Everyone’s favorite autumn underdog, Spookley the pumpkin is a wonderful read-aloud, a memorable character, and a fantastic fall theme. The Spookley books can be used to teach belonging and inclusion, diversity, and social-emotional skills, as well as good old language arts. Here are 14 ideas to make the Spookley the Square Pumpkin books an integral part of your fall, with stories and activities that students will remember for years to come.
In the original Spookley story, a square pumpkin hatches in a pumpkin patch. He’s teased for being different until he shows that being different can save the day.
After you read the original book, imagine that you found Spookley in your pumpkin patch. What might he do in your town? What problem could he solve? How can being square help him in your school or town? Have students write and illustrate their own Spookley story.
Stuff paper bags with crumpled newspaper, paint them orange, add a face and stem, and you’ve got your own Spookleys. Encourage students to add their own flair and details to personalize their pumpkins.
Spookley is nervous on the first day of school, but he quickly discovers new and interesting things and learns an important lesson.
Use The First Day of School to talk about how students feel on the first day, and how their feelings change as they become more comfortable.
Go on a scavenger hunt around your school to show students where important places are (the principal’s office, the library) and to get students excited about upcoming specials and school events.
Post a picture of Spookley in your classroom, or get a stuffed Spookley for a corner of your classroom. When students are nervous, they can tell Spookley about it. Younger students can whisper their feelings to Spookley, and older students can write him a letter.
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Spookley is excited for the other pumpkins to join him in a Jamboree, but it’s not easy. First, a new group of pumpkins shows up and wants to join, then the pumpkins quarrel about what to include in the jamboree. Can Spookley help the pumpkins resolve their differences in time for the jamboree?
Use found and recycled materials to create your own pumpkin jamboree. What can each material be used for? A game? An instrument?
Harness Spookley’s energy by decorating a Dare To Be Square sign or shirt that encourages students to be themselves.
Use art materials to create a bulletin board that celebrates your class’s unique talents, personalities, and interests. Make sure you can find each student’s contribution in your bulletin board.
In this spooktacular adventure, Spookley goes on an adventure and learns that being different can make a big difference.
Draw Spookley in the middle of a large piece of paper and decorate the paper with words that describe Spookley. You can do this activity using one Spookley the Square Pumpkin book, or add to it as you read through the entire series.
Paint small paper bags orange, add shapes to make a face, and create Halloween treat bags. This is a great activity for indoor recess or to end the day before Halloween.
On Thanksgiving at Holiday Hill Farm, Spookley is finding out what he’s thankful for. Along the way, he learns that no family tree is quite the same.
Cut orange paper into squares, and have students decorate one side as Spookley the pumpkin and write one thing they are thankful for on the other side. Arrange the writing so that you can staple the pumpkin onto a bulletin board and have everyone lift the flap to read what students are thankful for.
Use a Venn diagram to compare Halloween and Thanksgiving. Include information from the Spookley the Square Pumpkin books, other books, and students’ experiences.
Students can use these Venn diagram templates to organize their thoughts.
Invite students to create a family tree that shows their family. Remind students that their family tree doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s, and it might not even look like a tree! Invite families in to hear about all students’ families.
Put out the art supplies and have students draw a picture of what makes them feel like they belong, just like how Spookley feels in his patch. Then, they can write what makes them feel included.
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Samantha Cleaver has worked in education since 2005 when she took her first special education teaching position. Since then, she has been a special education teacher, instructional coach, and special education coordinator. She especially enjoys helping students who struggle with reading find success and joy in reading. Samantha has an MAT in special education and a PhD in special education and reading intervention.
