Have you ever taught a skill or concept just to find that a month later the students are looking at you like they’ve never heard what you are talking about? I said goodbye to that ‘I’ve never learned that‘ face when I got intentional about using spiral review in my classroom. And today. . . I’m showing you just how easy it is to do!
What is a Spiral Review?
First things first, what is a spiral review? A spiral review is where students are given activities that spiral through all previously taught skills and concepts. These quick review activities help to keep these things fresh in the minds of our students because they are continuously using them.
And. . . a spiral review doesn’t have to be long. It’s not a full assignment on every skill. Instead, it is weaving in a question here and there so that students are continuously tapping into previously learned material.
My favorite way to add a spiral review into our day is through morning work. Not only do students reap the benefits of the spiral review but we also get the benefits of a consistent morning routine too!
The Power of Spiral Review
By weaving spiral review into our morning work, students are revisiting those concepts and skills that have already been taught. This constant reinforcement helps solidify their understanding and keeps them sharp. Instead of just moving on and possibly forgetting what they’ve learned, spiral review gives us a chance to loop back and reinforce previous lessons regularly. This helps them to see that we aren’t just memorizing a bunch of information to brain dump it and forget about it.
Spiral review isn’t just about repeating the same information. It’s about strategic repetition. I mix in various subjects and skills in our morning work to ensure we’re covering all the bases. Whether it’s math facts, grammar rules, or reading comprehension, my students are consistently practicing and building on their knowledge. This approach boosts their confidence and also gets them ready for more complex tasks ahead. On the teacher side of things, I can gather data on areas where they are showing mastery and areas where they may need more practice.
By incorporating spiral review, we are setting our students up for success. They start each day with a sense of accomplishment and readiness!
Spiral Review for First Grade
I use my First Grade Morning Work Year-Long Bundle to give my students daily spiral review practice with both math and ELA concepts. Each day, my kiddos tackle activities that help them reinforce important skills. This makes sure they’re always sharpening their knowledge. Differentiated worksheets ensure that every one of our students can participate and benefit from the activities, no matter their skill level.
What I love about this bundle is how it builds on itself from one month to the next. It’s not just random worksheets thrown together. There’s a clear progression that helps my students grow consistently. Each page offers a variety of skills to practice, keeping things fresh and exciting to catch their attention. Every day includes both math and ELA, so our kiddos get a well-rounded review. The monthly overviews are a great help too, giving me a clear picture of the skills we’re covering and ensuring we hit all the important areas throughout the year.
How I Use the Spiral Review Moring Work Resource
I kick off each school day with these morning work activities. As soon as my kiddos arrive, they know their morning work is waiting for them at their desks. This routine helps them smoothly transition from home to school mode, setting a positive and productive tone for the day. The activities allow students to be work independently. That means I am free to manage administrative tasks at the beginning of the day.
A Variety of Activities
The activities in this resource cover a wide range of skills and subject areas. For literacy, students work on identifying and circling specific letters in sentences, coloring pictures that start with those letters, and drawing related objects. This boosts their letter recognition and phonics skills. Each day also focuses on a number. Students circle representations of that number, draw related objects, and color them. By doing so, they are reinforcing their number recognition and counting abilities. Fine motor skills are practiced through drawing and coloring tasks, while simple sentences and stories improve reading comprehension and fluency. By incorporating these diverse activities, students consistently practice essential skills in a fun and engaging way. The work doesn’t feel like too much repetition of the same skill. The variety keeps them moving from one question to the next!
What’s Covered?
This resource is fantastic for covering key areas such as literacy, with a focus on letter recognition, phonics, and early reading comprehension. Math skills develop through number recognition, counting, and basic arithmetic. Fine motor skills grow stronger through drawing and coloring activities, and cognitive skills are encouraged through critical thinking and problem-solving tasks. This resource ensures my students start their day with purpose. I can rest easy knowing they are reinforcing important skills while establishing a consistent and productive routine.
Adding a Spiral Review to Your Classroom
Adding spiral review to our morning work has truly transformed our daily routine. It helps my students reinforce essential skills and sets a positive and productive tone for the day. By using the First Grade Morning Work Year-Long Bundle, I’m able to provide differentiated, engaging activities that keep my kiddos on their toes and excited to learn. I hope these ideas inspire you to weave spiral review into your morning work or classroom routine. These activities can also be used as an ongoing center activity or as your weekly homework.
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