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Coloring Activities As Review and Reinforcement in the High School Grades Fun while Learning






Igniting Learning with Creative Color-by-Number Adventures

As educators, we occasionally overlook a simple truth: even our high school students are, at heart, children. And what child doesn't relish the joys of coloring, especially after a day or week filled with hard work and learning? It's a timeless source of delight, and when combined with educational value, it transforms into a potent tool for sparking excitement and promoting deeper understanding.

For several years, I've been employing the magic of color-by-number and mystery picture review sheets in my high school English and reading classes, spanning a diverse range of levels—ranging from special education Occupational Course of Study English classes to honors English classes, Advanced Placement Language and Composition courses, and inclusion English classes. The astonishing part? These activities captivate even my most reluctant learners.

As students dive into these coloring adventures, they embark on an engaging journey of learning and review. Concepts are reinforced and embraced, all while they relax and have fun. These resources are not just for idle moments; they serve a multitude of purposes. I've used them effectively for early finishers after tests or assignments, as a dynamic review before important assessments, and as a lively end-of-the-year recap.

The beauty of these resources lies in their accessibility. There's a wealth of pre-made coloring activities available online, including some free gems on Teachers Pay Teachers. And I've personally crafted a collection of Coloring Activities to elevate your teaching experience. From Context Clues SAT Vocabulary Review to Spring Figurative Language Review, Sentence Types Review, and SAT Vocabulary List 1 with Context Clues—there's something for everyone, with more on the way!

These activities aren't confined to a single content area; they're versatile tools that can enrich standardized test preparation and practice across various subjects. They're the embodiment of multi-modal learning, a blend of movement, creativity, and reading that keeps students actively engaged. The best part? They're proven to work.

Incorporating coloring activities into your teaching practice aligns with what we know about engaging students. It's all about tricking students into learning by making education exciting and memorable. These multi-modal, movement-filled resources provide a unique opportunity to explore concepts and skills from a different perspective, all while having a blast.  Students report that these activities are good for their mental health, also, and they feel more relaxed after coloring.

So, how are you using these colorful adventures in your classroom? Share your experiences in the comments and feel free to request specific topics for future coloring review sheets. It's time to infuse your teaching with the magic of color and creativity, turning learning into an exhilarating journey of discovery.

Click here for a free teaching resource, and don't forget to follow my Teachers Pay Teachers Store, Faulkner English, for all the updates, freebies, and products. 

Let's ignite the spirit of learning together!As educators, sometimes we forget that our big students are indeed children! And what child doesn't like to color especially after a day or week of hard work and learning? I have been using these color-by-number and mystery picture review sheets for several years in my high school English and reading classes of all levels (special education Occupational Course of Study English classes, honors English classes, Advanced Placement Language and Composition courses, and inclusion English courses). Even my most reluctant learners get into these activities, and they learn or review a variety of concepts while relaxing and having fun. I have used these successfully for my early finishers after tests or other assignments, as review before a test, and as end-of-the-year review. There are plenty of these resources pre-made for you out there on the Internet, and you can find some free on Teachers Pay Teachers. 

 I have made several Coloring Activities for your use--Context Clues SAT Vocabulary Review, Spring Figurative Language Review, and Sentence Types Review, and SAT Vocabulary List 1 Context Clues with more to come!  Get the bundle here while students learn to determine the meaning of unknown words using context clues.
  • NO Prep--JUST PRINT AND USE!
  • Will be adding more resources to this bundle, including additional coloring sheets
  • Includes free Google slide shows with embedded videos to review each word list and reviews pronunciation, part of speech, definitions, and the words used in sentences.
  • Students are asked to create their own slideshow to study the vocabulary words.  They need:
  • One slide per word to include
    • The word
    • Part of speech
    • Definition
    • A picture to represent the word
    • Synonyms
    • Antonyms
  • Embedded extra credit: (write an original sentence)

An example slide is included at the end of the review/note-taking videos, just after the student instructions.

Words:

1. Back to School Edition:

advocate

bolster

candor

clout

conducive

contemplate

deference

diligence

egregious

2. SAT Vocabulary List 1: (Quiz included)

beguile

alleviate

alias

audacity

amass

cache

abate

affinity

adroit

adverse

3. Prickly Words:

abysmal

abate

benevolent

cajole

deriding

ephemeral

enigmatic

impudent

shrewd

verbose

4. SAT VOC List 2: the Driving Edition (Quiz Included)

altercation

amity

apathy

astute

censure

circumspect

choleric

acumen

animosity

dynamic

5. SAT VOC List 3: Ocean Edition

deter

devastate

controversy

concurrent

dexterous

averse

anecdote

amorphous

cogent

comestible

6. SAT VOC List 4: Fantasy Edition

beneficiary

corroborate(d)

cower

delude

covert

benign

affluent

dauntless

facetious

cogitation

Also review

~~Sentence types

~~figurative language

These types of activities work great for a variety of content areas and can be used for standardized test review and practice. How are you using these types of coloring activities in your class?  Please let me know in the comments, and also leave me a comment if you would like to request a specific topic for a coloring review sheet!  Who said standards-based learning and EOC prep had to be boring?



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