Pumpkin season is here! You can use these ideas all fall long whether it’s September, October, or November. My target age range for these activities is fifth grade, but they can also be used for any upper elementary class. Even if you are looking for short stories for middle schoolers, the short story included in this post is still a great fit for that age range, too!
I’m a former 4th and 5th grade teacher. I spent six years with 9, 10, and 11-year-old kids, and I loved it so much! My favorite time of day was always reading aloud to my students and teaching writing. I’m currently an author who writes specifically for this age group. And I love making reading fun! So, take a look at some of the suggested fall activities below.
Reading Mystery + Making Inferences and Drawing Conclusions
The best way to teach kids how to infer and draw conclusions—in my opinion—is to give them a mystery to solve! They have to actively search for clues and determine a conclusion based on evidence. And the evidence is in the text!
This short story mystery—written by me—is perfect for 4th, 5th, and 6th grade. It’s all about who smashed Annamarie’s pumpkin.
First, students must read the 7-page mystery. Then, they should fill out the “Suspects” page where they can draw a picture of each suspect and write their motive. Next, they document any clues or evidence for each suspect. Finally, students determine who the culprit is based on the text evidence.
If you’re looking for a fun short story, check out this one!
Download it now!
Writing
Five senses/Descriptive writing: Bring in candy, pumpkins, and unlit candles. For taste and sound, have students taste the candy and describe the flavors and what they hear as they eat them. For touch, have students reach into a pumpkin and describe what it feels like. For smell, have students smell the unlit candles and describe the scents. And of course, have students describe what the candy, pumpkins, and candles, look like.
Similes and figurative language: Bring in two different sized pumpkins—one small, one large. Have students write similes to describe the sizes. For example, one simile could be: The pumpkin is as big as a boulder. Another simile could be: The pumpkin is as small as a mouse. Then, have students compare the pumpkins to other things (weight, smell, texture, etc.). For example, one simile about weight could be: The little pumpkin was as light as a leaf.
Fall Read Alouds for Upper Elementary
One thing to remember when picking out read alouds for students—even though they are older—is they still like to see beautiful things. The two picture books I chose have adorable illustrations and make the story fun to look at.
When I would read aloud to my students, I would have them write three things they liked about the story or remembered about the story. This kept them accountable for not messing around during the story, and it gave them an opportunity to share something at the end of the story.
After the read aloud, I would ask students to turn to a classmate and share their notes. Then, I would call on a few students to share with the whole class. You can use this method, or if you’d like to ask actual comprehension questions, I wrote a few examples that pair with each story below.
A Bold Pumpkin Plan by Katy Hudson
This is an adorable story and the perfect read aloud to introduce fall and pumpkins to your students.
Hedgehog has a plan to make a new home out of a pumpkin, but he must first roll it out of the pumpkin patch to the right location. Unfortunately, Hedgehog runs into a few bumps along the way. Will he gain the confidence to ask some friends for help?
This book includes a sweet message about speaking up if you’re shy. And the overarching themes are friendship and helping others.
Comprehension Questions:
-Which character trait best describes Hedgehog’s personality at the BEGINNING of the story?
(Here are some multiple-choice options you can present to students. The answer is bolded: shy, confident, mean)
-Which character trait best describes Hedgehog’s personality at the END of the story?
(Here are some multiple-choice options you can present to students. The answer is bolded (shy, confident, mean)
-How did Hedgehog change from the beginning of the story to the end of the story? (Ans: He started off timid and then gained confidence by the end.)
-What was the climax of the story? (Ans: when the pumpkin fell through the bridge and Hedgehog had to learn to speak up and ask Owl for help)
If you’d like to keep read alouds more casual, here are some reflection questions you can ask your students:
Reflection Questions:
-What was your favorite part of the story?
-Did you like this book? Would you recommend it?
-What person or age group would you recommend it to?
-If you didn’t like the book, why didn’t you like it?
It’s a Pumpkin by Wendy McClure
This sweet story is about a group of animals who find a pumpkin but don’t what it is or what it’s used for. They all share how it can be used, and they come up with some very creative ideas! Your students will love the creativity in this one and the adorable illustrations.
Comprehension Questions:
-How is It’s a Pumpkin similar to A Bold Pumpkin Plan? (This question is great for comparing two different texts. Possible answers: both feature a pumpkin; both include animals working together to solve a problem.)
-What was the climax? (Answer: When Woodchuck knocked over the pumpkin)
-What were some of the ways the animals used the pumpkin?
-What’s another creative way you could use a pumpkin?
If you want a free way to read these stories, check to see if your local library carries these titles first!
I hope these ideas were helpful and you and your class enjoy using them this fall!
Enjoy!
Maryna Doughty
Opmerkingen