The October calendar has lots of learning opportunities.  Below is a wonderful collection of free resources for themed and special day studies all through the month!  Be sure to check back often for updates throughout October.

For the complete list of Special Days in October  https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2020/09/30/special-days-in-october-2/

Free Printable Special Days in October

Resources for October Themes

• October Symbols, History, Fun Facts                                                                            https://www.ducksters.com/history/octoberinhistory.php
• Apples – Resource and Activity Page – http://www.franw.com/2013/11/apple-resources.html
• Bats – Resource Page – http://www.franw.com/2013/10/bat-resource-page.html
• Birds of Prey – Owl Resources – http://www.franw.com/2012/10/owls.html
• Candy – Play, Invent and Explore – http://www.housingaforest.com/candy-potions/
• Discover October  –  Learning Resources, Activities, Crafts, and Recipes  http://www.franw.com/2016/09/a-world-to-discover-october-volume-2.html
• Fire Safety –   Parent, Teacher, and Student Resources –                                           http://firefacts.org/
• Monsters –  Learning Resources  https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2015/10/20/monsters/
• Popcorn – Project Resources – http://www.franw.com/2014/10/popcorn-project.html
• Pumpkins – Here’s a “big ole’ list” of pumpkin themed resources, printables, and recipes                                                      http://www.blessedbeyondadoubt.com/pumpkins-free-printables-activities-recipes/
• Salem Witch Trials –  Learning Resources  https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2013/10/30/salem-witch-trials/
• Stamp Collecting – Educational Resources from the American Philatelic Society including a sign up for a free stamp collection starter kit – http://stamps.org/Education
• Autumn Leaves Science and Activities  –                                      https://www.outdoors.org/articles/amc-outdoors/autumn-leaves-simple-science-and-activities-for-kids

Presidents Born in October:

• Oct. 1 – Jimmy Carter born 1924
• Oct. 4 – Rutherford Hayes born 1822
• Oct. 5 – Chester Arthur born 1829
• Oct. 14 – Dwight Eisenhower born 1890
• Oct. 27 – Theodore Roosevelt born 1858
• Oct. 30 – John Adams born 1735

Resources for studying any president. https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2014/02/14/resources-for-presidents-day/

October Statehood Anniversaries and Country Independence Days

• Nigeria Independence Oct. 1, 1960
• Guinea Independence Oct. 2, 1958
• Lesotho Independence Day Oct. 4, 1966
• Uganda Independence Day Oct. 9, 1962
• Fiji Independence Day Oct. 10, 1970
• Republic of China/Taiwan National Day Oct. 10, 1949
• Zambia Independence Day Oct. 24, 1964
• St Vincent and Grenadines Independence Day Oct. 27, 1979
• Nevada Statehood– Oct. 31, 1864

Resources for Special Days and Geography   https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2017/07/29/special-days-and-geography/

October’s Daily Specials

Oct. 1

• Model T Ford introduced 1908 – Henry Ford Biography, Quiz, and Word Games Printables – http://gardenofpraise.com/ibdford.htm
• Raccoon Appreciation Day  –  Unit Study and Lapbook Printables http://www.homeschoolshare.com/raccoon.php

Oct. 2 –

• Farm Animals Day  –   Guide to Feeding, Housing, and Diseases  http://www.countryfarm-lifestyles.com/farm-animals.html#.WdEIKmhSzIU
• Anniversary of the first Peanuts comic strip (1950) – Learning Resources – https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2014/10/02/peanuts/
• Phileass Fogg Win a Wager Day – Around the World in 80 Days Resources   https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2018/10/02/around-the-world-in-80-days/

Oct. 3 –  SOS (distress code) established 1906  –  Resource List   http://www.franw.com/2017/08/sos-international-code.html

Oct. 4

• World Space Week begins  –   Activity Guide –                            http://www.helpteaching.com/blog/5-stellar-activities-for-world-space-week.html
• Oct. 4 Cinnamon Roll Day  –  Cinnamon Roll History, Serving and Nutrition https://ifood.tv/roll/cinnamon-roll/about

Oct. 5

• Physicist Robert Hutchings Goddard born 1882  –  Resource List   http://www.franw.com/2017/08/robert-hutchings-goddard.html

Oct. 6

• •  Mad Hatter Day – Make this adorable Cardboard Mad Hatter Hat  –  http://www.ikatbag.com/2010/06/hats.html

Oct. 7 –  Physicist Niels Bohrs born 1885  –  Resource List  –  http://www.franw.com/2017/08/niels-bohrs.html

Oct. 8 –

• Touch Tag Day –  10 Backyard Tag Games   https://www.whatdowedoallday.com/tag-games-for-kids/

Oct. 9

• Chess Day – Learn and Play Resources     http://www.franw.com/2017/08/chess.html
• Leif Erikson Day – Viking Resources –  https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2013/07/22/vikings/
• Top Spinning Day *  –  Make a Top                                                                     http://www.koolkidscrafts.com/spinning-tops.html
• Washington Monument opened 1888 – Facts and Figures http://www.enchantedlearning.com/history/us/monuments/washingtonmonument/

Oct. 10 –

• Cake Decorating Day  – Beginner’s Guide                                                      https://creativiu.com/cake-decorating/
• Metric Day –  Videos, Songs, Activities – http://metricworld.net/

Oct. 11

• Apollo 7 lauched 1968 –  Resource List                                     http://www.franw.com/2017/08/apollo-7.html
• Eleanore Roosevelt born 1884  –  Here’s a short biography, reading comprehension quizzes and word puzzle printables  http://www.gardenofpraise.com/ibderoos.htm

Oct. 12 –

• Cookbook Launch Day –  Make a Family Recipe Book http://www.instructables.com/id/Family-Recipe-Book/
• Egg Day – Science experiments, health info, and recipes  https://www.franw.com/2012/04/bird-eggs.html
• Fossil Day –  Education, Information, and Fun –  http://fossilsforkids.com/

Oct. 13 –

• US Navy established 1775  –  Resource List                                      http://www.franw.com/2017/08/us-navy.html
• Margaret Thatcher born 1925 –  Biography, Quiz, and Word Puzzles –  http://gardenofpraise.com/ibdthatcher.htm
• White House Construction began 1792 – History, Trivia, and Virtual Tours –  https://www.whitehouse.gov/about/inside-white-house

Oct. 14

• Photographic Film patented 1884  _  How Film Works   http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/film.htm

Oct. 15

• Poetry Day –   Resource List                                https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2019/08/21/poetry-resources/
• I Love Lucy Premier 1951 –  Resource List                                     http://www.franw.com/2017/08/i-love-lucy.html

Oct.  16

• Noah Webster born 1758 and Dictionary Day –  This site has much more than a dictionary!  You’ll find games, Webster biography, language history, daily buzz words, and a way to add your own made up words to a dictionary! –   http://www.wordcentral.com/edu/index.htm
• World Food Day  –  Photo Collection What the World Eats  –  http://foodmatters.tv/articles-1/what-the-world-eats-shocking-photos

Oct. 17 –

• Author Arthur Miller born 1915  -Resource List                                                                              http://www.franw.com/2017/08/arthur-miller.html
• Salem Witch Trials – Resource List              https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2013/10/30/salem-witch-trials/

Oct. 18  –  Alternative Fuel Day  –

• Renewable Energy Laboratory                                        https://www.nrel.gov/workingwithus/learning.html
• Experiments with the Sun                                                http://www.franw.com/2016/06/experiments-you-can-do-with-sun.html

Oct. 19

• Bridge Day –  Learning Resources and Activities –  https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2016/05/27/bridges/
• Author/Illustrator Ed Emberly born 1931 –  Resource List http://www.franw.com/2017/07/ed-emberley.html
• Electric Light Bulb Introduced 1879 – Learn How Light Bulbs Work Video – http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/videos/engineering/lightbulbs.html

Oct. 20 –

• Monster Mash Day  –   Monster Resources   https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2015/10/20/monsters/

Oct. 21

•  Apple Day  –  Research Project                                                  http://www.franw.com/2013/09/apple-research-project.html

Oct. 22

• Daniel Boone born 1734 – Resource and Activity List  (We’ll definitely be playing the pioneer games again. They were awesome and they were outside!)   https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2013/10/22/daniel-boone/

Oct. 23  –  TV Talk Show Host Day – Tips to be a Successful Talk Show Host                   https://www.thoughtco.com/how-to-be-a-talk-show-host-3176989

Oct. 24  –  United Nations Day – Lesson Plans, Activity Guides, Resources                       http://www.unausa.org/global-classrooms-model-un/for-educators/resources

Oct. 25

• Magic Week begins –  Magic Tricks Resources –  http://www.franw.com/2014/11/magic-tricks-resource-page.html
• Make a Difference Day * – 100+ Ways for Families to Make a Difference    http://wearethatfamily.com/2011/06/100-ways-for-your-family-to-make-a-difference/
• Artist Pablo Picasso born 1881 – Picasso Inspired Art Lessons and Resources  http://www.incredibleart.org/files/picasso.htm

Oct. 26

• Erie Canal opened 1825 – Information, Video, and Slide Show –     http://www.pbs.org/program/erie-canal-made-america/
• Red Cross Founded 1836 –  Learn what the Red Cross does  –  http://www.redcross.org/what-we-do

Oct. 27 –  Tell a Story Day  –  Resources                                                     http://www.franw.com/2017/08/tell-story.html

Oct. 28

•  Chocolate Day –  Resources and Activities –                           http://www.franw.com/2013/12/chocolate-activities.html
• Statue of Liberty dedicated 1886 – Take a Virtual Tour – http://www.nps.gov/stli/learn/photosmultimedia/virtualtour.htm

Oct. 29

• Cat Day –  Resource Page –  http://www.franw.com/2014/08/domesticated-cats-resource-page.html
• Gateway to the West (St. Louis Arch) completed 1965 –  History and Virtual Tour –  http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/amysimon/502/gatewayarch.html
• The New York Stock Exchange crashed (beginning of The Great Depression) 1929 – Video Documentary –  Part 1 of 4  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccNilnpvbJg

Oct. 30 –

• Candy Corn Day  – History, Facts, How It’s Made –                              https://www.candyusa.com/candy-types/candy-corn/
• Radio Broadcast of H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds 1938 – Read the radio script –                      http://www.sacred-texts.com/ufo/mars/wow.htm                                                                          Listen to the broadcast  –                                                                                              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xs0K4ApWl4g

Oct. 31

• Halloween – Resource Page –                                                  http://www.franw.com/2015/09/halloween-resources.html
• Knock Knock Joke Day  –  Jokes for “school work” are always a big hit with us.  This is our family’s “go to” site for jokes  http://www.enchantedlearning.com/jokes/topics/knockknock.shtml

The list of my favorite “go to”and “cross curriculum” resources to help with monthly themes, calendar, and special days lesson planning  https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2016/07/31/learning-resources-for-special-days/

Happy October Learning!

betty jo