Crisp, cool weather means colorful leaves, hay rides, and pumpkins! Classrooms are decorated with spider webs, pumpkins and corn stalks. These fall themes can easily be incorporated into fun writing activities for everyone! Gather a variety of pumpkins – big, little, smooth, bumpy – and throw in a couple of gourds. Younger students can touch and explore the pumpkins then write about their experiences. Every pumpkin has a story to tell! Be sure to discuss and compare sizes, textures, and smells.
Students can practice their creative writing skills on any device using any writing app (Google Docs, Word, Pages, etc.). This is a great time just to have fun with creative writing, or a time to practice keyboarding, editing and other digital literacy skills. Students can add pictures (take a photo, using a drawing/annotation app, find a picture on the Internet) and incorporate the pictures into their stories. Create an eBook using Book Creator (iOS and Android app), Tar Heel Reader (free website), or other book applications. Turn the story into a PowerPoint presentation!
If the goal of the activity is about creative writing (not keyboarding skills), have the student dictate his/her story or make an auditory recording.
Teachers of the Visually Impaired: These writing activities are a great way to teach/reinforce editing skills and other tech skills for students who use screen readers and refreshable braille displays!
Noelle’s Pumpkin: Fall Themed Digital Book for Early Readers
Using VoiceOver with Book Creator: A Blind Student’s Experience
Adapting iBooks for Children with Multiple Disabilities: Book Creator App
Book Creator App: Create Your Own Accessible books on iOS, Android and Windows Tablets
Tar Heel Reader: Create and Read Accessible Books (geared for older students who are emerging readers)
PowerPoint Lesson Plan for elementary Students
Digital Transitions #3: Editing Tech Skills & Activities
By Diane Brauner