State testing is done. Your students are checked out. You're exhausted. And somehow you still have six weeks of school left.
The struggle is real: You need activities that keep students engaged without requiring hours of lesson planning. You need ideas that work on modified schedules, that flex when assemblies and field trips pop up, and that actually feel different from the last five months of test prep.
Here are five purposeful ELA activities that solve this problem. They're low-prep, flexible, and engaging enough that your students will actually want to participate.
Literature Discussion Cards: Get Students Talking
Yes, you get to talk in class today! These discussion 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 students will love the time they have to interact, share, and discuss text without worksheets. Discussion cards are perfect for post-testing because they feel like a break from traditional instruction, but they're still hitting speaking and listening standards.
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 a read-aloud extension to go with 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.
Creative Projects: Lap Books for Independent Reading
Lap books were a favorite of mine while teaching 4th and 5th grade. Students love putting them together and adding 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 and analysis.
The best part about lap books is that they work for self-selected reading. This is a fun way to promote independent reading while giving students a tool to showcase their learning. Your students get choice, creativity, and a tangible product they're proud of. If you are looking for a lap book template, check out my fiction lap book and nonfiction lap book resources on TPT.
Close Reading with Sports Stars: High-Interest Comprehension
Post-testing doesn't mean abandoning reading comprehensionāit just means making it fun. If you have sports-obsessed readers (and who doesn't?), this is your secret weapon.
My Sports Close Reading Bundle features high-interest passages about today's NBA and NFL starsāPatrick Mahomes, LeBron James, Kevin Durantāplus baseball history. Your students stay engaged because they're reading about athletes they care about, not random topics.
Best part? It's 55 pages of no-prep work. Print, distribute, and your students are reading and thinking deeply about the text. With 15 different reading selections, it gives you tons of flexibility for the final weeks. Read the full description here.
Descriptive Writing with Purpose: Summer Job Application
It's not always easy to inspire students with writing units, but my students love these job application activities. This Summer Job Application Toolkit guides you through the instructional process and inspires students to write with purpose.
The toolkit works in both digital and printable formats, so it flexes with your end-of-year schedule. It can be a full unit or compressed into a few days of instruction. My middle schoolers really enjoy practical writing exercises, so this Summer Job Application Toolkit is a fun way to review descriptive writing. Read the full description here.
There are plenty of fun alternatives to movie days during these final weeks of school.
There are plenty of fun alternatives to movie days during these final weeks of school. Kids love movie days because they're a break from the usual lecture format, but it's really the change in format that sparks interest, not the movie itself.
When you think of it this way, teaching after testing becomes an opportunity to experiment with new activities and teaching methods. Try a few of these ideas. See what resonates with your students, and maybe even add some background music. What works this year might become a classroom staple for years to come.
Have fun teaching and enjoy these final weeks!
