Spring break has always been my favorite break of the year! I know that the timing of spring break varies all over the country, but in North Carolina, our spring break always falls right around the start of spring. The excitement for the break sort of builds as the weather starts to warm up. Our break also almost always falls at the end of the 3rd quarter, meaning that there are only nine weeks of school left when the break is over. There’s nothing you can’t handle for nine weeks! Of course, middle school students have difficulty managing their energy and excitement about the upcoming summer vacation once they’ve had a taste of it during spring break, so it is vital to hit the ground running when you get back! Being intentional with your planning can help set you up for success the week after the break and the rest of the year! The best way to get your students focused is with engaging activities they’ll actually enjoy. To help you with this, I’m sharing a Spring reading comprehension bundle that is full of great after spring break activities for middle school!
Focus on reading stamina activities with your middle school students after spring break!
Just as spring breaks fall at different times of the year, so does state testing. In North Carolina, students take their EOGs within the last ten days of the school year. This means that the return to school after spring break serves as an unofficial start to test prep. Test prep can be dull and monotonous, but it doesn’t have to be. One issue I’ve found with many middle school students is that they lack reading stamina. They aren’t used to reading very long passages like the ones they’ll encounter on the end of year tests, so this is something I strongly recommend you directly address. My differentiated reading passages are the perfect way to start increasing your students’ reading stamina! The interesting topics make it easier to stay focused. These passages are differentiated and come at two different reading levels. They also include reading comprehension questions, a writing assignment, and a differentiated context clues activity. My April Fools’ Day reading passage reviews the development of the day and even includes trick pages to go along with it! My chocolate bunnies reading passage describes the history of these sweet treats!
Let your students color with this standards-based context clues coloring activity.
Coloring is a relaxing and fun way to get back into the routine of school! Of course, with only nine weeks left in the school year, you can’t just let your students color. This engaging context clues activity has students use context clues to determine the meaning of unknown words and then color to reveal a mystery image. This activity is basically self-checking because students will notice if something is wrong with their picture! You can also create an eye-catching display with your students’ finished work in your classroom!
Sneak inferencing practice into a fun activity!
I created a text message analysis activity that is one of my best-selling products, so I made a spring version that is a perfect after spring break activity! In this fun activity, students read various text messages related to spring. They then answer questions that require them to make inferences and cite evidence to support them. This no prep resource also includes a digital Google Slides version, so you don’t have to worry about making copies!
The end of spring break starts a countdown to the end of the school year, so it is crucial to be intentional with your planning for the first few days back after the break. You can make the most of those days with these after spring break activities for middle school. I’ve even created a money-saving bundle of these resources that will set you up for success for the rest of the school year!
Like what you see here? Join my mailing list for tips, tricks, new products, and more!
