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13 Ways to Use Task Cards

How to Use Task Cards

Task Cards have been around FOREVER. They are a way to get kids MOVING and enthused about learning. There are so many ways to use them in your classroom too! Forget the traditional way of just cutting them out and leaving them in a bin as "busy work". These babies have TRUE POTENTIAL! Here are some awesome ways to use task cards in your classroom:

1. Play a game of SCOOT: Scoot is so fun! Here is how I play it: Place one card on each desk face down. Provide each student with his or her own recording sheet. Each student stands behind a desk. Set a timer. This will depend on the type of problem on each task card. Say "Begin" and the kids answer the question on their desk and record it in the numbered box that corresponds with the number on their task card. After the timer is up, say "SCOOT"! Then the students move to the next desk and you keep playing until all students have answered all of the questions. If you don't have enough task cards for every student, you can have a "break" desk for students to take a break or you can make up your own "bonus" question that they can answer on the back of the recording sheet. So fun!

2. Math Centers: Leave the set or 10 task cards in a math center. Provide students with a qr code or an answer key to check their work.

3. Early Finishers: As students finish work, they can choose a card and take it to their desk. You could assign a set for each week or every two weeks. They can turn in their recording sheet on the due date.

4. Small Group Work: Use the task cards for small group work to review material and make it more fun. You could have the students use dry erase boards to race each other.

5. Have a Scavenger Hunt: Hide the task cards around the room. Have students work in groups or with partners to answer the questions. The first team finished wins!

6. Leave Some for the Substitute Teacher: Leave some cards for a sub. They could always use time-fillers.

7. Homework: Assign four cards a night instead of cutting them out. Copy the sheet of four cards and send them home.

8. Put Them on a Ring: Print them out and put them all on a ring. Use them for centers or enrichment.

9. Class Warm Up: Project one task card while students are entering your classroom. Have them answer the question on the space that corresponds with that task card. Collect them at the end of the month or chapter/unit.

10. Test Prep: Use the task cards to prep for state standardized tests or chapter tests.

11. Spiral Review: After you finish teaching the topic on the task cards, use the task cards to review that material and mix them up with other topics.

12. Bell Ringer Activity: As students are coming in each morning, place one on each desk or project one on the board.

13. Formative Assessment: Every so often project a task card and have your students write the answer on their white boards and hold them up.

There you have it! 13 ways to use task cards in your classroom. How do you use task cards in your classroom? Which one do you want to try TOMORROW?

Top 10 Teacher Organization Tips

New year, New goals! Check out these top 10 teacher organization tips!


10. This planner sheet from The Colorful Apple! It looks like a printable inside a sheet protector with color-coded post-its under each category. Why did I not think of this?! So simple, yet SO SMART!

9. This Google Doc by Ladybug's Teacher Files! Love this idea! Give one of these to each of your students for them to keep track of all of their usernames and passwords. This would eliminate the need to hang username and password lists all around the classroom.

                                          

8. School Supply Organization by Michelle & Hadar. Put all of your extra supplies in a shoe storage hanger from Target. Lovin the BOLD labels used here. I also like the fact that this can be INSIDE a closet too!

7. These storage containers for centers, materials or games by Mrs. Wills' Kindergarten. They are sturdy and COLORFUL! I bet they are easy for kids to store and transport around the room as well.

6.  These bins for teacher files by Teach Outside the Box. I am so over my files sticking out of my hanging file folders and my hanging file folders somehow collapsing! I may be investing in these containers TONIGHT! :)

5. Putting student name tags on with VELCRO by A-B- Seymour! This is a game changer! No more peeling tape off of name tags. If you have a behavior concern with students sitting next to each other, quickly change their name tags.

4.  TPT Center Organization by The Bender Bunch. I have seen teachers use these folders in so many different ways. Guided reading groups, book bags to take home and read, take-home science bags, Open House folders... These are going in my cart TONIGHT!

3.  Solving the Pencil Problem by Time 4 Kindergarten.  Stick some tape on your pencils and when kids need to borrow a pencil from you, they can grab one of YOUR pencils to borrow. Pencils disappear so QUICKLY!

2. This daily storage bin from Learning in Wonderland. How cool is it that there is a drawer labeled "Sub Bin"?! It is colorful, bright, and organized. Love this!

1. These FREE Parent Flip Books are so cool from Kinder Craze. They are simple, straightforward, and colorful. As a parent, I would love to put this on my fridge and refer to it throughout the year.

Hopefully you are inspired to try some of these organization tips for teachers! Comment below on your thoughts!