Summer Writing Activities with Magic Fold Pictures

 

Spring is in full bloom, and summer is around the corner! Students are getting excited for the warm weather and days without school. How can you keep them engaged during those final weeks? Enter: Summer Writing Activities with Magic Fold Pictures! (These are interactive drawings that 'pop open' to reveal hidden writing inside.)

My 1st and 2nd grade students love to practice their writing in fun and creative ways. When summer starts to near, I pull out this writing activity and allow them to become the creative little beings they are. They are so excited to bust out their crayons and markers, and I'm excited to have a final bulletin board idea!

One important part of any writing activity is the content. Yes, the theme is summer, but what specifically should they write about? For some kids, this is the hardest part! My go-to for this is using writing prompts. I typically cut them out and let them pick one at random. This helps give them a starting point and direction for their writing.

After they have their ideas, the fun part can happen - writing! Depending on the grade level, I sometimes give them length requirements. Or, I require they have a certain number of elements or facts. For example, if they picked the prompt "A perfect summer day would include...", I might require that they include 3 things they would do. Or I might require them to cover the entire day and not just one part of the day. I really change the specifics of the assignment based on the grade.

I have 2 magic fold options - a beach ball and a watermelon. I also have a pineapple holding a piece of paper, which is not magic fold. I use the pineapple in 1 of 4 ways, whichever fits my lesson.

Option 1: The Double Whammy (Both a Magic Fold and the Pineapple).

Option 2: Student Choice (Either a Magic Fold or the Pineapple).

Option 3: Pure Magic (Only the Magic Fold options).

Option 4: The Quick Fix (Pineapple only—perfect for limited time).

When students have finished their magic folds or pineapple pictures, I put them up on the bulletin board. While you can simply hang them in the hallway, I always like to add a heading and some fun summer-themed decorations to it, such a sun or sunglasses. When I hang the Magic Fold pictures, I secure only the top of the image so viewers can pull open the image to read the inside, and then push it closed when done.

One of the reasons I love this activity is that it’s so easy to differentiate! Here is how I adjust the requirements depending on who I’m teaching:

• 1st Grade: Focus on the basics. I usually require 2–3 complete sentences that start with a capital letter and end with a period.

• 2nd Grade: We work on details. I require at least 4–5 sentences and ask them to use at least two "sparkle words" (adjectives) to describe their summer plans.

• 3rd Grade: Paragraph structure. Students must write their response in a cohesive paragraph. I look for a clear beginning, middle, and end so the story flows nicely.

• 4th & 5th Grade: Narrative depth. I challenge these older students to expand their ideas with specific sensory details. For example, if they write about swimming, I ask them to describe the smell of the chlorine, who they are with, or the feeling of the sun on their shoulders.

If you try this summer writing activity, let me know how your students like it!