The Scarecrow by Beth Ferry is one of my absolute favorite read alouds for autumn reading sessions. This beautifully simple story of friendship, change, and kindness is perfect for sparking rich conversations with students. If you’re looking for ways to make this story come alive in your classroom, I’ve got some fun activities and discussion questions to help you get started! And if you are looking for a fun low-prep resource with fun The Scarecrow activities, please visit my TPT store for printable worksheets by clicking HERE or the images below.
The Scarecrow Discussion Questions & Writing Prompts
Before diving into the book, start by asking your students a few warm-up questions:
- “What do you know about scarecrows?”
- “Why do you think animals might be afraid of scarecrows?”
- “Has there ever been a time when you helped a friend or needed help yourself?”
As you read, take a few moments to pause and let students reflect on the scarecrow’s feelings. Ask questions like:
- “Why do you think the scarecrow helps the baby crow?”
- “What changes when the crow returns?”
After finishing “The Scarecrow” by Beth Ferry, lead a whole-class discussion on the friendship in the story: how did it change the scarecrow? What is unusual about a freindship between a scarecrow and crows? You could have the students write down their answers. One activity I find especially helpful is a ‘At the Beginning/At the End’ workshet comparing the scarecrow’s life before and after he helps the baby crow.
This and more activities and idea in my TPT resource HERE:
The Scarecrow Activities & Book extensions
1. Scarecrow & Crow Craft
Have students make their own scarecrow and crow crafts. They can create the scarecrow’s face and body from construction paper, and then make baby crows to “perch” on their scarecrow’s arm. This is a great way to reinforce the idea of caring for others and working together.
2. Kindness Web
As a class, create a “kindness web” on a bulletin board. Have each student write one way they can show kindness on a paper crow and attach it to the web. You can refer back to this during the year as a reminder of the power of small acts of kindness.
3. Role play
Bring a burlap hat (or any hat old enough to look like it belongs to a scarecrow :)) and have students pretend they are a scarecrow. Retell the story or answer one of the questions above.
Discover even more activities and idea in my TPT resource HERE:
The Scarecrow lesson plan ideas:
1. Reading & Discussion
- Read The Scarecrow aloud to the class.
- Emphasize rhyming words and new vocabulary as you go along.
- Discuss the book usign the questions above
2. Vocabulary Practice:
- Pick some challenging words from the text of the book and display them on word wall flashcards
- Have students discuss what the words mean in the context of the story.
- Encourage students to use the new words in sentences or in their discussion.
3. Focus on the theme: Using one of “the “The Scarecrow”activities and book extensions above, explore the theme of the book.
4. Autumn-Themed Craft: Choose an autumn-themed craft for youtr students to help bring this autumn-themed read aloud to life in your classroom for repeated readings of the book.
5. Wrap-Up: Share crafts and talk about how small acts of kindness can lead to meaningful friendships.
To save time planning and creating your own worksheets, please visit my TPT store for a low-prep resource filled with activities for The Scarecrow by Beth Ferry by clicking HERE or the image below:
Final Thoughts
The Scarecrow is such a special story for teaching about empathy, change, and friendship and there are so many ways to connect with this book. I hope these activities inspire you to use The Scarecrow in your classroom! If you are lookign for even more engaging and meaningful low-prep activities to pair with The Scarecrow by Beth Ferry, visit my TPT resource packed with activities to go along with the book, targeting essential skills like reading comprehension, opinion writing, and practicing new vocabulary. Click the link HERE or the image below to learn more!
