Where creativity & learning collide.
There’s a growing population of English Language Learners (ELLs) in our classrooms now more than ever. These students already have one (or more) language down and are trying to learn another. WOW!! That is something big to be celebrated for sure! One misconception is that teachers of ELLs have to stop and completely change howMore
Writer’s workshop is such an important part of the balanced literacy approach to teaching. I hope you have a good routine in place and your little writers are loving being authors! One of the most important pieces of writer’s workshop is the conferring time. This is the meat and potatoes of it because you getMore
How often do you revisit classroom expectations? I know we work really hard to implement them at the beginning of the year, but how do we keep them going strong all year long? By revisiting and reassessing often! Revisiting classroom expectations helps keep students (and you!) on the right track to build a strong classroomMore
‘Tis the season of gift giving! Whether you are a teacher or have one in your life, sometimes knowing what to ask for or what to give can be tricky. We know teachers need things for the classroom, but what can we request or give that is needed? What about just plain fun ideas thatMore
Can you guys believe the end of 2018 is almost here? Let’s close it out with engaging and meaningful learning in science. First Grade Science for December has so many activities for science and activities that allow for integration into reading and writing. Your little scientists will master the content in a snap! The topicsMore
This time of year is perfect for celebrating family traditions in the classroom! Celebrating family traditions is a fantastic way to make sure all students get to share about their families. It’s also a great way to show how families are alike and different, all at the same time. When our students get a peekMore
I don’t know about you, but kindergarten writer’s workshop was one of my favorite ways to see my students blossom throughout the year. It’s amazing to see them start with scribbles and letters to ending the year with full stories and books! But what if you don’t know where to start? Some districts may notMore
Friends, I don’t know about you, but I think fall is such a fun time in the classroom! Teaching science in November is one of my favorites. I want to share what I have up my sleeve for you guys for this month. My First Grade Science for November unit is jam-packed with engaging andMore
If you are a parent, then you know how valuable our time at home with our kids can be! Even as a teacher, you know how much growth you see when parents support your classroom efforts at home! Whether you just have them home for the summer or you are a homeschooling family, there areMore
I’ve gotten a few questions recently about how to use a KWL chart and wanting an explanation for it. I loved using KWL charts in my classroom in all subjects! You’ll find I also use KWL charts frequently as anchor charts in units I created in my store. You can use these charts in aMore
Managing time at the beginning of the year can be a little tricky. You’re still getting to know your students and figuring out how to time your lessons to work with your schedule. What if you finish early and have time to spare? We’ve all been there. If you have five to ten minutes atMore
Shared reading is always one of my favorite parts of the day. It’s a part of a balanced literacy approach where students and the teacher read a text together and practice a reading skill. The teacher chooses a teaching point to model, and the students get to practice it each day. If your teaching pointsMore
How is science going with your budding scientists so far? I hope everyone is really getting into a more solid routine! Just in case you might want a little help with organizing your science for October, I wanted to share what I planned for First Grade Science for October! The topics covered for October are:More
I hope all of you who have started back at school have had a wonderful first few weeks! I know for me when September rolled around, I was still trying to get to know my students and fine tune our routine. If I planned out my day well and prepped all of my materials, itMore
When our little friends come back this fall, I know one of the first things we will be teaching and/or reviewing is beginning sounds. Phonics and phonemic awareness make up the foundation of reading. Practicing these two things builds stronger readers! With so many engaging ways to teach this skill and let students practice, IMore
Do you use Elkonin boxes with your students? Using Elkonin boxes (also called sound boxes) in the classroom helps build the foundation of phonemic awareness for students. They are a set of boxes where each box represents a phoneme to model segmenting words into individual phonemes. While they seem so simple, they are a powerfulMore
August will be here before we know it! I know how crazy the beginning of the year can be. Getting to know new students, organizing materials, and mapping out your curriculum for the new year can be overwhelming. I want to share something that I think will be a gamechanger for teaching science in AugustMore
Because I have such a passion for guided reading, I also love sharing helpful things so you can implement it in your classroom, too! Guided reading is such a crucial part of the primary classroom because such powerful reading instruction takes place! I know how overwhelming it can feel to get started (or even makeMore
