As the Halloween season approaches, many teachers are on the lookout for fresh ideas and engaging activities to make learning fun. This could be Halloween read alouds and Halloween Choice Boards. Whether you’re looking for something to keep early finishers busy or in need of a challenge for your students, Halloween choice boards are a great way to mix things up and keep the lessons exciting. In this blog post, we’ll explore how Halloween choice boards work, what kind of tasks they include, and how to make the most of them in your classroom.
What are Halloween Choice Boards?
Halloween choice boards are essentially a collection of tasks and activities that students can choose from, usually arranged in a grid or chart layout. Each box on the grid represents a different activity, and students can pick any three or more boxes to complete. Some teachers even turn it into a tic-tac-toe game, giving students even more motivation to complete the tasks. The activities are designed to challenge students academically while also staying in the theme of Halloween.
Quick Steps for the Choice Boards
One great way to implement Halloween choice boards is to introduce them at the beginning of the month. Print out the choice boards and distribute one to each student. Encourage them to work on the activities throughout the month, giving them the freedom to choose when and how many they complete. This way, students can take their time with the tasks and get the most out of their learning experience.
Examples of tasks included in Halloween choice boards are “Draw It Out,” a task where students draw a scene or character from a Halloween storybook, create a new monster, or illustrate a Halloween-inspired haiku. “Text Me” is another fun task on the board, where students write a spooky text message conversation between two characters, or create a news article or report on a Halloween-related event. “The Announcement” is another creative task, where students create a flyer or advertisement for a Halloween party or event.
Another exciting option is the “Research” task, where students research a Halloween-themed topic such as the history of Halloween, the origins of trick-or-treating, or famous horror writers. This task incorporates both reading and research skills, and students can present their findings to the class or write a report to share their knowledge.
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Incorporating Halloween Read Alouds with Choice Boards
Leila, The Perfect Witch is the perfect Halloween picture book for your little ones. It is a beautiful story about a young witch who wanted to be like everyone else but was struggling to make her magic work. This is a story that your children will relate to, and it is perfect for sparking discussions about self-esteem and self-worth. Leila, the Perfect Witch will teach your children that they can be whoever they want to be, and that it’s okay to be different from everyone else.
To make the most out of reading Leila, the Perfect Witch, you can use the toolkit provided inside the book. The pack includes lesson plans, an overview of the book, SEL connections, vocabulary words, before/during/after reading questions, and extension activities for the book. This toolkit will be useful both in a classroom setting and at home. It will help your children understand the book better and engage with the story in a fun and meaningful way.
One of the best things about Leila, the Perfect Witch is that it features activities that can be done before, during, and after reading the book. These activities will help your children engage with the story and internalize its message. For example, you could read the book to your children and then ask them to draw a picture of Leila or their favorite part of the story. Alternatively, you could have your children act out the story or create their own Halloween-themed story using the same characters.
Another great thing about Leila, the Perfect Witch is that it includes a student workbook with six extension activities and three writing activities. These activities are designed to help your children practice their writing skills and apply the vocabulary words they learned while reading the book. The workbook also includes graphic organizers to support reading comprehension in context. By using this student workbook, your children will gain a deeper understanding of the story and the lessons it teaches.
Halloween Activities for Upper Elementary
Check out all of the amazing Halloween activties that you can use in your very own classroom,
This includes Dry Ice activties, math games, math centers, choice boards, read aloud activities and more!
Halloween choice boards are an excellent way to keep your students engaged and motivated while also incorporating fun and creativity into the learning experience. With diverse tasks in various areas like drawing, writing, research, and more, there is plenty of scope for both academic and non-academic challenges. Plus, these choice boards are easy to use and can be adapted to suit the needs of different grade levels. So this Halloween season, try something new in your classroom with these enriching tasks!
