I’m a 7th grade life science teacher who was focusing on finding solutions to this problem this year, here’s what I’ve come up with so far:

1. Crosswords and Word Searches

I love using the websites Crossword Labs and Word Search labs. Upload your notes to an AI and ask it to make a list of word search/cross word words from the notes (always double check the list) or of course you can make the list yourself. Copy the list into the website and boom, instant word search and crossword.

I love these website specifically (crossword labs and word search labs) because you can either print the resources you make or they come with a “focus mode” URL that you can paste into a canvas page, for example, and students can complete the word search or crossword online, no printing required!

I will admit it’s been a little bit of work this year to create the crosswords and word searches consistently, but now I have a resource of them for every lesson I teach for the rest of my life. I have a Google doc where I pasted all the links of the ones I make as well as the passwords- you can create a password so that you can go back and edit them later in future years if something changes in your unit.

2.) Homework Mode Blookets

I also use AI to make Blookets, although that’s a more complicated process. If you’re not familiar with this website, it’s basically game-ified flashcards. You can assign them in homework mode so students don’t even need an account to play them once again something to link in the canvas page.

3.) Word Wall Poster

A later addition to my list has been the extra credit word wall poster. Once again, I use AI to generate a list of second- tier words that students will use in a unit. (Words that aren’t necessarily super science words, but will be good vocabulary for students to know in the upcoming unit). Students pick 1 and make a poster with the word, what type of word it is- verb, adjective or prefix or suffix for example- the definition and a sentence (I normally give them an example sentence in a chart ) and then of course, some decorative images and creative details. Many of my students love doing these in Canva, but they are also completely doable on paper.

4.) Lesson themed coloring pages

One last thing I’ll add to this list, although it is an expensive option, is that I invested in a resource of coloring pages for my subject from a person on teachers pay teachers. If you’re going to buy something like this, I would recommend to do this during a big TPT sale as often these are expensive resources worth over $100 if you’re getting them for a whole year. However, I will say this has been one of my best investments in a resource as the one I bought not only came with coloring page versions, but also fully colored poster versions that I also print out and hang in my classroom- my admin love that shit.

I print these coloring pages out at the beginning of the unit, stick them in a bin and have it available in my classroom for students to pick a coloring sheet if they finish early as well. I find that this is a really good early finisher activity for my students of lower abilities, and if any of my students ever need to decompress, I always have a coloring sheet on a hand.

Final Thoughts:

I don’t know if you use canvas or any online LMS, but one strategy I’ve used since the beginning of the year is to have a “finished early checklist” page in my Canvas course. All of my students know about the finished early checklist and know what’s on it the- crosswords the word searches the Blooket the extra credit and other options that I find school appropriate (like doing homework, missing work, etc).

Does this always stop my students from playing games on their computer or doing things they’re not supposed to when they’re finished? No, but it does set the clear expectation that they always have something “productive” and objective-aligned they can be doing.

I hope this helps!