Student Inventory Forms for Interests Learning Styles

I love using student interest inventories at the beginning of each new school year! Student inventories are essential tools that provide valuable insights into students' thoughts about school, interests, strengths, and needs. As teachers, we can tailor our instruction to help our students succeed by utilizing student interests and strengths, creating more engaging lessons, and providing targeted support, ultimately fostering a more personalized and effective learning environment. 

Inventory pages are easy to use and the perfect way to kick off the new school year! I use different inventories throughout the first week of school and consider them an essential component of my back to school teacher survival kit!

What is a student inventory?

Student inventories are activity pages for teachers to give students to better understand students' interests, strengths, and needs. These inventories can include surveys or questionnaires that gather information on students' thoughts about different school-related topics, learning styles, favorite subjects, hobbies, and extracurricular activities. 

Why use student inventory sheets?

By using student inventories, teachers can tailor their instruction to meet the diverse needs of their classroom, create more engaging and relevant lessons, and build stronger relationships with their students. All of these are critical for creating a strong community of learners! 

Here are 4 reasons you should be using student inventories in your classroom!

1. Understand Individual Learning Styles and Preferences

✅Tailored Instruction: By identifying how each student learns best (visual, auditory, kinesthetic), teachers can adapt their teaching methods to better suit individual needs, increasing the likelihood of student success.

✅Personalized Support: Knowing students' preferences allows teachers to provide more personalized support and resources, helping students feel more comfortable and engaged in the learning process.

2. Build Stronger Relationships

✅Creating Connections: Student inventories help teachers learn about students' interests, hobbies, and backgrounds, fostering stronger connections and a sense of community in the classroom.

✅ Enhancing Classroom Environment: Understanding students on a personal level can lead to a more positive and inclusive and positive classroom environment where students feel valued and understood.

3. Identify Strengths and Areas for Growth

✅ Learning Styles: Early identification of students' learning styles allows teachers to implement targeted activities and approaches right from the start of the school year.

✅ Academic Goals: Teachers can help students set personal academic learning goals based on their strengths and areas for improvement, promoting a growth mindset and encouraging continuous progress throughout the school year. This is why using academic inventories is so important!

4. Compile Data

One year, during parent-teacher conferences, a parent asked me what learning style their child had. I am unsure if they were trying to catch me off guard or were genuinely interested in knowing, but either way, I had my pile of student-completed learning style forms that I pulled out and let them know immediately. The parents were so impressed, and I was so happy to have been prepared!

After I interview each student at the beginning of the year and have the students complete learning style forms, I take out a class list to write which learning style strength each student has. Most people have more than one learning style, but I focus on which one style came through most from the questionnaires. I keep the class list with each student's learning style in my plan books so that it is handy when I plan activity lessons or attend student-specific meetings.

Try these free quick questionnaires to get to know your students!

Teacher Tip!

Do you love to do things digitally? 

Try this free and easy-to-use student learning style quiz. Before using a new website, be sure to get your school or district's permission. Kindly note: I am not affiliated with this site, but have used this with my kids. Once students answer a few questions, the site will let them know their learning style. Have the kids leave up that page so that you can walk around with a class list and write down which style each child was given as their strength.  This will support the forms that the kids fill out.

Make this the year that you start using student inventories! They will help you get to know your students, create an environment for success for each student, and are professional to have on hand for your next meeting. Have a great school year!

You would also love to read:

Building Classroom Community

9 Birthday Celebration Ideas

Why You Need a Mountain-Themed Classroom

6 About Me Activities for Upper Elementary

Classroom Management Ideas that Work

Teaching the Writing Process

Looking for no-prep student inventories? Head HERE!

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*affiliate links: “Think Grow Giggle is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.” (source: Section 5)

This or That Questions for Students Would You Rather Style

Looking to build a strong classroom community this new school year or give your classroom a spring refresh? "This or that" and "Would You Rather"-style questions are just what you need to engage your students in classroom discussions every day!

"This or that" questions are a simple yet powerful tool for fostering a sense of community in upper elementary classrooms throughout the whole school year. They present students with two options to choose from, such as "Would you rather read a book or watch a movie?" These questions encourage students to share their own opinions, spark conversations, and help them discover common interests. 

Incorporating "this or that" questions into your daily routine can create an engaging and inclusive classroom environment where every student feels valued and connected. Engaging with "This or that" and "Would You Rather" style questions will not only begin to build a strong sense of classroom community from the first day of the school year, but it will also keep your community going strong all year long!

Not sure how to get started? I have five simple and easy ways to bring "this or that" questions into your classroom to elevate the level of discussion! With the rise of technology and tablets, our students can definitely use some guided practice on how to hold a conversation with their peers.

💡Bonus: Back to School Getting to Know You Idea...

This or that questions are perfect for the whole year but especially fun for a back-to-school getting-to-know-you activity! That is why I am sharing this bonus tip first! Use "this or that" style, or would you rather questions in a back-to-school carousel! 

Here is how...

Use "this or that" back-to-school task cards and attach them to a large piece of anchor chart paper. You can also handwrite "this or that" questions on top of each anchor chart paper. Hang about 5 or 6 anchor charts with "this or that"  questions around the room. Put your students in small groups and have them rotate through all the chart paper questions. 

Set the timer for 3-5 minutes for each station stop. during that time, have students read the question, discuss their opinions, and jot down which they prefer on the chart paper. When the bell rings, have the kids rotate. You can also have kids "cast their opinion/vote" by putting a tally under one of the choices. Don't end there; bring the class back together to chat about the different questions.

1. Start the Morning with a Slide

Use "this or that" question slides as part of your morning work or morning meeting routine. Use one a day, or select one day a week and do several question slides at once. Using these types of conversation starters each morning is a great way to welcome kids to school, have them engage in conversations with each other, and set a positive tone for the school day.

2. Get Them Moving with a Question - Brain Breaks

You can use "this or that" question slides as a brain break game. Use a few at once and have kids sit or stand based on their responses. If the question is "hamburger or hot dog" use visual cues so students know what to do. Hamburger = sit Hot Dog = stand. 

You can use other cues, too, like these ideas:

• sit or stand
• thumbs up or thumbs down
• hold up one finger or two fingers
• snap fingers or clap hands
• walk to two different corners of the classroom

3. Partner Up with Some Task Cards

Our students need help learning how to engage in conversations with their peers, and "this or that" slides are just the way to give them that practice. Use "this or that" questions as team-building activities that promote good conversation skills. Pair students up or have them work in small groups. Have them discuss their choices and then share with the larger group. This can help students practice communication skills and learn to appreciate different perspectives. 

Don't forget to teach students how to have a conversation with their peers! I always need to teach students how to face each other and make eye contact when talking. They also benefit from instruction and reminders on how to respond to each other's ideas. Once you teach and go over this several times at the beginning of the year, they will get the hang of it! This is especially important since so many kids are on tablets and machines and seem to be losing interpersonal skills.

Grab the free student discussion guide and a list of ten "this or that" questions to get started!

4. Think, Share, Write

Using "this or that" questions and the discussions that follow are a great way to foster brainstorming for different writing assignments.

Weaving in "This or That" questions into opinion writing is a fun way to get kids excited about expressing themselves. Start with easy choices, like "Cats or Dogs?" and have students pick one. Then, encourage them to explain why they made their choice. This helps kids practice giving reasons for their opinions. Plus, it's a great way for everyone to share their thoughts and get to know each other better. After using several of these types of questions as discussion starters, begin to give students lined paper to write their responses. 

💡Try this teaching tip: group kids by similar opinions and have them write together.

5. Transition Time Management

Use "this or that" questions in your classroom during transition times. This helps students stay engaged and focused between activities throughout the day. Don't forget to engage students in conversation after sharing each slide or any this or that question. You can use these slides and transition idea as an incentive by having kids get ready for the next task BEFORE you do some "this or that" questions. To make sure the conversation stays short, set the timer!

Ready to give it a try?

Bringing "This or That" and "Would You Rather" questions into your classroom routine sets the stage for a welcoming and positive classroom learning environment. These simple questions not only make for engaging discussion starters but also build a sense of community and improve students’ conversation skills. From morning meetings to brain breaks and writing exercises, these questions can be seamlessly integrated into various parts of the school day. 

Get creative with how you use them, and watch as your classroom becomes a place where every student feels heard and connected. 

You would also love to read:

Back to School Picture Books

6 All About Me Activities for Upper Elementary

9 Birthday Celebration Ideas

Celebrating Students' Names: A Back-to-School Idea

4 Classroom Library Must-Haves

Classroom Management Ideas that Work

Looking for no prep "This or That" slides? Head HERE!

                     LOVE these ideas? Pin to save!

*affiliate links: “Think Grow Giggle is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.” (source: Section 5)

All About Me Activity Ideas for Kids in Upper Elementary

Welcome to a new school year, upper elementary teacher friends! The best way to kick off the year is with "About Me" activities, and yes, for your big kids in upper elementary!

As we gear up to meet our new students, one powerful tool can set a positive tone for the months ahead: "About Me" activities. These engaging and insightful activities are not just icebreakers but foundational for building meaningful connections. 

By giving students the opportunity to share their stories, interests, and aspirations, we create a classroom environment rich in trust and mutual respect. Investing time in these activities at the start of the year helps us better understand our students, fosters strong relationships and cultivates a sense of community where every student feels valued and understood.

These "About Me" activities are my go-to for kicking off the school year! Be sure to read to the bottom for a teacher tip you will definitely want to try this year!

1.  Apple Acrostic Poetry 

Get to know your students as individuals and celebrate your class community by having your students create these all about me acrostic name apple poems! You will love how unique each apple comes out when you create your "New Crop of Students" bulletin board!

💡Teacher Idea: We LOVE celebrating our names at the start of each school year with this apple acrostic activity! This activity also pairs well with picture books that also celebrate names! Read this post and try one of these books!

2. All About Me Poster

These are some of our favorite first-week-of-school activities! The kids love sharing a bit about themselves as they fill in, decorate, and complete an all-about-me poster! These posters make an adorable display and give each student some talking points about themselves that they can share during morning meetings during the first few weeks of school. You will love the informal assessment information you can gather as your students write and draw as they create their posters!

About Me posters are a lot of fun for the kids to create and look great on a bulletin board during the first week of school! I also love about me pages in different formats. You can have students complete multiple types of about me pages, or offer your students a variety of about me pages and allow them to pick which one they want to complete!

Activities like these look great around the room, on a display board, or compiled into a class book using a binding machine.

3. Snapshots of My Life

I love seeing students' snapshots of their lives when they complete these posters! The best part about these posters is that they are filled with memories, people, and different things that make them unique! Add these posters to your students' writing notebooks to serve as a brainstormed list of different things your students can write about during any personal narrative unit!

💡Teacher Idea: Another related about me poster that makes a great brainstorming task that is perfect for student notebooks or a class display are these all about me letters! Your kids will love them, and you will love how handy they are when they are added to your students' notebooks!

Grab this activity for free!

4. Me as a Book Character

These character all about me posters are so much fun, especially if you teach reading! For this fun twist on an all-about-me activity,  your students will create themselves as a book character! These posters are a fun display, but also help you get to know your students thought about themselves and their experiences with books, too. These are fun to display and perfect to pull back out when you begin to dive into your character study unit!

5. About Me Bag

Your kids will love creating an about-me bag this back-to-school season! For this about me activity, you can invite your students to bring items about themselves that fit into a brown paper bag, or you can illustrate the three items on a poster page. For this task, have students select three things they love or feel represent them. Again, this can be used as a brainstorming task for students to write about during the first few weeks of school. 

For a fun twist on this activity, you can turn it into an inference game. Instead of students telling the kids the three things in their bag, they can have kids guess what it is in the bag based on clues the students share. Here is an example.

1. A soccer ball is in my bag! I love playing goalie on the Hornets Team. My summer team won the summer tournament. I practice three times a week with my team. We have a net in my backyard, so I practice with my brothers, too! I wear #8. Soccer is my favorite sport!

2. I have something that represents an activity that I love to do! I use this item to practice and kick around, trying to score in a large net. You may think that it is a sport that you can play with your hands and feet, but for this sport, you can only use your feet. Unless you are the goalie, like me! What is in my bag?

6. Don't Forget About Math!

Most About Me activities focus on reading, writing, and art-based activities. However, you can bring math into the equation with tasks designed to help your students share about their math selves! The kids love to draw themselves as mathematicians, which makes an adorable display. With these Math About Me activities, you can get to know your students' math abilities and how they feel about math right from the first day of school!

💡Try this teacher tip!

Don't forget how important celebrating students and building community activities are to do all year long! While it is important to do about me activities during the first two weeks of school, they are just as important to do all year long! So grab this About Me Pack, select a few about me activities to do their first few weeks of school, and then save some to use once a month throughout the course of the school year!

As we embark on another exciting new school year, let's embrace the power of "About Me" activities to build a foundation of trust and mutual respect in our classrooms.  These activities do more than just break the ice; they create a supportive environment where every student feels valued and understood. By dedicating time to listening to our students' stories, interests, and future dreams, we foster strong relationships and cultivate a sense of community that will thrive throughout the year. 

Wishing you a wonderful new school year!

You would also love to read:

Back to School Picture Books

9 Birthday Celebration Ideas

Celebrating Students' Names: A Back-to-School Idea

4 Classroom Library Must-Haves

Classroom Management Ideas that Work

Back to School Must-Haves to Kick off the School Year

Looking for print-and-go "About Me" Activities designed for upper elementary? Head HERE!

 

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*affiliate links: “Think Grow Giggle is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.” (source: Section 5)

6 St. Patrick's Day Activities for Upper Elementary

When the calendar turns to March, the green comes out in my classroom! Where I live and teach spring break does not come around until April. That means that March can feel like a very, very long month! Celebrating St. Patrick's Day in a variety of ways helps to get the kids engaged during March and help us get even more excited for the arrival of spring!

I love using holidays and seasons to motivate and engage students. I especially love offering students a fun twist on the typical holiday activities that they may have already experienced by the time they get to my upper elementary classroom.

When it comes to celebrating St. Patrick's Day we focus on traditions, rainbow and gold, our favorite books, and those little leprechauns all while completing standards-aligned activities!  

Here are my favorite activities and topics related to St. Patrick's Day to help you keep upper elementary students engaged and learning during the St. Patrick's Day season.

1. Use Nonfiction St. Patrick's Day Topics

When you think of St. Patrick's Day, gold might be the first thing that comes to your mind! What better nonfiction topic to explore than gold! My students are always fascinated when we learn about how gold is made and immediately want to go out and dig for buried treasure!

How to learn about gold with students:

• Start with a KWL
• Read a nonfiction article
• Watch this informative video: How is Gold Made? Video {5 minutes}
• Wrap up by writing in our journals about what we do if we found a jar of gold, just like the couple that was discussed in the video

Gold is not the only nonfiction topic worthy of studying during March and for St. Patrick's Day! We also love talking about the science of how rainbows are formed, and your students will love it, too!

How to learn about rainbow science with students:

• Start with a KWL
• Read a nonfiction article
• Watch these two amazing science videos: Scishow: How to Make a Rainbow {3 minutes} and How is a Rainbow Made? {6 minutes}
• Complete the rainbow experiment in the Scishow video {directions are in the video so simple and fun!}
• Wrap up by creating watercolor rainbow paintings to hang around the classroom

2. Study Traditions of St. Patrick's Day 

Since March is such a long month, it makes it the perfect time to welcome families into the classroom to share their family traditions! We connect learning about each student's traditions to St. Patrick's Day by comparing and contrasting our own family traditions to those celebrated by the Irish for St. Patrick's Day! The children love learning more about each other, and families love participating by joining our class and sending in a short write-up about their own family traditions.

Some Irish traditions that we discuss include:

• Leprechauns
• Wearing Green
• Blarney Stone
• Shamrocks

3. Use Procedural Writing AND Limerick Writing

There is no better writing project to complete during the month of March than a procedural writing project all about How to Catch a Leprechaun!

What I love about writing how-to pieces about catching leprechauns is how creative the project is! After students write their procedural writing piece about how to catch a leprechaun they can: 

• Create step by step illustration of how they will catch their leprechaun
• Create the trap that they wrote about in their writing with common household/classroom items
• Create an illustration of the leprechaun caught in their trap {these make the cutest bulletin board display}

Grab step by step directions to successfully teach procedural writing HERE.

Don't have time to devote to this full writing project, try writing limericks instead! They are a lot of fun to write and share in class, too! 

4. Read a St. Patrick's Day Picture Book

What is a holiday without some amazing read-aloud books to hook the kids?  My favorite read-aloud that aligns with our reading curriculum is The Leprechaun's Gold by Pamela Duncan Edwards.

I especially love reading this book because of the positive message it sends and how perfectly it aligns with lessons on finding the theme in literature with upper elementary students. With one reading of this book we can cover these skills:

• asking questions as you read
• character traits
• how characters change
• themes found in the literature
• life lessons we can apply to our own lives

Other favorite picture book read-alouds for St. Patrick's Day include:

• Jamie O'Rourke and the Big Potato: An Irish Folktale by Tomie dePaola
• How to Catch a Leprechaun by Adam Wallace
• Fiona's Luck by Teresa Bateman
• Tim O'Toole and the Wee Folk: An Irish Tale by Gerald McDermott
• The Leprechaun's Gold by Pamela Duncan Edwards

5. St. Patrick's Day Community Building - I am Lucky Writing

There is nothing more important to me than building classroom community and then strengthening it all year long! One of my favorite activities to do with students each month is writing positive letters about each student. During the month of March, we write letters to our classmates focusing on how lucky we are to be friends!

It is easy to do! Here is how: 

• Have each student put their name on a piece of paper and collect them in a basket.
• One by one, students select a name from the basket, making sure that they did not select their own name.
• Once all names have been drawn, have students write a letter to tell their friend how "lucky" they are to know them and be their friend and classmate.
• Have students use a plain piece of paper and decorate or use a shamrock template like the one in this set.

6. St. Patrick's Day Bulletin Board - We are Lucky Readers!

I love celebrating my students as readers every day, but especially in March! 

During March I create a "Lucky Little Readers" bulletin board and it is my favorite of the year! The students fill out a book reflection card about themselves as readers and share them with the class. The kids love reading each other's book recommendations once they are all read and proudly displayed!

Create your own "Lucky Little Readers" bulletin board with the bulletin board letters and student reflection page (see above) included in this FREE download!

When it comes to engaging students, holidays and seasons are the way to go! By using standards-aligned and high-interest activities, your students will not only be completing important tasks, but they will have fun while learning, too!

These St. Patrick's Day ideas will help you engage YOUR students and keep engagement high all March long! 

You will also love to read:

100th Day of School Activities for Upper Elementary

7 Ideas to Celebrate Reading Week

April Fools' Day Ideas for Upper Elementary

5 Leap Year Activities for Upper Elementary

Check out my favorite St. Patrick's Day activities HERE. 

Like these St. Patrick's Day NO Prep activities to just add to your lesson plans!

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*affiliate links: “Think Grow Giggle is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.” (source: Section 5)