When you ask your students what their favorite subject is, chances are slim-to-none that the first thing they’ll say is grammar. Am I right? Well, let’s turn that around. Here are some fun grammar activities that can make elementary grammar lessons into quick and effective learning opportunities for your students that they will not soon forget.
A little background on my experience with grammar:
I remember the grunts I used to hear when students were asked to take out their grammar books and turn to a certain page. Students were not excited about the lesson that was about to be presented, and honestly neither was I. Then one year, our school decided that for one reason or another, they would not be ordering grammar books and we would have to find or develop something on our own. It was a true blessing in disguise. I was forced to create something with my students in mind, and that is when the Print and Fold Grammar Booklets were born. From that moment on in my classroom, grammar was never the same again. Students started to become excited when they saw these booklets come out on Mondays for our grammar lessons, and the rest, like they say, is history.
The Resource:
Let me show how these little gems (AKA Print and Fold Grammar Booklets) work and why I know that they can help you bring spark and engagement into your grammar lessons.
First of all, these Print and Fold Grammar Booklets are low-to-no prep. You simply print them, fold them, and they are ready to go. The only extra resources you may need are some old magazines that can be cut up.
Secondly, they are concise and to the point making your grammar lesson efficient and effective.
Third, they are engaging. Students love the variety of activities included in each booklet.
Lastly, they can be glued into students interactive notebook for future reference.
Take a Closer Look:
Implementation:
Since implementing this resource in my classroom for a few years now, this is the most effective way I have found to implement it:
- First, work on pages 1 and 2 with the students during the introduction to the lesson. Students highlight important information as it is discussed.
- Next, students work on page 3, sometimes with a partner and other times alone. You decide based on the activity. When a student’s page is checked and found to be correct, a smily face or checkmark is written on it. The first five students to finish page 3 correctly are given a green flair pen and become teacher assistants helping to check other students papers. If students have incorrect answers, the teacher assistants help guide them through the process until they get it right.
- The same process occurs for page 4.
- For page 5, students are given an old issue of a classroom magazine such as Scholastic News or Time for Kids, and use it complete the activity. Once they have completed the page, it gets checked by the teacher and they are ready to move on.
- The last page takes some higher order thinking as students have to explain what they learned using their own words and usually must provide an example. I often tell them to think as if they were teaching the concept to a younger student.
- Finally, once the “In Your Words” page is checked, students glue it into their interactive notebooks for future reference.
As you can see, this resource keeps student engagement high due to the various activities in the booklet, and also helps them master the grammar skill through activities that get more challenging as they go.
