DIY Ideas to Rejuvenate Your Classroom

Hello readers!  Carla from Comprehension Connection here to share fun DIY projects to spice up your guided reading block.  Here at the end of the year, your kids are probably test weary and ready for a bit of fun.  These simple ideas all come from readily available materials from your local Dollar Tree.  

First up is this twist on soccer.  These little mini balls work perfectly for word work, but you could also write comprehension questions, vocabulary words from the book you're reading, overused words (and have kids brainstorm replacement words), or homonyms.  Just toss the ball and answer the question your right thumb lands on.  Games are lots of fun, and they can purposefully be used to review or teach new skills.

Sometimes a few fresh manipulatives can liven up lessons.  Dollar Tree has just put out their spring goodies, and in the stash, I found the bug kits. The magnifying glasses work really well for framing text evidence or for word hunts. For the little people, you can find all kinds of fancy pointers. Use these for I Spy, identifying details in a group article or poem, or for tracking print.  Even themed erasers can add to your inventory of teaching tools as game markers or score keepers.  I picked up these car themed erasers to use with my Parking Lot game.  I'll share that freebie at the end of this post, but you'll have to head over to Dollar Tree to pick up your own markers. :-) 

Cookie sheets can be used for so many different things. With a can of spray paint, you can make them bright and colorful for a gameboard background or turn them into a chalkboard. You can also use contact paper to dress them up. Add magnetic tape to any printable gameboard and game pieces for storage ease. Cookie sheets and pizza pans can also be made into reminder boards for missing homework, attendance, or memoes for the day.  Just search on Pinterest, and you'll find all sorts of ways to use them. 

Shower curtains and plastic tableclothes work well for DIY activities too. With a sharpie and a little bit of drawing talent, you can turn these items into Jeopardy boards, Boggle boards, Letter recognition boards, and Twister sightword boards. Add in bean bags, and you can work in a little movement too.  Here are a few pictures of what you might try.  Another way to use plastic table clothes is to create vocabulary graffiti or comprehension projects like the one to the left.

For other DIY reading or classroom ideas, check out my Pinterest board below. With a little bit of time and a few inexpensive supplies, you can streamline classroom storage, spice up teaching strategies and lessons, and spark creativity in your kids.

Follow Comprehension's board Classroom Ideas on Pinterest.      

As I mentioned earlier, I have a freebie to share with you.  Remember you can find those cute transportation themed erasers at Dollar Tree.  How fun, right??  

Until next week, have a fabulous weekend! Be sure to come back Monday for all the great stuff we have in store for you!