Fun facts are more than fun–they are a tool you can use in your classroom.
Enliven learning with these ideas for using fun facts in the classroom.
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Fun Facts for Kids in the Classroom
Strange and unique facts foster wonder and charm a child into learning.
Why not leverage that power in your school day?
Morning Meeting Curiosity
You want your students’ attention right from the start of the day.
Why not pique their interest by beginning each day with some fun facts?
It will hook them in and get their brains in learning mode.
You can even make them mystery fun facts.
“This animal uses its tail for balancing and steering. It is a carnivore. It even has tear marks on its face. Though it is a large cat, it does not roar. What is it?” (Cheetahs)
Once the students guess, you can give them more information on each fun fact.
Writing Warm-Ups
Fun facts are engaging but also true!
Writing about them is great practice in informational writing.
Give a unique fact as a writing warm-up and have a child expand on the one she finds most interesting.
Handwriting and Dictation Practice
Why not give your students something to write that interests and excites them?
Or you can read a fun fact aloud for the students to copy, then check for correct capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
Research Paper Starter
Interesting facts can be a great jumping-off point for research papers.
They give the student “leads” to chase down in his research.
Science
You don’t need to stick with the textbook all the time.
Take a few minutes at the start of a unit on animals or ecosystems to charm the students with amazing facts.
Social Studies
When you study states and countries, wow the room with fun facts.
You can use them in a mysterious way as well, “Today we travel to a state that is nicknamed ‘The Sunshine State.’ It is a peninsula and home to the largest subtropical wilderness in America.
Its state reptile is the alligator.
What is it?” (Florida)
Bulletin Board Magic
Create a wall of wonder around a unit you are studying.
Consider ideas such as “Weird and Wacky Animals” or “Learning Takes You Places.”
If you create a frame system, you can switch out the facts each week, focusing on a different animal or place.
Brain Breaks
Give children fun brain breaks during the day.
In between subjects or during times of transition, use a fact as a welcome dose of not-so-serious school.
You can toss a small beach ball to a student.
When he catches it, read him a fact (or do it in a guessing game way).
You can also do stretches to fun facts or even have your students rest their heads on their desks while you read the facts in a super-relaxing voice.
You can even play calming music to make it extra funny.
Your students will be refreshed with these playful breaks.
How to Use Fun and Interesting Facts in School
You want to inspire and engage your students.
Make that task easier with these ideas on how to use fun and interesting facts in the classroom.