Blog Post

Multi-age Monday: Fast Finisher Activities

February 26, 2023

Supporting growth and challenging all students 

 

It is one of the most common questions multi-age educators receive- how do you ensure that all students are on task? Especially when different levels work at different paces.* The answer can be found in two essential pieces of a successful classroom:


1)     Relationships

2)     Routines 

 

* As educators we are always allowing for sufficient scaffolding, support, as well as adaptations or modifications to ensure success from our students- independent or group tasks may look different as well as expectations for what done is.


First, knowing your learners is key to a smooth classroom. It is only through relationships that true learning can be completed. As a best practice, look to The First Six Weeks of School to assist you in setting up a successful classroom community. This is a vital time for learners to share information about themselves as well as educators to observe and note key information that includes but is not limited to:


1)     Literacy levels (reading and writing)

2)     Numeracy abilities and confidence 

3)     Social abilities   

4)     Problem-solving skills

5)     Critical thinking abilities 

6)     Artistic comfort

7)     Interests 


One of the many benefits of a multi-age classroom is that you know approximately half of your students from the previous year and can continue to expand and grow your learning relationship. Once this information is gathered it allows educators to make informed decisions on how to group students. Educators can create heterogenous and homogenous grouping depending on the need or skill. For example, you may want to keep similarly levelled students together to build on literacy skills while mixed-level students work together for a project in social studies allowing all students to use their strengths for the final product. When students are working at their level, they will be able to build on what they know and continue to feel confident in school. 


Finally, routines. This goes without saying but a smooth classroom has a routine for everything and is explicitly taught, reminded, and reinforced throughout the year. An essential routine is what to do when you are done. Throughout the day there is often an opportunity for independent work and as students complete tasks they are met with, what is next? And you have to ask yourself what works best for your learners at their grade level and for you. Consider a few of the following ideas as potential tasks.


Early elementary, consider simple and easy options that are independent.

Silent reading (remember reading can be looking at pictures) 

Printing practice

Drawing 

Puzzles 

Simple math pages (ie. Colour by number, math crosswords, etc.)


Elementary

  • All of the above as well as
  • Typing practice (if you have access to technology- Typing Club is great!)
  • Handwriting practice 
  • Writing stories
  • Math fact/concept practice (online ie. IXL or paper)
  • Coding 
  • Tangrams

 

Middle Years

 


This author, as a middle school teacher, personally prefers to ensure students are continuing to practice or grow a skill set based on the subject they are working in. If they finish science first, I always try to encourage a science activity first, such as practicing vocabulary set on Quizlet or finishing outstanding homework. If it is math, I try to always ensure there are either online practice websites available that match the current concept, games that could be independent or in small groups, the problem of the week, or finally a variety of easy math puzzles they can have fun attempting. 

 

Examples of how this could look for independent tasks:

Menus:

Boards:

Or if you are like this writer- a good old fashioned, not super fancy paper.


At the end of the day, students will all finish things at different times, and it is up to the educators to help guide students to ensure they have shown their best effort and then make strong choices that will most benefit their learning journey. (You can see why knowing your students is so vital!) To ensure an equitable classroom, try to sprinkle in opportunities for all students to choose the learning tasks provided- maybe this is choice time in elementary, “ketchup” time in older grades, or during afternoon quiet/ reset time. 


Share

Share by: