Pumpkins, Spooks, & Owl Pellets!

Halloween is by far one of my favorite holidays. Pumpkins, costumes, candy, tricks. Who doesn't love that?!  I think I am at one of the only schools in my district that actually has a Halloween parade...not fall fest, not Octoberfest, not a storybook parade...but a full on Halloween parade. Parents attend and watch us march through the school. Everyone dresses up!  I just LOVE it. My own children have taken part...along with my husband who, by the way, teaches in the adjoining room to me...another post another day! LOL! Traditions like that make for some happy school memories. My team this year dressed as THE SUPER TEACHERS... just how we feel this year (and most years). There is always more to do, more to learn, changes, etc. but the hours in the day stay the same and somehow we make it through...our SUPER POWERS I guess! Our media specialist had the storybook pumpkin contest. After the parade we walked through the library voting with pennies placed in UNICEF boxes. Captain Underpants made me laugh!! Families and kids are so clever and creative.

 With the excitement of the parade and the night ahead, my team  decided over the last few years to keep the rest of the day "low key". No big party. Instead we have centered the day around owl themed activities...keeping an academic focus, but having fun at the same time.  My favorite part of this unit is dissecting Owl Pellets. If you have not done this before PLEASE give it a try. They can be purchased online, but ours come in the science materials we get each year. Do you know what an Owl pellet is?? The bones, fur, etc. that the owl can not digest gets regurgitated...kind of like a cat's hairball. The kids LOVE it! They could have picked through it all day. The pellet comes wrapped in tin foil. The kids make guesses as to what it is. We unwrap it and continue guessing. Then I tell them! The oohhs, yucks, and awwws are priceless. Now it's dissection time. They pick through the fur using tweezers and toothpicks. After they find the bones, they categorize them, and glue them on black construction paper. What a blast!!

How do you celebrate Halloween in your classroom?? Hope everyone had a spooky day!