Whether you’re planning a mid-year movie day or scheduling theme days for your last week of school, classroom movie day is always a favorite for kids. Admin? Not so much. Here are some fun classroom movie day ideas and activities that keep students engaged and still learning, make the day even MORE fun for your class AND make it educational. Who knows? Movie day might even become a favorite for your principal!
Add Math To Movie Day
Incorporate math skills into your movie day by building arrays out of popcorn. Prep microwave popcorn ahead of time and pass it out in baggies to your students.
Just add a die and you’re set! Have students roll the die twice then use the numbers to build popcorn arrays. In their journals, have them draw each array and write a multiplication and repeated addition sentence. Lastly, they eat the popcorn!
Read the Book Version
If you are watching a movie that is based on a book, do a read aloud first. After the movie have students compare the similarities and the differences between the book version and the movie. Ask your class if the setting of the movie matched their mental images when listening to the read aloud. You may even want to make a class T-chart to record the responses.
Add a writing element by having students summarize the movie, analyze a character, or compare the book to the movie in writing. to illustrate their writing students can draw their favorite part of the book or a scene from the movie.
Review Math and ELA Skills with Movie Day Menus
Keep your class engaged and still learning after the movie by using these fun movie day menus. Use the movie, instead of a text, to review reading and grammar skills, money math, and to keep your students writing.
Download these FREE Classroom Movie Day Menus HERE
Focus on the Main Character
After watching the movie have your students draw the main characters. Let them turn and talk with a partner about the personalities of each character they drew. Ask partners to list traits that describe each character and give evidence or events from the movie to support them.
Design Persuasive Movie Posters
Have students design and make movie posters on construction paper like they would see in the theater. Students can write persuasively describing why movie goers will not want to miss this movie!
Have a Kid President Movie Day
If you’re trying to decide which movie to show, why not use Kid President videos? I love teaching with these videos during the year and they make a great addition to movie day. There are so many valuable life lessons and teaching opportunities in these gems and kids love them!
Click here to read the unique ways I use Kid President videos in my classroom (and grab another freebie while you’re there.) Add to your movie day with this video companion and find even more ideas on my Pinterest board with links to lots of KP videos.
Movie Day is always an end of the year highlight for kids! I hope you’ve found some ideas and activities to make your movie day both fun AND educational!
Need more ideas for the last week of school? Check out these 10 Fun Things To Do With Your Class the Last Week of School!
These end of the year activities will quickly become traditions!
Don’t miss these Tips for Packing Up Your Classroom that make set up next year a snap!
Having a Holiday Movie Day? Check out this post for more fun holiday activities and teacher tips for the last week before break.
Happy teaching friends!
You have some great ideas! I really like your movie menus.
Thank you, Barb! I’m so glad you found ideas you can use in your classroom!
This is such an adorable idea! Thanks!!! 🙂
You’re welcome Michelle! I’m so glad you found some ideas you can use in your classroom!