Preparing student practice for when they are done with an assignment is part of classroom organization that you don’t want to forget about!
“I’m done.”
It should be a positive, happy phrase that students use when they’ve worked—really worked—on a task, and now they proudly want to show you what they’ve accomplished.
However, most teachers know that is not always the case.
Most of the time, “I’m done” comes with a mixture of feelings.
First, is the student actually done? It’s a legitimate question sometimes.
Also, did they do the task well? Not just “is it done,” but did they actually think about the task and ponder the best way to complete it?
Then, if both of those answers are yes, teachers may feel a little rattled.
Now what?
What happens next can either be chaos (students distracting others) or an opportunity (students practicing meaningful skills while staying engaged). The key? Having a plan.
Here are 5 creative and practical ideas to have ready for those moments when students finish their activities early. Bonus: All of these ideas focus on essential skills like writing, grammar, spelling, and keyboarding, so they’re productive and fun!
#1 | Dive into Paired Passages
Keep a stash of paired passages on hand for early finishers. These are great for sharpening reading comprehension and writing skills.
Students can compare and contrast two passages, answer comprehension questions, or write a response explaining how the passages connect. You can also engage students’ competitive side by asking them to create an argument using the passages as evidence.
#2 | Practice Keyboarding Skills
Keyboarding is a vital skill for students today, and being able to type quickly without too much thought is incredibly helpful. So why not make extra time productive with a little typing practice?
Coordinate with your school’s tech teacher to find age-appropriate keyboarding websites or games. Popular options include TypingClub or Nitro Type for some friendly competition.
Set goals, like improving typing speed or accuracy, and celebrate student progress.
Consider charting your students’ progress and even giving rewards for meeting certain levels of competency in their typing games.
#3 | Grammar Challenges
Grammar can be fun (really!). Provide quick grammar activities for students to work on independently:
Use a grammar worksheet or activity from your resources. This is a great time to have some digital grammar resources on hand, so students feel like they are playing a game, even though they are still learning.
Create “Fix the Sentence” challenges with intentionally incorrect sentences that students need to rewrite correctly.
#4 | Brain Teasers and Puzzles
Keep a selection of brain teasers, logic puzzles, or task cards on hand for quick mental warm-ups.
These don’t have to be strictly ELA-focused, but they help keep students engaged and practicing critical thinking.
Bonus: Offer puzzles that include wordplay or literary references to tie them back to your curriculum. Consider theming the references around the same book and then encourage students to read the book and discuss it.
#5 | Digital Escape Rooms
Let students work through a digital escape room!
Each of our digital escape rooms is based on ELA skills and comes with a fun theme, making it easy to choose one that fits the time of year or aligns with topics your students are interested in.
Bonus: The escape room challenges can also be printed, so you can keep them handy to hand out or include in your “I’m Done” station.
Keep It Organized and Ready to Go
Create a designated “I’m Done” station or folder with all the resources your students might need. Clearly explain the options and expectations so students know what to do the moment they finish.
Looking for ready-to-use paired passages, grammar resources, or creative activities? Check out The Sparkly Notebook store to get started!