05/12/2024

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40 Interactive Bulletin Boards To Engage Your Students

40 Interactive Bulletin Boards To Engage Your Students

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Love them or hate them, bulletin boards are standard classroom decor. Make yours more interesting and engaging by trying some of these interactive bulletin boards. Students can contribute, learn, de-stress, and more. Plus, lots of these boards are easier to create than you might expect. Take a look and find something new to add to your walls!

1. Wordle it up

Worlde interactive bulletin board

The hit game makes an awesome bulletin board! Use it as a bell ringer or to fill in a few minutes at the end of class.

Learn more: Teacher’s Pet Arcade

2. Punch out your goals

Ready Set Goal bulletin board with cups covered with tissue paper that can be punched out to find prizes

Use rubber bands to cover the tops of cups with tissue paper and attach them to your board. When students achieve a goal, they get to punch through the paper to find a treat or reward inside!

Learn more: @schoolandthecity

3. Code and learn

Coding interactive bulletin board with coding instructions that can be added to a grid to solve simple coding problems

Give kids practice learning the basics of coding with this idea. It’s easy to create and you can set new challenges whenever you like.

Learn more: @teach_in_the_peach

4. Ask “Would You Rather …” questions

Would You Rather interactive bulletin board asking would you rather have a giraffe neck or elephant legs?

Oh, your students will love this one! Post new questions regularly to spark hilarious classroom conversation.

Learn more: @rainbowsandconfetto

5. Crack the code

Bulletin board called Crypto Solve It with equations to solve to learn the correct letters of a coded phrase

Send a hidden message and make students solve equations to crack the code. This is another one that’s easy to change out regularly.

Learn more: @ms.carpentersmathclass

6. Discover inspiring figures in history

Scientist of the Month bulletin board about Sally Ride, with student-researched facts on sticky notes

Use this idea to learn about scientists, authors, world leaders, and more. Kids research the person and write a fascinating fact on a sticky note to add details to the board. Everybody learns something new!

Learn more: @mrsjones_science

7. A-maze your students

Bulletin board titled This Year Will Be A-Maze-ing with various mazes for students to solve

Students will get a kick out of racing each other to the finish line with this easy idea. Laminate the mazes and provide dry-erase markers for kids to use.

Learn more: @msdavid_myteacherlife

8. Tell your story

What's Your Story bulletin board where students have written their own small stories onto the board

Use this board at the beginning of the year for students to introduce themselves, or try it as the year draws to a close for students to reflect on what they’ve learned and experienced.

Learn more: @letsgetdowntoenglish

9. Keep track of reading progress

Classroom bookshelf interactive bulletin board with space for student book recommendations

Encourage independent reading and strengthen reading fluency skills with this bulletin board that students can color after they’ve finished reading books.

Learn more: The Secondary English Coffee Shop

10. Host a morning brain boost

Morning Brain Boost bulletin board, with the "answer" being The Eiffel Tower and student generated questions

With this bulletin board, students get to create questions to an answer you provide. It’s like Jeopardy in bulletin board form!

Learn more: Teach Starter

11. Encourage students to brag a little

Make Yourself Proud interactive bulletin board where students have posted work they're proud of

Create a simple, colorful grid that students can use to display their best work for all to see. Add their names if you like, or leave it blank, but encourage every student to display something regularly.

Learn more: @missdecarbo

12. Match up science terms

Volcano diagram made of textured paper and fabric, with rubber bands connecting cards with descriptive terms on them to the parts of the volcano

Use rubber bands to match the terms (also marked with pushpins) with the parts. This board has tactile elements incorporated, making the terms more memorable and accessible to all students.

Learn: Paths to Literacy

13. Get to know each other

Who's Who bulletin board with student names and sticky notes in each square

This interactive board gives students the opportunity to think about their fellow classmates and to see how much they actually know about one another.

Learn more: Inside Bodine

14. Pit music against poetry

Green Day or Whitman bulletin board with quotes from both. Students can flip up the paper to see who said each quote. (Interactive Bulletin Boards)

Poetry can be a hard sell for some kids. Help them relate to it by challenging them to determine if quotes are by a famous poet or a famous pop group. They’ll be surprised by the answers!

Learn more: Mrs. Orman’s Classroom

15. Create a coloring corner

Bulletin board with a coloring poster. Text reads The Destress Corner.

Interactive bulletin boards don’t have to take a lot of time or effort. Just pin up a giant coloring poster and have students use their crayons or markers to color. Coloring is a well-known anti-stress activity, plus it can actually help focus the mind on the subject at hand.

Learn more: @PlatouWorld

16. Provide a place for burning questions

Interactive bulletin board called Burning Questions, showing a chemistry flask sitting on flames. Student questions on sticky notes have been added to the board.

Also known as a “parking lot,” interactive bulletin boards like these give kids a low-key way to ask questions they have about material you’re covering. Look it over daily to see what you might need to review, or save questions to be answered in a future lesson. Remove the sticky notes as you respond to them.

Learn more: Kate’s Science Classroom Cafe

17. Challenge them with Sudoku

Interactive bulletin board with large playable Sudoku game

Need something for kids to do when they finish a little early? Sudoku interactive bulletin boards might be the answer! Learn how to set one up at the link below.

Learn more: Activity After Math

18. Practice compare-and-contrast concepts

Compare and contrast bulletin board with giant Venn diagram comparing two paintings

Did someone say giant Venn diagram? I’m in! Post any two items you want students to compare and contrast, and have them write their answers on sticky notes to fill in the diagram.

Learn more: @artwithmrskim

19. Try a thinking tug-of-war

Tug of War bulletin board with opinion question in the middle and sticky note opinions on either side

Prepare for opinion writing by having students show their thinking on a tug-of-war bulletin board. These are easy to prep and can be used over and over again with different questions.

Learn more: The Good Life

20. Use QR codes to spark curiosity

Who Am I bulletin board with large QR codes

Bring interactive bulletin boards into the digital age with QR codes. In this example, quotes from famous women are displayed on the wall. Students can scan the free-to-generate QR code with their phones or tablets to learn more about each one. This idea can be adapted for so many different subjects!

Learn more: Study All Knight

21. Bring on the Boggle math

Boggle Math interactive bulletin board

Game-based learning has so many benefits. This Boggle math board is based on the classic letter game, with a numbers twist. Learn how to play at the link below.

Learn more: The Routty Math Teacher

22. Craft a color-sorting bulletin board

Color sorting bulletin board with colored cardboard tubes and colorful pompoms to drop through into matching buckets

Little ones love interactive bulletin boards. Paint empty paper towel tubes with bright colors and set them up with coordinating buckets and pom-poms. Kids get hand-eye-coordination practice by dropping the right pom-poms through the tubes.

Learn more: Play to Learn Preschool

23. Get to know literary genres

Name That Genre bulletin board with lift-the-flap cards describing various literary genres

Lift-the-flap cards can be used for so many different interactive bulletin boards. This board helps kids identify literary genres with examples and descriptions.

Learn more: Buck & Chuck’s

24. Build a giant word search

Word search bulletin board with heading text reading Can You Find Peace?

Word searches are an engaging way to practice spelling and vocabulary. You can change up this board to match new subjects throughout the year.

Learn more: The Corner on Character

25. Draw their eyes to an “I Spy” board

I Spy bulletin board with lots of random items attached

Grab your hot-glue gun and get to work! This board provides the perfect opportunity to play a quick game of I Spy when you have a few spare minutes at the end of class.

Source: @2art.chambers

26. Find out what they’re thankful for

30 Days of Thankfulness bulletin board with numbers 1 to 30. Several numbers are flipped and have reasons to be thankful written on the back. (Interactive Bulletin Boards)

This is an easy idea for a fall bulletin board. On the back of each card, have each student write what they’re thankful for. Each day, turn one over and share. (Find more fall bulletin board ideas here.)

Learn more: Teacher Blog Spot

27. Take what you need, give what you can

Take What You Need bulletin board with encouraging notes posted on it for other students to take

You’ll find examples of interactive bulletin boards like this one all over Pinterest. The concept is basic: Post notes with encouraging and kind words on a board for students to grab when they need to be lifted up. Provide paper for them to add their own kind words for others too.

Learn more: Deanna Devine on Pinterest

28. Turn a paper roll into an interactive Q&A station

Roll of paper held in place with two yardsticks on a classroom door, turned into a place to ask questions. Text reads You Need: a door, ribbon, a roll of paper, 2 hooks, a razor blade, 2 yard sticks, a staple gun, and 2 ring hooks

The terrific thing about interactive bulletin boards made with rolls of paper is that they’re easy to switch up. Learn how to make this board (this teacher used a door, but it would work for a bulletin board too) at the link below.

Learn more: Oh Boy, It’s Farley

29. Post a read-aloud board

What We're Reading Together bulletin board showing a book and its characters, problem, setting, solution, and favorite part

Experience a read-aloud book together by posting the characters, problem, setting, and solution as you read. When you’re done with the book, have the kids write their favorite part on sticky notes to share. (See more creative ways to use sticky notes in the classroom here.)

Learn more: Kidd + Kids

30. Make a mitten-match board

Help little ones learn letters, numbers, sight words, and more with a cute and fun interactive matching board.

Learn more: @playtolearnps/Mitten Match

31. Put a pin in the map while you read

Map of the United States with places marked with pins. Text reads Reading Takes Us Places!

Show students how books open up the world. Post a country or world map and have them put a pin in any location mentioned in the books they read.

Learn more: Scholastic on Pinterest

32. Win the day with word games

Words With Friends bulletin board with letters attached to the board with velcro dots

Words With Friends has made Scrabble games popular again. Set up a board with letter cards and let students battle it out for the highest score. Bonus points for using a vocabulary word!

Source: Pinterest/Words With Friends

33. Get reading recommendations from fellow students

What Are You Reading? bulletin board with places for students to post reading recommendations

The teacher who created this board says, “Students use sticky notes to write the title, author, and genre of the book they’re reading. They use dry-erase markers each day to update the page they’re on and their rating (out of 5 stars). This will let me see how much kids are reading and give students a place to refer to when looking for new book recommendations.”

Learn more: @_thirdgradeswag

34. Set up a bucket filler board

Have You Filled a Bucket Today? bulletin board with metal buckets labeled with student names (Interactive Bulletin Boards)

When you “catch” students being kind, give them a “warm fuzzy” pom-pom to put in their bucket. Periodically empty the individual buckets into a class bucket to work toward a reward. (Learn more about the bucket filler concept here.)

Learn more: Little Mrs. Preschool

35. Spark joy in your students

Bulletin board with large kraft paper letters spelling J-O-Y and student writing something on the letter O

Such a simple concept: Spell out a word in large letters and have students fill it with their thoughts on that word. You can easily change this out to fit various seasons or subjects.

Learn more: Macy Dawn on Pinterest

36. Measure angles on a paper pool table

Interactive pool angles bulletin board where students can use a protractor to measure angle on a paper pool board

Have students place paper pool balls on the table, then calculate the angles they’d need to shoot in order to pocket the ball using a protractor and string.

Learn more: Ryan O’Donnell at Kutztown University

37. Put together a pushpin poetry board

Bulletin board with small scraps of paper with words written on them. Words have been used to make short poems. Text reads Push Pin Poetry.

It’s like magnetic poetry, just using a bulletin board instead! Cut out words and provide a container of pins. Students do the rest.

Source: Residence Life Crafts

38. Encourage random acts of kindness

Random Acts of Kindness bulletin board with colorful envelopes pinned to it

Post a series of envelopes with “random acts of kindness” ideas inside. Students draw a card and complete the act, then post a pic if they like.

Source: The Green Pride

39. Recognize new classmates by playing peekaboo

Post a pic of the student under a flap with their name on it to help students learn their classmates’ names and faces. This is geared toward younger kids but could be tweaked for older students too.

Source: @playtolearnps/Peekaboo

40. Plot points on a big Cartesian plane

Activities on the Cartesian Plane bulletin board with large X Y axis for students to plot points using pin and rubber bands

Give students practice plotting points and finding the area of shapes on a Cartesian plane. Use fun pushpins to jazz it up!

Learn more: Melody Bienfang at Kutztown University

Need more bulletin board ideas? Try these 20 science bulletin boards or these 19 magical Harry Potter bulletin boards.

Want to know what makes a bulletin board easy and effective? Check out these tips.