All You Need is Paper (and a little love) ESL/EFL activities

I made a mini advent calendar for the week before Thanksgiving. Students cut out 8 leaves and write something they can do each day. Then, they paste the leaves over what they wrote by adding just a little glue at the tip of each one, so they can lift them up to see what's written underneath. They can make these to gift to a classmate or to take home to do with their families. I glued a paper handle on the back, so they can be hung on a doorknob or any other place.  The teacher can brainstorm what the students can write under the leaves, or let each student use their own creativity. Another idea is to make a collective one for the whole class to do together.  Hope you all have a nice time with your families this November. Stay safe and remember we always have something to be thankful for.  

      My third grade bilingual group was studying living things that create their own light - bioluminescence. Isn't that a beautiful word!? We read about squids, jellyfish, mushrooms, glowworms, and of course, fireflies. The students had to write a very short text about one of these living things, so I decided they could use a paper jar filled with fireflies to get them into the activity. These students are still online, so as usual I had to think about the material they have at home. I showed them my model using an oatmeal box to draw the jar with the fireflies. They all had some kind of box at home that they were able to use. I also let them know that if they wanted their jar to stand up after they were done writing, they could fold a paper and glue it to the back, like in the picture above. When they were all done, each student shared their jar and read their text to the class. It was a different way to them engaged in a writing activity, plus they could use it to decorate thei

 My third grade class was studying how animals hide in nature to protect themselves. We all drew a colorful chameleon on a a colorful background. Students each shared their chameleons with the class and were able to practice vocabulary words like hide and camouflage. We also talked about which other animals are great camouflagers such as katydids and owls. Can you think of more?

This easy to make Mother's Day paper bag won everybody's heart. All you need is a sheet of paper, any color is fine, 2 paper bag handles, and some more paper in different colors to make the hearts, flowers and circles. Fold one sheet in the middle, glue the handles on the inside like in the photo, glue the sides, draw as many flowers, circles and hearts as you like. Write some words or messages in the hearts, glue them onto the top of a white sheet of paper, and you can let the kids be creative and write or draw something on the white sheet. I glued all the flowers and circles on one side and wrote Happy Mother's Day on the other side. Place the white sheet with the hearts in the bag, and it looks like the bag is filled with hearts. My students really loved making this, and it was pretty easy for them, even though they're still having classes via Zoom. I hope their moms liked them as much as they did.      

My bilingual 3rd grade group is studying communities. We made this mobile for them to practice connecting the community helpers to their workplace. Students could choose the places and helpers they wanted to use. At the end, each student presented their project to the class. They had to say: The teacher works at the school, for example. We used a paper bag handle, creative paper and string.  These are all things they usually have at home, so there were no major issues finding the material. This group is still all having online classes that's why I always have to think of projects with material they can easily find in their homes.  

  Here's my last Easter post, well, for now. I used the same shape I used before here for the standing paper . I cut out this shape and the bunnies from creative paper, used cotton for the tails, added some details with a marker, and it's done. Students can share their cards with the class and take them home to decorate their houses for Easter. Happy Easter everyone!  

  This hungry bunny is funny and easy to draw. Fold a white sheet of paper in the middle, fold each side of the paper back, so you can draw the bunny looking cute first. Next, open the paper completely to draw the big mouth and everything the bunny is eating. The kids can draw lots of different Easter related treats and more if they like. If you like, you can even have them write Happy Easter on the inside.  

    Making a Tic Tac Toe is an awesome fun way to review any vocabulary and to celebrate different holidays or festivities. On this game, I used plastic bottle caps, which I always like to save to repurpose, chopsticks and white paper. It's pretty easy for students to make, just advise them in advance to start saving the bottle caps and get some chopsticks or popsicle sticks for the "hashtag". You and the students can be creative when it comes to drawing the eggs and the bunnies. Another option is drawing eggs and carrots or bunnies and carrots. When they're done, have them share the colors and details they used on their eggs. If they are still at home, they can play with their family.  

 It's chocolate time again! In Brazil, Easter means chocolate Easter eggs. Easter also brings to mind bunnies. Since we're still basically at home waiting to get vaccinated here, an Easter craft has to be made with something kids have at home, so egg cartons it is. Saw this with a range of different animals on Pinterest and thought I'd use it for a bunny Easter craft, so here's Mr. Rabbit's portrait. One of the good things about an egg carton is that it has some curves to it, which you can use for the rabbit's ears. I cut up a cereal box to use as the base, which is another thing kids will most likely have at home, of course, it can be any cardboard. I used markers to decorate the frame-like base. Let kids get creative here. I used hot glue just because I wanted everything to dry faster. I then painted the bunny white, waited for it to dry, and added the details with a black pen. The pink on the ears is also paint. I used a little bit of red and when it mixed wi

  Valentine's Day is here! The much awaited (or not so much) time of the year. Here's a looks-hard-but-it's-easy-to-do card you can make with your students or by yourself to gift someone. You're going to need 2 sheets of papers, a white one and another one in a different color. I made a pink and a black one. I've already posted a video on how to make this here when I wrote about the Mood Tracker, so it's the same idea but this time you can right a person's name on it using different lettering, add doodles and decorate it however you want. You have to do the drawing and writing after the white papers are in place. You can also write something on the cover or maybe even make an envelope for it. Here's the video on how to fold and cut the papers for you again: Hope your students get creative with it. Have a Happy Valentine's day!

 This year, I'm going to make sure I use exit tickets more often. It's a way to wrap up your class and also to assess your students on what you did that day. I made this simple sample paper booklet for the students to use as a model and make their own.  At the end of a class, they have to write or draw something new they learned or found interesting that day. They can add the date and be creative with the information they add.  They write their names on the little paper boat that is tied to the booklet and dangles on the side. If you're already back in the classroom, it would be best if students left their booklets at school, so everybody is sure to have theirs to work in. When you hand them back at the end of the month, students will be able to share with their parents what they experienced that past month. I'll be using this with my early teens group.