Hello Darlings!

Spring is on the way!! Whoop Whoop!

We are talking about longer days, more sunshine, warm air, cute shoes, the good Easter candy in stock at Target, and one giant step closer to summer. Ah, yes! The good life! 

Today I am pumped to share some fun with you because we have been taking it pretty seriously around here with state test prep and we need a good laugh. I’m sure you have all heard that laughter is the best medicine and that it adds years to your life. Things I know I could use after parent-teacher conferences, report cards, and state testing. 

Let’s dive into some fun resources to get those smiles going, shall we?

Free April Fools Prank for Students:

The first resource I want to send your way is the April Fools Fake Test. I can’t tell you how much I love this fun and perfectly friendly little prank. I give them a test that has several multiplication questions on it. At first glance, it looks like a basic skills test and pretty much every students jumps into question one right away. However, a slightly closer look at the directions reveal that instead of multiplying, they should add. Now we all know how kids LOVE to read the directions…right? HA! If yours are anything like mine, they are merely a space holder at the top of each page. That’s what makes this so fun and also encourages some direction reading in the future. 

My kids, after losing their minds about how their teacher tricked them, often ask if I have extra copies. I have learned to make an extra set because they so desperately want to bring it home and prank a parent or a sibling. All in good fun!

Check out this video to see it in action and get a little laugh in for yourself! 

Spring Resources:

Once you have kicked off spring with a good laugh, you’ll want to dive into some of the other fun resources I have tucked up my sleeve.

With the rain that comes with spring, you may not always have the chance to get the kids outside and there are only so many days you can handle indoor recess doing the trick which is why I love my Make Your Move Multiplication 6-10 Game!

This was designed for whole group but could easily be used for distance learning too! Here’s how it works:

-Project the slide on the screen.

-Kids solve and record their answer on the recording sheet.

-Each answer has a corresponding movement that goes with it.

-After the answer is revealed, they must complete the movement.

It is so much fun because it is fast paced, active, and yet incredibly engaging! You’ll be so glad you tucked this away for a rainy day (literally). 

Another fun activity to dive into this spring is Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, and Division Spinner Game! This game is a super fun way to get kids switching across operations and actively engaging their minds in problem solving. You’ll get a good laugh out of the noise that comes with this game as everyone has an equal chance to win due to the spinner. Lots of “ah man!” and “what?!” and laughter will fill the room and to me that is the true joy in teaching. Did I mention it’s free too? Give it a go and see what your kids think! 

Need more? Check out my blog post on Reading and Research. A perfect project to tie up the end of the year! 

DM me on Instagram @thatteachingspark or tag me in a picture to show how you are kicking off spring!