Spookley the Square Pumpkin

One of my goals this year is to improve my teaching in the computer lab and another one is to create more class books.  So I combined these two goals for this Halloween lesson with the book, The Legend of Spookley the Square Pumpkin.  

The purpose of this lesson was to provide my students with a learning opportunity that would work throughout the Halloween week while still working on writing and technology outcomes. 

Lesson One:  (Shared Reading)

Focus:  To read and enjoy the story The Legend of Spookley the Square Pumpkin and compare and contrast Spookley’s feelings.

Lesson Two:  (Computer Lab -- Day One)

Focus:  Using the program Notebook 11 create a unique pumpkin, print and save the document.    

Tools to Demonstrate:  Toolbar, Arrow pointer, delete, shape, enlarge, turn shapes, fill color bucket, print and saving the document.

Lesson Three::  (Writing Workshop)

Focus:  Write 2 complete sentences in writing journal to describe your pumpkin.  You can give your pumpkin a name.  

Materials:  Pocket Chart & Cards with Adjectives (Shapes, Sizes, and Colors)

Lesson Four:  (Computer Lab -- Day Two)

Focus:  Each student will retrieve a saved document and add two sentences to it.  Then they will print and take a picture of it with an ipad. .   

Bring:  Writing Journal to the Lab

Tools to Demonstrate:  Adding Text, Choosing a Font, how to print, and take a screenshot.  

I put all the printed pages in a binder to create a class book.  I like to use binders with page protectors because they stand up to student use and then at the end of the year it is easy to give the students back their work.

The computer teacher at my school created a power point presentation for the parents. Unfortunately I could not load it onto this page. If you want to see it let me know and I can email it to you.