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10 Effective Ways to Differentiate by Process

Here are 10 effective ways to differentiate by process that you can start using right away.

1. Use Flexible Grouping

Flexible grouping allows students to work with different peers depending on the skill, task, or level of support needed. Groups shift regularly and are based on readiness, interest, or learning profiles—not ability labels. This gives every student the structure they need without limiting their potential.

Find out how to use strategy groups and guided math groups in your classroom.

2. Offer Graphic Organizers

Graphic organizers help students structure their thinking while processing new information. Provide a variety—story maps, Venn diagrams, cause-and-effect charts, problem-solving templates—and let students choose the support that fits their needs. Some will benefit from heavy structure, while others can work without it.

3. Give Students Process Choices

Offer students different ways to practice the same skill. Options may include partner work, independent practice, hands-on tasks, digital activities, or discussion-based learning. Students become more engaged when they can select the approach that aligns with their learning style.

4. Varied Task Complexity

Instead of giving every student the same level of challenge, offer tasks with different degrees of complexity that all target the same learning objective.

• Some students may work through step-by-step tasks with guided prompts.

• Others may tackle open-ended challenges that require deeper reasoning or multiple strategies.

This keeps all students in the zone of productive struggle without overwhelming or under-challenging them.

5. Use Learning Stations or Centers

Stations make it easy to break a lesson into smaller, more manageable steps. Each station can offer a different type of processing: hands-on exploration, independent practice, digital learning, or a teacher-led small group. Students rotate through tasks at a rhythm that supports meaningful learning.

6. Break Tasks Into Smaller Steps

Chunking helps students who need more time or structure. Provide tasks in bite-sized steps with visual directions or checkpoints. Students who are ready can complete the full sequence independently, while others gain confidence through more guided pacing.

7. Incorporate Think-Alouds and Modeling

Some students need to hear your thought process before attempting a skill. Think-alouds help students understand the steps, strategies, and decision-making behind a task. Adjust the amount of modeling depending on what each group or student needs.

8. Use Scaffolds and Supports

Scaffolds such as sentence stems, manipulatives, anchor charts, checklists, and cue cards help students navigate a learning process successfully. Provide scaffolds strategically based on student readiness—and gradually remove them as students show independence.

9. Adjust the Amount of Time Students Have

Pacing matters. Some students need extended time or chunked deadlines to process skills effectively. Others finish quickly and benefit from enrichment tasks that deepen or apply their understanding. Giving students the right amount of time ensures meaningful learning rather than rushed confusion.

10. Build in Reflection and Feedback Opportunities

Exit tickets, learning logs, rubrics, and quick check-ins help students think about how they are learning. Reflection supports growth, and personalized feedback allows students to adjust their approach. Tailor feedback so each student gets what they need—whether that’s daily conferencing or occasional check-ins.

Differentiating by process helps every student move through learning in a way that makes sense for them. It doesn’t require completely new lessons—just small shifts that make your instruction more responsive and flexible. When students have multiple pathways to practice and engage, confidence grows and achievement follows.

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What are your favorite New Year’s activities to do with your students?

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Whether you’re teaching reading, math, science, or writing, these strategies can help every student access the content in a meaningful way while still moving toward the same learning goals.

Join the Differentiation Conversation Community to get free differentiated resources and to share strategies with other elementary teachers to help you meet the needs of all your students!

Top 10 Easy Ways to Differentiate by Content

Here are the top 10 ways to differentiate by content—all practical, realistic, and classroom-friendly.

1. Provide Texts at Multiple Reading Levels

When students read texts that match their reading level, they can build comprehension, vocabulary, and confidence. Offer options at varying levels of complexity that cover the same topic or concept so all students can participate in the same discussion or task.

Learn how to start using a reading workshop model to differentiate your reading instruction.

2. Use Guided Math Groups

Guided math groups allow you to provide content that matches each student’s readiness level. Some students may work with manipulatives to understand a concept, while others take on more advanced problem-solving. Because the content of each small-group lesson is tailored to their needs, every student gets instruction that moves them forward.

Learn more about setting up guided math in your classroom.

3. Build Background Knowledge

Students learn new content more effectively when they have the necessary background information. Use short videos, picture walks, anchor charts, and vocabulary previews to help students who need extra support access the same grade-level material as their peers.

4. Tiered Activities

Tiered assignments give students activities at different levels of difficulty. To create a tiered activity, take an activity that you usually give all the students in your class. That activity will be for your on-level students. Then, create an easier version of the same assignment. You could give the students supports, like fill-in-the-blanks or sentence starters. Finally, create an enrichment version of the activity by making it more challenging for your advanced students.

Try a Winter Math Tiered Activity. 

5. Interest-Based Groups in Science and Social Studies

Leverage student interests to boost engagement with content-heavy subjects. Create groups based on topics students are naturally curious about—space, ecosystems, famous inventors, geography, historical figures, etc. They can explore different texts or subtopics while still mastering the same overall standard or essential question.

6. Allow Students to Choose Writing Prompts

Choice makes writing more meaningful. Provide multiple writing prompts that target the same writing standard but vary by topic, interest, or level of complexity. Students can choose the prompt that feels most relevant or accessible to them, allowing them to engage with content that motivates them.

7. Use Literature Circles

Literature circles give students the opportunity to read texts at their level while still participating in collaborative discussion. Offer several book choices around the same theme, genre, or skill. Each group explores content that suits their reading ability, but all students practice the same comprehension standards.

8. Adjust the Amount of Content Students Interact With

Differentiation doesn’t always mean changing what students learn—it sometimes means adapting how much. Shorter passages, fewer math problems, or smaller chunks of text may help students process content more successfully. Students ready for more depth can take on additional sections or more complex content.

9. Use Different Vocabulary and Spelling Lists

Not all students need to learn the same vocabulary and spelling words. Provide tiered vocabulary and spelling lists — essential words for all learners, supportive words for students who need more scaffolding, and challenge words for students ready to deepen their understanding. This ensures every student builds the language they need without overwhelming or under-challenging them.

10. Use Technology for Personalized Learning

Using online programs, like IXL or Freckle allows students to practice the skills they need. These websites use assessments to put students on the correct path for success. One student may need to practice graphing while another student works on multiplication. Technology makes it easy to meet the needs of all your students.

Differentiating by content isn’t about creating ten different lessons. It’s about giving students multiple pathways to understand the same big idea. Start with one or two strategies from this list and build from there. Over time, you’ll see increased engagement, stronger understanding, and more confident learners.

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What Do You Think?

What are your favorite ways to differentiate by content?

Let us know in the comments.

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Teach Important SEL Lessons with Skills for Big Feelings

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. I only recommend products that I use and love.

One of the most impotant parts of social-emotional learning is self-awareness, which is exactly what Skills for Big Feelings practices Through the lessons, you will help your students identify their feelings and develop strategies to cope with them. 

How to Use Skills for Big Feelings

Skills for Big Feelings is organized into twelve sessions, which can be covered over a period of twelve weeks. However, if you don’t have a lot of time built into your schedule for SEL, you can spread the activities out over a longer period of time.

Each session follows a specific schedule, so you and your students will get into a routine. This makes the lessons easier for you to teach, and your students will know exactly what to expect when it’s time for SEL.

These are the parts of each session:

• Opening practice
• Review agreements
• Visual schedule
• Mindful Moment and Feelings Check
• Activity
• Practice and color the three weekly skills
• Mindful Moment and Feeling Check
• Closing practice
• And a family resource you can send home with your students

Teaching a Lesson

When you’re ready to start the first session, you will find that the lessons are very easy to implement. They tell you exactly what to do and say, so you don’t have to spend any time planning SEL lessons. Just read over the lesson ahead of time, gather any needed materials, and you’re ready to teach! 

I know some of you have limited time for SEL lessons, so I love that each session is broken down into smaller parts. Even if you only have 10 minutes for SEL each day, you can choose one part of lesson to do in that time and then pick up where you left off the next day. 

Weekly Relaxation Skills

One of my favorite things about Skills for Big Feelings is that it includes so many relaxation and calming skills that your students can use any time they are feeling strong emotions, like anxiety or anger. You will teach your students three relaxation skills in each session, so by the end of the 12 weeks, they will have 36 different ways to manage their strong feelings!

Included Materials

Within the Skills for Big Feelings book, you will find so many helpful resources that will make it easy to implement the lessons.

• Lesson Plans – Each session has detailed lesson plans that walk you step-by-step through the process of teaching the SEL strategies.
• A Student Workbook – Copy the workbook for your students so they have all the activity sheets and strategy guides in one place. 
• Family Resources – Send home the family newsletters so your students’ parents know what they are practicing at school. The relaxation strategies are included so your students can practice them at home, too.
• IEP and Treatment Plan Objectives – If you are a special education teacher or guidance counselor, there are a lot of IEP goals included that you can use to measure student progress and growth.

Using the Book and Resource Bundle

If you want even more resources to use with Skills for Big Feelings, the author, Casey O’Brien Martin, put together a whole bundle of extra activities and games that will help you extend and practice the lessons.

When you purchase the Super Ultimate Bundle, you will get:

• Digital Interactive Notebooks – These slideshows walk your students through each session. They include all the activities, and your students can answer the questions directly in the digital notebook. These will make teaching the lessons even easier!
• Coping Skills Craftivities – This resource provides cute crafts your students can make to go along with each of the relaxation strategies.
• Games – Make practicing SEL skills fun for your students with the included games. There are games to go with each of the sessions, and they work great for small group practice.
• Mindful Moments MP3s – Use the included MP3s for the mindful moments to walk your students through strategies that will help them relax and reduce stress. 
• A Pacing Guide – If you don’t have time to complete a whole session in one day, there is a schedule to help you separate the parts into different lessons on Monday through Friday. 

There’s even a Scope and Sequence to show you exactly how to fit all the extra resources into the Skills for Big Feelings sessions! 

When you use all of these resources with your students, you will be amazed by how well they apply the strategies to manage their big feelings. They will be happier and less stressed. When they have strategies to help them deal with their feelings, they are able to focus on their work and build better relationships with others. 

Click the link to purchase Skills for Big Feelings and the Super Ultimate Bundle!

You’re Invited!

Looking for more ways to differentiate your lessons and meet the needs of all your students without adding more to your plate?

Join The Differentiation Conversation Community, a free community for elementary teachers where we share practical differentiation strategies, ready-to-use resources, and encouragement to help you meet the needs of all your learners.

What Do You Think?

What strategies do you use to help your students manage their feelings?

Let me know in the comments below.

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Amazing Halloween Zipper Bracelets for Your Classroom

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. I only recommend products that I use and love.

#1 – Use Halloween Zipper Bracelets to make groups.

There are four cute designs on the UpBrands Halloween Zipper Bracelets – an orange pumpkin, a white ghost, a black cat, and a black and purple bat. There are 6 of each design in the 24-pack, so you can easily put your students into groups.

When you’re getting ready to do a small group activity, give each student a bracelet. Then, have them meet with the other students who have the same Halloween symbol. 

You can let your students keep the bracelets after their groups are formed, or you can collect them and use them again and again. The bracelets are durable and strong, so they will last from one year to the next. 

#2 – Use Halloween Zipper Bracelets as a prize for a game.

If your school has a fall or Halloween party, the UpBrands Halloween Zipper Bracelets would make a perfect prize. As your students win a pumpkin toss, mummy wrap, or candy corn counting contest, give them a bracelet. One of the best things about these bracelets is that they come in packs of 24 – perfect for a classroom of students. (Don’t worry! If you have more than 24 students, they also come in packs of 48 and more.)

If you’re doing a Halloween Unlock the Box Mystery, put the bracelets inside the box as the prize your students get after they solve all the clues. They will be so excited to find this useful and fun treat!

#3 – Put the Halloween Zipper Bracelets in your prize box.

If you have a prize box in your classroom, the Upbrands Halloween Zipper Bracelets will be a great addition to it! It’s so important to add new rewards to the box often to motivate your students and make sure they are still excited about going to the prize box. 

I guarantee these zipper bracelets will be very popular with your students. They will probably want to collect all four of the designs and show them off to all their friends.

You can even add cute tags to the bracelets to make them even more special. Download these tags for free!

#4 – Use the Halloween Zipper Bracelets as fidgets for your students.

If you have students in your class who benefit from the use of fidgets, these bracelets will be perfect for them! The zipper of the bracelets works smoothly and quietly, so it won’t disturb your teaching.

Have your students keep their bracelets around their wrists or in their desks so they can use them whenever they need help focusing. You could also keep them in your Calm Down Corner or any other spot in your classroom where students can go when they need quiet alone time.

Need More fun Halloween Ideas?

5 Fun Halloween Activities for Your Classroom

Halloween Read Alouds for Your Classroom

You’re Invited!

Looking for new ways to differentiate your lessons and meet the needs of all your students without adding more to your plate?

Join The Differentiation Conversation Community, a free community for elementary teachers where we share practical differentiation strategies, ready-to-use resources, and encouragement to help you meet the needs of all your learners.

What Do You Think?

What are your favorite Halloween treats to give your students?

Let me know in the comments below.

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The post Amazing Halloween Zipper Bracelets for Your Classroom appeared first on Teach Without Tears.

10 Reward Parties for Your Classroom

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. I only recommend products that I use and love.

Do you have a whole class reward system for your classroom? My students always enjoy working toward to common goal. However, it’s often hard to come up with new ideas for rewards.

I’ve used a lot of different behavior management systems over the years. I use Class Dojo to give my students individual points for making good choices. They trade those points in for special rewards, like bringing in a stuffed animal or sitting at my desk for the day.

I also like to have a whole class reward. One whole class reward I’ve used is class vs. teacher. When we get through a lesson without wasting any time or we have a really good transition from one lesson to another, the class earns a point. When I have to wait for my students to stop talking during a lesson or a transition takes too long, I get a point. On days when they have more points than me, they earn a letter toward their whole class reward. When they spell out a whole sentence, they earn the reward.

At the beginning of the year, we spelled out the sentences, “We earned lunch in the classroom.” and “We earned a movie in the classroom.” My students earn the whole class reward about once a month, so I wanted some new ideas.

Here are 10 awesome reward parties for your classroom.

#1 – Art Party

My students always love art class, but they only have it once every 6 days. They enjoy it when I’m able to incorporate art into our lessons, but unfortunately, that doesn’t happen as often as they’d like.

That’s why they love having an art party so much! I choose an art project that we can do in about an hour. I show my students an example of how to do the project and let them get to work.

The How to Teach Art to Children book from Evan-Moor has 96 different art projects for grades 1-6. Each one has step-by-step directions, and there are even lessons about different famous artists to incorporate into the party.

#2 – Origami Party

The origami party could be grouped in with the art party, but my students love this one so much that I wanted to keep it separate. You can get 200 pages of origami paper really inexpensively, and it will keep your students engaged for the whole party.

There are all levels of difficulty for origami projects. You can print different options and allow your students to choose which ones they want to try. You can also find lots of amazing videos on YouTube to walk your students through the steps.

#3 – Dance Party

A dance party is another fun way to reward your students. You can teach them choreography to a song or you can put on dance videos from Go Noodle for your dance party.

You could even break your class into groups and have them come up with a dance for a song. Then, you could have a presentation of the dances.

#4 – Language Party

My students love it when I speak in Spanish during lessons. They are always trying to get me to use it more during class. That’s why I decided to add a Spanish party to our list of reward options.

I labeled things around the classroom with their names in Spanish. I also chose a topic for the party – colors. We looked at items that were all different colors and learned to name the colors in Spanish. My students had so much fun practicing the new words, and by the end of the party, they all knew a few new words.

You can have a language party with any language you know. You could even invite a student who speaks a different language to teach the class some words in that language.

#5 – Kickball Party

My students also love gym. However, they only get to have gym as a special once every six days. That’s why they love playing a sport for our reward parties.

My school has a kickball field next to the playground. That’s why I choose kickball instead of another sport. Any sport will work, though.

#6 – Technology Party

Normally, my students aren’t allowed to have phones or any electronics at school. That’s why earning a technology party is such a special reward. They are allowed to bring electronics to school for the day.

Students who don’t have an electronic get to use their Chromebooks during the party. This is one of my students’ favorite parties!

#7 – STEM Party

I try to incorporate STEM into my regular lessons, but with scripted programs for most subjects, it’s often hard to find time for STEM. That’s why I give STEM activities as a choice for our classroom reward parties.

The STEM Lessons and Challenges book from Evan-Moor has 15 different activities that tie into your science curriculum. Your students will love designing things and testing their results.

Find out about our anemometer STEM challenge.

#8 – Board Game Party

Students always enjoy playing games. Allow them to bring board games from home. I have my students play one game for about 15 minutes. Then, they move to a different game. That gives them the opportunity to try more than one game.

#9 – Unlock the Box Party

My students love doing Unlock the Box Mysteries so much! They beg to do them all the time. We do them a lot for our holiday parties, but they are also great for any reward parties.

Just put a prize in a locked box, and give your students the clues. They will work together with their group to solve the clues and unlock the box.

#10 – Cooking Party

Find a quick and easy recipe that your students can make. They can practice reading the directions and measuring the ingredients.

Gingerbread houses are lots of fun around the holidays, and dirt pudding cups are great if you’re teaching a unit on plants.

You’re Invited!

Looking for more ways to differentiate your lessons and meet the needs of all your students without adding more to your plate?

Join The Differentiation Conversation Community, a free community for elementary teachers where we share practical differentiation strategies, ready-to-use resources, and encouragement to help you meet the needs of all your learners.

What Do You Think?

What are your favorite reward parties to use in your classroom?

Let me know in the comments below.

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The post 10 Awesome Reward Parties for Your Classroom appeared first on Teach Without Tears.

5 Minute Time Fillers

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. I only recommend products that I use and love.

#1 – I Spy a Word

I give them clues about the word that make them use things they’ve learned during the year. Some of my favorite clues include:

• Number of syllables
• The letter it starts or ends with
• Rhyming words
• Synonyms or antonyms

#2 – Guess in 10

Another favorite in my classroom is Guess in 10. The students need to use clues to guess what is being described. This one is the animals game, but they have lots of other themes, too, like the United States, Space, and even Disney.

#3 – Hangman

Hangman is a great way to review content you’ve been teaching. Choose any word and draw the lines on the board. Allow your students to take turns choosing letters.

I don’t draw the traditional hangman when students guess an incorrect letter. Instead, I draw a picture that fits with the season. I do a jack-o-lantern for fall, a snowman for winter, and a flower for spring. I also make the student who guesses the correct word tell what the word means.

#4 – Brain Quest Questions

Brain Quest is also a hit! My students love trying to answer the questions. Brain Quest cards are available for every grade level. Find the set you need here.

Answering trivia questions is always fun, but adding in a dartboard makes it irresistable. When my students get an answer correct, they get to throw two balls at the dartboard. If the ball sticks, I add that many points (minus the zero) on Class Dojo.

Since 5 minutes isn’t long enough for the whole class to do this, I choose students who were on their best behavior for my lesson. This improves the whole class’s behavior for the rest of the day, since they all want to be able to answer a question and throw the balls.

#5 – Sparkle

If you still do weekly spelling words, Sparkle is a fun game. My school stopped teaching spelling in isolation several years ago. However, before that Sparkle was one of our favorite games to play.

If you’re not familiar with Sparkle, here’s how to play.

• Have your students stand behind their chairs.
• Say a spelling word.
• The first student stays the word again.
• The next students each say one letter from the word. If they get them correct, they continue standing. If they get a letter wrong, they sit down.
• After the word is finished, the next person repeats the whole word.
• The next student says, “Sparkle,” and the person after them sits.

This game requires all of your students to stay quiet and pay attention. If it’s a student’s turn and they don’t know the word or where they are in the word, they have to sit. This game moves quickly and can definitely be finished in 5 minutes if your students know how to play.

#6 – 30 Second Mysteries Game

I originally bought the 30 Second Mysteries game to use as part of our mystery genre study in reading. However, my students loved it so much that they begged to play any time we had a few extra minutes. Now, it’s been added to my regular rotation of 5 minute time fillers.

The title suggests the mysteries only take 30 seconds to solve, but that’s about how long it takes to read the mystery. Then, there are clues you can give the students if they can’t solve it yet. I take 3 guesses after each clue. The students also love that this game comes with a cool magnifying glass to reveal the answers to the mysteries.

Check out these amazing attention-getters for your classroom.

You’re Invited!

Looking for more ways to differentiate your lessons and meet the needs of all your students without adding more to your plate?

Join The Differentiation Conversation Community, a free community for elementary teachers where we share practical differentiation strategies, ready-to-use resources, and encouragement to help you meet the needs of all your learners.

What Do You Think?

What are your favorite 5 minute time fillers?

Let me know in the comments below.

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The post 5 Minute Time Fillers for Your Classroom appeared first on Teach Without Tears.

Get Your Students’ Attention Without Saying a Word

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. I only recommend products that I use and love.

Do you have a talkative class? Is it hard to get their attention when you need to bring them back together or transition? If so, try some of these attention-getters that don’t require you to talk at all.

Wireless Doorbell

This SadoTech Model C Wireless Doorbell is the perfect way to get your students’ attention. It has over 50 different chimes. You can use them for different signals. One could mean that you need their attention. Another could mean to switch centers. Your students will love hearing all the different sounds. You can also control the volume based on the noise level in your classroom.

Chimes

The Woodstock Chimes Zenergy Chime creates a calming sound that will signal your students to stop what they are doing and give you their attention. My teammate uses this in her classroom, and the sound really carries over the student’s voices.

Bell

The I-Mart Call Bell is one of the easiest ways to get your students to freeze and listen for directions. One finger touch is all you need. When your students hear the bell, they should stop what they are doing and get ready to listen. The cute smiley face makes it perfect for an elementary classroom.

Echo

The Echo Dot is a great addition to your classroom. This one requires a little bit of talking on your part but not to your students. You can ask Echo to play a song or make another sound to get their attention. Echo also does a lot of other things. Just make sure you can connect it to your school’s internet before buying it.

Timers

Classroom timers serve multiple purposes. The sound lets your students know when it’s time to stop working. The timer also shows them how much time they have left to complete their task. This pack comes with 3 timers, so you could set different time amounts for different groups or activities.

You could also use an online timer, like the one on Class Dojo. That way, it is projected on the board large enough for the students to easily see.

Eggspert

The Educational Insights Wireless Eggspert is a fun way to get your students’ attention. If they are working in groups, use the “Scrambled Eggs” mode on the Eggspert to randomly choose a group to answer the question. As soon as the students hear the sound of the Eggspert and see the lights blinking, they wrap up their discussions and watch to see which color is chosen. That color group answers the question.

Gong

One tap on the Woodstock Chimes WDG Desk Gong will show your students you need their attention. It is the perfect size to fit on your desk. My husband had one of these in his classroom, and the students loved when he used it.

Other Classroom Management Tips

All of these tools can help with your transitions. Even without talking over my students during transitions, I sometimes lose my voice by the end of the day. This microphone is a great way to project your voice without straining it.

Check out this post for some ideas for end of the day routines.

You’re Invited!

Looking for more ways to differentiate your lessons and meet the needs of all your students without adding more to your plate?

Join The Differentiation Conversation Community, a free community for elementary teachers where we share practical differentiation strategies, ready-to-use resources, and encouragement to help you meet the needs of all your learners.

What Do You Think?

What is your favorite way to get your students’ attention?

Let me know in the comments below.

If you enjoyed this post and think your teacher friends will, too, please click the button to share it on your favorite social media platform.

The post Get Your Students’ Attention Without Saying a Word appeared first on Teach Without Tears.

At my inservice the other day, I couldn’t believe how hard it was to sit still for the entire afternoon. The presenter was great, but I just wanted to get up and move. During a normal day of teaching, I don’t sit down at all unless I’m meeting with a small group. Sitting for two hours was torture.

That made me think about how it is for my students. For most subjects, I do a 10-minute minilesson and then they’re up and moving to a center or a reading or writing spot. However, sometimes I find myself talking for a long period of time. The information I need my students to learn is important, but I need to get their attention. That’s why I use these strategies to engage them with movement.

How to Engage Your Students with Movement

#1 – Unlock the Box Mysteries

My students absolutely love Unlock the Box Mysteries! They work together to solve four clues. Then, they use the answer to the last clue to open a locked box and get a surprise.

The Unlock the Box Mysteries are a great way to review for math tests. Rather than giving your students a worksheet to review division or fractions, get them up and moving. They will also practice their teambuilding and problem solving skills.

#2 – Brain Breaks

Another way to engage your students with movement is through brain breaks. A minute or two of getting up and moving gives them an opportunity to work off some energy and refocus.

My favorite brain breaks are from Go Noodle. I choose a student each day to select our brain break. They love looking through all options and selecting one for the class.

#3 – Math Relays

Practice and review important math skills with relay races. Divide your class into 4 or 5 teams. Then, pose a problem, and one member from each team runs to the board and solves the problem. The first person with the correct answer earns a point for the team. This is a fun way to get up and moving while reviewing important skills.

#4 – Chart Writing

My students love using my fun markers to add to charts that are posted around the room. You could use this for many different activities. I’ve done it for character traits in reading, research in social studies, and different operations in math.

Right now, we’re learning about weather in science. We used chart writing to learn about the different weather tools. I put one at each center, and the students had to predict what the tool was and how scientists use it. Then, they moved to the next one. By the time we were done, each chart was full of great ideas.

#5 – STEM Activities

If you want your students to collaborate and problem solve, STEM activities are just what you need. At the beginning of the year, I always do a marshmallow bridge STEM challenge. My students have to find a way to use toothpicks and marshmallows to build a bridge that will hold weight. The students are moving the whole time they are working on this challenge.

When time runs out, we add pennies to each bridge to see how many it can hold. The bridge that holds the most weight wins.

Check out this Halloween STEM Activity and this Christmas STEM activity.

Building Movement into Your Lessons

Your students will really appreciate the opportunities to move when you add these activities to your lesson plans. I try not to make them sit for more than 15 minutes at a time. They are able to focus better when they know they’re going to have a chance to get up and move soon.

You’re Invited!

Looking for ways to differentiate your lessons and meet the needs of all your students without adding more to your plate?

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What Do You Think?

How do you engage your students with movement?

Let me know in the comments below.

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Early Finisher Activities Your Students Will Love

I wanted to find something meaningful that my students could do when they finished early. I wanted something they could do independently while I worked with other students and something that allowed them to continue practicing important skills. However, I didn’t want it to be anything the rest of my class had to make up if they didn’t get to it.

I started creating reading, math, and writing activities my students could do when they finished early. Each day, I tried to come up with something for them to do. Then, I started working ahead and putting together activities for each month. I’ve organized the activities in 3 different ways, and each year I choose the one that works best for that group of students.

Early Finishers Packet

When I started these early finisher activities, I put them together in an early finishers packet. My students kept it in a folder in their desks and pulled it out whenever they had a few free minutes. I loved doing it this way because they had all the activities in one place, and I just collected it at the end of the month to check the activities they did.

Then, my school district put a limit on the number of copies we could make. I needed the copies for math and reading, so I couldn’t make a 15-page packet of early finisher activities anymore.

Early Finishers Bulletin Board

The next thing I tried was an early finishers bulletin board. I typed a few early finisher activities on one page and cut them apart into strips. I put them in envelopes and attached them to one of my bulletin boards. When my students finished early, they would go to the board and choose an activity. They glued it to the top of a piece of paper and did the activity there. When they were finished, they put the papers in a tray on the side of the classroom.

Early Finishers Bingo Board

Now, I give my students a Bingo board filled with the early finisher activities. I put the Bingo board and some lined and blank paper in a folder with fasteners. The students choose an activity to complete and put the number at the top of a paper. They do the activity and when it’s finished, they color in the block on the Bingo board. They try to get a row or blackout on the Bingo board. I collect the folders at the end of the month.

Get These Early Finisher Activities

Start using these early finisher activities today. Your students will love choosing activities that interest them, and you’ll love how engaged they are while you work with other students. Just click the links below to purchase the activities by the month or as a growing bundle. I’ll be adding the rest of the months as I complete them.

January Early Finisher Activities

February Early Finisher Activities

March Early Finisher Activities

April Early Finisher Activities

May Early Finisher Activities

August Early Finisher Activities

September Early Finisher Activities

October Early Finisher Activities

November Early Finisher Activities

December Early Finisher Activities

Early Finisher Activities Bundle

You’re Invited!

Looking for ways to differentiate your lessons and meet the needs of all your students without adding more to your plate?

Join The Differentiation Conversation Community, a free community for elementary teachers where we share practical differentiation strategies, ready-to-use resources, and encouragement to help you meet the needs of all your learners.

What Do You Think?

What do your early finishers do?

Let me know in the comments below.

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End of the School Day Procedures

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. I only recommend products that I use and love.

This year, my school changed the way we do dismissal. In previous years, bus students sat in the gym until their busses were called. Everyone was in the right spot, and everyone got on the bus when it came. However, the room became very loud, and there were lots of behavior problems.

This year, we are keeping our bus students in our classrooms until the bus arrives. Then, the bus number is announced over the intercom, and the students head downstairs. I knew I had to get my end of the school day procedures under control, or my students were going to miss the bus.

Here are the end of the school day procedures that are saving my sanity (and keeping my students from missing the bus).

#1 – Get the Timing Right

After reflecting on the reason my dismissal time was crazy, I realized that it had a lot to do with timing. Some days, I taught as long as I could and only allowed 5 minutes for packing. Those days, my students were running around trying to get what they needed before the bell rang. They often forgot things, and my classroom was left a mess as we rushed out the door.

Other days, I stopped too early and allowed 15 minutes for packing. That wasted instructional time, because everyone was packed with 5 minutes to spare.

Ten minutes seems to be the magic number in my classroom. It gives everyone enough time to pack without cutting into our social studies lesson.

#2 – Display End of Day Procedures

You need to make sure your students know what they are supposed to do at the end of the day. I created a Google slide with the day’s homework and the order students need to do things. I project it on the board so the students can follow the directions in order.

#3 – Make it Easy for Students to Get Their Papers

Handing out papers at the end of the day can be very time-consuming. My students each have a mailbox where I put all the papers they need to take home, including their homework. I love this classroom mail system from Really Good Stuff! I’ve had them for 10 years, and it’s still in great condition!

#4 – Have Students Move at Different Times

When everyone is moving at the same time, the closet area gets congested, and that leads to pushing and yelling. Avoid this by sending students to get their backpacks at different times.

I have my students write their homework and raise their hands at their seats. Then, I star their assignment books and send them to get their mail and backpacks. This way, they aren’t all up at the same time.

#5 – Set a Timer

If you allow your students to pack at their own pace, you will have some that will move as slow as a snail. I set a timer for 5 minutes, and anyone who is completely packed and in their seat when the timer goes off gets a point on Class Dojo.

#6 – Plan a Quick Game for Any Extra Time

If your students are all packed and sitting quietly before the bell rings, reward them with a quick end of the day game.

Here are some of my students’ favorites:

• Heads-Up, Seven-Up
• 20 Questions
• Silent Soccer
• Four Corners
• Sparkle

If you use all of these end of the school day procedures, dismissal will go smoothly, and you’ll end your day more relaxed and energized instead of completely drained.

You’re Invited!

Looking for ways to differentiate your lessons and meet the needs of all your students without adding more to your plate?

Join The Differentiation Conversation Community, a free community for elementary teachers where we share practical differentiation strategies, ready-to-use resources, and encouragement to help you meet the needs of all your learners.

What Do You Think?

What is your favorite end of the school day procedure?

Let me know in the comments below.

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The post End of the School Day Procedures to Save Your Sanity appeared first on Teach Without Tears.