Halloween is Coming

 Gail Skroback Hennessey

Click here for the free downloadable version: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Halloween-FREEBIEPossible-Interactive-Notebook-Activity-3413769

1. Fear of the number 13 is called triskaidekaphobia. Fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskavedekatriaphobia.(Yikes-try pronouncing both words!) Did you know that many hotels don't have a 13th floor?(Well, actually there IS a 13th floor but it isn't named 13th). Some airplanes don't have a row named 13 and many hospitals don't have a room 13. There WAS an Apollo 13, a space mission that blasted into space on April 11, 1970.(It was launched at 13:13!) On April 13(not a Friday), there was an explosion. Fortunately, the crew was able to come home safely. 

2. Black cats are thought to bring bad luck in the USA but it is a WHITE cat that is thought to bring bad luck in Great Britain. 

3. Ireland is thought to be the birthplace of Halloween.

4. The colors orange and black are associated with Halloween. In recent years, purple has also become popular at Halloween.

5. If you have samhainophobia, you have a fear of the holiday- Halloween! Do you have a  fears of something? What is it?___________________

6. Snickers are the most popular candy treat at Halloween. What is your favorite candy? Why?____________________________7. Over 35 million pounds of candy corn are made each year! (or 9 billion pieces of the candy). Some estimated that if you placed the kernels sold every year, end to end, the candy corn could circle the earth 4.25 times.

8. Seeing a spider on Halloween is considered good luck. It is believed to be the spirit of someone close coming to watch over you on Halloween. Name 3 creatures associated with Halloween:__________  _____________  _____________

9. There is a Pumpkin Bend, AR, a Tombstone, AZ, a Transylvania County, NC, and a Cape Fear, NC!

10. Turnips were used before pumpkins as Jack O’ Lanterns! Have you ever eaten a turnip? Do you like them?__________________________

11. Halloween dates back about 6,000 years!

12. Did you know there is actually a National Candy Corn Day? It’s October 30th. 

Activities:

1. Illustrate one of the Halloween Fun Facts.(Use the back of this paper or another sheet of paper)
2. Draw/color a Halloween creature such as a scarecrow or witch. Write 4 adjectives to describe your drawing. Write a paragraph describing your drawing.(Use the back of this paper or another piece of paper)
3. Find all the nouns you can find in FACT 1. Write all the action verbs you can spot in  FACTS 1 and 2.(Use the back of this paper or another sheet of paper.

4.  Create 5 three or more letter words using the letters found in the word, “ Halloween”______________  ____________  ____________           __________________   ________________

5. Use a world map and find the country of Ireland. Write 3 facts you know about the country of Ireland.___________   ___________  ________________

6.Write an acrostic poem using each of the letters in Halloween.

H__________   A_________      L____________  L__________   O__________    W____________  E__________     E___________  N____________

7. Find SIX words that have 4 or more syllables in the Halloween Fun Fact.______________  _____________  ______________  _______________  _____________  _____________   

TEACHER PAGE:

1. Review Nouns, action verbs and syllables with students before giving the activity to the students.

2. Distribute the Halloween Fun Facts and have students do several of the activities. Regroup and discuss what they have learned about Halloween with the rest of the class.

Related Resources:

1. With 12 informational web questions, this resource is just the thing to use as a learning tool about the holiday of Halloween. Bats, Owls, pumpkins, the human skeleton, the origin of Halloween, superstitions, and famous stories in literature, are covered. There are comprehension questions, lots of fun facts, extension activities(including writing in the content area), and additional links for teachers.https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Halloween-All-Things-Halloween-Webquest-1360175

2. Mummies aren't just found in ancient Egyptian culture. Mummies have been found all over the world! In fact, the oldest man-made mummies are found in the country of Chile! Mummies can be naturally created or man-made. This web quest includes the different types of mummies and has 12 web questions including information on Bog Mummies such as Tollund Man, the Inca Mummies,the Taklamakan Desert Mummies of China, Otzi, the frozen mummy, the Chinchorro Mummies of Chile, the Egyptian mummies... and more. There are comprehension questions, a Did You Know? section, a teacher section with extension activities, additional links and the key. Great for a Friday activity, at Halloween time, or if you are studying ancient Egypt.https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/MUMMIES-A-WebquestExtension-Activities-1915946

3. Candy is on Kids' minds with Halloween.Over 35 million pounds of candy corn is made each year! Show your students that even candy has a history!Learn facts including marshmallows date back to 2000 BC and King Tut's Tomb contained licorice. Several additional resources and extension activities,too. Skills include:reading for information and using research/computer skills. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Candy-History-of-Candy-Webquest-516787

4.This informative webquest on PUMPKIN would be great for LA classes,a fall activity, or for a substitute lesson! 

There are 10 web questions, comprehension questions and 11 extension activities/links.  https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Pumpkins-A-Webquest-359886

FALL means PUMPKINS! Fun Facts to Wow your Friends!

 

Learn about Pumpkins! 

Possible Interactive Notebook Activity

Click here for free downloadable version: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/FreeDownload/PUMPKIN-FACTS-1482068

1. Pumpkins are thought to have originated in Central America, specifically Mexico. Some seeds found date back to 5500 B.C.

2. Top pumpkin growers are U.S. farmers, growing more than 1.5 billion each year.

3. The word pumpkin comes from the French word for “large melon”,

pompon. The English used “pumpion” and colonists used “pumpkin”.

4. The World’s Largest Pumpkin Pie was made in New Bremen, Ohio, in 2010. 1,212 lbs of canned pumpkin, 109 gallons of evaporated milk, 525
pounds of sugar, 14.5 pounds of cinnamon, 7 pounds of salt and 2796 eggs were used. It weighed 3699 pounds.

5. Did you know that pumpkins are 90 percent water?

6. Some people used to believe that pumpkins could cure snake bites and help remove freckles!

7. In addition to orange, pumpkins can be green, yellow, tan, white,red and blue.

8. The “Pumpkin Capital of the World” and home to Libby’s Pumpkins is Morton, Illinois.

9. The fibrous strands of string and seeds are called the “brains” of the pumpkin.

10. Carving pumpkins originated in Ireland using potatoes,rutabagas and turnips. Irish immigrants to America started using pumpkins as they were easier to carve and hollow! What is ONE fact you know about the country of Ireland?_______________________

11. Part of the squash and cucumber family(cucurbita), pumpkins are actually considered fruit! Did you think the pumpkin was a fruit or vegetable?__________________________

12. Ohio, Illinois, California and Pennsylvania are the top pumpkin-growing states. Name a fact about TWO of these states._____________________________________

13. In 2013, Keene, NH, kept the record for the most lit pumpkins! 30,581.

14. 2023: A man in Minnesota has squashed the previous WORLD record for the biggest pumpkin ever grown. In 2021, a man in Italy grew a pumpkin that tipped the scale at 2703 pounds. Last week, a man in Minnesota, drove his giant pumpkin to the World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off, located in Half Moon Bay, CA. His pumpkin weighed in at a whopping 2749 pounds! Travis Gienger, a horticultural teacher, called his pumpkin, which he grew in his backyard, Michael Jordan! Gienger said it cost about $15,000 to care and feed his pumpkin.  Gienger, in 2024,again had the largest pumpkin for the Weigh-offs, but didn't break his previous record.

THE WORLD RECORD FOR A PUMPKIN HAS BEEN BROKEN. In 2025, two  twin brothers, in Great Britain, grew a pumpkin that weighted in at 2819 pounds smashing Travis Gienger's record held since 2023. Stuart and Ian Paton's pumpkin grew for 131 days. It averaged 70 pounds of growing per day for about 15 days!  https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgj19v2vex8o

Your turn:

Write a day in the life of a giant pumpkin. What do you see? Hear, Feel? What is it like being the world's largest pumpkin? Etc.

What do you know about the United Kingdom? Write 3 facts.

Pumpkin growers say that a 3000 pound pumpkin is possible in the near future!  It wasn't that many years ago that a 1000 pound pumpkin, now a light weight, would have been news worthy. The problem with growing such jumbos is that gravity often causes them to get smushed and then they can't qualify for judging.

A. Do YOU carve a pumpkin during this time of year?  If, so, what type of face do you create?
B. Do you prefer carving or painting a pumpkin?
C. What is your favorite type of pie?

Activities:
1. Illustrate a picture of one of the facts learned.
2. Write a poem about a pumpkin.Pretend you are a pumpkin and write about your day in the pumpkin patch, on a porch or waiting to be purchased at a farmer’s stand.
3.Discuss syllables. Find 7 words that have 4 or more syllables.
4. Can you spot 7 ACTION VERBS in the Pumpkin Facts?
5. Write an acrostic poem using each letter in the word, PUMPKINS.

* Try my webquest on Pumpkins: 10 web questions with several comprehension questions(lots of extension activities).
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Pumpkin-Fun-Fun-and-Informative-Webquest-359886 

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Purple-Turtle-and-The-Pumpkin-Race-2030138 Beautiful illustrations! In this story, "Purple and the Pumpkin Race",Purple, Zing and Squirty are exciting about participating in the annual pumpkin race. After they carve out their pumpkin to sail, the race begins. Sounds like lots of fun but something goes very wrong!

Photograph from http://firstwefeast.com

Illustration from wpclipart.com

October means Halloween is coming and Halloween means...Candy! What do you know about Sweet Treats?

 October means Halloween is coming and Halloween means...Candy! What do you know about Sweet Treats? 

Chocolate Fun Facts

by

Gail Skroback Hennessey

Do you love chocolate? If you do, you may want to hide a few bars away for a future date. Seems that chocolate may be running out and, in the not so distant future. Researchers says that chocolate, which comes from cacao beans, may be a thing of the past in less than 40 years! The reason, the warming of our planet is making for less and less places for the bean to thrive. Additionally, the demand for chocolate is growing, especially in places such as China where people are  developing a “sweet” tooth. More and more people are also especially sweet on dark chocolate, which requires more cocoa than other types of chocolate. Still another problem is that a fungus is attacking the cacao beans as they grow on the trees. Let’s hope that we can solve the chocolate problem, so we can all continue to enjoy its yummy taste! 

Click here for the free downloadable version of this Interactive Notebook Activity:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Chocolate-Fun-FactsInteractive-Notebook-Activity-3570232

Chocolate Factoids:

1. Now THIS is a chocolate bar. Weighing 12,770 pounds when made, it earned the title of world's largest! A ton is 2000 pounds. Approximately, how many tons of chocolate was this bar? _______________

2. To make one pound of chocolate, you need about 400 cocoa beans.

3. Did you know that one of the things sold in Ben Franklin’s printing shop was chocolate? Write TWO facts you know about Ben Franklin:_____________and___________

4. Do you like white chocolate? Actually, it doesn’t have any cocoa and really isn’t chocolate!

5. Montezuma, the Aztec emperor, is said to have had 50 cups of a chocolate drink every day. He drank out of a golden goblet.

6. Originally, hot cocoa was served without sugar and was a very bitter drink.

7. An amazing 23 million Hershey kisses candies are made every day.

8. Milton Hershey had tickets for the maiden voyage of the Titanic but cancelled due to a meeting. Do you know anything about the Titanic? _________________

9. At one time, people in Meso-America(Central America) used cacao beans as money. What might be two problems using cacao beans as money?____________ and ___________

10. “Chocolate” comes from the word, “xocolatl, a Mayan word for “bitter water”.

11. If you have a cough, you may wish to try eating chocolate to get rid of a cough. Seems to work!

12. Chocolate is very dangerous for dogs and cats!

13. For a time in 2013, the country of Belgium made a stamp which had a chocolate flavor.

14. The candy M and Ms were developed as a treat for soldiers during World War 2. The hard shell kept the chocolate from melting too quickly.

15. The chocolate chip cookie was first baked by Ruth Wakefield. The year was 1930. In exchange for a lifetime of chocolate, she gave her recipe to the Nestle’s Company.

16. Did you know that two countries in Africa produce half the world’s chocolate? Those countries are Ghana and the Cote d’Ivoire.

17. On Columbus’ fourth visit, he is credited with bringing back  to Europe the first cocoa beans(1502-1504)

Your Turn:

1. What do you think this saying means? "Life is like a box of chocolates...you never know what you're gonna get.”( From the movie, Forrest Gump.)

2. What is your favorite chocolate treat? Write a descriptive paragraph describing your favorite chocolate treat to a Martian who has never experienced the treat.

3. Illustrate one of the chocolate factoids.

4. Using a world map, locate the countries mentioned in this information.

5. Find 7 nouns. Find 7 verbs. Find 4 pronouns.

Teacher Page:

1. Before reviewing the facts on chocolate, ask the students to share any prior knowledge they may have on chocolate.
2. Have students review the factoids on chocolate and do the Your Turn section. Put the handout away and ask the students to write 5 facts they remember from the list.

3.  Review the responses to the Your Turn section.

Check out these resources:

The first in my series, Everything Has a History, check out my History of Candy Internet activity. Why not show your students that even candy has a history with this fun/informative web quest! Learn facts including marshmallows date back to 2000 BC and King Tut's Tomb contained licorice. I also have included several additional resources and extension activities. Great for a Friday, a day before a vacation activity or just when you'd like to share with kids that...everything has a history! https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Candy-History-of-Candy-Webquest-516787

2. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Candy-9204152 There are 32 informative questions in this Test Your Knowledge Challenge on all things SWEET! Great for a Friday activity or for a substitute activity.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Gail-Hennessey  My TpT Store

Illustration from: wpclipart.com

Supreme Court Returns to Session the First Monday in October

 

Teachers, you may find this of interest to introduce students to the Supreme Court, the highest court in our country.Click here for a free resource on the newest Supreme Court Justice, Ketanji Brown Jackson: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Supreme-Court-Justice-Ketanji-Brown-Jackson-FREEBIE-7957540

Oyez, Oyez...The Supreme Court begins its new session the first Monday of October. Used by the Supreme Court Marshall to call the Supreme Court to order, the word OYEZ means “Hear Ye”. The word originates from the Latin word which means “to hear”. The Supreme Court hears a number of cases each year in which questions to the Constitution are raised. 

What are three characteristic you think a Supreme Court nominee should have? Did you know that you don’t have to be a lawyer or have even gone to law school?

Did You Know?

1. Only one president did not get the opportunity to name a Supreme Court Justice. That was Jimmy Carter.

2. There is an indoor basketball court at the Supreme Court Building. It is called the “Highest Court in the Land” and is located on the fifth floor.

3. Since 1969, there have been 9 justices on the Supreme Court. However, Congress can change this number to be more or less justices.

4. Justice Clarence Thomas has a record for being the only Supreme Court Justice to remain totally silence, not asking any questions or making any statement, on the

bench, for seven years. Appointed to the Supreme Court in 1991, Thomas spoke, from the bench, for the first time in 2013.

5. Is a pickle a vegetable or a fruit? This was one of the decisions the Supreme Court determined in Nix v. Hedden. The court determined it is the seeds that classify the pickle as a “fruit of the vine”.

6. Supreme Court Justices are appointed for life. WHY do you think this is the case?____________________

7. You DON'T have to be a lawyer to be named to the Supreme Court.

8. Should a president be IMPEACHED(a trial to determine whether a President has committed actions which could remove the President from office), the Supreme Court Chief Justice presides over the trial.

9. President Taft is the only President to go on to become a Supreme Court Justice.

10. SCOTUS is an acronym for Supreme Court of The United States. What is an acronym? Think of three other acronyms that are common in our daily lives.

This web quest will introduce students to the Supreme Court. There are 12 web questions, a Did You Know? section and comprehension questions. Additionally, there are several extension activities and additional links as well as the key.https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Supreme-Court-A-Webquest-913089

Check out this Reader's Theater Script on Justice Sonia Sotomayor: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Sonia-Sotomayor-Supreme-Court-Justice-A-Readers-Theater-Script-6044779

Learn about Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Hispanic American and only the 3rd woman to be appointed to the Supreme Court. Students will also learn information about the Supreme Court.

A great resource for Women's History Month, a study of the Supreme Court, for Hispanic Heritage Month, a Friday activity or as a substitute lesson. Extension activities included. There are 9 Audience Questioners in this Ms. Bie Ografee Talk Show Series of Reader's Theater Scripts.

 

Wpclipart and Pixabay

Check out this Reader's Theater Script on Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Ruth-Bader-Ginsburg-A-Supreme-Court-Justice-Readers-Theater-Script-6045122

September 21st is International Peace Day

 

                                      International Day of Peace:

Click here for free downloadable version: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/International-Peace-Day-September-21st-3379110

The International Day of Peace is held every year on  September 21st. Also called Peace Day, the first celebration was adopted by the United Nations in 1982. It would be in 2001, that nations of the world established September 21st as International Day of Peace. In 2018, the theme for the  International Day of Peace is “The Right to Peace”.  At the United Nations, in New York City, the Japanese Peace Bell is rung to start the day. Made from coins collected by children from sixty countries,  the Peace Bell has the following words engraved on the bell, “Long live absolute world peace”.  There is a minute of silence at noon(at all time zones around the world).

Possible Activities for the International Day of Peace:

1. The dove is the international symbol of peace. Draw/ color a picture of a dove. Write a statement about the International Day of Peace.

2. Write an acrostic poem using the words PEACE.

3. Have students list some of the places in the world where there is conflict. Locate these places on a world map. Ask the students if they have any prior knowledge about the areas .

4. Alfred Nobel established the Nobel Peace Prize.https://www.squizkids.com.au/squiz-kids-shortcuts/the-nobel-prizes/

Learn about some of the people that have been award recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize. The youngest was teenager, Malala Yousafzai. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/lists/all-nobel-peace-prizes/

5. Make a Peace Pole(“May Peace Prevail on Earth) and place in the lobby of your school.

6. Read Sadako Sasaki and her One Thousand Paper Cranes. Free online book: http://www.storyjumper.com/book/index/15882492/sadako-and-the-thousand-paper-cranes#   Make an origami paper crane.  http://www.origami-fun.com/origami-crane.html

7. Make a pinwheel for peace: http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/dailylp/dailylp/dailylp006.shtml

8.Share with kids how to say "PEACE" in many different languages: Write Peace In Different Languages

9. Check out my Purple Turtle story, Purple Meets Dovey, the Dove: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Purple-Turtle-Stories-Purple-Meets-Dovey-849071

10. Illustrate one of these quotes: Write a short paragraph explaining what they think the quote means.

A. “ Peace begins with a smile. “ Mother Teresa

B. "You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.“ Indira Gandhi

C.  "If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner.”  Nelson Mandela

D.  "An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.”  Mahatma Gandhi

E.  “It isn't enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work at it." Eleanor Roosevelt

F.  "While you are proclaiming peace with your lips, be careful to have it even more fully in your heart.”  Francis of Assisi

G.  “If you want peace, you don't talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies.”  Archbishop Tutu

Gail Hennessey

Note: Illustration from wpclipart.com

Hispanic Heritage Month is Coming(Begins September 15th)

 

 National Hispanic Heritage Month

National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated each year from September 15-October 15th. It was originally established, in 1969, as Hispanic Heritage Week, by President Lyndon Johnson. In 1988, it became a month long celebration. Some people say we don't really need an Hispanic Heritage Month, A Black History Month, A Women’s History Month, A Native American Heritage Month and other such months to recognize the achievements of groups which have helped to make this nation great.  I believe we do since history books just can’t address all the different accomplishments of all the people that have contributed to making our country what it is today. Here are some interesting facts to share with your students during National Hispanic Heritage Month.

Did You Know?

• Before colonists settled Plymouth Colony, there were people living in St. Augustine, Florida, and Sante Fe, New Mexico.
• Chinese(Mandarin) is spoken by the most people in the world. The second most spoken language is Spanish. A close third is... English.
• The majority of Hispanic people in the United States came from the country of Mexico.
• Pedro Flores was the first to mass-produce the yo yo in the United States.
• in 1989, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen became the first Cuban American to become a member of Congress.
• Learn some Spanish: gracias(Thank you), por favor) (Please)and adios(goodbye)
• Cinco de Mayo(May 5th) is a festive holiday. It celebrates the victory over the French in the Battle of Pueblo(1862). The Mexicans were outnumbered 3-1, yet they won the battle. 
• Have you ever played with a pinata at a birthday party? This is another activity that has its origins in Mexico.  

Check out my webquest, Histanic Heritage Month. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Hispanic-Heritage-Month-A-WebquestExtension-Activities-2095906

Back to School Activity-We All See the World in Our Own Unique way!

 We all See the World in our own Unique Way!

This is an activity I used in the beginning of the school year. Give students a shape and have students make something out of it. I have used a straight line with a triangle at the end .You can use any shape. It is amazing the different creations students create from the same shape! Some of my students turned the shape into a stop sign with a car, others created a face, a pyramid scene, mountain view, etc.

Have student color their creation and share the results with the rest of the class. 

You can also use this as a creative writing giving students another student’s drawing and write a paragraph about the drawing.

You could also use this activity to discuss individuality and tolerance.

1. Why do we have different viewpoints on a similar topic?
2. How should you react to someone viewpoint if is isn’t the same as your?
3. Do you have something that you feel makes you unique?

4. Have you ever experienced someone making fun of you? How did you react?

You can expand this as an introduction to cultures to discuss a culture’s uniqueness.

For example, in the United States, we shake hands. How do people greet one another in another culture? Discuss the ways of a group of people are called customs.

Have students share examples of customs of different people of the world. 

Here are some examples of different cultures’ customs:

• Chinese and Japanese people bow to greet one another. Chinese and Japanese people also use chopsticks. Shoes are removed before entering a building in Japan.                                                               •In Indonesian, you point with your thumb.                                     

• In Greece, it is good luck to thrown a child’s tooth onto the roof.            

  • In Morocco, after shaking hands, people in Morocco often place their  right hand on their heart - a sign of friendship.                              

  • In Netherlands, family and friends usually kiss the cheek three times. 

  • In Vietnam, white is the color of death.                                       

• Some people hiss to get someone’s attention in India.

• In Tibet, it is considered respectful to stick your tongue out at someone.

Hope you find this activity of interest. 

Gail 

                           Check out my website for activities for teachers/kids: gailhennessey.com and my TpT Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/gail-hennessey (I would be appreciative if you would click to follow my store.)

Illustration from clipart-library.com