Why Keeping Students Engaged at the End of the Year Matters

I get it. By the end of the year, everyone is exhausted. The school year draws to a close, summer is calling, and it feels like a battle just to get our students to stay focused. These last weeks of school are more than just a countdown. They’re a great time to reinforce learning, celebrate growth, and set the stage for the next grade level.

When we keep our students engaged, we’re not just keeping them busy; we’re helping them finish strong. The goal is to make these last days meaningful. Even a small change of pace can keep our students’ attention and make them feel like their hard work all year long matters.

So, let’s lean into intentional strategies that make learning exciting, even when we’re at the finish line. Trust me. When our students stay engaged, those very last days feel more rewarding for everyone!

Keeping Students Engaged at the End of the Year With Intentional Activities

The end of the school year doesn’t have to be a struggle to keep our students focused. In fact, it’s the perfect time to shake things up and bring in fun activities that still reinforce learning. There are many ways to make sure students stay excited and involved.

I’ve put together nine easy ideas for keeping our students engaged at the end of the year. Each one is designed to add energy, purpose, and a little bit of fun to these last weeks of school. From interactive activities to small group work and even letting students take on the role of teacher, these strategies will help everyone finish the year strong. Let’s get started!

1. Task Cards to the Rescue

What’s the easiest way to keep your students on task? Get them out of their seats! That’s what I love about keeping my students engaged at the end of the year with task cards. They work well for a SCOOT game, where students rotate around the room answering different questions. You can even use them as a scavenger hunt, where they search for and solve task cards hidden around the classroom. I’ve even used them in an escape room format, where my students work in small groups to solve a set of context clue challenges before moving on to the next step. These activities keep them thinking while giving them a fun way to stay focused during the last couple of weeks of school.

I also love to use task cards as the question cards for board games. When it comes to playing a review game, the hardest part is coming up with questions! Instead of racking your brain to create new questions, grab a set of task cards with the skills you want students to practice. You can use them with a mainstream board game or a custom-made game. It’s an easy way to keep students excited and learning. In my TPT store, you will find lots of task card resources on a variety of skills and concepts.

Another great way to use task cards is to encourage student leaders. If a student has a strong grasp on context clues, they can take turns guiding their classmates through the cards, acting as a “teacher” for the day. More on this below! This simple shift helps with keeping students engaged at the end of the year because it gives them ownership of their learning. It also lets them take pride in what they’ve mastered.

There are so many creative ways to use task cards in the classroom. If you’re looking for even more ideas, check out 24 fun activities that take task cards to the next level. 

2. Cross-Curricular Learning With STEM

By the last weeks of school, I love pulling together cross-curricular activities that combine reading, writing, math, science, and art. Whether it’s STEM challenges, a math craft, or a fun project that ties subjects together, these activities help our students see the real-world connections in what they’ve learned all year. It’s an easy way to keep engagement high while wrapping up the year with meaningful learning.

One of my favorite resources for keeping students engaged at the end of the year is this Spring STEM pack. It includes four hands-on STEM activities that encourage creativity, problem-solving skills, and teamwork. Each challenge comes with planning, recording, and reflection sheets, so our students are thinking critically about their process from start to finish.

I love how STEM challenges bring together so many different subject areas. Science blends with math concepts, engineering connects to real-world problem-solving, and writing ties it all together with reflections. These activities allow our students to work in small groups, share ideas, and build confidence in their design thinking. Plus, they’re a fun way to embrace the warmer weather by taking some of the activities outdoors when possible!

If you’re looking for an easy idea to boost engagement while making the most of these final days, check out this Easy STEM Activity blog post, where you can grab a free STEM activity to use with your students!

3. Make Learning Visible With Interactive Displays

One of my favorite ways to keep students engaged at the end of the year is by giving them the chance to showcase their learning in real time. By this time of year, our students have worked hard mastering different skills. Seeing their progress displayed builds confidence and keeps students’ attention. I love using interactive displays where my students add their names when they find specific skills in their work. If they spot a caption in a nonfiction book, they write their name on the caption poster. If they notice a contraction, they add it to the contraction chart. This turns skill review into a class-wide challenge that encourages friendly competition while reinforcing what they’ve learned throughout the year.

This is a fun way to keep students engaged because it takes the skills they have learned and puts them into the real world. Instead of knowing that they are learning about contractions, they are tapping into what they previously learned and recalling it. I love how adaptable this idea is. My students can identify figurative language, types of angles, or sentence structures, making it an easy way to reinforce skills across the curriculum. Since our students naturally love seeing their names displayed, this strategy works well for different learning styles.

Since the very end of the school year is a great time for reflection, I love tying this activity into a memory book or student survey. This creates a space for our students to write about their biggest growth moments. Whether used during the last weeks of school or even on the very last day, this interactive display helps our students see their hard work in action. It’s about celebrating progress before they move on to the next grade level!

4. Use Digital Activities to Engage Your Students

I love using digital activities as a way to change things up at the end of the year. When attention spans start to dwindle and the excitement of summer break kicks in, digital activities offer a fun way to reinforce skills while keeping things interactive. Whether it’s BOOM Cards for instant feedback or Google Slides for hands-on learning, digital resources make learning feel fresh. They also take the pressure off us because they’re low prep and easy to implement. This gives us more time to focus on guiding our students instead of managing endless stacks of papers. 

Digital resources also work well when I need a quick, engaging activity to reward hard work. I’ll often use BOOM Cards as a little reward that still reinforces learning. These self-checking, game-like cards keep our students’ attention while providing instant feedback. They’re a great way to squeeze in extra practice without our students even realizing they’re reviewing. To learn more about how I use BOOM Cards, check out why they’ve become my go-to digital tools!

5. Boost Engagement With Student Choice

By the very end of the school year, giving our students some control over their work can be a game-changer. At this time of year, our students are craving a little more freedom. Incorporating student choice makes learning feel less like a chore. I love using math centers, spelling activities, task cards, and digital activities where my students pick how they complete an assignment. If there are 24 questions, they only have to do 12. They get to pick which ones! This simple shift gives them a sense of ownership over their learning. It also ensures they get the academic practice they need before moving on to the next grade level.

Another great way to build student choice into the last weeks of school is through themed days or project-based learning. Letting students decide between different subject areas, like writing a personal narrative, researching a science topic, or creating a math-based design challenge, helps them stay engaged while reinforcing real-world connections. No matter how it’s incorporated, student choice is an easy way to increase engagement while giving them a little reward for all their hard work throughout the academic year.

6. Make Learning Fun With Interactive Responses

Sometimes, the best student engagement strategies are the simplest. Instead of calling on my students in the usual way, I turn responses into a movement game. If the answer is A, they touch their nose. If it’s B, they touch the floor! This adds an element of friendly competition while making sure everyone is actively participating. These fun activities keep energy levels high and encourage our students to stay focused and engaged.

This strategy is especially effective for our younger students who need movement while they learn. Even older students appreciate a change of pace in their routine. I’ve also used this technique in small groups or during digital activities. My students respond by clicking or dragging their answers instead of simply writing them down. These simple ways to increase student engagement make a huge difference, especially as our students start to feel the pull of summer vacation. Keeping things interactive and exciting is the best way to help our students stay focused and learning.

7. Differentiate to Meet All Skill Levels

If there’s one thing I feel strongly about, it’s differentiation. Every class has students at different skill levels. When we ignore this and teach to the average, we create learning gaps. Differentiation is the easiest way to avoid this. Sometimes we have students working on different skills, while other times it is the same skill at a different level. Whether it’s tweaking an assignment so our students can work at their own pace or providing multiple ways to practice a skill, differentiation helps keep students engaged at the end of the year, no matter where they are in their learning journey.

One of my favorite ways to do this is through color by number math activities. They provide an engaging mix of problem-solving and creativity. Since I believe so strongly in differentiation, I try to make it easy for you to put it into practice by providing you with differentiated options in my resources. For example, in my Place Value Color by Number resource, I included six differentiated puzzles that reinforce essential math skills. Your students solve place value problems, match their answers to a color key, and complete a mystery picture as they go. This activity works well for small groups, independent practice, or even as a little reward after a long lesson. Our students at different skill levels can work on a version that’s just right for them. No one feels frustrated or left behind. Plus, it’s an easy way to keep our students engaged while reviewing core concepts in a fun, hands-on way.

8. Let Students Take the Lead as Student Teacher

By the last couple weeks of school, our students know more than they realize! That’s why I love having a student teacher lead part of a lesson. When a student truly understands a concept, giving them the opportunity to teach their classmates builds confidence, leadership skills, and deeper understanding. I’ve found that when my students explain a skill in their own words, they often come up with explanations that resonate better with their peers. Sometimes, another student’s perspective is exactly what someone struggling with the concept needs to hear!

This is a fun way to keep students engaged while reinforcing their learning. I like to choose a few student leaders each day to explain a math strategy, vocabulary word, or science concept we’ve been working on. For my students who might be a little shy, I let them work in small groups to prepare their explanations. Even a quick two-minute lesson from a student teacher can make a big impact on how well the rest of the class grasps the material.

9. Hands-On Activities

One of the best ways I know to keep students engaged and learning at the end of the year is through hands-on learning. This might look like interactive games or center activities, or it might be adding a craft to a review activity.

I love using math crafts throughout the school year. They are a nice break from our typical practice activities. This Spring Math Craft is perfect for the end of the school year. It is a great way to review the basic operations through hands-on learning.

These types of hands-on activities are a great way to make the last couple weeks of school more exciting while reinforcing everything our students have worked on throughout the academic year.

Make the End of the Year Count

As the end of the school year approaches, finding ways to keep learning meaningful and exciting makes all the difference. Keeping students engaged at the end of the year isn’t just about filling time. It’s about celebrating their growth, reinforcing skills, and making sure they finish strong. There are so many ways to keep our students’ attention while still making learning fun. The last weeks of school should be a time of reflection, connection, and confidence-building. It gives our students the chance to show what they’ve learned while getting excited for the next grade level. With the right fun activities, we can turn these final days into something memorable and meaningful. We can ensure that every student crosses the finish line feeling successful.

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Certificates & Awards to Highlight Student Achievement

One of the best ways to celebrate student progress in elementary school is with certificates and awards. Whether it’s an end of the year celebration or a monthly check-in, giving our students something tangible to honor their academic achievements is always a big deal. I love using award ceremonies to spotlight everything from academic excellence to personal growth, making sure every student has a moment to shine.

You can make this extra special by matching the certificates to your classroom theme or adding a playful touch, like a craft or small treat to go along with the awards. For example, you might use certificates to recognize academic achievements, kindness, effort, or other milestones. Certificates are a meaningful way to provide positive reinforcement and give your students something they can proudly bring home to share with their family members. It’s truly heartwarming to see your students light up with pride as they show off their awards to classmates, teachers, and even visiting community members.

Including a math memory book or science classroom achievements in these awards can cover a range of subjects and encourage critical thinking. For those in special education, celebrating even small steps forward can have a lasting impact. It reminds our individual students that they’re moving in the right direction.

Positive Notes Home: Phone Call or Handwritten Note

Another one of my favorite ways to celebrate student progress in elementary is by sending positive notes home. A quick phone call or a handwritten note can mean the world to a struggling student or their family members. It’s a wonderful classroom management tool that boosts student motivation and helps create a sense of community.

Positive feedback can highlight a student’s specific positive trait or hard work during the learning process. Whether it’s on sticky notes or beautifully designed note cards, the message of “good job” or “great work” sticks with your students. It motivates them to keep going. It’s also an opportunity to engage your families and let them be part of their child’s progress.

This kind of communication supports student success, not just academically but emotionally. It strengthens the bridge between school and home, showing that you notice and appreciate individual students’ own goals and personal growth.

Displaying Student Work on the Bulletin Board

A simple way to celebrate student progress in elementary is to display student work on a classroom bulletin board. This turns the classroom into a living gallery of student learning and achievement. Showcasing student work publicly gives your kiddos a sense of pride and shows that their efforts are valued.

Whether it’s creative writing, artwork, or a math project, putting it up for everyone to see reinforces the idea that hard work matters. It’s also a fun activity for your students to walk by and admire not only their own work but the work of their peers. This fosters a sense of community. Plus, visitors, family members, and even other grade level classes can admire your students’ successes.

For an added boost, have students fill out personal goal-setting sheets and display those somewhere in your classroom as well. This will demonstrate how students have progressed and enable them to check in on the goals they are achieving. It’s a motivating full look at their academic journey and helps highlight both the product and the learning process.

Class Rewards to Build a Positive Classroom Culture

Class rewards are another favorite way for celebrating student progress in elementary because they bring the whole class together. Things like reward coupons or even a class goal party offer positive reinforcement for group achievements. They help your students work toward a common goal and give everyone something exciting to look forward to.

Class rewards also provide an opportunity to encourage teamwork. For example, completing reward posters shows that the whole class’s efforts matter. As pieces are added to the poster, you’ll boost engagement and excitement to work hard! It’s a visual reminder that motivates and encourages positive behavior and teamwork.

Including student input in choosing rewards can further build a sense of community. It’s one of the best ways to promote inclusion and respect in your classroom, no matter the grade level.

Show and Tell: Sharing Best Work of the Quarter

Show and tell isn’t just for the beginning of the year. It’s a fantastic celebration tool throughout the entire year! Letting your students share their best work of the quarter helps them reflect on their own goals and achievements. It’s also a great way to help your kids practice verbal praise and speaking skills in front of their peers as they share all about themselves.

Whether it’s sharing a project from the science classroom or a personal piece from a writing portfolio, your students will love the spotlight. This also gives you a chance to highlight critical thinking and creativity, which boosts student learning across subjects. Add a pep talk from you before the session. You’ll watch even your most reserved kiddos step out of their comfort zone.

This type of student achievement celebration creates role models in your classroom. It shows peers what’s possible when they put in the effort. It’s the perfect blend of positive reinforcement and student motivation.

Student Folders to Track Growth Over Time

Student folders are one of the most practical and meaningful ways to celebrate student progress in elementary. These folders, sometimes called portfolios, allow your kids to track their own growth throughout the school year and beyond. They can include goal sheets, samples of student work, and even notes about personal goals.

These folders are an excellent tool for goal setting. They help your students see where they started, where they are now, and what’s next. It’s a reflection of their learning process. It shows both academic achievements and moments of personal growth. Plus, at the end of the year, these folders become a wonderful keepsake to share with family members.

Including a reflection piece can round out the picture of student progress. It’s all about giving our students a full look at their accomplishments across subjects and settings.

Celebration Tunnels for Big Milestones

A “celebration tunnel” is such a fun activity for celebrating student progress in elementary school

Gather the whole class or small groups to form a tunnel with their arms. Then, have your kids walk through as everyone cheers them on. It’s a simple but powerful way to celebrate academic excellence or a big personal win.

This kind of celebration creates a sense of pride, encourages a growth mindset, and reinforces that hard work pays off. It’s especially powerful for your struggling students who’ve made big strides. It shows them that their efforts are recognized and valued.

You can even invite community members or family members to join in on a special day. This makes it an end-of-year or end-of-quarter celebration they’ll never forget. It’s moments like these that leave a lasting impact on our students’ mental health and motivation.

Goal Setting and Reflection Activities

Goal setting is a cornerstone of student learning and one of the best ways to celebrate student progress in elementary school. You can help your students reflect on their own goals, set new ones, and track their progress. Whether you use goal tracking sheets, charts, or reflection pages, you’re giving your students ownership over their academic journey.

Reflection activities encourage your kids to think critically about their progress, identify strengths, and pinpoint areas for improvement. It’s a great way to build a positive classroom culture that values personal growth as much as academic achievements.

These activities work beautifully in small groups or with individual students. Reflecting gives everyone the chance to celebrate their progress in a way that’s meaningful to them. Plus, it sets the stage for lifelong skills like resilience and perseverance.

Peer Shout-Outs and Kind Words

Sometimes the best celebration comes from classmates! Incorporating peer shout-outs or kind words sessions is a wonderful way to celebrate student progress in elementary school. Give your students time to share verbal praise and positive feedback about their classmates’ good work or specific positive traits.

You can make this a regular part of your routine. Maybe at the end of the day or the end of the week, you take a few minutes to build a sense of community and boost student motivation. Using sticky notes or a class bulletin board to post these shout-outs adds a visual layer of encouragement.

This simple celebration has a long way in creating a positive classroom culture where your students cheer each other on. It’s a beautiful reminder that learning is a team effort, and everyone’s achievements matter.

Celebrating Student Progress Quarterly

Each quarter is the perfect time for celebrating student progress in elementary school. You can host a mini awards ceremony, display recent student work, share favorite moments from the past months, and maybe even have a classroom dance party or fun-themed event!

A quarterly celebration gives your students a fresh look at their ongoing growth and achievements. It reinforces the idea that their hard work is noticed and appreciated. It’s also a great way to invite family members and community members to join in, creating an even stronger sense of community.

Remember, celebrating students’ progress isn’t just about the academic side. It’s about personal growth, relationships, and the confidence they’ll carry with them into middle school, high school, and beyond. It’s about making them feel like a big deal, because they truly are!

Get Your Free Reward Coupons Sampler

Ready to make your classroom celebrations even more exciting? Grab a free reward coupon sampler that has fun, ready-to-use reward coupons your students will love. It’s a quick, simple way to add extra joy and positive reinforcement to your classroom routine.

To be sure your freebie lands safely in your inbox (and not in spam), I recommend signing up with a non-school email account. By signing up, you’re saying yes to occasional emails from me with fresh ideas, resources, and tips to keep your classroom thriving!

Have Fun Celebrating Student Progress!

Celebrating student progress in elementary is one of the best gifts you can give your students. By recognizing their achievements, both big and small, you help build their confidence, strengthen your classroom community, and leave a lasting impact they’ll remember for years to come. Let’s keep lifting up our students and showing them just how amazing their hard work really is!

Pin These Ideas for Celebrating Student Progress in Elementary

Want to save these ideas for later? Pin this blog post or bookmark it so you can come back anytime you need inspiration for celebrating student progress in elementary!

The post Celebrating Student Progress in Elementary Made Easy appeared first on Elementary Island.

We are all familiar with the excitement and pride we have on the days it feels like we have every student engaged in some way. You caught their attention from the start, and they are actively working on the activities.  Plus, the skills and concepts are clicking. That’s a great day in any classroom.

On the flip side, what can you do when engagement seems to be waning? I have nine effective strategies for increasing student engagement that you can pull out anytime you need to pump up the engagement levels! 

Strategy #1: Get Students Up and Moving with Task Cards

Strategy #2: Encouraging Student Participation with Posters

Strategy #3: Did Someone Say Digital? 

Strategy #4: Student Choice Options

Strategy #5: Differentiate, Differentiate, Differentiate

Strategy #6: Using Student Names in the Classroom

Strategy #7: Make Cross-Curricular Connections

Strategy #8: Use Active Response Techniques 

Strategy #9: Hands-On Activities to Promote Active Learning

BONUS Strategy: Songs and Chants

Looking for More Engagement Ideas?

Save for the Future!

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Preparing Students for the Future

We can’t necessarily train our students to use the exact technological resources they will use in the future.  That technology hasn’t been invented yet, or at least not made available to the mainstream public.  However, we absolutely can make using technology to complete work a normal and expected part of their lives.

Engaging Learners

Building Independence

My Favorite Digital Platforms

Boom Learning 

Boom Card Examples

Try Boom Cards for Free

Google Based Apps

1. Google Slides

2. Google Sheets

3. Google Forms

There are two primary ways that I really love using Google Forms in the classroom.  The first is for digital task cards.  Following the same idea as Boom Cards, Google Forms also provides a wonderful platform for students to complete digital task cards.   These sets can be edited to delete or add questions in the set. Unlike Boom Cards, they do not provide immediate feedback for the student. 

The second activity that I love on Google Forms is Escape Rooms! Talk about instant engagement.  Students love, love, love digital escape rooms.  

I’ve also put together a Valentine’s Day digital escape room that students love too!  In the Case of the Secret Admirer, students must complete math activities in order to eliminate suspects.  Through this activity your students will review:

4. QR Codes

QR codes are those scannable squares that open up a message or website.  Here, students complete the task cards and use the QR codes to check their answer.  They are so helpful getting student  independently.

These QR Code task card activities are perfect for math centers, small group teaching activities and even whole class games!  On Teachers Pay Teachers you can find a variety of math QR task cards for skills like counting money, telling time, elapsed time, addition, subtraction and more!

Save these Digital Activities for Your Classroom

The post The Benefits of Digital Activities in the Classroom {FREEBIE} appeared first on Elementary Island.

Distance Learning Resources

1. Google Classroom

2. Seesaw

3. ClassDojo

4. Khan Academy

5. BOOM Cards!

6. Remind

7. BrainPop Jr.

8. IXL

9. Color by Number Sheets

10. Flipgrid

11. Screencastify

12. Kahoot

13. Quizizz

14. Number of the Day

15. Xtramath

Have I left something out?  Is there something you can’t live without?  Let me know below.  Save the image below on Pinterest for easy reference! 

The post 15 of the Most Amazing Distance Learning Resources {freebie} appeared first on Elementary Island.

1. Communication is Key

Communicating With Parents

In the classroom it is important to give students explicit instructions.  We start the year teaching them classroom procedures and how to make the classroom run efficiently.  We lay out the steps for completing a task or working on independent centers.  We give explicit instructions.  Outside of the classroom, explicit instructions are even more important.

2. Help Students Stay Organized

Organization will be an important part of remote teaching.  Not only must we as teachers be organized, but we must help our students stay organized too.  In the classroom, we help our students transition from one activity to another.  At home, much of that responsibility will be on them and for a young student that could be very overwhelming.  So help your students stay organized.

Grab a free EDITABLE checklist here to keep your students on track!

Another way to help them stay organized is by letting them know what supplies they will need.  Do they need only the computer or will they be printing something out?  Do they need a book to reference or is everything provided? Will they be working in  Google or on another platform like Boom Learning or SeeSaw?  Helping them to gather their supplies before beginning an assignment will only help their ability to focus and complete an assignment without interruption.

3. Don’t Be Afraid of Video

• Online Video Conference  – Using an online video conference system like Google Hangouts, Google Meet, or Zoom not only lets you be on video but also your students.  When you can see who you are talking to it sure makes video easier.  It feels less like a monologue and more like a comfortable conversation with old friends.

• Use your phone – Creating a video from your phone is definitely less scary than a video camera.  It feels more like a Facebook Live, an Instagram video or a Marco Polo message.  Just grab your phone and start talking to your students.

• Try a screen-sharing video – There are some amazing free screen-sharing programs you can use that will allow you to record your screen along with your voice.  Some also allow you to have a small video of yourself in the corner too.  These videos are an excellent way to teach visual concepts like math, or model how to complete an assignment.  Try Screencastify or Screencast-O-Matic for some easy to use options.

4.  Try a Flipped Classroom Model

5.  Do What You Do Best – Teach

Whether in the classroom or teaching remotely, do what you do best and teach.  Use that same passion you have in the classroom for remote teaching.  Plan the same great lessons you would if you were in the classroom. Sure, some of the activities might look different, but that doesn’t mean they are any less effective in helping your students learn.

Remote Teaching Wrap-Up

Pin this to your favorite classroom Pinterest board so you can quickly get back to these ideas!

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Students are back from winter break – the gifts, food and endless free time are of the past. Now it’s time to dive into the second half of the school year with renewed energy! As we step into the classroom after the holiday season, we know that rekindling students’ enthusiasm for learning can be a delightful challenge. But fear not; I’ve got you covered! Post-winter break can be a memorable time with a few engaging activities those first few weeks back in school.

Use Technology Activities to Engage Students

Another great option for technology is using my new found friend, BOOM Cards.  BOOM Cards are great for centers, group work, or individually.  You can read more about BOOM Cards here and pick up a FREE DECK while you’re over there!

This short video will show you what BOOM Cards are all about! Digital, self-checking, no cutting, engaging……they’re literally PERFECT!!!

I have purchased the VERY CHEAP yearly membership to track my students work and I can assign different decks to each student to help differentiate.    You can also add a membership to create your own BOOM decks so they specifically meet the needs of your students!

If you are interested in some pre-made BOOM decks, you can check out my listings HERE.

Use STEM Activities to Engage Students!

With feedback like this,

“LOVE!!!!! My first graders are BEGGING me to do more of these activities! Thank you!” and “Great hands-on activities for the children to explore and problem solve,” it’s no wonder why STEM has taken over the classroom IF it has meaning! STEM activities are so powerful at the elementary level because it really plays off of youngsters inquisitive and exploratory minds. We want to foster that love for asking questions, creating, developing, challenging, reinventing, and everything else STEM offers so that children can handle problem solving in the “real” world.

The great thing about STEM is that you can come up with an activity by looking around you. Reading Diary of a Spider? Have the students create a spider that flies (ballooning). Reading about animal habitats? Have the students create a habitat and explain their rationale! Anything can be made into a STEM project!

For Halloween, my students created spider webs from my STEM packs! They had to make a web that collected the most spiders. Here are some varieties they came up with!

If you are looking for seasonal STEM activities, I have you covered! My projects also come with planning, recording, and reflective sheets to help build the math skills and critical thinking. Check them out HERE.

Color by Code Activities to Engage Students

Now this one is a little more difficult to create on your own and time consuming! My color by codes are on another level in my classroom! It’s a great way to 1. incorporate the holiday and 2. practice those skills that need to be done over and over again.

Ask my kids to do a worksheet of 30 problems, NOT HAPPENING! But, give them a color by code to complete with 50 problems and it’s all good Sometimes, I don’t get them!!!

Here are some that I have available if you’re interested in checking them out. These are also differentiated for your needs. You can take a closer look by clicking HERE.

      

Skill Swirls Activities to Engage Students

What’s a Skill Swirl you ask?  These are activities that I invented to help combat the basic worksheet.  They are self-checking and have students ENGAGED from start to finish.  One of my students said, “It’s like we are learning!”  Yes little one, you are learning. *face palm*

Basically students will begin with a problem, find the answer on a slip, paste it down, and continue with the next problem.  If the answer isn’t there, then it is incorrect.  Here is a video to help understand the format. You can also snag an Addition to 10 Skill Swirl FREEBIE here! 

Skill Swirls are a great way to keep kids on task and completing assignments.  You can take a look at my list of growing concepts in my store, HERE.

That’s it!  Five activities that I use in the classroom to break the monotonous routine.  I guarantee that these activities will engage your students!  I’m always looking for more ideas!  Let me know in the comments if you have any!

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Have you ever learned about a new instructional tool or strategy and wondered how you managed to teach before it existed? Well, if you have never used or heard of BOOM Cards before, you’re about to have that moment. You can thank me later.

In case you’re late to the party, Boom Cards are digital, time-saving task cards. No printing. No cutting. No recording sheets for kids to log answers on. Everything is digital, interactive, and FUN!

Teachers everywhere are jumping on the Boom Card bandwagon, but in case you need some extra encouragement, here are some perks of making the switch to digital. (And make sure you check out the FREE Boom Cards deck I’m sharing just with my readers below!)

Immediate Feedback

Boom Cards immediately tell students whether they have gotten their answer correct or not. The traditional, paper/pencil version of task cards requires students to work through an entire set before turning a paper in to you for you to check. By the time they know if they were doing the work correctly, they’ve already finished the assignment! Digital task cards let students know when they need to try again, preventing students from wasting too much time doing something incorrectly!

Versatile

However you have used task cards in your classroom, you can make them digital with Boom Cards! Vocabulary practice, math skills, reading strategies, grammar, science or social studies topics…the list is endless! Teach your students how to use one platform, and open up a world of topics for them to practice. 

Incorporate Technology

We all know the importance of exposing our students to 21st century skills in our classrooms. However, the challenge comes when we don’t have access to purposeful programs for our students to use. Boom Cards eliminates all of that! You have control over what your students practice, and you know that they won’t be going to a “store” or playing non-academic games for brain breaks that so many educational websites offer. These task cards are focused, rigorous, and digital! That’s the best of all worlds!

If you have already tried Boom Cards in your classroom, were you an instant fan like I was? What do you love about it? Share in the comments! 

The post Meet Boom Cards™: Your New Teaching BFF (EXCLUSIVE FREEBIE) appeared first on Elementary Island.