spelling Archives • Elementary Island

9 Fun and Engaging November Activities for Elementary Students

Jordana — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 22:45:50 +0000

November is such a great time to bring in creative and engaging activities for your students. With great themes and holidays in November, it is the perfect time to make learning fun with Thanksgiving crafts, STEM challenges, and more. Today, I’m sharing November activities for elementary students that combine festive elements with learning. This helps keep our students motivated and excited about coming to school. Whether you’re working with small groups or the whole class, these activities are designed to fit into your lesson plans seamlessly.

Fill Your November Lesson Plans

There’s no better way to keep your students engaged and learning in November than with a variety of fun and engaging November activities for elementary students. These activities weave in the themes and holidays while ensuring students are working on key academic skills. Ready to fill your November lesson plans? Here are 9 classroom tested and highly recommended November activities that your students will love!

1. Thanksgiving Fun Packet for November Activities

My Thanksgiving Fun Packet is a wonderful tool that I use throughout November. It’s packed with 21 engaging activities designed for second graders. It can be easily adapted for different grade levels. The activities cover a wide range of skills, from reading comprehension to math. I did this to make it a great way to review key concepts before the holiday break.

What I love about this packet is that it’s a fun way to reinforce skills while keeping our students engaged. For example, the word problems and critical thinking puzzles challenge our students to apply what they’ve learned in new ways. I often use this packet during morning work or as part of our November stations. And. . . it’s perfect for early finishers who need meaningful activities to stay busy. I even let students work on some of the activities in pairs or small groups, which encourages collaboration. This resource also fits well with holiday-themed bulletin boards or classroom decorations, making the classroom feel festive throughout the month!

2. Fall Craft Academic Pack for November Activities

Incorporating crafts into November activities for elementary students is always a hit! My Fall Math Craft Pack allows your students to express their creativity while working on important math skills. This resource includes two different crafts and differentiated math activities. Simply choose the math skill that best fits the needs of your students and let them get busy creating. When you combine an academic concept with a craft, it seems to take off any pressure or stress students feel. They happily dive into the math because they are excited about what they are creating.

Once students are finished with the math and creating their scarecrow or turkey, I love adding a writing component. Students then write about their scarecrow or turkey. Sometimes I let them free-write and other times I will give them a simple writing prompt that connects to a writing skill we are working on. However you choose to do it, the finished math craft and writing activity makes a wonderful finished product.

This resource is a great way to bring a hands-on element to our learning. Plus, it doubles as a beautiful display in or outside our classroom during the holiday season. The students enjoy seeing their work displayed, and it creates a cozy, welcoming atmosphere during November.

3. Thanksgiving STEM Challenges as November Activities

STEM activities are a fantastic way to engage our students in problem-solving and critical thinking. My Thanksgiving STEM Challenges are one of my go-to November activities for elementary students. The best part is that these challenges incorporate real-world engineering problems with a fun holiday twist. One of the challenges asks students to design a launch to help a turkey escape from a pumpkin patch. It’s the perfect way to bring STEM into the holiday season.

What makes these activities stand out is that they promote teamwork. I often group my students into small teams. While in these teams, they brainstorm, design, and test their ideas together. These November STEM activities provide opportunities to work on skills such as communication, collaboration, and creative problem-solving. Plus, it’s a great way to review scientific concepts in a fun and engaging context. Whether you’re teaching older kids or younger students, the STEM challenges can be adapted to suit different age groups. They also offer a perfect balance of hands-on learning and critical thinking.

4. Spelling Activities for Thanksgiving in November

Spelling practice is another key part of my November activities for elementary students. With the Thanksgiving Spelling Activities, we get to take our spelling lessons to the next level! In this resource, I include 15 creative ways to practice spelling using any word list. By doing so, I make it flexible for different grades and abilities among our students.

During November, I like to use seasonal words like “turkey,” “feast,” and “Pilgrim” as part of our spelling list. The spelling activities can be done individually or in small groups. I especially love how this packet includes both print and digital options. It’s a great time to bring in some technology to amp up student engagement! My students enjoy completing the digital spelling puzzles because of the game-like feel. For those who prefer hands-on work, I set up centers with printable activities where they can create sentences using their spelling words or practice writing them out in different ways.

5. Thanksgiving Mystery Game: Who Done It? for November Activities

One of the most exciting November activities for elementary students I use is the Thanksgiving Math Mystery: Who Done It? This resource is a fun way to practice math skills while keeping our students engaged in a mystery-solving adventure. I always introduce this activity by telling my students that they’re now detectives. They need to work to solve a Thanksgiving-themed mystery. It’s the perfect time to review math concepts while getting into the festive spirit of the fall season.

Each clue is tied to math problems and provides a fun way to review a variety of skills. Students must solve these problems to reveal the next clue, working together in small groups to figure out “Who done it?” This activity is a great way to reinforce math during November while incorporating a bit of detective work, which students absolutely love.

This mystery game fits perfectly into my lesson plans, whether we use it in morning work, independent work, or small group rotations. It provides practice with math concepts. It also challenges students to think critically and use logical reasoning to solve the case. Plus, it’s a fun fall activity that works for all students, including older kids who enjoy the added challenge.

6. Write a Class Cookbook for November Activities

Writing a class cookbook is one of my favorite November activities for elementary students. This is a great way to bring in the spirit of the holiday season while reinforcing writing skills. I introduce this activity by talking about our favorite foods we enjoy during the holidays. Each student shares a dish they love, whether it’s their grandma’s famous pumpkin pie or a family recipe for mashed potatoes.

Then, we walk through how to write a recipe. We focus on important elements like ingredients, instructions, and clear, concise steps. It’s the perfect time to review sequencing words like “first,” “next,” and “finally,” which ties into our language arts curriculum. After that, each student writes out their recipe. We combine them to create our very own class cookbook. Make sure to scroll down and grab the free November activities packet for a recipe book writing page you can use.

This project also ties in with math because we practice measuring ingredients and talking about fractions during our discussions. By the end of the project, each student has contributed to a beautiful cookbook that we share with families. It’s a perfect keepsake for the holiday season. It’s a great way to build excitement around writing while celebrating the joys of food!

7. How to Catch a Plump and Perky Turkey – Read Aloud for November Activities

Read aloud time is always a hit among my students. One of my favorite November activities for elementary students is reading A Plump and Perky Turkey. I love introducing this book by asking my students how they think they could catch a turkey. This sparks so many creative ideas! After a fun discussion, we dive into the story.

As we read, I pause to ask questions about the characters’ plans. I encourage my students to make predictions about what will happen next. This keeps them engaged and thinking critically. After reading, we transition into a creative writing activity where they come up with their own plans to catch a turkey. They illustrate their ideas and write a step-by-step guide, which ties into our lessons on sequencing and how-to writing. I have a free writing template you can use in your classroom for this activity. Just scroll down and grab the free November activities packet.

If you want to take it a step further, add a STEM component to this activity and let students build what they wrote about. Using simple materials like construction paper, pipe cleaners, recyclable boxes, and anything else you have on hand, students can create their own turkey-catching prototype.

It’s a fun fall activity that really taps into their imaginations. It also builds excitement around both reading and writing. Plus, we decorate our classroom and hallway with their creative turkey-catching ideas to share their hard work!

8. Create a Thankful Turkey for November Activities

Another favorite in our lineup of November activities for elementary students is creating a thankful turkey. This activity is a perfect way to incorporate gratitude into our classroom. While we are showing our gratitude, we are also practicing writing and fine motor skills. I introduce the activity by discussing everything we are thankful for, whether it’s family, friends, or even our pets.

I give each student a turkey template. They write something they are thankful for on each feather. As they decorate their turkeys, we work on spelling, handwriting, and using descriptive words. This activity enhances their writing skills and fosters a sense of community in the classroom as we share what we are grateful for.

9. Practice Graphing for November Activities

Graphing is an important math skill, and I love finding ways to make it fun for my students. One of my go-to November activities for elementary students is practicing graphing with a Thanksgiving twist. I start by having the students survey each other about their favorite Thanksgiving foods such as turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie, and more. This is a great way to introduce data collection and get everyone excited about the topic.

Once we have the data, I have my students create bar graphs to represent their findings. We talk about the different parts of a graph, like the axes, labels, and titles. Once we have a good handle on the parts of the graph, we chat about how to interpret the information. This is a fun way to reinforce math skills and a great introduction to interpreting data.

And. . . if you’d like to tackle pie graphs I’m here to help. Inside the free November activities packet below you can grab a free spin and graph activity that is perfect for November. I love to use this as a math center for a little extra practice with data and graphing.

For an added challenge, we move on to comparing and analyzing graphs. We might discuss which foods were the most popular. We might also look at how the results compare across different small groups in the class. This activity combines math and real-world skills. My students love seeing their results displayed on the board. It’s the perfect math activity for November.

Some Free November Activities to Get You Started

To help you get started in filling those November lesson plans, I have three of the activities described above that you can grab for free. Simply sign up here and the free November activities will be sent directly to your inbox.

In this packet, you will receive a writing page for your class recipe book, a spin and graph activity, as well as a follow-up writing activity you can use after reading How to Catch a Plump and Perky Turkey. So what are you waiting for? Click the image below and grab the free November activities for elementary students for your classroom.

Additional Resources to Explore

Now that we’ve covered some fun and engaging November activities for elementary students, there’s still so much more to explore! I’ve got even more resources lined up that are perfect for keeping your students motivated and learning. Let’s explore a few more ideas that will bring the festive spirit right into your classroom!

Wrapping Up November Activities for Elementary Students

As we wrap up these exciting November activities for elementary students, I hope you feel inspired to bring festive fun into your classroom! From creating a class cookbook to practicing graphing with a Thanksgiving twist, these activities are the perfect way to engage your students while reinforcing key skills. November is such a great time to mix in hands-on projects, read fun stories, and celebrate the holiday season with meaningful lessons that keep learning exciting. Whether you’re working with small groups or your whole class, these ideas will surely make this time of year one your students won’t forget!

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The post 9 Fun and Engaging November Activities for Elementary Students appeared first on Elementary Island.

9 Effective Strategies for Increasing Student Engagement

Jordana — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 15:00:00 +0000

As teachers, we know that the more engaged our students are in the lesson, the more learning happens and solidifies. That makes engagement a BIG part of what we do in the classroom. I don’t know about you, but I am tired of feeling like I have to put on a big production just to get students engaged. I decided to spend some time digging into what engaged my students so that I could use more of that. Over time, I’ve found 9 effective strategies for increasing student engagement. And. . . none of them involve a song and dance!

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

I look for any opportunity to get my students up and moving around the classroom. I can remember when I was a student, and constantly being concerned about the time because I was ready to move!

My students know that when a new topic or concept is being introduced that they will be sitting. However, they know that I like to move as much as they do, so they also know partnering up or moving around will soon follow the whole class lesson.

When it’s time to practice, one of my favorite ways to have my students move around the room is by using task cards. Task cards can be used in all subject areas and offer great opportunities for adding movement to an activity.

Before our activity, I will have posted the task cards around the room or in the hallway. This will be the basis of our Write the Room or Scavenger Hunt activity. The only other thing I need is the recording sheets and a bin of clipboards set out for the students to easily grab.

Each student moves to a task card to begin the activity. The first thing they do at each task card is to look for the question number on the card. This will correlate with the number on their answer sheet. Then they read the question and answer the question by writing the answer on the recording page.

The order in which the students complete the task cards changes depending on the size of the group. If a small group is working with task cards, I will let them move at their own pace. When they are finished with a card, they can move to another card as long as they have completed each one by the end.

If the whole class is working with the task cards, I will have the movement be more structured. They will have a certain amount of time to work on the task card, and then they will all move clockwise to the next card.

This is just one way to use task cards! There are SO many more ways you can use task cards as a strategy to increase student engagement! You can learn about 24 more ideas on how to use task cards in your classroom that are fun and engaging for your students!

In the Elementary Island TPT Store, I have many sets of task cards for Math, English, and Reading. They all have different levels of difficulty to help differentiate for your students as well!

Strategy #2: Encouraging Student Participation with Posters

Another amazing strategy that increases student engagement is a class Seek and Find Challenge. I started this because I wanted to incorporate a way for my students to always be on the lookout for the things we are learning in their day-to-day lives. Not only does it engage students but they also take ownership of their learning.

The Seek and Find Challenge encourages students to look for things they have learned about in class in the books they are reading, TV shows they are watching, or in other day-to-day activities. Whether in class or at home, students are encouraged to write down what they found and post it on the Seek and Find board.

The first time I tried this with my class we were studying word building with prefixes. One day, during a read aloud we came upon a word with a prefix. I stopped and showed students the word and we discussed how it connected to what we were learning in grammar. When the students realized this was a “real life” example they got really excited. I grabbed a sticky note and wrote down the word, underlining the prefix. Then I stuck the note to our Seek and Find poster.

I told the class that if they came across any words in their books, on a billboard, or even on a TV show, they could write it down and add it to the board. At the end of the week, we shared out our discoveries from the poster. I was truly amazed at not only how excited my students were to connect their learning to their daily lives, but they seemed to have a better understanding of prefixes than before.

This might have been the first Seek and Find Challenge, but it definitely wasn’t the last. Now I use them all of the time. The topic of our Seek & Find board is always changing. Sometimes it is math related, like fractions, and other times it might be vocabulary words from our science unit. Whatever you choose, just know that your students are going to become super detectives.

I love seeing the excitement students have as they add a new note to our poster. I’ve also noticed that they improved their communication skills as they explain their note at the end of the week. Each explanation is almost like a mini-lesson that reviews the skill or concept. The Seek and Find Challenge promotes a sense of ownership in learning and helps students take an active role in their education.

Strategy #3: Did Someone Say Digital?

Another effective strategy for increasing student engagement is using digital activities in the classroom. Like it or not, our students are growing up in a digital age, unlike any generation before them. Their entire lives have included technology. Not to mention that they love it!

Incorporating technology and digital learning activities is a surefire way to increase student engagement. I dig further into all the different benefits of digital activities in the classroom in a previous post. You will find inspiration, well-explained ideas, and a free resource ready to be used in your class today!

A digital resource I enjoy using in my classroom regularly is BOOM Cards. BOOM Cards are digital task cards. They are a fun and interactive way for students to practice and review different topics and skills. The game-like feel of digital activities makes them exciting for students. Students will happily complete 25 questions using BOOM Cards, but if the same 25 questions were on a traditional worksheet the assignment would be met with moans and groans.

You can also use BOOM Cards and other digital activities as a whole-class warm-up at the beginning of class or whole-class practice during a lesson.

Learn more about the benefits of BOOM Cards by reading BOOM Cards in the Classroom! Read all the way to the end for a free deck of BOOM cards to try out in your classroom!

And. . . if you are looking for digital activities, in general, hop on over to check out my digital interactive activities for my Math, Language Arts, and Reading skills resources.

Strategy #4: Student Choice Options

An important and effective strategy for increasing student engagement is allowing students to have a choice in what they can do. When students are interested in what they are doing, there will be an increase in work effort and time management. This might include a choice in the activity they complete or a choice in the topic they learn about.

Students can be given a choice in all subject areas. One way I incorporate it in my subject areas is through a Choice Board or Menu. There are various names for it, but basically, it’s a page with 9 options of different activities students can choose from. Activities will vary in length and type of activity (digital, make a poster, write a comic strip, create a song, etc.) Depending on the goal and length of time students have to complete the activity, they are given a set number of menu activities they need to complete.

These choice boards or menus can be used as part of a class assignment, as extension projects, or as activities for early finishers.

One way I incorporate choice is in our spelling practice. While the goal of each activity remains the same, learn to spell the target words, the activities students can choose from varies. When you need to repeat, repeat, repeat, it’s important to have a variety of activities ready to help keep engagement high amongst your students. I have 12 different spelling activities for them to choose from and students know that they must complete a set number.

Throughout the year, the theme of the activities will change. I find that this helps to bring excitement to these practice activities resulting in higher engagement. My Spelling Choice Activities are no-prep and work with any spelling word list!

Strategy #5: Differentiate, Differentiate, Differentiate

Every learner learns differently! In today’s classroom, differentiation is key to our students’ success. Differentiation is not a crutch. Instead, it allows you to meet your students where they are and encouragingly provides them an opportunity to be successful. You are providing access to a beneficial educational experience with this strategy.

As teachers, our plates are full, and as a result, differentiation can feel like a daunting task. But it doesn’t have to be! To help streamline the process of differentiation in the classroom, I walk you through a series of tips and steps in Tips for Making Differentiation Easy. I wrote this post to help you become organized and feel confident to help meet the needs of each of your students!

Strategy #6: Using Student Names in the Classroom

“Hey, you!”

“Who? Me?”

“Yeah, you!”

One of the worst feelings is when someone chooses to not say your name or forgets your name and refers to you as “you.” A person’s name is so important to their identity. As a teacher, you know that addressing your students by name is essential in building positive relationships. When students feel valued and recognized as individuals, they are more willing to build trust and rapport with you.

Using their names creates a personal connection, fosters a sense of belonging, and can increase their engagement in the classroom. Incorporating student names into your teaching and classroom environment can be done in many ways. For example, use name tags or nameplates on desks, assign classroom jobs using their names, or create personalized rewards.

Another way to engage students using their names is to incorporate them into your lessons. Turn boring word problems into pure excitement just by adding in student names. Your students will love to be the star of their own classroom questions. And. . . you don’t even have to write your own questions to do this. Use the questions from your textbook or lesson and just change out the names. You can even make the setting and events line up with things you’ve done as a class.

When students feel valued and respected, they are more likely to pay attention and actively participate in discussions and activities. The engagement and success levels of your students begin with that one simple but powerful decision to use their names.

Strategy #7: Make Cross-Curricular Connections

During my practicums during college, I planned a few cross-curricular lesson plans. I didn’t really start appreciating cross-curricular connections until my first full year of teaching. I remember sitting down with all of my school’s standards and wondering when, where, and how was I going to fit all of these into our 180-day school year.

I quickly realized that making cross-curricular connections was such a powerful way to deepen students’ learning and increase engagement. Added bonus, it made my teaching a little less frenzied knowing I was teaching to several different standards at one time!

Math crafts and STEM activities are a great way to integrate subjects like math, science, art, reading, and writing. For example, students can build the skeletal system using Q-tips or create a math craft where they write about the math they are using.

Any time that I can connect multiple skills or standards in one activity, I feel like I’ve won the teacher time management lottery! So much so, that now my goal is to try and always incorporate multiple skills or standards in my classroom activity. That’s why I created a variety of math crafts for different holidays. Students can add some holiday learning and fine motor skills to their practice of basic math operations.

STEM activities are also great ways to get students working on multiple skills and concepts at the same time. I was constantly looking for hands-on STEM resources that provided my students an authentic, approachable learning experience when it came to science, technology, engineering, and math. I created a series of STEM resources that cover a range of STEM-related topics – coding, robotics, chemistry, and physics. These activities are innovative and help to bring these subjects to life by being hands-on and interactive. My students ask me every day when our next STEM activity will be! They love being collaborative with their team members, designing and manipulating the materials for the end goal!

These activities not only make learning more meaningful but also foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills!

Strategy #8: Use Active Response Techniques

Fun student responses are a great way to promote engagement in the classroom. One of the reasons why I love this is because there is no end to your options! And. . . the sillier the better when it comes to keeping students engaged. My advice is to find several that will work for you and have them in your teacher toolbox to rotate through!

One student response I use is to have students complete an action to show which answer they agree with. For example, I have the students touch their noses if they agree with a statement or touch the floor if they disagree. You can easily change up the two things they touch or add a new action. Sometimes I will save this technique for that time in the lesson when attention starts to fall off. So, for the first few minutes, we use our traditional thumbs up or thumbs down. Then out of nowhere, I change it up. I can quickly see who is paying attention and this surprise change usually results in lots of giggles.

Call and response activities are also effective for engagement, active listening, and classroom management. They are so many out there, like:

1, 2, 3 Eyes on Me….1, 2 Eyes on You

Holy Moly…Guacamole

Hocus Pocus…Time to Focus

These types of calls are a great way to get student attention when they have been working independently.

Lastly, I use four corners and whiteboards, especially during review sessions before a test. Each corner of my room will represent an answer choice, such as A, B, C, or D. I will read off the question, and the students will move to the corner with the correct answer.

Allowing students to interact with a lesson using whiteboards is another great way to increase engagement. Each student receives their own whiteboard and marker. They listen to the question being asked, and they write down their response on the whiteboard. I will count down 3, 2, 1, and then say “Flip.” The students will hold up their whiteboards and show me what they wrote. I can quickly look at their responses and see who is understanding and who needs more practice. It’s amazing how excited my students become when they hear, “Please grab a whiteboard.”

These responses not only make learning fun but also promote active listening and critical thinking skills. Keep in mind these are just a few examples of active student response ideas. Anything that allows students to actively participate in the lesson without a traditional pencil and paper activity will help improve engagement. Experiment with them, and see what works best for you and your students!

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

Hands-on activities provide an excellent way to promote active learning and engagement. Through my years of teaching, I have observed the power of hands-on activities with my students. It doesn’t matter the age. And. . . the science of learning supports this! Doing results in better learning than just seeing or hearing.

A great example of hands-on learning is STEM activities. The basis of STEM learning is that students are using what they know to build and create. Even if they don’t have a deep understanding of the concepts, the opportunity to plan, create, test, and correct, offers valuable learning opportunities.

Try out some free STEM Activities in your classroom and watch as the engagement soars!

Another way I incorporate hands-on learning is through Color by Code Math Activities. I like to incorporate these pages into one of my math centers. Students are free to use any available math manipulatives as they solve the problems. Then, instead of writing the answer, they color the space with the correct color. The students love that they don’t have to write their answers in the traditional way. My students love these pages because they enjoy trying to figure out what the picture is, and I love that they are getting in key math skills practice!

BONUS Strategy: Songs and Chants

Sometimes my students have a difficult time remembering a new concept. I often feel that this can happen when they aren’t actively engaged in the lessons. When this happens I know it is time to tap into my inner rock star. Just kidding – but not really. Making up songs or chants is a great way to engage students and help them remember. There’s something about the rhythm that just reaches the brain differently.

Not sure where to start? Choose a common tune that the kids know or try the “I don’t know but I’ve been told” military cadence. Write your own version to help students remember the concepts they have been learning.

Here’s an example that I have used in my classroom when working on place value models.

Teacher: I don’t know but I’ve been told

Students: I don’t know but I’ve been told

Teacher: Tens are tall and ones are small

Students: Tens are tall and ones are small

Teacher: Then hundreds are after that

Students: Then hundreds are after that

Teacher: They are round and they are fat

Students: They are round and they are fat

Add some hand motions to the words and you’ve got a multi-sensory, interactive learning song that your students will be fully engaged with and aren’t soon to forget!

Looking for More Engagement Ideas?

If you are looking for even more engagement ideas, then check out the blog post Activities to Engage Students Now. In this post, you will learn more ways to increase student engagement. Plus you can grab a freebie too!

Every group of students will respond to different engagement strategies. Have a variety in your teacher toolbox and you’ll be ready to engage all year long.

Save for the Future!

Remember to pin this post to your favorite classroom Pinterest board so you can come back any time you need student engagement ideas!

The post 9 Effective Strategies for Increasing Student Engagement appeared first on Elementary Island.

18 Easy and Fun Ways to Practice Spelling Words in the Classroom

Jordana — Thu, 02 Jun 2022 00:31:00 +0000

Giving your students plenty of varied practice when it comes to learning the spelling of words is essential for their success and retention. Coming up with all of those activities though can be exhausting! I’ve compiled a list of easy and fun ways to practice spelling words that will help you provide effective and engaging practice all year long.

Sensory Activities to Practice Spelling Words

Have students that love activities with sensory input? Or just want high engagement when practicing spelling, then sensory activities are the way to go!

1. Playdough

Using playdough is a simple and easy way to get your students to practice their spelling words. Most teachers have playdough on hand, so no special trips to the store are required!

Give your students a printout of their spelling words and play dough. Have them roll and manipulate the play dough to make the letters of each word. For those students who might need some more support, you could provide laminated sheets with the words printed on them to follow as a guide.

2. Shaving Cream

I know you’re thinking about the mess of using shaving cream, but truly I don’t think I have ever seen students more engaged in writing out their words than when I placed trays of shaving cream in front of them.

For the least mess possible, set up a tray with a laminated set of words for each student. Have students roll up their sleeves and let the fun begin! Students use their fingers (or a paintbrush if they are averse to touching the shaving cream) and draw out each letter of their spelling words. And . . . you get a bonus of clean desks too!

3. Sand Writing

My guess is that you have heard of using sand trays to help students practice writing letters. The same principle applies to helping them practice spelling words.

Set up a shallow tray with sand and a stack of cards with the targeted spelling words next to it. Have the student turn over the card and use their finger or a paintbrush to draw each letter of the word in the sand. And . . . if you don’t have sand just substitute it with salt or sugar.

4. Pasta Words

Pasta words are sure to be a classroom hit when it comes to practicing spelling words. Grab a few boxes of spaghetti at the grocery store and place them in a container. Give students trays and their spelling words. Have them make each letter of their spelling words using the uncooked pasta.

Students can follow a template you give them or can create on their own. Just know that they will most likely need to break some strands of spaghetti to build words that have curves. Don’t throw away those pieces though! You can save them for next time.

As an alternative, you can also use pasta or cereal already in letter shapes. Really any chance to “play with food” will engage students.

Games to Practice Spelling Words

Playing games is a great way to get students to practice spelling words. Here are some simple and low prep games you can start using right away!

5. Concentration

Take the classic game of concentration and use it to help your students practice spelling words. Print each of the spelling words on card stock and cut them out to make individual cards. Then print out a matching picture for each word. Again, cut these out to make cards.

Have the students mix up the cards, and layout on the desk or floor and start matching! Students will work on finding the matching word and picture. This works really great when you have homophones on your spelling list.

6. Roll a Word

This game is perfect for students who love working with partners. Pair up students who are studying the same words. Give them a ball to roll back and forth. Play in partners or as a group for some whole class spelling practice.

Arm them with a list of their spelling words. One partner picks a word and rolls the ball to the other saying the first letter of the word. The partner rolls the ball back adding the second letter. This goes back and forth until they have spelled all of their words!

7. Roll and Spell

Give each student a die and a worksheet with a key, like the one from my Back to School Spelling Activities pack. The student rolls the die and the number it lands on tells the student how they have to write one of their spelling words.

Some ideas include:

Writing letters with a simple picture in between (like an apple)
Writing the word in marker
Rainbow writing the word
Letting students choose how they want to write the word!

Using a Roll and Spell activity is an easy way to allow all students to work on their particular spelling words without a ton of prep.

Colorful Ways to Practice Spelling Words

Have some budding artists in your room? They will love these fun and colorful ways to practice their spelling words.

8. Apple Tree Spelling

I love using this activity during Back to School season because it is a great way to have students practice the order of the letters in their spelling words.

Print off black and white clip art apple trees (or grab a done for you version here). Have students write a spelling word in the trunk of the tree in brown. Then in red, write each letter of that word in the tree-like apples.

9. Bookshelf Spelling

This activity is a great way to practice spelling words and alphabetical order, plus is beautifully colored! Students write each of their spelling words in alphabetical order on the spine of each book.

Then the fun begins. Have students color each book. You can give them parameters like all words that start with “p” are purple, all words that are people, places, and things are blue, or each book gets its own color (this is a great excuse to break out those mega crayon packs!).

Don’t worry about making your own handouts because you can get this Bookshelf Spelling activity here.

10. Chalk to the Rescue

Take spelling practice outdoors with some sidewalk chalk. Have students choose different colors for each word or even for each letter. The playground will be decorated with beautiful word rainbows, and your students will appreciate the extra fresh air as they practice spelling words.

11. Apple Words

Again, this is a great activity for Back to School or fall but can be fun all year round. Students will get some repetition in with this activity.

Students write a spelling word 4 times in each apple. They then can color in each section. They could choose to color the apple all one color or make their own creations!

12. Crayon Spelling

This is definitely the most colorful of the activities. Students pick a color of crayon, write each letter of the spelling word spaced across a line (or a curve) and then write the whole word. Each word gets a different color.

Students will write out the word twice, and they are paying special attention to each letter as they put it on the line with Crayon Spelling.

Craft Activities to Practice Spelling Words

Get out the scissors and glue and start crafting for some fun ways to practice spelling words!

13. Magazine Words

Gather up some old magazines. If you don’t have a stash of your own, I bet your art teacher does and if all else fails, you can grab some free newspapers from the grocery store.

Have students find letters from their spelling words, cut them out, and then paste them on a large piece of chart paper. They get to practice spelling while creating a fun and unique collage!

14. Stamped Words

Pull out some letter stamps and ink pads and let the practice begin. This activity can be as simple or elaborate as you would like.

Here are some ways you can do this activity with your students:

Have them use a different color for each letter
Give them fancy paper to stamp their words on
Have students who are practicing the same words do this activity in a group. After stamping a letter, they switch papers and the next person has to continue the spelling

Practice Spelling Words with Multiple Intelligences

15. Sign Your Words

This is a great way for kinesthetic learners to practice spelling words. Students use sign language to spell out their words to each other. You can give them a handout with visuals of each of the letters in sign language and then pick a word to sign.

This can be a great partner activity. The partner can follow along and repeat back to their partner the word they just signed.

16. Sound Words

Auditory learners will love practicing their spelling words using Sound Words. Grab some old recorders or teach students how to record their voices on their devices. Have them say each of their spelling words, spell each of the words and then replay the recording to help practice them.

You can even have students practice writing the word as they listen to the replay for extra practice.

17. Telephone Words

Struggle to find ways to help your logical-mathematical learners with their spelling? Telephone Words is the answer!

Grab an old landline phone and have students punch out their spelling words. They can record the words in letters and then in numbers. You can even have them add the numbers together to find the total value of the word.

18. Type your words

This is a classic but also a perfect activity for your linguistic learners. Set students up with a word document and have them type out their words.

You can change up this activity by:

Having students type their spelling words in all caps
Having them type them in all lowercase letters
Having them type each word in a different font
Having them type each word in a different size

If your district has a typing program, you can also have students use this program to practice spelling their words.

Back to School Spelling Activities (For Any List!)

All of these activities are easy and fun, but if you want (or need) to skip the prep, I’ve created a packet of engaging spelling activities that can be used with any list of words. The handouts are formatted and directions are written. No guesswork on your part. Simply print and go or use the included digital spelling activities too! Though they are Back to School Spelling Activities you can truly use them throughout the whole year!

Save These Spelling Activities

Pin this
to your favorite classroom Pinterest board so you can quickly come back
when you are ready for more fun spelling ideas or classroom tips.

The post 18 Easy and Fun Ways to Practice Spelling Words in the Classroom appeared first on Elementary Island.

Fun Spelling Practice for St. Patrick’s Day {Think Centers}

Jordana — Tue, 18 Feb 2020 19:45:00 +0000

Most students begin learning to spell in their first and second grade classrooms. Most early spelling words are words that need to be memorized because decoding them is not possible. These are called our sight words. Sight words are words that do not follow spelling rules nor do they follow the six syllable types.

These sight words need to be written, read and applied to your daily curriculum. Most teachers focus on including a few of the sight words amongst other words with a pattern. There is no right or wrong way to do it, but I want to offer some practice that will help a child visualize their words multiple times in a fun and meaningful way.

Over the school year, I incorporate spelling in our monthly theme. It offers variety to the students and they often like to color the pages afterwards. For March, we of course focus on St. Patrick’s Day! There are three areas I tend to focus on when creating my St. Patrick’s Day Spelling Activities, as you will see below.

1. Repeated Practice

Repeated practice is necessary for those sight words that we discussed earlier. These words need to be written and read over and over. These printables offer a variety of practice for this area and do a great job of adding a holiday element to keep students engaged.

These spelling practice pages have students writing and rewriting their words, adding one letter at a time as they complete the word, use their left and write hand to write and roll and spell for a variety of activities for this St. Patrick’s Day theme.

Rainbow words offers another opportunity for student to have repeated practice in a fun way that students will want to complete.

A picture find is a great way to incorporate partner work with their practice. Students will “hide” their spelling words amongst the picture and a partner will need to find them. If you would like a challenge, have the students write “oops words” in the picture (words that are ALMOST spelled correctly). This offers an extra challenge for the searcher!

2. Skills Based

This spelling packet also includes a few skills-based activities. Students will put words in ABC order, by the amount of letters they have, or sort by other means.

3. Application Activities

We all know that it’s not really “learned” until the students are able to apply their learning. Two activities are offered where students are asked to write their words within a writing. One way is through spelling sentences and the other way is through a holiday themed story with word bank.

Spelling does NOT have to be boring! These activities can transform your spelling centers and offer some fun to repeated practice! Are you ready for a change in mood from your students? Get the packet HERE.

If you are interested in other spelling packets available for other months, you can click HERE.

Or if you are looking for other amazing St. Patrick’s Day activities, please click HERE!

The post Fun Spelling Practice for St. Patrick’s Day {Think Centers} appeared first on Elementary Island.