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Keep Your Students Engaged After Spring Break

Are your students getting Spring Fever yet? Your school may be on Spring Break right now or you may be on Spring Break soon. Either way, students are excited to have some time off and so are teachers! However, motivating students to participate in class after a long break can be challenging. Today I want to share with you some tips and creative classroom activities that will help create a smooth transition back to the classroom and help keep student engagement high.

1. Reinforce “Back to School” Procedures

It's always important after every break to review your classroom rules and daily procedures. You won't have to spend as much time as you did at the beginning of the year. Try to spend about 5-10 minutes daily during the first days back to reinforce rules. I also loved having my students act out the procedures it was not only great practice but my students also thought it was fun too! Also, check out a past blog post that shares resources you can implement into your classroom to increase student engagement.

Back to School Procedures is a great way to increase student engagement after Spring Break.

2. Yoga Exercises

Yoga has so many benefits including managing anxiety, boosting self-esteem, increasing mindfulness, and enhancing concentration. I always loved using Cosmic Kids Yoga with my students. The videos feature interactive adventures that help students build strength, balance, and confidence. There are tons of videos to choose from and they all have the cutest themes!

Yoga has so many benefits and is a great way to promote strength, balance, and confidence. Incorporating this after Spring Break can help with any stress or anxiety.

3. Use Hands-On Learning Activities

Many schools have standardized testing that can begin around Spring Break. When trying to motivate students it can be helpful to use hands-on learning activities for test prep and review. This March Bundle incorporates my favorite ELA Centers, Math Centers, and Writing Prompts. Your students will have so much fun completing these activities and not to mention it is minimal prep!

After Spring Break there is usually standardized testing. Hands on activities can be used for test prep and review.

4. Incorporate More Technology

It's no secret that students LOVE using technology! It's another great way to keep students engaged after Spring Break. Here are some of my favorite learning apps:

  • Kahoot
  • Seesaw
  • Khan Academy
  • Epic!
  • Prodigy
Students love using technology! It is a great way to keep students engaged after Spring Break!

5. Plan a Project

Having students complete a project is a great way to create motivation and student engagement. The Memory Book Activities include art, writing, and a craft for every month of the school year! This resource can be used to create beautiful bulletin boards. It is also perfect for a small group, whole group, and independent time. At the end of the year, your students will have a wonderful portfolio to share with their families.

Having students complete a project is a great way to create motivation and student engagement after Spring Break!

I hope you will find these ideas to be helpful when returning to school after Spring Break. Which activities will you try in your classroom? Comment below and share your thoughts. Remember no matter what resources you decide to use make sure to have fun! Your students will thrive off of the positive energy and in turn be more engaged and ready to learn.

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My name is Kristen and I’ve enjoyed teaching kindergarten, first grade, a 1/2 combo, and second grade.  I’ve taught at both a low and high-performing Title I schools as well as a few fancy schools in California and O’ahu, Hawaii. I’ve earned my Master’s Degree in Education with an emphasis in reading in addition to my Reading Specialist Certificate.  When I am not teaching my scholars or other educators at Professional Development classes, I  enjoy creating materials to share with my colleagues, organizing family literacy events, and giving workshops on ways to make Literacy Workshop effective and engaging.  

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