Every October, one of my favorite read-alouds comes off the shelf: Spookley the Square Pumpkin by Joe Troiano. My firstie loves adore this sweet story, and this year we finished it with a snack that was almost too cute to eat. Almost! 🎃
We Read the Story
Spookley lives in a pumpkin patch full of round pumpkins, but he’s square. The other pumpkins tease him for being different. Then a big storm blows through, and Spookley’s square shape turns out to be exactly what saves the day.
Talking About the Message
After reading, we gathered on the carpet and talked about the big idea: Don’t judge a book by its cover. We talked about how Spookley looked different on the outside, but that didn’t change how wonderful he was on the inside.
Then we talked about our own Happy Classroom. Every one of us is special and unique in our own way, and our differences make our class family stronger. My firsties had the sweetest things to say about what makes them (and their friends!) one of a kind. 💛
Retelling the Story
Next, we completed our story elements retelling page. Students wrote the title, then filled in:
- Characters: who was in the story
- Setting: where the story took place
- Plot: what happened in the beginning, middle, and end
This page is a great way to check comprehension. And my little pumpkin buddy in the corner makes it a little extra fun!
Making Our Square Pumpkin Snacks
Now for the yummy part! Here’s everything you need:
- Honey Maid graham crackers
- Orange cookie icing (I used Great Value pouches)
- Tootsie Rolls for the stems
- Twizzlers Pull ‘n’ Peel for the smiles
- Candy eyes
- Paper plates and plastic spoons
How we made them:
- Break a graham cracker in half to make a square. Just like Spookley!
- Spread orange icing all over the top with a spoon.
- Press a Tootsie Roll piece at the top for the stem.
- Add two candy eyes.
- Peel off one strand of Twizzler, cut into smaller pieces, and curve it into a big smile.
Watch my firsties in action!
Every single pumpkin came out a little different, with silly eyes, crooked smiles, and tilted stems. That was the perfect reminder of our lesson: no two pumpkins are the same, and that’s what makes them special!
After we gobbled up our snacks, we snuggled in and watched the adorable Spookley the Square Pumpkin movie. My firsties loved seeing Spookley come to life on the big screen, and they cheered when he saved the pumpkin patch! It was the perfect way to wrap up our day. 🎃
Teacher Tips
- Squeeze the icing onto each plate before the kids start. Spreading it with a spoon is much easier for little hands.
- Check your class’s food allergies and your school’s snack guidelines before you shop.
Grab the Free Printables
Want to try this with your own firsties? The retelling page is part of my A Little Square Pumpkin Story Freebie on TPT, and it’s free! You’ll get 5 reading response printables to pair with the story:
- Story Retelling: characters, setting, and beginning, middle, and end
- Nouns and Verbs Sort: cut-and-paste picture word cards
- Problem and Solution: a sad pumpkin and a happy pumpkin to show what went wrong and how it was fixed
- Friendly Letter: students write a letter to (or from!) the little square pumpkin
- Directed Drawing: 8 easy steps to draw your own square pumpkin
Happy fall, y’all! 🍂
Victoria
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