As more time is going by, teachers are putting together distance learning lesson plans and trying to reach out to students in their classrooms to keep moving them forward in learning. I want to help make part of the reading aspect a little easier for you! You all know how much I love guided reading, […]
Whether you are a teacher looking for resources for your students to use through distance learning or a parent trying to figure out how to manage some homeschooling, it all can be overwhelming to take on. Today I want to help make this a little easier by sharing some screen free activities that you can […]
The number one question and concern I get is that teachers say they don’t have time for reading small groups. You have at least 22 students to manage in your classroom. You have mandatory things you have to fit into your reading block from your school or district. You have testing to do. I get […]
You sit down at your table, get your readers reading, then freeze. Oh no! I need to check for comprehension. What will my focus be? If you have followed me for even a few months, you probably have heard me share about my guided reading journey. It took some time, but once I found my […]
There are a ton of great life cycle activities online, Pinterest, and in your curriculum, but how do you decide which ones to do? Which activities will help teach and reach all of the students in your class? I don’t know about you, but when I first started teaching, I was drawn to the super […]
Do you know what some of the big differences are between guided reading levels in kindergarten and early first grade guided reading levels like level F? Hint: If you have my FREE Guided Reading Resource Cards, you might already know! Here are some of the big differences when students are moving to level f: increased […]
Does your classroom Valentine’s Day party sneak up on you? I always knew it was coming, but somehow, I still felt unprepared. This was especially true when I didn’t have a room mom to help me plan it all. Besides the party planning, I was usually knee-deep with everything from helping struggling readers to working […]
“How do I keep my kindergarten students in independent reading center for the whole time?” is one question I get asked often about literacy centers. Trust me when I tell you that you aren’t alone if you feel like this center is equivalent to herding wild cats. Keeping five and six-year-olds in an independent reading […]
What do you say when your kindergarten parents ask for reading tips? Do you struggle to offer them concrete, practical activities to do at home? I sure did! Until I got my little secret weapon ready, I found myself digging through files and grabbing charts and flashcards to send home with students who needed a […]
Let’s chat about teaching sight words – how many do you have to teach this year? Most primary grade teachers have to teach 40-100 words per year. That can be overwhelming. Not only do we have to introduce the words, but students need to practice frequently and read them regularly while teachers need to track […]
One of my favorite science topics to teach is the weather unit. Because weather is all around us, it’s fun and easily observable for our young scientists. But, here’s the problem I used to run in to: there are so many different directions you can take when it comes to teaching all about weather, not […]
Subitizing is a big word for such a simple concept. Funny how that happens! Much like reading, students need a solid foundation in number fluency. Subitizing activities are a great way to help students do just that! As a result of not learning how to subitize, students might have difficulty with spatial reasoning, understanding addition […]
How does teaching Christmas around the world make you feel? Does it make you overwhelmed with the thought of researching a bunch of different countries’ cultures and traditions? I know I was always so busy this time of year that it was hard to teach these things in a meaningful way. I wanted to come […]
This time of year can be hectic. Between the celebrations, grades due, and sugared-up students, I know it can be hard to write lesson plans and include meaningful activities. So I wanted to put together an ultimate list of holiday resources that are perfect for kindergarten, first, and second grade to make lesson planning as […]
You guys asked for it, and its finally here – Guided Reading Level K. Just like the kindergarten and first grade guided reading kits, this one has everything you need to successfully implement guided reading to advance the readers in your classroom. What I love about these kits is that no matter how experienced you […]
Do you have students who struggle with reading comprehension? We know our young readers need a toolbox of reading strategies to help them comprehend texts, but it’s hard to not get lost in the seemingly complicated lessons to teach them. One great strategy to help students become better readers is questioning. But, there are so […]
With only 20 minutes to implement a guided reading lesson, how can we make it the best and most successful for students on level e? How can we make the most of the time we have? We create and follow a strong lesson plan for guided reading level e that provides our readers opportunities to […]
What do meatballs, butterflies, and cowboys have in common? Not much unless you are teaching compound words to your students this week. This topic can be so fun to teach because of the many different ways you can approach it. Whenever possible, I try to make sure all types of learners’ needs can be met […]
