5 Engaging April Literacy Centers for Primary Students

As spring emerges in the world, a new excitement spreads into the classroom. I don't know about you guys but April is one of my favorite months in the classroom. The warmer weather brings a happy vibe to the classroom that I absolutely love. And what better way to celebrate than to connect our classroom learning with the fresh themes of spring. 

Bring on the Springtime Fun! 

April is a fun month for teaching and we've got plenty of fun things to explore like spring themes, Easter, and Earth Day. . .  hooray! In my room, I liked to play into these fun themes by choosing centers and activities that align. After a long winter in the classroom, I think it's safe to say everyone is usually ready for some springtime fun. Now, without further ado, here are 5 of my favorite April literacy centers!

1. April Letter Fluency Spinner Game 

We all know that letter identification and letter fluency are keys to becoming a successful reader. As a primary teacher, you're probably always looking for ways to make practicing these skills more fun since they are something our students work on all year long. This April Letter Fluency Spinner Game is just the thing to add to the mix when your students are in need of some extra practice. 

The way these work is simple and they're perfect for small group time. Aside from small group learning, I find that this is especially helpful if your students need to be assessed regularly for intervention or RTI. All you need to do is print the game mats and spinners and you're ready to go! If you plan to use them for years to come I also recommend laminating them. 

Students can use either a pencil and a paperclip as a spinner, or you can set these plastic spinners on top. Students will spin and see which spring picture they land on. Then, they find that picture on their game mat and try to read the letters in the order they occur as fluently as possible. There's a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters on each card, so students will get plenty of practice with letter identification in this activity. 

Once students know how to use this activity, it also makes a great desk activity, literacy center option, and even homework! Everyone will love the adorable spring theme too! 

2. April Nonsense Word Games 

Nonsense word games are among my favorite literacy activities for primary learners. These April Nonsense Word games are always a hit and make it fun to practice spotting the difference between real words and pretend ones! The great thing about these games is that they're super engaging. This means you'll be able to target important literacy skills in your classroom, without losing the interest of your kiddos! 

Here's how to play - just like the Letter Fluency Mats I mentioned above, this game requires using a spinner and a game mat. Students will spin the spinner, identify the spring picture, and then find that section on their mat. They read straight across and after each word, they will decide if it's real or nonsense. This game gets a lot of giggles, trust me! 

These activities are super engaging and absolutely perfect for small group instruction and April literacy centers. There are 5 different game mats included in 3 different printing options so you can choose what works best for your group. 

3. Real and Nonsense Word Sort 

Nonsense words are fun and such a great phonemic awareness activity, so why not keep the fun rolling with another game using this skill? In my April Real and Nonsense Word Sort, students will draw a card, read the word, and then decide if it's real or not. This game includes headers as well as 60 different task cards so there is plenty of decoding practice included.  

My favorite thing about this activity is its versatility. We played this game in small groups, during center time, and even as a whole group activity. Typically, I'd introduce first as a whole group game by playing on the floor in a big circle. Students would draw a card and then set it under the correct heading, which I placed in the middle of the circle. Then, try it again at the table in small groups to assess student understanding and help correct mistakes. Finally, place the headings in a pocket chart and turn this into a partner game or center activity for continued practice. There's even a student recording sheet that can be added in for some additional accountability. 

With so many uses, you'll definitely want to laminate the materials included for this game and use them again and again in your classroom! 

4. Spring Letters Sensory Bin 

Next up on this list of April literacy centers, I'm sharing a student favorite. . . a spring sensory bin! We all know that hands-on learning is valuable in the classroom. Anytime I could find creative ways to use tactile materials, I noticed that my students were far more engaged. That's why I love to use this Spring Letters Sensory Bin to practice letter identification and letter sounds. It's different than a typical worksheet and feels exciting to students.

All you need to do is grab a small bin and add some sensory filler to it. April is the perfect time to grab some colorful Easter grass for this activity! You could also throw some plastic bunnies or chicks in for even more thematic fun. Then, print, cut, and laminate the letter cards and add them to the bin. Students will search through the bin for cards, identify the letter or letter sound, and then record it on their paper. Make this even more challenging for your students by adding a pair of tweezers to the bin. They'll need to use hand strength and fine motor skills to retrieve it! 

There are also spinners included if you'd like to prompt students to search for specific letters or letter sounds with each turn. I love putting this activity out during center time. It's such an engaging way to target these important skills!

5. Spring Alphabet Hole Punch Activity 

Last on this list, we've got an activity that targets fine motor skills, hand strength, letter identification, and letter correspondence. Doesn't get better than that right? Give this Spring Alphabet Hole Punch activity a try in your room in April to practice these skills in a fun way. 

Included, you'll find learning mats and corresponding task card decks that target uppercase letters or lowercase letters in both sequenced order and mixed up. The idea is that you will pair the matching deck with a mat and allow students to draw one card at a time. They find the letter they drew on their mat and hole-punch it. The center of the learning mats features a cute spring picture that everyone will love! There are many versions of play for this activity including:

• Capital to Capital
• Lowercase to Lowercase
• Cross Case Letter Matching
• Beginning Sound
• Letters in sequence
• Letters out of sequence 

The great thing about this activity is that you'll be able to play it more than once in your classroom. Try showing students how to play first in small groups and then choosing another version to play as a center station later. Everyone will love working on their fine motor skills with the hole punch while they search for the letters they draw. 

Make Planning Your April Literacy Centers a Breeze 

So what do you think friend? Aren't these fun?! I love these spring literacy centers and they're absolutely perfect for the month of April. If you're looking for a simple way to plan all of your literacy centers this month, I've got something exciting for you. . .  The April Literacy Centers Bundle is about to make your life a whole lot easier! This bundle includes all 5 of the resources I shared here in one place. Plus, with the bundle, you'll save money too. 

These engaging April literacy centers will make it quick and easy to plan springtime lessons in your classroom. Best of all, these can be used in so many ways! Small groups, intervention, center stations, homework, morning work, and more. Grab the bundle and simplify your April literacy centers with engaging activities your students will love! 

Looking for More? 

Be sure to check out these posts next for more engaging learning ideas for the primary classroom. 

• 4 Fun Activities to Practice Hearing and Counting Syllables
• Phonics Activities that Align with the Science of Reading
• 7 Engaging Ways to Practice CVC Words

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March Staff Morale Boosters for Springtime Fun

Yay for spring! After a looooong winter in the classroom, there's nothing more exciting than those warmer days ahead. In March, staff are ready for some springtime fun, so why not weave some great staff morale activities into your month? These March staff morale boosters are sure to be a hit in your school! 

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: This post includes Affiliate Links to some of my favorite products. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Celebrate Spring with Staff 

I know we can all agree that winters can be tough in a school environment. Once spring rolls around, there are usually more than a few excited faces. I like to take advantage of this excitement and use it as fuel for staff morale fun! Planning some fun March staff morale boosters is a great way to connect with faculty members and celebrate spring together. If you're stumped on ideas... you're in the right place!

Today I'm sharing 5 fun staff morale boosters for March that I know you'll love. These ideas are super easy to implement, fun for everyone, and VERY budget-friendly. I know that the Sunshine Committee fund can look a little sad after winter since a big chunk of it gets spent over the holidays. These ideas won't break the bank, making it easy to keep staff motivation high and help bring on the springtime fun! 

1. March Scratch-Offs 

We're kicking off the party with a staff favorite - scratch-offs! These little tickets are St. Patrick's Day themed, and I know your staff will feel very lucky to receive them. They work like the lotto tickets you can buy at the gas station that you scratch off with a coin. They're easy to prep, too! Just print and add a scratch-off sticker. I would give every staff member at our monthly meeting one of these tickets as a "thank you" for all you do. Everyone looked forward to their monthly prize, and it was a fun way to end the meeting. 

You can also use these as prizes for other events and games throughout the month. Either way, they're a simple way to thank and recognize staff. The great thing about these tickets is that the prize options are very versatile. Pre-written prizes on the tickets include:

• jeans pass
• prime parking spot
• special treat 
• copies prepared
• lunch provided
• book of choice 

These are the pre-filled options, but you can also write down your own prizes too! I love that these prizes are inexpensive or free options. This makes it super simple to work these into the budget. If the budget is tight, we simply use more of the prize options that are free. Need more prize ideas? Read this post next! 

2. Staff Appreciation Note

I'm a firm believer in the idea that the little things matter! This is so true when it comes to staff appreciation. That's why I created these fun little notes with a Lucky Charms theme. Across the top, they read, "We are so lucky you are part of our staff." Across the bottom is says "Thanks for all you do every single day. Your efforts are truly appreciated." 

These notes really do say it all in my opinion. Staff members are working SO hard, daily to ensure that our students get their very best. We all know that working in schools is harder than ever, which is why it's so important to express gratitude to our staff members! 

I liked to print these little notes out on cardstock and then place them in the staff mailboxes. You can also leave them on teacher desks, or even pass them out personally. I know your staff will love receiving these!  

3. March Rock, Paper, Scissors Challenge 

I love a good game, and I think most others do too! This March Rock, Paper, Scissors Challenge will allow you and your staff to engage in a friendly competition all day long. Here's how it works:

1. Each staff will receive a beaded necklace and instructions on how to play. 
2. On the day of the event, when they pass other faculty members in the hall, they can challenge each other to a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors. 
3. The winner gets to "steal" the other player's necklace. 
4. The games continue all day with the goal being to collect the most necklaces.
5. The players with the most necklaces at the end of the day win a prize!

This is so much fun to play! Everyone gets really into it as the day goes on. I like to use St. Patrick's necklaces from the dollar store or Amazon to add some March flair to the game. You can even play this more than once during the month. Consider making the prizes for the first round different than the second for even more fun. For example, you can provide lunch for the winners one day and pass out fun office supplies another day. This idea is sure to get your staff smiling! 

4. Staff Appreciation - Pi Day

Does your school celebrate Pi Day, on March 14th? If not, I highly encourage giving it a try! It's a fun way to boost staff morale and a great excuse to eat pie! This Pie Day Resource includes everything you need to set up a fun buffet of pies for staff to enjoy. Inside you get:

• announcement sign 
• sign up sheet for the potluck style event 
• room decor with pie-themed quotes 
• pie ID tags for the spread 

Staff will sign up to bring different types of pie to share on the day of the event. Then, decorate the staff lounge with the fun signs and use the pie ID tags so everyone knows what's what. Staff will love hanging out together and enjoying a nice slice of pie. This event is the perfect little staff boost for March! 

5. March St. Patrick's Day Spirit Week 

I've saved the best March staff morale booster for last... St. Patrick's Day Spirit Week! This idea is the ultimate pick-me-up for springtime fun! Here's how it works: for 5 days, staff will dress up to align with a festive theme. Each day of the week has a St. Patrick's Day theme that makes it FUN for everyone. 

Included in the download, you get a fun flyer with details for each day of the week. It comes in both color and black & white so you can choose what works best for your staff. All you need to do is print these out and pass them out to staff to let the fun begin. The final day of the spirit week also includes a treat buffet that everyone will love! 

Make Planning March Staff Morale Boosters Easy 

These March staff morale boosters are so much fun for staff! They will add some springtime fun to your month, show appreciation, and, best of all, make the faculty smile. If you'd like to take planning staff morale activities off your plate this month, I suggest checking out the March Staff Morale Bundle. 

Inside you get all 5 of these activities at an even lower price than when you purchase them individually. They're already a great deal, but you'll get an even better discount with the bundle! The best benefit is that you'll make it simple and easy to boost staff morale all month long. Just print and go; these resources couldn't be easier to use! 

Want to Plan the Whole Year at Once? 

Are you a planner? Me too! I love knowing what's coming and planning accordingly. This is especially helpful if you're in charge of managing staff morale or Sunshine Committee funds. If this sounds like you, be sure to check out the Annual Bundle of Staff Morale Resources. Inside, you'll find a package of activities for each month. From seasonal games to scratch-offs, to potlucks, there's all kinds of fun inside! This huge bundle will allow you to plan staff morale activities on auto-pilot and ensure you've got a good variety of staff morale boosters for the whole year! 

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10 Engaging March Literacy Centers Your Students Will Love!

I love March in the classroom! Spring is starting to appear and there's plenty of leprechaun magic floating around the primary classroom. Today I'm sharing 10 of my favorite March Literacy Centers that will engage your students in learning all month long. 

Using Leprechaun Magic to Make March Literacy Centers More Fun 

Do you enjoy seasonal and thematic teaching? I know I certainly do! As a literacy intervention teacher, I was always looking for ways to spruce up my lesson plan and engage those kiddos in learning. Using fun themes in your activities is one of the best ways to snag their attention. And. . . what's more fun than leprechauns?!

That's why I love these March literacy centers. They've all got a fun St. Patrick's Day theme and were beloved by all in my room. Not to mention - these activities are versatile! Whether you use them for center stations, partner games, small group lessons, or intervention materials - I know you and your students will love these! 

1. March Fluency Spinners 

This first activity is one of my all-time favorites because it's super simple to prep and use in a variety of ways. The idea is to have students spin the spinner and identify the picture they land on. Then, they will find that picture on their gameboard and then quickly identify the letters (or letter sounds) in the sequence. 

This is such a great activity for small groups, literacy centers, and even homework! I also found them to be especially helpful in assessing students quickly and easily as part of our intervention/RTI process throughout the month of March. Best of all, just print and laminate these once and use them over and over in your classroom. 

2. Spin and Say Nonsense Word Game

Looking for a March literacy center that will leave your kiddos smiling? I know you'll love this Spin and Say Nonsense Word Game. To play, students will use a spinner to spin a picture. Once they land on one, they will find the matching picture on their gameboard and read the nonsense words aloud. 

This is another great activity for your small groups and as a center activity. Students love to read the nonsense CVC words and enjoy the St. Patrick's Day Theme on each board! 

3. Real and Nonsense Word Sort 

Speaking of nonsense words, how about a fun sorting game to keep this theme going? In this Real and Nonsense Word Sort, students will choose a card, read the word and determine if it is real or nonsense. Then, they place it under the corresponding category. There are 60 different word cards included, so you'll be able to play this with your whole group at once!

I liked to play by calling on students one at a time to come up to the pocket chart and make their selections. The cards feature a St. Patrick's Day theme and everyone loves to see if they will pull a real or nonsense word. After modeling as a whole group, this makes for a fantastic center activity as well! 

4. March Literacy Center Sensory Bin 

Do you ever use sensory bins in your literacy centers? If not, you're missing out on a great opportunity for high engagement in your classroom! Students love to use activities with tactile materials - so adding a sensory bin to your routine might be just what you need to boost engagement. This March Sensory Basket focuses on letters and sounds in a fun way! 

To use, you'll fill a small bin or tub with some kind of fun filler. I like to use colored easter grass because it's festive and low-mess. Then, you'll add the letter cards or sound cards and some fun seasonal items. I like to add gold coins or rainbow mini erasers to add to the tactile experience.  Next, have students choose or spin for the letter or sound they will be looking for. After they locate the card, they name what they see and then use a recording sheet to mark their answer by tracing the corresponding letter. 

Want to add some additional fine motor practice to the mix? Try having students use tweezers to choose cards from the sensory bins. This is so much fun and targets multiple skills at once including fine motor, letter/sound identification, and tracing. Your students will love this March Literacy Center! 

5. March Hole Punch Literacy Center

Do your kids need to work on developing hand strength? Mine always did too! That's one of the reasons I absolutely love hole-punch activities. Aside from that, the students always loved getting to use hole punchers during literacy centers! This resource is designed to help students practice letter or sound identification while weaving in some hand strengthening. Best of all, there are many different ways to play and skills to target including:

• Capital to Capital
• Lowercase to Lowercase
• Cross Case
• Beginning Sound
• Letters in sequence
• Letters out of sequence

To play, students will receive a game mat and a stack of cards. They will flip cards one at a time and identify the letter or sound on the card. Then, they find the match on their board and hole punch it! I always liked to use these reduced-effort hole punches with primary kiddos. This activity is a fantastic independent literacy center that students will really enjoy!

6. Spin a CVC Word 

Looking for another fun March literacy center where your students can play solo? This Spin a CVC Word Activity will be a classroom favorite! Kiddos will spin a spinner for 1 letter at a time to build a CVC word. As they spin, they add 1 letter tile to the mat to build the CVC word. You can also laminate the pages and have students use dry-erase markers or magnetic letters for this step as well!

Once all 3 letters have been spun and written, students will read the word and determine if it is real or nonsense. There are also 3 optional recording sheets to choose from that you can have students use to write down their words as they go. On this page, they write the word and then check a box to show if it's real or not. After students have finished, you can have them turn in the pages or swap with a partner to check each other's work. 

7. March Word Ladders 

Word ladders are one of my favorite ways to practice blending without using traditional worksheets. We all know those get boring, so why not try a more engaging activity instead? These March Word Ladders are just the thing! To prepare, all you need to do is print the pages and slip them into a plastic sleeve for durability. Then, provide students with a set of magnetic letters. 

To use, students will begin at the bottom of the ladder. They will look at the shamrock and determine the picture. Then, they use magnetic letters to spell out that word. Students can also use a dry-erase marker to write the word. They will continue this process by progressing up the ladder and changing only one letter to form a new word. The pages have options for both tracing words and writing words so that you can differentiate by skill level easily! 

8. St. Patrick's Day CVC Words

Next up on my list of fun March Literacy Centers is an activity that is super quick to prep and super versatile! This St. Patrick's Day CVC Word Building Activity is perfect for practicing short vowel CVC words. To use, students will identify the picture near the top of each work mat. Then, on the 3 shamrocks below, they will use magnetic letters to build the word. This is a great center to prep once and use over and over! 

You can also provide students with one of the included recording sheets and 10 mats at a time to use independently. They will build each word and then write it down on their mat. This is great for student accountability and to help keep them on task! This activity comes with both color and black-and-white options, as well as mats with the letters already on the shamrocks. So you can choose what works best for you and your students. 

9. Counting Syllables Scoot 

Counting syllables is an important literacy skill for kindergarten and first grade students. Try using this March Counting Syllables Scoot Game to make it more fun in your room! To prep, you will just need to print and laminate the included cards. You'll also want to print one recording sheet for each student in your room. Last you'll want to gather up enough clipboards for your students. 

When you're ready to play, spread out the picture cards around the perimeter of your classroom. Students will clip their paper to their clipboard and start in front of one card. To complete their task card, they look at the picture and clap and count out how many syllables the word has. Then, they record their answer on the sheet. 

This game also comes with heading cards that read 1-4 syllables if you would prefer to play it as a sorting game. This is great if you want to use it in your March Literacy Centers or as a whole group activity.

10. Would You Rather Morning Meeting Slides

Now this last idea isn't directly tied to literacy - but hear me out! While not directly geared towards practicing literacy skills in the activity, I always found that it helped prepare my students' minds and bodies to learn. Let me explain... Do your students ever need to shake out the wiggles? This is pretty common for primary students! If we don't allow for some movement breaks, it can make for a pretty rough day of learning! 

So, instead of fighting it... try incorporating some movement into your daily routine! These Would You Rather March Morning Meeting Slides using a fun St. Patrick's Day theme that everyone will love and they'll help ensure that your kids are ready to learn! Each slide has a fun choice to ponder and 2 sets of actions based on what students choose. As they make their choice, they carry out the action shown. Kids will love choosing between things like "being invisible" or "being friends with a leprechaun" and then lunging or running in place based on their choice. Use one of these per day to boost engagement and help students get ready to focus and learn!

Make Phonics Fun with These March Literacy Centers

So friend, which of these was your favorite?! It's always hard for me to choose! I love that these center activities target so many important skills, while also easily limiting the amount of time I need to spend on preparing the materials. Many of them are simply print and go! Another great thing about these activities is that they make engagement simple. My students love the leprechaun theme in these activities and I know yours will too! I hope you found something fun to add to your rotation. You can find all of these activities and many more in my TPT shop! 

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10 Fantastic February Resources for The Primary Classroom

February is a fun-filled month in the primary classroom. There are so many fun topics to explore in a short amount of time! If you're looking for inspiration to bring a bit of February fun to your lesson plans, you're in the right place! Today I'm sharing 10 fantastic February resources to make targeting math and literacy skills fun and easy. 

Embrace Valentine's Day in February 

February has always been a favorite month of mine because it feels like a bright spot in the dead of winter. A lot is going on between President's Day, Valentine's Day, and many of the other fun themes to explore this month. For this reason, I am all about embracing a particular topic, or topics in your lessons. We all know that the best way to make learning stick is to make it fun, right? And what's more fun than holiday-themed activities?! 

In my room, we always lean heavily into the theme of Valentine's Day. Hearts, candy, and friendship add a special touch to our day and make everyone smile. This will make touching on important primary skills and concepts a total breeze! Here are a few of my favorite February resources for phonics, math, and more:  

February Resources for Phonics Skills

First up... phonics! Here are some of my favorite activities to practice literacy skills during the month of February. 

1. February Morning Work 

Do you have a morning work routine in your classroom? If not, February is a great time to start! This one little thing can positively impact your room. Teaching students to start the day with a predictable morning work routine is great for many reasons. It teaches independence, reviews important skills and concepts, and will allow you a few moments each morning to get settled and ready to teach. 

These February Morning Work Pages use a fun Valentine's Day theme that students will love! Not to mention, they cover many important skills such as:

• Syllables 
• CVC words
• Silent E words and more!

Students will love these engaging worksheets and you'll love how easily they can be independent as they work. There are a total of 33 pages included with activities such as rolling and coloring, filling in word boxes, counting syllables, word ladders, and more! Add these to your mornings for a fun and easy way to review important phonics concepts! 

2. Nonsense Word Sorting 

Do you ever use nonsense words in your phonics activities? This February resource focuses on sorting real and nonsense words into the correct category and will surely be a hit in your classroom! There are 60 words included with a Valentine Theme in this set along with headers for real words and nonsense words. To play, students will choose a card and read the word on it. Then, they determine if it's real, or nonsense and add it under the correct heading. I like to play this game with a pocket chart, but it can also easily be played on the floor or at a table as well. 

The cards cover words with all short vowels and all have a CVC pattern. This is such a fun way to work on blending letter sounds together and also using some critical thinking to determine which words are real. I've also included an optional recording sheet that students can use to write down their answers. The best part about this game, though, is how many different ways you can use it. Try it as a whole group game, a center activity, or a partner game in your room!

3. Valentine's Day CVC Words 

Next up on this February resource round-up, is Valentine's Day CVC Words! This is one of my favorite phonics activities to use in the classroom. The idea is that students will choose a colorful word-building mat, identify the picture on it, and use magnetic letters to build the word. There are 48 colorful work mats included and each one is numbered so that students can keep track of which ones they've used. 

These mats also come with some additional options so you can make them work best for your classroom. Use the black and white versions if you'd like to save on printer ink. And for your students who need a little extra support, I've included a version with the words spelled out on the work mats. This is so great for differentiation as you'll be able to give each group a set of work mats aligned to their skill level. 

You can even add an additional layer of accountability to this activity by providing students with the optional recording sheets. They'll write down their words as they go for even more practice! 

4. Valentine's Day Sight Word Games 

I think we can all agree that finding creative and fun ways to practice sight words is an absolute must for the primary classroom! The more fluent our kiddos become with sight words, the more successful they'll be. But... endless flashcard drills get boring quick! So instead, consider using a fun game like this one, Pucker Up, Buttercup! 

In this game, you'll use 112 flashcards with common Fry Words. You can include as many or as few as you like. All the cards get placed facedown in a pile and students take turns drawing a card. As they choose, they will read the card aloud. If read correctly, they get to keep it. Mixed in with the word cards are "Pucker Up, Buttercup" cards. If a student draws one of these, they make a "kissy face" sound and return all of their cards to the pile. My students thought this game was absolutely hysterical and it always makes practicing sight words more fun! 

5. FREE Word Bank Picture Dictionary 

Last on my list of February resources for phonics practice, I've got a freebie that I know you'll love! Grab this February Word Bank Picture Dictionary to make writing time more fun and independent for your students! 

This freebie includes a page with common February vocabulary words. There is a picture and the written word for each one. The idea is that students will keep these in a writing folder, at their desk, or use it in the writing center. Then, as they are writing and want to add specific vocabulary words to their page, they'll have a handy page to help them do so! 

Not only will this facilitate more independence in your classroom, but it will also help reduce the number of times you can asked to spell things during writing time. 

If you like this freebie, then you are going to love the Personal Dictionary. This resource includes 10 monthly word banks, 4 seasonal word banks, 11 thematic word banks and beginning sound word banks for every letter of the alphabet.  It is the perfect way to get your students interacting with new words during writing and building their vocabulary at the same time.

February Resources for Math Skills 

Keep the fun rolling with these February resources that focus on math skills for primary learners. 

6. Valentine's Day Number Charts

Number sense can be a challenge for primary students, which is why it's crucial to find fun ways to practice. I love using these Valentine's Day Number Charts to target numbers 1-120. These charts feature various sequences of numbers 1-120. Students will look at the numbers included and fill in the number with the colorful heart. I like to laminate these cards and have students use dry-erase markers to complete them. This makes them a great center-time activity. 

I have also included differentiation options to tailor this to your students. Options with more support include most of the numbers in the sequence. Students will only need to fill in a few missing numbers, making this a great option for students who might be struggling with this concept. On the other hand, options with less support include fewer numbers, making them a bit tricker. 

7. Valentine's Day Pattern Clip Cards

Help your students work on patterns in a fun way with these Valentine's Day Pattern Clip Cards. This activity is super simple to prep and can be used again and again, making it a great center-time activity! Simply print, cut, and laminate the cards for durability. Place them in a bin along with a set of clothes pins and you're ready to go! 

To play, students will read the pattern and then use a clothespin to select the answer for the item that comes next in the sequence. There are many different pattern options included such as AB, AAB, ABC, ABB, AABB, and more. You can even make this activity self-checking by using a highlighter or marker to draw a smiley face on the backside of the card where the correct answer is. Students love being able to check their work as they play!

February Resources for the Teacher 

Last, on this list of February resources, I've included some of my favorite things to use to celebrate Valentine's Day with my students. 

8. Valentine's Day Crazy Straw Gift Tags

If you're looking for a super simple Valentine's Day student gift that everyone will love - look no further! And even better, this one doesn't even use candy! These Valentine's Day Crazy Straw Gift Tags are super simple to prepare and everyone will love this fun gift. 

Included, you get 4 different colorful gift tag options to choose from. Simply, print, cut apart, and place together with a crazy straw to complete the gift. There are spaces to personalize the tags with each student's name and your signature to make each child feel special. Then, pass these out on Valentine's Day and watch the smiles spread across the room! 

9. Eyeball Ring Valentine's Day Card 

Looking for another fun option to give your kids for Valentine's Day? Check out these silly Google Eyes Valentine's Day Cards! These cute cards read "I've got my eyes on you" and are sure to make students smile. Simply print them out, cut them apart, and tape down a silly eyeball ring that students will love!

This is another great non-candy option that is inexpensive, easy to prep, and will make your students smile! 

10. Valentine's Day Cards 

This final February resource can be used in many ways! These Valentine's Day cards are great for your writing center, to give out to students, or to keep on hand for students who forget to bring Valentine's Day cards for their friends. Included, you get 20 different colorful Valentine cards that print 2 to a page. Many different adorable sayings are included on each one including:

• Bee Mine
• You are Monsterrific
• You Make My Heart Race 
• I Love You To The Moon and Back and many more!

Place these in your writing center for students to fill out for friends and family, give them out to your students, or print some extras for kiddos in your class to use during your card exchange. No matter what you choose - these are sure to be a hit! 

Have Fun with These February Resources

I hope you have fun with these February resources and find something new to try in your classroom! Over the years, I have found that embracing a Valentine's Day theme all month long really adds to the fun and engagement! Don't forget, you can find all of these February activities and many more in my TPT shop! Happy planning!

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School Staff Celebrations to Make Faculty Feel Like Family

If you've been around here a while, you probably already know how much I love using staff morale activities and events to build camaraderie among school faculty. This is just one of the ways to do this though, friends! Another fantastic way to bring your school together is with celebrations all year long! 

School Staff Celebrations Everyone Will Love 

When you work in a school, your fellow teammates and colleagues can start to feel like your second family. After all, we spend quite a bit of our daily lives at school and often work together each and every day. And. . . if you are already putting in the work to make your staff feel less like 'strangers who work in the same building' and more like 'a community with one common goal,' then this post is for you. 

Staff celebrations are another fantastic way to help faculty feel more like family. Birthdays, bridal showers, and other life events should be celebrated! Come along to see how we made this possible at my school. 

Types of Staff Celebrations and Activities to Organize 

If you want your staff to feel more like a family, consider the types of parties, celebrations, and even life events that a family would share together. As you begin to brainstorm, make sure to keep in mind both happy and not-so-happy life events too. Families are there for each other through thick and thin. Your staff support system should be the same way. Here are some of the life events we celebrated and organized at my school:

• baby showers
• bridal showers
• birthdays 
• holidays 
• retirement
• staff illness
• immediate family illness
• death in the family, etc. 

While some of these things are lots of fun to celebrate - they won't all be that way, and that's okay. The thing about creating a family atmosphere in your school is that you'll need to support each other through the trying times as well. When a staff member is very ill and out for an extended period of time - they will surely be appreciative of their "school family" thinking of them!

Seasonal and Holiday Fun for Staff 

Holidays are another thing you'll likely want to celebrate with your staff to help the faculty feel more like family. It doesn't have to be extravagant to be celebratory! Simply changing out the decor in the staff lounge with cute items from the dollar store and adding a seasonal flair to bulletin boards makes a huge impact. Everyone will love walking into the break room and enjoying the festive mood that is created! These little details really do make school feel more like home. Look for ways to make your staff feel cozy and connected, especially when it comes to the staff lounge!

When it comes to choosing holiday activities for staff - focus on ones that get staff talking and connecting. Potlucks, games, and collaborative events are always good picks. You can find plenty of great ideas here. 

How Much to Spend on Staff Celebrations and Events? 

The answer to this question is going to be different from school to school because every budget is different. At my school, we collected $25 per year from staff members which went into the Sunshine Committee budget to help pay for these events and celebrations. 

I do recommend setting a specific amount for each type of event to keep it fair and easy to plan for. For example, you might decide to spend $75 for baby/bridal showers. This could include a cake, decorations, and a gift for the guest of honor. Other staff members can choose to contribute as they see fit. By designating a certain amount, no matter what it is, you will eliminate decision fatigue each time the event pops up. 

Oh and don't forget about celebrations that don't need to cost much either! Birthdays are a great example of this. Schools have a lot of team members and it wouldn't be possible to give everyone an expensive gift. Instead, plan on celebrating with a Birthday Board in the staff breakroom, and maybe a special Staff Snack Bar once a month to celebrate all of the birthdays at once. You can also pass around birthday cards to be signed for specific people. The key here is that it doesn't have to be over the top. The little things mean so much! 

Planning Staff Celebrations: You Need a Sunshine Committee!

You might be wondering HOW you're going to make school staff celebrations possible. At my school, I was the head of the School Sunshine Committee. Our job was to fundraise for, organize, and plan all of the staff morale events and activities. While much of this was special potlucks, staff meeting games, and other fun activities - staff celebrations were also on our list of things to keep track of. 

One of the goals of the Sunshine Committee is to understand the pain points of different staff members in the school and find ways to boost morale. Another important goal was to help staff feel more connected and more like a family. This is such an important job, and it really takes a fair bit of dedication and attention. Having a Sunshine Committee can help share the task of planning for life events, preparing celebrations, and just making sure that staff feel valued and appreciated. 

If you're looking to help the faculty at your school feel more connected, I highly recommend putting together a Sunshine Committee to help make it happen. You can read more about how to do that in this post!

Funding School Celebrations 

Whether you have a line item in your school budget for staff morale, or have your staff contribute to the Sunshine Committee budget, there's a good chance you might want to find some easy ways to raise additional funds. Here are some ideas to start:

• Talk with your PTO to see if they will sponsor one or more events during the year.
• Talk with your school administration about the designation of some of the school's discretionary funds.
• Arrange fundraisers among the staff to pitch in a few extra dollars here and there for special events. 
• Set up an Amazon wishlist to share with parents that has things like party decor, treats, prizes, and gift cards that can be used throughout the year at celebrations. 
• Talk to local stores, restaurants, and other vendors to donate items that can be helpful. Meals are especially good for this option if you're trying to help a staff member who is sick or in need!

I go into further detail about how to budget for staff morale activities in this blog post. Make sure to take a look if you'd like more information on these ideas. 

Make it Personal and Have Fun! 

The last thought I want to leave you with is to simply make it personal for your staff members. Taking the time to write out a heartfelt message in a card, picking decorations in the guest of honor's favorite colors, or planning a meal train for a fellow colleague in need means so much. Remember not to fret too much about going over the top. Instead, choose to be intentional about celebrating with your staff. Make it personal and have fun looking for creative ways to connect with staff. I know that making time for school staff celebrations and life events will have such a positive impact on your school! 

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