Camping in the Classroom
Camping in the classroom is sooooo much fun! Well, you don’t really sleep over at night, you know! Having a camping theme, either at the end of the school year to spark some enthusiasm for learning, or using camping as a Summer School theme is great fun! I used this theme for several years while teaching summer school. I called it Camp Learn-A-Lot but other names can be created. Maybe Camp Read-a Lot or Camp Learning Fun might work for you. Put out a small pup tent to use as a reading nook in the corner of the room to set the scene. There are lots of websites such as Oriental Trading Company that have decorations, stickers, pencils, etc. to add to your classroom camping theme.
Activities to Do
Just like real summer camp you can start every morning with a camp routine like saluting the flag and singing a camp song. “Going on a Bear Hunt”, “Five Little Speckled Frogs” or “The Campfire Song” sung by SpongeBob Squarepants are good ones. You’ll find lots more by easily searching the Internet and YouTube! There are oodles of craft ideas and activities on Pinterest to help extend your classroom camping experience!
“A-Camping We Will Go” Song and related Resources
We love to sing with our students and so have created several camping songs with loads of related literacy resources. One of our favorite products is the song “A-Camping We Will Go”. It is easily sung to the tune “A-Hunting We Will Go”. Don’t know that song? Well, we’ve included a mini-movie with us singing the lyrics as the pages of the book turn! Easy peasy! A Beginning Reader, Themed writing papers, Resource photographs, picture word cards, and Vocabulary charts are also included. Grab it by clicking HERE! We have several more songs like
“Did You Ever Go A-Camping?” and “Five Happy Campers”. They also come with loads of reading. writing and math activities and printables. Save some money by purchasing a BUNDLE of camping products HERE!
Beginning Readers with a Camping Theme
One can NEVER have too many “just right” levels of books for students to engage with text. Here are some Beginning Readers with 2 different levels of text difficulty. These too come with interactive printables that extend the learning. Click HERE to find these.
More Easy Readers
Need some easy readers for students just learning to lift that print? These Easy, No Prep Readers were created just for them. Print, Fold and Read! There are 10 different books so you will have plenty to work into your camping theme! There are also some interactive printables that go aiong with the books. Grab these HERE.
And……What is Camping without S’mores?
One great way to end your classroom camping experience is to celebrate with s’mores. These can easily be made in a microwave. Just place the bottom graham cracker on a plate, top it with a square of chocolate, and add a large marshmallow. Pop it into the microwave for 12-15 seconds. When you pull it out, place the top graham cracker on top and squish it down! You can only make 1-2 s’mores at a time but with about 3 a minute you can make quite a few in just a short time. Provide LOTS of napkins because these treats are MESSY! But they are SOOOOOOO good and really, what is camping without s’mores? Grab this Math 10-Frame Freebie that is s’more themed!
Another FREEBIE! Starry Starry Night High Frequency Words
Create a “night sky under the stars” with High Frequency word STARS by printing ANY words your students need to learn! Add the words you’d like on the EDITABLE stars, print them on yellow paper, cut them out, and staple them to your classroom ceiling! Turn out the lights and lay on the floor. Now shine a flashlight on each of the words as the students call out the words! This is so much fun! I left my words up for the next school year and students were always looking up at them and trying to read them! Click HERE to get this Free product.
Now who’s ready to go to camp? Me! Me! Me! Give this a try for the remaining days of any school year or during Summer School! You won’t be sorry!
