There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves Craft & Sequencing Activity
Looking for a fun There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves craft for your fall read-aloud? This adorable cut-and-paste activity turns a favorite fall story into a sequencing mystery! Students will love creating their own Old Lady while remembering the silly things she swallows throughout the story.
One of my favorite things about this book is the surprise at the end! Why would an old lady swallow leaves, a shirt, a pumpkin, and all those other strange things?
As students listen to the story, encourage them to make predictions about what she might be creating. Then, use the seven sequencing pictures to help them put the events in order and discover how everything comes together!
Using Story Clues to Make Predictions
Before beginning this fall sequencing craft, encourage students to become story detectives! As you read, pause to talk about the different objects the Old Lady swallows.
Start by asking students what someone might do with a pile of leaves. When the Old Lady swallows a shirt and a pumpkin, encourage them to think about how those objects could work together.
As the story continues, students can use the new clues to change their predictions. By the time the Old Lady swallows the hay, some students might have figured out what she’s creating!
This is a great opportunity to practice making predictions, drawing conclusions, and using story clues. Encourage students to explain their thinking using a simple sentence starter:
“I think she’s making a ______ because ______.”
After revealing the scarecrow at the end, revisit the objects together and discuss how they helped create it.
What’s Included in This Fall Sequencing Craft?
- Old Lady paper craft pieces to cut and assemble
- Events picture cards for sequencing the story events
- Matching pocket chart cards for whole-group or small-group retelling
Students build their own paper Old Lady and attach the sequencing pictures in order. You can use the matching pocket chart cards to model the events before students begin working independently.
How to Get This Craft
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How to Use This Fall Sequencing Craft
1. Read the story and collect clues
Begin by reading your favorite Old Lady fall book aloud. As students listen, encourage them to pay attention to the different objects the Old Lady swallows.
Pause occasionally to let students predict what might happen next. Ask them why they think she would need each object.
Remind students that good readers use clues from a story to make predictions!
2. Sequence the events with pocket chart cards
After reading, display the seven picture cards in your pocket chart.
Work together to put the events in order:
- Leaves
- Shirt
- Pumpkin
- Pole
- Pants
- Rope
- Hay
Invite students to explain what happened first, next, and last.
For an extra challenge, mix up the cards again and see whether students can reconstruct the sequence without help.
3. Create the Old Lady leaves craft
Now it’s time for students to make their own Old Lady! Have children cut out and assemble the craft pieces. Then, students can arrange the seven story pictures in the correct order before gluing them onto the Old Lady’s dress.
Encourage students to use the pocket chart to check their work if needed.
4. Discover the scarecrow surprise
Once students have finished their crafts, return to the ending of the book.
Talk about how all the unusual objects the Old Lady swallowed came together to create a scarecrow!
Have students look at their finished sequencing crafts and explain how each object contributes to the surprise ending.
This is a great way to move beyond simply remembering events and help students make connections between important story details.
Reading Comprehension Questions for This Fall Book Companion
After completing the craft, extend the activity with a few simple reading comprehension questions.
Making Predictions: What did you think the Old Lady was making when she swallowed the pumpkin?
Story Sequencing: Which object did she swallow immediately after the shirt?
Making Connections: How did the things she swallowed help create the scarecrow?
Drawing Conclusions: Which object gave you the biggest clue about the surprise ending? Why?
For younger students, allow them to point to the picture cards as they answer. Older students can practice responding in complete sentences.
These quick questions make the Old Lady Leaves craft an easy way to practice several important early literacy skills during your fall read-aloud lessons.
More Old Lady Sequencing Crafts and Fall Activities
If your class enjoys this autumn story companion, try my Old Lady Who Swallowed a Turkey Thanksgiving craft next! It uses a similar cut-and-paste format with Thanksgiving story pictures and matching pocket chart cards, so students can practice the same retelling skills with another seasonal read-aloud.
Looking for even more seasonal ideas? Explore my book companion crafts for kindergarten and fall fine motor activities. You can also explore the Craft Club and All Access memberships for a growing library of printable crafts.
