Writing is a subject that can be difficult to find time for in the classroom schedule. Since there is a heavy emphasis on testing in reading and math, writing sadly gets pushed to the side, and it’s showing. According to The Nation’s Report Card, writing skills have declined steadily in K-8th-grade students since 2019. This is why it is so important to find ways to incorporate more writing instruction in the classroom, and the secret to doing so is found in cross-curricular opportunities.
By weaving writing into other subjects, students can gain and practice writing skills daily. By building in writing within science, history, math, reading, and STEM, students have a better opportunity at growing their writing abilities, and teachers don’t have to stress about finding an extra hour in the day.
And fall is just the season and backdrop to integrate writing into other subjects. The fall weather, Halloween, and various other celebrations can spark ideas and opportunities for writing to merge with other topics. Let’s jump into those ideas, just like one would jump into a pile of leaves!
Fall Social Studies Writing Activities: Biographies and Haunted History
Hispanic Heritage Month is September 15 – October 15. Additionally, Native American Heritage Month is also in the fall, in November. Students can read a biography about a remarkable Hispanic or Native American person in Social Studies, and then write about the person they read about.
Halloween History Writing Activity: Ghost Story Biographies for Students
Incorporate Halloween and history with this interesting idea! Students research a historical person based on the unit they are learning at the time. (Ancient Egypt, Revolutionary War, etc.) Then they write a first-person “ghost story,” in which the historical person has come back to life to share their story on Halloween night. Students write about the person’s accomplishments, major life events, and struggles. Students can begin the essay with, “I am the ghost of ________, and I walk the earth on each Halloween night to remind everyone about…” Students can include spooky imagery and eerie setting details to practice writing skills.
Take it a step further and host a Historical Halloween Presentation in which students dress up like their famous person and tell their ghost story.
Engage students this fall with our Haunted History Biography Project! Students will research a historical figure, then write a ghost story biography and present it in costume.
Looking for another interesting way for students to write about the important figure they learned about? Our Biography in a Can Report Project will engage your students while leading them through a fun and exciting Research Project. Students can read a Who Is?, Who Was?, or an I am series book. Then they complete research graphic organizers and write their biography on index cards that are then placed inside the chip can craft they create to resemble the famous person.
Fall Science Writing Activities: Leaves, Bats, and More
I just completed this lesson this week! We learned all about why the leaves change color in the fall, and how chlorophyll contributes to that. We read nonfiction books and learned about it in our science curriculum. Here is a fun video about it:
After learning about the science of chlorophyll, task students with writing a descriptive piece about the different colors of the fall trees. Take students outside for a nature walk and a brainstorming session, too. This is a simple way to incorporate descriptive writing within a science class.
Fall means Halloween is around the corner, and the mysterious world of bats is quite intriguing. Learn all about bats, their habits, their interesting traits, habitats, and more through science lessons, informational text, or nonfiction science books. Then, students can craft their own spooky bat and write an expository paragraph about bats as well.
We have this very activity! Download it here:
This next activity weaves together reading, science, and writing. Students read Tami Parker’s e-book, Who Went Tromping? In this engaging e-book, students join Halloween characters on a mysterious forest adventure, meeting fascinating nocturnal creatures along the way. With its rhythmic, read-aloud style and clever blend of storytelling and science, Who Went Tromping? introduces students to the scientific group names of each animal they encounter. To wrap up, reflection questions guide students in reinforcing comprehension and science standards, all while enjoying a fun, spooky tale.
We have this very activity! Download it here:
Grab the e-book and quiz here:
Students can then become inspired to write and create their own scientific e-book, whether it’s a story about space or a scientific e-book report on tigers. Utilize the magic of Canva for students to illustrate their stories with real photographs, all while summarizing important scientific information.
Transform Student Writing with Canva: Step-by-Step E-Book Creation Course for Teachers
Soar into Writing with Visual Magic
If you’re excited about helping students bring their stories to life with digital tools, you’ll love our Visual Writing Magic™ Course. This step-by-step Canva writing program shows you exactly how to guide students in creating their own beautifully illustrated e-books—even the most reluctant writers. Perfect for upper elementary classrooms, this course combines creativity with structure so students can confidently move from blank page to published digital stories.
Soar Into Writing with Visual Magic
Fall Math Writing Activities: Pumpkins, Word Problems, and Money Skills
When teaching third/fourth grades, I loved to do a pumpkin math day. We carved pumpkins, scooped out the seeds, and grouped the seeds into groups of 2s, 3s, 5s, and more. We counted the seeds in these groupings to practice times tables. Beforehand, we would always estimate the number of seeds in each pumpkin, and then, after counting the seeds, we would find the differences. Students would also write pumpkin word problems based on the various groupings of numbers we investigated that day, and then exchange word problems with a partner to solve. For more writing practice, students can write a paragraph summing up the various activities completed that day in math.
When practicing money, host a fun fall farmer’s market in your classroom. This can be as simple as you like with picture cut-outs or more elaborate with physical items like plastic pumpkins or plastic apples, real apple juice boxes, pumpkin cookies, etc. Give students fake money to go around to buy the farmers market items, but they must keep a diary of what they bought and why. Students can practice money, addition, and subtraction skills, all while writing complete sentences in this fun fall farmer’s market activity.
Fall Reading and Writing Activities: Book Reviews, Characters, and Monsters
After students read a story or book, have them write a book review on a pumpkin cut-out. Students can practice their paragraph writing and summarizing skills with this activity. Display the pumpkins in your classroom for a fun “Pumpkin Patch of Book Reviews.”
While students are reading a story or a novel, have them choose a character and write about what Halloween costume that character may choose to wear. In the writing piece, students should use their inference skills to justify why this costume would be perfect for their character. Students can tie in the personality and character traits of the character for their reasoning.
Read this fun monster storybook to grab some costume ideas:
Grab yours today!
Publisher’s Synopsis:
Each page contains a beautiful illustration of an adorable monster and a description of what they do. Some monsters like sports and some like to do chores, but none of them are scary! For those too young to read, this is the perfect book for a bedtime story. You can read the book all the way through or just pick a couple of monsters to read before bed.
This book is perfect for inspiring students to use their creativity and make their own spooky monsters. Students then write a descriptive piece all about their created monster, making sure to describe its character traits and physical features. Love this idea? Grab this resource below:
Fall STEM Writing Activities: Pumpkin Towers and Haunted Bridges
STEM Pumpkin Tower Challenge
Give students pumpkin candies or real mini pumpkins, or even plastic pumpkins, and toothpicks. Students must create the tallest freestanding tower. To incorporate writing, students must write a lab report reflection about what worked, what failed, and how they could improve their design.
STEM Haunted Bridge Challenge
Use popsicle sticks, toothpicks, tape, and pipecleaners to build a strong bridge that will hold pumpkins and haunted characters, such as plastic spiders or a heavier skeleton. Students then write a spooky legend about who or what crosses their haunted bridge at night. (Bonus: Read The Billy Goats Gruff beforehand for an awesome mentor text example to tie in Language Arts!)
Conclusion
Writing doesn’t have to be another item squeezed into an already packed classroom schedule. It can become a natural part of every subject. By integrating writing into science, social studies, math, reading, and even STEM activities, students gain daily meaningful writing practice. Fall provides the perfect backdrop with its colorful changes, seasonal celebrations, and spooky themes to spark student imagination. Whether it’s crafting ghostly biographies, designing haunted bridges, or writing pumpkin-themed math problems, these cross-curricular opportunities turn writing into an engaging, consistent habit. With a little creativity, writing instruction can thrive all season long and beyond.
