State testing is stressful for teachers and overwhelming for students, and the moment it is completed, there is a sense of relief and joy in every school building. There’s so much buildup to testing that it’s easy to forget we have to keep students learning for the last weeks of school.
While I always feel like every imaginable field trip and assembly gets crammed into these last weeks, there are plenty of instructional days left to teach and inspire our students for the future.
Here are a few purposeful ELA activities to keep that don’t require a lot of prep time and are flexible enough to be used on modified bell schedules. You can also do elements of each one outside when the weather is nice!
Literature Discussion Cards
Yes, you get to talk in class today! These Chit Chat Cards focus on reading literature, informational text, and speaking and listening standards by helping students lead purposeful discussions. Best of all, there is no writing or grading involved!
Your big kids will love the time they have to interact, share, and discuss text. See the full description here.
Read Alouds to Reader’s Theater
Reader’s theater is an easy win this time of year because students love performing together. Use this The Day the Colored Pencils Resigned Toolkit as an extension with a read aloud of The Day the Crayons Quit? Practice fluency and speaking while incorporating this high-interest story into your language arts instruction. Read the full description here.
A Summer Descriptive Writing Activity
It’s not always easy to inspire students with writing units, but my students love these job application activities. This summer job descriptive writing resource guides you through the instructional process and inspires students to write with purpose!
My middle schoolers really enjoy practical writing exercises, so this Summer Job Application Toolkit ends up being a highly engaging way to review descriptive writing. It can be used in either a digital or printable format. Read the full description here.
Reading, Writing, and Crafting
Lap books were a favorite of mine while teaching 4th and 5th grade. Students love to put them together and add their own artistic touches. While the example above might be too simple for 7th and 8th graders, you can modify the idea to incorporate more writing.
The best part about lap books is they work for self-selected reading. This is fun way to promote independent reading while giving students a tool to showcase their learning. IF you are looking for a lap book template, check out my fiction lap book and nonfiction lap book resources on TPT.
There are plenty of fun alternatives to movie days during these final weeks of school.
Kids love movie days because they are a break from the usual lecture format, and teachers love them for the same reason! So it’s not always the movie that sparks interest as much as the change in format. When you think of things this way, teaching after testing is a great time to experiment with new ideas and formats to see if you want to use them in the future.
If you are looking to have a little fun with your students for the times when you are not in an assembly, on a field trip, or giving a few extra minutes of outdoor recess, check out some of the ideas I have listed here. Have fun teaching and enjoy these final weeks!
