I think it’s important to celebrate the events that are going around us as we teach. I think it’s important to celebrate the beginning of the year, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other holidays or seasons. By celebrating these through our curriculum, students enjoy their school work more since they can celebrate these holidays and seasons while learning.
Back to School is a season to me. Some students are excited about it, some are scared and some really just don’t want to be there. The important part is for them to work through their emotions and celebrate it.
Using seasonal interactive notebooks are a great way to gets students involved in the current holiday or season. This particular one, since it is back to school themed could really be used throughout the year, but it is extra special for students to use it during the back to school year.
I have to admit during the different holidays, it can be hard to focus students are the tasks, especially at Halloween and Christmas. So, during these times I try to have seasonal activities that are extra engaging. Here are a very pictures of a very engaging math booklet that students can use. They can turn the different sections of the pages to create different problems. Fun + learning = happy students. Although I know it’s impossible to make everyone happy and that isn’t our goal as teachers, but it does make for better learning.
These little peek-a-boo school houses are a great way to review skills from the previous year, but keeping up with the back to school theme. The neat thing about these as students can go back and review these skills later on in the school year.
To me, not only are seasonal activities great for students, but a variety of different activities. This activity has puzzle pieces and not only teaches or reviews a different skill, but uses a different method of learning – very hands-on as opposed to those dreaded worksheets that students get sick of way too often.
I believe most if not all students enjoy coloring, so seasonal interactive activities give them the opportunity to do this while getting excited about the current holiday or season.
Here’s my September Interactive Notebook: Back to School Interactive Math Notebook Third Grade Common Core
