Anyone else feel like we have been in the month of May for 1,543 days? Just me? Ok. Although we are closing in on the end of the year it seems that the students energy is climbing each day. They are just as excited for summer as us teachers are. So how can we keep the classroom exciting at the end of the school year? Here are some ways that I keep the classroom engaging when it’s coming to the end.
Sight Word Games
That’s right, sight word games. this is a fun and engaging way to help kids stay focused on learning but still have a really great time doing it! These games allow for students to walk around the room rather than just stay seated. We all know that as teachers, we are anxious at the end of the year and often times our kiddos are too! What better way to help them learn than with a game?
These editable sight word games are ones that I created, and they can be used all year long. With the growing bundle you are able to buy them now at a huge discount, and you will be able to get 5 sight word games per month! I know that my class loves these games, and I am able to hold their attention for a while. These games also come with a write the room page for your students to write down all the words that they find!
If you want to try out a sight word game for FREE then grab this one! You can see how much your class loves them!
Music and Movement
I know that there are a lot of teachers out there who do not get P.E. for their students, so music and movement has been heaven sent! I LOVE Go Noodle for my class. They have so many dances for the kids. You can use Go Noodle for just about anything. Dancing, P.E., indoor recess, the list goes on! One group that my class loves is the one and only Koo Koo Kangaroo! They are a great group and have some really silly songs for your class!
Interactive Sight Word Readers
Believe it or not, students can enjoy reading and have fun while they are doing it! I think that there are two types of kids, those who love reading and those who are reading the wrong thing. You can head over to Teachers Pay Teachers where there are a lot of fun activities for reading going on! One that is my favorite is by Maria Gavin. She has an amazing interactive sight word reader bundle that I use in my classroom. It is a must to get students engaged. What I love most about these books is they also ask for fine motor skills. The students need to cut out letters of the sight word they are learning and paste them into the book. Since my kiddos are younger and it can take some time to cut out each letter I also give them the opportunity to write in the letters if they want. This helps with handwriting and letter formation. Either way it’s a win win!
Read Aloud
My students love when I read to them! Since my kiddos are younger they can’t read on their own. I do have a classroom library for them to look at the books and make up a story. They love doing this. More often than not they will ask me join them in there so I can read a story to them. You would be surprised at how many students stop what they are doing and come over to join me. Reading is such an important aspect of children’s growth. My students love when we read together. It can be anything also! They love the Magic Tree House series (we read one chapter a day) and they love silly books like The Book With No Pictures. Just get into whatever you are reading and you are sure to keep their attention.
Whatever you decide to do at the end of the year just know that you are making a difference. I know that at this time of the year it can feel like we are all barely staying afloat, but you can make it sister. I know you can! My upcoming blog post is going to be about how we can overcome teacher burnout. Be sure to check out that one as well!
Do you have an idea for a blog post? I would LOVE to hear from you. Email me at erin.merrill@gmail.com and let me know your thoughts!
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