April is a challenging month for bulletin board decorating. It is starting to get warmer and while thoughts might start drifting to the end of the school year, there are still plenty of days ahead. The three ideas below will help refocus students’ attention and get them excited about learning throughout the month.
Fun April Bulletin Board Ideas
We’re Saving the Earth
Earth Day is April 20th, but an eco-friendly bulletin board is perfect for any time of year. Dedicate a bulletin board to reducing, reusing, and recycling common classroom items. In the center of the blue paper or fabric covered board, hang three clear zippered baggies with pencil shavings from the pencil sharpener, scrap paper from old assignments or work, and crayons that have been worn down from use. Challenge students to write a creative poem, paragraph, or instructions for using the items in the bag in a new way. Use globe shaped paper for the final drafts and hang them on the bulletin board titled, “We’re Saving The Earth.”.
Word Scramble Center Bulletin Board
Word scrambles are fun! On a plain background with an alphabet bulletin board border, adhere squares of letters in a 4 x 4 square. Have a classroom timer and a basket with “answer sheets” on a desk in front of the bulletin board. Students then set the timer to five minutes and see how many words they can find or unscramble using adjoining letters during that time. They record their answers on the provided sheet and turn them in for grading. Switch the letters around or add more after everyone has completed the board. It is a great way to encourage students to think creatively and see connections between words and letters.
Let’s Learn Spanish
Students love learning new languages and while you might have a hard enough time trying to fit all of the English lessons in, learning a few new words in Spanish is a great way to excite students about language. Studies have shown that early exposure to foreign languages increases a child’s ability to learn them. Create a food theme bulletin board during the month of April and hang food shaped cards with Spanish and English labels. Review the words during small group time or morning circle. At the end of the month, have a Spanish Buffet Day where the foods represented on the board are brought in to sample. Students will have fun naming them in Spanish and English as they eat. The review and the hands-on practice while munching on the goodies will help students retain the information longer.
What are some of your favorite bulletin boards for April? Share with us below!
Kelly Ford says
My second graders created a Lorax bulletin board for Dr. Seuss week but I think that it would be a great idea to use for Earth Day as well. We read the Lorax and then students brainstormed ideas of what they could do to help our world. I gave them the writing prompt, “If I were the Lorax, I would save our Earth by….” and they completed their final draft on cute Lorax paper. They also decorated a globe and in the center of the globe they glued a picture of themselves that I took. The students held up a yellow Lorax mustache and I took a picture of them wearing it. They had a lot of fun with this activity and they came up with a lot of cute ideas of ways they can help our Earth. I will take a picture and post it tomorrow when I get to school!
Mary Jacobs says
I LOVE the earths that are shown on this page. Is there any way I can copy and print them to be used in my classroom? How cute to hang them from the ceiling with a saying, “Saving the Earth…One Child at a Time”
Brandi Jordan says
Hi Mary! You can actually order the earth images at Really Good Stuff! Here’s the link: http://www.reallygoodstuff.com/product/hubble+earth+image+paper+cut+outs.do?. They’re less than $5 for a pack of 36!
If you use them, take a picture and share with us! We’d love to see them in action!
~Brandi
Diane Zurlo Keller says
I love the Spanish Foods flash cards idea – we do a study of Mexico and this would be a great way to incorporate more vocabulary. The kids would love to have a buffet also – we usually just make guacamole in class. Thanks for the ideas!