☀️ Summer Fun

☀️ Bring the Fun

The final weeks of school are magical—but let’s be honest, they’re also chaotic. Between field trips, assemblies, and sun-drenched daydreams, keeping students focused can feel like a major feat. That’s why I love using themed activities to channel all that summer energy into something both fun and meaningful. 

End-of-the-year activities should absolutely be fun—but they can still pack a learning punch! One of my favorite ways to keep students engaged is with a beach-themed celebration. After all, most of our students are already dreaming about flip-flops and sandy shores—so why not bring the beach right into your classroom? 

For the final stretch, we transform our week into a “classroom beach day” experience, complete with review activities in every subject, lighthearted games, and even a simple summer craft. Whether you are wrapping up the school year, prepping for summer school, or planning enrichment activities, a beach week is a fun and flexible way to make those last days count. Get ready to make waves in your classroom and inspire your students to dive into learning!

🌴 Classroom Beach Day Setup 

To bring the beach to life, I decorate the classroom with plastic sand buckets, seashells, inflatable palm trees, and pink flamingos. I move the desks to the side and invite students to bring beach towels from home to sit on. I even set up a beach umbrella and perch on a lifeguard chair in a pair of sunglasses and my bright pink flower glasses - just to make it extra memorable! Plastic leis, straw hats, and tropical decor add the perfect summer touch. Nothing says “almost summer” like a classroom turned into a beach party. 

🌞 Sunny Center Rotations 

Once the beach is set, we dive into our learning centers. I post signs around the room for each station and give students a checklist to guide their progress. They rotate through the centers at their own pace, checking off what they have completed as they go. It’s a smooth, self-directed way to keep everyone engaged while giving students a bit of independence. The activities come straight from my Summer Fun Activities and Craft Packet—no prep needed!

I print and prep the twelve summer-themed activities from my packet and place them in colorful baskets labeled Beachside Math, Beach Brain Teasers, Tropical Tales, and Reading Reef. The names alone add to the excitement! Students visit the centers throughout the week, working through math, writing, just-for-fun puzzles, and picture books I have placed in the reading center. Because the math, writing, and puzzles are print-and-go, it is super low maintenance for me - but high engagement for them. Best of all, the beachy theme makes the learning feel like play!

🌞 No More Planning for the Final Stretch 

When the final bell is nearly within reach and your iced coffee is working overtime, it is easy to feel torn between soaking up the last days with your class and scrambling to keep them engaged. That’s why this Summer Fun Activities and Craft Packet has become my go-to solution for the last week of school. With puzzles, writing prompts, math review, and just-for-fun printables all wrapped in a no-prep package, this resource makes end-of-year planning feel like a breeze off the ocean. There is even a simple sandcastle craft to pull it all together into a keepsake booklet. 

💛 Beach Snack

Add in a snack scene with blue gelatin (ocean), graham cracker "sand," and a few gummy sea creatures, and you have got a full beach vibe without leaving your room (idea courtesy of MomTrends).  

Whether you are doing a full beach week or just need low-prep centers to fill the gaps, this packet brings the summer spirit without the planning stress. It gives you the space to enjoy your students, wrap up the year on a high note, and actually have fun! 

 ✨ Click here to check it out on TpT and give yourself the gift of a smoother end to the school year. You deserve it!

Camping In The Classroom

Bring the Outdoors In: How to Host a Memorable Camping Week in Your Classroom 

Camping in the classroom is one of my favorite ways to end the school year. It’s fun, hands-on, and creates lasting memories for your students. Each year, during the last week before summer break, we transform our classroom into a cozy campground for a full week of camping-themed learning activities.

Set the Scene for Classroom Camping Fun

To kick off the week, I invite students to bring sleeping bags, blankets, and flashlights from home. We move desks out of the way to make space for our “campsites.” You can also use tables, but I like to start by creating different "campfire" stations around the room. Students work in small groups to build their own campfires using brown butcher paper, colorful tissue paper, scissors, and tape. They collaborate to design their fire pit, and it’s always exciting to see how creative they get. This simple classroom transformation builds excitement and encourages teamwork from the start! 

Another way to build a class campfire is to follow the directions from this YouTube video:

Campfire Stories and Songs 

Once our classroom campsites are set up, we gather around for storytime and songs. Two of my favorite read-alouds for camping week are A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee and Toasting Marshmallows: Camping Poems. These stories spark imagination and set the tone for a cozy, storytelling atmosphere. 

We also sing campfire songs like “Down By the Bay” and the silly classic “Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh” You will be surprised how much your students love these old favorites. 

Sweet Treats: S’mores and Trail Mix 

No camping experience is complete without snacks! You can make classic microwave s’mores in the classroom: 

1. Place two graham cracker squares on a microwave-safe plate. 
2. Top one with a marshmallow and the other with a square of chocolate. 
3. Microwave for 10–15 seconds until the marshmallow puffs and the chocolate softens. 
4. Sandwich together and enjoy! 

If you want a no-heat option, try making a camping-themed trail mix! Combine a variety of bite-sized treats like: 

•  Honey Teddy Grahams 
•  Mini marshmallows 
•  Chocolate chips or M&Ms 
•  Mini pretzels 
•  Graham cracker pieces or Golden Grahams cereal 
•  Popcorn 
•  Mini chocolate chip cookies or Oreos 
•  Mini Reese’s peanut butter cups 

Mix everything in a large bowl and portion into snack bags. This makes a perfect take-home treat or reward after a week of camping fun!

Camping Activities for Classroom Centers 

One of my favorite parts of Camping Week is rotating through themed classroom centers. I organize the activities in tubs around the room and label each area with fun campsite names like Camp Read-A-Lot, Camp Write-A-Lot, Camp Calculation, and Camp Fun. Students love "traveling" from one campsite to the next throughout the week!

Each centre has a skill-based camping booklet for students to work on throughout the week. Each booklet includes 12 half-page activities and a camp certificate to celebrate completion. 

☀️ Camp Read-A-Lot – Engaging fiction and nonfiction reading passages with comprehension questions.

☀️ Camp Write-A-Lot – Creative writing prompts, vocabulary tasks, comic strips, and a fun camp checklist.

☀️ Camp Calculation – Hands-on math review with addition, subtraction, time, graphing, word problems, and more. 

☀️ Camp Fun – Puzzles, word searches, mazes, and activities like writing your own s’mores recipe.

Camping Craft: Knapsack Keepsake 

Throughout the week, students create a foldable paper Knapsack Craft - a mini backpack where they store their finished camping booklets. It adds an extra layer of excitement and gives them a souvenir to take home! 

Looking For More Ideas?

I have also created a Teacher Guide filled with decorating ideas, a suggested daily schedule, and easy-to-follow instructions for all the activities. Whether you're new to classroom themes or a camping week pro, this guide makes prep a breeze. 

Wrap Up the Year with Classroom Camping Fun

This camping-themed bundle has been a game-changer in my classroom. It keeps students engaged during those last exciting days of school and helps them review essential math and literacy skills in a playful, low-stress way. If you are looking for meaningful, end-of-the-year activities that students genuinely enjoy, this might be just what you need. 

🌲 Check out the full Camping Theme End-of-the-Year Activities, and get ready to turn your classroom into a memorable summer adventure!

✨ Easy & Creative Ways to Teach Poetry in the Classroom

Poetry can be so magical in the classroom — but also a little intimidating to teach. Literary devices, poetic forms, and deep-thinking questions? It’s a lot to juggle! That’s why I love using structured, creative lessons that keep students engaged and make planning easier. 

If you’re ready to dive into a fun and meaningful poetry unit, I’ve got a few tried-and-true teaching ideas you’ll love — all pulled from my favorite poetry resource that’s designed with real classrooms (and real teacher time) in mind! The ten lesson slide sets are ready to be presented and the printable activities and worksheets are ready to be assigned.

🎤 1. Start With Poetry You Can Feel 

Poetry is all about emotion and rhythm — so let your students experience it! Read a poem aloud together, use visuals to support understanding, and incorporate rhythmic movements or instruments. Clap it out! Stomp it out! Dance a little! Poetry is meant to appeal to all the senses. Ask questions like: “What do you notice?” or “How does this poem make you feel?” 

 ➡️ I use guided slides to highlight rhythm, rhyme, imagery, and word choice. Students annotate right on the screen or in their notebooks. It’s a game changer for comprehension.

✍️ 2. Scaffold Poetry Writing with Graphic Organizers 

Want to get students writing their own poems? Start with a graphic organizer. Trust me, it takes the pressure off and helps them focus on ideas before jumping into stanzas.

 ➡️ I have organizers for haiku, acrostic, imagery, and even concrete poetry that walk students through brainstorming step by step. You’ll be amazed at the creativity that comes out when they have the right support!

🧠 3. Teach Literary Devices One Bite at a Time 

Alliteration, onomatopoeia — oh my! Instead of teaching them all at once, sprinkle them in as mini-lessons. Let students hunt for them in sample poems, then try them in their own writing. 

 ➡️ I include slides with clear examples, plus interactive activities where students highlight or sort examples where the author uses each literary device. Interactive and hands-on!

🌀 4. Use Visual Poetry to Hook Reluctant Writers 

Some students feel stuck when they think poetry has to be deep or serious. Let them play instead! Try shape poems or concrete poetry that let students combine words and art. 

 ➡️ I use templates and writing prompts that let students create poems that look like objects — a heart, a raindrop, a tree. It’s a whole new way to see poetry.

🗣️ 5. Make It a Share-Worthy Experience 

Set up a "Poetry Café" or open mic day! Give students a chance to share their work in a fun, low-pressure way. It builds confidence and helps them see that poetry is meant to be heard. 

 ➡️ I include ideas for class sharing and reflection activities to make poetry feel personal and powerful. You can even decorate your space with fairy lights or dim the lights for that cozy café vibe!

🎉 Ready to Jump Into Poetry?

If these ideas sound like something your students would love, you can find everything mentioned — slides, writing pages, organizers, and more — in my Types of Poetry & Literary Devices Poetry Slides, Activities, and Worksheets Resource. It is designed to be easy to use, flexible for different learners, and full of meaningful activities that make poetry feel doable and fun. 

Go ahead and give your poetry unit the refresh it deserves — and let your students surprise you with what they can create. 

💛 Happy teaching!

Mastering Plural Nouns with Fun, Hands-On Spring Activities! 🌸📚

Spring is in the air, and what better way to bring seasonal excitement into your grammar lessons than with engaging, hands-on activities? Whether your students struggle with regular or irregular plural nouns, this Spring Plural Nouns Pack makes learning interactive and fun! 🌼🎲

Why Teach Plural Nouns with Games? 

Let’s face it - worksheets alone can feel repetitive. Students learn best when they can see, sort, and play with new concepts. 

That’s why this resource includes: 

✔ Anchor charts to introduce plural rules (-s, -es, -ies, -ves, and irregulars) 

✔ Four engaging games that reinforce learning through play 

✔ Six quick practice sheets (color & black-and-white) 

✔ Answer keys for easy checking 

 A Peek Inside the Activities 

💡 Spring Nest Sort – Students match eggs (root words) to the correct nest (-s, -es, -ies, -ves, irregular)

 🎲 Four-in-a-Row – A fun twist on traditional bingo! Students spin a plural ending and find a word that matches 

🧺 Spring Picnic Pack – Help students “pack” their picnic basket by forming plurals correctly 

🌸 Spring Flower Fun – Build flowers by adding the correct plural petals 

Each game comes with student direction cards for single and partner play, recording sheets (in color and black & white), and easy-to-prep materials to keep your students engaged while reinforcing grammar skills! These activities are self-checking, easy to prep, and perfect for centers, small groups, or early finishers!

Practice and Review Made Easy! 

In addition to hands-on games, this resource includes six half-page worksheets designed for quick practice, review, or even assessment. These activities cover regular and irregular plural nouns in a variety of formats, ensuring students can apply what they’ve learned. Plus, each worksheet comes with an answer key for easy grading or self-checking. Both color and black-and-white versions are included, so you can choose what works best for your classroom!

Did I mention it’s just $1 until this Sunday? Grab it while it’s on sale!

👉 Click here to check it out!

Spring Regular & Irregular Plural Nouns Games Activities Worksheets Grammar Pack

$1.00

$1.25

🌸 Welcome Spring! Understanding The Spring Equinox

🌸 Welcome, Spring!

After months of chilly weather, longer days and warmer temperatures are on their way. But have you ever noticed how daylight starts lasting a little longer around mid-March? That’s because of the spring equinox, the moment when day and night are nearly equal in length. It’s a fascinating event that connects science and literacy, making it a great topic for classroom learning. If you're looking for engaging ways to teach the spring equinox, I have got you covered! 

Let’s explore a few simple activities to help students understand this special day.

📚 Ways to Teach the Spring Equinox to Students 

1️⃣ Read About the Spring Equinox 

A great way to introduce students to the spring equinox is through reading comprehension. Nonfiction texts can help explain why we have seasons, how the Earth’s tilt affects daylight, and what happens during an equinox. It's a perfect way to blend science and literacy in your classroom!

There are many fantastic picture books to pair with your lesson. Click the link to view a list of my favorite picture books about the spring equinox.

Want ready-to-use reading passages and activities? 

My Spring Equinox Reading Comprehension resource includes:

✔ Nonfiction reading passages with key details about the equinox 

✔ Comprehension questions to build reading skills 

2️⃣ Hands-On Learning with a Simple Activity 

To make the Earth’s seasons more interactive, try a labeling activity! Give students a simple diagram of the Earth and have them label the spring equinox, summer solstice, fall equinox, and winter solstice. This helps them visualize how Earth's tilt changes throughout the year. You can also head outside! If the weather is nice, take your students on a quick walk to observe signs of spring—new buds on trees, birds chirping, and longer daylight hours. A short discussion afterward helps connect their observations to what they’ve learned. 

My Spring Equinox Reading Comprehension resource includes

✔ No-prep, easy-to-print worksheets and crafts to help students understand the Earth's seasons and the spring equinox

 3️⃣ Create a Spring Equinox Craft 

Nothing helps students remember a lesson like a fun craft! Hands-on activities reinforce learning and keep students engaged. My Spring Equinox Reading Comprehension resource includes two fun and easy crafts that allows students to illustrate and describe what happens during this time of year. This is a great way to bring creativity into science and literacy lessons!

🌎 Celebrate the Spring Equinox in Your Classroom! 

The spring equinox is a wonderful time to explore Earth’s seasons and connect reading, science, and hands-on learning. Whether you’re using nonfiction passages, interactive activities, or a simple craft, your students will love discovering what makes this time of year so special! Want to make lesson planning easier? Check out my Spring Equinox Reading Comprehension resource - everything you need to teach this concept in a fun and engaging way! 

🌸 How do you teach the spring equinox? Drop a comment below—I’d love to hear your ideas!

Teaching Trickster Tales? Here’s How to Make It Fun & Easy!

Have You Ever Read Trickster Tales?

Trickster tales are entertaining stories that have been retold for generations as a way to teach lessons about human behaviour. These folktales, found in cultures around the world, feature clever tricksters who use their wit to outsmart others - sometimes for good and sometimes for mischief! 

If you’re looking for ways to bring these entertaining and thought-provoking stories into your classroom, keep reading for ideas on how to introduce trickster tales and a fully prepped Trickster Tales resource that saves you time while building essential reading skills. 

Why Teach Trickster Tales?

The tales are great ways to strengthen these concepts:

1.  Characterization
2.  Personification
3.  Lessons or Morals
4.  Cause and Effect
   
5.  Author's Purpose
6.  Compare and Contrast Similar Tales

Tales To Share

Trickster tales are folktales in which a clever character, often an animal, plays tricks on others to get what they want or to teach a lesson. These stories have been passed down for generations and can be found in many cultures. Some well-known trickster characters include:

ANANSI THE SPIDER is a trickster from West African and Caribbean stories, and is full of wit and cunning. Anansi and The Moss Covered Rock and Anansi and The Talking Melon are fun read alouds.

RAVEN is a trickster from the First Peoples of the Northwest Pacific Coast from Alaska to British Columbia. Raven is alternatively a clever and foolish  bird-human whose voracious hunger and greed give rise to humourous adventures. Raven: A Trickster Tale from the Pacific Northwest is a great book to share.

COYOTE is a comic trickster character from North American Indigenous stories, who is lack of wisdom gets him into trouble, and his cleverness gets him back out. Students will enjoy Coyote: A Trickster Tale from the American Southwest.

LEPRECHAUNS play several roles in Irish folklore; he is principally a roguish trickster figure who cannot be trusted and will deceive whenever possible. Clever Tom and The Leprechaun is a delightful tale.

WESAKECHAK is a trickster character whose adventures are often humourous, but unlike Plains First People tricksters he is portrayed as a staunch friend of humankind. Wesakechak Tales will be devoured by your students.

How To Introduce Trickster Tales In The Classroom

1. Start with a Trick 

Begin your lesson with a harmless classroom trick or riddle. Ask students if they’ve ever played a trick on someone or been tricked themselves. This sets the stage for understanding the role of tricksters in stories. 

2. Explore Trickster Characters from Around the World 

Show pictures of famous trickster characters and have students predict what kind of tricks they might play. Discuss how trickster figures exist in different cultures and why people enjoy these stories. 

3. Compare Good Tricks vs. Bad Tricks 

Lead a discussion on the difference between harmless, playful tricks and tricks that cause harm - a theme often explored in trickster tales. 

4. Read and Analyze a Trickster Tale 

Choose a classic trickster tale and have students listen for key elements: Who is the trickster? What trick do they play? What is the result? What lesson (moral) does the story teach?

Ready-To-Use Trickster Tales Resource

Want to dive into trickster tales without spending hours planning? The Trickster Tales Folklore Reading Lesson Slides & Print Activities Resource is fully prepped so you can focus on engaging your students!

 ✅ 9 Ready-to-Teach Lesson Slide Sets – Each lesson introduces a reading skill (story structure, cause and effect, character traits, morals, and more).

 ✅ Engaging Trickster Tales – Featuring well-known stories like Anansi and The Moss Covered Rock, Clever Tom and The Leprechaun, and more! 

✅ 15+ Printable Worksheets – Activities include story analysis, vocabulary, comprehension, and comparison tasks to build reading skills. 

✅ No-Prep, Just Print and Go! – Perfect for whole-class instruction, small groups, or independent work. 

 📌 Ready to bring trickster tales to life in your classroom? Check out The Trickster Tales Folklore Reading Lesson Slides & Print Activities Resource  and save time while engaging your students in these classic, witty folktales! 

Let's Teach About Canadian Early Settlers

Teaching about early settlers in Canada is an exciting opportunity to bring history to life for students. By using hands-on activities, engaging stories, and primary sources, we can help students understand the challenges and triumphs of the people who built new lives in a vast and unfamiliar land. Below are some creative ways to engage students, picture book suggestions, and a ready-to-use resource to make this topic meaningful in your classroom. 

Engaging Activities to Teach About Early Settlers

 

1.  Let Students Step Into a Settler’s Shoes 

Encourage students to imagine themselves as settlers by giving them a scenario: "You have just arrived in Canada in the late 1800s with only a few supplies. What do you need to survive? Where will you build your home? What challenges will you face?" 

Have students write a journal entry, create a settler survival plan, or design a small model of a pioneer home using craft materials.

2.  Interactive Sorting Activities 

Help students understand the push and pull factors that brought settlers to Canada by having them sort reasons into categories. Use cards labeled with reasons like wars and conflicts, free land, job loss, adventure, and religious freedom and have students decide whether they are push factors (reasons people left their home country) or pull factors (reasons people wanted to come to Canada). 

3.  Picture Analysis And Artifact Exploration 

Show students historical photographs of early settlers, their homes, and tools. 

Ask: What do you notice in this picture? How is this different from today? What do you think this tool was used for? 

If possible, bring in replicas of pioneer tools or everyday items like a washboard, lantern, or tin cup. Handling objects helps students make real-world connections to what they are learning.

4.  Read-Alouds And Picture Books 

Books bring history to life! Here are some great books about early settlers in Canada: 

 📖  A Pioneer Story: The Daily Life of a Canadian Family in 1840 by Barbara Greenwood
 A mix of storytelling and factual information that helps students understand a pioneer family’s life. 

 📖  Pioneer Kids by Freida Wishinsky
Emily and Matt use their time-travelling sled to arrive on the Canadian Prairies in 1910. 

 📖 Discovering Canadian Pioneers by Marlene Gutsole
This books gives an overview of what life was like for a typical pioneer family in Upper Canada. 

 📖 Birchtown And The Black Loyalists by Wanda Taylor
Readers are introduced to the journey of Black American soldiers taken from Africa as slaves, their quest for freedom, the settlement and struggle of Black Loyalists on Nova Scotian soil.

5.  Make Teaching About Early Settlers Easy With This Ready-to-Use Resource! 

Bringing Canada’s early settler history to life doesn’t have to be time-consuming! 

My Early Settlers in Canada resource includes: 

✅ 8 sets of teaching slides - That is eight complete lessons - just present and you are ready to teach. 

✅ Interactive activities to keep students engaged!

✅ Engaging reading passages with easy-to-understand information. 

✅ Over 20 print activities for students to showcase their learning.

✅ Comprehension questions to reinforce learning. 

✅ Flipbook research report for students to write about pioneer life. 

This resource is perfect for Grade 3-5 students, whether you’re teaching a social studies unit or incorporating cross-curricular literacy connections. Make history exciting and meaningful—grab your copy today! ⬇️ 

 [👉 Canadian Pioneers Canada Early Settlers Pioneer Life Farming Activities and Slides 👈]