Category: K-12 Resources

In the classroom, it is important to make every minute count.  In the remote teaching world, it is important to give the “teacher” a few minutes of downtime to catch her breath or a sip of coffee.  So, lesson fillers can be used to keep  kids engaged, learning, and having fun. 

Classroom Filler activities are dependent on the age and interest of the kids.  So, having a variety of activities ready to go is ideal.  Many of the activities can be adjusted to be repeated multiple times with a few small changes.

More Lesson Fillers

Pass the ______- Give the class a topic and ask each student to add to the answers without any repeats (Ex: Name a state, name a color). Give the answering child something to hold when the answer and then pass the item to the next child that answers.

Line Up – Ask students to line up by a characteristic (birthday, color shoes, # on house) 

Hot Seat – A student stands with their back to the whiteboard.  Another student writes a word on the board that was taught in class (you may want to give them a word list) and the first student tries to guess the word by asking questions with “yes” or “no” answers. Give a maximum amount of questions that can be asked.

How long is 1 minute? – Ask students to close their eyes and when they think 1 minute has gone by to raise their hand. This gives students practice in the dimension of time.  Vary times as students’ progress.  

Silly Story – Challenge students to take turns making up a story. Have them sit in a circle, and one by one add a sentence to the story. For example, the first student would say, “Once upon a time there was a little girl that went to school, then she…” Then the next student would continue the story. Encourage children to stay on task and use appropriate words. This activity is the perfect opportunity for students to develop and use their imagination and creativity. This can also be turned into a longer project in which students collaborate on a digital project.

Learning occurs in day to day activities. So, look for and create learning opportunities throughout your day. Stay safe and be well.

Other posts related to this topic:

• Lesson Filler Activities

First grade reading and writing curricula looks different in different states, countries, and classrooms.  However, there are some basic expectations and ideas that can be used to support learning.

Building reading skills is an essential part of a first grader’s learning process and academic success down the road. Even when students are not specifically learning “reading,” they are constantly using this skill to learn other subjects—which is why it is crucial for your child’s success in all subjects. As first graders develop their reading comprehension, they will talk more about certain topics and gain a deeper understanding of what they read. 

14 Skills for First Grade Reading

1. Knows the difference between fiction and non-fiction.
2. Compares different characters, events, or texts.
3. Discusses books with an understanding of plot, characters, and important ideas.
4. Identifies sentence features (i.e. punctuation, capitalization).
5. Recognizes the spelling and sound of two letters that represent one sound, such as th, ch, wh (these are also known as digraphs).
6. Can read sight words in isolation and in text.
7. Reads regularly spelled one-syllable words.
8. Understands how an “e” at the end of a word changes a vowel within the word.
9. Talks about and answers questions about the text they read.
10. Reads texts aloud at an appropriate speed and with expression. This is called fluency.
11. Breaks up longer words into syllables to read them.
12. Grade-level words with “irregular” spellings are included in their reading vocabulary.
13. Understands the purpose of and uses common features in a book, such as headings, tables of contents, and glossaries.
14. Begins to read grade-appropriate poetry and identifies words and phrases that relate to emotions and the senses.

First Grade Reading Activities

Poetry Recitals: Read small and simple poems together and talk about the feelings they convey. Allow, your first grader to try writing their own poems about people, places, or things. Allow their creativity to shine.

Put on a Show: Encouraging your child to read a favorite story or poem using different voices for characters is both beneficial and fun. Do not be surprised that you might have some “actors in your classroom.”

Create A Personal Dictionary: Keep track of your child’s new words in their own notebook.  They can write the word, add an illustration and the meaning.  They can also add a sentence using the word.  Each of these additions can be added to the dictionary at different times.

Learning occurs in day to day activities. So, look for and create learning opportunities throughout your day. Stay safe and be well.

Other posts related to this topic:

• Fluency in Reading: 12 Ways to Increase
• Sight Word Practice at Home & School
• 9 Sight Words Games for Kids
• First Grade Writing Overview

This resource consolidates all New York State first grade learning standards into one document (2019). It was intended to be used as a reference tool by teachers, specialists, and administrators responsible for designing programs for second grade students. However, during the current COVID-19 crisis, it is helpful for homeschooling families and parents supporting remote learning.

The Learning Standards are end of year expectations rather than a curriculum, assessment, or a set of teaching strategies. The resource provides a uniform format for learning standards in all content areas to make it easier for users to read and understand. Users that are looking for a higher level of detail can find it at New York State Education Department’s website. The site provides additional background information and shows learning progressions across grades.

Learning occurs in day to day activities. So, look for and create learning opportunities throughout your day. Stay safe and be well.

Other posts related to this topic:

• Fluency in Reading: 12 Ways to Increase
• Sight Word Practice at Home & School
• 9 Sight Words Games for Kids
• First Grade Reading Overview
• First Grade Writing Overview

Reading and writing curricula look different in different states, countries, and classrooms.  However, there are some basic expectations and ideas that can be used to support learning.

Second Grade Writers

Second graders write texts that are longer and include details which helps to refine their writing. They often use technology to publish their writing. Like reading, writing occurs throughout the day as students use it for a variety of subjects. 

4 Ways to Build Grade 2 Writing Skills

1. Writes a variety of types of texts including:
   • Informative/Explanatory Pieces: Students introduce a topic, use facts and definitions to develop points, and provide a conclusion.
   • Opinion Pieces: Students state their opinions and provide reasons to support them, closing with a conclusion.
   • Narrative Pieces: Students write about an event, describing actions, thoughts, and feelings, and provide a conclusion.
2. Research topics for individual writings or shared writing projects.
3. Encourage revisions and edits to improve writing.
4. Uses digital tools, with adult support, to publish writing.

Second Grade Writing Activities

Keep a Journal: Ask your child to write about their daily events.  Something special that happened, hopes, dreams, activities; anything that gets them writing.  Allow them to illustrate their entries. It sometimes reminds them of more details. On days where writing is difficult, they might try expanding one of their previous entries.

Give Your Opinion: Allow your child to express their opinions. Discuss with your child a topic and ask them their thoughts.  Explore their reasoning behind their thoughts and ask them to write their opinion.

Provide an Audience:  Who does not like to have an audience?  Ask your child to read their opinion piece out loud to an audience and take questions.  Of course, family members are perfect for being a “friendly audience. ”

 Learning occurs in day to day activities. So, look for and create learning opportunities throughout your day. Stay safe and be well.

Other posts related to this topic:

• 3 Writing Strategies to Use Evidence
• Writing Prompts to Encourage Writing
• Grade 2 Reading Overview
• Second Grade Standards for Learning