Students would then start to bring in their own funny jokes for kids and tell them to their teacher and other friends.

Many teachers took advantage of this event by encouraging their kids to write down the clean jokes to be shared on a big list in the classroom. Then, if the class was having a particular rough day, the list could be brought out and a few would be read to put some smiles back on their faces.

Hilarious Jokes to Crack Kids Up

As I was lying wide awake in bed at 2 am, I decided it wasn’t the most productive way to spend my time and since I was awake anyhow, might as well create something fun for you!  Is it just me, or do you get random spurts of creativity in the middle of the night as well?  Oh yeah!

That is how Joke-tober was developed. I am super excited!

Here is an example! {The joke answer is upside down in the lower right hand corner of the card.}

Best Jokes in the Pumpkin Patch

I created a document with smaller versions of the jokes, which you could print on card stock, laminate, and pop on a 3-ring binder to have every October and share with the students orally.  That document is below.

You might want to check out:

Need some new ideas for hosting successful classroom celebrations?  This 416 page digital book has you covered! Includes 61 ad-free articles from Organized Classroom, including holidays such as:

• Groundhog Day
• Winter
• Black History
• Valentines Day
• St. Patricks Day
• Earth Day
• Spring
• Mothers Day
• Memorial Day
• Summer
• Independence Day
• Fall
• Halloween
• Thanksgiving
• Christmas

…and even more!

Now available in our Shop!  And the second copy to share with a friend is half price!

See it HERE.

Of course, I want to give credit for all the jokes {I am not that funny y’all}.  

All the jokes came from Laugh-Out-Loud Spooky Jokes for Kids by Rob Elliott.  We happened to come upon the book in the local bookstore and my third grader was literally LOL-ing in the middle of the store, so I knew we had to have it.  

In addition to a sampling of these 31 jokes, he has TONS more in the book, and even a bunch of cute knock knock jokes I know your students would love.

What age range?  Honestly probably 2nd up to 5th grade.  You CAN use the jokes with smaller students, but you may have to explain them a bit more so they understand the humor.  Of course, some will be easier to understand than others by the students.  And some students may just laugh out loud regardless because they are silly. {Didn’t the skeleton…Ha!}

You can find Mr. Elliott’s book HERE.

Click here to email your freebie

What are some of your favorite go-to jokes for kids? We would love to hear them in the comments below too as everyone can use a laugh! Happy Haunting!

~Charity

The post Spooktacular Jokes for Kids! appeared first on Organized Classroom.

These cards typically feature a Halloween-themed design and can be used to mark the days of the month on a calendar display. They can also be used to teach important skills such as counting, number recognition, and pattern recognition.

By using October calendar cards, you can create a visually appealing and engaging learning environment for your students. 

How to Use October Calendar Cards in Your Classroom

Incorporating monthly calendar cards into your daily routines is a simple yet effective way to engage students and teach important skills. Here are some tips for using October calendar cards in your classroom:

1. Morning Routine: Start each day by having a student come up to the calendar display and place the corresponding card on the correct date. This can help students develop their number recognition and counting skills.

2. Math Activities: Use the calendar cards to teach important math concepts such as patterns, addition, and subtraction. For example, you can ask students to identify and continue a pattern using the cards, or you can ask them to add or subtract a certain number of days from the current date.

3. Weather Tracking: Use the calendar cards to track the weather each day. Have students choose a weather card that represents the weather outside and place it on the calendar. This can help students develop their observation and data collection skills.

DIY October Calendar Card Ideas for Teachers

If you’re feeling creative, making your own October calendar cards can be a fun and rewarding activity. Here are some creative and easy-to-make ideas:

• Pumpkin Patch Cards: Cut out pumpkin shapes from orange construction paper and write the numbers on them. Decorate each pumpkin with a face using markers or cut-out shapes from black construction paper.

• Spider Web Cards: Cut out spider web shapes from black construction paper and write the numbers on them. Attach plastic spiders to the web using glue or tape.

• Candy Corn Cards: Cut out candy corn shapes from yellow, orange, and white construction paper. Write the numbers on the candy corns and decorate them with markers or glitter.

To make these DIY calendar cards, you will need construction paper, markers, scissors, glue or tape, and any additional decorations you want to use.

Simply follow the step-by-step instructions for each design and let your creativity shine!

You might want to check out:

Need some new ideas for hosting successful classroom celebrations?  This 416 page digital book has you covered! Includes 61 ad-free articles from Organized Classroom, including holidays such as:

• Groundhog Day
• Winter
• Black History
• Valentines Day
• St. Patricks Day
• Earth Day
• Spring
• Mothers Day
• Memorial Day
• Summer
• Independence Day
• Fall
• Halloween
• Thanksgiving
• Christmas

…and even more!

Now available in our Shop!  And the second copy to share with a friend is half price!

See it HERE.

Incorporating Spooky Vocabulary and Activities into Your Curriculum

To fully embrace the Halloween spirit, consider incorporating spooky vocabulary words and activities into your curriculum. Here are some suggestions:

• Spooky Vocabulary Words: Introduce Halloween-themed vocabulary words such as “witch,” “ghost,” “haunted,” and “candy corn.” You can create flashcards or word walls to display these words in the classroom.

• Math Activities: Create Halloween-themed math activities such as counting candy corns, measuring pumpkin heights, or solving spooky word problems. This can make math more engaging and relevant for students.

• Science Experiments: Conduct Halloween-themed science experiments such as making slime, creating erupting pumpkins, or exploring the properties of candy. This can spark students’ curiosity and encourage them to think scientifically.

By incorporating Halloween-themed vocabulary and activities into your curriculum, you can make learning more exciting and memorable for your students.

Engaging Students with Halloween-Themed Books and Movies

To further engage your students during the Halloween season, consider incorporating Halloween-themed books and movies into your lessons. Here are some recommendations:

Books: “Room on the Broom” by Julia Donaldson, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving, and “The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything” by Linda Williams are all great choices for younger students. For older students, consider books such as “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley or “The Graveyard Book” by Neil Gaiman.

Movies: Depending on the age group of your students, you can show Halloween-themed movies such as “Hocus Pocus,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” or “Casper.” These movies can be used as a starting point for discussions or writing activities.

When using books and movies in the classroom, be sure to tie them into the curriculum and classroom activities.

For example, you can ask students to write a book report or create a movie review after reading or watching a Halloween-themed story.

Printable October Calendar Cards for Teachers

If you prefer a more convenient option, we have free printable calendar cards for you to use in your classroom.

Simply download the pdf file and print the cards, cut them out, and you’re ready to go!

Use them for calendar time or any other working with numbers activities you might be using in your classroom!

Click here to email your freebie

By using October calendar cards, you can create a visually appealing and engaging learning environment.

Whether you choose to make your own calendar cards or use printable options, these cards can be used to teach important skills and enhance student engagement.

Have fun!

~Charity

The post A H-OWL-ING October! appeared first on Organized Classroom.

I just realized that Halloween is coming in less than a week – ahhhh!

In our local area, it seems as though EVERYONE is now having trick or treat in multiple places on different nights.

I have no less than 6 different locations in my local area where my kids can go to grab some free candy – and that is just within our local community!

While my hubby may be cool with all that stash, I am not sure my waistline will be appreciative of it sitting in the cabinet through Christmas.  Ha!

Perhaps some of your classroom parents feel the same and I have a fun solution for the week AFTER Halloween!

The Great Candy Comparison!

Candy Counting and Sorting Activities

Simply ask your students to bring in 2-3 handfuls of their Halloween candy stash.

If some forget, just run to the local big box store and grab some mix packs of leftover candy on clearance.

Run off this fun 8-page freebie front to back – or place under the doc cam if you need to save on paper – and have the students work through it using their candy.

You might want to check out:

Need some new ideas for hosting successful classroom celebrations?  This 416 page digital book has you covered! Includes 61 ad-free articles from Organized Classroom, including holidays such as:

• Groundhog Day
• Winter
• Black History
• Valentines Day
• St. Patricks Day
• Earth Day
• Spring
• Mothers Day
• Memorial Day
• Summer
• Independence Day
• Fall
• Halloween
• Thanksgiving
• Christmas

…and even more!

Now available in our Shop!  And the second copy to share with a friend is half price!

See it HERE.

Here are the activities included in the handout:

1. Group your candy into color groups.  Draw a picture of your groups below.

2.  How many pieces of candy do you have?

3.  Write that number in tally marks.

4.  Write a number sentence that shows the total number of pieces you have.

5.  Sort your candy into groups based on something OTHER than color.

6.  Draw a picture of your groups and label them below.

7.  Write a subtraction story problem using your candy.  Draw a picture to show how you would get the answer.

8.  Pick ONE piece of candy from your pile and draw it below.  Now label it with the following words (if they are present):  side, vertex, symmetry, rectangular prism, cylinder, angle, circumference, height, line segment, sphere.

9.  Think of at least one more math word to add to your picture labels and add it.

10.  Split your candy into 2 groups again:  Candy that rolls and candy that does not roll.  Draw a picture of  your 2 groups below.

Why can some of the pieces roll and others can’t?  Explain using math vocabulary words below.

Engaging Ways to Teach Math

After the project is done, you have 3 choices:

1 – Have the students eat one piece and then turn it over to you where you can use it until Christmas for student incentives.

2 – Have the students take it back home.

3 – Confiscate it for your own personal stash in your desk for those days when you really need something.  lol.

Whatever you decide to do with it – I am sure the students will have fun using real-world objects to analyze geometry and grouping concepts!

Have fun and save a Snickers bar for me,

~Charity

The post A Learning Activity: The Great Candy Comparison appeared first on Organized Classroom.

Well, today was a perfect example. 

I was at Target, and of course you can never just walk past the Dollar Spot section. 

Sometimes I wish I had the willpower to keep moving, but it just doesn’t happen.

As I was browsing, I found this adorable pop-up book! 

I picked it up and thought my little man might like this.  He loves books.  The cute Halloween theme was just a bonus.

So, I took it home and as I was showing it to him, I realized that the text was PERFECT for figurative language study for onomatopoeia! 

Being a HUGE fan of teaching onomatopoeia anyway (what kid doesn’t like a lesson that involves sound effects and such a cool name?), this would be an adorable way to introduce it!

I can see teachers using this book (which is obviously intended for little ones) – as an upper intermediate tool. 

If you have a document cam, toss it under and read aloud the book to introduce the concept. 

From there, head on over to any online tutorial for the kids to break into groups and create their very own onomatopoeia pop-up book! 

They would have a blast!

You might want to check out:

Need some new ideas for hosting successful classroom celebrations?  This 416 page digital book has you covered! Includes 61 ad-free articles from Organized Classroom, including holidays such as:

• Groundhog Day
• Winter
• Black History
• Valentines Day
• St. Patricks Day
• Earth Day
• Spring
• Mothers Day
• Memorial Day
• Summer
• Independence Day
• Fall
• Halloween
• Thanksgiving
• Christmas

…and even more!

Now available in our Shop!  And the second copy to share with a friend is half price!

See it HERE.

What if your school/district does not allow holiday-related material to be used in curriculum?  No problem! 

You could make your own version (this one is literally only 8 pages long) with pictures and words from fall. 

Think about the sounds of leaves, Friday night football games, and hayrides. 

Grab a camera, step outside, and snap images to use and to share with your students no matter what the weather is like where you live!

Need a creative writing worksheet with 25 fall onomatopoeia words already listed? Grab it below.

Have fun!  If you (or your students) create your own onomatopoeia book, I would love to see it!

What is your favorite figurative language lesson?  We would love to hear in the comments below!

~Charity

The post Seasonal Figurative Language Fun! appeared first on Organized Classroom.

I actually don’t live in a neighborhood, but rather set way far back off a busy road.  We have neighbors, but not really close by.  And their kids are all grown up and gone for many years.

As you can imagine, there is no trick-or-treating at my house.  We have to walk to the next neighborhood down the street from us to partake with our little man.

So the idea of doing BOO-ING and ringing a doorbell to leave a treat at the front door, while it sounds fun,  isn’t something I can easily pull off at home.  Because the idea would end there.  lol.

BUT – the classroom is a different story since we are all one big community!

How Do You Boo?

While there are tons of free gift tag printables out there for this idea, I like to think my version is a little unique because

1 – I made up the poems myself

2 – There is no candy involved {there CAN be, but my example doesn’t include it}

3 – It won’t break the bank – a very inexpensive activity to increase student (and staff) morale

4 – I even have a teacher-only version included if you keep reading.

It’s really simple to start this idea and keep it going throughout the entire month of October – AND keep your students on their toes!  #win-win

You are going to print the gift tag below on card stock.  The printable is mostly black and white so you can feel free to print it on most any color you choose.

As you can see, it has a cute little poem as the instruction for how to continue passing on the fun.  I suggest printing 2 copies:  one for the door to keep on display after that class has been “BOO-ed” and another to be placed in the bag to be passed on to the next recipient.

Print and cut out along the lines, including the diagonal line and around the inner circle to create the door hanger.

Would you like a set of 48 playing cards, 8 bingo cards, and 5 familiar game directions?   

Each set is perfect for centers, early finishers, or as a class reward incentive!   Simply print, laminate, and go – easy to set up and easy to store!

Click HERE to see the bundle!

Now, when choosing your prizes, don’t think you have to get crazy with gifts.

My version was purchased for $3 at the dollar store.  And it has enough “treats” inside for a class of 24.

You could include in your bag:

• stickers
• pencils
• erasers
• mini notebooks
• glow bracelets
• vampire teeth
• spider rings
• crayons
• or yes, even candy or a special treat (like popcorn balls)

The bag you choose just needs to be large enough to hold a classroom worth of prizes and have a handle so it’s easy to hang on a classroom door.

After you have your bag, your tag, and your prizes all pulled together, have the class “vote” for another classroom they believe is worthy of their BOO.

Kids love to have their voices heard and what better way to model great behavior by looking for good examples from other students?

Have your class be on the lookout for model behavior from other classes in the hall, at lunch, at specials, and even during dismissal.  They can submit names they believe would be good recipients.

After a couple days, have a class discussion about why the classes are on the list – and then do a quick hands-up vote for their favorite choice.

The star student of the week can then “sneak” over to the said classroom and silently place the bag and the tag on the classroom door handle.

Of course, if the door is open the Halloween treats may have to be placed before school by the teacher instead.

As you may guess, kids aren’t very secretive and they will probably tell students in the other class where the bag came from, but that’s ok.  Remind your own students that they may be the recipients the next time if they have good behavior too.

To continue to process, the teacher who received the bag will their door hanger displayed so others know they have already been BOO-ed, and then repeat the process by refilling the bag and using the extra door hanger to pass along (making an extra copy for the bag).

What do you do if your class doesn’t receive one before the end of the month?

If you feel they deserve it, make up a bag yourself and hang it on your own door before school or during specials!

They won’t know who placed it there and that way they are rewarded for that best behavior they have been working on all month long!

Can you get BOO-ed more than once?  Absolutely!

How Do you Boo Teacher Style?

Now that the students are on their best behavior, perhaps you won’t need this next idea?  HA!

Just in case you need a little staff morale boost, the same idea can be done adult-style!

Now, before anyone freaks out:  These are gifts that will obviously be used at home.  And you know your school environment better than anyone.  Some staffs and admins will be ok with this fun being passed along in private before or after school – some will not.

But this could be done during a late Friday afternoon Happy Hour after the workweek is finished too.

You “BOO” another teacher by placing this gift tag on the top of a bottle and leaving someplace where students – or parents – won’t see it as to not have to explain yourself repeatedly.

Under a teacher desk, in a staff mailbox, in the staff lounge, or even on the teacher’s doorstep at home would all be great places to pass along to the recipient.  Place it in a large handled bag so just the tag sticks out.

Keep in mind:  if you have a teacher who does not drink, this could be a bottle of sparkling grape juice, rootbeer, or even a large coffee.  The idea is the same.

Need a way to fund the classroom treats and bags?  Check with your PTO or PTA – or perhaps the sunshine committee would be willing to supply the materials (likely not the booze).

Grab your materials, free printable below, and have some fall fun!

~Charity

The post Falling Into Classroom Management appeared first on Organized Classroom.

I looooooove fall. Even when it’s rainy like today and I’m under the blanket.

And don’t even get me started on the candy.

But – something I never liked as a child and something I don’t like now: costume parties.

So weird, right?

My hubby LOVES costumes. {Side note: He was a theater major in college so there’s that.}

I know I can’t be the only one.  Are you in the same camp with me or do you love dressing up too?

After polling my newsletter subscribers {Not on the list yet?  Join HERE for free}, turns out I am definitely in the minority.

I asked “Are you a fan of getting dressed up for school during Halloween?”

They responded with the following:

As you can clearly see, most teachers love getting a chance to show off their creativity and have a little extra fun around this fall holiday.

Need some great examples?  Keep reading!

You might want to check out:

Need some new ideas for hosting successful classroom celebrations?  This 416 page digital book has you covered! Includes 61 ad-free articles from Organized Classroom, including holidays such as:

• Groundhog Day
• Winter
• Black History
• Valentines Day
• St. Patricks Day
• Earth Day
• Spring
• Mothers Day
• Memorial Day
• Summer
• Independence Day
• Fall
• Halloween
• Thanksgiving
• Christmas

…and even more!

Now available in our Shop!  And the second copy to share with a friend is half price!

See it HERE.

Alternatives to Halloween Dress Up day at School

While many schools allow traditional Halloween costumes, many feel it takes away from academic time.

If you are in a school that feels that way, but you are itching to grab a costume anyway, perhaps suggest one of the following ideas:

• Book Character Costumes:

Whether you are a middle school teacher or a preschool teacher, book characters are a wonderful way to incorporate seasonal fun into your literacy block.  The idea is simple:  students may dress up as their favorite book characters, rather than the latest trending superhero or ghost.

It really makes students stop to think about their favorite book and catch all the details about the character they love.

Plus, you can really build on it in class with cross curricular ideas such as writing a Venn diagram to show how their character is the same/different a another student in class, using addends and sums in math for various duplicate characters, and even looking for historical figures in social studies.

• Vocabulary Hat Parade:

Another option if you don’t want the distraction of all day costumes is a vocabulary hat parade.  I have participated in one of these events myself with third graders and it is a hoot!

Simply grab vocabulary words from your grade level and pass one out to each students at least a week before the event.

Students and parents can work on their hat at home.

It needs to showcase what their vocabulary word means and should be on display somewhere on the hat.

Students have used baseball caps, winter beanies, or even just construction paper as the base for building their hats.

On the day of the event, student will line up by class and walk around a large space, such as a playground or cafeteria.

It really helps them to learn new vocabulary words and visualize what they mean.

They get a chance to “dress up” while still making it educational.

You might also enjoy:

Math Games Bundle

6 math products that will be perfect for students in grades K-6!

See it HERE.

Costume Ideas for Classroom Teachers

Are you looking for some amazing teacher Halloween costume ideas?  Below are a few of the best ever that would be easy for grade level individuals, groups, or partners to do!

From Sarah: “I have a picture from our Family Reading Night last year. We encouraged staff and students to dress up like their favorite book character. Mine was a random Weasley cousin.

Tina sent us a bunch to check out!

I love these dominoes – and super easy to put together!

Adorable group of educators there!

Milk and cookies!

Alyssa also sent in several – loving them all!

Loving this matching pair of costumes!

Need something quick?  Grab a pack of photo props and you are good to go!

Who doesn’t love the Cookie Monster?

Fancy Nancy!

And Ms. Frizzle!

Can’t go wrong with Dr. Seuss-theme costume ideas.

Eric Carle group costume = so awesome.

Cat in the Hat cuteness!

Don’t forget Dog Man!

Thanks to the bloggers above who agreed to have their photos included.  Make sure to click on their photos and follow them on Insta for more fun ideas.

Which is your favorite?  I’d love to hear in the comments below!

~Charity

The post Character Day Ideas appeared first on Organized Classroom.

Now, let’s get to those cute, little guys! Although I’m a fourth grade teacher, I was determined to make them with my students and turn them into a great learning experience in math.

So, here’s what I did:

1) First of all, no need to reinvent the wheel. Please check out Amanda’s fantastic post on what you need to make these little guys.

2) She explains briefly about how to make them into magnets, but I’ll show you how I did that part. I used krazy clue in the pictures, but I think it’s best to maybe have a parent volunteer do the magnet part the day before with just some form of tacky glue.

First, I put a small ball of modeling clay inside the middle of the cap and secured with glue (I tried filling the whole cap with modeling clay, but it was too heavy for the magnets to hold.)

Then, I cut a small cardboard square from a rice treat box and put it on top (necessary? I’m not sure, but that was in Amanda’s instructions.)

Lastly, I glued the magnet on top of the square, and now the caps were ready for the students. (The magnets were cut from 1″ adhesive magnetic strips that I bought at Wally World, also.)

I put all the materials on a work table and had the students come in small groups while the rest worked on independent activities.

I will tell you, in order to do the graphing freebie I’m attaching with this post, you must have wiggly eyes! That is the crucial step. I purchased these from Walmart, and they have lots of different colors, sizes and designs.

This was more than enough for 37 students.

School Bulletin Board Full Site Access

Create your bulletin boards in a snap with premade templates!

Click HERE to see more!

Now, you’ll see in this picture that my students have a lot of gravity-defying hairdos (The monster with the Bruno Mars do was made by a student who actually had that fuzz piece in his book bag for some reason. I love it!).

So, it was a little tiresome, but they would position the chenille stems first, and then I would attach them with hot glue.

Then, the students stuck them on our whiteboard and wrote their names by their monster. On their own, they started giving their monsters nicknames, which I found very adorable and will now incorporate into a lapbook that we will be doing this week with these little cutie-patoodies.

So, finally we can get to the educational piece! This week, my students are going to graph the number of eyes each monster has.

They will first do tally marks, a bar graph, change the scale increments of the bar graph from 1 to 2, and then answer questions about the data from their graph.

I know most teachers who would attempt an activity like this are in the younger grades, so I’ve also created a simpler graphing sheet for them.

And for any dual language teachers, there is a Spanish graph included since that is the language in which I teach.

Click HERE to download the free graphs.

I don’t teach writing, but I’m sure this activity would make for a great creative writing activity, also.

Thanks so much for reading and stopping by the OC blog! Happy Teaching!

Tabitha
Flapjack Educational Resources

The post Monster Caps Craft and Graphing Freebie appeared first on Organized Classroom.

I love pumpkins all fall long! They are a good symbol of the season that I don’t have to change in a month’s time. I usually can make pumpkins work from September 1st through Thanksgiving Day before needing to swap out for something else.

And with teacher time at a premium, that is just good planning ahead! Saving precious minutes is always on the to-do list.

You can create a Jack-o-latern look for materials in October and a traditional pumpkin in November (or pumpkin pie)!

Printable Pumpkin Pack

This free printable pack includes a regular worksheet, a challenge worksheet, and the pumpkins can either be left on the page – or you cold run them on white cardstock, cut out, and laminate for some hands-on learning fun!

You might want to check out:

Need some new ideas for hosting successful classroom celebrations?  This 416 page digital book has you covered! Includes 61 ad-free articles from Organized Classroom, including holidays such as:

• Groundhog Day
• Winter
• Black History
• Valentines Day
• St. Patricks Day
• Earth Day
• Spring
• Mothers Day
• Memorial Day
• Summer
• Independence Day
• Fall
• Halloween
• Thanksgiving
• Christmas

…and even more!

Now available in our Shop!  And the second copy to share with a friend is half price!

See it HERE.

Easy Fall Lesson Plan Ideas

Want a couple other ideas for using them to differentiate your student learning?  Use them for centers or morning work!

1.  Simply have the students take the pumpkins and make their own groups based on attributes.

2.  Hand gifted learners a blank chart (white out the current categories and attributes) and have them make their own to trade and solve.

3.  Have students create math story problems using the pumpkins:  “Jack had 3 pumpkins with 2 eyes each.   How many eyes in all did Jack’s pumpkins have?”

4.  Students can take turns adding a sentence and a pumpkin to a spiraling story.

5.  Do a journal prompt about how to carve a pumpkin.

Those are just a few ideas from the top of my head.   What else could you use this worksheet for with your students to expand the learning?   We would love to hear them in the comments or on our Organized Classroom Facebook fan page!

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy!

~Charity

The post Pumpkin Sorting Activity appeared first on Organized Classroom.