Fall Learning Ideas for Upper Elementary Students

Fall Learning Ideas for Upper Elementary Students

By: Jacqueline Ortiz, Updated Sept. 26, 2024, Written Oct. 2,2018

Fall is such an exciting time in the classroom! As the weather cools and the leaves begin to change, there’s a special energy in the air that makes it the perfect season for engaging and creative learning. With so many seasonal events and themes to explore, fall offers endless opportunities to bring fun and meaningful activities to your students.

3. Acorn Sink or Float (Science)

Materials: Acorns, different fall objects (pine cones, small pumpkins, leaves, apples), water container. Activity: Students predict whether each fall-themed object will sink or float. Then, they test their hypotheses by dropping each object into the water container. After recording their results, they can discuss the properties (density, weight, material) that affect whether an object sinks or floats. Skills: Hypothesis testing, observation, recording data, understanding buoyancy and density.

4. Fall October & November Reading Passages:

These reading comprehension packets are perfect for use as guided reading activities, bell work, homework, or assessments. Each set focuses on key skills such as Summary, Context Clues, Author’s Purpose, Inference, and a Writing Skill. You can easily project them on a SMARTBOARD or create monthly printable packets—answer keys are included! These quick, mini passages are designed to be both engaging and effective. I’ll be creating a themed packet for each month, so you’ll love having these sets to use regularly with your students! Ideal for grades 3-5, each set features a variety of genres, including Poetry, Nonfiction, Fables, and Fiction.

CHECK OUT ALL THE FALL THEMED READING, POETRY AND WRITING HERE!

5. Pumpkin Math – Estimation & Volume (Math)

Materials: Pumpkins, measuring tape, string, scale, water, large container. Activity: Students estimate the weight, circumference, and volume of a pumpkin. Then they measure the actual circumference with string and tape, weigh it, and estimate its volume using water displacement (submerging the pumpkin in a water container to see how much water it displaces). Skills: Estimation, measurement, understanding volume, comparing estimates to actual results.

6. Fall Fable Writing (Writing)

Every fall, we focus on folktales and fables, which inspired me to create a unit called Fables in the Fall. For two weeks at the beginning of October, we dive into reading and analyzing a variety of classic fables. Students explore the structure of a fable, including identifying key elements like morals, character traits, and simple yet impactful plots. As part of this unit, students practice important literacy skills such as summarizing, determining the theme or moral, comparing and contrasting characters, and identifying cause-and-effect relationships within stories.

Once students have a solid understanding of the structure of fables, they use this knowledge to create their own unique fable—with a fun fall twist! For example, the classic Tortoise and the Hare might be reimagined with the animals racing through a cornfield or a haunted house, adding seasonal elements to spark their creativity. This activity not only reinforces their understanding of the genre but also encourages imaginative thinking and creative writing.

7. Halloween Poetry and Fall Writing:

We dedicate a day or so to celebrating Halloween, and to make the most of this exciting time, I created a Halloween Activity Packet that’s packed with just the right balance of writing, poetry, and fun! The activities in this packet are designed to build key literacy skills while tapping into the excitement of the Halloween season. My students absolutely love the creative writing prompts, which challenge them to think imaginatively and practice essential writing skills like organizing ideas, crafting strong introductions and conclusions, and developing descriptive details.

The packet covers a variety of skills such as:

• Writing: Students practice narrative writing through Halloween-themed prompts. They focus on elements like character development, plot structure, and setting, all within the spooky context of Halloween.
• Poetry: The poetry activities encourage students to experiment with rhyme, rhythm, and imagery, allowing them to develop their voice and explore different poetic forms.

A great tip is to use the writing prompts as part of a writing center where students can choose a few to focus on independently, offering them a sense of choice and ownership over their writing. The roll-and-write activity is another favorite, where students roll dice to select different elements for their stories, providing a fun and interactive way to practice writing. This can be used as an extension activity or even assigned as homework to extend their learning beyond the classroom.

CLICK HERE FOR THE HALLOWEEN BUNDLE & CLICK HERE FOR THE FALL SET

8. Thanksgiving Poetry and Writing Bundle:

These activities are perfect for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th-grade students! This is a no-prep, easy-to-use bundle filled with reading, writing, and poetry activities that will engage your students. I love the fall season, and incorporating fun yet educational Thanksgiving activities into our lessons is a must. Just print and go—it’s that simple!

9. Halloween and Thanksgiving Teach-Go Pennants:

These holiday-themed pennants are a fantastic choice for any center activity and make for an easy, fast bulletin board display. Your students will enjoy writing and completing these festive pennants, and they’re perfect for keeping the classroom engaging during the holiday season!

10. Mystery Unit:

October is the perfect time to dive into mysteries! I love this unit because it fits so well with the season, and the students really get into it. We read and analyze mysteries, but the highlight is having students create their own. They take great pride in their work, and I love displaying their published writing samples. I even found some fun pumpkin, haunted house, and ghost notebooks at Target’s Dollar Spot that would pair perfectly with this unit!

Fall Learning Books

Some of my favorite books to read during the fall season are Halloween and Thanksgiving-themed books. I usually gather my students on the floor for our daily read-aloud, and these seasonal stories always capture their attention. While the books are fun and festive, I use them to reinforce important reading skills such as main idea, character analysis, summary, and plot development.

The engaging themes make it easier for students to connect with the material, and they love discussing the characters and events as we work through each skill. It’s amazing to see how much more excited and engaged they become when learning through these themed stories. Plus, the seasonal context provides a unique way to deepen their comprehension while enjoying the magic of the holidays.

Here are a few of my favorite fall-themed and Halloween books to use in the classroom:

• Which Way to Witch School by Scott Santoro: This fun and spooky book about a magical school filled with quirky witches will have students laughing while exploring themes of friendship and teamwork.
• Monster Goose by Judy Sierra: A collection of nursery rhymes with a Halloween twist, this book helps students understand rhyme and rhythm while enjoying monster-themed humor.
• The 13 Nights of Halloween by Guy Vasilovich: A Halloween version of the classic “12 Days of Christmas,” this book allows students to practice sequencing and comprehension with its playful, cumulative structure.
• Zoom Broom by Margie Palatini: This story of a witch needing a new broom sparks discussions about problem-solving and perseverance in a fun, magical way.
• Thank You Sarah, The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving by Laurie Halse Anderson: A fascinating historical tale of how one woman fought to make Thanksgiving a national holiday, this book offers a great opportunity to discuss character traits like determination and leadership.
• Plump and Perky Turkey by Teresa Bateman: This lighthearted story about a town trying to catch a clever turkey teaches students about plot twists and creative thinking.
• Balloons over Broadway by Melissa Sweet: A beautifully illustrated book about the history of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, this story allows students to learn about creativity, history, and innovation.

More ideas and Fall Freebie Resources to use Upper Elementary Classroom

• Fall Reading Main Idea Passages Freebie, if you are looking for ways to incorporate fall into your classroom through reading comprehension make sure to check out this packet.
• Fall Poem of the Week Freebie, this is a great freebie to use to focus on poetry, and poem of the week, make sure to get this wonderful packet today!