Popsicle sticks (or craft sticks) are a great tool to have on hand in any classroom. They are easy to come by, affordable and versatile. You can make almost any lesson hands-on with a few popsicle sticks and some creativity! Below I have complied a list of 50 ways to use popsicle sticks in the classroom. These ideas are just the beginning! Use your own creativity to come up with more!
Drawing Names
1. Picking students to work together in groups 2. Picking each weeks V.I.P. (very important person) 3. Deciding which student gets to present first 4. Putting together a new seating chart 5. Draw a name to determine a tie-breaker
Language Arts
6. Putting spelling words in ABC order 7. Using them as sequencing sticks - write one sentence on each stick and sequence them 8. Make into a bookmark (melt crayons and put them into a character mold, cool and hot glue to the top of a popsicle stick for a fun bookmark) 9. Use as a line spacer between words when writing 10. Use as a line tracker to keep track of which line you are on while reading 11. Make into puppets (draw and cut out a character on a piece of paper and paste it on the stick) or characters from a story. You can also make a poster with pockets titled "characters", "setting", "conflict", etc. and have students make different puppets and place them into the correct pocket. 12. Make a popsicle stick notebook for students to write or draw in 13. Use popsicle sticks to teach parts of speech by sorting words written on popsicle sticks into 3 buckets labeled adjectives, verbs and nouns 14. Read the book, "Six Sticks" by Molly Coxe and challenge your students to make their own creations using six popsicle sticks (reading and art)
Math
15. Use as math counters for adding and subtracting 16. Place popsicle sticks end to end and use as a measurement tool 17. Write numbers on them and have students put them in order (i.e. 1,056, 1,057, 1,058) 18. Write a math problem on one stick and the answer on another and have students match them up 19. Use popsicle sticks to teach place value (one stick represents 1, bundle ten sticks together to show one 10, bundle ten bundles of ten sticks to represent 100) 20. Teach greater than and less than with a popsicle stick alligator 21. Teach students about fact families using popsicle sticks and clothespins 22. Use popsicle sticks to build shapes 23. Practice patterns using different colored popsicle sticks 24. Teach students about tally marks using popsicle sticks 25. Teach students about angles using popsicle sticks 26. Check out this Pinterest board for lots more math ideas
Science
27. Use them as a stirrer to mix up chemicals 28. Make popsicles! 29. Build a tower out of popsicle sticks (this can incorporate math and science) 30. Use them with your dissection tools to move organs 31. Use to label plants that you grow 32. Grow rock candy crystals on a popsicle stick
Bible
33. Write the books of the Bible on them and have students put them in order (break into the Old Testament and New Testament) 34. Make a cross out of popsicle sticks 35. Make a Fruits of the Spirit folding craft
Art
36. Use popsicle sticks to make crafts 37. Color them to use for a color-coding system for your library or other project 38. Make a popsicle stick puzzle 39. Make a popsicle stick bracelet 40. Make a popsicle stick loom for weaving 41. Make a popsicle stick pencil holder 42. Make a popsicle stick snowflake ornament 43. Make a popsicle stick box with lid 44. Make a popsicle stick picture frame 45. Use to mix up paints
Music
46. Make a musical shaker by placing beads, beans or rice inside of two paper plates and attach to a popsicle stick 47. Use as drum sticks to practice rhythms on students' desks
Other Ideas
48. Use them to create a game
49. Use to make brain break activities
50. Color Sorting - Color some toilet paper rolls and popsicle sticks and have students sort the sticks by color
Do you have more fun ways to use popsicle sticks in the classroom? Share your ideas with us in the comments below!
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