6 Fun and Educational Cinco de Mayo Activities for Elementary Students

Hola amigos! Cinco de Mayo is a special day in Mexican history, and it's a great opportunity for teachers to incorporate fun and educational activities into their lesson plans. Here are some ideas for activities you can use to celebrate Cinco de Mayo in your elementary classroom:

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Math:

Create a graph to track students' favorite Mexican foods. Have each student vote for their favorite food, then tally up the results and create a bar graph to display the data. This activity is not only a great way to practice graphing skills, but it also introduces students to the culture and cuisine of Mexico. Click here to grab the free graphing activity.

Cinco de Mayo Color-by-Number:

Provide students with a Cinco de Mayo-themed color-by-number worksheet that allows students to practice their math facts skills while also learning about the holiday.

Cinco de Mayo Addition Color by Number

Cinco de Mayo Multiplication Color by Number

Reading

Read a book about Cinco de Mayo, such as Cinco de Mayo by Mary Dodson Wade or Cinco de Mayo: Celebrating the Traditions of Mexico by Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith.

After reading, have students write a summary of the book and identify key details.

If you are looking for more Cinco de Mayo read alouds, check out this blog post.

Writing

Have students write a Cinco de Mayo poem. Encourage them to use descriptive language and imagery to describe the sights, sounds, and smells of the holiday. You can also have them illustrate their poem to make an easy bulletin board display.

Social Studies:

Teach students about the history of Cinco de Mayo and its significance in Mexican history. You can also have them research and present on different aspects of Mexican culture, such as food, clothing, and music.

Art

Have students create their own mini piñata!

Cinco de Mayo is a fun and exciting holiday that can be incorporated into a wide range of subjects. These activities are just a few examples of the many ways you can celebrate Cinco de Mayo in your elementary classroom. Have fun, be creative, and enjoy the festivities!

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Celebrate Earth Day in the Classroom: 16 Activity Ideas for Kids

It's that time of year again when we celebrate the planet we call home - Earth Day! This year let's take the time to show our students just how important it is to take care of our environment. How do you celebrate Earth Day in the classroom? To help you out, I've put together a list of 10-20 activities that you can do with your students to celebrate Earth Day in the classroom.

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1. Read Earth Day Themed Books: 

Reading is a fantastic way to celebrate Earth Day in the classroom. There are many great Earth Day-themed books that you can read aloud to your students, such as The Lorax by Dr. Seuss, The Earth Book by Todd Parr, and Michael Recycle by Ellie Bethel. For more Earth Day read-aloud suggestions, checkout this blog post.   

2. Earth Day Color by Number: 

Engage your students with this fun and educational activity that combines coloring and math concepts. For younger students, focus on number recognition skills, while older students can practice addition, multiplication, or equivalent fractions.  

3. Create an Earth Day Bulletin Board:

Get your students involved in creating a beautiful bulletin board that showcases the importance of protecting our planet. 

I love this Earth Day pledge bulletin board for younger students. 

This endangered species bulletin board is perfect for older students, and can be paired with a writing activity for the perfect Earth Day project!

There are also a ton of free ideas for Earth Day bulletin boards here.

4.  Recycling Bin Sorting: 

Teach your students about the different types of waste and how to sort them into recycling bins.

5. Earth Day Word Search: 

Keep your students entertained while they learn new vocabulary words related to Earth Day with this fun Earth Day word search.  Bonus: This resource includes multiple holidays and all 4 seasons, so you can use it all year round!

6. Plant a Garden: 

Get your hands dirty with your students and plant a garden on your school grounds. This is a great way to teach your students about the importance of sustainability and taking care of the planet.

7.  Create a Compost Bin: 

Teach your students about composting and how it can help reduce waste. You can even use the compost you make to fertilize your school garden!

8. Conduct a Trash Audit: 

Take your students on a walk around your school grounds and conduct a trash audit. This is a great way to teach your students about the importance of reducing waste and recycling. It also doubles as a math lesson in graphing!

9. Environmental Art Projects: 

Get creative with your students and make some amazing art projects using recycled materials.

10. Write Letters to Your Local Representatives: 

Teach your students about the importance of being an advocate for the environment by writing letters to their local representatives.

11. Go on a Nature Walk: 

Take your students on a nature walk and teach them about the different ecosystems and habitats in your area. 

12. Make Bird Feeders: 

Create some homemade bird feeders with your students and hang them around your school grounds. This is a great way to teach your students about the importance of wildlife conservation.

13. Create a Recycled Instrument Band:

Teach your students about music and sustainability by creating a recycled instrument band.

14. Earth Day Scavenger Hunt: 

Plan an Earth Day scavenger hunt with clues related to environmental topics. Here is an alphabet Earth Day scavenger hunt you can print out as well.

15. Earth Day Writing Prompts: 

Encourage your students to express their thoughts and ideas about Earth Day with these Earth Day writing prompts.

You can also check out this Kid President-inspired writing lesson, The World Would be More Awesome if...

16. Earth Day Videos: 

Show your students Earth Day-themed videos to help them learn about environmental issues. There are many great videos available online.

I hope these activities inspire you to celebrate Earth Day in your classroom and teach your students about the importance of taking care of our planet. Remember, every small action counts towards a healthier environment!

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Engage Your Elementary Students with Fun and Educational St. Patty's Day Color by Number Pages

As an elementary teacher, you are always on the lookout for fun and engaging activities to teach your students important skills. With St. Patrick's Day just around the corner, why not incorporate some St. Patty's Color by Number pages into your lesson plans?

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My TpT store has a range of St. Patty's Day Color by Number pages that are perfect for children who are just learning addition and multiplication concepts, or for those who want to practice their skills in a fun and exciting way.

To get started, simply download and print out the St. Patty's Day Color by Number pages that you want to use. Each page features a St. Patrick's Day-themed image with numbered sections that correspond to specific math problems. As your students solve each problem, they can fill in the corresponding section with the appropriate color.

Not only does this activity help your students to practice their math skills, but it also encourages them to be creative and expressive. You can even experiment with different coloring techniques to create a beautiful and unique design.

To use these St. Patty's Day Color by Number Pages as a St. Patrick's Day bulletin board decoration, simply put them on top of construction paper to make a festive border. I recommend that you choose colors that are traditionally associated with St. Patrick's Day, such as green, gold, and orange.

You can also incorporate St. Patrick's Day history and cultural information into your lesson plans, tying in with the holiday theme.

So why not add some St. Patty's Day Color by Number pages to your math curriculum this year? With these resources, you can make learning math fun and engaging, while also celebrating this exciting holiday.

Your students will love the opportunity to learn and create at the same time!

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Spring Word Search Puzzles for Kids

Are you looking for a fun Spring Word Activity?  To help you bring some festive spring spirit into your classroom, I've got some fun Spring Word Searches for you!

This resource includes word searches for Spring, Easter, Earth Day, Cinco de Mayo, and Memorial Day.  

Your students will have a blast searching for words related to each of these holidays.  Not only is it a fun way to celebrate, but it's also a great way to build vocabulary and improve spelling skills.

But, that's not all - this resource includes 23 holiday-themed words searches and 4 seasonal-themed word searches! That's a total of 27 word searches for you to use in your classroom.  You'll have plenty of options to choose from to keep your students engaged all year long!

The best part? These word searches are easy to use!  Simply print them out and hand them out to your students.  They're great for morning work, centers, fast finishers, or even as a fun homework assignment!  Your students will love the challenge of finding all the words and you'll love how easy it is to incorporate these activities into your lesson plans.

So, if you're looking for a fun and educational way to celebrate Spring, look no further than these Spring Word Searches.