Spring Activities for Upper Elementary
By MARISSA DESPINS, RISSA HANNEKEN, TAMMIE DESHAW, and RACHEL DEROCHE – Updated April 1, 2024
Spring Learning Activities
Spring brings with it a fresh burst of energy and curiosity among students, making it the perfect time to introduce engaging and educational activities that cater to the vibrant minds of upper elementary students. In this post I have teamed up with some of my very favorite educators to explore some creative spring activities for upper elementary that promise to captivate the minds of upper elementary students, making the most of this season’s educational potential.
Spring Novel Studies
As the weather warms up, it’s a great time to introduce some fun Spring novel studies in your upper elementary classroom! Spring is often the time of year when schools focus on test prep. However, it is also the perfect time to introduce new and exciting literature to your students. This is a great way to way to review key skills and content that you have spent all winter teaching!
Check out some great Spring novel study activities on the Creative Classroom Core blog by clicking on the image or button below!
For more novel study ideas, be sure to check out our lists of upper elementary and middle school novel study favorites!
For additional spring activities for upper elementary, check out our Earth Day guide!
Mystery Book Day
As we inch closer to Spring, you’ve probably noticed the kids getting a bit restless. That infamous spring fever is kicking in, and it’s like their minds are more on the playground than the pages in front of them. Rissa at Teaching in the Heart of Florida thinks we need to jazz things up a bit for our upper elementary crew. The trick is to weave in spring activities for upper elementary that are not just educational but super engaging and fun.
One of Rissa’s favorite spring activities for upper elementary is Mystery Book Day. Wrap a variety of books in plain paper and jot down clues on the covers. Your students can select a book based on the clues. They love the element of surprise, and it piques their curiosity! After reading, they can share thoughts about their chosen book.
For more spring reading ideas, visit the blog and check out Fun Reading Activities for Your Classroom!
Spring Centers
Rachel from Uniquely Upper loves spring. She says that it brings a sense of emerging and renewal. Spring is also when students become more restless, and teachers double down on skills in the last few months of the year. Getting the spring fever under control can be challenging, and that’s why this time of year is a great time to let students dive into centers—even upper elementary students working through centers. Incorporating centers in your classroom is a great way to promote community, collaboration, and social interaction among your students. Centers also serve as a way to review skills taught throughout the year. Looking to increase active engagement? Centers are a must!
Rachel has some great tips for curbing the spring fever with centers. Check out her post to read more on incorporating centers in your classroom.
Jelly Bean Genetics
Whether it’s spring break or the end-of-the-year excitement that’s next on your waiting list, there’s no doubt that your kiddos (and you!) are READY. Like our friends have mentioned, this is the time of year where your upper elementary students start getting a bit restless. What’s a tired teacher to do? Tammy from The Owl Teacher writes that one of her favorite springtime activities is using jelly beans to teach about genetics!
Springtime is the perfect time of year to snatch up on-sale jelly beans, and we all know that candy is a winning tactic to keep kiddos engaged and counter spring fever. For this spring science activity, students will demonstrate the chance of particular traits being passed on by closing their eyes and selecting three jelly beans at random from “parent” cups. The colors they end up selecting represent specific traits that one child inherits. This process is then repeated for further offspring.
To read about the full activity and grab a FREEBIE, check it out here at her blog!
Interested in reading more about SPRING ACTIVITIES FOR UPPER ELEMENTARY?
Check out these related blog posts!
Meaningful Earth Day Activities your Students will Love
Effective Test Taking Strategies for Upper Elementary
Collaborate with an easy Ecosystems Activity
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