Even the most seasoned teachers wind up with a few extra minutes of instruction time they need to fill on occasion. That’s why it’s so important to stock your teaching toolkit with ready-to-go activities that are both fun and enriching. Whether you spend those extra few minutes reviewing sight words with your early readers or invite your students to read along with an audio book, these whole class activities are a great way to engage your students and maximize learning!
Sight Word Sing Along
You can never go wrong by dedicating extra time to sight word review. This Sight Words Songs Flip Chart & CD is the perfect whole-class lesson that will teach your early readers the top 50 sight words by singing songs about monsters, dinosaurs, dogs, pirates, and more set to familiar tunes! When you have a few minutes left in class, just pop in the CD and pull out the big, colorful chart, and then lead your class in sight word song!
Follow Along Field Trip
Students always love unexpected field trips, so the next time you’re in a pinch, invite your students to hop on the Magic School Bus! With The Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System and accompanying audio CD, your young readers can tag along with Ms. Frizzle as the Magic School Bus takes a detour away from a planetarium and transforms into a spaceship destined for outer space. Students can also read along with the audio and learn up-to-date facts about the solar system! For more audio options for your students to read along to, check out these new releases from Scholastic.
Brain Break for the Whole Class
Brain breaks are another great way to maximize learning for the whole class. If you know you’ll have a few minutes to spare at the end of class, work in a brain break in the middle to give your students an opportunity to refocus and reenergize. With 40 fun exercises designed to increase motivation and learning, Brain Breaks for the Classroom is the perfect tool for you to help students sustain their focus and remain fully engaged. You can also start your class with these exercises or save them until the end to send your students off to their next class reenergized and ready to learn!
These are just a few fun and easy ways to keep your whole class fully engaged in learning. For more ready-to-go activities to add to your teaching toolkit, check out these other essential resources from Scholastic.
Want more great content? Click here to subscribe to our Teacher Newsletter and get teaching ideas delivered right to your inbox.