Printable PDF Teaching Resources
Explore printable PDF worksheets, activities and thousands more teacher resources you can add to your lesson plans with just a few clicks — including free printables!
Thousands of Teach Starter's teacher-created resources are available in PDF file format, making it easy for any teacher to use anywhere — no matter what type of computer or software you have.
Curious about the advantages of PDF resources for teachers? Read on for a quick guide from our teacher team!
What Does PDF Stand For?
Before we dive into all the ways you can use a PDF in your classroom, it's worth looking at the meaning behind the acronym. PDF stands for "Portable Document Format."
It's a file format that was developed by the software company Adobe in the 1990s. The format was designed to protect the appearance and layout of documents across different platforms and devices.
That's exactly what makes it so easy for teachers to use. You can print a PDF worksheet on the school printer and send that same PDF via email to a student's parent, and the layout will remain exactly the same — even if you are using entirely different computers.
How Do I Open a PDF File From Teach Starter?
Most web browsers — like the one you're using right now to access our teacher resources — will allow you to open a PDF file directly in the browser.
What if you want to open the file without opening a browser? We suggest downloading Adobe's free Adobe Acrobat Reader software to easily display any PDF.
How Do I Print a PDF Document for My Students?
The ease of printing has made the PDF format a must for teacher resources, so how do you actually print your new worksheet or activity?
Simple!
- Open the PDF file in your browser or PDF viewer (like Adobe Acrobat Reader, mentioned above).
- Click on the "File" menu in the top-left corner.
- Select "Print" or use your keyboard shortcut "Ctrl + P" (Windows) or "Command + P" (Mac).
- In the print dialog box, choose your printer from the list.
- Adjust print settings like orientation, paper size and the number of copies you'll need for your students.
- Click "Print" to start printing.
Can I Edit a PDF File?
This is a common teacher question, and the answer is a bit complicated.
There's special software out there that will allow for some edits on a PDF, but you will typically need to have the original document to get the best results.
To make sure teachers can make the edits they need to adjust our resources for their lesson plans and their individual students, most Teach Starter resources are available in other (editable) formats, such as Google Slides!
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Ugly Christmas Sweater - Dice Drawing Game
Roll your way to the perfect ugly Christmas sweater with a printable Christmas dice game.
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Funky Reindeer Craft Template
Download the famous Teach Starter funky reindeer template! This Christmas craft activity is perfect for practicing Zentangle patterns.
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A Snowpal Like Me
A winter holiday activity for students to create a unique snowpal.
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Tessellation Christmas Tree - Printable Project
Engage your students in the weeks before Christmas with a collaborative Christmas Tree Tessellation project.
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Jingle Jumble - Free Christmas Search-a-Word
Use this free holiday word search to build vocabulary and spelling skills in your classroom this Christmas season.
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Roll to Create a Gingerbread House
Have some Christmas fun without the mess with a Roll-to-Create Gingerbread House Art activity.
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Digital Christmas Escape Room for the Classroom — Elf Investigation
This exciting Christmas escape room has been created by our teacher team to engage your upper elementary students this holiday season. Help the Mayor of Elfton catch the person responsible for some mischievous events in his town.
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Elf Escape! - Digital Escape Room
Help Elfy, the classroom Elf escape the locked classroom and return to the North Pole with an exciting escape room!
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Search and Find – Gingerbread House
Gingerbread house search and find activity.
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Save Santa's Workshop – Escape Room for Kids
A fun and festive escape room activity where students solve clues to save Santa's Workshop.
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Funky Christmas Gnome Craft Template
Get ready for Christmas with this popular gnome craft featuring a customizable Zentangle Pattern Christmas Gnome with funky glasses and holiday accessories.
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Funky Snowman Craft Template
A fun winter craft activity for kids using a snowman template with accessories.
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Holiday Code Cracker: Middle Years – Whole Class Holiday Game
A whole class, holiday-themed game where students work together to find a secret code.
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Goal Setting – Iceberg Template
Download a free goal setting template that helps students identify singular aspects that they need focus on to achieve a goal.
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Solving Math Word Problems Strategy Mats
Help your students solve math word problems with this set of strategy mats.
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Christmas - Making Inferences Task Cards and Visual Display
Skip the inferencing worksheet and have some fun with a Christmas-themed investigation activity.
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New Year, New Fun! Activity Sheet
Keep students' minds and hands busy during your mid-school-year lull with four fun activities on one handy worksheet!
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Christmas Activity Printables - Holiday Puzzles
Have some word-friendly Christmas fun with a pack of printable Christmas word games for kids.
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My Hopes and Wishes Jar Template
Encourage students to set and write their intentions for the year ahead.
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Printable Wanted Poster Template Pack
Use a 'Wanted' poster template to encourage your students to research and write about historical figures and more!
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Arctic Fox Adaptations - Free Comprehension Worksheet
Read and learn about Arctic fox adaptations with a set of printable Reading Comprehension Worksheets for 2nd and 3rd grade.
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Mindful Coloring Ornaments - Christmas Papercraft
Practice mindfulness while making ornaments with a set of elegant mindful coloring Christmas ornament templates.
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Funky Penguin Craft Template
Tap dance your way into your students’ zentangle pattern loving creative sides with our Funky Penguin craft page.
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New Year's Goals Worksheet
Use this goal-setting worksheet to get your students excited for the new year.
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Multiplication Chart
Print a handy multiplication chart for your students — it's free for teachers!
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Christmas Capitalization Worksheet
Reinforce capitalization rules for months, proper nouns, titles, the pronoun I, and more with a Christmas capitalization worksheet.
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Science of Reading Group Folder Templates
Stay organized with these versatile Science of Reading Group Folder Templates, designed to offer plenty of options.
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I Am Thankful Turkey - Thanksgiving Hat Craft
Show everyone what you’re thankful for with a fun “I am Thankful” turkey hat to wear during your Thanksgiving celebrations.
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Christmas Color by Number - Multiplication Worksheets
Boost multiplication skills and celebrate the holiday season with this color-by-number multiplication worksheet set.
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Emotion Strategies Wheel
Help your students self-regulate when they experience "big" emotions with this hands-on emotions wheel with accompanying calming strategies.
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Should Smartphones Be Allowed in Class? Comprehension Worksheets
Decide if cellphones should be allowed in class and boost comprehension skills with a reading passage and comprehension test.
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Christmas Activity Mats
Use these Christmas activity mats during morning arrival on the last day before Christmas break.