FREE Printable Pencil Plural Activity – S or ES

Teaching plurals to first-grade students often requires creativity when explaining the use of “s” or “es.”

screenshot of large pencil with small child writing plural endings

This printable activity offers a creative way for children to practice making plural nouns by adding “s” or “es.” The activity involves a pencil craft where students cut out pencil shapes, write plural forms of given nouns, and decorate the pencils before pasting them onto cardstock.

The printable includes a pencil template for the craft. Students start by cutting out the pencil shapes, which helps develop their fine motor skills. They then write the plural forms of provided singular nouns on each pencil. For instance, they might write “buses” for the word “bus.”

After writing, they can decorate their pencils with markers or colored pencils, adding patterns, their names, or small drawings. Finally, they paste the decorated pencils onto cardstock, creating a colorful classroom display that reinforces their learning.

This activity is effective for several reasons. It engages multiple senses by allowing children to cut, write, and glue, making the lesson memorable. Writing the words helps reinforce spelling rules for plurals, while decorating the pencils offers a creative outlet, making the learning process enjoyable. Displaying their work in the classroom gives students a sense of accomplishment and pride.