Seasonal Activities – Tolentino Teaching https://briantolentino.com Fri, 20 Mar 2026 22:18:17 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 100th Day of School Writing Challenge! https://briantolentino.com/100th-day-of-school-writing-challenge/ Sat, 31 Jan 2026 14:28:06 +0000 https://briantolentino.com/?p=13627 100th Day of School Writing ChallengeDownload ]]> Spelling Challenge Paragraph (Martin Luther King, Jr.) https://briantolentino.com/spelling-challenge-paragraph-martin-luther-king-jr/ Sat, 17 Jan 2026 18:11:59 +0000 https://briantolentino.com/?p=13578 Over the past five years, I’ve noticed a steady decline in students’ ability to copy writing accurately from the board or a screen—and I mean simply copying what’s there. Attention to spelling, punctuation, and capitalization is often missing. To address this, I now have students write the day’s instructions in their notebooks at the start of class. I’ve also increased the number of spelling and editing activities I use, with the goal of retraining students to notice the small—but essential—details of language.

Worksheet:

Spelling Challenge Paragraph (Martin Luther King, Jr.)Download
]]> Teaching Resources to Jumpstart the New Year! https://briantolentino.com/teaching-resources-to-jumpstart-the-new-year/ Tue, 30 Dec 2025 01:06:30 +0000 https://briantolentino.com/?p=13452
  • Choose Your Word of the Year!

    • Worksheet:

    Word-of-the-Year-1-4Download

    2) Write a Letter to the New Year

    Video:

    Worksheet:

    Write-a-Letter-to-the-Next-Year-3-3Download

    3) The “Six-Seven” Resolution Challenge!

    The Six-Seven Resolution Challenge!-2Download

    4) Choose Your Person of the Year for 2025!

    Worksheet

    Choose Your Person of the Year (2025)-2Download

    5) 10-Sentence Lock-in Challenge (2026)

    10-Sentence-Lock-In-ChallengeDownload

    6) New Year Resolution Challenge!

    New-Year-New-Me-The-10-Sentence-Resolution-ChallengeDownload

    7) Mid-Year Reflection:

    Worksheet:

    Mid-YearSemester-Reflection-7Download

    8) Write About Your Break in 6 Words

    Six-Word-Memoir-For-BreakVacation-3Download

    9) 5 Freewriting Prompts to Jumpstart the New Year/Semester!

    Worksheet:

    5-Freewriting-Prompts-for-the-New-SemesterDownload

    10) Who Do You Want to Become One Year From Today? (Writing Prompt)

    Worksheet:

    Who-Do-You-Want-to-Become-One-Year-From-TodayDownload
    ]]>         Choose Your Word of the Year for 2026! https://briantolentino.com/choose-your-word-of-the-year-for-2026/ https://briantolentino.com/choose-your-word-of-the-year-for-2026/#comments Sun, 28 Dec 2025 18:28:54 +0000 https://briantolentino.com/?p=13427 Video:

    Worksheet:

    Word-of-the-Year-1-4Download
    ]]>     https://briantolentino.com/choose-your-word-of-the-year-for-2026/feed/ 1     First Week of School Activities https://briantolentino.com/first-week-of-school-activities-2/ Sun, 03 Aug 2025 13:24:44 +0000 https://briantolentino.com/first-week-of-school-activities-2/ https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_bqA35un8EpVCeaTcuz5qsTmbv45xRhSWLO_kqnlBL0/edit?tab=t.0

    ]]>         First Day of School Survey! https://briantolentino.com/first-day-of-school-survey/ Thu, 24 Jul 2025 12:42:30 +0000 https://briantolentino.com/first-day-of-school-survey/ Video:

    Worksheet:

    First-Day-Of-School SurveyDownload

    First week of school activities here (Google Drive)

    https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_bqA35un8EpVCeaTcuz5qsTmbv45xRhSWLO_kqnlBL0/edit?usp=sharing

    Donate Here:

    https://briantolentino.com/donate
    ]]>         Create a Plan to End the Semester Right! https://briantolentino.com/create-a-plan-to-end-the-semester-right/ Sun, 04 May 2025 15:28:27 +0000 https://briantolentino.com/?p=8295 Video:

    Worksheet:

    Create a Plan to End the Semester Right!Download

    More end of the year activities here:

    End-of-the-Year Activities!

    Donate here:

    Donate
    ]]>         First Week of School Activities https://briantolentino.com/first-week-of-school-activities/ Wed, 31 Jul 2024 17:23:13 +0000 https://briantolentino.com/?p=4355 If you are looking for fresh ideas to get the school year started right, here are some activities you can use.

    First Week of School Game Plan

    Google Doc With Explanations

    https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_bqA35un8EpVCeaTcuz5qsTmbv45xRhSWLO_kqnlBL0/edit?usp=sharing

    Ebook version:

    First-week-of-school-Game-Plan-2Download

    Choose Your Word of the Year:

    Worksheet:

    Word-of-the-YearDownload

    Choose Your Quote:

    Worksheet:

    Find-YOUR-Quote-2Download

    Create Your Own Quote:

    Worksheet:

    Create-your-own-quote-2Download

    5 Freewriting Prompts to Jumpstart the Year:

    Build your Identity as a Reader and Writer:

    I like to use these activities to get students thinking and reflecting on why we read and write in school.

    Build Your Identity as a Reader and Writer

    Google Doc:

    https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RAwykXFERovxYT0TyKrTcMJvl_ZPCy3OVlkCYA63ek4/edit?usp=sharing

    Capture Your Vacation in Six Words.

    If you like what you see, feel free to Donate to Tolentino Teaching here:

    Donate

    ]]>         End-of-the-Year “Chill” Activities! https://briantolentino.com/end-of-the-year-chill-activities/ Thu, 09 May 2024 01:45:36 +0000 https://briantolentino.com/?p=4066 Here are some END-OF-THE-YEAR “CHILL” Activities.

    Riddles:

    Trivia and More:

    Who Said It?

    More activities here:

    https://briantolentino.com/icebreakers-bellringers
    Spelling Activities
    Writing Challenges!
    End-of-the-Year Activities!
    ]]>         End-of-the-Year Activities! https://briantolentino.com/end-of-the-year-activities/ Wed, 24 Apr 2024 23:17:26 +0000 https://briantolentino.com/?p=3906 If you are looking for ideas to end the year right, check these out!

    Write a 10-Word Story of Your School Year:

    Write-a-10-Sentence-Story-of-Your-School-YearDownload

    What is your favorite memory from the school year?

    Worksheet:

    What-is-your-favorite-memory-from-the-past-school-yearDownload

    Write and end-of-the-year reflection:

    Worksheet:

    Write-an-End-of-the-Year-ReflectionDownload

    Write a letter of advice to incoming students

    Worksheet:

    Write-a-Letter-of-Advice-for-Incoming-Students-to-Your-GradeDownload

    Write a six-word story that sums up your school year

    Worksheet:

    Write-a-Six-Word-Story-That-Sums-Up-Your-School-YearDownload

    Create a plan to end the semester right

    Worksheet:

    Create-a-Plan-to-End-the-Semester-RightDownload

    Creative Story: My Hero’s Journey Through the School Year!

    Creative-Story-My-Heros-Journey-Through-the-School-Year-2Download

    How Would You Improve the Classroom Experience at Your School?

    Worksheet:

    If-you-were-a-teacher-how-you-improve-the-classroom-experienceDownload

    Choose your quote

    Worksheet:

    Find-YOUR-Quote-1Download

    More Activities Here:

    Bell Ringers

    More END-OF-THE-YEAR Activities here!

    End-of-the-Year “Chill” Activities!
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