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.
The Legend of Spookley the Square Pumpkin
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.
Buy it: The Legend of Spookley the Square Pumpkin
Write your own Spookley legend
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.
Make square jack-o’-lanterns
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 the Square Pumpkin: The First Day of School
Spookley is nervous on the first day of school, but he quickly discovers new and interesting things and learns an important lesson.
Buy it: Spookley the Square Pumpkin: The First Day of School
Talk about the first day of school
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.
Spookley scavenger hunt
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.
Spookley mascot
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.
Buy it: Stuffed Spookley at Amazon
Spookley and the Pumpkin Jamboree
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?
Buy it: Spookley and the Pumpkin Jamboree
Host a pumpkin jamboree
Use found and recycled materials to create your own pumpkin jamboree. What can each material be used for? A game? An instrument?
Dare to be square
Harness Spookley’s energy by decorating a Dare To Be Square sign or shirt that encourages students to be themselves.
Jamboree bulletin board
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.
Spookley the Square Pumpkin: The Halloween Movie Book
In this spooktacular adventure, Spookley goes on an adventure and learns that being different can make a big difference.
Buy it: Spookley the Square Pumpkin: The Halloween Movie Book
Spookley the Halloween Movie Book character sketch
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.
Spookley Halloween treat bags
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.
Buy it: White paper bags with handles at Amazon
Spookley the Square Pumpkin: A Family To Be Thankful For
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.
Buy it: Spookley the Square Pumpkin: A Family To Be Thankful For
Lift-the-flap bulletin board
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.
Compare Halloween and Thanksgiving
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.
Family trees
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.
We belong to a perfect patch
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.
Use this Thanskgiving writing paper to get started.
