writing prompts Archives - Teacher's Brain

10 Inspiring New Year’s Resolution Ideasand Activities for Students

December 23, 2023 teachersbrain Teacher's Pay Teachers, Teaching Tips, Winter

Hey friend! Can you believe it’s that time again – the transition from one year to the next? Have you been thinking about New Year resolution ideas? I know I have! I’ve been thinking a lot about how we can make the upcoming year special for our kiddos. You know, sprinkle in a little magic and set the stage for growth.

So, I thought, why not get our students excited about some New Year’s resolutions? If you’ve been looking for the perfect New Year activities for kids or New Year activities for students, you’re in the right place. Let’s help them stride into the New Year with purpose and a sprinkle of fun.

What is the best New Year’s resolution for kids? Here are some ideas to get you started!

Practice Kindness

Foster a caring and supportive classroom environment by encouraging students to set resolutions focused on kindness. Whether it’s helping a classmate, being a good listener, or performing random acts of kindness, these resolutions contribute to a positive classroom culture.

Healthy Habits

Teach the importance of physical well-being by setting resolutions related to health. This could include goals like eating more fruits and vegetables, drinking more water, or engaging in regular physical activity.

Organize Schoolwork

Help students develop valuable organizational skills by setting resolutions related to their school materials. Whether it’s keeping a tidy desk, organizing their backpack, or turning in assignments on time, these resolutions promote responsibility.

Learn Something New

Encourage a love for continuous learning by having students set resolutions to acquire new skills or knowledge. This could involve learning a musical instrument, mastering a new language, or exploring a particular subject in-depth.

Mindful Moments

Introduce the practice of mindfulness by encouraging students to set resolutions focused on being present and self-aware. Simple activities like deep breathing exercises or short moments of reflection can make a big difference in promoting a positive mindset.

Goal-setting Galore

Teach the importance of setting achievable goals. Have students break down larger goals into smaller, manageable steps. This not only helps in achieving success but also instills a sense of accomplishment.

Family Bonding

Foster strong family connections by encouraging resolutions centered around spending quality time with loved ones. Whether it’s a weekly family game night, cooking together, or sharing stories, these resolutions strengthen family ties.

Environmental Stewardship

Instill a sense of responsibility for the environment by setting resolutions related to sustainability. This could involve reducing waste, recycling, or participating in a community clean-up project.

Gratitude Journaling

Foster a positive outlook by encouraging students to keep a gratitude journal. Have them write down one thing they are thankful for each day. This simple practice can enhance their overall well-being and perspective on life.

If you’re looking or New Year activities for students that you can easily do with little to no prep, I have you covered!

Check Out This New Year’s Resolution Writing Craft

Are you looking for a New Year’s writing activity to help students understand resolutions and goals? This NO PREP activity is great to use in both boy and girl versions to create goals for the new year and an easy bulletin board!

What is in the download?

a vocabulary poster for the word /RESOLUTION/
3 Boy Options
5 Girl Options
1 Blank head to create your own (add a face and hair)
4 different writing prompt pages (With and without hands on the side, Primary and Intermediate lined)
2 Rough Drafts (Primary and Intermediate lined)

Looking for more New Year fun? Check out my post here!

5 Fall Activities to Do With Your Elementary Students

September 22, 2023 teachersbrain Fall & Halloween, fall writing prompts, STEM, Teacher's Pay Teachers, Writing

Fall is in the air! Are you ready?

The fall colors and weather are a fantastic backdrop for outdoor exploration. It’s the perfect time to take your students on nature walks, scavenger hunts, and teach them about the changing seasons.

I always loved using this time of year as a chance to explore apples and pumpkins in lessons. These activities not only engage students but also provide opportunities for math, science, and sensory learning. 🍁🍂📚

If you are looking for some fall activities for elementary students, fall activity sheets, or fall worksheets, you are in the right place!

So what are some activities you can do during the fall season?

I have you covered! Here are 5 of my favorite fall themed resources to use this time of year!

Fall Scarecrow Writing Craft

This engaging fall activity will help your kids enjoy their writing time and provide a cute display for your classroom! Three different types of lines for you to choose from to make it perfect to individualize for your students.

Fall Math and Literacy Worksheets

Candy corn activities are so easy to get kids engaged in learning in the fall! Teach math, opinion writing, letter id, STEM and so more with this activity pack made around a candy corn theme! Learning made fun for fall time!

Fall Would You Rather Writing Activity

Would you Rather Prompts are great conversation starters, ice breakers or writing prompts. Use these interactive, editable Google Slides to easily have students show one or two fingers to share their choice.

Fall Directed Drawing

Show students how to draw fall images with their writing using these directed drawings for primary and intermediate grades in 5 simple steps. Pick and choose what works for you to create a journal or a gift for others!

Pumpkin Worksheets and Activities

Looking for a great plan with everything you need to teach students all about pumpkins? I have you covered with this math and literacy plan that includes crafts, writing, reading, bulletin board options, posters, and so much more!

I hope your students love these fall activities, crafts, and worksheets as much as mine did! Fall is such a great season to celebrate in the classroom, so don’t miss out on the wonderful opportunities that fall brings!

If you want more fall fun, check out these free fall printables!

What are your favorite fall activities for the classroom? Let me know in the comments!

How to Celebrate the 120th Day of School Virtually

December 31, 2021 teachersbrain Distance Learning, education, Teaching Tips

It’s a tradition in elementary school to celebrate when you reach a milestone in class. This could be reaching our reading goals, mastering sight words, counting, or reaching a certain number of days at school!

For kindergarten, it’s typical to celebrate the 100th day of school. In first grade, however, it’s more standard to celebrate making it to 120 days instead. Counting to 120 is a goal for many first graders and this is a fun way to tie our celebration in with our class counting goals.

If you are a teacher looking for some fun activities to do on the 120th day of school, you’re in the right spot! Here are some simple and exciting ways students can celebrate reaching this milestone.

Bring in 120 items. Students can find 120 pieces of an item at home to bring into the classroom. This gives them practice counting to 120 in a way that doesn’t feel like practice! Bonus, it is fun for students to show their classmates what they accomplished. They can bring 120 paperclips, beads, Legos, etc.
Draw yourself as a 120-year-old. This one is such a fun activity for students. Have them create a picture of themselves as a 120-year-old and write about it.
Create a frame with 120 boxes for students to put small snacks into (think cheerios, m&ms, or goldfish)

If you are teaching virtually or just looking for some activities that can be done easily online with your students (no cleanup!), I have you covered!

These virtual 120th day of school activities give you several engaging activities to choose from to celebrate this exciting milestone.

Some activities included are:

120-second scavenger hunt
Make yourself or your teacher look 120 years old
120th-day fitness checklist
120th-day dot-art
Narrative and opinion writing prompts
Add 120 buttons to a sweater
Make a clown
And so much more!

This resource is available on Google Slides so you can send it to your class virtually or use them in your classroom. Movable parts make this an interactive and hands-on activity that students will love.

Want to learn more about how it works? Check out the video tutorial!

There are so many ways to make this day special, even if you are teaching online.

I hope you and your students have lots of silly fun with these activities!

Must-Have Bundles For Elementary Teachers

February 12, 2021 teachersbrain Teacher's Pay Teachers

The internet has changed the art of teaching in many ways- but perhaps one of the biggest ways is the ability to get new teaching materials with the click of a mouse. Gone are the days of searching print magazines or only sharing ideas with teachers in your building.

Now, you can find and share materials with the entire world! One of the most convenient ways to get lessons and activities for your class is to utilize bundles. Bundles often have enough materials to last the entire school year and are the best “bang for your buck” when it comes to purchases.

When I was in the classroom, these were my MUST-HAVE BUNDLES for teaching!

First up is my Reading Fluency Practice Activities Bundle for the entire year.

We know how important reading fluency is for our students. This set is perfect for kindergarten and first-grade classes and provides everything you need to help your students become fluent readers. There is a suggested lesson plan for every day of the year. Your lesson planning for fluency is DONE!

Mini books, reader’s theater scripts, and sentence building worksheets provide valuable practice for your students. Fluency tests are also included, allowing you to easily assess your students’ growing skills.

Another favorite bundle is the Kindergarten Math Centers Yearlong Bundle.

Centers are an excellent way to develop young students’ math skills. Students enjoy working in centers with their classmates and can develop their math understanding in an appropriate and engaging way. This bundle provides everything you need for an entire YEAR of fun math centers.

The centers have a “Math Cafe” theme that students love. Once you use direct instruction to explain how to use the task cards, your students will be able to independently complete centers. While you work one-on-one or with small groups, students can work in small groups to complete centers. For one low price, your independent math practice time is ready to go for the year!

$kindergarten Math Centers$

Wow! You can even try them for FREE!

$Free Kindergarten Math Centers$

Having daily writing prompts at my fingertips was a great way to get students who might have trouble being creative on their own to write using a prompt to get their creative juices flowing! I make monthly themed journals and students worked at their own pace. There are self-checking rubrics at the bottom of each page, word banks, covers, and a teacher rubric at the end to help students get feedback. These were used during my staff meetings to show how I monitor student progress.

Looking for Kindergarten Morning Work bundled? Check out my post here!

If you loved these bundles, there is more where that came from! You can check out a list of all of my year-long bundles here.

I hope these ideas have inspired you to take advantage of bundles in your classroom. By streamlining your planning and preparation, you can spend more time helping your students grow and learn!

Tag: writing prompts