Making Halloween "Yam Witches"

Here I am, trying my darnedest, trying to have some fun & breathe some life back into my 3rd grade curriculum.

Halloween:  

For Halloween we made Yam Witches (we say it like sandwiches).  It is a fun & easy craft, but does require some prep time cutting out paper hats, black cloth for dress &/or cape, and yarn ties.

The witches are simple to make, the class thoroughly enjoyed them.  

I discovered two precautions:

1.  Prior to starting the project, store yams & carrots in paper bags.  Don't keep them in plastic bags, they will rot.  If you ask each child to bring in a yam & carrot in a paper bag, you will be surprised at the number of people who do not have a paper bag.

2.  During the craft, I usually have one or two kids who are QUITE ACTIVE and end up knocking their bottles on the floor.  It is a big mess when the rice spills out, so I ended up covering each bottle neck opening with masking tape before we stick in the skewer & head.

After making our Yam Witches each child wrote a fantasy story in which the Yam Witch was the main character.  We use Step up to Writing. 

Each Yam Witch needs:  

1 yam (head)

2 mini marshmallows (eyes)

2 cloves (eye pupils, also fasten the eyes to head)

Black construction paper, cut 1 circle & 1 cone

1 plastic bottle (washed & dried)

Dry bottle filled to top w/dry rice

1 wooden shis kabob skewer (stick the pointed end into the yam, then pur the long end into bottle filled w/rice)

1 short carrot (nose)

1 wooden toothpick (w/ 2 sharp ends)

Dry corn or dry rice for teeth

Dry green moss, rafia, or dry corn husks for hair

1 rectangle of black cloth (or black plastic table cloth) to drape around bottle for costume

1 piece of yarn or raffia to tie at waist

Hair, hat, teeth are attached w/ hot glue gun

Nose is attached with a toothpick

Bottle filled w/rice

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The little rectangular tags on the skirts are name tags.  These lovely ladies are ready to be taken home.
"Yam Witches" have been made by 3rd graders at my school for many years.  Thank you Sylvia Leong for sharing it with me.