Using Natural Objects in the Fall Classroom

It seems like fall offers a lot of bounty that we can use in learning activities, from leaves and acorns to pinecones, apples and pumpkins.

Keeping these items in a science center is an easy way to bring the outside into learning, but here are some more great ideas you might want to try.

Pinay Homeschooler uses natural objects in counting activities, such as putting pine cones on a tree or sorting out certain numbers of different kinds of items.

Emma Owl uses natural items on a sensory table combined with fall-scented playdough and other basic materials to let the kids explore and create.

And Learning and Exploring Through Play used a tray full of natural items, a pan balance and other materials for measuring and sorting to make a fall-themed tray.

What you can do will depend on what you can gather nearby, but it’s always fun to collect items this time of year and find fun ways to use them.

How do you use fall’s bounty in learning activities? I’d love to hear your ideas!

Check out our Online store for special buys on Educational gifts We find bulk items and end-of-stock supplies to bring you heavily discounted items. (make sure you check our store often so you don’t miss out on new stock). We also have some free printable files, including a Science PDF for learning about Microscopes.

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Easy Sensory Activities for Valentine's Day

I’m in deep denial about the fact that new year is almost upon us again! It’s been the fastest and the longest year at the same time, and I can look back and see some good things as well as some things I wish had gone differently.

Doing a year in review with your kids — whether in the classroom or at home — is a good way to capture some of their memories and the things they really liked about the year gone by.

There are a lot of different printable year in review worksheets you can use if you want to make this super easy. Here are links to a few (often part of larger posts about NYE celebrations with kids that are worth a read, too):

Teach Beside Me has lots of fun printables fro the end of the year, including a year in review that covers favorite memory, funniest memory and the best book they read, among other topics.
NurtureStore‘s version has space for a self-portrait and prompts like favorite toy, best day out this year and future dream job.
Remember favorites, their “best idea” of the year and have room for setting goals for next year with this one from The Keele Deal.
The year in review from Yes We Made This has room for drawing or writing and includes things like something they learned, a memory they made and a place they visited.

Of course you could pretty easily make your own year in review for the whole family to do that asks questions based on what you most want to remember. (Favorite video game? Best friend? Favorite family memory?)

And if after the year in review you’re ready to look ahead a bit, Mrs. Merry has new year’s resolution printables to inspired kids to look ahead and set goals for things they want to try. You can totally fill this one out as a grownup, too.

[Photo: Mrs. Merry]

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