This time of year quickly gets very busy quickly and stressful with testing on the horizon and end of year activities. Holidays and candy are always a fun way to relieve the stress and engage my students. It's also great for a behavior incentive (think Fun Friday activiites). This post shares a free Easter math activity that has students creating pictographs with ... Read More
Browse the archives below for even more great ideas
St. Patrick’s Day Math Graphing Activity
There are few things that catch my students' attention more than food or a celebration, so when I had the chance to add both to a math practice, I definitely took it. This post will share a free St. Patrick's Day math activity that uses cereal marshmallows while providing students with the opportunity to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. If you can't use real food in your ... Read More
Free Presidents’ Day Reading Activities (4th & 5th Grade)
Those winter months can be long and cold, so I look for any opportunity to mix things up in my classroom. Celebrating holidays can often add a little extra and engage students in reading. Presidents' Day provides a great opportunity to teach some history, while also changing up the daily routine just enough to get a little extra engagement from students. This post shares ... Read More
Valentine’s Day Math Graphing Activity
When Valentine's Day rolls around my students (and I) only have one thing on our minds... candy. I enjoy occasionally adding a sweet treat to my lessons to engage my students. This post shares a free Valentine's Day pictograph activity that combines math and conversation candy hearts. Can't use real candy in your lessons? Click here to check out a digital math activity ... Read More
Free Constructed Response Math Tasks (Winter-Themed)
Solving constructed response math tasks can be tricky for students. To help my students, we practiced this all year with different skills we are learning. The post shares more information about constructed response math questions and a few free 4th & 5th grade tasks with a winter theme that you can use to sneak in some extra practice with a relevant seasonal ... Read More
Free Groundhog Day Activities (4th & 5th Grade Reading)
During those first few months following the holidays, teachers and students can find themselves stuck in the winter blues. When February 2nd rolls around, I am always excited to implement a few easy-to-use activities for Groundhog Day to spice things up a bit in the classroom. This post will share free Groundhog Day activities for reading skills and comprehension. ... Read More
100th Day of School Activities for Upper Elementary
Are you looking for fun and engaging ways to celebrate the 100th day of school with your 4th and 5th grade students? As the years go on, the magic and fun of school slowly goes away for some students. However, 4th and 5th graders can have some "fun" celebrating the 100th day of school (and in a way that supports learning). This post shares ideas for math and literacy, as ... Read More
3 Christmas STEM Activities for Upper Elementary
Christmas is a time for family, friends, and fun. But it can also be a time for learning! If you're looking for some fun Christmas-themed STEM activities to do with your upper elementary students, you've come to the right place. In this blog post, we'll discuss three STEM activities that will keep your students engaged and learning during the holiday season. Let's get ... Read More
Free Veterans Day Reading Activities
Are you looking for a way to celebrate Veterans Day in your classroom? Do you want to teach students about the significance of honoring the day and recognizing the people it celebrates? In this post, I am sharing a free set of Veterans Day reading activities that will combine reading instruction and teaching the importance of Veterans Day. About the Veterans Day ... Read More
Leaf Salt Crystal Experiment
Adding seasonal activities to your day to day plans can keep students engaged and interested in what they're learning. Science experiments are no different! If you are looking for a great science activity to do with your upper elementary students this fall, this salt crystal experiment with leaves is one you don't want to miss. Keep reading for a full list of materials ... Read More
Leaf Chromatography Experiment
This is a fun and informative fall science activity that has a great content focus. This experiment explores how leaves change color in the fall. The purpose of the experiment is to get the students to understand that chlorophyll (which gives leaves the green color) masks the other colors in the leaves. In the winter, trees block water to the leaves breaking down the ... Read More
Free Labor Day Reading Activities
Are you looking for a way to engage your students with reading comprehension activities? An easy way to do this is to incorporate seasonal events and holidays into reading instruction or texts students are reading. This post will share with you a free set of Labor Day reading activities that you can use with your students as the holiday approaches. About the Free ... Read More
