reading homework ideas for 2nd grade

2nd Grade Reading Worksheets

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25 2nd Grade Reading Worksheets

Compound words #1

Some words are made up of two other words! In this language arts worksheet, your child gets practice putting together compound words such as football, playground, and pancake.

Compound words #2

Jig + saw = jigsaw! When two individual words can be added together to form a new word, that's a compound word. In this language arts worksheet, your child will find as many compound words as possible using a set of 15 root words.

Compound words: all mixed up!

These compound words are mixed up — can you fix them? In this language arts worksheet, your child gets practice decoding erroneous compound words, correcting them, and writing accurate compound words.

Conjunctions

Conjunctions are words that join sentences. In this writing worksheet, your child gets practice combining two sentences into one using different conjunctions.

Some books have a glossary. In this reading worksheet, your child learns what a glossary is and gets practice using a glossary to answer questions.

Can you figure out the word? Homographs are words with multiple meanings. In this vocabulary-building worksheet, your child will write the word that matches all three definitions given.

Write or right? In this language arts worksheet, your child will look up sets of homophones to learn the definitions of the all the like-sounding (but differently spelled) words.

How to write a story

In this set of reading and writing worksheets, your children will first read two short stories for mechanics, then draw and label a diagram about those stories, answer prompts to create their own story, and finish by writing a complete story!

Language play: sound words

Vrooom goes the car! In this language arts worksheet, your child will match each sound word to the object that makes that sound.

Poems: a mysterious story (meaning and mechanics)

Who is the Traveler? In this language arts worksheet, your child will read the poem aloud and then answer a series of reading comprehension questions about key details, overall meaning, and mechanics of the poem.

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Second Grade Reading Comprehension Worksheets

Grade 2 reading comprehension.

Use these free, printable worksheets to practice and improve reading comprehension, vocabulary and writing.  Each worksheet includes a short fiction or non-fiction passage followed by some questions.  These worksheets are at a 2nd grade level.

Leveled stories & reading worksheets

These grade 2 leveled stories are taken from our series of leveled reading workbooks .  Each successive level provides a greater reading challenge.

Children's stories

Over 20 free children's stories followed by comprehension questions.  Most passages are 150-200 words long; questions ask students to recall what they have read.

Fables for grade 2 students

Each historical passage or fable is followed by 4 questions focused on recalling information directly from the text.

Reading comprehension exercises

Reading comprehension worksheets focused on specific comprehension topics such as the "main idea versus details" of a text, sequencing and story elements (characters, setting, plot).

We also have some short plays and drama exercises  which can be fun way of building comprehension skills.

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ELA for 2nd Graders

Explore our 2nd grade ELA learning resources, all aligned to the common core standards. Learn and practice essential concepts from the 2nd grade language arts curriculum, such as reading, writing, phonics, sight words, diphthongs, trigraphs, blending, rhyming words, consonant blends, three letter blends, and much more. Loved by kids, teachers, and parents! Start now for free!

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Explore Words With Diphthongs - oy Game

Polish your language skills by exploring words with diphthongs - oy.

• Explore Words With Diphthongs - ou Game

Polish your language skills by exploring words with diphthongs - ou.

Matching Game: Diphthongs Worksheet

Enhance your kid's phonics skills with this engaging matching worksheet focusing on diphthongs!

• Spot the Correct Sound Worksheet

Spark an interest in language in your child by spotting the correct sound.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: world, old, start, well & work Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: world, old, well, start & work.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: long, light, live, grow & people Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: long, light, live, grow & people.

Writing Practice: Common Fruits Mistaken as Vegetables Worksheet

Discover and learn about fruits often mistaken as vegetables with our enjoyable handwriting practice worksheet.

Handwriting Practice: Continents Worksheet

Explore the continents with our exciting handwriting practice worksheet, ideal for geography enthusiasts.

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Explore Words With Diphthongs - ow Game

Polish your language skills by exploring words with diphthongs - ow.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: night, near, along, took & across Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: night, near, along, took & across.

Answer with the Correct Sound Worksheet

Navigate Sound Decisions in 'Sound Decisions: Correct Sound Response Worksheet'.

Handwriting Practice: Shapes Worksheet

Discover various shapes with our engaging shapes-themed handwriting practice worksheet for young learners.

Explore Words With Triple Blends - spl Game

Get familiar with reading by learning to explore words with triple blends - spl.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: called, below, done, sleep & home Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: called, below, done, sleep & home.

Select and Write the Correct Sound Worksheet

Learn reading at the speed of lightning by practicing to select and write the correct sound.

Handwriting Practice: Toys Worksheet

Explore different toys and practice your handwriting with our toy-themed worksheet for young learners.

Begin Blending With Diphthongs OI and OY Game

Begin blending with diphthongs OI and OY to play this game.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: show, fast, carry, today, always Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: show, fast, carry, today & always.

Choose the Correct Sound Worksheet

Select the Perfect Sound in 'Choose the Correct Sound Worksheet.'

Handwriting Practice: Days of the Week Worksheet

Master the days of the week with our engaging handwriting practice worksheet, perfect for daily learning.

From Sounds to Words: coil and toy Game

With the help of this game learn to translate sounds to words: coll and toy.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: own, tomorrow, far, pick & never Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: own, tomorrow, far, pick & never.

Color the Correct Word Worksheet

Dive into word exploration! Blend coloring and vocabulary matching for a fun learning experience with this worksheet.

Handwriting Practice: Compound Words Worksheet

Explore compound words with our fun and educational handwriting practice worksheet, combining fun and learning.

Guess the Word: boy and moist Game

Kids must guess the word: boy and moist to develop their english skills!

Learn to Write the Sight Words: gave, keep, kind, last & open Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: gave, keep, kind, last & open.

Color with the Correct Color Worksheet

A delightful ELA task! Match words to colors and paint objects with the correct shades in this worksheet.

Writing Practice: Letter D Animals Worksheet

Discover letter D animals with our enjoyable handwriting practice worksheet, a great way to learn about wildlife.

Find Words Using Blending: joy and join Game

Use your skills to find words using blending: joy and join.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: different, wash, begin & best Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: different, wash, begin & best.

Complete the Word Worksheet

Bolster children's word formation and spelling skills with this fun worksheet designed for optimal learning.

Writing Practice: Letter E Animals Worksheet

Explore letter E animals with our educational handwriting practice worksheet, perfect for young animal enthusiasts.

The Ultimate Diphthongs Challenge: soil, coy and toil Game

Introduce your child to reading with the ultimate diphthongs challenge: soil, coy and toil.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: cold, field, watch, being & toward Game

Learn to write the sight words: cold, field, watch, being & toward.

Fill in the Blanks Worksheet

Master diphthongs with targeted exercises in this reading worksheet.

Writing Practice: Letter F Animals Worksheet

Learn about letter F animals and practice handwriting with our fun worksheet, combining vocabulary with handwriting skills.

Begin Segmenting With void and boy Game

Practice english by learning to begin segmenting with void and boy.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: clean, soon, better, shall, myself Game

Learn to write the sight words: clean, soon, better, shall, myself.

Add the oi Sound Worksheet

Practice and enhance their phonics skills with 'Add the /oi/ Sound Worksheet'.

Writing Practice: Letter G Animals Worksheet

Explore letter G animals and enhance handwriting skills with our exciting handwriting practice worksheet.

Rearrange Sounds to Make Words: oink and coy Game

Ask your child to rearrange sounds to make words: oink and coy.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: father, land, hold & until Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: father, land, hold & until.

Match the oi Sound Worksheet

Dive into this fun-filled printable worksheet by matching the 'oi' sound.

Writing Practice: Letter H Animals Worksheet

Discover fascinating letter H animals with our handwriting practice worksheet, combining fun and learning.

Sequence the Letters to Make Words: soy and foil Game

Make english easy by learning to sequence the letters to make words: soy and foil.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: strong, bring, Saturday & draw Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: strong, bring, Saturday & draw.

Spot and Circle Diphthongs Worksheet

Dive into diphthongs with our interactive phonics worksheet and enhance your child's language skills. Start your phonics adventure now!

Writing Practice: Desserts Worksheet

Dive into the world of desserts with our awesome handwriting skills worksheet, perfect for sweetening handwriting practice.

Browse Our Fun Collection of 2nd Grade ELA Learning Resources!

Discover SplashLearn's 2nd grade ELA resources designed for 7-8-year-olds, featuring interactive games , enjoyable worksheets , detailed lesson plans , live classes, and more, all aligned to the 2nd grade ela standards.

Our grade 2 resources focus on crucial concepts from the second grade ELA curriculum, including phonics, reading, writing, diphthongs, consonant blends, trigraphs, three letter blends, rhyming words, and more.

Your search for CCSS-aligned 2nd grade ELA resources ends here! With engaging content, our resources ensure that learning ELA for second graders is both enjoyable and exciting. Join us in making language arts for 2nd graders fun and enjoyable!.

Types of Engaging 2nd Grade ELA Learning Resources

Explore our wide range of engaging 2nd grade learning resources designed to make ELA for 2nd grade both fun and interactive.  

Key Features of 2nd Grade ELA Resources

• Standards-Compliant Resources : Continuously updated to align with the 2nd grade ELA curriculum.
• Entertaining & Engaging Content : Loaded with enjoyable activities, interactive games, fun worksheets, and vibrant themes.
• Multi-Device Compatibility : Our games work seamlessly across Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Chromebooks for convenient access. Our worksheets are easily accessible through a computer or laptop.
• Convenient & Versatile : Suitable for students, parents, and educators alike.

Best Tips for Teaching 2nd Grade ELA to Kids

• Interactive Learning : Utilize interactive activities and games to make 2nd-grade ELA lessons engaging. Also, understand the 2nd grade English curriculum and its key learning objectives for effective teaching.
• Diverse Reading Materials : Introduce a variety of reading materials to cater to different interests and learning styles. Visit 25 Books for 2nd-Graders to Ignite Their Love for Reading for amazing book-suggestions suitable for second graders.
• Encourage Writing Practice : Foster writing skills through creative exercises, journaling, and story-building. Read our blog 100 Fun Writing Prompts for 2nd Graders for some creative ideas!
• Phonics : Explore phonics games to enhance reading and spelling abilities.
• Use Technology : Integrate technology tools to add a modern and interactive twist to ELA lessons.

What Are the Best 5 Second Grade ELA Resources for Kids?

Here are 5 fun ELA resources for 2nd graders offered by SplashLearn:

• Find Words Using Blending: how and found Game
• Match the Homophones Worksheet
• ELA Lesson Plan — Articles Uncovered

How will our online 2nd grade ELA educational resources benefit your child?

• Online ELA resources for 2nd graders help in building reading and writing skills in children. This enhances their communication skills and helps them express themselves in a better way.
• 2nd grade ELA educational resources for kids help children form connections between words, their sounds, their meanings and the role they play in a sentence. This improves their grammatical and linguistic skills.
• ELA resources for kids provide them with a wide range of practice and learning opportunities through ELA games , ELA worksheets , and more.

What are the important topics in ELA for 2nd graders?

Some important topics in ELA for 2nd graders include reading, writing, phonics , and sight words .

How can we build children’s interest in ELA learning for 2nd graders?

• We can use online games and worksheets to help students practice their ELA skills. Online ELA games and ELA worksheets provide children with an immersive learning experience by using engaging visual strategies. This helps students get excited about ELA learning.
• Online ELA activities are also a great way to boost students’ interest in learning. Playing phonics bingo, practicing word families, singing phonics poems, etc. can make ELA learning fun and exciting for children.

Your one stop solution for all grade learning needs.

Reading Worksheets, Spelling, Grammar, Comprehension, Lesson Plans

2nd Grade Reading Comprehension Worksheets

The 2nd grade reading comprehension activities below are coordinated with the 2nd grade spelling words curriculum on a week-to-week basis, so both can be used together as part of a comprehensive program, or each part can be used separately. The worksheets include second grade appropriate reading passages and related questions. Each worksheet (as well as the spelling words ) also includes a cross-curricular focus on earth science, reasoning, study skills, visual art, physical science, history, social sciences, mathematics and life sciences. This allows students to build their reading comprehension skills and reinforce knowledge in other subject areas. There are 36 weeks of second grade worksheets, following most standard school year calendars.

Please Note : Revised worksheets were recently posted (March 2012) after discovering a few errors. We’re sorry about the inconvenience. K12reader.com relies on teachers and parents to help improve the quality of worksheets. Please contact us here if you notice any inaccuracies. Thank you!

Click on the title of each worksheets to download the printable PDF. Students should read each passage and then answer related questions. They can also write answers on another page or back of the worksheet.

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Free 2nd grade reading worksheets

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NO PREP 2nd Grade Math Escape Rooms BUNDLE ★ Digital and Printable

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*2nd Grade Language Arts & Grammar Bundle

FREE First Grade Reading Comprehension Passages - Set 1

Prefix and Suffix (Freebie)

Free Kindergarten Reading Comprehension and Questions

I Can Read Simple Sentences NO PREP (Sampler)

FREE Summer Word Search Beach Theme | End of Year Fun | Last Day of School

Free Digraph Worksheets - ch, th, sh

Second Grade Reading Comprehension Passages and Questions (FREE SAMPLE)

FREE - Reading Comprehension Passages

Free Main Idea and Supporting Details Activities, Worksheets: Key Details

CVCE CVC Words Phonics Worksheets Long and Short Vowels - FREE

Book Review Template Book Report Reading Response FREEBIE

Character Traits Graphic Organizer Worksheet

Close Reading LEVELED Passages "FREEBIE" for Spring CCSS Aligned

• Easel Activity

Reading Comprehension Strategies Morning Work Picture of the Day Freebie

• Google Apps™
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FREE CVC Stories Reading passages CVC Words Sight Words Comprehension Fluency

Cause and Effect Detectives

Free Orton-Gillingham Decodable Worksheets Games Story: CVC Digraphs

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FREE Reading Comprehension Passages - Story Elements

Main Idea and Details FREE Reading Comprehension Passage

Third Grade Reading Comprehension Passages and Questions (FREE SAMPLE)

Back to School Activities for the First Week of School Math and Reading

FREE Spring Reading Comprehension Passages - Writing Sentences - Animal Books

Phonics Fluency Practice Sentences-Roll and Read FREEBIE

Find Reading resources | TPT

Learn more about reading resources.

Not only is reading a core concept in the study of English language arts, but it’s also a cornerstone skill for proficiency in many other subjects (for instance, without strong reading skills, students won’t be able to solve math word problems or read through primary sources for social studies class).

If you’re a teacher or parent looking for printable and digital reading resources to help your student learn a reading concept, look no further! TPT has an extensive collection of resources, created by other teachers, that are designed to help with any need across grade levels.

Elementary students just learning to read can practice the basics with some simple, fun phonics practice activities or small-group reading centers focused around sight words. Students in middle and high school can read novels and complete hands-on, interactive assignments that build their comprehension and critical thinking skills. With plenty of TPT resources at your fingertips, you can sharpen your student's reading skills in no time.

Fun and engaging reading activities to try

Engaging reading activities can energize your students and foster a love of reading. Here are a few ideas for reading activities from our teacher-created resources that you can find on TPT and try in your classroom:

Interactive Phonics Activities

Use hands-on activities such as sorting, matching, or building words with manipulatives to help students recognize phonics patterns and learn word families.

Encourage students to find specific words either in a text or around the classroom to help reinforce sight word recognition.

Reader's Theater

Bring short stories, books, poems, or plays you’re reading in class to life by assigning roles to students and having them act out scenes. This can help enhance fluency and comprehension.

Interactive Read-Alouds

Engage the class by pausing during read-alouds to discuss the story’s theme, reflect on a character’s motivations or actions, or to ask students questions.

Comparative Analysis

Explore different adaptations of the same story (book versus movie, classic version versus a modern retelling) to encourage analysis of interpretation and presentation. You can also pair texts that are similar in theme, like poems and songs.

By incorporating these (and other!) reading activities into your lesson plans, you can nurture a love for reading while enhancing comprehension, critical thinking, and communication skills.

Frequently asked questions about teaching reading

What types of reading resources are available on tpt.

There are many different types of reading resources sold by Sellers on TPT. Some popular reading lessons include: phonics, vocabulary, spelling, and balanced literacy.

How do I find reading lessons on TPT?

Educators can save time preparing reading lessons with resources created by experienced teachers. Simply start a search for reading resources on the TPT marketplace, and filter by grade level, price, and/or resource type to find materials that've been proven to work in classrooms like yours. No matter what you’re teaching, there are plenty of reading lessons and activities sold by Sellers on TPT that are tailored to meet your students' skill levels.

How can I make my reading lessons fun and engaging?

Students learn best when they're engaged! Sprinkle a little fun into your reading lessons by using manipulatives, pairing unusual texts like poems and short films together, or doing an escape room activity.

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Home » Blog Posts » Literacy Centers » Unexpected 2nd Grade Literacy Center Ideas Students Will Love

Unexpected 2nd Grade Literacy Center Ideas Students Will Love

You want your second graders to have hands-on practice with ELA skills in a meaningful way. Of course, these activities should be fun so that students aren’t bored! Well this post shares some unexpected 2nd Grade literacy center ideas your students (and you) will love! These activities provide essential ELA practice while keeping kiddos interested. Get your pen and paper ready for notes and inspiration!

Plus, you can grab some free literacy games below to use in your Second Grade class.

*This post contains affiliate links to Amazon for your convenience. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, which do not cost any extra for you. Please see the  full disclosure here . *

How Do Literacy Centers Work?

Before I became a 4th grade teacher, I spent four years teaching 2nd grade.

Ahhh, my first love…second graders.

I had students whose reading and writing abilities ranged from 1st grade level to 3rd grade level.

So, my mentor teacher strongly recommended that I use more small group ELA activities.

I had zero 2nd Grade literacy center ideas!

Plus, I had no idea how to make them work. 🤦🏽‍♀️

Here’s a quick snapshot of how I set up my centers and eventually had them running smoothly all year long:

• For that first year, I divided my students into 6 groups of 4 students each.
• Since it was too much for them to move around to different locations, I had their desks set up into quads where they faced each other.
• Then I assigned a group leader to retrieve their center materials from my bookshelf to pass out to their group.
• Each group worked on a different literacy activity for 20 minutes, then I would ring a bell to signal that it was time to stop.
• I trained them to clean up (without leaving their desks) and another student had the job of walking that activity to the quad of students beside them.
• This transition took about 5 minutes. Once all materials were rotated, I started the timer again and they would work on a new ELA activity for another 20 minutes.

Having my Grade 2 literacy centers set up this way allowed students to complete at least 3 centers within our literacy block.

Depending on the day of the week, I would also have a small group at my teacher table working on a guided reading activity.

Is That All It Takes to Run Centers?

Do you have to set up your centers just like I did?

Absolutely not! In fact, within those four years, I tweaked my system and eventually starting using choice boards with my 2nd graders.

Running my centers with choice boards allowed the students more autonomy.

Plus, they could move around the room.

But this only worked with students who could handle that level of flexibility. If you’re interested in managing your centers with choice boards, I have this post that goes over that process too .

Of course, there are SO many details that go into making literacy stations work for 2nd graders, no matter what system you use.

If you want more nitty-gritty details on making your centers work, I have this guide book that walks you through different scenarios with time frames for how to set it all up.

But I Need 2nd Grade Literacy Center Ideas that are Fun!

Maybe you already know how to run centers in your classroom.

If so, HUGE congrats on scaling that big hurdle.

Now you just need some activities that will keep your kiddos interested enough to stay on task while they learn.

Here’s the criteria I developed for fun center ideas:

• They need to include movement –this doesn’t have to mimic indoor recess! But most of the things I incorporate are hands-on.
• Spiraled activities make learning stick –Second graders needs lots of review. This boosts their confidence, which keeps them motivated to complete their centers.
• Choose centers with a game-style aspect –card games, spinners, board games, matching activities…these scream fun for students!
• They can be completed with a partner or group –since I like game-style centers, it makes sense to have friends included.

Now that we’ve briefly covered how 2nd grade literacy centers work plus ways to make them fun, let’s jump into some unexpected ideas you and your students will love.

Spin and Write: Helping Second Graders Who Struggle with Summarizing

The first idea I want to dig into involves spinners and writing! I call it Spin and Write.

The goal of this center is to help students who struggle with retelling and summarizing details from a text.

Here’s how it works:

• Each page has two wheels with reading questions in each section of the wheel.
• Your students will use a spinner that you provide to land on a question.
• Then they will write the answer on their response sheet.

The great thing about this activity is that it can be used with any reading passage in your classroom.

For me, I love using a combination of 2nd grade chapter books and shorter read-alouds . With Spin & Write, students can practice their reading comprehension skill of summarizing after any book we read together.

This is way more fun than back-to-back worksheets where they have to answer questions about the story.

Another great thing about this activity is that it’s also digital! I found a free online spinner that students click and the arrow lands on a different question.

Then your kiddos can type the answers inside Google Slides or another platform you want to use.

Whether it’s a hand-held spinner or a digital one, knowing where it will land feels unexpected and exciting for students.

By the way, I always use these clear spinners from Amazon for ALL my literacy centers that involve hands-on spinners.

Shorts and Longs: An Effective Word Work Station for Vowels

Including games with vowel practice is a must with your 2nd grade work stations. I created an enjoyable ELA activity called Shorts and Longs.

Shorts and Longs is a fun way to help second graders practice telling the difference between short and long vowel sounds.

Students pull cards with different words typed on them from a deck.

Then they sort these words into categories based on the vowel sounds. This activity works for independent and partner work.

As partners, your kiddos can turn it into a little competition. Remember the game-style aspect we talked about earlier?

Practicing vowels with a card game keeps the fun factor high!

As students progress in their reading skills with differentiating vowel sounds, they can add their own words into the mix.

Which is important because that keeps the challenge level growing without extra lesson planning from you.

So, I added in blank cards that students could write on to expand the card deck.

This is a win-win for me because it gives my early finishers a way to stay engaged with the center!

An Extra Tip to Add to Your 2nd Grade Literacy Center Ideas

Since I’m on the topic of having centers that “naturally expand,” let me park here with some advice.

When you choose word work station ideas that have built-in extension opportunities, they provide two things:

• a chance for your students to stretch their knowledge with that skill AND
• less time spent searching for early finisher activities to add to your centers

I love this because it saves my lesson planning time and helps my students grow stronger with their ELA. ❤️

With the Shorts and Longs vowel game example, I add in the extension activity with the blank cards for them to write their own words.

But I also would often add some read-aloud books with this center and challenge students to find examples of short and long vowel words from the book.

That prevented students from yelling out “We’re done Ms. Marshall! What do you want us to do now?”

They already had a meaningful way to continue working on that station so that I could focus on my guided reading group.

In a nutshell, choose centers that have extension activities built into them!

The Noun Matcher : Grammar Games for 2nd Graders

Let’s keep it moving with our third center idea–nouns!

Grade level standards require second graders to identify, spell, and use regular and irregular nouns. Your kiddos need to know:

• the difference between these types of nouns
• singular vs. plural
• how to match them
• and how to use them in a sentence

The Noun Matcher game gives students practice with all of those skills in a card-game style.

This hands-on activity can be completed with a small group of 3-4 students, between partners if you want to just have pairs working together, or individually.

There were times in my class when I couldn’t always have equal groups of 4.

If a student was absent or if my class roster wasn’t an even number, I needed flexibility with my ELA activities.

Card games like The Noun Matcher can be used with different amounts of students.

Students can play it “goldfish style” where they turn all the cards overs face down, then work on matching singular with plural.

Or they can follow the card game rules to play with a classmate to see who gets the most pairs.

Prefix and Suffix Puzzles: Another Word Work Center for 2nd Grade

This is probably one of my favorite 2nd grade literacy center ideas! I love using puzzles for learning.

Do your 2nd graders know how to define a word based on the meaning of its prefix or suffix?

Well, that’s what this center is all about!

Students match base words to their correct affix based on each word’s definition.

As you can see from the video, each word part looks like an actual puzzle piece that students must put together.

Hands-on learning like this keeps students engaged because it’s lively and has a gaming-aspect to it.

Especially the digital version of this center! Your kiddos must drag and drop the word parts to create a full word using each affix and base word.

And of course, just like I explained above, it has to have an extension aspect to it.

To expand this center, students get the chance to write each word in a sentence once they’ve put it together.

Sound Twins: A Reading Center Combined with Word Work

The next idea I have for your centers combines reading with word work again. Except this time, students are focusing on homophones and homographs.

Sound Twins practices matching and understanding homophones and homographs.

Your kids will read several sentences with these “sound twins” and use context clues to determine the meaning of the homophone or homograph.

To really test my students ability to use context clues during reading, I design these in two different ways:

• To read a sentence with a homograph in it and choose the correct definition that matches how the word is being used in the sentence.
• And to also read sentences where a homophone is being used incorrectly; find that incorrect word then write the homophone that fits.

These reading skills can be challenging at first if you have struggling readers. Which is why I introduce this center by completing a few examples during whole group time.

In general, I really like using the I Do, We Do, You Do teaching approach to model my literacy centers for 2nd graders.

This is especially helpful for Sound Twins.

Once your kiddos get the gist of it, they will enjoy telling the difference between each “twin.”

FREE Literacy Centers for Second Grade

Honestly, I could keep going with more fun 2nd grade literacy center ideas!

Over the years, I found several activities that were easy to implement and kept my students interested in learning.

But I know how busy teachers are, so let’s get to the really good stuff… you can use some of these centers for free :

When you sign up to get your free centers, I will also share five more center ideas with you! Plus, I enjoy sharing other teaching tips to help you thrive as a 2nd Grade Teacher.

It is such a wonderful grade level to teach!

If you want access to the games I mentioned above, they are included in my full 2nd Grade Literacy Centers set. You can purchase them here. 👇🏾

Which idea are you most interested in trying with your students? Let me know in the comments below.

Happy Teaching 🦋

2 Responses

Such great ideas!! I loved the spin and write activity, I think my students will love it.

Thanks so much Zoe! I hope they will. 🙂

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65+ Ideas, Tricks, and Tips for Teaching 2nd Grade

Second grade is first in our hearts.

Second graders are enthusiastic, curious little balls of energy. They have mastered the basics, and their quest for more knowledge is infectious. Whether you are new to teaching second grade or have been in the classroom for years, it is important to have the resources you need to stay organized, while enhancing the learning environment for your active little learners. We have collected the best tips for teaching second grade from real teachers via our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE Facebook group and beyond to help you make this school year the best one yet!

Getting Your Classroom Ready

1. create an inviting classroom.

Need ideas to take your classroom to the next level? We’ve gathered real-life second grade classrooms for you to browse!

2. Gather all the supplies

Not sure what supplies you need for your second grade classroom? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with this list of essential second grade classroom supplies .

3. Pick an inspiring theme for your classroom

Image source: Schoolgirl Style

Classroom themes our second grade teachers love include: butterflies, black paper with polka dots, chevron, sock monkeys, owls, orange and teal, minions, and superheroes.

4. Find teacher deals on the cheap

Stores with serious discounts on classroom items recommended by our Facebook followers include Target, dollar stores, Mardel, Walmart, local teacher supply stores, Staples, Michaels, Jo-Ann, Oriental Trading, Amazon, NAEIR.org, NationalSchoolProducts.com, and TeachersPayTeachers.com.

Here are some other tips from second grade teachers on finding deals:

• “Office Depot will match prices plus give an additional discount.” —Kitty R.
• “Don’t be afraid of seeking donations. I once got a case of copy paper donated by a grocery store.” —Carmen B.
• “Yard sales are a great place for prize-box toys and for games for your rainy day closet.” —Sandie N.

Plus, be sure to check out our BIG List of Dollar Store Hacks for Teachers .

5. Try different classroom layouts

Long gone are the days of straight rows of desks lining the classroom. Throw out your seating chart and try one of these ideas instead .

6. Put together an irresistible classroom reading nook

Your second graders are well on their way to becoming readers, so make this time extra special for them by setting up one of these awesome reading nooks .

7. Fill your classroom library with these classic second grade books

Teaching second grade involves a lot of reading! Here are 60 of our favorite books.

8. Get a jump start on lessons

Teacher planning and prep time are precious! It makes life a lot easier when you can purchase existing lessons, bundles, books, and pages. And why not support other teachers while you do it! Check out our favorite Teacher Pay Teachers sellers for teaching second grade.

9. Set up and share an Amazon Classroom Wish List

Teachers spend an insane amount of money out of pocket each year buying classroom supplies. Spend less of your own money to enhance your classroom and curriculum with the Amazon Classroom Wish List feature . This is an amazing and easy way for parents and other members of the community to help you out. Other websites offering wish lists and registries include Target , Oriental Trading , and GiftYou .

10. Stock up on educational toys and games

Second graders absolutely love hands-on activities, especially when they can do them with their classmates. There are plenty of ways to incorporate educational toys into the curriculum to liven things up, while still sticking to those standards. These games are perfect for centers, indoor recess, and free-time choice activities.

The First Days of School

11. revisit the first days of school: how to be an effective teacher.

I always refer back to some pages and checklists in Harry K. Wong and Rosemary T. Wong’s indispensable book The First Days of School: How To Be an Effective Teacher at the beginning of each school year. There is a reason it is still a bestseller and is in its fifth edition. You probably still have a copy from your teacher training courses.  But if not, grab the latest edition on Amazon . The ideas, tricks, and tips are perfect for teaching second grade, and all grades in general.

12. Introduce yourself creatively

Make day one memorable by introducing yourself in a creative way, such as sending postcards over the summer. Here are 36 creative ideas .

13. Get to know each other with icebreakers

Get the kids mixing and moving as they get to know one another. Here are lots of great icebreaker ideas , including a link to fun Would You Rather …? scenarios.

Create a Classroom Community

14. draft a class constitution.

Image source: Kreative in Life

After learning about the Constitution, students can apply their knowledge by creating their own class constitution called “We the Kids”!

15. Establish a culture of kindness

Print these free downloadable posters to remind your students that kindness matters most of all.

16. Build your students’ social-emotional skills

Teaching second grade means building SEL skills. Use these read-alouds to talk about everything from kindness to courage to trying your best.

17. Use transition times for mental health check-ins

Incorporate quick mental and emotional health check-ins with students as a regular part of your classroom routine. Use transition time wisely with these short, mindful activities .

18. What does a “model citizen” look like?

Image source: K–2 Is Splendid

After discussing what makes a good citizen, construct a “model citizen” on poster paper for your classroom. Students can write their ideas about the great qualities a model citizen should have and stick them on the poster to complete the picture.

19. Incorporate Kagan strategies for community building

Kagan is a scientific research-based program focused on student engagement. Kagan strategies help educators build a caring and kind environment to help all types of learners thrive.

20. Encourage good behavior—without giving out treats

Set your expectations very clearly from the start. Start off by reading about classroom management , dive into our second grade classroom management tips , and then check out these fun ideas for keeping your students on track without breaking the bank.

Ideas for Language Arts

21. incorporate daily writing prompts.

We’ve gathered 25 writing prompts that you can download and use to have your second graders practice their writing skills.

22. Use anchor charts to teach reading comprehension

Check out 49 of our favorites  for teaching second grade here.

23.  Use digital research tools to write reports

Research skills are super important, but they can be quite a challenge to teach to second graders. PebbleGo is a research tool specifically designed for K-3 students, and it covers topics in science, social studies, and more. Check out how I made these animal reports happen using age-appropriate research tools with my students.

24. Then show off that research using digital workspaces

Go a step further from written reports by using digital workspaces in your classroom. PebbleGo Create is a kid-friendly program that kids love. If you don’t have a subscription, any digital slide-presentation program will do just fine. See how I used PebbleGo Create with my second graders to make visual interpretations of our animal reports.

25. Incorporate fun reading comprehension activities

Second graders are some of the most enthusiastic readers out there. They are transitioning from the basics into readers looking for meaning. As they build upon their comprehension skills, they are beginning to make connections to themselves and the world at large. These 26 second grade reading comprehension activities will help your students dig deeper into texts on their own as well as with their peers.

26. Introduce chapter books to your students

Help your second graders transition from picture books and easy readers to chapter books. Start by reading aloud a chapter book from a popular series like The Magic Tree House . Your more advanced readers will be able to read these on their own at the beginning of the year, while some will transition midyear. Once second graders gain the confidence to move to the other side, there is no turning back!

27. Get those graphic novels out

Like it or not, graphic novels are here to stay. So get onboard if you haven’t already! Second graders of all reading levels absolutely love them. Lower-level readers gain confidence since they are a step up from picture books, while higher-level readers enjoy having pictures to go along with “bigger kid” books. If you already are stocked up on the popular Dog Man series, here are 16 similar graphic novel series ideas for your stash.

28. Fire up your little storytellers’ imaginations

Image source: Education.com Strips

Create a story jar and let second graders’ imaginations roam.

29. Introduce your second graders to small-moment narratives

Image source: Buggy for Second Grade

Break down the process with this handy anchor chart and then watch them go to town writing.

30. Teach annotation with “thinkmarks”

Image source: Monica Jasso/Pinterest

Encourage students to actively engage as readers by printing or having students create “thinkmarks” they can use to annotate text as they read.

31. Make alphabet picture books

Different editions could include parts of speech, antonyms, synonyms, and homophones, etc.  Create a class library of these! It’s a great way to showcase student learning.

32. Have fun with literacy centers

We love this big list of ideas for grades K-2.

33. Make phonics fun

Phonics is the foundation for reading success. Breaking words into their constituent sounds helps kids understand and build their literacy skills, bit by bit. Check out these 26 phonics activities for teaching second grade.

Ideas for Math

34. teach time creatively.

Image source: Elementary Nest

Students can draw different times on a dry-erase clock—just a Hula-Hoop taped on your whiteboard. Or try one of these other 23 methods for teaching how to tell time .

35. Solve a word problem of the day

Opening your daily math lesson with a math word problem of the day is an excellent way to set the stage for learning. Word problems are difficult for young learners to grasp, even when the mathematical operation portion of the problem is basic. Incorporate these second grade math word problems one day at a time at the start of your math block to build confidence, critical-thinking skills, and a learning community.

36. Build a number of the day

Image source: Turnstall’s Teaching Tidbits

Students can build the number of the day by selecting the correct numerals, words, and units.

37. Play math games

Here’s a big list of math games that are just right for second grade.

38. Watch math videos

Making math more engaging for kids can be difficult. But teaching math will be anything but boring when you introduce students to some of our favorite subtraction and addition videos on YouTube .

39. Teach shapes

Learning shapes is one of the earliest concepts we teach kids. Shapes ready them for geometry in the years ahead, but it’s also an important skill for learning how to write and draw. Get started with these shape activities .

40. Read books about math

Young mathematicians can have a hard time understanding abstract math concepts. Enhancing your lessons with books about math will help your students make connections while having fun in the process. Motivate your students while introducing new concepts, reinforcing ideas, and talking about all things math!

41. Let your students lead

Second grade teacher Stacey S. shares, “I give my kiddos about 10 minutes to complete morning math problems. Then I choose a student to come up to ‘teach’ the first problem by sharing strategies and solutions. That student asks if everyone agrees or disagrees and chooses another student for the next problem, if everyone agrees. If there is disagreement with his answer, they discuss alternatives. The students are in charge for the first 30–45 minutes of the day! My favorite time of the day!”

42. Write in math journals every day

Image source: Smiling & Shining in Second Grade

With math journals, students learn to solve mathematical problems using pictures and words. Check out free entry examples on the blog, which focuses on teaching second grade.

43. Use hands-on activities and manipulatives

Help students learn those tricky math concepts by incorporating hands-on activities and manipulatives whenever possible. Start by trying these ideas for teaching graphing , place value , and solving word problems . There are plenty of other great ideas for teaching second grade on our website, including fun holiday-themed activities!

Ideas for Science

44. get hands-on with science.

Science is the perfect subject for kids to get down and dirty. Try these 50 second grade science projects for inspiration.

45. Try daily STEM challenges

These STEM challenges are designed with your second graders in mind. Try one each day or each week to get them thinking outside the box.

46. Teach the plant life cycle

Plant life cycle is always a fun science unit. You get to talk about growing, planting, and nature. Plus, students love digging in and getting their hands dirty when they plant a seed themselves. Try these plant life cycle activities .

47. Teach states of matter with this simple demonstration

Image source: Education.com

Conduct this hands-on experiment to help students recognize and understand the different states of matter.

48. Conduct gummy bear experiments

In the category of snackable tips for teaching second grade … watch what happens when you soak gummy bears in liquid over a period of days. Find the full experiment—complete with freebie handout—on The Second Grade Shuffle blog .

49. Take a virtual field trip

Advances in technology have paved the way for virtual field trips, which have proven themselves to be a game-changer. They are a great way to expose students to faraway places and even places in their own backyard. Check out this list of 40 amazing virtual field trips to get started. No permission slips needed!

Ideas for Social Studies

50. teach an early lesson on economics.

Second grade teacher Jacqueline Q. recommends, ”Set up a classroom economy! I give my students plastic ‘banks’ from the dollar store. They earn money for specific things throughout the day: one penny for copying down homework, 10 cents here and there. Just keep it consistent and don’t overuse it. Otherwise, they’ll be ungrateful for those random dimes and want quarters instead. On Fridays, they get to go shopping!”

“ My Classroom Economy is a great resource for help getting started,” adds Renee J.

51. Introduce your second graders to American symbols

This awesome mini-book  is FREE!

52. Learn about heroes

Read biographies about famous people in history. Match books to holidays or other commemorations, like Presidents’ Day or Black History Month.

53. Celebrate holidays and other special days

Second graders love any reason to celebrate. Who doesn’t? This calendar of holidays and special days will give you a variety of monthly celebrations. You will also find links to activities, lesson plans, resources, books, and more for each event listed. You can even download this year’s updated calendar to keep on hand.

Ideas for Classroom Organization

54. buy a new teacher planner.

We rounded up the planners teachers recommend most to one another on the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE Facebook Group . Take a look and find your own new favorite!

55. Rock that new teacher planner

Read these tips  for keeping your day, week, and year beautifully organized.

56. Manage work submissions with clothespins

Image source: 2nd Grade Stuff

Having students clip their papers will help quickly distinguish who handed in homework and who hasn’t.

57. Use an uncommon organizing method for the Common Core

Create separately labeled folders for each standard, then file activities that align with each standard in the appropriate folders. Genius!

Image source: Teaching in Oz

58. Avoid nameless homework

Image source: Spectacular 2nd Grade

When students highlight their names before handing in work, you’ll never receive a name-free paper again!

59. Make informal assessments easy with these exit slips

Image source: First Grade Nest

Create a “Show What You Know” board. Use speech-bubble-shaped whiteboards for kids to write their lesson takeaways on, or have them write on sticky notes and stick them on their designated bubbles. As a follow-up class activity, students can look at everything their classmates learned!

60. Use a teacher cart

This handy teacher cart has so many uses . From the start, it gives you extra storage space. Use it to organize classroom supplies, centers, or just about anything you can think of. It even has wheels, so you can keep it in place to help organize your classroom, bring materials with you around the room, or take it on the go if you travel around campus. A win-win for everyone!

Ideas for Classroom Management

61. have a procedure for everything.

“It’s really important, in second grade, that you have procedures for everything! My first year, I had procedures for the big things but not the smaller things, and that was a mistake. Tattling and drama were big in my class. Not starting off with a policy and procedure for addressing it took from instructional time initially.” —Donella H.

62. Post your students’ morning routine

Having a routine posted that is illustrated and easy to see will help your second graders remember how to start each day independently.

63. Set up cues to keep class noise down to a low roar

Image source: First Grade & Flip Flops

Use a chart like this to help students understand when to use different voice levels. Use cues like “spy talk” to signal when voices are getting too loud. Make a class goal of going from a five to a three. For more great ideas, see 24 Attention-Getters for the Classroom .

64. Get the wiggles out

Even grown-ups can’t sit still and listen all day! Get your kids up and moving with awesome second grade brain breaks .

65. Use music in your classroom

There are many creative ways to use music when teaching second grade. Music is a great way to mark transitions, teach multiplication facts, or set the tone for quiet reading time. Check out these kid-friendly Pandora stations. There are also plenty of instrumental channels and kid-friendly channels on SiriusXM radio, along with similar streamable playlists on services like Apple Music and Spotify . The Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star series has a number of great lullaby versions of some of the greatest rock bands on the planet, providing perfect background music during independent work. Have some fun and play some of your favorite artists too!

Other Ideas

66. build positive relationships with parents.

Here are 10 tips for making working with parents the easiest part of your job.

67. Have students write this fun Who Am I? paragraph for Back-to-School Night

Image source: Smiling in Second Grade

Students can describe and draw themselves. Then parents can guess which child is theirs during Back-to-School Night festivities. Lifting the drawing will reveal a picture of the student holding their name.

What are your top tips for teaching second grade? Come share in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group  on Facebook. WeAreTeachers HELPLINE is a place for teachers to ask and respond to questions on classroom challenges, collaboration, and advice.

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2nd Grade Homework

• The general rule is 10 minutes of homework for every grade level.  That would be 20 minutes for 2 nd grade.  I don’t include reading at home when I’m talking about homework.  So I expect 20 minutes (or so) of homework and 20 minutes of at-home reading.
• I only assign homework Monday-Thursday (again reading is not included in this).
• No parent assignments.   If it’s a project that parents are going to have to orchestrate it’s not helping the kids.
• The kids should be able to complete it as independently as possible.  I love the idea that parents sit with their children and help them finish their work each night, but with many families at our school that never happens.
• Nothing on the homework is new material.  If I haven’t taught it, it doesn’t belong on a homework page.  The purpose is to reinforce what’s already been taught and to show parents what’s happening in class.  If a child is struggling on the homework (with content that should have been mastered) it’s a sign to parents and me that the child needs some support.
• I don’t do a lot of worksheets in class.  This homework gives my students exposure to the format of many end-of-year test questions.
• If they come to school without their homework, they finish it during morning recess.  They almost always finish it with at least 5 minutes to spare, so I know the assignments don’t take longer than 10-15 minutes.

But what does the research say?  Harris Copper, a psychology and neuroscience professor at Duke University and the nation’s leading expert on homework (what a boring job!), reviewed 100+ homework related studies from the past decade.

His findings?  Well, apparently homework in the elementary grades does little to help student achievement.  Kids who do their homework aren’t necessarily going to outperform their non-homework doing classmates.  In high school, it’s a different scenario, but for the little ones it isn’t that crucial.

“However, we support assigning homework to younger elementary-school children due to its potential long-term developmental impact,” Dr. Cooper says, “It helps elementary students develop proper study skills which, in turn, influence grades.”

And from Cathy Vatterott (former teacher, associate professor of education at the University of Missouri—St Louis, and author of Rethinking Homework) we find that the value of homework is in “reinforcing or practicing skills already learned and giving (teachers) feedback to check for understanding.”

Alright, well I’m not totally out in left field.  So what do I do?

On Monday 3 things go home:

• Timed 1 minute fluency story (more about this here ).  This is the only homework that can’t be done without a parent or older sibling helping.  If it doesn’t come back to school at the end of the week, there is no consequence for the student because this is a parent that has dropped the ball, not the child.
• Spelling practice (read about it here ).  To be completed a little at a time or all on Thursday night.  If this doesn’t come back to school on Friday morning, they must practice their spelling words 2 times during morning recess (it takes less than 5 minutes).
• What we call a “half-sheet” because it’s a half-sheet.  Clever, right?  🙂   It’s a half-sheet of paper with language arts practice on one side and math on the other.  Some of my coworkers send all 3 half-sheets on Monday and give them the week to do it.  I send them one at a time and expect it back the next day.

We do 3 half-sheets a week (or less if it’s a short week).  I don’t send it home on Thursdays so they have time to finish up the spelling practice.

There are 5 main strands for language arts.

The emphasis is on practicing vowel sounds, but there are also some consonant skills.  The sequence of phonics skills aligns with our morning work book practice.

Comprehension

Covering topics from the common core like contractions, plurals, past tense, etc.  I also toss in some sight word review if it will fit on the page.

Sometimes the students are composing the writing.

A lot of times students are asked to edit writing because that’s a big part of our end-of-year test and no matter how much writing we do in-class, the transfer of skills to the test format doesn’t happen automatically.

This strand is pretty eclectic.  There’s practice with compound words and synonyms.  There’s also some word analogies, glossary practice, and collective noun review.  Sometimes they learn new words (using a modified Frayer model graphic organizer).

These 5 language art strands cycle through every 5 days of the homework.  It’s the same with math.

Place Value

This is huge in the 2 nd grade common core for a reason.  A firm understanding of our base-10 system and how to use it to understand and solve problems is essential for more complex mathematics.  ESSENTIAL!

In the homework pages, the sequence of these skills follows the outline from Singapore math and the Learning Trajectories .  Are you familiar with the Trajectories?  A fabulous book!  Assuming you have $45 to spend (!!) it will change the way you teach math.

Anyway, the place value pages build on those ideas.  There’s practice of building numbers within ten.  Working with ones and tens, making numbers with hundreds, and using place value patterns to problem solve.

What you won’t find are any pages with problems like this:

462                                                                                                                                                -209

I debated this for a while.  I used to have problems like that.  But here’s why I decided against it.

The common core says this for 2 nd grade:

Add and subtract within 1000, using concrete models or drawings and strategies based on place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationship between addition and subtraction…

It says nothing about using the algorithm.  And while the algorithm (step-by-step adding the ones , regrouping a ten if necessary, adding the tens, etc.) isn’t the enemy, teaching it too early stops the development of deeper thinking.

So when students see problems written like this:

And, more importantly, when parents see problems written like that, the reaction is to follow the algorithm regardless of a student’s readiness or understanding.   I found that when I sent home problems like that, all of the amazing, creative thinking and problem solving perseverance that I’d nurtured like a rare orchid was crushed under the booted foot of, “Look what my mom showed me!”   No longer were they interested in how the solved the problem or why their strategy worked.  They just wanted to follow the steps and be done.

So, no more.

• Recognize what they’ve mastered and
• Figure out how to master the rest.  Strategies, strategies, strategies!  All those great strategies we’ve learned in class (doubles +1, make a ten, etc.) get practiced here.

Problem Solving

Each problem solving page has 3 problems and plenty of work room.  Topics cover addition, subtraction (1 and 2-step problems), comparisons, multiplication, division, money, and writing their own story problems.

Even though there aren’t any 3-digit addition pages, there are plenty of story problems using 2 and 3-digit numbers.  Why?

Well, using larger numbers helps students solidify their base-10 understanding.  If they have to decompose 186 into 100+80+6 in order to figure out a problem, you can bet they’re really thinking about the numbers and how place value can help them find the answer.  Also, in a problem solving format, students are more likely to solve it in a way that makes sense rather than following meaningless steps.

There’s a great article here if you’re curious about why I sometimes have kids write their own math problems.

Students get a chance to practice tally charts, bar graphs, pictographs, line graphs, data tables, and line plots.

I hadn’t done much with line plots before they were in the core.  I really enjoyed making some up for these homework pages.

This is where you’ll find questions about telling time, counting coins, even and odd, greater than/less than, geometry, even more place value, measurement, and fractions.

If you’re interested in learning more about our 2nd grade homework, you can get the table of contents here .  It goes through each day by topic and content.

At our Teachers Pay Teachers shop you can download a 10-page sample (pages 61-70).  That’s a preview of 2 weeks worth of homework!

I hope you find this as useful in your 2nd grade as my team does!  A little bit of review every day pays big dividends in the end!

Note: We have created a 40 page add-on pack of homework for those who have requested more days. Find the add-on pack here. 

• Read more about: 2nd grade , homework , Spiral Review , teachers pay teachers

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2nd Grade Reading Choice Board Tutorial for Teachers

• Common Core Standards: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.3 , CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.5 , CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.7

Ideas & Examples of Great 2nd Grade Reading Choices

Create a comic strip story, design a book cover, read & draw favorite scene, make your own storybook, create a rhyme time poem, act out a story scene, illustrate a vocabulary word, write a letter to a book character, story in a jar: write & decorate, using a choice board to differentiate reading in a 2nd grade classroom.

Keep It Simple

Everyone “teacher & student” should know exactly what they are doing. If you don’t make it even easier! 

Differential Instruction vs Saving time?

There is nothing more irritating than “Saving Time” with a Choice Board & ending up with “More work!”.  Are you using this to hit standards or save time or both? 

"Self Guided" or "instruction-based"?

If you giving out work, should they do it on their own or are these more instructions for each choice?

General rule, if the grade is > 3 there is more work per choice.

FREE Blank Fillable & Custom Choice Board

All ages, all grades where you need 9 grid choice board. Start loving learning again! 

How To Manage Your 2nd Grade Classroom During Reading (With a Choice Board)

I find its easiest to use a big board at the front of the classroom where all students can see the choices  then  decide what they want to do . 

This often will be coming in from a break or transition between subjects. 

If you can get all students to know whats expected during a choice activity it becomes one-hundred times easier to manage the class & have everyone know what choices they have!  

There are three core steps you have to hit when using a Choice Board; 

1) The Set Up 2)  The Instruction  3)  The Q+A 

1) The Set Up

Select your choices, decide on how you are going to use this time in your classroom. Build the choice board

1) The Instruction

Tell the students what they are going to be doing (this becomes easier over time) Simply start with 3 options & move from there. 

1) The Q & A

Does anyone have questions? This will help you or the next time.  Remember the goal is to make this easier each time! 

Why Use A Choice Board?

So, let’s chat about choiceboards and why they’re like the coolest thing ever in your classroom. 

Picture this: kiddos bouncing into the room, eyes lighting up because they get to pick their own adventure in learning new words.

 It’s like a mini vocab party, and everyone’s invited!

We all have our own jam, right? Some of us are little artists, others are born performers, and some love to get lost in stories. Choice boards are like a buffet of fun learning snacks, so every munchkin finds something tasty that helps the vocab stick!

And here’s the kicker – when the little ones get to steer the ship, they turn into these mini captains of learning. They’re making the calls, and with every choice, they puff up a bit more with confidence. It’s a win-win – they’re learning and feeling like the boss at the same time.

Plus, for us teachers, it’s like having a secret helper in the room. We get to sprinkle in all sorts of activities that match our students’ levels and what makes their hearts tick. It’s like custom-making a learning playlist that gets every kid grooving to the vocab beat. How cool is that?

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