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Bellringer Activities for Elementary Students

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Bellringer Activities for Elementary Students

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A bellringer is an activity, small assignment or mini-assessment that students complete when they first enter the classroom. Bellringers typically consist of questions or prompts related to the concept(s) currently discussed in class

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20 Digital Bellringer Activities to Kickstart Class

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20 Digital Bellringer Activities to Kickstart Class

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https://ditchthattextbook.com/10-digital-bell-ringer-activities-to-kickstart-class-part-1/

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Quality bell ringers are crucial - quick activities to get students going at the beginning of class, when the bell has just rung.

For these first five or ten minutes of class (OK, probably more the five than the ten), we have our students' most attention. It's the most focused they'll likely be for us all day.

If we squander that time, the rest of our time with them suffers.

But if we seize the opportunity that it is, we can spark interest and hook students into a lesson.

One of the hooks from the book Teach Like a PIRATE that's most memorable to me is the Board Message Hook.

In a book about engaging students, the idea of meeting students with something that's eye-catching and thought-provoking - a statement or a picture or whatever - really resonated with me.

Put a photo of something seemingly random on the board that eventually ties into the lesson of the day.

Write a controversial or surprising statement on the board.

Display a QR code on the board and see if students scan it.

The idea here is to meet students in the first moments of class with something that intrigues them and makes them want to dive deeper into the day's work.

The traditional model for bell ringer activities - the first activities students do before starting into the substance of the class - is to do some basic, quick questions:

Simple problems in math

Verb conjugations in foreign language

Comprehension questions in English/language arts

Review questions from the previous day's history lesson

So, so forgettable. So easy to do without any real thinking.
Let's come up with some bell ringer activities that inspire students, that trigger thinking and discussion. When we pull some of the incredible digital tools available to us, we can kick these bell ringer activities up to another level.

10 digital bell ringer activities you can use tomorrow! FREE ebook

20 ideas for great digital bell ringer activities

Whether you have digital devices for your students or not, these should stimulate some new ideas for kicking off class in an engaging way:

1. Add speech bubbles to a historic photo.

Add a new twist to a lesson by letting students speak - or think - for the characters. My favorite way to do this is with Google Drawings (for creating individual images) or Google Slides (for having each student create a slide in a shared presentation). Do an image search for a historic photo and add that photo to the drawing or slide. Then add speech bubbles. (If using Drawings/Slides, it's in the shapes under the "callouts" category.) This is higher-order thinking! Students must know their facts and understand the people involved very well to be able to think for them. Kick the Depth of Knowledge level up even higher by having students justify their thinking and explain why they wrote what they did.

Example: Washington crossing the Delaware. Find the historic painting and add a thought bubble for Washington. (Then, add a thought bubble for a soldier too!)
Resource: Caption This! A fun, deep-thinking Google Drawings activity
2. Ask a character/historic figure a question.

What if students could ask someone they're studying a question? What would they ask, and how would that person likely respond? This is another that can be done quickly and easily in Google Slides or Drawings. Let students take a photo of themselves using Insert > Image > Take a snapshot. Then, use the image search to find a photo of the person to whom they'll ask the question. Add speech bubbles to ask questions. Students could ask one question with one answer from the character/historic figure, or they could do a back-and-forth with several photos.

Example: Asking Sir Isaac Newton a question about how he concluded that gravity was due to the pull from the earth.

3. Create a flowchart.

Sticking with the Google Slides/Drawings idea, have students express their understanding of a concept with a flowchart. This can easily be done with shapes and arrows (found under the line tool) in Slides and Drawings. A single line throughout a flowchart makes for more of a timeline and less of a flowchart, so any time it can branch off, the flowchart is made more interesting! (Pro tip: copy (Ctrl+C) and paste (Ctrl+V) the shapes and arrows to save time.)

Example: Go through the process of deciding what to have for lunch and all of the decisions made in that process.
Resource: Deeper thinking with timeline projects
4. Make comic strips out of webcam photos.

Those webcams don't have to be just for selfie-style photos (especially those with peace fingers and duck lips ...). Have students back away from the camera and pose to recreate scenes of what you're studying. Or, have them sit side by side and have a discussion. This makes the students the stars of their own comic strips!

Example: Recreating a scene from a story or having a discussion about something they're learning in class.
Resource: Crash! Bang! Boom! How to add Google Drawings comic strips to your class
5. Create a quick animation.

Google Slides (or PowerPoint or any presentation slide tool) can be turned into a simple stop-motion animation tool. Create the first slide in your animation, then duplicate it, then move something slightly in the second slide. Duplicate the second slide and move something slightly in the third. Continue duplicating and moving until your animation is complete. Once your students have the hang of this, they can make animations pretty quickly.

Example: Recreating historic battles with moving maps ( here's a brief, incomplete example of the Battle of Little Big Horn) or showing how a math problem is completed.
Resource: Learning in motion: EASY stop-motion animation with Google Slides Resource: 11 tips for creating stop motion in Google Slides
6. Create BookSnaps of what you're reading.

In BookSnaps, students find a passage from a book they're reading that resonates with them. They snap a picture of it and annotate on it, underlining and adding text reflections and including fun things like emojis and Bitmojis (optional). There are variations of these, like MathSnaps, ScienceSnaps and even GratitudeSnaps. Snapchat is one tool many teachers and students use to create these annotations. (If you use Snapchat to do them, you don't even have to follow each other or post it to Snapchat ... just use the app to create the image!) If you don't want to use Snapchat, a take a snapshot (Insert > Image > Take a snapshot) using Google Slides or Drawings and add the annotations. See more about BookSnaps on the Twitter hashtag (#BookSnaps).

Example: Reflect on a reading in a book with a BookSnap. Explain parts of a math problem with a MathSnap. Show what's happening in a science lab with a ScienceSnap.
Resource: #Booksnaps- How-To Videos
7. Shared slide presentations.

Google Slides doesn't have to be used just to do presentations in front of the class! Create a slide presentation with enough slides for each student in the class. Then share that slide presentation with the class using the blue "Share" button. (Be sure to use the "Get shareable link" button and choose "Anyone with the link can edit" or "Anyone from <your school district> can edit" from the dropdown menu.) Each student gets a slide where he/she can do his/her own work. But you're also creating a whole class file. Students love to see what each other has put on the other slides, and it's a great place to interact through comments. Here's a shared slide presentation I did in a workshop where participants wrote about their ideal vacation destination.

Example: Finding quick facts/photos online about a topic you'll discuss in class that day.
Resource: Student collaboration in shared Google Slides
8. Ask students "What if ..." using a Flipgrid video grid.

It's always fascinating to see what students imagine when their minds are allowed to wander. An educator from Australia, Bronwyn Joyce, has gotten in the habit of asking her students - and students around the world - "What if?". Her prompts have elicited more than 1,000 videos and have prompted interesting discussions about the world's problems. On a smaller scale (in the classroom with just your students), this can be an interesting way to kick off a class.

Example: Letting students speculate what would happen if history was different, or if a character did something differently in a story, or what they would do if ...
Resource: Catch the Flipgrid fever! 30+ ways to use Flipgrid in your class
9. Create Icon boards.

I created icon boards as a way to simplify the infographic process. Think of icon boards as "infographics LITE" or "infographics when you're in a hurry."

The "Great Big Icon Board." Click here for the template in Google Slides.

You can use Google Slides to create your own icon boards - or just use the templates included in this post to copy and distribute mine.

Icon boards include an open space for students to organize what they're learning visually, combining text and images. They include plenty of icons that students would likely use from sources like The Noun Project or Flat Icon.

The icons - as well as shapes, text boxes and other elements - are placed in the workspace around the board. They're not actually on the board until students move them there. Think of it like things sitting around your paper on a desk.

Whether you create your own icon boards or use my pre-created templates, there are a few simple steps to using them.

(If you're using one of my templates, you'll need to make a copy of your own using the links above first.)

1. Distribute the icon boards to students. The easiest way is creating an assignment in Google Classroom and attaching the file to the assignment (choose "Make a copy for each student"). Other options include using the blue "Share" button and getting a clickable link, then changing the word "edit" and anything after it to say "copy" in the URL ... OR ... creating a short URL students can type in with a service like TinyURL.com or bitly.com.

2. Students open their boards (through Google Classroom or the method you choose).

3. Students organize their ideas using the items you've placed in the space around the board.

4. Students add additional items, like icons, shapes, text boxes, etc. that they might need.

Resource: Google Slides icon boards for low-prep, visual thinking
10. Do a shared mind map brainstorm with AWWApp.

Students can interact in a shared whiteboard in AWWApp (awwapp.com). They can draw with their finger (or a mouse or a laptop/Chromebook touchpad). If you have a touchscreen available, this is a really easy, collaborative way for students to sketch out and share their ideas. Because the whiteboards are collaborative, they can share whiteboards with others - students in other classes or anyone around the world - so they can collaborate together.

Example: Jot down all of the words that best describe a character. Write out all of the questions they have about solving a certain kind of math problem.
Resource: 10 ways to collaborate digitally + visually in class
11. Tweet for someone.

What would happen if a character in a story you're reading tweeted about an event in the story? Or about an event in current events ... or in another story? What if a scientist or mathematician or notable character in history tweeted? Now, you can let students create those tweets as bell-ringer activities. Use this Google Slides template. (Make sure you make your own copy.) Create a slide for each student. Then share the slide presentation with your students (through Google Classroom, through a learning management system, with a link using the blue Share button). Make it "Anyone with the link can edit". Students jump on their own slides and add the following: a photo, the name of the person tweeting, the Twitter username (start it with @), and the tweet. Ninja tip: To turn the photo to a circle, click on the photo and use the dropdown button next to the crop tool to select a circle as the crop shape!
Resource: 10 social media-inspired learning activities: no accounts necessary
12. Draw with your finger (or a computer touchpad).

I doubt that the simplicity of a simple drawing will ever lose its relevance in a classroom. Images are powerful; they're how our brain thinks anyhow. Having students draw what's in their brains - or how they understand a concept - can be a quick and easy way to get them on track for the day. Formative (goformative.com) makes this easy AND digital with its "Show Your Work" questions. Create a new assignment in Formative and just add a "Show Your Work" drawing question with a prompt. Share the assignment with students. Then see what they come up with. Now, we don't want to go digital for the sake of going digital, right? The tech should elevate the activity. Here, all of those simple drawings can be displayed quickly and easily from the teacher's computer on a projector. Speed and simplicity.
Resource: Draw, choose, write or say: Fantastic formative assessments
13. Create a "What do you know about ..." Padlet.

Padlet (padlet.com) is like a digital bulletin board. Use it to tack digital notes to it with push pins. Those notes, though, can have links, files, images and other multimedia attached to them - much cooler than a regular bulletin board. Kick off class for the day by creating a collaborative "What do you know about ..." Padlet. Pose a question: "What do you know about dolphins?" and encourage students to add whatever they can - personal experiences, facts, images, videos, whatever. This is a great way to activate prior knowledge.
Resource: 20 useful ways to use Padlet in class now
14. Discuss an article digitally with Hypothes.is.

Popular culture, the news and blogs are great sources of relevant, up-to-date content we can connect to our classes. Hypothes.is ( hypothes.is) lets us share an article with students and start a digital discussion there. Imagine that the article is clipped out of a newspaper. (I know, old school stuff ...) Hypothes.is lets students digitally highlight and add sticky notes all over that article - but with enough room to have unlimited annotations. Discuss an article with your class - or even share the discussion with others outside of your classroom. (Example: The author of the article you're discussing!)
Resource:Try Edji, another text annotation tool. See how with 20 ways to analyze text, images with Edji.
15. Dig into fascinating writing prompts.

Need some new ideas to get students thinking - and then writing? Write About (writeabout.com) has a treasure trove of creative, thought-provoking writing prompts at www.writeabout.com/ideas. Choose one and then get the writing juices flowing, either on student blogs (Write About / blogger.com / kidblog.org) OR by giving students their own individual slides in a shared Google Slides presentation.

16. Record a short explainer video.

Sometimes, it's just easier to show someone what you're talking about than to write it. Students can fire up a screen recording video with Screencastify (screencastify.com) in moments using the tool's extension for the Google Chrome browser. Students can quickly record their screen, record with their webcam and/or record audio with their microphone to kick off class. It's easy for them to share those videos with others after uploading them to Google Drive - or to turn them in with Google Classroom or another learning management system.
Resource: 24 ways to create great classroom video with Screencastify
17. Play a quick Quizizz game.

Want to review some material? Go over content from a previous lesson? Even give students a fun way to look up new material? Play a quick Quizizz game to start class. (Ever played Kahoot!? Quizizz has many similarities.) When setting the game up, click the "homework" button instead of the "play live" button and set the completion time five or ten minutes into class. The game will display a join code and the Quizizz join site. Just display those to students and have them get started. They can start whenever they get in their seats ready to go, and it's not synchronous (i.e. their progress doesn't depend on the progress of other students).
Resource: Game show classroom: Comparing Kahoot!, Quizizz, Quizlet Live and Gimkit
18. Analyze books or articles with Flipgrid.

Flipgrid lets students talk about big world issues they'd like to tackle. Another way to use this platform is to let students talk about and analyze what they've just read. Give them a chapter from a novel, a short story or an article, a math problem they've solved - even something a fellow classmate has written! Flipgrid lets students record short videos (up to 90 seconds) about a topic. In this case, the topic can be what they've just read or worked on. When they're finished, they can view each other's videos. (The more interesting the prompt, the more likely they'll naturally want to look at each other's videos!)

19. Write emoji poetry or an emoji response.

Brevity is an important skill in writing. Instead of encouraging students to write to a minimum number of words, let's try constraining them to fewer words - and turn them into emojis! Have students summarize what they've been learning using emojis (maybe a maximum of 10?). The Google Chrome web browser has several emoji extensions (a favorite of mine is Emoji for Google Chrome). Mobile devices often have them built in. This encourages reflection on what they've learned and creativity in expressing themselves.

20. Write blackout poetry.

Have you ever seen those poems written by marking out all of the words in a news article or book page except a few with a black marker? This is blackout poetry. This can be a fun - and creativity-provoking - way to kick off class. Have students take a photo of a page of text (or a screenshot of an article online). Paste that image into Google Drawings or Slides (or a mobile app that lets them draw with their finger, like Paper by FiftyThree). In Google Drawings, they can use lines or shapes (long skinny rectangles work great) to black out words. (Do a web search for "blackout poetry" for examples.) Students could create them on their own individual slides of a shared Google Slides presentation (see No. 7). If each student has his/her own slide, the whole slide show becomes a big gallery of blackout poetry!

Are you looking for quality, meaningful professional learning that both equips and inspires teachers?

Matt provides in-person and virtual keynotes, workshops and breakout sessions that equip, inspire and encourage teachers to create change in their classrooms. Teachers leave with loads of resources. They participate. They laugh. They see tech use and teaching in a new light. Click the link below to contact us and learn how you can bring Matt to your school or district!

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20 digital bell ringer activities to kickstart class

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Quality bell ringers are crucial - quick activities to get students going at the beginning of class, when the bell has just rung.For these first five or

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https://teach4theheart.com/bell-work-ideas/

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40+ Bell Work Ideas for Every Class - Teach 4 the Heart

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Whether you call it morning work, bell work, or bell ringers, having a start-of-class activity can work wonders when it comes to helping class start smoothly. Not only does bell work keep kids calm and help them focus, but it also gives you time to take attendance, answer the same question for the 1

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https://teacherbuddyhelps.com/25-easy-morning-bell-work-ideas/

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Are you searching for some simple morning bell-work ideas to add to your morning routine? Well, look no further; I have compiled a list of 25 ideas that I have used over the years. Some ideas take a bit more preparation on your part than others, but I'm sure you will admit that a list of 25 gives you a lot of new ideas.

Some of the bell-work ideas are general (across many subject areas) but others are specific to a certain subject. So I will divide them up for easy access.

25 Easy Morning Bell-Work Ideas

So I decided to break these up into ELA, Math and Social Studies/Science and then all other ideas are listed under General ideas. Next, I decided to give you quick lists (in case you are an experienced teacher and might want to just scan this article). Then after each bulleted list I will briefly explain each idea. ENJOY!!!

ELA based bell-work ideas

handwriting/ cursive practice

silent reading

book search

writing prompts

spelling practice

correct my grammar mistakes

HANDWRITING/CURSIVE PRACTICE: This idea should be fairly simple...you can have handouts for them to practice on, or you can keep it simple and just have a document displayed under the doc-u-cam and pass out notebook paper. For Kinders and First graders I would recommend the handout since they may have difficultly transferring from the doc-u-cam to the paper. They can practice a single letter, a set of words, or even a sentence.

SILENT READING: This idea is also rather self-explanatory. You just need to be sure that they all already have a book to read in their desk or backpack. Get this part set up first before you assign the students to do this activity.

BOOK SEARCH: This idea is geared toward primary age students. For this idea, I get a small tub or basket for each table of students that I place about 12-15 picture books into the tub or basket. Then for the time period of your "morning bell work" the students take a look through a few of these pictures books to find out which ones they might be interested in.

WRITING PROMPTS: In this activity, students are given a prompt to write about during the period. If you are looking for ideas for writing prompts, I have an article that I wrote with ideas. You can find the article here:
12 Writing Prompts to Engage Your Students
More ELA Bell-work Ideas

SPELLING PRACTICE: You can never go wrong by having your students practice their spelling words. I would do this review 2-3 times a month. It's best not to do it every week, but twice a month is fine. You can assign 3 times each for younger students and five times each for older ones.

CORRECT MY GRAMMAR MISTAKES: For this idea, I would write two long sentences on the marker board (or under the doc-u-cam) with a number of grammar and punctuation errors in each one. The students are then assigned to correct the mistakes and be able to explain the ones they chose when the class reviews them later.

MATH bell-work ideas

Addition/subtraction/multiplcation skills review

math speed drills

word problem of the day

find the mistake

manipulative activities

ADDITION/ SUBTRACTION/ MULTIPLICATION SKILLS REVIEW : The idea with this activity is to have a page of various practice items in that area. There are some publishers that make these to purchase, but it is also fairly simple to create on your own. So if you are making an addition one; the page would have some fact family items, some two digit problems (if you've taught that already) and some column addition ALL on one page.

MATH SPEED DRILLS: I'm pretty sure you all are experienced with speed drills... Basically, it's a sheet of about 25-40 basic fact problems that students are encouraged to complete in a given time (using a timer). This works well for addition, subtraction and multiplication facts. If your students still do not have them memorized, you may want to do this frequently. Some students may be more encouraged to learn them if there is a reward attached to completing them successfully.

WORD PROBLEM OF THE DAY: Most students don't care for word problems (I was one of those). So use this only a few times each month and make part of the morning session on reviewing how it is solved correctly after the students try. You need to be sure the students at least TRY to solve it. If they realize you are going over it anyway, some won't even try...so this is where you need to be creative to make this activity work well.

More Math Bell-work ideas

FIND THE MISTAKE: This activity is similar to the "Correct My Grammar" item above. For this, you solve a multi-step problem on the board (or under the doc-u-cam) where you purposely make an error. Have the students find your mistake and solve it correctly AND explain in writing what you did incorrectly. These types of problems are great for teaching students how the standardized testing companies often use these simple errors as one of the choices in the multiple choice questions.

MANIPULATIVE ACTIVITIES: For primary students, a fun activity is to put out math manipulatives and let the students explore with them. I recommend using this morning activity sparingly since it makes the room environment active and noisy instead of the quiet calm that most teachers prefer to have at the beginning of the day. AND it often takes more time than you would like to have them clean up and move on to the day's work.

Science/ Social Studies/ Art/ Other Bell-Work Ideas

current event response

science journal prompts

map activities

historical figure study

analyze photos

art - sketch a copy

CURRENT EVENT RESPONSE: This activity is good for students from third grade and up...don't try it with primary, they need too much guidance to be able to understand current events. Place a short, easy to understand (and not political) article on the screen (using either the doc-u-cam or the internet). Assign the students to read the article and write a one paragraph summary or response to the current event. You can assign them to do this in partners if you have some students who need help... just create the pairs yourself, don't let them choose.

SCIENCE JOURNAL PROMPTS: Have students write in their science journals about a topic of your choice. You can refer back to the previous day's lesson, or something occurring now - such as the full moon. Ask them to write everything they know about the topic. I would make it a rule that they need to be writing the entire time (don't make this a long period...no more than 10 minutes). Believe me, if you don't make this "rule" some will just sit there and not write anything and say they don't know about that topic.

MAP ACTIVITIES: Map activities are fun to do for bell work. Begin the year with a structured map and as the year progresses they can create their own. For example, have a map of the classroom with only the desks; the student's job is to put in all the other items (shelves, boards, library, centers)...later do the same with a map of the school buildings...and students fill in the playground and parking lots, etc.

More Social Studies and Science Bell-Work

HISTORICAL FIGURE STUDY: Many classes now have individual iPads or tablets. Assign each student a historical figure to look up and write a brief summary of why they are considered a "historical figure." If you prefer not to use the internet, you could have a class set of one page summaries of historical figures that you hand out to the students to use. Then when you use it again later in the year, make sure the students get a different one then they did last time.

ANALYZE PHOTOS: Display a "cool" photograph on the 'doc-u-ment' camera or from the internet and have all students write a description of the photo. Encourage then to use descriptive words to describe the lighting and the mood of the picture. Ask volunteers to share theirs. Later after you have read them, select a few well-written ones to use to teach the others. When doing this, type up their words so the students don't know who wrote it since most students don't like attention on them. If they do, believe me, they will blurt out that its their description.

ART - SKETCH A COPY: Have a picture or painting displayed that the students try to copy a sketch of (with pencils only). Make sure you do pencil...so they can erase and so that this remains a "quick" bell work activity and not a full blown art lesson. Teach students ahead of time that they are all expected to work on each morning's bell work. Set up parameters for if they are not doing what is expected. Again, because this takes creativity, some students may be tempted to just sit there and not do any of the assignment.

General Bell-Work Ideas

Journaling

question of the day

spiral review

morning chat with neighbor

review quiz

minute lists

breathing/ mindfulness

logic problems

JOURNALING : Having students write in a journal is a fun activity for many students. The point of this is that it is unstructured and that students can write about anything they want to.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: I would use this as bell work ONLY by having student work with a partner or a team of three. Pose a question that will take a bit of research for most of them. Have then discuss the question and try to search for the answer. Here are some examples: Who is known as the "king of pop?" What year did the US purchase the Louisiana Purchase and from what country? Who was the US President during World War II? How long does it take the moon to circle the earth? What product or crop is our state/provence known for?

SPIRAL REVIEW: Make a one-page review sheet of a certain subject. Have questions from previous chapters and lessons so the students have a review. I recommend that you do NOT mix subject areas. Have the entire review be ALL SCIENCE, or ALL MATH, or ALL GRAMMAR....not mixed up.

MORNING CHAT WITH NEIGHBOR: This has become more important than before as students return to school from the pandemic time at home. Assign them to talk to their neighbor, don't let them wander the class and chat with their friends. The idea here is to help them become comfortable again with having casual conversations. If this is difficult for your students, give them three ideas of what to talk about and have them choose or talk about all of them.

More "general" bell-work ideas

REVIEW QUIZ: Again, I would use this idea sparingly. Most quizzes can be given during that subject area learning time. But if your time is crunched, go ahead and give one at the Bell Work time. Just make it a short quiz and let the students know that it is timed.

MINUTE LISTS: This is one of my favorite bell work activities. It's also a good idea for filling in 5-7 minutes before a transition time. There are two ways to do this, either give them a topic and they just start listing as many words as they can on that topic. But my favorite way is to have them list the alphabet down their page and then they have to think of a word from that topic that begins with that letter. For example; foods, animals, places, first names.

BREATHING/ MINDFULNESS: Some teachers use this more than others. It's just a quiet time- quiet music, heads down, resting, being still and calming down.

LOGIC PROBLEMS: This activity is best for upper grades and middle, high school. Provide students with logic problems to solve. You can find some online to use. Have them work in partners until they learn how these work and later in the year have them solve these on their own.

Wow!!! Lots of ideas... this was the longest article I think I've written. I hope you find it useful

Until Next Time,

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25 Easy Morning Bell-Work Ideas - Teacher Buddy Helps

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Are you searching for some simple morning bell-work ideas to add to your morning routine? Well, look no further; I have compiled a list of 25 ideas that I have used over the years. Some ideas take a bit more preparation on your part than others, but I'm sure you will admit that a list of 25 gives you a lot of new ideas.

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11 Powerful Bell Ringers That Focus Students Quickly

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11 Powerful Bell Ringers That Focus Students Quickly

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https://elementaryassessments.com/bell-ringers/

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The first few minutes of class sets the tone for the entire learning experience.

Those crucial moments at the beginning of the class are when teachers have the opportunity to grab students' attention, ignite their curiosity, and create an atmosphere of enthusiasm for learning.

What Are Bell Ringers In Education?

Bell ringers are short, dynamic activities designed to captivate students from the moment they step into the classroom.

These activities, which come in many forms, transition students into academic mode.

This time allows the teacher to perform quick administrative duties such as taking attendance or collecting papers from the previous lesson.

Whether you're an experienced teacher or just starting your teaching journey, incorporating these into your daily routine can be a game-changer in creating an active and positive learning environment.

If you're seeking bell ringers to use in your high school, middle school, or even elementary classroom, this post is for you.

The activities shared here are not only enjoyable but also purposeful, as they can be used to review previously covered material, introduce new concepts, spark discussions, or simply get the creative juices flowing.

Bell Ringers That Focus Students Fast
Following you will find bell ringers that can be modified for math, ELA, science, and social studies classrooms.
1. Play a Bell Ringer Game.

Why not play a quick game that reviews previously taught concepts or vocabulary?

This doesn't need to be anything complicated or fancy.

You could play a matching game with vocabulary terms and definitions or a quick round of Jeopardy with review questions.

2. Journal.

Journaling allows students to express their ideas and thoughts. Furthermore, it helps them to improve their communication skills.

Consider incorporating daily journal writing prompts as growth mindset bell ringers.

These types of writing prompts focus on self-development which means that they will work well for all subject areas.

If you want to keep things simple, try a few of these easy bell ringer writing prompts.

Alternatively, you could provide students with a prompt related to a current unit of study and have them generate a brief response.

3. Brainstorm Words.

Brainstorming Words is one of the most engaging bell ringer activities.

To do this activity, provide students with a word.

As an example ... alligator.

Now students must brainstorm (and jot down) as many 2-letter, 3-letter, 4-letter, 5-letter, 6-letter, 7-letter, and 8-letter words as possible using that word.

How many words do they come up with?

Alternatively, you could pose a question related to a current unit of study and have students brainstorm possible ideas, solutions, and/or approaches.

Related Content: Free Printable Bell Ringers

4. Interpret Quotes.

Encourage critical thinking by giving students a famous quote to interpret.

Examples:

"A mind is a terrible thing to waste."

"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." - Ralph Emerson

"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." - Maya Angelou

Once students have had an opportunity to record their interpretations, have them share their thoughts with the rest of the class.

This is a great time for them to discuss how their interpretations compare to others.

5. Answer Exit Ticket Questions or Prompts.

Why not use the beginning of class to informally assess what students "took away" from the previous lesson?

You can do this by posing an exit ticket question and prompt (simply rename it an "entry" slip), and asking students to jot down their responses.

6. Utilize Bell Ringer Questions.

Keep things simple by giving a bell ringer question each day.

Display a bell ringer question on the board or projector and ask students to respond to it in their journals.

Use this as an opportunity to review a previously taught concept.

7. Make Top 5 or Top 10 Lists.

In general, students love making lists so this bell ringer activity will focus them fast.

Give students a theme or topic such as Winter games, Thanksgiving, movies, songs, books, or a topic from a current unit of study.

Then ask them to create a Top 5 or Top 10 List that relates to that topic.

Example 1: Topic = math skills; Write the top 10 math skills you'll need in the real world.

Example 2: Topic = school rules; What are the top 5 most important school rules?

Example 3: Topic = movies; Name the top 10 funniest movies.

8. Practice With Task Cards.

Once students reach a certain grade, the use of task cards becomes less frequent.

However, these versatile exercises make great bell ringer activities in the middle and high school grades.

Task cards can focus on any skill or concept such as problem-solving, writing, grammar, etc.

The possibilities are endless.

Simply print, and distribute to students as they arrive to class. You could also project one on the board for students to answer.

9. Play Guess the Covered Word.

Especially if you're an ELA teacher, keep this bell ringer in your collection of bell work ideas.

It's just that fantastic!

Guess the Covered Word is a vocabulary and reading comprehension activity that requires students to figure out unknown words using context clues.

To use as a bell ringer, take a page selection (ideally from a current unit of study), and cover a few key terms.

Project it on a screen. Now students read the text and try to figure out the words that are covered.

See an example of Guess the Covered Word.

10. Distribute a Student Questionnaire.

To get to know students at the beginning of the school year or to informally assess how students feel about their academic progress, use questionnaires as bell work.

Give the questionnaire in PDF format or using Google Forms.

11. Incorporate Fun Bell Ringers.

Add fun to your collection of bell ringers by incorporating a few fun bell ringer activities that will keep students fully engaged and ready to learn.

These exciting tasks take students' focus and attention to new levels!

12. Assign Silent Reading.

Don't underestimate the power of silent reading.

Request that students begin reading a text selection (chosen by you or them) upon entering the classroom.

A section or chapter of a book works well as do non-fiction texts with lots of text features.

The goal is to spark rich discussions and encourage the involvement of students from all ability levels.

The assigned reading can be from a physical or digital book version.

13. Practice Vocabulary.

Write a word on the board (ideally related to a current unit of study) and ask students to write a definition, synonym, or antonym for the word.

Alternatively, you could provide a sentence with the word and ask students to use context clues to determine its meaning.

14. Discuss Current Events.

Especially for older students, staying up-to-date with current events is a great way to gain knowledge in real time.

Share a news article or video clip related to the current event and ask students to react by sharing their thoughts and feelings.

15. Respond to Questions.

This is a simple, yet effective bell ringer.

Ask students to respond to a text selection that relates to a current unit of study. They will record answers in a response journal, notebook, or Google Document.

For question ideas, see this list of reader response questions and comprehension questions that can be used with any book.
Final Thoughts
Bell ringers are key components of a solid classroom management plan. Now you have some great bell ringer ideas to try with students.

Say goodbye to beginning-of-class distractions!

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15 Powerful Bell Ringers That Focus Students Quickly

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Here you will find great examples of bell ringers that focus students quickly in order to maximize learning. You can start using these activities now!

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37 Fun Bell Ringer Questions: Warm-Up Activities

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37 Fun Bell Ringer Questions: Warm-Up Activities

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https://elementaryassessments.com/fun-bell-ringer-questions/

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Your middle and high school students will enjoy responding to these fun bell ringer questions which transition them into an academic mindset in preparation for the day's lesson.

What Are Bell Ringer Questions?

Bell ringer questions, also known as bell work ideas, are short tasks assigned at the beginning of class that transition students into a learning mindset.

The statements are worded in a way to elicit information from learners.

This five to ten minutes of time gives the teacher an opportunity to finish administrative duties such as attendance.

The following fun bell ringer questions establish consistency in routines while mixing in a bit of excitement.

free printable bell ringers, bell ringers for middle school, bell ringers for high school

Fun Bell Ringer Questions
The following fun bell ringer questions can be modified for any subject or theme such as bell ringers for reading or Friday bell ringer ideas.
1. If you could choose three aspects of your culture to put into a time capsule, which would you choose and why?

2. What are the disadvantages and advantages of getting older?

3. Where do you see yourself in ten years?

4. Should parents stop telling young children that Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy are real? Why or why not?

5. If there was no WIFI or Internet, how would you communicate and keep yourself entertained?

6. What are the pros and cons of owning a cat?

7. How would you describe a good driver?

8. What was one of your favorite things about _____ grade?

9. If you could change a rule to any one sport, which sport would you choose, what rule would you change and why?

10. What color best represents your personality and why?

11. Is homework necessary? Why or why not?

12. What's a hilarious excuse for not turning in homework?

13. If you were president, what laws would you enact and why?

14. What famous person would you choose to put on a postage stamp and why?

15. What age do you consider to be old and why?

16. Would you rather watch horror movies or comedy movies? Why?

17. If you won two tickets to your dream concert, which artist are you going to see, and who is going to accompany you?

18. What's on your music playlist?

19. What would be the theme song of your life and why?

20. Would you rather only be able to whisper or only be able to shout? Why?

21. If you won a million dollars, how would you spend it?

22. What is your best snow day memory?

23. What was the highlight of your (insert holiday) break/vacation?

24. Describe your after-school routine.

25. Would you rather eat in the school cafeteria or bring a lunch from home? Why?

26. What would you put on your Top 10 list of the yummiest foods?

27. Make a list of your favorites. What is your favorite animal, color, food, subject, movie, music, etc.?

28. What do you like to do for fun?

29. If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why?

30. What are three things you'd want to have with you if you were stranded on an island?

31. Would you rather be an only child or have many siblings? Explain.

32. What makes you special and unique?

33. If you could change your name, what would you change it to and why?

34. What are some examples and non-examples of being an extrovert?

35. Would you rather be able to read people's minds or be able to predict people's futures? Why?

36. If you were given a magic wand, what would you do with it and why?

37. What do you like and dislike most about winter?

See more bell ringer questions.
Final Thoughts
Now you have a ready-supply of fun bell ringer ideas!

What fun bell ringer questions would you like to see added to this list? Contact us, and we'll add them to the list!

Download free printable of bell ringer questions.

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37 Fun Bell Ringer Questions: Warm-Up Activities

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Your middle and high school students will enjoy responding to these fun bell ringer questions which transition them into an academic mindset in preparation for the day's lesson. Bell ringer questions, also known as bell work ideas, are short tasks assigned at the beginning of class that transition students into a learning mindset.

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https://www.thebutterflyteacher.com/7-quick-and-easy-math-center-ideas/

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Looking for some news to spruce up your math block? Here you will find 7 quick and easy math center ideas for your elementary school classroom. These math centers are easy to implement and fun for students.

** This post contains affiliate links. Please see full disclosure here. **

1- Number Chart Puzzles

Hundreds or 120's charts became a huge hit with my 2nd graders when I cut them up into puzzles! This idea came from Catherine Reed of The Brown Bag Teacher. She has a great post on it here.

Once I printed the number charts on cardstock for durability, I cut them and arranged each 'puzzle' into ziploc baggies. Students are given number charts to fill in once they put their puzzle together for a fun math center idea.

2- Rolling Dice for Number Sense

Adding dice to any center amps up the fun factor! Especially when you have the non-traditional dice with more than 6 sides like these that I use for my math centers and games. Using dice helps build number sense and offers hands-on learning for students in across grade levels.

3- Turning Math Facts into Card Games

Goldfish-Matching-Concentration. Whatever you want to call it. Turning math flash cards upside down and finding the matching pairs will always be more fun than just a plain worksheet on math facts. Entice your learners with a variety of math card games like the ones featured in this blog post here.

4- Flashcard Goldfish

This math center idea involves partner or group work. Use any traditional set of flashcards, lay them down flat and have students take turns to find the pairs. Instead of identical matching pairs, use math facts pairs for the answers. I've used this for addition, subtraction, and even multiplication.

5- Incorporating QR Codes with Math Riddles

Solving math riddles is a great center idea that my kids go crazy over. Once students solve the math riddle, they scan the QR Code to reveal the answer.

I don't know what excites them more, solving the math riddle or getting to scan the QR Code! Either way, they are engaged and love this math center.

Related Post: Promoting Critical Thinking with Math Riddles (FREEBIE included)

6- Task Cards with a Twist

I love task cards! Especially since I get to keep them neatly stored in these little boxes of wonderfulness, which are photo storage boxes that I use to organize most of my task cards.

These Critical Thinking Math Task Cards combine logic, critical thinking, and math skills all in one. The colorful pictures make them less intimidating for my kiddos that have a resistance to engaging in math work/lessons. #YouKnowThatKid!
If you need a break from the traditional rectangle task card, your students will get a kick out of these cell-phone shaped math task cards.
I also love using these for review in my math center rotation time. The fact that it's shaped like a cell phone with text messages make them eye-catching for students. And anything eye-catching means you will not be seen as 'the boring teacher.' The content is still rigorous, even with all the fun they provide.

Students work on these during center rotations or when they finish something early.

The text bubbles feature a problem to solve. Your kiddos can correct these directly on the cell-phone or you can print the recording sheet for student answers. The recording sheets for students make it easy for me to check their completed work. This set has math and ELA task cards; you can find more details on them by clicking here.

7-Hands On Math Group Games
The goal of math centers in my classroom is to build on math skills and concepts that we've learned during whole group instruction. Review games played in groups provide wonderful so many benefits to our kids!
[tweetshare tweet="Math group games teach relevant content and problem-solving skills. #mathgames" username="Y7#&09P0^Gqp6Wj(!al6J*#cbD7idME):1:0″] Not only do math group games give students a chance to practice relevant content, but they also help students develop problem -solving skills (for those inevitable fights 'spirited conversations' during competitive games.)

Students also provide tons of incidental learning to one another during math group games.

More Math Center Ideas

As a bonus, here's a video showing another quick and easy math center idea you can use in your elementary classroom.

I designed these math match-up games for engaging, hands-on practice learning math facts and concepts like:

Addition & Subtraction with and without regrouping

Multiplication and Division

Fractions

Decimals

More hands-on math games for your students to enjoy!

You can find out more these fun math games by visiting my Teachers Pay Teachers store or check out the nitty-gritty details HERE.

What math centers do you use in your classroom? Or what tips can you offer on how to make math center rotation easier? Please share your wonderful ideas below!

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Looking for some news to spruce up your math block? Here you will find 7 quick and easy math center ideas for your elementary school classroom. These math centers are easy to implement and fun for students. ** This post contains affiliate links. Please see full disclosure here.

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https://theowlteacher.com/math-center-ideas/

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Every year about this time, I start to notice my students getting bored with the same usual math centers. That means I need to go online and start hunting down new math center ideas to find something that will hold their interest, but also teach them a thing or two about math. That's when I decided it was time to create a list! In fact, I have a list of 20 math center ideas to share with you - and they aren't just specific games of mine to purchase (as you sometimes see on the internet). They are activities you can implement without any purchase of my products - for any concept! Bonus!

20 Math Center Ideas for your Elementary Classroom

1.) Card Games. Most classrooms have at least one set of cards, but if not, you can find them at the dollar store. There are a variety of games you can have your students play and still practice their math concepts. For instance, remove the face cards and the aces and then have students play any variation of top-it. Divide the set of cards up evenly among the pair of students; 2 students each flip a card at once and perform whichever operation you prefer (add, subtract, multiply). The first student to say the correct answer first gets both cards. Students keep going until there are no cards left. The student with the most cards wins!

You can also take a set of 3″x5″ index cards and cut them in half creating mini-cards. Then program them to be any set of numbers you wish. Then students can perform any operation, play a game of go fish, play rummy (place them in order), or any other fun game!

2.) Dice Games. I really can't mention card games without mentioning dice games as one of the math center ideas. Just like with card games, you can find dice at the dollar store, but you can also create your own using wooden blocks. I like to do this to program them with fractions or decimals. Then I have students play games such as adding the numbers and seeing how close they can get to one without going over.

3.) Bowling Math Centers. This math center idea is sure to delight your students! Using paper towel rolls, toilet paper rolls, or even plastic water bottles you can create bowling pins with numbers on them. If you cover them with packaging tape, you can wipe the numbers off for reuse again and again. Students can then bowl to add the pins knocked down. This makes a great center for fractions, large numbers, decimals, and you could use it for elapsed time. In the past, I have even placed task cards on them and students had to complete the pins they knocked down. It's definitely engaging! You can read more about it here.

4.) Journaling. What student couldn't use a little extra practice writing in math? I believe they all could. Provide students with a writing prompt related to whatever you are working on in math. It doesn't need to be fancy; You could write it on an index card, or have it in strips for students to glue into their math journal. They then respond in their journal. Students could respond to a question such as, "What is a fraction?" It doesn't need to be complicated. You're basically having students explain math in their own words. You could even include a portion where they can illustrate it.

5.) Craftivities. Every once in a while, why not consider creating a craftivity for your center activity? This could be anything from the simple construction of a mobile or model of a product. Students enjoy hands-on activities and it's a great way to learn.

6.) Manipulatives. Manipulatives are a great way to make math more concrete, especially with difficult concepts. Place manipulatives in a center with some directions and students can practice over and over until they really have the concept down.

7.) Technology. There are a lot of great apps and websites out there that really help students practice both math skills and math test prep. I've mentioned many websites in my blog post, 5 Great Math Apps for Grades 3-5. There are also great websites like the Math Playground, IXL, MobyMax, and Reflex. There are even free sites that students can access from home such as AAA Math, Cool Math, and Fun Brain.

8.) Reading Literature. Create a center that integrates both reading and math. For instance, you could use any of Greg Tang's Books, such as The Grapes Of Math

, or his problem-solving riddle book, Math-ter Pieces: The Art of Problem Solving. These are full of math riddles that students solve while enjoying reading too! Another fun one is The Math Curse. There are so many great options out there related to both literature and math!

9.) Math Sorts. These can be created easily with a computer or index cards. You can also just purchase them. Students can easily sort math based on similarities or attributes, such as in my Polygon Sort below.

10.) Practice Sheets. Of course, you can use regular worksheets to help students practice the math concepts you are teaching, but you can also use these sheets to remediate, reteach, review, or even enrich. There is nothing wrong with a "Stay at Your Seat" kind of center.

11.) Problem Solving. Why not create a center that is solely based on problem-solving? My students struuuuuuugggggglllle with problem-solving. So they could definitely use some extra practice. This center provides the perfect opportunity for that. Do you know that appendix section in the common core standards? They provide you with examples of different types of problems you could create. Go from there. Or, start the first few weeks off with the students creating the problems first and trading papers to check each other's work. Then create some yourself. You can also mimic the ones in your textbook. Step it up a notch by throwing in some error analysis once in a while.

12.) Interactive Bulletin Boards. I love creating them, but I will admit, it sometimes requires a little time and thought on your part - but you can definitely do them! Back around Halloween, I created this one made of a haunted house. On the outside of the windows, ghosts, and other objects were the math problems, on the inside were the self-checking answers. It was a great center (and is also perfect for early finishers). (Note: The image below was set up on a tri-board.)

Another interactive bulletin board I have created in the past was Math-no-poly. It was something I created for an end of the year review. My students really enjoyed it and it helped us focus on what we still needed to learn.

These math center ideas were definitely a blast!

13.) Math Stretchers. I talked a little about Math Stretchers in my Math Workshop Series. This is a form of a math warm-up that can be used for any of the math categories. It's a great way to prepare the student's brain for the math they are about to encounter and to start thinking about math more in their everyday life. This can be something as simple as collecting data each day regarding lunch or focusing on the number of the day.

14.) Calendar. I have always loved using the calendar portion in math workshop, even in the upper grades. Yes, even in fifth grade. Yes, even if I didn't have the official kit or book. I got creative. I just focused on what my students needed to know and found a way to integrate it in each day. You create small square pieces with patterns that change daily around a common theme, such as angles, polygons, fractions, etc. You can create nearly anything! The point is to gather students around and get them talking about math based on the math they are surrounded within their daily lives.

15.) Interactive Notebook Pieces. Interactive notebook pieces are not just a waste of time if you do them correctly. Students can actually use them to help remember important information and to practice solving problems. They can also be very engaging. For instance, Have students list all the multiples out on individual "French Fries" for each number and put them inside a French Fry box (envelope glued in their notebook).

16.) Regular Math Center Games . There are lots of games you can purchase in Teacher Stores, on Teachers Pay Teachers, or even make that can help reinforce a concept. I really help understand the importance of Game-Based Learning and provide 5 tips to using them in the classroom here.

17.) Vocabulary. Consider creating a math center that provides your students with the opportunity to practice the important vocabulary of the concepts you are working on. This can include a personal word wall, a class word wall, or just a list of words you have been learning. Students can complete any vocabulary activity. There are many blog posts here on this blog that provides you with engaging activities to do. Just search vocabulary over in the search bar on the right.

18.) Task Cards. Task cards do not have to be a whole group activity. You can provide students with a set of task cards to work on in stations or have them move around within their group. I have even placed task cards around the room that they quietly had to move to while the others worked. You don't necessarily have to do the entire set either. If you don't want to purchase any, don't. Take a worksheet, cut each individual question out and glue them to index cards. Viola! Task cards!

19.) Real World Math. Students really need to see math in the context of the real world. Why not make one of your math center ideas a real-world math center? This can be a range of math centers, from current events to STEM. For current events, have students find examples in the current events that use whatever concept you are working on. This is not limited to social studies. You could have students complete a "mini-stem" project, a project-based learning activity, or even just an activity related to real-life, such as planning for a family Bar-B-Que.

20.) Fact Fluency. Students really need to practice their basic facts in nearly every grade. They need to memorize them. The best way to memorize them is with constant practice. That is where this center comes in! Provide students with lots of opportunities to learn and practice their basic facts. This can be done in the form of activities (such as with my Math Workshop Shortcuts Unit), games, flashcards, math fact practice, or other engaging activity.

With these 20 math center ideas, you are sure to find something to keep your students from getting bored and to keep them hooked on math!

Are you looking for engaging math centers for your students that you can purchase to save yourself some planning time? Check out my centers and games here.

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Every year about this time, I start to notice my students getting bored with the same usual math centers. That means I need to go online and start hunting down new math center ideas to find something that will hold their interest, but also teach them a thing or two about math.

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https://jenniferfindley.com/math-center-samples/

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On this page, you will find complete samples of each resource available in my MEGA Guided Math Centers Bundle (Available for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades).

Download the free math centers and try them out with your students before you decide to purchase. The bundle provides a nice discount, but the resources may also be purchased separately at the provided links.
Click here to purchase the 5th Grade Guided Math MEGA Bundle. Click here to purchase the 4th Grade Guided Math MEGA Bundle. Click here to purchase the 3rd Grade Guided Math MEGA Bundle.
5th Grade Math Centers: All Standards

Click here to see the sample. Click to purchase the full resource.

5th Grade Math Task Cards: All Standards

Click here to see the sample. Click here to purchase the full resource.

5th Grade Math Roll and Answer Math Centers: All Standards

Click here to see the sample. Click here to purchase the full resource.

5th Grade Math Choice Boards: All Standards

Click here to see the sample. Click to purchase the full resource.

5th Grade Math Sorts: All Standards

Click to see the sample. Click here to purchase the full resource.

5th Grade Math Error Analysis: All Standards

Click here to see the sample. Click here to purchase the full resource.

5th Grade Math Differentiated Skill Sheets: All Standards

4th Grade Math Centers: All Standards

4th Grade Math Task Cards: All Standards

4th Grade Roll and Answer Math Centers: All Standards

4th Grade Math Choice Boards: All Standards

4th Grade Math Sorts: All Standards

4th Grade Math Error Analysis: All Standards

Click here to see the sample. Click to purchase the full resource.

4th Grade Math Differentiated Skill Sheets: All Standards

3rd Grade Math Centers: All Standards

Click here to see the sample. Click to purchase the full resource.

3rd Grade Math Task Cards: All Standards

Click here to see the sample. Click to purchase the full resource.

3rd Grade Roll and Answer Math Centers: All Standards

Click to see the sample. Click here to purchase the full resource.

3rd Grade Math Choice Boards: All Standards

3rd Grade Math Sorts: All Standards

3rd Grade Math Error Analysis: All Standards
Let me know if you have any questions! Thank you so much for your interest in my guided math resources.
These posts are super helpful if you are just starting out and would like more detailed information. Just click on the title to be taken to the blog post:
Getting Started with Math Centers How to Launch Guided Math Centers FREE Math Center Starter Packs for Launching Guided Math Centers FREE Guided Math Binder Guided Math Procedures to Teach Scheduling Your Math Block for Guided Math Centers Forming Guided Math Groups Organizing Math Centers Managing Math Centers My Top Tip for Making Math Centers Work for Me 7 Ways to Support Students with Math Centers Teaching Math with Small Groups Higher Level Math Centers for Upper Elementary

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Free Math Centers for Grades 3-5 - Teaching with Jennifer Findley

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On this page, you will find complete samples of each resource available in my MEGA Guided Math Centers Bundle (Available for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades). Download the free math centers and try them out with your students before you decide to purchase.

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https://lauracandler.com/math-stations-in-action/

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What exactly is a math station? Before I implemented math stations in my 5th grade classroom, I envisioned them as elaborate "centers" around the room where students would go to play games or complete activities. But who has time to create those cute little centers? And even if we had the time, who has enough space in their classrooms to set up all those centers?!

Fortunately, I learned that math stations don't have to be elaborate, complicated, OR picture perfect! Math stations, or math centers, can be nothing more than a set of directions along with the task cards or other materials for the activity. The best math station activities are highly engaging and often involve partners working together. The activities can be completed at a table, at a student desk, or even while sitting on the floor! As you can see from these pictures, that's where my students enjoyed working.

Why Implement Math Stations in the Upper Elementary Grades?

Differentiation is the buzz word in education, but the challenge is finding the time to plan and prepare activities that meet the needs of all of our students. Upper elementary students need differentiation as much as younger students, but figuring out how to differentiate can be a daunting task. Adding math stations to your instructional program can be an effective way of meeting diverse needs and finding the time to work with small groups of students on targeted skills.

Math Stations Made Easy

If you aren't sure how to get started with math stations, you'll find Math Stations for Middle Grades to be an excellent resource. I wrote it as a guide for upper elementary and middle school teachers who want to simplify the process of setting up math centers. This teaching resource includes 60+ pages of activities, printables, and management strategies! You can purchase it alone or with editable templates of the task cards and selected resources. If you want a larger selection of ready-to-use printable task card games, the Math Stations and Games Bundle is just what you need!

(Click here to preview Math Stations for Middle Grade online)

Math Stations for Middle
Grades (Non-editable PDF)

Math Stations PDF
with Editable Templates

Math Stations, Templates, and Games for Task Cards

What You'll Find in Math Stations for Middle Grades

62 pages of lesson plans, teaching strategies and printables

25 prepared, content-specific games and activities like the Target Number Challenge game shown here

Over 10 pages of directions and teaching suggestions

Math Stations Classroom Management Ideas

Descriptions for implementing Learning Choice Stations and Rotation Stations

Create Your Own Game non-editable templates and blank printables

What are some activities to use with Math Stations?

Math Stations for Middle Grades includes over 2 dozen math games and activities in a variety of math content areas. You'll also find blank printables for game cards. However, if you would like even more activities, including the directions, printables, and answer keys, you'll want to purchase the Math Stations and Games for Task Cards Bundle. You can customize those games by adding your own task cards with specific math content.

Math Stations in Action!

These pictures were taken of my 5th graders as they were working in Math Stations. You can see their Math Station Logs in some of the pictures.

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Math Stations and Math Centers Made Easy!

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What exactly is a math station? Before I implemented math stations in my 5th grade classroom, I envisioned them as elaborate "centers" around the room where students would go to play games or complete activities. But who has time to create those cute little centers?

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Your Guide to Math Centers Organization for Elementary Classrooms: Classroom Organization Tips

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Your Guide to Math Centers Organization for Elementary Classrooms: Classroom Organization Tips

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One of the best ways to support the students in your classroom is through differentiated learning in small groups. But what do you do with all the other kids? Math stations (and math centers organization) are key to creating engagement for your students while you are meeting with students.
This post may contain affiliate links For more info, check out The Simply Organized Teacher's disclosure policy.
Stations were always a challenge for me because it required a lot of time to set up and it was a weekly task I didn't really want to do. However, after having a math coach come into my classroom and model small group teaching, I knew that this was how I wanted to structure my classroom.

Stations provide a fun and engaging break for the kids. Responsibility is easy to teach during stations. And, when you need to be out last minute, it's super easy to let them do stations with a sub.

Math Activity Organization

When it comes to math centers organization, you need an organization system for the activities your kids are using and the ones they aren't. For now, let's talk about how to set up station materials that are not being used.

As always, homes are so important. The homes for my math station activities are crates with hanging file folders. The big home is a plastic milk crate. Then, the homes within that home are hanging file folders. Shop the resources I used below.

Each of my center activities is stored in folders. This is an easy way for me to keep all the pieces, papers, directions, etc. together. I then place all of the stations on the same concept in a hanging folder together.

You also need a place to store all the math manipulatives your kids will use during stations, along with expo markers, marker boards, and whatever other resources you have for your stations.

All Math related things were stored in this corner of my classroom underneath my Math Word Wall. So, naturally, this is where all the station materials were stored.

A tip I learned a few years back from a friend is to use the nice sheet protector type things (Idk what they are called.) instead of making copies.

During my first two or three years, I was making fifty copies of an activity so they could do it over and over. And #tbh, they went from the turn-in basket to the recycle bin. It was such a waste.

Get the management tips you need to manage your students effectively while in math stations.

Math Centers Organization

You also need a station organization and management system for the activities your students are using. When deciding to implement math stations into your classroom, you need to consider how often you will do stations because that will help you decide how many stations you need and how often you need to change them out.

Which Math Stations Should You Do?

There are so many options for types of stations to have in your classroom. Just head to Pinterest and do a quick search, you'll see a ton of options! In my six years of teaching, I probably went through six or seven different stations.

Finally, my last couple years I settled on these stations:

Meet with Teacher- Students meet at U-table with me and work on concepts they are needing support with
At Your Seat- Students work on math games/activities at their desk
Technology- Students are on iPads/computers playing various math games. Primarily, prodigy. (This is free and AWESOME! so go check it out.)
Hands On - Students work on math games/activities

What I liked about these four stations was that the "Meet with Teacher" and "Technology" stations required no additional setup from me. I only had to put together stations for the "At Your Seat" and "Hands-On" (see the GIF above to see how I prepared them every few weeks).

The "At Your Seat" and "Hands On" activities were stored in my math shelves. I had five bins for each station and the students choose choose any of the activities from whichever station they are at.

I spent a fair amount of time on Pinterest looking up math stations and one I recommend checking out is Amy Lemons.

Math Centers Management

Math Centers Management is how you actually tell kids where to go and what station they are supposed to be doing. I have also looked up numerous ways to manage stations, and this is what I have come up with that has worked best so far.

When to Change Centers

This is totally up to you and how frequently you use centers in your classroom. If you do stations every day, then you will want to keep those station activities fresh and engaging for your kids.

If you do stations only two or three times a week, you may be able to stretch the stations out to two or three weeks. Bottom line, when you notice a decrease in student engagement then it is time to change the stations out.

When it is time to change out my stations, I line up the plastic tubs and empty them out of old games and fill them with new materials. You can check out my steps below.

I have my crate of activities nearby and it is super easy to just go to the folder of whatever we are learning, pull out an activity or two and then grab a few activities from previous concepts we have learned for a review.

Remember, when it comes to any kind of stations you are doing in your classroom, management is key! If you are not able to trust your students to work independently while you work with them in small group, then stations are useless. Grab the free Classroom Management Tips download to help you as you plan for stations.

The Organize Your U-table Resource is a great tool you can use to help you get your small group table organized so that you can actually meet with your students when it's time!

Related Posts

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Your Guide to Math Centers Organization for Elementary Classrooms: Classroom Organization Tips ·

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One of the best ways to support the students in your classroom is through differentiated learning in small groups. But what do you do with all the other kids? Math stations (and math centers organization) are key to creating engagement for your students while you are meeting with students.

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Master List of 40 Literacy Centers Ideas and Activities

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Master List of 40 Literacy Centers Ideas and Activities

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https://www.teachingexpertise.com/classroom-ideas/literacy-centers-ideas/

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Literacy centers promote student independence and collaboration as they work through reading, writing, and listening centers on their own. Once you make literacy centers a routine in your classroom, they essentially run themselves. Students should know exactly where to go and what to do at each station. Some teachers provide choices using a choice board and others have a fixed rotation of activities for students to complete at each center. How you do it is up to you but be sure to tailor your activities and small group work to meet the needs and interests of each learner.

Literacy centers also offer a great opportunity for you to target the needs of your emergent readers in focused work that may be different from the rest of the class. However you choose to implement literacy centers, this article is chock full of ideas for different kinds of centers. From phonics work to sentence writing centers, this master list will give you a sense of what kind of activities you can do with your students during literacy block. All elementary grade levels are covered here along with a host of different skills to teach. Enjoy implementing literacy centers in your classroom today!

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Master List of 40 Literacy Centers Ideas and Activities - Teaching Expertise

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Literacy centers promote student independence and collaboration as they work through reading, writing, and listening centers on their own. Once you make

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https://www.weareteachers.com/literacy-centers-ideas/

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Having a cache of go-to literacy activities that are meaningful, flexible, and able to be completed by students independently is a teacher necessity. The best literacy centers build autonomy, help students practice key skills, and free you up to teach small groups or give support elsewhere. We've pulled together this long list so you can have plenty of simple options at your fingertips.

1. "Feed" the mini trash cans.

Whether you ask students to sight words, letters, pictures or words by phonetic pattern, there's just something about a trash can with a swinging lid that makes the task much more exciting!
Source: @msbendersclassroom
2. Spell words with magnetic letters.

Yes, this is an old standby, but wait ... a muffin tin?! So smart.
Source: @playdough2plato
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3. Write before-and-after reading sticky notes.

We love this idea for recording prior and new background knowledge on a topic, but it's easily adaptable to other comprehension strategies, too.

4. Roll. Say. Cover. Repeat.

Make it a race to see which column "wins" or make it a fill-the-board challenge. Here's another flexible upgrade to traditional bingo games.
Source: @theprintableprincess
5. Roll & read words.

For another low-prep center using dice, try this idea for word reading-nonsense or real! Just copy different lists on different paper colors to differentiate.
Source: @tastefullyteaching
6. Read it and keep it.

Yet another take on a dice-rolling center, this one is so easy to prep and customize for different kiddos' needs.
Source: @teachingwithmissle
7. Unlock learning with locks and keys.

What student wouldn't want the chance to open a bunch of padlocks?!

8. Find letters or words in a sensory bin.

Sensory bins are awesome for play, science, and more, but if you're struggling to fit them into your day, turning one into a search-and-find literacy center is a win-win option!
Source: @kinderwithmrsbrooks
9. Race the fidget spinner.

Make fidget spinners work for you with this fun idea that's adaptable for any words.

Source: @atlantareading

10. Practice writing on magnetic drawing boards.

Whether your students need practice writing individual letters or words, adding guidelines with Sharpies is an amazing teacher hack!
Source: @teaching_in_canada
11. Level up tic-tac-toe.

This spin on a classic partner game is adorable, effective, and so easy to prep!
Source: @kinderkish
12. Spoon up some phoneme manipulation.

Turns out a plastic spoon is perfectly sized and shaped to help little hands swap beginning letters!

13. Stack cups with a plan.

This would be perfect for synonyms or matching vocabulary words to pictures, too.

14. Take your word work to the wall.

This setup makes it super easy to update words as needed.
Source: @lucyjaneloveslearning
15. Solve a hands-on word scramble.

Magnetic letters are perfect for moving around while trying to solve a scrambled word. Having each word in its own box keeps it organized.
Source: @teachinginthe401
16. Play Snakes & Ladders.

You can't go wrong with this literacy-themed version of the classic board game.
Source: @teachingwithmissle
17. Use a punctuation "surgery kit" to edit sentences.

Because healing erroneous sentences may help heal the world. (P.S. Including Band-Aids is the perfect touch!)
Source: @sweettoothteaching
18. Read in different voices.

We love this idea for fluency practice with a familiar poem!
Source: @atlantareading
19. Follow a color code using dot paints.

Mess-free painting with a literacy twist? Sign us up.
Source: @theprintableprincess
20. Play Bear Cave.

You can't get much simpler than the setup of this crowd-pleasing partner game.
Source: @creativekindergartenblogonptp
21. Respond to a book using loose parts.

Kids this age still need to play! Set out loose parts and mats for them to answer a reading response question creatively, like this one for "What do you love about fall?"
Source: @creativekindergartenblogonptp
22. Use props to practice retelling a familiar story.

Support reading comprehension with a simple storytelling center tied to a classroom read aloud.
Source: @playexplorelearn
23. Read it and draw it.

Practice reading phonics-based or vocabulary words and emphasize meaning.
Source: @creativekindergartenblogonptp
24. Find it and hole-punch it!

Find letters or words on a list and mark them with a tool that children love. (All that squeezing is great for building hand strength, too.)
Source: @creativekindergartenblogonptp
25. Spell with nuts and bolts.

For another way to mix word work and strength building for little fingers, just hit the hardware store.
Source: @senteacherireland
26. Mark answers with clothespins.

Clipping a clothespin to an answer on a card engages students, avoids a paper worksheet, and acts as yet another fine motor booster all at once!
Source: @youclevermonkey
27. Make word study magical with white crayons.

The simple thrill of writing words or word parts in white crayon and coloring to reveal the "magic" writing never gets old.
Source: @bklandadventures
28. Label it.

Have students label the components of a picture while they work on invented spelling or, as above, using descriptive language.
Source: @youclevermonkey
29. Build words with pool noodle segments.

The laundry basket makes this a self-contained and portable activity.
Source: @gardenstateteaching
30. Use sound knowledge to crack the code.

Secret codes make anything more fun. Leave messages in pictures for children to solve using their knowledge of letters and sounds.
Source: @youclevermonkey
31. Practice segmenting and blending with slinky sounds.

Use the analogy of the classic toy that grows and shrinks to help children practice stretching words to spell them or blending sounds to make words.

32. Build sentences at a pocket chart.

Including environmental print and picture cards allows even emergent readers to make interesting sentences!
Source: @thekeystokinder
33. Mix and fix sentences.

Work in your content area vocabulary for an extra boost of learning!
Source: @teachingwithoutfrills
34. Build compound words with blocks.

Ask students to build real compound words and then challenge them to spell and draw the silliest made-up ones they can think of, too.
Source: @teachingwithmissle
35. Or, use blocks to build contractions.

Clear up confusion on this tricky topic once and for all with a hands-on approach.
Source: @firstgradefinds1
36. Play Vocabulary Pictionary.

This classic game works so well as a partner center.
Source: @elizabethannespires
37. Hunt for words in an authentic text.

Set out books, a piece of titled chart paper, and a stack of sticky notes, and you're good to go for an engaging and authentic center activity. To differentiate, offer a few different book choices.
What are your favorite literacy centers for K-2 students? Share them over at ourWeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook. Also, don't miss: 40 Creative and Simple Sight Word Activities for the Classroom

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Looking for ideas for literacy centers? You've come to the right place! Our list of ideas will provide just the inspiration you need for your K-2 classroom.

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5 Literacy Centers Every Classroom Needs

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5 Literacy Centers Every Classroom Needs

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https://mrswintersbliss.com/5-literacy-centers-every-classroom-needs/

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Mrs. Winter's Bliss - Resources For Kindergarten, 1st & 2nd Grade

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Every classroom needs literacy centers that allow children to practice reading, writing, speaking and listening while you focus your attention on your small group instruction. In this post, I share literacy centers that allow students to practice these skills and offer you ideas and activities to get literacy centers up and running in your kindergarten, first or second grade classroom!
By now you probably know I LOVE literacy centers! Why?? Because they allow me the time to provide targeted, explicit instruction to my small groups. Within a small group, I assess understanding and provide immediate corrective feedback. I perform informal assessments and collect data that helps drive my instruction. I can watch closely as students attempt a task and get a clear sense of their understandings and misconceptions. It is such important work and it requires my full attention.

So what are the other students doing while I'm working with this small group? They are working literacy centers! I've talked before about the benefits of centers, shared tips for planning and organizing, and strategies to limit disruptions. But I realize I've missed BIG and important question, which is exactly WHAT should students do in literacy centers?

Literacy stations are not for busywork. Instead, they are a valuable chance for students to apply, practice and reflect on skills and strategies you have already taught. So how do you do that?? My advice is to keep it SIMPLE. Focus your centers on four things:

💗 Reading

💗 Writing

💗 Listening

💗 Speaking

Today I'm excited to share 5 literacy centers that will allow your students to independently practice those four valuable skills. I'll discuss why each one is important and leave you with ideas and activities to help you get literacy center launched in your classroom!

5 Essential Literacy Centers

1. Word Study Center

Word study is an integral part of literacy instruction. You probably already provide direct instruction in word study, but we often underestimate the amount of practice students need to master these skills. In his book, A Fresh Look at Phonics, Wiley Blevins states that after a new skill is introduced, it should be reviewed for the next four to six weeks. Having a word study center is the perfect way to give students the review they need to master the phonics skills you have taught.

When thinking about the types of activities you will use in your word study center, you'll want activities that offer cumulative practice. Cumulative review activities are designed to focus on a target skill AND include skills that you have previously taught. This type of practice helps ensure students are not just exposed to skills, but that they actually master them.

In this blog post, I shared 5 phonics activities that offer students the cumulative review and repetition they need to master the skills you teach.

2. Independent Reading Center

The independent reading center is probably just what you imagine! Students read independently, practice decoding, work on their fluency, and widen their vocabulary.

Sound simple? It is! But it's also important and meaningful. The Science of Reading tells us that effective instruction follows the "I do, We do, You do" model. This means that after explicit instruction and plenty of opportunities to practice new skills with you, students need time to practice and apply these skills on their own. Independent reading offers students the opportunity to independently and authentically practice and apply the reading skills you have taught. Application is how skills stick.

As the teacher, you are responsible for teaching your students to fill their book bins with appropriate text. I recommend teaching students to fill them with books that are at the appropriate level of text difficulty, as well as books that suit their interests.

If you are using decodable passages in small group instruction, you can include copies of those passages in their book bin. This ensures students have texts that require them to apply the skills you have taught.

All that being said, I do not believe you should be afraid to include high-interest books only because they are "above their level". Students can gain a tremendous amount of knowledge on all different topics by studying the pictures, particularly in nonfiction books. They can also learn a lot by examining the other text features including captions, labels, headings, and subheadings. This is valuable, engaging, and exciting for them!

You can take a look at this post to learn more about the benefits of independent reading time and gain tips to help keep students accountable for their reading.

3. Writing Center

Children are naturally motivated to write at a young age! A writing center is a great way to keep that desire alive! It provides students with the materials, time, and scaffolding they need to independently express themselves.

In a writing center, students can write alone or with a partner. They can draft new pieces or continue working on an old one and publish it!

Just like the word study center, this is a place to practice what you have already taught them, not a place to try something new. I love these writing mini-units because they offer students valuable practice in genres I have previously taught. They have everything need to incorporate INFORMATIVE WRITING, OPINION WRITING and NARRATIVE WRITING into your literacy centers!

4. Listening Center

There are so many benefits to a listening center!

Children can listen at a higher language level than they can read. When they just listen to a story they can understand more complex ideas. They are also exposed to vocabulary and language patterns they might not hear in everyday speech.

It also gives students the chance to listen to a fluent reader, without the pressure to decode. This allows them to focus solely on their comprehension.

Finally, listening to books read aloud is an enjoyable and engaging experience for students. It develops their interest in books and desire to be a reader! I think we can agree that anything that helps to instill a love of reading is something we should be doing!

While tape/CD players make an excellent listening center, iPads and computers are also a good option. These days we are lucky because there are so many free reading websites that students can log into and enjoy the experience of being read to by a fluent reader.

Need some resources to freshen up your listening center or just help get it started? These FREE listening center activities are perfect for kindergarten, first or second grade classrooms. They help students deepen their comprehension and make listening to reading an active learning activity.

5. Partner Reading Center

Partner reading is one of the most popular literacy centers in my classroom. Students love reading together and find it highly engaging. I always feel good knowing they are getting time to practice reading strategies and build their fluency and comprehension. They also practice valuable collaboration skills like taking turns and actively listening to one another- always a good thing!!

Partner reading can look a few different ways. They can take turns reading entire books from the book boxes, take turns reading a single text, or even read partner plays together! Kristin from A Teeny Tiny Teacher has written a variety of leveled engaging reader's theater partner plays (pictured above) perfect for K-2 students. I highly suggest checking out this post and downloading a free set!

I hope the information I've shared today will help make planning and implementing literacy centers in your classroom easier for you. These activities will give your students meaningful practice and free you up to focus your attention on your small group instruction.
Feeling overwhelmed in trying to plan effective literacy centers or exhausted from all the center chaos many teachers experience? Imagine there was an easy, foolproof process for running literacy centers without the circus, noise, or interruptions...
AND if you could get new, low-prep Science of Reading-aligned centers every month...plus detailed, specific trainings...would you finally feel confident about doing centers in your classroom?

.

Join the waitlist and be notified first with more details when it's open for enrollment!

*87% of the time, school spam filters block emails like mine 😩 Please use a personal address so you don't miss a thing!

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Discover why these 5 literacy centers are essential for every k-2 classrooms! Get tips, ideas and resources that will help you get them up and running in your classroom!

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8 FREE and Fun Activities for Literacy Centers

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8 FREE and Fun Activities for Literacy Centers

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https://www.mrsrichardsonsclass.com/8-free-activities-for-literacy-centers/

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When you finally have all of your data, your guided reading groups formed, and your materials gathered, you may think you are ready for guided reading. There is just one problem. You need activities for literacy centers.

And you don't just need any kind of literacy center activity. You need something that is meaningful, aligned to standards, provides practice in an area that your students actually need, and you need something that doesn't wear you out preparing.

I have gathered eight activities for literacy centers that I have shared over the years FREE. They are kid-tested and teacher approved!

1. Alphabet Sequencing

A great beginning of the year activity is alphabet sequencing. It uses a very familiar tool- magnetic letters. It's easy to prepare and is a great literacy center activity for your word work station or magnetic letter station.

If you want to get fancy, you can put magnetic tape on the back of the strips and the students can put them on the side of your file cabinet to complete. Get this Alphabet Sequencing Activity HERE free!

2. Beginning Sounds Boom Cards™

If you are new around here, then let me have the pleasure of introducing you to the glory that is Boom Cards™! Teachers (& parents), Boom Cards™ are awesome for so many reasons and you can read more about how to use them HERE in this blog post.

In a nutshell, they are interactive task cards that are SELF-CHECKING! You can assign certain decks to students, monitor their progress, and kids truly enjoy them. You can try a FREE deck that focuses on beginning sounds HERE.

3. Name Activities

When you are working to build classroom community, learning each other's names is a great place to begin. I loved having my kids do all kinds of activities in the pocket chart station with each other's names. I have five FREE Name Activities that your kids can do.

If you don't have a pocket chart station, this will work great in a word work station, too.

4. Listening Center Recording Sheets

Setting up a listening station is one of the first few things I do as I introduce centers. It's simple, the kids love it, and it's very engaging. If you want to read more about how I do that, you can check out this blog post that is all about introducing the listening station.

If you don't have books and CDs (Do they even sell these anymore?), you can use sites such as StorylineOnline.net to have kids listen to books. After they listen 2 or 3 times, you can have them fill out a recording page to share about what they heard!

Click HERE to grab the 4 free listening center data sheets!

5. Independent Reading in Literacy Centers

No matter what stations are your favorites to include, I know that independent reading is happening in your classroom. There just isn't a better way for kids to authentically practice reading than grabbing a book and reading to their heart's desire!

With all that is going on getting books in your kids' hands may be tricky. Here are a few favorite websites you can use for digital book access!

Grab a tablet or computer and share these favorite book sites with your kids!

6. Book Making

One of the first stations that a co-worker introduced me to that I just loved and used every year in one way or another was a "Book Making" station. The way this station works is simple. I would put a mini-book in a tub and kids would either have to complete the text or simply color the pictures. Then, their job was to read the book with 3 friends. Kids loved this station and it was a great way for them to build their own library both at school in their independent book tubs and at home!

You can grab this FREE My School mini-book right here!

7. Writing Prompts

How are you squeezing in some extra writing? I'm thinking beyond writer's workshop. Just like in reading we al like to pick and choose what we read about, as writers, we all enjoy some freedom there, too. You can do this by providing blank writing paper or by providing some fun, thematic writing prompts. Here are a few free writing prompts your writers will love!

8. Poetry Station

It took me a few years to embrace a poetry station. In my classroom, it was probably more often called the "Pocket Chart" station. I would write the poem of the week on sentence strips and place it in our station. The kids would work to re-order the sentence strips, read the poem, and then place a copy in their Song and Poem books that were a big part of their book tubs. Kids LOVED reading the poems over and over. Plus, it is a great way to practice fluency!

Don't delay adding this station to your rotation if you haven't already! Grab a FREE poem HERE and get started!

Wherever you may be in your literacy center journey my best advice is to just begin. I shared some tips on beginning centers and more of my favorite centers here in this post. Find a literacy center that you can easily teach your kids, practice it with them, and then let them shine! Kids love literacy centers.

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8 FREE and Fun Activities for Literacy Centers - Mrs. Richardson's Class

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When you finally have all of your data, your guided reading groups formed, and your materials gathered, you may think you are ready for guided reading. There is just one problem. You need activities for literacy centers. And you don't just need any kind of literacy center activity.

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https://www.thebutterflyteacher.com/3rd-grade-literacy-center-ideas/

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Switching literacy centers in and out every week is such a headache for teachers! This post shares 3rd grade literacy center ideas that work with any curriculum and last the entire school year!
PLUS-you can grab some free printables at the end of this post! *This post contains affiliate links to Amazon for your convenience. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, which do not cost any extra for you. Please see the full disclosure here.*

What Are Literacy Centers?

I LOVE using literacy centers in my upper elementary classroom! When it comes to upper elementary, some people also call them literacy stations.

After years of being frustrated with the process of setting them up, I came across Debbie Diller's book Literacy Work Stations: Making Centers Work.

She defines a literacy center as:

"...an area in the classroom where students work alone or interact with one another, using instructional materials to explore and expand their literacy."
-Debbie Diller

She goes on to mention that literacy centers should give students a chance to practice all of the ELA skills such as reading, writing, speaking, grammar, and working with words or letters.

Using Debbie's definition, your centers can be in fixed locations around your classroom or they can be flexible.

I prefer flexible stations that allow students to work anywhere in the classroom. This impacts the type of center organization systems I use.

What Should Be Included in a Literacy Center?

With the above details in mind, I realized some important aspects about 3rd grade literacy centers:

Students should have the option to work collaboratively or independently.

The centers should allow literacy practice, but can be flexible enough to use with any curriculum.

These practice centers will NOT be graded.

Students need to have FUN!

In addition to these, Grade 3 literacy stations should include the ELA skills also mentioned above such as reading, writing, word work opportunities, and grammar.

That is how I came up with the literacy center ideas for third graders that are featured in this post.

Before I Introduce the 3rd Grade Literacy Center Ideas

Teachers are busy! You may not have time to read the full post.

If that's the case, you can bookmark this post and come back to it later, which is fine. Or save it to your favorite Pinterest board.

But if so, remember that I have all these literacy activities available in my store.

Feel free to click the image shown above OR click HERE to see the full set.

That way you won't miss out on the main reason you came here.

Now without further ado, let's look at some fun ELA activities for our Grade 3 kiddos.

Reading Centers for 3rd Grade

The goal for reading centers in my classroom is to give students choice and keep them motivated to read.

To meet this goal, I offer lots of reading materials such as comic books, chapter books, audio books, and magazines.

Our Magazine Scavenger Hunt usually ranks at number one! I'll be honest, I love it too! Here's why:

I never have to change this literacy center. I only change the magazines throughout the school year.

Students get to practice reading all sorts of articles, which builds their non-fiction reading skills.

They get to practice identifying non-fiction text features.

It's 100% student led!!

For all these reasons, magazine scavenger hunts rank #1 on my list of 3rd grade literacy center ideas.

It's such an easy and fun way to get your kids reading more.

"I Spy" Look in a Book Reading Center

Another engaging 3rd grade reading center idea is the "I Spy" Look in a Book reading center.

Students can use ANY book of their choice!

As they read, they look for parts of speech that we've learned in class. Then they fill up the grammar chart while they continue reading their book.

To make it even more engaging, I give my students magnifying glasses from Dollar Tree or Amazon so that they feel like "word detectives" as they look for the different parts of speech.

Plus, this is another center that I do not have to switch out!
This activity evens works well with a sub because you do not have to leave lots of instructions for this. Students get to practice independent reading really well with this option.

It is easy for students to learn and use without my help, and it works all year long in our classroom.

How Do You Make Reading Centers Fun?

Since we're on the topic of reading centers for your 3rd graders, let's talk about FUN. 🤩

Let's face it, if students are bored, they will not stay engaged during center rotations.

When choosing reading activities, I make sure to use stations that:

Allow collaboration and teamwork. Use ideas that can be completed with a partner or trio for students who would rather read with a friend.

Have a gaming aspect. Anytime you can turn a reading center into a game-style activity, it will promote more fun.

Embrace a variety of reading materials. Another really easy way to make your 3rd grade reading centers fun is to incorporate lots of different materials such as magazines, comic books, chapter books, e-books, etc.

Host a Read-A-Thon. Turn your classroom into a huge lounge with large pillows and plush blankets. Push the desks away. Serve simple refreshments and allow students to have a "read-a-thon."

Use reading challenges instead of reading logs. I use reading challenges for each season of the year that have up to 35 reading challenges. My students LOVE filling in their challenge bookmark to earn reading prizes.

These are just a few ways to get students pumped about completing reading centers in your classroom.

House Builder Words for Sight Word Practice

When it comes to word work and sight word practice, I love literacy centers that are portable. Instead of being in a fixed location in our classroom, I want my students to grab their center materials easily and go.

That's one of the reasons I love our House Builder Words Literacy Center.

Students are very familiar with the game "hangman", so I don't have to spend a lot of time introducing this center since there are similarities.

To keep students focused, I have them write sentences using the words from their hangman game with a partner, which is what I collect.

We use a combination of high frequency sight words.

This allows my kids to practice this center throughout the school year with lots of different words.

Even though I don't grade my centers, I do collect their completed activities to check for understanding.

Popular Game Boards for Word Work Practice

Popular game boards like Scrabble are super easy and one of my favorite engaging 3rd grade literacy center ideas!

Some of my top board grames are:
Anytime you can add in a game-style aspect to learning, you will notice more students who are eager to start and stay on task.

We use Scrabble, Boggle, and Banan-o-grams for spelling practice. I modify the Headbanz game to build students' vocabulary word skills.

Instead of using the picture cards that come with the game, I type our vocabulary words on cards and students use the same game board rules and head gear to guess the vocabulary words.

When it comes to making centers fun, mixing game boards with your curriculum really amps up the engagement!

For a FREE, exclusive sample of my 3rd grade literacy centers, sign up here to join The Butterfly Teacher VIP Community! Your free printables will be sent directly to your email.

Of course, popular game boards like these don't have to be expensive. I've used materials from The Dollar Tree to recreate these games as a way to save money.

If you can afford to buy the actual game board, it will save you time, but the main thing is that they really keep students engaged with your literacy centers.

Not only that, but each game gives students a chance for collaboration and fun.

Shape Spelling for 3rd Grade Literacy Centers

Are you noticing a common theme with all these 3rd grade literacy center ideas? Yep, those important elements that I first mentioned above are woven into each idea.

Shape Spelling evolved from my 4th grade literacy center Emoji Spelling. Spelling with emojis was such a huge hit with my kids, that I created a "spin-off" version for my 3rd grade literacy centers.

Using shape spelling involves almost no prep, except print and pass out to students. Your students will:

1. Use any word or spelling list.

2. Write their words using shapes from the master code list

3. Switch with a partner to write the actual spelling words after they decipher them from the shapes

It baffles me that this never gets old with my kids! They always enjoy using shapes to practice their spelling words.

Goldfish Games for Homophones, Synonyms & Antonyms

Which is why I always use some version of the goldfish game in my literacy center rotation.

Students create the new cards themselves as a bonus / extension activity! Once they complete the goldfish cards I already prepped, I give them blank templates to create their own set of cards.

Most students understand how to play goldfish: turn all the cards upside down and keep turning them back over two-at-a-time until you find a match.

The partner with the most matches / pairs wins the game.

My students use goldfish games for homophone, synonym, and antonym practice.

But Don't Your Students Get Tired of the Same Words?!

When it comes to "switching out centers," the only thing about this word work station that needs to change is the word selection.
I have been using the Google Apps a lot more with my literacy centers and so far, they have been very effective in helping my kids develop stronger literacy skills.
I realized that I was having to retype, print, and cut so many "goldfish" cards to keep this center going. But I found an easy way to prevent this much teacher work for myself!

This extension activity does come with guidelines to make sure students produce quality goldfish cards, but I've rarely had students who didn't enjoy this part of the game.

I laminate and re-use the best cards to add into our future rotations with this literacy center.

They love seeing their OWN work displayed as a literacy center, and I love how simple it is to set up and keep going throughout the school year!

Using Technology with Literacy Centers

Our school is not one-to-one yet, but our school has two iPad carts, and teachers are required to use these in the classroom at least once a week.

Plus, I personally want more technology integration with our learning activities and centers.

An example is this Context Clues reading activity on Google Slides. My kids get reading practice that builds up their inferencing and vocabulary in context skills.

Not only that, but it has a printable set of task cards also.

Having both versions allows me to be flexible with my centers.

Some kids will complete these on the computers, while others complete them at their seats.

Students quickly figure out how to drag-and-drop or type their answers without much help from me, which makes this technology center easy to keep established.

So I keep "Technology Time" as one of the center options, but I allow different activities and apps that students can access for literacy practice.

More 3rd Grade Literacy Center Ideas

Some of these ideas are featured in my 3rd Grade Literacy Centers Set that has 10 Hands-On centers with the following:

Click any image in this post or to see more details about these centers.

These literacy stations comes with these features:

Pictured & detailed instructions for students

Bonus & Extension Activities for most of the centers

Lesson Planning Ideas to help teachers save time

Center Labels & Teacher Binder Covers

For a FREE, exclusive sample of my 3rd grade literacy centers, sign up here to join The Butterfly Teacher VIP Community! Your free printables will be sent directly to your email.

How Long Should Centers Be for 3rd Graders?

Planning centers for upper elementary is impossible without considering time frames.

However, when it comes to how long Grade 3 centers should be, it depends on so many factors.

My sweet spot is around 90 minutes, which allows students to spend a minimum of 25 minutes at 3 different literacy stations.

25 x 3 = 75, which leaves you with 15 minutes for transitions, set-up, and clean-up time.

If you don't have that much time to devote to your literacy block, don't despair.
I wrote a quick guide with detailed answers to common questions about running centers.
One year, all I had was one 45 minute block. Students completed two 15-minute literacy activities with a cushion of 10 minutes for transition and prep.

This guide walks you through setting up centers and details things like:

Planning Your ELA Stations-Things to Consider

As you plan out how long your centers should be for 3rd grade, keep these things in mind:

Amount of total students you have

How long your students need to transition (the more you model and prepare them for centers, the less transition time they need)

Whether you're going to use fixed groups or choice boards to manage your centers.

Not only will the answers to these areas help you map out the time-frame for your stations, but it will make center planning in general easier.

More helpful posts about literacy centers:

How Do You Set Up Literacy Stations?

There are so many details to keep in mind when launching literacy centers.

This guide also has planning pages to help you set up centers in your classroom.

How to choose "groups" for your centers?

A breakdown of different time frames and what to do for your literacy block during those time frames.

Details on the best ways to differentiate your centers.

Knowing whether to switch out your centers each week or not.

Options on how to help students choose a center OR setting up fixed student groups.

I know how overwhelming it can be to get centers going in the classroom when you have a million other things to consider and do as a teacher!

Hopefully these literacy center ideas for 3rd grade gave you some fresh ways to look at centers in your classroom.

I have several more posts that give details about literacy centers. If you still have questions after reading through those, be sure to subscribe to our Butterfly Teacher email community and I'll be more than happy to help you along! 🤗

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Switching literacy centers in and out every week is such a headache for teachers! This post shares 3rd grade literacy center ideas that work with any curriculum and last the entire school year! PLUS-you can grab some free printables at the end of this post! *This post contains affiliate links to Amazon for your convenience.

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https://www.123homeschool4me.com/26-book-report-ideas_52/

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Book reports are a great way for kids to recall what they've read, help with reading comprehension, and improve writing too. But not all kids enjoy filling out book report forms. Here are 26 creative, fun, and unique book report ideas. So if you are looking to make book reports more fun, you will love these clever creative book report ideas for kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, and 6th grade students. Which book report projects will you try first?

Book Report Ideas

Book Reports are a great tool for helping kids learn how to summarize what they've read in a complete and concise manner. It helps them look for details like setting, characters, plot, and more. Plus they learn to list supporting reasons for what they like or didn't like about the book. But let's be honest, book report forms can get tedious and downright boring for students. These fun book report ideas allow kids to express creativity, plan their project, and work on visual presentations too. Use these creative book report ideas with kindergartners, grade 1, grade 2, grade 3, grade 4, grade 5, and grade 6 students.

Whether you are a parent working on improving your child's reading skills, a classroom teacher getting ready for back to school, or a homeschooler - we've got a book report project ideas for everyone!

Creative book report ideas

From dioramas to book jacket designs, book report t shirts to cereal box presentations, and posters to letters to authors - we have so many book report ideas for 3rd grade! These ideas are great for book report ideas for 5th grade and elementary age students.

Make a diorama - these still my children's favorite

Create a book jacket - different than the original

Kids will love making these book report t-shirts

Present an oral book report - dress up as your favorite character

Try creative cereal box book reports

Make a poster - pretend your book is going to be made into a movie

Write the author a letter - state why or why not you liked the book

Illustrate and design a comic book

Why not make a tasty book report (love the cake book report)

Book report project ideas

Check out the clever book report mobile, timeline idea, magazine ad, game board, book report project or even a book report crossword puzzle - there are so many unique 3rd grade book report ideas! Pick a 4th grade book report ideas for the whole class to try or let everyone do their own unique projects based on their interests.

Make a mobile - create your favorite scene

Create a timeline - include the important topics

Create a magazine ad for the book

Make a board game

Put together a Power Point Presentation

Write a letter to a friend informing them why they should read the book

Make a bookmark of your favorite chapter

Make a crossword puzzle - let someone who's read the book work the puzzle

Make a memory game - use index card with vocabulary words

Outline your favorite chapter

Fun book report ideas

We have even more creative book reports from 4d trioramas to pizza book reports, book report flaps to lapbooks, sandwich book reports and more! Which ones of these 5th grade book report ideas is your favorite?

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Book reports are a great way for kids to recall what they've read, help with reading comprehension, and improve writing too. But not all kids enjoy filling out book report forms. Here are 26 creative, fun, and unique book report ideas.

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35 Creative Book Report Ideas for Students

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35 Creative Book Report Ideas for Students

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https://www.weareteachers.com/creative-book-report-ideas/

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Responding to what you read is an important literacy skill. Reading about other people's experiences and perspectives helps kids learn about the world. And although students don't need to dive deeply into every single book they read, occasionally digging into characters, settings, and themes can help them learn to look beyond the prose. Here are 35 creative book report ideas designed to make reading more meaningful.

1. Concrete Found Poem

This clever activity is basically a shape poem made up of words, phrases, and whole sentences found in the books students read. The words come together to create an image that represents something from the story.

2. Graphic Novel

Have students rewrite the book they are reading, or a chapter of their book, as a graphic novel. Set parameters for the assignment such as including six scenes from the story, three characters, details about the setting, etc. And, of course, include detailed illustrations to accompany the story.

3. Book Snaps

Book Snaps are a way for students to visually show how they are reacting to, processing, and/or connecting with a text. First, students snap a picture of a page in the book they are reading. Then, they add comments, images, highlights, and more.

4. Diary Entry

Have your students place themselves in the shoes of one of the characters from their book and write a first-person diary entry of a critical moment from the story. Ask them to choose a moment in the story where the character has plenty of interaction and emotion to share in a diary entry.

5. Character To-Do List

This fun activity is an off-the-beaten-path way to dive deep into character analysis. Get inside the head of the main character in a book and write a to-do list that they might write. Use actual information from the text, but also make inferences into what that character may wish to accomplish.

6. Mint Tin Book Report

There are so many super-creative, open-ended projects you can use mint tins for. This teacher blogger describes the process of creating book reports and using them. There's even a free template for cards that fit inside.

7. Fictional Yearbook Entries

Ask your students to create a yearbook based on the characters and setting in the book. What do they look like? Cut out magazine pictures to give a good visual image for their school picture. What kind of superlative might they get? Best looking? Class clown? What clubs would they be in or lead? Did they win any awards? It should be obvious from their small yearbooks whether your students dug deep into the characters in their books. They may also learn that who we are as individuals is reflected in what we choose to do with our lives.

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8. Book Report Cake

This project would be perfect for a book tasting in your classroom! Each student presents their book report in the shape of food. See the sandwich and pizza options above and check out this blog for more delicious ideas.

9. Current Events Comparison

Have students locate three to five current events articles a character in their book might be interested in. After they've found the articles, have them explain why the character would find them interesting and how they relate to the book. Learning about how current events affect time, place, and people is critical to helping develop opinions about what we read and experience in life.

10. Sandwich Book Report

Yum! You'll notice a lot of our creative book report ideas revolve around food. In this oldie but goodie, each layer of this book report sandwich covers a different element of the book-characters, setting, conflict, etc. A fun adaptation of this project is the book report cheeseburger.

11. Book Alphabet

Choose 15 to 20 alphabet books to help give your students examples of how they work around themes. Then ask your students to create their own Book Alphabet based on the book they read. What artifacts, vocabulary words, and names reflect the important parts of the book? After they find a word to represent each letter, have them write one sentence that explains where the word fits in.

12. Peekaboo Book Report

Using cardboard lap books (or small science report boards), students include details about their book's main characters, plot, setting, conflict, resolution, etc. Then they draw a head and arms on card stock and attach them to the board from behind to make it look like the main character is peeking over the report.

13. T-Shirt Book Report

Another fun and creative idea: Create a wearable book report with a plain white tee. Come up with your own using Sharpie pens and acrylic paint. Get step-by-step directions.

14. Book Jacket

Have students create a new book jacket for their story. Include an attractive illustrated cover, a summary, a short biography of the author, and a few reviews from readers.

15. Watercolor Rainbow Book Report

This is great for biography research projects. Students cut out a photocopied image of their subject and glue it in the middle. Then, they draw lines from the image to the edges of the paper, like rays of sunshine, and fill in each section with information about the person. As a book report template, the center image could be a copy of the book cover, and each section expands on key information such as character names, theme(s), conflict, resolution, etc.

16. Act the Part

Have students dress up as their favorite character from the book and present an oral book report. If their favorite character is not the main character, retell the story from their point of view.

17. Pizza Box Book Report

If you're looking for creative book report ideas that use upcycled materials, try this one using a pizza box. It works well for both nonfiction and fiction book reports. The top lid provides a picture of the book cover. Each wedge of the pizza pie tells part of the story.

18. Bookmark

Have students create a custom illustrated bookmark including drawings and words from either their favorite chapter or the entire book.

19. Book Reports in a Bag

This project really encourages creative thinking. Students read a book and write a summary. Then, they decorate a paper grocery bag with a scene from the book, place five items that represent something from the book inside the bag, and present the bag to the class.

20. Reading Lists for Characters

Ask your students to think about a character in their book. What kinds of books might that character like to read? Take them to the library to choose five books the character might have on their to-be-read list. Have them list the books and explain what each book might mean to the character. Post the to-be-read lists for others to see and choose from-there's nothing like trying out a book character's style when developing your own identity.

21. File Folder Book Report

Also called a lap book, this easy-to-make book report hits on all the major elements of a book study and gives students a chance to show what they know in a colorful way.

22. Collage

Create a collage using pictures and words that represent different parts of the book. Use old magazines or print pictures from the internet.

23. Book Report Triorama

Who doesn't love a multidimensional book report? This image shows a 3D model, but the link provides a lesson to show students how to glue four triangles together to make a 4D model.

24. Timeline

Have students create a timeline of the main events from their book. Be sure to include character names and details for each event. Use 8 x 11 sheets of paper taped together or a long portion of bulletin board paper.

25. Clothes Hanger Book Report Mobile

This creative project doesn't require a fancy or expensive supply list. Students just need an ordinary clothes hanger, strings, and paper. The body of the hanger is used to identify the book, and the cards on the strings dangling below are filled with key elements of the book, like characters, setting, and a summary.

26. Public Service Announcement

If a student has read a book about a cause that affects people, animals, or the environment, teach them about public service announcements. Once they understand what a PSA is, have them research the issue or cause that stood out in the book. Then give them a template for a storyboard so they can create their own PSA. Some students might want to take it a step further and create a video based on their storyboard. Consider sharing their storyboard or video with an organization that supports the cause or issue.

27. Dodecahedron Book Report

Creative book report ideas think outside the box. In this case, it's a ball! SO much information can be covered on the 12 panels, and it allows students to take a deep dive in a creative way.

28. Character Cards

Make trading cards (like baseball cards) for a few characters from the book. On the front side, draw the character. On the back side, make a list of their character traits and include a quote or two.

29. Book Report Booklets

This clever book report is made from ordinary paper bags. Stack the paper bags on top of each other, fold them in half, and staple the closed-off ends of the bags together. Students can write, draw, and decorate on the paper bag pages. They can also record information on writing or drawing paper and glue the paper onto the pages. The open ends of the bags can be used as pockets to insert photos, cut-outs, postcards, or other flat items that help them tell their story.

30. Letter to the Author

Write a letter to the author of the book. Tell them three things you really liked about the story. Ask three questions about the plot, characters, or anything else you're curious about.

31. Book Report Charm Bracelet

What a "charming" way to write a book report! Each illustrated bracelet charm captures a character, an event in the plot, setting, or other detail.

32. Fact Sheet

Create a list of 10 facts that you learned from reading the book. Write your facts in complete sentences, and be sure that each fact is something that you didn't know before you read the book.

33. Cereal Box TV Book Report

This book report project is a low-tech version of a television made from a cereal box and two paper towel rolls. Students create the viewing screen cut-out at the top, then insert a scroll of paper with writing and illustrations inside the box. When the cardboard roll is rotated, the story unfolds.

34. Be a Character Therapist

Therapists work to uncover their clients' fears based on their words and actions. When we read books, we must learn to use a character's actions and dialogue to infer their fears. Many plots revolve around a character's fear and the work it takes to overcome that fear. Ask students to identify a character's fear and find 8 to 10 scenes that prove this fear exists. Then have them write about ways the character overcame the fear (or didn't) in the story. What might the character have done differently?

35. Mind Maps

Mind maps can be a great way to synthesize what students have learned from reading a book. Plus, there are so many ways to approach them. Begin by writing a central idea in the middle of the page. For example, general information, characters, plot, etc. Then branch out from the center with ideas, thoughts, and connections to material from the book.

36. Foldables

From Rainbows Within Reach, this clever idea would be a great introduction to writing book reports. Adapt the flap categories for students at different levels. Adjust the number of categories (or flaps) per the needs of your students.

37. Board games

This is a great project if you want your students to develop a little more insight into what they're reading. Have them think about the elements of their favorite board games and think about how they can be adapted to fit this assignment. For more, here are step by step directions.

38. Comic strips

Students who like to express themselves through visual arts can create a comic book based on the book they read. Include an illustrated cover with the title and author. The pages of the book should retell the story using dialogue and descriptions of the setting and characters. Of course, no comic book would be complete without copious illustrations and thought bubbles.

39. Timeline

Create a timeline using a long roll of butcher paper, a poster board, or index cards taped together. For each event on the timeline, write a brief description of what happens. Add pictures, clip art, word art and symbols to make your time line more lively and colorful.

40. Cereal Box

Recycle a cereal box and create a book report Wheaties-style. Decorate all sides of the box with information about the book's characters, setting, plot, summary,etc.

41. Wanted Poster

Make a "wanted" poster for one of the book's main characters. Indicate whether they are wanted dead or alive. Include a picture of the character. Also, a description of what the character is "wanted" for, three examples of the character showing this trait, and a detailed account of where the character was last seen.

42. Movie Version

If the book your students have read has been made into a movie, have them write a report about how the versions are alike and different. If the book has not been made into a movie, have them write a report telling how they would make it into a movie, using specific details from the book.

What creative book report ideas did we miss? Come share in our We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

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Book reports don't have to be boring. Help your students make the books come alive with these 35 creative book report ideas.

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10 Book Report Ideas That Kids Will Love

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10 Book Report Ideas That Kids Will Love

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https://appletasticlearning.com/10-book-report-ideas-that-kids-will-love/

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Book reports don't need to be painfully boring. In fact, they can be a ton of fun, and with the right project, students will love the entire process of creating and sharing meaningful book projects. There are loads of great book report ideas out there just waiting to happen in your classroom!

Here are 10 book report ideas that kids will love:

1. Cereal Box Book Report

These oh-so-cool reports were always the top-ranked project by my fifth graders. Students loved creating an original book report display using a covered cereal box and ready-made templates. The finished projects made a great classroom display, and students loved looking at their classmates' creative reports. Read more about Cereal Box Book Reports HERE.

2. Paper Bag Book Report

This is a super simple idea that is quite fun for students. Provide each student with a lunch-sized paper bag. Tell them to think about 5 objects that relate to the main character of their book. The objects have to be small enough to fit into the bag. Send the bags home and have students place the 5 objects in the bag and bring them back to school. On the day they are due, have students take turns sharing the objects in their bags and explaining how they relate to the main character of the book. You can even make a great display with the bags, objects, and books to pique the interest of other students.

3. Character Day

Have students dress up as the main character of their book. Then, have each student take a turn standing in front of the class and telling their character's story in first person point of view.

4. Book Report Lap Book

you need are two file folders, some cardstock or construction paper, scissors, glue, and the FREE book report template found here. The finished products are quite amazing, and your students will probably keep theirs forever! Check out my photo tutorial for making a lap book.

5. Book Scene Diorama

Have students construct a diorama of one of the main events of their book. They will make a 3-dimensional scene, including models of characters, the setting, and objects. A shoebox makes a great place to build a diorama. Require students to write a description of the scene.

6. Book Report Posters

This might be the easiest option of the book report ideas. Have students first sketch their posters on a sheet of notebook paper. Then, provide students with a large piece of poster paper or chart paper. Posters must identify main characters, setting, title, problem, and solution. Display finished posters in the classroom or on hallway walls.

7. Book Report Mobiles

Mobiles are easy to make, and it's fun to watch students use their creativity in designing their own projects. A paper plate folded in half makes a great base/topper for mobiles. Have students write the title of the book on this paper plate semi circle and hang the mobile pieces from it. Provide students with construction paper, yarn, markers, paper hole punches, and any other materials they might need.

8. Book Report Mini Books

9. Design a Book Jacket

Show your students several examples of some outstanding book jackets. Point out the front with the title and illustration, the spine and its information, and the back with the book summary. Also show the two inside flaps with information about the author and a smaller summary. Provide them each with a larger piece of paper and have them design a jacket for the book they have just read.

10. Ready-to-Print Templates

Use NO PREP book report templates to save your sanity AND to keep things fun for your students. You could print out all 12 templates in this Book Report Templates Packet and let students choose the one they want to do each month! There is even a really nice digital option for Google classroom included!

Regardless of which of these book report ideas you choose, be sure to clearly outline the expectations before your students begin. It's best if you can model a project to demonstrate the quality of work your students should strive for.

Keep it fun and engaging, and your students will be excited to invest their time in their projects!
Check out these ready to go, easy to use book report projects in my store:

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10 Book Report Ideas That Kids Will Love - Appletastic Learning

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Fun Book Report Ideas for Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Graders Book reports don't need to be painfully boring. In fact, they can be a ton of fun, and with the right project, students will love the entire process of creating and sharing meaningful book projects.

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15 Creative and digital book report ideas that will get your students excited to read

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15 Creative and digital book report ideas that will get your students excited to read

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https://www.bookwidgets.com/blog/2021/09/15-creative-and-digital-book-report-ideas-that-will-get-your-students-excited-to-read

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Not all students are excited to read a book. So how can you make reading a book more engaging and fun? This is a huge challenge for most teachers, so I hope I can help you out!

Here's what you'll find in this blog post (click on the title if you want to jump to the section directly)

5 tips to get your students excited about reading

Before you dive into the book reports, you have to get your students excited about reading first. In this previous post about reading, I've listed 10 tips that will encourage your students to read. I've come up with 5 more amazing tips! Here we go:

1. Use AR apps

If younger students don't like to read, it's often just due to a lack of imagination. Imagination is basically a child's superpower. AR apps (augmented reality apps) can bring books to life and immerse students into a whole new fantasy world whilst reading.

Here are a few apps with amazing storylines and AR books.

Wonderscope, for example, is an excellent storytelling tool. It uses augmented reality to transform ordinary places into real-time stories. Students also learn to read with the app. They ask questions to the characters in the story and listen to the characters' answers.

The Ghostkeeper's journal and field guide: This book is an immersive adventure for readers aged 10 and up, offering several AR experiences to enhance the storyline. These are accessed via a mobile app "Ghost-o-Matic".

Bookful creates an engaging reading experience and brings stories and characters in books to life. The app holds the world's largest 3D/AR library with hundreds of titles from leading publishers and brands such as: The Tale of Peter Rabbit, DK's Encyclopedia, and children's favorites such as Barbie, My Little Pony, Thomas & Friends, Transformers, and The Smurfs.

2. Escape lessons

Everything is much more fun if you include a challenge in your reading lessons. Instead of giving your students a real book, you can switch it up from time to time. In this case, you're creating your own escape the classroom game. For students to get to the finish and complete your challenge, they have to read your storyline and understand what they are reading. If they don't understand the text, it will be hard for them to finish your lesson. The most fun thing about this is that you get to control the narrative and content in your lesson.

Here are 3 fun ready-to-use escape lessons to spark your students' joy of reading:

A Halloween Murder: Let your students investigate the murder of the victim: Brat Spook. When they find the murderer, they get their "inspector" badge. Let them look for evidence in the murder scene, talk to suspects, analyze lab results, and so on!

Finding Rudolph: Save Christmas by helping Santa find back Rudolph. Students go through different challenges, talk to eye-witnesses, and follow Rudolph through a winter maze, so Santa can deliver all the presents to the children.

Easter Bunny Substitute: Can your students find a good Easter Bunny replacement? In the last breakout game for the classroom, the Easter Bunny is hurt, so your students need to interview the possible applicants and take tests to replace the Easter Bunny themselves. If they succeed in the challenges, they get an Easter Bunny substitute badge.

3. Storytelling

In every language course, students learn more than just language. They generally also learn about famous poets, singers, and writers of their time. They learn about important historical events and milestones in the countries where the language is spoken.

If you bring cultural elements into your lessons by telling a story, your students will be more eager to learn. Storytelling makes students want to "live the story". And they do this by reading it. If your story is strong enough, your students will love learning and reading. They will even remember the lesson content better.

Here's a fun & ready-to-use example: The life of William Shakespeare

4. First chapters

One of the most effective ways of getting someone's attention is saying " A", but NOT " B ". They will beg you to tell the rest of the story. This trick also works for encouraging students to read. Every Friday, you read the first chapter of a new book out loud. Then, stop. Your students are now dying to know how the rest of the book will go.

5. Books & sleepovers

For some reason, reading a book is mostly done before bedtime. Get cozy in bed with a nightlight, and start reading. When you're tired, just switch off the light and go to sleep. So, why not do this with your entire classroom? Organize a classroom sleepover event dedicated to " the world of books ".

You can even add different parts to your sleepover. For example, let students read their favorite passage in a book of choice out loud, and 1 hour before bedtime, all your students take their book and read in silence. Or how about creating cozy themed corners? Fantasy, science fiction, detectives,... When your students are reading in themed corners, they get the full experience. They can even dress up as a character in their book whilst reading.

15 Creative and digital book report lesson plans

Step 1: Get your students excited about reading. ✅ Step 2: make sure they don't lose their interest when you're announcing the book report assignment! ☑️ This part can be demotivating.

As the lower grade students often still get fun book report assignments, the higher grade students often get a dull worksheet where they have to describe the characters and give a summary. Change up your book report assignments with these creative, free & ready-to-use lesson ideas.

Take a look at all these ready-to-use and free digital book report activities. They're all made with BookWidgets. You can even make exercises like these yourself in your own BookWidgets account.

Keep on reading to find out how to use these exercises in your lessons.

1. Glasses

How did your students experience the book? Let them fill the glasses with drawings of the storyline/the book. The glasses represent the view of the students. Students can get really creative and use the toolbar at the bottom to draw and type.

You can ask your students to present their book report artworks to the other students as well. This way, your students can explain what's on their drawing.

2. Bookworm

This is a quick exit ticket for book reviews. If your students all had to read the same book, article, or text, you can give them this exit ticket at the end of the lesson to see if they understood what they read. You can also assign this as a part of different book report exercises.

3. Timeline

This interactive book report asks your students to create a timeline of the story. When did what happen, chronologically? The have to add the biggest events in the story to the timeline.

4. Comic book

In this book report exercise, your students have to write a comic book based upon the book they've just read. When they click on the "start" icon, they can choose fitting text balloons to go with their story.

Here are three other fun websites that let students create comic books: Storyboard That, Comic Life, and Toonytool. They already give you creative templates and drawings. This is a bit easier for students. This way, they don't have to start from scratch.

5. Character portrait

This book report exercise is all about the main character. Your students have to draw how what they look like, and write down everything about the character. What kind of personality do they have? What's the setting (where do they live)? What are their strengths and weaknesses?

6. Randomness task

Just... add a little spice. I've turned the ordinary book report task, where students have to describe characters, the setting, plot, etc., into an exciting one. Your students don't know yet what they'll have to describe. They spin the randomness wheel and their task appears. The fun thing about this one is that all of your students will write a different book report.

7. Book cover

Here, students get to be creative and invent their own book cover (front and back) of the book they just read. Or maybe just a cover for of a piece of text you've read out loud. They can use the whiteboard tools: pencil, type tool, switch colors, add images, etc.

8. Character family tree

This digital mind map exercise allows your students to add boxes with text and connect them to each other. This is perfect for a book report activity focusing on the characters in their book.

9. Facebook Profile

Modern days call for modern book report lesson ideas. Image the main character having a Facebook profile. What would be on it? That's exactly what your students have to figure out here. Create a Facebook profile about the main character.

10. Book Collage

Here, students have to add 10 pictures or images that have to do with the book. They can do so by clicking on the photo icon and adding images into their collage.

11. Mirror selfie

In this creative book report, students have to dress up like the character in their book, including holding 3 attributes that refer to the personality of the main character. They have to take a picture or mirror selfie of themselves dressed up, and add that picture to the whiteboard. You can ask them to come forward and present their images and explain why they've chosen those specific attributes.

The fun thing about all of these exercises is that they work on smartphones as well. So in this case, students can just open the exercise on their smartphones, take a mirror selfie with their phones and add it to the mirror in the digital whiteboard exercise.

12. Email to the author

Your students have the chance to write a friendly email or letter to the author of the book they just read. Students have to share:

their opinion;

the character in the book they liked most, and why;

their favorite part of the book and why;

questions that they have about the book.

If you have an email address of the author, ask your students to submit their works to you, the teacher, first. After having given feedback on their letters, they can make some changes and send it over to the author.

If you have the author's postal address, it's much more fun to write a classic letter.

13. Conversation between characters

There is something called a "texting thumb" or a "smartphone pinky". This shows that students like to send texts. A lot of them. So why not include it in your book report lesson plan? In this digital book report, students have to invent a conversation between two characters in their book.

14. Movie vs. Book

A lot of books have a movie version too. If your students choose a book that also has a movie, it's interesting to let your students make a comparison. With this book report exercise, you're also sure your students actually read the book instead of just watching the movie and write a summary of the movie and not the book.

15. Emoji summary

The last exercise is also one students can relate to. Nowadays, we use emojis after almost every sentence when we're communicating with friends. Emojis also have a strong meaning and can be used to express feelings or say something without actually saying it.

In this digital book report lesson plan, your students need to explain everything about the book by using their imagination and their knowledge of the emoji language. Looks like a lot of fun!

The complete collection of book report lesson ideas in one assignment

All these book report exercises are so much fun and yet they don't take up a lot of time. Perhaps they just ask your students to only describe a certain part about the book. Cue... the planner widget.

With this type of BookWidgets activity, you can combine several lessons into one. You can let your students take matters into their own hands and choose which book report activities they'd like to finish.

It's actually pretty easy. Your students read the instructions in the instructions widget and then start adding at least three book report activities to their planner. They finish the activities, submit them to their teacher, check off their planner, and that's it!

Take a peek at the planner here 👇

Instructions on how to use these digital book report lesson activities

Above, you can find the 15 ready-to-use book report activities. You can use these lesson examples for free. Since they're all made with BookWidgets, I've listed them in this BookWidgets group. Here's what you need to do:

1. Click on this link. It will immediately bring you to the group with all of the book report activities. If you don't have a BookWidgets account yet, you'll have to sign up first for free.

2. Duplicate all the book report activities. Click on the settings wheel, select all widgets, click on the settings wheel again, choose duplicate selected widgets. Choose where you want to save the activities in your BookWidgets account.

3. Go to your saved book report lessons. You can now click on the black dropdown arrow next to the 'Show' button of a particular exercise and select . You can make some changes to this activity (if you want). If it's perfect for you, click on in the upper right corner.

4. Share this link with your students. When they click on it, they can fill it out. A lot of the book report examples above have been made with BookWidgets' Whiteboard widget, in which students can use the tool menu at the bottom to switch tools (draw, type,...), and to switch colors. When done, they can submit the book reports to you by clicking on the envelope in the upper right corner.

5. As a teacher, you go to "Grades & reporting" in BookWidgets to find your students' answers.

Of course, now that you've got your own BookWidgets account, you can also create book report activities or other assignments yourself!

Attention! Once your free trial runs out, you'll only be able to use the widgets you've already finished/shared with students. While your BookWidgets account will still work and you'll still get your students' results with the free BookWidgets version, you won't be able to duplicate widgets nor create new widgets yourself anymore.

Wrap up

So that's it! I hope these lesson ideas are useful for your classroom or at least give you lots of new ideas for your book report lessons! You can even create ones yourself!

Have fun, share this with fellow teachers and keep on rocking your classroom!

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15 Creative and digital book report ideas that will get your students excited to read

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Not all students are excited to read a book. So how can you make reading a book more engaging and fun? This is a huge challenge for most teachers, so I hope I can help you out!

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Creative and Excellent Book Report Ideas for Students

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Creative and Excellent Book Report Ideas for Students

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https://www.myperfectwords.com/blog/book-report-writing/book-report-ideas

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https://blog.moving-minds.com/2019/05/22/classroom-transition-activities/

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Smooth and timely transitions are key to a successful classroom! Oftentimes, valuable instruction time can be wasted if students can't easily transition from one activity to the next. The biggest thing I try to get out of my transition time is that my students are calmed down quickly and ready to focus. Here are five quick ways that I use transition activities during the day!

Number Circles

One quick transition that my students enjoy is number circles. I've used this in various ways, but with multiples of a given number is probably the most effective and favorite. Students stand in a circle and quickly count one at a time by a given number. I will pick an end number before we start playing, and if you're that number you must sit down. Students enjoy counting quickly and have to listen to each person before them. To take up less time, I split the class in to two groups to play.

Fitness Challenges

My students also love fitness challenges in the hallway! The key to this is that all fitness challenges must be silent. They love doing walking lunges from one room to the next! On occasion, I will do the same challenges to transition between center activities.

Phrases

Freeze, floor is lava, and Andy is coming! To get my students attention quickly in the hallway or classroom, I will shout one of these three phrases. In freeze, the students must stand as if they are frozen. When the floor is lava, students must fit on only one floor tile. If Andy is coming, they must lay down like a toy on the floor. These are great, quick ways to get around the building and get their attention.

Cleaning Points

Quickest clean up-My students are super messy! Currently, they are grouped in teams, and teams can earn points for special rewards. As soon as certain lessons are over, I ask them to complete their work and clean up their desk area. After this, they can get up and help straighten up the room (bookshelf, sink, floor, etc). If I notice that a team has more than half of their members up cleaning, I give them bonus points. Not only are they quiet, but they help get our room organized too!

Music

Simply playing music and letting them dance for 30 seconds is pretty effective too! My kids enjoy when I play popular music and let them move about the room. The only catch is that it can't get too crazy or loud. When the music stops they must immediately be ready for their next activity.

Whichever transition activity I pick, it is clear that the biggest factor for success is expecting the best from my students. They need to know what my expectations are prior to, during, and after transition activities or it is likely that I will not use that transition again. Also, as often as I can I try to not have my students sitting for long periods of time. I think this helps with transitioning too! With smooth transitions in place, the day will be less stressful for both me and my students.

Activity Breaks

Get students moving and learning with these equipment-free classroom activity breaks! The research shows that active students learn better - they are more focused, have better attitudes, and perform better throughout the school day. So what's stopping you? Add more physical activity to your class' daily routine with these five simple, yet effective ideas.

Add Classroom Transition Activities to Your Room!

Fit-N-Spin

It's Your Move!™ Activity Set

NutriPlay™ HealthySpots™

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Smooth and timely transitions are key to a successful classroom! Oftentimes, valuable instruction time can be wasted if students can't easily transition from one activity to the next. The biggest thing I try to get out of my transition time is that my students are calmed down quickly and ready to focus.

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20 Ways to Quickly and Quietly Transition your Students

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20 Ways to Quickly and Quietly Transition your Students

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https://educationtothecore.com/2021/11/20-ways-to-quickly-and-quietly-transition-your-students/

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Are your students struggling with transitions? Do you find yourself spending a lot of time waiting on them to get ready for the next lesson? Or are you constantly shushing them in the hallways? Getting your students to transition quickly and quietly takes time and lots of patience. We asked some teacher colleagues how they get their students to move throughout the school and came up with 20 ways to quickly and quietly transition your students.

Teachers gave some tried and true ideas to get students to transition quickly and quietly:

Quiet Transition 1 -

" Do you have recess? I had to start using a timer. They "owe time" that they wasted but they have the opportunity to earn it back during the next transition... they have been earning their time back lately." -Mercedes S.

2 -

"We're standing up straight and tall, our voices are at zero... we're ready for the hall." -April B.

3 -

"I use the CLASS CUES app. We have a song cue for everything we do. I don't say a word! I just pick a cue in the app and they know what to do! I've used it for the past 5 or so years. It's life-changing!" -Lynsie H.

Quick Transition 4 -

"We do beat the timer! And then a lot of times, if we're going to recess or something, if they aren't meeting expectations, they have to sit down and try again." -Megan H.

5 -

"Secret walker. Randomly pick a student and don't tell them who. If that student is walking correctly and quietly the class earns a point towards a reward." -Lauren W.

Quick Transition 6 -

"Lots of practicing. Go back and sit down and try again." -Winnie M.

7 -

"The first month is super important in setting expectations and procedures. It's not too much to ask. I teach Math & Science and have 2 classes. Both are doing excellent, and when they get sidetracked...which I wouldn't expect anything else, I remind them. 'Are we in our squares, facing forward, directly behind the person in front of us? Let's see how Straight we can walk in our hallway procedure! Let's show the other classes how we line up!' And of course, brag that they are trying their hardest! I always use procedures to line up in the classroom. I call them by rows. 'Row one, quietly stand, push your chair in, and line up.' Once they are in line, I repeat for the next few rows. Then remind them of the hallway procedure!" -Morgan T.

8 -

"I have students stand in line and repeat after me: Eyes facing forward, feet in a line, hands to myself, bubbles in my mouth. And I repeat specific ones if students aren't doing them until they all do it." -Karina D

Quick Transition 9 -

"We practiced quick and quiet transitions in class until they met my expectations. We will practice during snack time if need be. I have 24 students and they do a good job. Just be consistent." - Connie M.

10 -

"I literally have them practice and time them. They practice coming from different areas of the room (carpet, desks, random.) We try to beat our record (without running/pushing/etc.) When they get REALLY good, I record videos of them and we watch it back. They love it!" -Lindsey M.

11 -

"I use lots of songs and signals for the different transitions. I explicitly teach, model and we practice, practice, practice. Recently we have started timing how quickly and quietly we can line up. They try to beat their time. 23 students and we are at 58 seconds." -Roberta S.

12 -

"1. Stand up 2. Get ready (face wherever they are going, take a deep breath) 3. Move" -Robin N.

Quiet Transition 13 -

"I use different songs to signal transitions so they know what to do when. For example, math is 867-5309, writing is Paperback Writer, reading is the Reading Rainbow theme song." -Christy B.

14 -

"We had to start early to practice. If they didn't line up properly they sat back down and tried again. I would tell them that if it took a third time we would miss our specials (Not really, but it worked). It took some time but 37 days in, they are doing great!!" -Alice V.

15 -

"I start with 3 lines facing the back of the room, where our door is (students line up by order of their desks, and we practice over and over until they get it). The star student is the line leader, and they pick the quietest/best-behaved row to go first, then 2nd, then last. I have rows 1, 2, and 3. I hope that makes sense!" -Julie B.

16 -

"I do transition games, I use sight word flash cards. I pick a word from our weekly practice flashcards, all of table 1 (or whichever table I choose, has to be the quietest table) will line up and they have to tell me the word. Then, I choose a new word and the next quietest table. Etc. If the table makes noise lining up they have to go sit back down and wait their turn. The kids love it, it is sight word practice. I can assess who knows their words, it's fun, and it gets them to line up quietly...it works like a charm. FYI- you can basically do this with any skill/content area." -Amanda R.

Quiet Transition 17 -

"I have the 'Mystery Walker' when moving from room to room/bathroom, etc. All names are on discs, I take one out of the container & watch that student as we go. If that student follows all of the rules, they earn points. Works a treat! Coming to the floor at the end of group work time, or independent tasks, I say - '2, 2, 3, 4. Everyone sit on the floor!' Students who sit quickly & quietly before the end of the rhyme earn points or extra play & that's another great incentive!" -Noleen C.

18 -

"Last one's a rotten egg is the only thing working with my group this year but it's effective!" -Laurie M.

19 -

"I use footprints laminated and stuck to the floor my students learn to stand on them" -Peta F.

Quiet Transition 20 -

"Today I tried something new and it was like magic. I used Screencastify to make some minilessons. I found a 5-way headphone splitter so I can set up one Chromebook at the table. 5 kids can watch the same video and complete the accompanying task." - Deborah Petty

Whether you are struggling with getting your students to quickly and quietly transition or something completely different in your classroom, there are always ways to keep your students engaged and improving. We understand that it gets difficult and even though this is a unique and challenging year, you are not alone.

We know that 20 ways to quickly and quietly transition your students are not enough to make it through the year.

Here are some other resources you can use to help you make it through the year:

There is endless support and resources available in the Fearless Kindergarten Teachers: Education to the Core Facebook Group, Fearless First Grade Teachers: Education to the Core Facebook Group, or the Fearless Second Grade Teachers: Education to the Core Facebook Group.

This group of teachers is a wealth of knowledge and is continuously encouraging. You can also sign up for our free Teaching Tiny Humans Teacher Course where you will get weekly emails and guidance on how to navigate tough situations, along with tips, tricks, activity ideas, and freebies to make this school year a success.

In addition, you can follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook @educationtothecore for continued information and resources as the season progresses, or listen to our podcast Where the Primary Things Are.

In addition to finding support from your fellow teachers, you can also use resources like ETTC Premium to help make your life easier. It is $9.99 for a month and you gain unlimited access to all of the ETTC resources we have in our shop. That means you can take away some of the stress and difficulties with access to thousands of no prep worksheets and activities ranging from ELA and Math all the way to Science, SEL, and Social Studies.

If it gets to the point where you need to take a mental health day using a resource like the Editable Sub Plans make having a guest teacher a little less overwhelming.

Written by - Korryna Sanchez

At Education to the Core , we exist to help our teachers build a stronger classroom as they connect with our community to find trusted, state-of-the-art resources designed by teachers for teachers. We aspire to be the world's leading & most trusted community for educational resources for teachers. We improve the lives of every teacher and learner with the most comprehensive, reliable, and inclusive educational resources.

If you enjoyed what we have to offer at ETTC, be sure to join our , so you won't miss a beat.

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20 Ways to Quickly and Quietly Transition your Students | Education to the Core

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Are your students struggling with transitions? Do you find yourself spending a lot of time waiting on them to get ready for the next lesson? Or are you constantly shushing them in the hallways? Getting your students to transition quickly and quietly takes time and lots of patience.

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The Top 20 Transition Activities for Elementary Students

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The Top 20 Transition Activities for Elementary Students

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https://www.twinkl.com/blog/the-top-20-transition-activities-for-elementary-students-usa

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12 Transition Ideas: Save Time Moving Between Activities & When Lining Up

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12 Transition Ideas: Save Time Moving Between Activities & When Lining Up

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https://www.drlorifriesen.com/blog/12-transition-ideas

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Just click the play bar below to listen to this episode now:
Show Notes:
We are going to have a bit of fun this week talking about 12 of the best transition ideas I've found so that you can easily create a routine for between activities AND for transitions when your students are all lined up and waiting to leave the classroom.

Heaven knows that if you have kids all lined up with nowhere to go, that can quickly become a disaster because within 30 seconds they are bored and will look for ways to entertain themselves if you don't give them something to do. 🙄

I've had a lot of teachers tell me that one of their biggest challenges as a new teacher is time management, and if you are spending too much time throughout the day moving from one activity to another and if you don't have a clear process or routine for doing so, you are going to feel like your day is a little chaotic.
You'll probably also feel the cumulative effects of feeling like you didn't accomplish nearly enough with your students if you don't have quick, clear, and effective ways to transition from one activity or lesson to the next.
Before we dive in, I have to be honest... as a new teacher, I really had no idea that I even needed a routine for transitions between subjects or lessons.

However, when I realized how much time I was actually wasting trying to get the kids settled and in their desks again so we could start the next lesson, I realized that this was something I really needed to work on.

It wasn't just the time we were wasting - I also realized that by the time my kids actually got focused again, I was EXHAUSTED because I spent so much of my time saying things like...
"Pay attention," "What are you doing?" "Let's get started," "No talking!"
Sound familiar? I spent so much of my energy trying to get my kids focused again that I was worn out before I even began my lesson. I knew it was bad when even I began to hate the sound of my own voice - lol!

So today, I'm going to share some great ideas that worked for me, and I'm going to walk you through how I actually taught my students how to do transitions in my class.
My goal is that by the end of this episode, you will be able to create your own clear plan for how you will be able to establish a transition routine (or several) that work for your own classroom.
Before we get started, I want to be clear that teaching your students a routine for how to transition from one lesson to the next needs to be taught as carefully as anything else you teach in your classroom.

This might seem obvious to you, or you might be more like I was and be thinking, "What? This isn't that complicated."

However, here's what I learned and what became clearer to me the longer I worked with kids:

You can't take ANYTHING for granted. EVER. Things that seem like common sense to you and to me is NOT common sense for kids, simply because they have not had years and years of school to become practiced in these kinds of things.

It may seem like common sense to you and to me that we shouldn't waste a lot of time in between classes to transition to the next thing, but your students are not that concerned about it and certainly won't even give a thought about it until or unless you have taught them exactly what you want, and unless there is some kind of a consequence, either positive or negative, on them.
So, let's begin with an example of a common transition routine I used in my classroom, and then I'll break it down for you and share with you how I taught it (and what happened if my students didn't follow the routine).

1. In my class, when we finished one lesson and I needed a couple of minutes to get the next lesson materials ready, I put on one of my students' favorite songs (or I let my Special Person of the week choose a song).

2. My students were free to get up and move around during this time, using quiet voices, and talk to their friends and visit, and they knew that when the song ended, they needed to be back in their desks, ready to learn, by the time I came to the front of the class to prepare them for the next lesson.

3. Instead of spending time saying things like, "Okay, time to stop talking!" I would simply count down from 10 as I moved towards the front of the class, and my students knew that by the time I got to "Zero noise," they needed to be back in their seats, have a sharp pencil, and put one hand up and look at me without any talking.

4. Then, I would instantly reinforce the good I saw in their behavior with something like:

"Oh my gosh, I am so proud of you! I just might have the very best class in the entire world. Look at you! You are all in your desks and you are ready to go."

5. Then, I would immediately reward my kiddos for their behavior. They

For those of you who have been listening to my podcast for awhile or if you are a R.E.A.D.Y. for School Academy member, you know that I had a treasure map in my classroom and my students could earn spaces on that treasure map.

loved to earn stories as we traveled around the world, so I would say something like,
"Alisha, please go and move our ship on our treasure map two spaces. I am so, so proud of you. Okay, let's move on to science now."

You might be thinking - well, all of that sounds great, but most of my students still wouldn't be in their desks, and they probably wouldn't care much if I had to tell them about 15 times to get back to their seats so we could start.

That used to happen to me, too.

So, what I did was let my students know that if they made the class wait - if they weren't ready to learn by the time I got to "Zero noise," I would simply tell those students that they had lost the privilege of free time to talk to their friends during transitions for the rest of the day.

Gulp. Yup, that's what happened. Every - single - time!
It's a natural consequence, right? And it worked.
Instead, during transition breaks for that day (or for the entire next day if it happened towards the end of the day), I would have that student or those students come over to me and I would hand them a rag with a bit of cleaning solution on it, and ask them to do a bit of cleaning that I needed done (in separate areas of the classroom, by the way).

Now, that wasn't nearly as much fun as getting a few minutes of free time to chat with their friends, so it never lasted more than a day. 😉

Simple and easy-peasy.
In addition, I took a lot of time to carefully teach my students exactly what they were allowed to do and not allowed to do during our transition time, and I constantly gave them very specific feedback about what they were doing well and what we needed to work on.
Also, I stayed with the same transition routine for at least a few weeks before I added in another option.

So, for the first few weeks of school, for example, my students knew that during breaks, they would hear one of their favorite songs, and that when it was time to come back to their desks, that I would count down to "zero noise."

In the beginning of the year, you may even want to use the same song each time until your students get used to this routine in your classroom.

Once they were used to this routine and were really good at it, I would teach them a second transition routine and begin to mix it up a bit.

However, I would suggest that you stay with the same transition routine for a while until you are sure that your students can be successful at it before you add in something else, or your students may end up just being confused and the routines that you are using to save time could actually end up wasting even more time because everybody's confused and doesn't quite know what to do.

So, choose one routine that you are super clear about and that is easy for your students to follow and that they can be successful at before you add in some others.

(By the way, my R.E.A.D.Y. for School Academy members had a whole lot of fun generating some of these ideas, included in the freebie below, during a Facebook challenge I led. These are ALL classroom tested ideas that I think will spark your own creativity and imagination for your classroom!)

All right, let's talk about 11 more fun options for transition routines in your classroom!

There are so many fun and simple brain-break ideas on this platform that kids absolutely love, and you can choose either a more low-key brain break or something that is a little more high energy, depending on what you want. They have yoga options for kids and really calming music, and they also have some awesome options for getting kids up and moving.

It's hard to imagine a time before Go Noodle because it's so wide-spread now, but what a gift to classrooms!

If you don't know what this is, it's basically a motion-based video game that features choreographed dance moves to popular songs.

What people have done is recorded this game and put these videos up on Youtube, so your students can actually dance along to some of their favorite songs using choreographed moves so they don't feel so self-conscious about moving.

There are great videos available like "Waka Waka" by Shakira, "YMCA," "The Macarena," or "I Gotta Feeling," and so many others.

I've included a bunch of links to student favorites in the freebie for this episode, and I'm sure your students will love this!

The leader should be you at first so kids have a good model of what this looks like, but then after you've led this several times for your students, you can ask for volunteers for who would like to lead the next transition.

Kids LOVE games so this is always a popular one, and you could even put up a list of action words so that the leader doesn't have to keep thinking about what to do next, like "jump, run, skip, hop, etc."

Action Songs like "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes:"
Action songs work really well, especially if you keep repeating the song at different speeds and volumes, having them follow along with you.

You can just Google "action songs for kids" and you will get a whole lot of options popping up, but again, this is really geared towards students in kindergarten to 2nd grade.

For example, challenge your students to do 10 jumping jacks with you, then 15 knee highs, 5 push-ups, hop in place, and then run on the spot as fast as they can for 30 seconds.

However, I think it's only fair that you do this with your students if you're going to ask them to do it!

We don't get enough exercise in this day and age, and I think we all lead more sedentary lifestyles than is probably healthy, so this is something that I always loved to do with my own students to get the blood flowing and to re-energize in the middle of the day!

Here are a few go-to games I love to use when my students are lined up to go somewhere else in the school or are lining up to go home and you have a few extra minutes:

Here's how to play: One person is "it" and says "Statue!"

The students must freeze & do their best to look like a statue.

The student who is "it" gets to choose the best statue, and the game continues for another round!

Sometimes I would ask them to freeze like the "silliest" statue ever, or like the "scariest" statue ever, and the kids just love it.

This game can actually be a pretty effective way to end the day if you want to remind students of something they need to remember - like if you say "I spy with my little eye something that is purple" and you have a note on the whiteboard in purple marker reminding students to bring their field trip forms back, that can act as a great final reminder in the day, just before students head home.

So there you have it! Twelve practical and classroom-tested ideas for how you can make transitions more manageable in your classroom. I hope that as we've talked about some of these, that your imagination was inspired for what you might like to do in your own classroom.

It's important to remember that kids need transitions just as much as we do - they really need little breaks throughout the day to take a brain break, stretch, move, and have the freedom to talk to their friends.

Allowing for and planning for regular transition breaks throughout the day will help your students to remain better on-task during lessons.
However, remember, that just as important as transition are, your ability to ensure that your students are on task and ready again when you are ready to move on to the next activity is also very important.
You can use my simple trick of counting back from 10 to "Zero noise," or you can use a chime, a bell, or even a stuffed cow who giggles, but there are also tons of great "call backs" you can use to get your students' attention quickly and easily.

For example, you can say "Holy Moly" and your students then respond "Guacamole!"

I've created super fun and colorful call-back cards with 20 of my favorite call-backs that are available for purchase in my new store, Beginning Teacher Talk, on Teachers Pay Teachers for you that you can display and use with your class so you can keep changing up the call-back you use in your classroom:

Also, don't forget to grab your FREE copy of my Transitions Cheat Sheet so you can keep all of these ideas handy in your classroom:

Finally, I really don't want you to miss next week's episode, because it's going to be an awesome one!

I am going to share 10 of my favorite books to use in the classroom for Halloween, and I'm going to tell you about how you can create an adorable glow-in-the-dark haunted house literacy project with your students - your kids are going to absolutely love this, so you don't want to miss it!

If you've enjoyed this episode and you know another teacher who you think would benefit from it, please go ahead and share this with one friend who you know would like it.

The only way we are going to survive in this profession is by taking care of each other, so please go ahead and share this episode with someone who you know might really benefit from it.

And finally, if you're feeling extra loving, I would deeply appreciate it if you would leave a review for this podcast on iTunes.

Until next week, remember that just because you are a beginning elementary teacher, there is no need for you to struggle like one! I hope you have a fabulous week.

Bye for now!

💛 Lori

Dr. Lori Friesen | Beginning Teacher Mentor

Creator of the R.E.A.D.Y. for School Academy, Dr. Lori Friesen has mentored thousands of beginning teachers across the country through her workshops and courses. Host of the popular podcast, and creator of the innovative literacy program for 1st and 2nd grade, Dogs Help Kids Read and Succeed, Dr. Lori is dedicated to serving educators and inspiring learners. Learn more at drlorifriesen.com and at howdogshelpkids.com.

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12 Best Transition Routine Ideas for Your Classroom

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Learn 12 classroom-tested ideas to help move students efficiently and effectively between classes or subjects, all while giving them the break they need to remain focused during lessons!

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3 Secrets to Effective Classroom Transitions

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3 Secrets to Effective Classroom Transitions

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https://www.teachstarter.com/us/blog/the-secret-to-effective-classroom-transitions-us/

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If you've struggled with classroom transitions, you're not alone. Helping students move from one task to another can be a challenge, even for seasoned veteran teachers. But consider this: If you spent just 15 minutes on a classroom transition once a day for an entire school year, you'd lose 45 HOURS of instructional time!

That's about a week of school lost to transitions! Want to grab that time back? The teachers on the Teach Starter team sat down to take a look at the main three types of transitions and share some of our own tried and true transition strategies that can help you spend more time on teaching (and less time trying to get students back on track!).

What Is a Classroom Transition?

Put simply, a classroom transition is a process of moving from one lesson, space, or event to another during the course of the school day. They happen several times a day, and they can be simple or more complicated with a need to change locations and the collecting or swapping of books and equipment.

Transitions can present a challenge for students who see an opportunity to get chatty - or get a little unwieldy - and that can mean a challenge for a teacher to maintain classroom order. But getting this part of the school day down pat is key to classroom management, and fortunately, we've got some solid tips from our years in the classroom to help you get on track.

What Are the 3 Types of Transitions?

Students will make a lot of transitions throughout a school day - more than you might even realize - but you can easily break them down into three types of transitions:

Entering the classroom

Switching from one activity to another

Exiting the class

Seems overly simple? Let's break it down a little bit more. Here are just some examples of the classroom transitions you might expect to handle throughout the school day - depending on the grade level you teach - which all tie back to those three main types:

Transitioning from drop-off or the school bus into the classroom at the start of the day

Moving from carpet time to desk work

Coming back into the classroom after lunch or recess

Returning from specials (P.E., music, art, etc.)

Going to another area of the school such as the library, the cafeteria or the computer lab

Rotating from one small group activity to another

Explore our teachers' favorite classroom routines and resources.

Why Are Transitions Important in Teaching?

Transitions can be incredibly efficient if coordinated effectively. They give students a break by providing them the opportunity to get out of their seats and switch their focus to a new task.

Transitions give students an opportunity to stretch their bodies and take a break from learning - both incredibly important for maintaining concentration throughout the school day.

Classroom transitions can also be used to minimize disruption from restless students when timed appropriately. However, they can also cause excitability if mismanaged. So, now that we know why transitions are important, how do you make sure they're effective?

Great Classroom Transition Strategies

Prepare Kids for the Signals

Classroom management involves a lot of repetition of the rules and procedures, and that includes transition management. From the first week of school, work to let your students know the signals that you'll be using when it's time to make a transition, so they know what they mean and can quickly adapt.

A key to successful transitions is making sure your students feel in control and feel like they are managing their own time, so letting them know what to expect and do puts them in the driver's seat when it comes to making good choices!

Teach Starter Teacher Tip: Try our Attention-Grabbing Phrase Cards for a fun way to grab student attention! Whenever you're ready to stop an activity and move on to the next one, simply call out one of the phrases on the cards, and watch them snap to attention!

Cues are Key

Getting your students to quickly drop everything and prepare to change activities does take some practice. You need your students to know exactly what to do when you want their attention, and they need to do it fast!

Some cues that members of our teacher team swear by include:

1. Set up a countdown timer - play any of these free timers any time you need them.

2. Post a visual schedule in your classroom where students can see it. Five minutes before the transition, draw attention to the schedule and announce what will happen in 5 minutes. Then make an announcement at the 2-minute mark for students to start cleaning up to ready for their next activity.

3. Play music at a low volume in the classroom, and adjust the volume when it's time to transition. Again, it's important to prep students ahead of time for what to do when that music change occurs!

4. Set up a doorbell in your classroom to play when it's time to transition. You can find a variety of doorbells online these days with different sounds. Why not buy multiple and use different sounds to cue students for different activities - transitioning to new center activities, sitting quietly at their desks, and so on?

Manage Materials

If you are asking students to collect and organize their own supplies, make sure it is in a place they can all easily access without causing a traffic jam. Alternatively, give one of your students the materials manager job for a whole week so there's no confusion as to who's carrying what!

Teach Starter Teacher Tip: Print and post a classroom job chart so every student knows who is in charge of what!

Transition With Movement and Music

Transitions are a great opportunity to get your students up and moving - waking their brains up and giving them a good stretch. Instead of letting the movements get out of control, why not turn it into a little bit of fun?

Playing particular songs when you want your students to complete different transitions is a great way to train them to transition a certain way on cue, and the best part is that they know they only have until the song is up to complete the transition.

Move Your Body

Obviously, moving and grooving your body to music isn't really feasible when you're moving around the school grounds! So how do you make walking in the hallways interesting and engaging for your students?

There will always be a time and a place for a straight line quietly walking from one classroom to the next, but for those times in between, use our How to walk like a... Instruction Cards!

These fun movement cards encourage your class to concentrate on their walk through the school to ensure they complete the right actions. Their eyes are less likely to wander, their mouths are less likely to chatter, and their minds and bodies will be nicely exercised by the time they reach their destination!

Banner image via shutterstock.com/Prostock-studio

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5 Secrets to Classroom Transitions That Actually Work

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What are classroom transitions, and why are they important? Try these classroom transition strategies to save time during the school day!

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https://www.texthelp.com/resources/writing-prompts-for-younger-students/

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100 Elementary Writing Prompts Kids Will Love With Printable

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100 Elementary Writing Prompts Kids Will Love With Printable

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https://education.yourdictionary.com/education/for-teachers/activities-lesson-plans/100-elementary-writing-prompts-kids-will-love-with-printable.html

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No matter what grade they are in, kids will love these fun and inspiring elementary writing prompts. The concepts are appropriate for all grades, and they will spark interest in kindergarteners and 5th graders alike.

Journal Prompts for Kids

These journal prompts will appeal to children of all ages. Kindergarteners may write a single word or sentence with help from an adult, while older kids may write short paragraphs.

writing prompts for kids

Question Prompts for Elementary Students

Kids of all ages love open-ended questions that encourage them to think about their lives. These question writing prompts work for every elementary grade:

Fun and Funny "What if" Prompts

"What if" prompts get kids to use their imaginations, an important skill for a writer of any age. They'll love these fun writing prompts for kids, whether they write one sentence or a whole page:

Seasonal Writing Prompts for Kids

Kids' lives change with the seasons, from the clothing they wear to the outdoor activities they enjoy. These writing prompts have plenty of natural inspiration:

Entertaining "Finish the Story" Prompts

The key to getting children interested in writing is making it fun and imaginative. These exciting "finish the story" prompts will help them practice their creative writing:

Descriptive Writing Prompts

Descriptive writing helps kids practice the skills they need to write expository essays and narratives. These writing prompts for kids can help:

Opinion Writing Prompts

Making claims and forming opinions is important for becoming a critical thinker and mature writer. The key to inspiring great opinion writing is to ask questions kids care about:

Picture Prompts for Elementary Students

Picture prompts are a great way to inspire writing, especially for younger kids. These fun picture prompts will get those pencils moving. First, here is a set of prompts relating to dogs:

100 Elementary Writing Prompts Kids Will Love With Printable

What if your teacher turned into a dog?

How smart do you think dogs are? Why?

If you could teach a dog any trick, what would you choose?

What is your favorite kind of dog?

What if dogs could say words instead of barking?

Next, here are writing prompts that can accompany this whimsical image of a boy flying in a paper boat:

100 Elementary Writing Prompts Kids Will Love With Printable

Why do you think some balloons float?

Where would you go if you could fly anywhere?

Would you want to ride in a balloon boat like the picture? Why or why not?

Do you think something like the picture could really happen? Why or why not?

Who would you take with you on a trip in a floating boat?

Narrative Writing Prompts for Kids

Summarizing events and putting things in order help kids learn to organize their writing in a way readers can understand. Whether they're in kindergarten or 5th grade, these narrative writing prompts will help:

Poetry Writing Prompts

Creative writing lesson plans are a great way for kids to learn self-expression. These poetry prompts will fit in your lesson plan and work for any grade, although kindergarteners may need a little help from an adult:

Write a poem about a thunderstorm.

How do you feel about your parents? Write a poem.

Write a poem in the shape of a cat.

Have you ever had to stop doing something you wanted to keep doing? Write a poem.

Write a poem about the color red.

What is the prettiest tree you have seen? Write a poem about it.

Write a poem using the letters in your name.

Write a poem about how you feel when you are alone.

What is your favorite holiday? Write a poem about it.

Write a poem about your favorite food.

Inspire Kids to Write

While these elementary writing prompts work for all ages, it's also good to inspire young students with prompts for their own grade. For instance, 1st grade writing prompts should be all about fun, giving reluctant writers the motivation to learn. As children get older, the writing world opens up. They need a variety of 4th grade writing prompts for everything from poetry to descriptive writing. No matter what age kids are, inspiring them to write is important work.

100 Elementary Writing Prompts Kids Will Love With Printable

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100 Elementary Writing Prompts Kids Will Love With Printable

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No matter what grade they are in, kids will love these fun and inspiring elementary writing prompts. The concepts are appropriate for all grades, and they will spark interest in kindergarteners and 5th graders alike. These journal prompts will appeal to children of all ages.

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https://www.journalbuddies.com/prompts-by-grade/elementary-writing-journal-prompt-ideas-for-kids/

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Journaling is a fun & low-pressure way to ease into writing. With that in mind, we’ve created 75 elementary writing prompts to help your students begin writing!

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Writing Prompts for Elementary School Students

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Writing Prompts for Elementary School Students

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https://www.thoughtco.com/quick-writing-prompts-p2-2081846

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Writing is a skill that every person needs in life, and developing that skill in children is an important part of elementary school studies. However, writing inspiration is not something that every student comes by easily. Like adults, many children tend to get stuck when it comes to thinking of writing ideas on their own.

We've all had writer's block at one point or another in our lives, so it's easy to understand the frustration students may experience. Just as athletes need to warm up their muscles, writers need to warm up their minds and creativity. Giving students writing prompts, or ideas and inspiration for writing topics, will ease their anxiety and allow them to write more freely.

Allowing your students to choose a writing idea each day or each week from the 50 that are listed can provide inspiration for their creative writing. To make this activity more challenging, encourage them to write without stopping for at least five minutes, increasing the number of minutes that they devote to writing over time. Remind your students that there is no wrong way to respond to the prompts and that they should simply have fun and let their creative minds wander.

With prompts that pertain to writing about people, you might encourage students to write about multiple people, considering people in their lives and people they don't know personally. This encourages children to think more critically and consider unknown factors in the creation of their stories. You might also encourage students to think in terms of either the realistic or the fantastic. When the confines of realism are eliminated, students are free to think more creatively, which can encourage them to become more engaged in the project at hand.

1. The person I admire the most is...

2. My biggest goal in life is...

3. The best book I ever read was...

4. The happiest moment in my life was when...

5. When I grow up, I want to...

6. The most interesting place I have ever been to was...

7. Name three things you don't like about school and why.

8. The strangest dream I ever had was...

9. When I turn 16, I will...

10. Who is the funniest member of your family and why?

11. I get scared when...

12. Five things I would do if I had more money are...

13. What is your favorite sport and why?

14. What would you do if you could change the world?

15. Dear teacher, I would like to know...

16. Dear President Washington, what was it like to be the first president?

17. My happiest day was...

18. My saddest day was...

19. If I had three wishes, I would wish for...

20. Describe your best friend, how you met, and why you are friends.

21. Describe your favorite animal and why.

22. Three things I like to do with my pet elephant are...

23. The time a bat was in my house...

24. When I become an adult, the first thing I want to do is...

25. My best vacation was when I went to...

26. The top three reasons that people argue are...

27. Describe five reasons that going to school is important.

28. What is your favorite television show and why?

29. The time I found a dinosaur in my backyard...

30. Describe the best present you ever received.

31. Describe your most unusual talent.

32. My most embarrassing moment was when...

33. Describe your favorite food and why.

34. Describe your least favorite food and why.

35. The top three qualities of a best friend are...

36. Write about what you would cook for an enemy.

37. Use these words in a story: scared, angry, Sunday, bugs.

38. What's your idea of a perfect vacation?

39. Write about why someone might be afraid of snakes.

40. List five rules that you have broken and why you broke them.

41. What is your favorite video game and why?

42. I wish someone had told me that...

43. Describe the hottest day you can remember.

44. Write about the best decision you've ever made.

45. I opened the door, saw a clown, and then...

46. The last time the power went out, I...

47. Write about five things you can do if the power goes out.

48. If I were president, I would...

49. Create a poem using the words: love, happy, smart, sunny.

50. The time my teacher forgot to wear shoes...

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50 Smart Writing Ideas for Elementary Students

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Writing is a skill that every person needs in life, and developing that skill in children is an important part of elementary school studies. However, writing inspiration is not something that every student comes by easily. Like adults, many children tend to get stuck when it comes to thinking of writing ideas on their own.

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225 Fun & Free Creative Writing Prompts for Kids in All Grade Levels

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225 Fun & Free Creative Writing Prompts for Kids in All Grade Levels

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https://www.prodigygame.com/main-en/blog/writing-prompts-for-kids/

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Category

Writing prompts are meant to unlock creativity. They're story starters designed to inspire creative thinking. They can take you to places you've been or recall an important time in your life.

But mostly, they're useful tools for teachers to inspire writing growth in students from grade school to high school.
"Once upon a time, in a land far, far away..."
It's amazing how one simple sentence can send you on a journey to places you've never been, filled with untold possibilities.

Reading is great, but you know what's even better? Giving your students the power to write stories for themselves.

Writing prompts for kids help students:

Express themselves and their creativity

Grasp lifelong literacy skills and concepts

Tell their own stories and build self-confidence

Develop a growth mindset when it comes to their writing skills

Writing is like a muscle - it takes practice to build up skills. Luckily, we put together a list of over 200 writing prompts to help your students get started. We've also organized them by middle school, high school and elementary school to help teachers decide whether these prompts are age-appropriate for their students.

Grade school writing prompts

Grade schoolers can definitely begin to address complex ideas when it comes to story writing - but you should seek to keep the prompts simple and straightforward.

Reluctant writers might be intimidated by complicated writing ideas - and this is an age where we should be encouraging creativity.

Creative writing prompts for elementary schoolers

Whether it's exploring the furthest reaches of outer space, traveling across the Sahara desert or sticking a little closer to home, these creative writing prompts will have students imagining endless possibilities for their writing.

Fun writing prompts for grade schoolers

Everyday life is full of great inspiration for writing! Get students thinking with these easy and fun writing prompts.Write about something you are good at.

Persuasive writing prompts for elementary school

Are your students' opinions up for debate? Ask them to flex their critical thinking skills with these persuasive writing prompts. Once they're done, get class discussion flowing with a spirited debate!

1. Write a letter convincing your parents to let you get a pet dog. What arguments do you use to persuade them?

2. Convince your teacher that you should be allowed an extra 15 minutes of recess.

3. Convince your best friend to read your favorite book.

4. How would you convince someone to do your chores for you?

5. Write a commercial for your favorite breakfast food. What would convince someone else to try it?

6. What flavor of chips is the best? Why?

7. What would make a better pet - a monkey or a peacock?

8. Do you think children should be allowed to stay up as late as they want?

9. What's your favorite holiday and why should it be everyone's favorite?

10. Convince us that your favorite food should be a staple in everyone's diet.

Middle school writing prompts

As students enter middle school, they're starting to feel like bigger, older kids. They can start writing original short stories and abstract persuasive essays.

It's best to inspire creativity at this age and encourage them to explore their own voice and different writing styles. These prompts will definitely go a long way in inspiring that.

Creative Writing Prompts for Middle Schoolers

1. Invent a new type of transportation for the future. Who uses it? Where does it go?

2. If you had a time machine, where would you visit first - the past or the future? Why?

3. You get on the bus and find a four-piece jazz band giving a concert. What do you do?

4. Design and name your own Prodigy pet. What element are they? What's their special power?

5. Finish this story: "Something just touched my foot," they shouted, swimming frantically towards the shore.

6. Write a silly or scary story to tell around a campfire.

7. Finish this story: Everything was going so well today - until I tripped and fell, right in front of...

8. Throughout your adventures as a pirate on the high seas, you've seen lots of strange and magical creatures. Which one was the most interesting?

9. Deep in the heart of a dark and mysterious cave, there lies a magic stone. Write about your quest to find it.

10. Write an acrostic poem using the word "strawberry."

11. There was an old woman who lived in a shoe. She knit and she baked, but what else did she do?

12. Finish this story: "One thing I'll never do again," she said, "Is go on vacation with an alpaca."

13. Make up a new planet and describe it.

14. Write a story about a family of penguins living on an iceberg.

15. Write a story about a girl who can walk through walls.

16. You've been invited to a ball at the Queen's palace! What is it like?

17. Imagine you're exploring the Amazon jungle. Write a diary entry about your day.

18. If you could invent a TV show, what would it be about?

19. You discovered an underwater kingdom! What is it like there?

20. A lonely trumpet player makes friends with the dancer who lives next door. What happens next?

21. You go to the park to fly a kite, but get carried away by the wind! What happens next?

22. Write a story about a volcano that's about to erupt.

23. Write a story about visiting an old lady who lives deep in the woods.

24. Boom, you're a superhero! Give yourself an origin story, describe your superpowers and plan what you'll do to make the world a better place.

25. Write a story using these six words: calendar, headphones, lipstick, mug, bear.

26. You wake up to find you're invisible. How did it happen? What do you do?

27. There's been a robbery at the bank, and you're in charge of finding the culprit. How do you solve the case?

28. Finish the story: Once upon a time, there was a dragon...

29. You just joined a super-secret spy organization. What's your first mission?

30. Write a story about being cold without using the word "cold."

31. You're a scientist and you've just discovered a new type of bug. Describe what it looks like, where it's from and what you're going to call it.

32. Imagine a world where all the birds can talk. What would they say?

33. Write about what happens after the end of your favorite book or movie.

34. Finish the story: She sprinted down the driveway to the mailbox. The package was here!

35. You're on a hike and a bird starts talking to you. What do you do? What does it say?

36. Write a story using these five words: bubblegum, stapler, spoon, lightbulb, strawberry.

37. You ate a magical carrot and your skin turned orange! What happens next?

38. Write about what it would be like if you had an elephant for a pet.

Fun Writing Prompts for Middle Schoolers

Persuasive Writing Prompts for Middle School

1. If you could change one thing about your school, what would it be and why?

2. Is it better to read the book before you watch the movie, or watch the movie before you read the book?

3. Persuade someone to try out your favorite hobby or sport.

4. What's the best way to try and persuade a friend to do what you want to do?

5. When is peer pressure good? When is peer pressure bad?

6. Is it better to have lots of friends, or just a few really good friends?

7. Should students be in charge of what they learn in school?

High school writing prompts

High school students can either be tasked with more complex writing prompts or breathe nuance into simple story ideas. Students can drive these prompts in a million different ways.

So while not necessarily more complicated than middle school, these prompts can be tweaked, either by the student or teacher, to encourage thought-provoking output.

Creative Writing Prompts for High Schoolers

1. If you had a time machine, where would you visit first - the past or the future? Why?

2. Write a story about someone your age who lives on the other side of the world.

3. Pick up the nearest book and turn to page 7. Close your eyes and point to a random word on the page, then write a story about that word.

4. Write a story in ten words or less.

5. You fell asleep for 100 years. What does the world look like when you wake up?

6. Finish the story: "This isn't what I hoped would happen," she said....

7. You're walking down the street when you see someone who looks exactly like you.

8. Write a story where the main character learns something new about themselves.

9. Write a story that takes place in the desert.

10. Write a story about a day where everything seems to go wrong.

11. Write a poem about the color blue.

12. Write the funniest story you can think of.

13. How would your life be different if you didn't have access to a computer, video games or your phone?

Fun writing prompts for high schoolers

Persuasive writing prompts for high school

1. Should kids be allowed to use social media unsupervised? Why or why not?

2. Persuade someone to start a healthy habit, or get rid of a bad one.

3. Should all single-use plastics be outlawed? Why or why not?

4. Should our school have a dress code? Why or why not?

5. Is it more important to be right or to not hurt someone else's feelings?

6. What important historical figure do you think belongs on the ten-dollar bill?

7. Do you think you're born with your personality traits, or do you gain them as you grow up?

8. Should mobile apps be responsible for protecting your privacy - why or why not?

Social emotional learning journal prompts

Math writing prompts for kids

Whether it's tackling word problems or explaining a new concept, writing is a surprisingly good tool for the math classroom.

A math journal can help you understand what students already know, while giving them space to work through tricky concepts on their own. Use these writing prompts to promote literacy in every subject - and help students avoid math anxiety.

1. Tell me everything you know about ________.

2. Explain, in words, how to solve this problem.

3. What is and isn't true about this situation?

4. What is _______?

5. Explain two different ways to solve this problem. Which one is better?

6. What did you get correct in this problem?

7. What mistakes did you make while solving this problem?

8. What do you not understand about _____?

9. Write a word problem using the concept we're learning about.

10. What did you learn today?

11. How do you use math in your everyday life?

12. What is the easiest/hardest part of math class?

13. What discoveries did you make in math class today?

Final thoughts on writing prompts for kids

Writing prompts aren't the end of the story - they're just the beginning. Encourage your students to build a regular writing practice, and soon you'll see the benefits in every class.

Where will your students' imaginations take them?

Inspire student imagination with Prodigy English

Prodigy's brand-new game, Prodigy English, encourages students to build creativity and reading and language skills. Students can explore and create a world of their very own as they answer questions to gain energy, meet new characters, earn coins and build a village. And as they play, you'll be able to track their progress and achievement for easy assessment!

Create your free teacher account today to get started.

Create my free teacher account
Writing prompts are meant to unlock creativity. They're story starters designed to inspire creative thinking. They can take you to places you've been or recall an important time in your life.

But mostly, they're useful tools for teachers to inspire writing growth in students from grade school to high school.
"Once upon a time, in a land far, far away..."
It's amazing how one simple sentence can send you on a journey to places you've never been, filled with untold possibilities.

Reading is great, but you know what's even better? Giving your students the power to write stories for themselves.

Writing prompts for kids help students:

Express themselves and their creativity

Grasp lifelong literacy skills and concepts

Tell their own stories and build self-confidence

Develop a growth mindset when it comes to their writing skills

Writing is like a muscle - it takes practice to build up skills. Luckily, we put together a list of over 200 writing prompts to help your students get started. We've also organized them by middle school, high school and elementary school to help teachers decide whether these prompts are age-appropriate for their students.

Grade school writing prompts

Grade schoolers can definitely begin to address complex ideas when it comes to story writing - but you should seek to keep the prompts simple and straightforward.

Reluctant writers might be intimidated by complicated writing ideas - and this is an age where we should be encouraging creativity.

Creative writing prompts for elementary schoolers

Whether it's exploring the furthest reaches of outer space, traveling across the Sahara desert or sticking a little closer to home, these creative writing prompts will have students imagining endless possibilities for their writing.

Fun writing prompts for grade schoolers

Everyday life is full of great inspiration for writing! Get students thinking with these easy and fun writing prompts.Write about something you are good at.

Persuasive writing prompts for elementary school

Are your students' opinions up for debate? Ask them to flex their critical thinking skills with these persuasive writing prompts. Once they're done, get class discussion flowing with a spirited debate!

1. Write a letter convincing your parents to let you get a pet dog. What arguments do you use to persuade them?

2. Convince your teacher that you should be allowed an extra 15 minutes of recess.

3. Convince your best friend to read your favorite book.

4. How would you convince someone to do your chores for you?

5. Write a commercial for your favorite breakfast food. What would convince someone else to try it?

6. What flavor of chips is the best? Why?

7. What would make a better pet - a monkey or a peacock?

8. Do you think children should be allowed to stay up as late as they want?

9. What's your favorite holiday and why should it be everyone's favorite?

10. Convince us that your favorite food should be a staple in everyone's diet.

Middle school writing prompts

As students enter middle school, they're starting to feel like bigger, older kids. They can start writing original short stories and abstract persuasive essays.

It's best to inspire creativity at this age and encourage them to explore their own voice and different writing styles. These prompts will definitely go a long way in inspiring that.

Creative Writing Prompts for Middle Schoolers

1. Invent a new type of transportation for the future. Who uses it? Where does it go?

2. If you had a time machine, where would you visit first - the past or the future? Why?

3. You get on the bus and find a four-piece jazz band giving a concert. What do you do?

4. Design and name your own Prodigy pet. What element are they? What's their special power?

5. Finish this story: "Something just touched my foot," they shouted, swimming frantically towards the shore.

6. Write a silly or scary story to tell around a campfire.

7. Finish this story: Everything was going so well today - until I tripped and fell, right in front of...

8. Throughout your adventures as a pirate on the high seas, you've seen lots of strange and magical creatures. Which one was the most interesting?

9. Deep in the heart of a dark and mysterious cave, there lies a magic stone. Write about your quest to find it.

10. Write an acrostic poem using the word "strawberry."

11. There was an old woman who lived in a shoe. She knit and she baked, but what else did she do?

12. Finish this story: "One thing I'll never do again," she said, "Is go on vacation with an alpaca."

13. Make up a new planet and describe it.

14. Write a story about a family of penguins living on an iceberg.

15. Write a story about a girl who can walk through walls.

16. You've been invited to a ball at the Queen's palace! What is it like?

17. Imagine you're exploring the Amazon jungle. Write a diary entry about your day.

18. If you could invent a TV show, what would it be about?

19. You discovered an underwater kingdom! What is it like there?

20. A lonely trumpet player makes friends with the dancer who lives next door. What happens next?

21. You go to the park to fly a kite, but get carried away by the wind! What happens next?

22. Write a story about a volcano that's about to erupt.

23. Write a story about visiting an old lady who lives deep in the woods.

24. Boom, you're a superhero! Give yourself an origin story, describe your superpowers and plan what you'll do to make the world a better place.

25. Write a story using these six words: calendar, headphones, lipstick, mug, bear.

26. You wake up to find you're invisible. How did it happen? What do you do?

27. There's been a robbery at the bank, and you're in charge of finding the culprit. How do you solve the case?

28. Finish the story: Once upon a time, there was a dragon...

29. You just joined a super-secret spy organization. What's your first mission?

30. Write a story about being cold without using the word "cold."

31. You're a scientist and you've just discovered a new type of bug. Describe what it looks like, where it's from and what you're going to call it.

32. Imagine a world where all the birds can talk. What would they say?

33. Write about what happens after the end of your favorite book or movie.

34. Finish the story: She sprinted down the driveway to the mailbox. The package was here!

35. You're on a hike and a bird starts talking to you. What do you do? What does it say?

36. Write a story using these five words: bubblegum, stapler, spoon, lightbulb, strawberry.

37. You ate a magical carrot and your skin turned orange! What happens next?

38. Write about what it would be like if you had an elephant for a pet.

Fun Writing Prompts for Middle Schoolers

Persuasive Writing Prompts for Middle School

1. If you could change one thing about your school, what would it be and why?

2. Is it better to read the book before you watch the movie, or watch the movie before you read the book?

3. Persuade someone to try out your favorite hobby or sport.

4. What's the best way to try and persuade a friend to do what you want to do?

5. When is peer pressure good? When is peer pressure bad?

6. Is it better to have lots of friends, or just a few really good friends?

7. Should students be in charge of what they learn in school?

High school writing prompts

High school students can either be tasked with more complex writing prompts or breathe nuance into simple story ideas. Students can drive these prompts in a million different ways.

So while not necessarily more complicated than middle school, these prompts can be tweaked, either by the student or teacher, to encourage thought-provoking output.

Creative Writing Prompts for High Schoolers

1. If you had a time machine, where would you visit first - the past or the future? Why?

2. Write a story about someone your age who lives on the other side of the world.

3. Pick up the nearest book and turn to page 7. Close your eyes and point to a random word on the page, then write a story about that word.

4. Write a story in ten words or less.

5. You fell asleep for 100 years. What does the world look like when you wake up?

6. Finish the story: "This isn't what I hoped would happen," she said....

7. You're walking down the street when you see someone who looks exactly like you.

8. Write a story where the main character learns something new about themselves.

9. Write a story that takes place in the desert.

10. Write a story about a day where everything seems to go wrong.

11. Write a poem about the color blue.

12. Write the funniest story you can think of.

13. How would your life be different if you didn't have access to a computer, video games or your phone?

Fun writing prompts for high schoolers

Persuasive writing prompts for high school

1. Should kids be allowed to use social media unsupervised? Why or why not?

2. Persuade someone to start a healthy habit, or get rid of a bad one.

3. Should all single-use plastics be outlawed? Why or why not?

4. Should our school have a dress code? Why or why not?

5. Is it more important to be right or to not hurt someone else's feelings?

6. What important historical figure do you think belongs on the ten-dollar bill?

7. Do you think you're born with your personality traits, or do you gain them as you grow up?

8. Should mobile apps be responsible for protecting your privacy - why or why not?

Social emotional learning journal prompts

Math writing prompts for kids

Whether it's tackling word problems or explaining a new concept, writing is a surprisingly good tool for the math classroom.

A math journal can help you understand what students already know, while giving them space to work through tricky concepts on their own. Use these writing prompts to promote literacy in every subject - and help students avoid math anxiety.

1. Tell me everything you know about ________.

2. Explain, in words, how to solve this problem.

3. What is and isn't true about this situation?

4. What is _______?

5. Explain two different ways to solve this problem. Which one is better?

6. What did you get correct in this problem?

7. What mistakes did you make while solving this problem?

8. What do you not understand about _____?

9. Write a word problem using the concept we're learning about.

10. What did you learn today?

11. How do you use math in your everyday life?

12. What is the easiest/hardest part of math class?

13. What discoveries did you make in math class today?

Final thoughts on writing prompts for kids

Writing prompts aren't the end of the story - they're just the beginning. Encourage your students to build a regular writing practice, and soon you'll see the benefits in every class.

Where will your students' imaginations take them?

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225 Fun Writing Prompts for Kids of All Grade Levels

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52 Journal Prompts for Kids to Reflect and Practice Writing Skills

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52 Journal Prompts for Kids to Reflect and Practice Writing Skills

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300 Fun Writing Prompts for Kids: Story Starters, Journal Prompts & Ideas

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It's never too early to start writing, and so we've created this fun list of 300 creative kids writing prompts for teacher and parents to use.

You'll love these fun ideas for kids writing prompts to use as creative sparks to get young imaginations writing in no time!

These are perfect to use as kids journal writing prompts, as short story writing prompts, or just for exercises to help students and children of all ages tap into their creativity. Maybe your kids will write an essay, maybe a poem, or maybe even a whole book!

Whether you are a teacher or parent looking to inspire your kids to write, or maybe even an adult who would like to practice writing with a more playful and young-hearted approach, I hope you find these creative writing prompts inspiring!

The Ultimate List of 300 Fun & Creative Writing Prompts for Kids

#1. Imagine a giant box is delivered to your front doorstep with your name on it. What's inside and what happens when you open it?

#2. Write a short story about what it might be like if you woke up one morning with a mermaid tail.

#3. Which is better, winter or summer? Write about the reasons why you think winter or summer is better.

#4. Write about what would it be like if you had an alligator as a pet.

#5. If you had $1,000, what would you buy and why?

#6. Write a story using these 5 words: apple, train, elephant, paper, banjo

#7. What do you want be when you grow up and why?

#8. Who is your favorite person on the planet? What do you like most about that person?

#9. If you could have any secret super power, what would you want it to be and why?

#10. Write about 3 places you would like to travel someday. What do these three places have in common?

#11. Write about a time you felt really happy. What happened? What made you feel happy?

#12. Imagine what would happen if someone shrunk you down to be only 1″ tall. How would your life change?

#13. If you were in charge of the whole world, what would you do to make the world a happier place?

#14. Write a story about what it would be like to climb to the very top of the highest mountain in the world.

#15. If you were in charge of planning the school lunch menu, what foods would you serve each day?

#16. What are some of your favorite animals? What do you like about them?

#17. Imagine that dogs take over the world. What do they make the humans do?

#18. Write a story about flying to outer space and discovering a new planet.

#19. You are a mad scientist and have invented a new vegetable. What is it called? What does it look like? What does it taste like? Most importantly: Is it safe to eat?

#20. You go to school one morning to discover your best friend has been turned into a frog by an evil witch! How do you help your friend?

#21. Describe what it is like when trees lose all of their leaves in the autumn season.

#22. Write about your favorite sport and why you like it so much.

#23. Imagine what it might be like to live on a boat all the time and write about it.

#24. If you had one wish, what would it be?

#25. Write about what you might do if you have the super power to become invisible.

#26. You are walking through the forest when one of the trees starts talking to you. What does it say? What do you do?

#27. The weather forecast is calling for a blizzard in the middle of the summer. What do you do?

#28. What types of transportation will people have in the future?

#29. What were some of your favorite toys when you very little? Do you still enjoy playing with them?

#30. What would a day in your life be like if you were a movie star?

#31. Imagine you've invented a time machine! What year do you travel to?

#32. What are your favorite things to do over summer vacation?

#33. What is your favorite holiday and why?

#34. If you could meet any fictional character from a book, who would it be?

#35. You are writing a travel guide for kids visiting your city. What places do you think they should visit?

#36. What is a food you hate? Write about it!

#37. Imagine what it would be like if there was no electricity. What would be different in your daily routine?

#38. You are building a new city! What types of things do you think your city needs? How will you convince people to move to your new city?

#39. What is your favorite movie? Write your review of the movie and why you think people should watch it.

#40. Imagine you get a magic sweater for your birthday. What happens when you wear the sweater? What do you do with these new found magical powers?

#41. You are the security guard at the zoo and someone has stolen a rhinoceros! How do you track down the thief?

#42. You have been invited to have lunch with the queen. What foods do you eat and what topics do you and the queen discuss?

#43. If you could design a school uniform, what types of clothes would you suggest? What colors would they be?

#44. Imagine you are a reporter interviewing a celebrity about their life. What questions do you ask?

#45. You are running a lemonade stand. Describe the steps for how you make lemonade and the types of customers you see during the day.

#46. Write a story about being the ruler of an underwater world.

#47. Write an acrostic poem for the word "treehouse".

#48. You decide to grow a sunflower, but the sunflower grows so tall it reaches up to the sky! Write about what happens when you decide to climb to the top. What do you discover?

#49. Imagine you look out the window and it is raining popsicles from the sky! Write a story about the experience.

#50. If you could be any animal, which one would you be and why?

#51. If you were on a spaceship, what would you be most excited about seeing?

#52. Do you have any pets at home? Write an essay about how you take care of your pets. If you do not have a pet, what type of pet might you like?

#53. Imagine you are opening a store that only sells items which are blue. What types of items do you sell?

#54. Have you ever lost something that is important to you? Were you able to find it?

#55. Write a story about a kid who is moving to a new school. How do you think they might feel?

#56. Rewrite the ending of your favorite fairy tale. For example, what would have happened if Cinderella never went to the ball?

#57. Have you ever forgotten to do your homework? What happened?

#58. Do you have a favorite song? Write about the type of music you like to listen to.

#59. Imagine your parents wake you up one morning to tell you they will take you to do anything you want to do for the whole day - you don't even have to go to school or do your chores. What would you choose to do and why?

#60. Do you like amusement parks? What are some of your favorite rides?

#61. Write a story using these three words: detective, piano, and pizza.

#62. Have you ever been to the beach? Write about your favorite things to do. If you have never been to the beach, what would you like to do the first time you visit?

#63. Is there a favorite tv show you like to watch? Write about your favorite character and why they are your favorite.

#64. Write a poem using onomatopoeia, where the words you use are pronounced similar to the sound they make. For example, buzz, bark, sizzle, slam and pop.

#65. Have you ever had to stand in line to wait a long time for something? What did you do while you waited? How did you feel while waiting? How did you feel once the wait was over?

#66. Is it a good idea to keep ALL secrets a secret? Write about examples of when it is okay to spill a secret - and when it isn't.

#67. Is there something you are good at doing? Write about your best strengths.

#68. What historical time period and location would you go back to live in if you could? Write about it!

#69. Write about 5 things you can do that are important for you to stay healthy and safe.

#70. Do you think thunderstorms are scary? Why or why not?

#71. What would you most like to learn over the next year? Think about things that interest you or questions you might have about the world and make a list!

#72. You are going on a trip to a jungle safari! What items do you pack in your suitcase?

#73. Imagine you are sitting at home one day and you hear someone shrieking in the living room they see a mouse in the house! Write a story about what might happen next.

#74. You are writing a letter to someone who is having a hard time making new friends at school. What do you write? What advice do you give them?

#75. Imagine you just met a magician - but their beloved rabbit who they pull out of a hat for all the tricks has been kidnapped! How do you help find the rabbit?

#76. Do you hear what I hear? Set a timer for 5 minutes and write about all of the sounds you hear in those 5 minutes.

#77. Imagine you go to get a haircut and they accidentally shave your head! How do you feel about that and what would you do?

#78. Do you find it easy to talk to people you don't know? What are some ways you can start up a conversation with someone you have never met before?

#79. Are there any chores you have to do at home? What are they? What do you like - and not like - about each one?

#80. Open up a random book to any page. Write for 5 minutes about the first word you read.

#81. Pretend you are a writer for your city's newspaper. Who would you like to interview for a news story and why?

#82. There are many fictional characters who live in unusual houses, such as the old woman who lived in a shoe. What kind of unusual house would you like to live in? Write about what it would be like to live in an unusual house!

#83. Write a list of 10 things you can do to practice kindness to others.

#84. Is there a homework subject you dread? Why do you not like getting homework in that subject?

#85. What is your favorite month of the year? Write about why you like it and some of your favorite things to do during that month.

#86. Imagine you are planning a surprise birthday party for someone. How do you keep it a surprise?

#87. Pretend you walked outside to find a sleeping dragon in the grass! Why is the dragon there? Is it a friendly dragon? What do you do? Write about it!

#88. What are you grateful for today and why?

#89. You were on your way to a very important event when you fell into a puddle. Now what?

#90. Have you ever watched a movie and didn't like how it ended? Write what you think should happen instead.

#91. Can you answer this riddle from Alice in Wonderland? How is a raven like a writing desk?

#92. Imagine you are the captain of a pirate ship. Write a diary entry for what your day was like.

#93. If you could start any type of business, what kind of business would you start? What types of products or services would you provide?

#94. Write a sequel to one of your favorite fairy tales. For example, what was Goldilocks's next adventure after she left the bears?

#95. What is something you are afraid of? What helps you to feel less afraid of something? What would you say to a friend who feels scared to help them feel less afraid?

#96. Write a letter to your future self in 20 years.

#97. In addition to basic survival needs such as food, water, air and shelter, what are 3 things you would you need to be happy?

#98. If you could invent a robot of any type who could do anything you imagine, what types of things would you would have the robot to do?

#99. Which do like better? Apples or Oranges? How are they alike? How are they different?

#100. Why did the chicken cross the road? You are a detective and are assigned to the case. How do solve the mystery?

#101. Write instructions for how to make your favorite snack. Be sure you add your favorite tips and suggestions for how to select the best ingredients!

#102. Imagine you borrowed a friend's favorite lucky pencil to help you pass a math test - but then it snapped in half! How will you ever tell the news to your friend?

#103. Look around the current room you are sitting in and choose 3 random objects that are nearby. Now write a story or poem that includes those three items!

#104. Write a letter to the author of a book you recently read and tell them what you liked most about the book.

#105. Ernest Hemingway is famous for writing a six word story. Can you write a story in just 6 words?

#106. What do you think will be the future for cell phones? Will people still use them in 25 years or will something else take its place?

#107. Do you want to go to college? Why or why not?

#108. Write a story or poem about a kitten who wanders off and gets lost. How does the kitten find its way home?

#109. Currently, it is required by law that kids go to school. Do you think this is a good or bad idea?

#110. If you could invent a new board game, what would it be called? How is it played? What are the rules? What makes it fun to play? Write about it!

#111. Imagine you come home to discover your entire bedroom is covered in ketchup! What on earth happened? What is your reaction? How do you clean everything up?

#112. What is something you learned today?

#113. Would you rather have a goldfish or shark as a pet?

#114. From A-Z: make a list of something for every letter of the alphabet.

#115. Have you ever gone fishing? If you have, did you like it? Why or why not? If you haven't, do you think you might want to?

#116. What is one of the most important things you do each and every day?

#117. Write a story about Gretchen the Grouch, a girl who is always angry! Will she ever be happy? Why is she so grumpy all of the time?

#118. How do you feel when someone takes something of yours without asking? What is a good way to deal with it when that happens?

#119. Write a poem that starts with the word "if".

#120. Write a story about a family of rabbits who live in the woods. What are some of the challenges they face?

#121. What clothes do you think are the most comfortable? What kind of clothes do you like to wear the most? What clothes do you NOT like to wear?

#122. Imagine there are no grocery stores and you must get your own food. What are some of the ways you find food? What types of things do you eat?

#123. What are 3 things you can do that are good for the environment?

#124. If you could meet any famous person today, who would you want to meet and why? What questions might you ask them?

#125. A tongue twister is a quick poem where many of the words start with the same letter and are similar in sound. For example, "Peter picked a peck of pickled peppers." Try writing your own with this fun kids writing prompt!

#126. What is the first thing you think of when you hear or see the word green?

#127. A hero is someone who is admired for their courage and achievements. What do you think makes someone a hero? Who are some of your heroes?

#128. What did you do during summer vacation last year? What do you want to do for summer vacation this year?

#129. Write a story about a super hero dog who saves the day! Who does the dog help and why?

#130. Would you rather live somewhere that is always cold, or somewhere that is always hot? Write about which one you would rather choose.

#131. Have you ever volunteered to help a charity? If so, write about the experience! If not, what are some charities you think you might like to volunteer for?

#132. What does the word courage mean to you?

#133. What makes you unique? What are some things about you that make you an individual?

#134. Have you ever been to a museum? What is your favorite thing to look at on display?

#135. What can you do to set a good example for others to be kind?

#136. A Tall Tale is a story that exaggerates something that actually happened. Write a tall tale about something that recently happened to you.

#137. What is one of your favorite toys that you think you might still want to have and play with when you are 22 years old?

#138. Oh no! Everyone around you is sick with a nasty cold! Write a silly poem about how you try to avoid catching their germs!

#139. Personification is when a non-living object takes on human characteristics. Write a story where you personify a common electronic gadget in your house, such as the Television or toaster.

#140. Write a poem using similes, which is when you say an object is like something else. Here is an example of a simile: "Her eyes were as blue as the sky."

#141. Have you ever read a book written by Dr. Suess? Write your own "Suess-style" story, complete with rhymes and made up words.

#142. Do you have any siblings? Think about what it might mean to be a good brother or sister and write about it!

#143. Make a list of questions to interview your parents or grandparents about what it was like when they were growing up as a kid. Then, ask them the questions and write about their answers!

#144. You are in charge of writing a new radio show just for kids! What topics will you talk about? What music do you play?

#145. What do you usually eat for breakfast every day? What, in your opinion, is the greatest breakfast food ever created? What makes it so great?

#146. Write a 12 line poem where every line is about a different month of the year.

#147. What is something you look forward to doing the most when you are an adult?

#148. Do you like to try new things? What is something new you have tried recently or would like to try?

#149. Imagine what it might be like to be alive in Egypt when the pyramids were built. Write about what it was like.

#150. A credo is a statement of personal beliefs. Try writing your own credo for things that you believe in and feel are important.

#151. The circus has come to town but they have no place to perform! How do you help the ringmaster find a place to put on a show?

#152. Do you like to act? What are some of your favorite actors or actresses? What do you think makes someone a good actor or actress?

#153. "Practice makes perfect" is a popular saying. What is something you like to practice so you can become better at it? A sport? A musical instrument? A special skill? Do you like to practice?

#154. Write about what it might be like to be water drops freezing and turning into ice.

#155. Do you think it is important to keep your room clean? What do you like about having a clean room?

#156. Imagine your parents are sending you away for a two week summer camp trip. Would you be excited? Why or why not?

#157. What are you currently learning about in history class? Write a fictional story about someone from the past you are learning about.

#158. Many wars have been fought in the past. Instead of going to war, what do you think countries could do to resolve their differences peacefully?

#159. Every year over 8 billion plastic bottles and cans are thrown away. What are some things you can do to help encourage your family and friends to recycle?

#160. Imagine if you were the principal of the school. What might you do differently? What things would you do that are the same? Write about it!

#161. Pretend that one day you are at your neighbor's house and you notice a strange noise coming from the basement. You go downstairs to investigate to see a large machine running with many lights and buttons. Why is it there?

#162. Write an essay that starts with the line, "Tomorrow, I hope..."

#163. If you could give one thing to every child in the world, what would you want to give them?

#164. Do you have a piggy bank at home? How do you earn money to add to your savings?

#165. What qualities make a house a home? What are 3 things you think every house should have?

#166. Would you rather go scuba diving or rock climbing? Write about which one you think you would like to do more and why.

#167. Do you think it is a good idea for kids to write a daily journal? What are some of the benefits of writing every day?

#168. Do you like watching fireworks or are they too noisy? Write about a time when you saw fireworks in the sky.

#169. Oh no! Your friend has turned into a statue! How did this happen? What do you do? Does your friend ever turn back into a person again?

#170. If you could be any movie character, who would you be and why?

#171. A mysterious message appears in code on your computer screen. What could it mean?

#172. If you could go to work with one of your parents for a day, what do you think the day would be like? What types of things do your parents do at work all day long?

#173. Imagine you are the President and you are creating a new national holiday. What is your holiday about? How is it celebrated? What day of the year do you celebrate? Write about it!

#174. You won a never-ending lifetime supply of spaghetti noodles! What will you do with all of these noodles?

#175. Would you rather be a bunny rabbit or a hawk? Why did you choose the one you chose?

#176. Your teacher has been acting mysterious lately. After school one day, you notice a weird green light shining through underneath the door of your classroom. What do you do? What is happening with your teacher?

#177. Write an article about tips for how kids can be more organized and study well for tests.

#178. Look at any product in your house and read the ingredients labels. Research what each ingredient is. Do you think these ingredients are good or bad for people?

#179. If you were a doctor, what do you think would be the most important part of your job every day?

#180. The school librarian needs your help! A truck just arrived with 2,000 books and she can't fit all the books onto the shelves! What do you do? How do you find a place to put all these books?

#181. Do you think it would be fun to plant a garden? What types of plants would you want to grow? Write about your garden ideas.

#182. What is a sport or activity you would like to try playing for the first time?

#183. Do you think kids should be allowed to do the same things as adults? What things do you think kids should be able to do that only grown-ups can?

#184. Imagine you and your parents switch places for a day. Your parents are the kids and you are now in charge! What would you do?

#185. Write a get-well letter to someone who has been sick. What can you say to make them feel better?

#186. If you could visit any planet in the solar system, which planet would you like to visit the most and why? Write about what it might be like.

#187. Have you ever been to a farm? What did you like about it? If you haven't been to a farm, do you think you might like to visit one? Why or why not?

#188. The mayor of the city has a big problem and needs your help! What is the problem and how will you solve it?

#189. Pretend your little sister ate carrots for dinner and the next morning woke up with rabbit ears! How did this happen? What do you do? Will she be a rabbit forever?

#190. Imagine you wake up in the morning to find out you get to relive any day of your life again for the whole day. What day would you want to experience again and why?

#191. Do you think you might like to be a firefighter? Why or why not?

#192. You are a lawyer and your client has been accused of stealing a car. How do you convince the jury your client is innocent?

#193. Think of the four elements: fire, air, earth, and water. Which of these four elements do you like the best?

#194. What would you do if you could be invisible for a whole day? Do you think you would enjoy it or be glad to be back to normal the next day? Write about it!

#195. Imagine you are a meteorologist and people are starting to get angry that your weather predictions are always wrong. What do you do?

#196. If you could create any law, what would it be? Why do you think the law is an important one to have?

#197. You are going incognito and need to hide to your identity so you aren't recognized or discovered while you walk through the city. What type of disguise do you wear?

#198. Write a persuasive letter to your parents explaining why you should get a new pet. Make sure you provide a convincing argument they won't be able to refuse!

#199. Your friend wants to do something dangerous. What should you do?

#200. How do you think the world would be different if there were no oceans?

#201. What do you do when someone disagrees with your opinions? Is there a better way to handle conflicting opinions?

#202. What do you think you as a kid could do to help encourage more people to read?

#203. Do you have a good luck charm? What makes this item lucky? When do you use it? How do you use it?

#204. What is at the end of a rainbow? Imagine you follow a rainbow to the end. What do you discover? Is it a pot of gold, or something else?

#205. What do you think the consequences should be for someone who is caught cheating on a test at school?

#206. Imagine you are riding your bike one day when you encounter an older kid who wants to steal your bike. What do you do?

#207. You are the lead singer and star of a famous rock and roll band, but there is one problem - your drummer is jealous of your fame! How do you solve this situation?

#208. If you could help a group of kids in any part of the world, what kids would you want to help the most and why? What are some things you think would help these kids?

#209. Everyone knows the house on the end of the street is haunted. What are some of the strange things that happen there? Why is the house haunted?

#210. You notice at school one day there is a door to a secret passage next to the janitor's closet and decide to explore. Where does it lead? Why is it there? Do you go alone or bring a friend along?

#211. A bucket list is a list of things you want to accomplish in your lifetime. What are 5 things on your bucket list?

#212. Imagine the perfect treehouse or clubhouse for you and all of your friends as a place to hang out. Describe what it is like inside.

#213. Do you get bored easily? Make a list of things you can do whenever you feel like you are bored and there is nothing fun to do!

#214. Now vs. Then: Think about how today is different from one year ago. How have you changed? What things in your life are different?

#215. Write your autobiography about your life.

#216. It's a heat wave! What do you do when the weather is hot? What are some of your favorite ways to stay cool?

#217. What are three important safety tips every kid should know to stay safe?

#218. What genre of books do you like to read the most? Write about the characteristics of the genre and list some of your favorite books as examples.

#219. Holiday Traditions: How does your family celebrate the different holidays and events? What are some traditions you do each and every year?

#220. Imagine one day in science class a science experiment goes terribly wrong and now you and all of your classmates have superpowers! What are your superpowers and what do you do with them?

#221. Who is favorite teacher? Why are they your favorite?

#222. You are baking a cake, but you accidentally put salt in the cake instead of sugar. Nobody will eat it! How do you feel? What will you do next time?

#223. Do you think it is important to have good table manners? What do you think some good manners to practice might be?

#224. Many schools no longer teach cursive handwriting. Do you think this is a good or bad thing? Do you know how to write cursive handwriting? Would you like to learn if you haven't?

#225. If you were the owner of a theme park, what types of rides and attractions would have? Describe what they would be like and why people would want to visit your park.

#226. Your parents give you $100 to spend at the grocery store. What do you buy and why?

#227. Some people who are alive today grew up without computers or video games. What would you do if you didn't have a computer or video games? How would life be different?

#228. You walk into your living room and discover there is a giant elephant standing there. How did the elephant get there? What do you do about it? How do you explain the elephant in the living room to your parents?

#229. Have you ever had a weird dream? What happened in the dream? What do you think it means?

#230. Do you like to draw or paint? Write a story inspired by a painting, doodle, or sketch.

#231. You are being sent on a mission to outer space to live in a space station for 5 years. What supplies do you pack and why?

#232. What is the scariest creature alive on earth? Describe in detail what makes it so horrifying.

#233. What do you think your pet might say if they could talk to you?

#234. Imagine your school is putting on a talent show. What act will you perform? What other acts will be in the show?

#235. If you could breathe under water, what would you do?

#236. What time of day do you think school should start? Write a convincing argument on why or why not the time of day school starts should change.

#237. If you were to start your own YouTube video channel, what would the videos on your channel be about?

#238. Do you like to cook? What are some things you like to make and eat?

#239. Your school is having a field day and you are in charge of planning the activities and games. What types of activities and games would you plan for the event?

#240. If you had a remote control drone that takes video of everything it sees from the sky and you could take it anywhere, what would you film? For example, the inside of a volcano or soar it over the plains of Africa.

#241. The Bermuda Triangle is an area of the ocean where many ships and planes have gone missing. Why do you think this could be? Write a story about what it might be like to travel there.

#242. There are 7 great wonders of the world - which one do you think is the most wonderful?

#243. If you could speak any foreign language fluently, which one would you like to speak and why?

#244. You are inventing a new flavor of ice cream! What is the new flavor called and what ingredients do you need to make it?

#245. Would you rather go to a baseball game or read a good book? What reasons do you have for your choice?

#246. You walk outside to get your mail and your mailbox starts talking to you! What does your mailbox have to say?

#247. Imagine you are a famous person. What are you most famous for? What is it like to be famous?

#248. What do you think would be the most fun job in the world to have? Give examples of why you think it would be a fun job to have.

#249. Write a poem about an object that is shiny and dazzling.

#250. Do you like to watch the Olympics? Why or why not? If yes, what is your favorite Olympic sport?

#251. What kind of car do you want to drive when you are older? Do you think learning to drive will be easy or hard?

#252. What do you think would make for a great gift to give someone on their birthday?

#253. Describe a time when you needed help and someone helped you. What did they help you with and how did it make you feel?

#254. If you could be any type of fruit or vegetable, what would you be and why?

#255. Do you think it is more important to have a good imagination or have all the facts proven?

#256. Do you have a favorite aunt, uncle, or another relative? Write a story about their life and why you like to be with them.

#257. Think of a time you laughed really, really hard. What was so funny? Why were you laughing? Write about it!

#258. Write a poem about an emotion. For example: happy, sad, angry, embarrassed, guilty.

#259. Do you ever have a hard time falling asleep? What are some things that help you feel sleepy?

#260. If you could drive a car, where would you drive and why?

#261. Imagine you are trading places with your friend for a day. What will it be like to be at their house? What will your friend think while they are at your house? Write about it!

#262. If you could break a world record, what would it be? What do you think would be necessary to be able to break the world record?

#263. Imagine you live in Colonial times. What would it be like to grow up as a kid in Colonial America?

#264. You are building a new city. What is the name of your city? What is the weather like? What buildings will you build?

#265. What do you think it would be like to work as a sailor on big ship in the ocean each day?

#266. Imagine you are the teacher for the day. What types of activities do you make the students in the class do?

#267. How would you feel if your parents told you that you would be getting a new baby brother or sister? Write about it!

#268. Do you know any good jokes? What are some of your favorite jokes? What makes them funny? Do you think you could write your own?

#269. Imagine you are floating down a river on a raft. What types of things can you see from the river that you normally wouldn't see from the land?

#270. You want to start a new hobby collecting something. What kinds of things would you collect and why?

#271. Your mom announces she is having a yard sale. Would you let her sell any of your things? Why or why not?

#272. Imagine you walk out your front door one morning and it is raining popcorn! What do you do?

#273. You are camping in the woods one night and hear a scary noise. What do you do? What might be the cause?

#274. What do you think might make kids really happy to go to school? What are some things you think schools should do so that it could be more fun?

#275. Today's lunch at the cafeteria was unusually horrible. You are a detective on the case to investigate. What do you think is the cause?

#276. If you had a tree that grows money, what would you do?

#277. What would you do if you had a unicorn as a pet?

#278. Would you rather go to the zoo or go to the aviary? Which one would you pick and why?

#279. What are some safety tips you should follow when riding a bike?

#280. You are designing the cover of a magazine. What are some of the headlines on the cover?

#281. Are you afraid of the dark? Why or why not?

#282. If you could learn to play any type of musical instrument, which one would you like to learn how to play and why?

#283. Imagine you are playing a sport that involves a ball, such as soccer, baseball or kickball. What would it be like if the ball could talk?

#284. You come home to discover a friendly alien has been living in your closet. What do you do? Why is there an alien in your closet?

#285. Is there something you are afraid of that you wish you weren't afraid of? Write about it.

#286. Write about the best party you've ever been to. What made the day fun and special?

#287. What makes you feel loved and cared about? What are some ways people can show you that they love and care about you?

#288. There is a kite flying competition coming up and you are going to design your own kite. What will your kite look like? What colors will it be? Will it have any certain shape?

#289. You are given the challenge to drop an egg on the floor - without it breaking! What are some things you might try to make sure the egg won't break?

#290. What are some of the things you can do every day to stay healthy?

#291. Do you think grown-ups are boring? Why do you think they are so boring all of the time? What is something fun that boring grown-ups could do instead of being so boring?

#292. Write a lyrical poem or song about what kids do while they are at school all day long.

#293. What are the first things you like to do when you are done with school each day? What are some of the activities you like when you are not at school?

#294. Imagine dinosaurs were still alive today. How do you think our lives would be different?

#295. Would you rather visit a volcano or a desert? Which one would you choose and why?

#296. Is there a sound you think is annoying? What types of sounds drive you crazy? Write about them!

#297. What do you think it would be like to be the size of an ant for a day? What types of things would you do?

#298. Imagine one of your stuffed animals comes to life and starts talking to you. What types of things will you talk about? What will you do?

#299. What makes you feel happiest? Write about the things in life that make you feel happy!

#300. Imagine there is no gravity. What kind of things would you do you for fun? How would some of the things you already do for fun be different?

Parents and teachers, I hope you enjoyed these 300 writing prompts for kids and that you will use them to inspire your children's creative imaginations.

These prompts of course can be used in a number of different ways and can be adapted for a variety of different styles of writing!

What do you think? Do you think these are good conversation and story starters for kids? Do you have any ideas for writing prompts you would like to share?

And of course, if you'd like to make it super fun and easy to use these prompts at home or in your classroom, be sure to get our ad-free printable version of these kids writing prompt cards now available in my Etsy shop.

We'd love to hear your thoughts on different creative writing ideas and topics for kids to write about! Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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300 Creative Writing Prompts for Kids | ThinkWritten

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We created this list of 300 creative writing prompts for kids to help parents and teachers spark the imaginations of young writers everywhere! These writing prompts for children are perfect as journal prompts, daily practice, or just for fun!