Why Easy Spring STEM Activities for Elementary Students Are Beneficial

These hands-on spring STEM activities for elementary students offer an easy way for kids of all ages to develop essential skills. They allow our students to explore science, math, and engineering through creative challenges. These creative challenges lead to sparking curiosity and engagement.

As teachers, we are always looking for ways to grow young minds. STEM activities encourage our students to ask questions, test solutions, and learn through trial and error. They get a taste of the experiences of real scientists and engineers! By integrating STEM into the spring season, our students experience meaningful, interactive, and fun learning. Plus, these activities reinforce key concepts in science, math skills, and the engineering design process. And. . . if you add in an art component you can create an amazing STEAM challenge that your students will love.

Best of all, spring STEM uses simple materials. Everyday classroom supplies, recyclables, and even nature itself provide endless learning opportunities. Implementing STEM activities is a great way to make all of these great ideas come alive for kids of all different ages! Keep reading to learn about my favorite spring STEM activities and find different ways you can incorporate them into your classroom.

4 Fun Spring STEM Activities for Elementary Students

Now that we’ve explored why easy spring STEM activities for elementary students are so beneficial, let’s take a close look at some hands-on challenges that will get our students thinking like scientists and engineers!

I designed these activities to make learning fun, encourage problem-solving skills, and connect STEM concepts to the spring season. From launching Peeps with parachutes to racing eggs down custom-built tracks, your students will dive into interactive experiences. They’ll also get to construct sturdy bird nests and design boats that can withstand the rising floodwaters of spring!

Each challenge encourages your students to plan, build, test, and reflect. These are all key components of the engineering design process. Along the way, they’ll use collaboration to refine their designs and discover what works best.

1. The Great Peeps Escape: A STEM Parachute Challenge

The stakes are high, and the Peeps are in danger of being eaten! Their only hope? A well-designed parachute to carry them to safety. In this Spring STEM challenge, your students will become engineers, designing and testing parachutes to see which one travels the farthest. This is such a fun activity that students of all ages love. This is a great challenge to connect with your Easter activities, use as you learn about the power of wind, or just for fun on a spring day.

Each team will receive hands-on materials, such as straws, popsicle sticks, a coffee filter, a plastic egg half, pipe cleaners, chopsticks, masking tape, and yarn. Their mission? Build a parachute that will send their Peep soaring to freedom!

Before construction begins, your students will work in small groups to plan their design by sketching their parachutes and explaining how they’ll use their materials. Once the designs are set, the real challenge begins! With just 30 minutes to build, your teams must work efficiently to bring their vision to life.

Now comes the moment of truth. The ultimate test will be the launches! Each group gets three tosses to test their parachute’s distance. I don’t allow any modifications after the first toss. The farthest toss wins! Your students will collect data on all the launches, analyzing which designs soared the highest and which ones fell a little flat. They’ll also brainstorm what tweaks could improve the least successful designs and identify one extra material they would add to enhance their parachute.

To wrap things up, your students will reflect on their process. Did their design work as planned? What would they change if they had another shot? Plus, they’ll rate themselves on teamwork, construction skills, and adaptability.

2. A Fast-Paced STEM Challenge With Egg Races

Get ready for some high-speed action with the Egg Races! In this fun STEM activity, your students construct an inclined track to get their plastic eggs to the finish line as fast as possible. This is a great activity to connect to your force and motion unit.

Armed with construction paper, masking tape, pennies, cotton, paper clips, a stopwatch, and a ruler, they will have to design and build their egg track within the set time constraints. Using their creativity and understanding of motion, they’ll need to position their track at an incline from a spot of their choice in the classroom. There’s a catch! The track must be at least three feet long!

Once construction is complete, it’s time for the real test! Each team gets two attempts to send their egg racing down the track. The fastest time wins, but there’s more to this challenge than just speed. Your students will collect data on each group’s track, analyzing what worked best and what could be improved.

To wrap things up, your students will take a hands-on approach to reflection, thinking critically about their design. What adjustments would have made their track even faster? How did teamwork play a role in their success?

This challenge is a great way to bring problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and STEM learning into the classroom while keeping your students engaged. With spring STEM challenges like this one, your kiddos will have so much fun they won’t even realize they’re learning!

3. Building Bird Nests

Spring has sprung, and the birds need a safe, sturdy nest for their eggs! In this spring STEM challenge, your students will become engineers of nature. They will use problem-solving skills to design and build a nest that can securely hold an egg no matter the angle! This is the perfect STEM extension activity to your study of life cycles.

With only 4 popsicle sticks, 6 feet of yarn, and tape, your students must carefully construct a nest using only these materials. To support different learning levels, some of your students may receive extra tape and a piece of paper to help form a base. Older students can take on the challenge of fitting three eggs into their nest.

Before construction begins, have your students observe real bird nests and sketch their findings to identify common traits that help nests stay strong. Then, using the engineering design process, they will plan out their own creations and get to work!

When the 30-minute timer is up, it’s time for the real test. Go around, pick up, and move each nest to see if it securely holds its egg. If the egg stays put, the design passes the challenge! Your students will then categorize nests into two groups, successful and need improvement. Then, they will analyze what worked, what didn’t, and why.

The challenge ends with your students reflecting on their designs and considering what changes they would make next time. By the end, they may even have a newfound respect for how birds manage to build such strong nests in nature! This challenge is truly a great way to blend critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and STEM learning while making spring STEM projects so much fun!

4. Floating Boats Makes For A Fun Spring STEM Challenge

March is here, and with it, there is a bunch of rain that just won’t stop! With floodwaters rising, your students must engineer a boat that will float the longest using only the materials provided. This spring STEM challenge combines problem-solving skills, hands-on learning, and critical thinking as they work together to build, test, and refine their floating designs. This would be a fantastic activity for a rainy day and indoor recess.

First, create groups with about 2-3 students. Each group will receive either toothpicks, marshmallows, or jellybeans to build their boats. You’ll also need a tank full of water to put their creations to the test. Younger children can use marshmallows since they’re easier to work with, while older kids will take on the extra challenge of using toothpicks and jellybeans for a sturdier design.

With a designated time limit, your students must brainstorm, sketch, and build their boats, ensuring their structure can stay afloat without help. As soon as each boat goes into the water, the stopwatch will start. Their goal is to have the boat that stays afloat the longest!

After all boats are tested, your students will analyze their results. They will compare which designs floated the longest and why. Did the shape of the boat impact stability? What would they change to make it even better? Through this hands-on experiment, your students will discover the concepts of buoyancy, balance, and design in action that is engaging and fun!

This challenge is a fantastic way to bring STEM learning to life while making the most of the spring season. With a mix of scientific methods, creative engineering, and teamwork, this activity is a great experiment that your students will remember!

Why Easy Spring STEM Activities for Elementary Students Are Powerful

Spring is the perfect time to spark curiosity and creativity with these fun STEM activities. You can find all of these fun STEM challenges in my Spring STEM Activity Pack. Whether you use these fun spring activities throughout the season or plan a STEM Day before spring break, you can’t go wrong. Your students will be engaged in hands-on learning that strengthens their problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and teamwork. These challenges encourage your students to think like engineers, test their ideas, and reflect on their designs. All of this can be done while having so much fun!

Try a Free STEM Activity for Your Classroom!

New to STEM? Looking for a fun and engaging way to introduce STEM to your students? I have the perfect freebie for you! This easy STEM project is designed to spark curiosity, promote problem-solving skills, and get your students excited about learning through hands-on activities. All of this with minimal prep!

This free activity comes straight from my Seasonal STEM Engineering Challenges Bundle. Whether you’re just starting with STEM or looking for a fresh idea to mix into your lessons, this activity is a great way to make learning interactive and exciting for your students.

What’s Included in the Freebie?

This easy STEM activity gives your students the opportunity to think like engineers while working through the engineering design process. The free printables packet includes:

• A STEM challenge prompt to get your students thinking and planning.
• Planning, recording, and reflection sheets so they can document their work.
• A fun, hands-on challenge that promotes creativity, critical thinking, and teamwork.

Everything is designed to be low-prep and high-engagement. This makes it perfect for a quick activity or an extension to your STEM lessons!

It’s easy to grab your free STEM activity. All you need to do is fill out the form below and the free STEM activity will be sent straight to your inbox! You can also learn more about the resource by exploring Easy STEM Activity to Excite Your Students.

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If you’re looking to bring fresh ideas into your lesson plans, these favorite books for November are a great way to connect to history, gratitude, and the fall season while tying in engaging cross-curricular activities. I’ll even show you how to make some of your favorite Thanksgiving books connect with a hands-on STEM challenge.

I’ve also included a link to my November activities opt-in, connecting a popular read-aloud, Plump and Perky Turkey. Whether you’re planning for close reading, writing time, or some creative morning work, these books will give you plenty of options that are both fun and purposeful.

Why Favorite Read Alouds for November Matter

Using favorite read alouds for November is a great way to add depth to your classroom routines without overloading your schedule. This time of year naturally invites conversations around gratitude, family, and national holidays. This can lead to powerful connections in your classroom. I love taking these themes and helping my students explore them through character traits, story elements, and meaningful discussion.

Books like The Poppy Lady, which tells the story of Moina Belle Michael, offer a good introduction to Veterans Day and provide context in a kid-friendly way. Others, like Squanto’s Journey, help highlight the Native American culture often left out of the more traditional history of Thanksgiving lessons (more on this below!). Both are wonderful books for helping our students think critically and empathetically.

Maybe it’s your students’ first time learning about the first Thanksgiving, or maybe they’re revisiting a familiar character like the old lady who swallowed a pie. Either way, these books support older students and younger ones alike in developing a richer understanding of seasonal traditions.

Favorite Read-Alouds for November That Spark STEM and Storytelling

One of my favorite ways to bring the fall season to life in the classroom is by combining stories with STEM. These Thanksgiving STEM activities help my students think critically, work collaboratively, and connect what they read to what they create. And. . . the last week or two before the Thanksgiving break is the perfect time to pair some hands-on STEM with a great November book. Whether it’s designing a table or building a turkey launcher, there’s something about hands-on problem-solving that takes a great read-aloud to the next level.

Here’s how each STEM activity works, including favorite read-alouds for November that pair well with each activity:

STEM Challenge 1: Thanksgiving Feast – Build a Table That Can Hold the Most Food

In this challenge, your students design and construct a Thanksgiving table using classroom supplies that can support the most weight. This is tested by placing books on top. It’s a perfect opportunity to introduce concepts like balance, load distribution, and measurement. It’s also fun to see whose table holds up and whose topples over!

Pair this activity with Stone Soup, a classic picture book and great story about strangers who teach a village the value of sharing. The message connects beautifully to the idea of a Thanksgiving dinner where everyone contributes. It’s also a great setup for talking about story elements, like setting and theme, while tying in teamwork from the STEM challenge.

STEM Challenge 2: Mayflower Voyage – Build a Boat That Can Carry Pilgrims Across the Ocean

In this challenge, your students create a boat that can float and hold as many “Pilgrims” (pennies, bears, or small cubes) as possible before sinking. It’s a great time to explore buoyancy, surface area, and trial and error through building and testing. You can guide your students through redesigns based on what worked and what didn’t.

I recommend reading If You Sailed on the Mayflower in 1620 to lay the groundwork. This great book gives students a solid foundation for the journey the Pilgrims took to reach Plymouth Rock. It answers common questions, includes detailed information on the first Thanksgiving, and works well as a good introduction to the broader historical unit. For a more reflective tone, Squanto’s Journey by Joseph Bruchac adds meaningful insight into Native American culture and cooperation during the early settlement.

STEM Challenge 3: Native American Homes – Design a Weatherproof Shelter

In this activity, your students are tasked with building a Native American home that can stand up to simulated weather. To make the different elements, I make wind from a hair dryer, rain from a spray bottle, or snow from crushed ice. It connects to science concepts, like insulation and structural design, while honoring family traditions and survival strategies of the past.

Before building, try reading The Very First Americans by Cara Ashrose. It gives a kid-friendly look into Native Americans, exploring the different materials and homes used by tribes across the country. It’s a great way to bring authenticity and respect to the conversation, especially for upper elementary students who are ready to think deeper. You could also read The Legend of the Bluebonnet by Tomie dePaola to explore themes of bravery and weather through a cultural lens.

STEM Challenge 4: Turkey Escape – Build a Turkey Launcher

This one’s a student favorite! Tom the Turkey needs to escape town and fast. Your students need to design a turkey launcher that propels him to safety. Once they launch him, they practice measuring how far he can go and improving their designs with each test.

The perfect read-aloud for this? Turkey Trouble by Wendi Silvano. In this adorable book, a turkey disguises himself as a variety of different animals to avoid becoming the main course at the Thanksgiving feast. It’s filled with humor, has a familiar character, and inspires so many creative writing responses. It’s also a great way to spark brainstorming before your students begin planning their escape strategies for Tom.

More Favorite Read-Alouds for November

If you’re teaching younger readers or looking for titles that are just right for your kiddos, these favorite read-alouds for November are sure to bring laughter, learning, and plenty of seasonal charm to your classroom. These books celebrate friendship, gratitude, history, and the joy of family traditions. All things that make this time of year so special.

Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet

This nonfiction book has beautiful illustrations that introduce your students to Tony Sarg, the creator of the balloons in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. With vivid artwork and a playful tone, the book shows how one inventor’s imagination helped shape a treasured national holiday tradition. It’s a fantastic way to blend history, art, and STEM. Plus, your kiddos will love hearing the story behind the parade they’ve seen on TV.

Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving by Laurie Halse Anderson

This great book shares the true story of Sarah Hale. She spent decades writing letters and campaigning to make Thanksgiving a national holiday. Her persistence finally paid off when President Lincoln made it official. The book is both empowering and entertaining. It shows that even one voice can make a big difference. It’s a great introduction to persuasive writing and history all at once.

The Littlest Pilgrim by Brandi Dougherty

This adorable story follows Mini, a little girl who wants to help prepare for the Thanksgiving feast but keeps being told she’s too small. The gentle message about kindness and finding your purpose is perfect for your younger readers. Plus, it’s a sweet jumping-off point for writing prompts about how we help our family members or show kindness to others.

Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson

Told in rhyme, this sweet book follows Bear as he wants to throw a big meal for his friends. He realizes he has nothing to offer. Luckily, all his woodland pals arrive with food, creating a heartwarming story about friendship, community, and gratitude. It’s a cozy choice for any morning meeting or reading circle during the fall season.

The Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie by Alison Jackson

This hilarious book is a seasonal spin on a classic format, with the old lady swallowing everything from a pie to a turkey to a pot. It’s silly, repetitive, and packed with language patterns perfect for story element discussions or sequencing activities. Your students will be quoting it for the rest of the week!

Peyton Picks the Perfect Pie by Jack Bishop

Peyton is a picky eater who’s dreading Thanksgiving until she discovers a perfect pie that just might change her mind. This adorable book is full of rich vocabulary and subtle messages about trying new things and keeping an open mind. It’s a great lead-in to class pie graphs, descriptive writing, or even a classroom taste test.

Grab Your Free November Activities!

Ready to bring even more fun and learning into your classroom? You can get a whole set of ready-to-use activities when you sign up for my free November Activities resource! This pack is designed to give your students a chance to respond through writing, creativity, and critical thinking. Inside, you’ll find an open-ended “How to Make…” activity that lets your students share family food traditions and a pie graph practice page.

One of my favorite pieces in the pack is the How to Catch a Plump and Perky Turkey writing prompt. It’s a student favorite every year! After reading a favorite Thanksgiving book, like A Plump and Perky Turkey (it’s the perfect book for this writing activity), your students use the fun template to write their own plan for catching a sneaky bird. It’s perfect for morning work, writing block, or a quick and meaningful close reading follow-up.

Help Your Students Make Connections With These Favorite Read-Alouds for November

Whether you’re reading about a clever turkey, exploring the history behind the first Thanksgiving, or diving into a STEM challenge that brings the story to life, these favorite read-alouds for November offer so many opportunities to engage your students in meaningful, memorable ways. The fall season is full of chances to spark curiosity, celebrate kindness, and connect through shared stories. I hope these book pairings and related activities help you create a classroom filled with joy, laughter, and so much fun learning for November.

Save for Later

Don’t let these ideas slip away! Save this post to your November classroom ideas or Thanksgiving activities board on Pinterest so you’ll have a go-to list of favorite read-alouds for November right when you need them. Whether it’s planning for next week or next year, you’ll be glad you saved these fall picture books!

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The post Favorite Read Alouds for November for Teachers and Students appeared first on Elementary Island.

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!

• 9 Effective Strategies for Increasing Student Engagement
• EASY Stem Activity to Get Your Students Excited {FREEBIE}
• 5 Halloween/Fall Activities to Engage Your Students

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!

Save these Fun and Engaging November Activities for Elementary Students

Remember to save this post to your favorite teacher Pinterest board for quick access to these November activities for elementary students!

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

What are STEM Activities?

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Undoubtedly, these are all essential skills our students should be exposed to during their learning career, and students are never too young to start. STEM activities are designed to be hands-on learning and allow for a great opportunity to take our elementary engineers through the design process.

 
These St. Patrick’s Day STEM challenges are usually presented as problems for students to solve with specific supplies and parameters to be followed. The best part about STEM activities is that the focus is more on the engineering design process than the final product. Students are encouraged to reflect on their design and think about how they could improve it.

The four basic steps to any STEM activity include:

1. The problem presented to the students

2. Research and plan

3. Construction

4. Analyze and reflect

I can tell you from experience, students will love these fun STEM activities for March. As a matter of fact, they’re more focused during STEM challenges than any other St. Patrick’s Day activity! My students always beg for extra time on STEM challenges—some even ask to skip recess to keep working on their projects! That’s definitely a win-win in my book!

March STEM Activities

To start, let’s talk about some hands-on STEM activities for March that will not only be fun, but educational as well. It can feel overwhelming to try to come up with fun challenges that follow the STEM engineering process and won’t take a hit on the pocketbook! That’s why I’m here with 4 hands-on activities you can easily do with your students using simple, affordable materials!

The Design Process

First, I want to share with you what every STEM challenge will have for the teacher and students. From my research, I have noticed that other STEM activities would often leave off one of these design process steps – either research or reflection. I understand time is limited in the classroom, but ALL these steps are imperative to learning. These materials I have provided will help the teacher plan and prep and will help the students by taking them through the design process.

• Design Brief – The brief is an overview of the STEM challenge. It will display the difficulty level, problem or backstory, the challenge, criteria for the build, and suggested materials.
• Teacher Brief – Materials needed, suggested differentiation options, and rules for the challenge.
• Anchor Chart – A colorful one-page poster to display at the front of the classroom to remind students of the challenge
• Plan Sheets – Students can fill these out individually or in groups. They are asked to get their ideas down on paper first.
• Data Collection Forms – Document the data collected from the challenge
• Reflection Sheet – Asks students to reflect and think about how they can improve their design.

One question I always get from teachers is “Can you include an example in your STEM packets?”  The short answer is absolutely not.  That will deter students from creating their own original ideas together, as a group. Generally, if you give a design example to five student groups, you’ll get five identical results. Sadly, students are trained to believe there is only one correct answer.  Through STEM, your students will learn that there are a variety of ways to accomplish a goal.  Undeniably, that is one big beauty of STEM in the classroom!

Now, let’s take a look at the four awesome STEM challenges for March:

1. Bucket Towers

This challenge asks students to build towers to hide the pot of gold from sneaky leprechauns! The following components are the criteria: (1) The tower must be able to stand on its own and (2) the tower must be able to hold gold coins. That’s it! Then the students are free to create their tower after research.

Essential Skills Practiced:

Let’s get a little more in-depth on the skills this challenge encourages:

1. Engineering and Design: Students design and build towers using materials like straws, masking tape, plastic cups, scissors, string, and marshmallows. This involves planning, creativity, and problem-solving to construct a stable tower that can stand on its own and support the weight of the gold.
2. Structural Engineering: Building towers that can stand independently and support the weight requires an understanding of structural engineering principles. Students need to consider the strength and stability of their designs to ensure they meet the specified criteria.
3. Material Science: The challenge introduces students to different materials (straw, tape, cups, string, marshmallows) and requires them to consider the properties of these materials in constructing their towers. This encourages an understanding of material science and how materials can be used for specific purposes.
4. Problem Solving: As students encounter challenges or difficulties in building their towers, they engage in problem-solving to overcome obstacles. This skill is essential in STEM fields, where finding solutions to real-world problems is a common practice.
5. Collaboration: Working in teams to construct towers promotes collaboration and teamwork. Students share ideas, distribute tasks, and contribute collectively to the success of the project.
6. Creativity: Designing and building towers with limited materials requires creativity. Students must think outside the box to create effective and stable structures to hide the pots of gold.

Wow! Now you can see all the real-life skills a simple themed STEM activity can address! Surprisingly, your students will be on your case for another experiment all. the. time….

2. Lucky Rainbows

This STEM challenge is super fun and easy to complete. Teachers ask students to construct the longest rainbow using pipe cleaners, marshmallows, and Fruit Loops to help the leprechaun find his gold coins. Then, students measure their constructed rainbows to determine which team built the longest one! What I love about these challenges is they are easily adaptable for any grade level. If measurement isn’t your standard, the younger studtns can simply count the Fruit Loops.

This activity is a fun way for students to demonstrate engineering skills, teamwork, measurement skills and adaptability. Once cone, they will collect and analyze data and then interpret the data to answer questions about the challenge.

3. Marshmallow Catapult

In this STEM challenge, students will be using Lucky Charms. We all know the leprechaun loves those sugary marshmallows! Teachers ask students to construct a catapult to launch marshmallows as far as possible. The suggested materials for this challenge are a plastic spoon, rubber bands, popsicle sticks, a small plastic cup, straws, and Lucky Charms marshmallows.

As a teacher, one of the “perks” of STEM is if you don’t have a suggested material, you can substitute it for something else or leave out completely! The same holds true for the rules. If they are too difficult, adjust them for your students. STEM is very versatile and students are always up for the challenge of creating with what they have. You will be amazed at the outcome!

Students are basically constructing simple machines in this St. Patrick’s Day activity. This is the perfect way to expand on the science behind simple machines by introducing vocabulary like level, force, and projectiles.  Depending on your level of students, this challenge not only allows student to have fun with a creative project but also introduces them to the principles of simple machines, force, and energy transfer.

4. Leprechaun Launch

For the final challenge, students are asked to design a launch to take the leprechaun AWAY from all the leprechaun traps that pop up during this time of year! Through research and design, students will come up with amazing ways to fly that leprechaun out of trouble with the leprechaun launcher!

Add STEM to Your March Plans

These fun, affordable St. Patrick’s Day STEM activities keep students engaged while meeting learning goals! These challenges are simple and easy to introduce to your curriculum. Designed with a purpose, each of these STEM challenges includes simple materials and supplies that are easy to find, super affordable (you can even ask parents for donations) and follow the STEM design process. If you’re ready to give them a try, click the cover below!

Try STEM in Your Classroom

If you haven’t jumped on board the STEM train yet, now’s the perfect time to start! These challenges are more than just fun, hands-on activities—they’re opportunities for students to think critically, collaborate, and apply real-world problem-solving skills in a meaningful way.

Still unsure? No problem! I’ve got a FREE STEM Activity Packet for you to test out in your classroom. This engaging activity pairs perfectly with the book Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon and is an excellent introduction to STEM, even if you’ve never tried it before.

STEM isn’t just another trend—it’s a powerful teaching tool that fosters curiosity, creativity, and confidence in young learners. Whether you incorporate these challenges regularly or just sprinkle them in for special occasions like St. Patrick’s Day, you’ll see firsthand how excited and engaged your students become when faced with a challenge that encourages them to think outside the box.

So why not give it a try? Grab your FREE STEM Activity Packet, and watch your students dive into the engineering process with enthusiasm! You’ll be amazed at what they can create.

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Be sure to save these easy and affordable STEM activities for March to your favorite Pinterest teacher board so you can come back anytime in the future for engaging STEM activities during this fun holiday!

The post Easy St. Patrick’s Day STEM Activities for Elementary Kids appeared first on Elementary Island.

1. Spring Dots Drawing

• green leaves budding on trees
• warmer temperatures
• seasonal flowers blooming (ex-tulips, daffodils)
• new animal babies (ex-bunnies, chicks)

Ask students to choose their favorite thing about Spring and create a dot drawing!  Simply give each student a piece of dot paper, and students will color the dots in a pattern to create a picture.  If you would like the dot paper I use (plus some other spring activities), you can grab mine here for free!

2. Spring Math Crafts 

Crafts and coloring are so much fun, but we still have to get work done.  Right?  Why not do both with Spring themed Craftivities?  

A “craftivity” is the combination of an educational activity with a craft that involves cutting, coloring, and/or gluing.  Students enjoy these because as they are working on reviewing important standards, they get to have the fun of being artistic!

If you are interested in using craftivities in your classroom, you’ve got to check out these amazing Spring themed math crafts! 

• Spring Caterpillar and Flower Craftivity 
• Spring Bunny and Basket Craftivity

Each of these craftivity sets includes math practice for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Simply choose the option that best meets the needs of your students. Not only will students get the chance to review important math standards, but they will create the most adorable spring crafts!  These finished projects, along with the cross-curricular writing prompts included, make a sweet Spring bulletin board that your students will be proud to have helped make!

3. Spring Adjectives

• bunnies: soft, furry, cuddly
• tulips: bright, colorful, slender
• leaves: green, waxy, tender

4. Easter Egg Hunt

5. Flower Graphic Organizer

6. Spring STEM Activities

With Spring Fever in full swing as soon as the weather warms, every teacher needs some engaging activities to keep those restless bodies moving!  The best way to allow students movement and chatter is to incorporate STEM activities!

Students get to work in partners or groups, talk and share ideas, and think creatively while solving a problem!  

Sounds amazing, I know!  Check out these Spring themed STEM activities which require only a few simple materials, most of which you already have, and very little prep!

Your students are sure to be engaged with activities like:

• Creating the fastest Egg Race
• Constructing a Peeps Parachute
• Creating a nest to hold an egg
• Constructing a Peeps Boat

When students are engaged in STEM activities like these, they are much more likely to push through that Spring Fever that causes them to lose motivation to learn.  

7. Rainbow Clouds

8. Spring Mystery

While Spring is a beautiful season, it can also be pretty hectic with everything going on this time of year.  A print-and-go activity that requires virtually no prep is such a lifesaver for busy teachers!

When dealing with Spring though, not just any old boring worksheet will do.  Choose printable resources that are different from what you might typically do in class but also require students to review previously taught skills and think critically.

It sounds like a lot to ask, but a solution is easier than you think!  Try a Spring “Who Done It?” Mystery!  Students work out math problems to crack codes to figure out which bunny stole the missing Easter eggs!

Students will love the fact they have to solve a mystery, but you will love that they are actively engaged in reviewing important math standards!

9. Grass Buddies

• Give students cups to decorate to look like a person.  
• Students should add soil, then poke holes in the soil.  
• Have students place seeds in the holes and cover them with soil.  
• Students should then add a little water to dampen the soil and leave their cups in the sun.

Once students have created their Grass Buddies, they should write their own version of the directions and illustrate each step.  Grab your free “How To” paper here!

Be sure to give students time in class to check out their Grass Buddies over the next few days!  It’s the perfect science connection for life cycles and needs of a plant.  Let them document their day-to-day observations in their science journal. 

10. Spring Observations

Give your students the chance to observe and share what they think is important about Spring!  On a nice day, take your students outside and let them choose a place to sit where they can focus and not be distracted.  Tell them to sit quietly and focus on what they smell, hear, feel, taste, and see.

Once back in the classroom, ask each student to fill out and color a Spring Observation sheet.  Not only will students write information they found while they were outside, but they can use their prior knowledge about Spring as well.

Allow students to share their finished pages with the class, then hang them in the hallway for a sweet reminder of why they love Spring!

Spring Activities for the Win!

Pin these Spring Activities for later!

  

The post 10 Amazing Spring Activities For Your Classroom appeared first on Elementary Island.

What are STEM Activities?

1. The problem presented to students
2. Research and plan
3. Build
4. Analyze and reflect

These steps are similar to and go along with the design process in an easy to understand way students love!

Winter STEM Activities

1. Sledding Ramp 

2. Tallest Snowman

3. Igloo Home

4. Marshmallow Shooter

This STEM challenge gets kids excited to build a marshmallow shooter that will launch marshmallows towards an opponent. The catch is, they also have to think about how they will stay out of range of the other team’s marshmallow shooter. 

Try STEM in Your Classroom

Add STEM to your Winter Plans

These easy and affordable winter STEM activities are the key to keeping your students engaged and hitting their learning goals during the busy month of December, or the long month of January when outdoor play is limited. 

Each of these STEM challenges includes materials and supplies that are easy to find and super affordable. You can even ask parents to send in donations of some of the materials you will be using. 

Pin it!

The post 4 Easy and Affordable STEM Activities for Winter appeared first on Elementary Island.

I love to plan fun activities and projects surrounding holidays and new seasons throughout the year. This helps students stay engaged, learn and have so much fun at the same time. Celebrating Christmas is an extra special time for children. Make learning memorable by incorporating all the fun and magic of Christmas into the classroom. Planning for Christmas learning in the classroom doesn’t have to be overwhelming, expensive, or an all-day meeting time sucker. These are some of my favorite activities for the holiday season.  Literally, smack a reindeer or Santa onto anything and the students are excited to work!  

Get the Class into the Christmas Spirit

The very first thing I do is create Elf Names for all my students!  This kicks off the joy of the season in such a fun way.  Elf names are generated by their own name and birth date.  Then we add new name tags to our desk with our Elf name and students are able to color and personalize them!  If you only do one thing, grab my  Elf Name freebie because it is always a crowd-pleaser.   I remember one of my students saying, “I’m going to have my family call me this all month!” (I’m sure they enjoyed that  

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Fun Christmas Activities

Color by Codes

STEM Projects

One person stated: This was a great resource to use during the Christmastime period. It kept my students engaged and learning even with Christmastime lingering on their minds.

Christmas Crafts

Christmas Games

Who Done It? Cases

Classic Games

Christmas Books

Happy Classroom Holidays!

Save These Christmas Activities for Later!

  

The post 7 standards-based Christmas activities students will enjoy appeared first on Elementary Island.

This Halloween STEM Activity pack includes four activities with planning, recording, and reflections sheets. In these four activities students will be:

• Constructing the tallest haunted house
• Creating a web to catch the most spiders
• Creating the most life-like skeleton
• Stacking candy corn to create the tallest structure

Take a Look at the Four Halloween STEM Activities

1. Spider Webs

In this activity, students will be constructing a spider web to collect the most spiders for their spooky Halloween scene. Students will be working in groups of three. Students may only use the materials given to them which will be: 6 popsicle sticks, tape, yarn, pipe cleaners, and scissors.

For the first step, students will use the plan sheet to determine what their spider web will look like. They can look to the internet for ideas and then record and sketch their ideas. Students will use the next sheet to record their data for their first and second attempts. The questions provided will help them to analyze their data. Finally, students will use the reflection sheet to determine what worked with their spider web, and what they would do differently next time.

This Spider Webs activity is sure to keep your students engaged and learning! It also has differentiation included for your lower-level learners and advanced learners!

2. Scary Skeletons

The next activity your students will love is the Scary Skeletons! In this activity, students will need to get creative to construct a skeleton out of Q-tips to help decorate the classroom. The challenge is that the skeleton needs to be realistic! The most realistic skeleton voted by the class is the winner!

Students will need to research skeletons carefully and then create their skeletons on paper. Students will be in groups of 2-3. The materials they will need are: Q-tips, scissors, glue, a skeleton head, and a piece of black construction paper. You may also print out a paper of the human skeleton if you would prefer to have your students stay off the internet.

Included is the plan sheet where students can design their skeleton. On the next page, students can collect and analyze their data by giving each group a number from 1-10 on how they would rate their skeleton. The reflection sheet allows students to analyze how they liked their skeleton and what they would do differently the next time. There is also a rubric where students can rate themselves on how well they feel they did on the project.

3. Haunted House Homes

For this exciting activity, students get to create a haunted house that will give the ghouls an area to spook! For this challenge, the haunted house must be free-standing, have three towers, and the tallest point must be at least one foot tall. They also only have 30 minutes to create their haunted house!

Students will be in groups of 2-3 and may only use the materials provided. The materials students will need are: construction paper, tape, Play-doh, two toilet paper rolls, ten popsicle sticks, scissors, and a ruler. There is also a page full of ghouls that students may use for fun!

Using the plan sheet students will design their haunted house and determine what they need to do to make it free-standing. They will also sketch out their haunted house and decide how they will use the materials to create their house. Next, they will use the Data Collection and Analysis page to compare each table’s haunted houses. The Reflection Sheet allows students to think about what worked in the design of their haunted house and how they could improve next time.

4. Candy Corn Stack

This last activity is sure to get your students thinking and having fun! For this last challenge, students will need to stack candy corn as high as they can! The challenge is it must be free-standing, they are only allowed to use the materials provided, and they only have 20 minutes! The group with the highest stack at the end of the time period wins!

The plan sheet will help help your students design their stack with questions such as; what their base should look like. On the Data and Collection Analysis page students will use a table to make comparisons of each table to see which group had the highest stack. This page also includes questions to analyze why a stack was high or why it wasn’t. Lastly, the reflection sheet gives your students a page to think about what they did differently at the beginning of the activity versus the end of the activity. Students will then use the rubric to grade themselves on how well they did in the activity.

As the Halloween season approaches, I hope you and your class can use these Halloween STEM Activities! I know they will keep your students excited about the holiday while still learning and challenging them implementing STEM in the classroom!

I’d love to see how you used these Halloween STEM Activities in your classroom! Take a picture and tag me on Instagram or Facebook!

If you’re looking for a FREE stem activity to try out in your classroom, you can try this Easy STEM activity to get your kids excited!  It’s a great introduction to the format of all my seasonal STEM activities.

The post Four Fun Halloween STEM Activities to celebrate the season using the STEM process appeared first on Elementary Island.

Mindset

Materials

• LEGOS
• Q-tips
• Pipe Cleaners
• Paper clips
• Toilet Paper rolls
• Straws
• Play-Doh

Technology

Process

I like my students to know that STEM is a process.  It’s about designing, building, reflecting and MODIFYING.  Boy….. do they not like that last part!  Modifying is such an important part in this process because NOTHING is completed correctly the first time.  I always like to tie this back to any learning that we are doing.

If I have groups working together at one time, I like my students to let me know where they are in the process.  That way I can easily tell how much time was devoted to each area.  

You can grab my design process posters HERE.

Math

Plus…. this turns everything into a competition!   As if you didn’t have buy-in before, you surely do now!

If you are interested in trying STEM in your classroom, you may want to read my post “Easy STEM Activity to get Students Excited.”  You will be able to download a freebie of exactly what I use in the classroom to showcase all the steps.  Happy building!

If you are interested in more STEM, you can check out my holiday STEM activities in my TeachersPayTeachers store for purchase.

The post How to Implement STEM in the Classroom appeared first on Elementary Island.

How Do You Teach STEM in an Elementary Classroom?

I always get this question when I talk about completing STEM challenges in my 2nd grade classroom. The answer is, easily.  STEM challenges do not need to be difficult and time-consuming. The mindset of the teacher plays an important role. Teachers need to be excited to bring STEM into the classroom!  I get it, I’ve been there, “but I don’t have the money to be providing supplies to my students and the district won’t help.”  That’s why I found it important to create quick STEM activities using simple supplies – supplies that probably came with your district science kits that nobody uses… but I digress.

STEM follows a designed approach that can be completed whole-group.  One important aspect is to introduce the steps of the STEM design process one at a time as we go through a STEM challenge and then hang anchor charts up around the room for reference. This Atop of the Tower challenge is a perfect starting point! 

What Exactly is STEM?

What does a STEM Lesson look like?

Through this activity and the planning pages, you are introducing STEM education in a fun way that young children and older children will enjoy using basic supplies! They will learn that there is no “best way,” but different ways that students can tackle the challenge using their engineering skills. Here are some examples of towers that were created using pencils. {Molly Lou has been removed} 

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Are you already a tried and true STEM fan? Looking for some simple STEM activities for the holidays? check out my Seasonal STEM Activities HERE.

I’d love to read any comments you have below! Have fun!

The post EASY Stem Activity to Get Your Students Excited {FREEBIE} appeared first on Elementary Island.

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!

The post Activities to Engage Students after Winter Break {with a FREEBIE} appeared first on Elementary Island.