models, I have students sketch an outline on a piece of posterboard. Then they glue on yarn to represent the different parts and layers, and label their diagram. It's lots of fun to do, and I find that it really helps students retain difficult terms like chloroplast and cytoplasm.--Christina Collura, fifth grade, West Haven, CT

I use dime-store toys for story starters. So many interesting items can be found at novelty stores--from plastic bugs and farm animals to costume jewelry. The tactile nature of these objects can really inspire reluctant writers. I leave the activity open-ended; students can write a description of the object, a story about where it came from and its magical powers, or anything they like. My kids love getting a chance to "play with toys" as they write--and their pieces turn out wonderfully!

--Angela Reeder, first grade, Wyoming, MI

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I like to practice symmetry all year round. To reinforce the concept, we do at least one project per month. I tie the activity into seasonal themes and holidays. In October, students fold orange paper circles in half and cut out shapes to make jack-o'-lanterns!

--Ellen Javernick, Loveland, CO

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RELATED ARTICLE: Our Forefathers 

We make history come alive with puppets. While studying the settlers of the original colonies, I have students create paper puppets to go along with their reports. We fasten the puppets together with brads and string, and students personalize them to look like famous settlers. When the marionettes are complete, students present "moving" biographies to the class. (For instructions, click on "October Links" at www.scholastic.com/instructor.)

--Rosemary Cooke, fifth grade, Chatham, NJ

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