6 Splendid Spring Crafts for the ESL Classroom
As springtime rolls around the two words that pop into mind are “fresh” and “colorful”. Fresh flowers. Fresh air. Fresh opportunities. And with all of this surrounding freshness and color, we are tempted to bring some of it into the ESL classroom, right?
Here’s how you can teach a perfectly fresh and colorful spring lesson:
Classroom Activities to Try This Spring
-
1
Turn your classroom into a spring meadow!
To get your students into the right mood for spring, decorate your classroom accordingly, either with or without their help, depending on how much time you have and whether you wish to have the classroom decorated beforehand or not. Your best course of action is to surprise them with a fully decorated classroom and give them a project to add the finishing touches. Remember to include:
- A spring bulletin board – light, bright colors should abound, with plenty of flowers and animals
- Fresh flowers on your desk and some new plant pots, preferably for the window sills
- As many spring posters or decorations as you can find or have time to prepare and place throughout the classroom. TeacherStoreHouse.com has bulletin board sets, two-sided decorations, and punch-out accents at very affordable prices and with free shipping for orders over $79 (get several teachers to order and save a bundle!).
-
2
Introduce spring vocabulary
Before diving into any spring activities and general fun, make sure you teach the vocabulary words you want your students to learn. In this Spring Is in the Air word search, students learn words like watering can, wheelbarrow and rake. This Spring Vocabulary worksheet puts little ones’ alphabetizing skills to the test, and finally give your students this colorful spring worksheet for some matching fun.
Oh, and if you want to create your own list of spring vocabulary to teach your students, don't forget you have BusyTeacher.org's very own Word Search Creator available to you. -
3
Spring into some reading
Once your students have become more familiar with some spring vocabulary, they’ll be ready to listen to a spring-themed story. Here are some great options - all of which are available at Amazon.com:
- It’s Spring by Linda Glaser – Explore the season through the eyes of a young boy. The text is engaging and simple - ideal for children under six.
- Everything Spring by Jill Esbaum – Children of all ages will absolutely love the full color National Geographic-quality photographs of baby animals, flowers and plants.
- Splish, Splash, Spring by Jan Carr – Three kids and a dog explore the delights of the season, including spring showers – ideal for children under six.
- How Robin Saved Spring by Debbie Ouellet – A charming tale that tells the story of Lady Winter and Sister Spring - appropriate for children over six and those with an Intermediate English reading level.
- Poppleton In Spring (Scholastic Reader Level 3) by Cynthia Rylant - Poppleton is an adorable pig that decides to tackle some spring cleaning, of all things - great for young children under eight who are familiar with the past tense.
- Ordinary Things: Poems from a Walk in Early Spring by Ralph Fletcher – This enchanting book presents 33 poems, all of which evoke classic spring imagery and experiences – recommended for teens and young adults who are at an upper intermediate to advanced level.
-
4
Enjoy some splendid spring crafts
You’d be crazy not to want to bring in the season's burst of color into your classroom, right? Why spend money on flowers when your students can make some that are equally lovely? Why just talk about how things grow in the spring when you can help your students witness it for themselves? Check out our ideas for 6 Splendid Spring Crafts and choose one. Or several!
-
5
Take it outside
Spring is the best season for outdoor activities, and lessons, too! What better way to end your perfectly fresh spring lesson than with a picnic outside? And for more ideas, be sure to read our article on outdoor English lessons.
Use some of these ideas, or use them all, if time allows. Just make sure you give your students a taste of what the season is all about, no matter where they are.
We recommend that you tailor your spring lesson to your particular location in mind, after all, spring in the southern US is a little different from spring in New England or Canada. Enjoy the season as it is meant to be enjoyed, hopefully with some outdoor fun. And don’t forget that at BusyTeacher.org we’ve got plenty of Seasonal Worksheets that you’ll enjoy sharing with your students!
