Worksheets for Teachers
Did someone say printable worksheets? From 2nd-grade math worksheets and 4th-grade reading comprehension worksheets to Common Core worksheets for kindergarten and beyond, our collection of teacher-created teaching tools is ready to make learning fun and engaging for your students in all subject areas and on all elementary grade levels.
Explore printable activities, free worksheets, homework sheets and more — all created by teachers for teachers just like you!
Teach Starter worksheets undergo a careful review process by our expert teacher team to ensure they're ready for your lesson plans ... and your students! Best of all, you know each printable is designed with the goal of turning on that lightbulb over your students' heads and producing more of those "aha!" moments in the classroom!
Curious about how to make worksheets more engaging? Or maybe you're just wondering how worksheets became a tool used in schools? Read on for a primer from our teacher team!
Why Do Teachers Use Worksheets?
Worksheets are an important part of any teacher's toolkit — and yes, we say part because we believe in the importance of hands-on learning too (explore our full collection for plenty of student-led activities!) — but do you ever wonder how they ended up being so ubiquitous?
It was back in the mid-20th century that worksheets started to take hold in education.
The concept of individualized instruction was gaining traction, and educators recognized the need to tailor learning experiences to students' unique abilities, interests and learning styles.
Worksheets started to emerge because they were a means to provide students with both individualized practice and reinforcement of skills. Psychologists like Jean Piaget (you may know him best for his theories on children's cognitive development?) played a role here. The Swiss psychologist suggested teachers should be providing their students with materials that would advance their thinking, and worksheets offer a means for students to assess their own learning.
The real win for worksheets, however, was the invention of the photocopy machine! It made it easy for this supplemental tool to spread like wildfire!
How Do You Make Worksheets Engaging?
You already know educational printables are a beneficial learning tool. They enable students to work independently, practicing and applying the concepts they've been learning in your classroom.
So how do you keep them from putting your students in boxes?
At Teach Starter, our worksheets aren't "just worksheets." Our expert teacher team works every day to create the tools you need to create impactful classroom experiences. That means our teacher team creates our school worksheets specifically to engage students with eye-catching graphics and creative formats. Here are some of their tips to ensure worksheets are used effectively in the classroom — and truly help engage your students!
- Use worksheets as just part of your toolbox. These are great tools to support classroom instruction and provide independent practise, and they should be balanced with a mix of other teaching tools!
- Mix up your worksheet types. Teach Starter's cut-and-paste worksheets, for example, add an interactive element to help hold students' attention.
- Encourage students to doodle. Doodle notes have taken education by storm in recent years as the visual note-taking method has been proven to improve students' focus and memory. Apply those benefits to your worksheets, and you may be surprised by how it pulls kids' attention to the page!
- Add plastic sleeves. Slipping worksheets into plastic sleeves and allow students to use wipe-away markers on the sleeves is a good way to extend the life of a worksheet — and it adds and element of fun for kids who love the chance to use markers!
- Use digital worksheets. Allow students to fill out their worksheets on classroom tablets as a means to add an extra level of engagement.
- Focus on rigor. It's important to differentiate instruction, and the worksheets assigned to students should be appropriate to their needs — but they should not just be busy work. Ensure there's a challenge at hand to hold kids' attention!
It's Not "Just a Worksheet"
The key to effective worksheets comes down to how you use them — a balanced approach to education combines worksheets with other instructional strategies — from hands-on activities to group work to project-based learning.
So what can you get from worksheets?
Consider this — primary-aged students can work on their fine motor skills with our mini book, cut and paste worksheets, and more while their older elementary peers get pulled into the fun of vocabulary fun with word searches and crossword puzzle worksheets.
Printable puzzles engage students in the form of a brain game, and color by worksheets bring art elements into math and reading.
Worksheets also provide the opportunity for formative assessment and give your students a chance to practice problem-solving while they work independently.
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Suffix Stories - Morphology Passages
Practice reading, defining, and using words suffixes with a pack of suffix-focused reading passage worksheets.
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Evaluate Expressions (One Variable) – Mystery Picture Worksheet
Substitute values for variables and use your understanding of the order of operations to solve expressions with this worksheet.
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Number Bonds Subtraction - Worksheet
Practice subtraction using number bonds with differentiated number bond worksheets.
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Types of Weather – Cut and Paste Worksheet
Use this cut-and-paste science worksheet to match a picture and description with each weather condition.
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Food Chains – Worksheet
Use this worksheet to identify and describe the flow of energy in a food chain.
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Identifying Fractions – Worksheet
Strengthen student understanding of fraction models, how to identify fractions on a number line, and determine a fraction of a set with this free worksheet.
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Equivalent Fractions – Worksheet Pack
Use fraction models, strip diagrams, and number lines to determine equivalent fractions with this worksheet pack.
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Parts of Speech - Color by Code Worksheet
Follow the color code to reveal the mystery image with a fun color-by-code worksheet.
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Comparing Fractions Mini-Book
Use this mini-book to help your students learn how to compare fractions with visual models, number lines, and mathematical reasoning.
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All About Stars – Mini-Book
Learn about the stars in the night sky with this printable mini-book designed for kindergarten and first-grade students.
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Day and Night – Worksheet
Encourage your students to illustrate the day and night cycle with this free worksheet.
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Equivalent Fractions on a Number Line – Differentiated Worksheets
Practice placing equivalent fractions on a number line with this cut-and-paste worksheet.
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Types of Figurative Language - Worksheet
Practice identifying and creating examples of figurative language with this printable worksheet.
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Decomposing Numbers – Word Problem Worksheet
Challenge students to decompose numbers presented in a word problem by rearranging the parts and showing different combinations.
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Counting Forwards and Backwards Within 100 - Cut and Paste Worksheet
Practicing counting forwards and backward from a given number within 100 with this cut and paste worksheet.
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Earth Day Word Scramble
Celebrate Earth Day and all things sustainable with this fun word scramble for elementary.
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All About the Sun – Comprehension Worksheet
Integrate science and reading while learning about the Sun with this comprehension worksheet.
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Dividing Whole Numbers – Word Problem Worksheet
Sharpen problem solving skills by solving a variety of long division word problems with multi-digit divisors.
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Oreo® Moon Phases Worksheet
Engage your students with a science snack-tivity by completing this Oreo® moon phases worksheet.
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Simplify to Multiply – Multiplying Fractions Worksheet
Practice how to simplify fractions before multiplying with this worksheet.
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Preposition Practice Worksheets
Download these preposition practice worksheets, featuring five interactive cut-and-paste activities designed to reinforce understanding of positional language.
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Balancing a Budget – Worksheet
Practice how to balance a budget with this financial literacy worksheet.
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Decimal Operations Math Mats
Get students reviewing decimal operations with these engaging, puzzle-based math mats.
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What is the Syllable Type? - Color By Syllables Worksheet
Practice identifying the six syllable types in common words with this color-coding activity.
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The Civil Rights Movement and Segregation in America Brochure
Demonstrate learning about the major events and leaders who helped end segregation in the United States during the Civil Rights Movement with a brochure project.
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Predator or Prey? Forest Animals – Worksheet
Sort animals according to whether they are classified as predators, prey, or both with this worksheet.
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Color By Long A — 2nd Grade Spelling Pattern Worksheet
Invite spring into the classroom and learn long A spelling patterns with a color by code worksheet for 2nd grade.
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Christopher Columbus for Kids - Comprehension Worksheets
Learn about Christopher Columbus and his worldly explorations with a printable reading passage and comprehension questions.
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Soccer Stories - Problem Solving Worksheets
Practice multiplication, division, and problem solving skills with a high-interest soccer-themed scenario activity.
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World War I Comprehension Packet
Blend reading and social studies content with a printable set of World War 1 Reading Passages and accompanying question sets.
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Word Study List - Trigraphs
Introduce and explore words with trigraphs using a list of 50 trigraph words.
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World War II -Timeline Worksheet
Craft a chronological timeline for students to visually model the events that led to the United States’ entry into World War II.