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

I used this activity with all my groups this year, even adults. On the first day of class, I had them draw themselves. Depending on how old the students are, you can ask them to also write something about themselves under or next to their drawing, so you can get to know them better. Throughout the year, I used these cards to form pairs or groups and choose a helper or someone to read or answer a question. Sometimes I'd let one of the students pick a card too instead of me always doing the shuffling and picking. They were a great classroom management tool, and they really helped me save time. I let the kids take home their drawings on the last day of class. They enjoyed the opportunity to compare how much their drawing styles had changed from the beginning of the year to the present.  

My third-graders are working on answering the big question: what are our responsibilities to each other? One of their answers was to put trash in the trash , so we made these posters using old magazine pages and some leftover colorful paper to remind everyone to be good citizens. Now, every time there is any paper on the floor, they remind each other to put it in the trash.

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.  

This paper activity can be used in so many different ways! My first grade class is studying cities and the helpers who work in a community. We made this craft today to practice asking and answering about each helper. They showed their helper and I would ask them: where does the (firefighter) work? We drew 4 workers but more can be drawn. I let them choose which ones they wanted to draw. After folding each paper in the middle, they are glued back to back to each other. I made the same craft with my second grade class but instead of helpers we drew different kinds of transportation. I added a popsicle stick in the middle to be able to hold onto it and spin it around. Use your imagination with this and let me know how it goes.