When it comes to early reading, few topics cause more confusion than sight words. Are they the same as high-frequency words? Should students memorize them? What are “heart words”? And how do you actually track progress? If you’ve ever felt unsure, you’re not alone. Let’s break down everything you really need to know about sight words so […]
Have you ever asked yourself, “What DOES a child really need to know before learning to read?” My friend shared that she felt this question a little deeper with her second child. After all, her first born got all the letter matching activities, alphabet puzzles, and one-on-one time with her. I can relate to this […]
Games and activities bring fun to the classroom! Students are always more engaged when we can play a game to learn a concept. There are many easy activities and games you can do in your classroom that are low prep and engaging to have your students practice with vowel teams! Today, we are sharing some […]
**Read to gain 6 fun syllable activities to try in your classroom or at home that are low prep! My daughter came to me the other day and asked me to help her figure out a word in the book she was reading. She told me she knew the middle part of the word but […]
Over the last several years as the Science of Reading research has gotten louder and louder, we are learning more and more about how our brains actually learn to read. It’s not as simple as we my have thought. It actually is science. There is real brain work required to teach ourselves how to decode […]
February is full of many fun holidays and themes that can be taught in the classroom! One of my favorite themes to talk about in the classroom in February was friendship. While this is a topic that is also great for anytime, with February having Valentine’s Day, it naturally lends to discussing what good friendships […]
Black History Month is more than a moment on the calendar—it’s an opportunity to tell the truth, celebrate resilience, and help our youngest learners understand the world around them. The stories we choose matter. When we use black history month read alouds intentionally, we show students that American history includes many voices, experiences, and perspectives. And yes—K–2 […]
Rhyming is one of the first building blocks of pre-reading because it helps children hear and play with sounds in words before they ever read them on a page. Practicing rhyming can be engaging and easy. Below are five simple and fun rhyming activities that teachers and parents can use to help develop strong early […]
Helping a child learn to read is one of the best gifts you can give them! Reading with your child helps build their language comprehension, confidence, and a lifelong love of learning. There are many simple ways you can help your child in their journey to becoming a strong reader! Let’s chat about some ideas […]
There is just something magical about a snow day. Whether it’s an unexpected day off or a planned cozy winter morning, snow days create the perfect opportunity to slow down, snuggle up, and share a great book together. For teachers, snow days (or snow-themed days when school is still in session) are the ideal time […]
As we prepare to ring in a new year, it’s a great time to press pause in the classroom. We can pause and reset, realign ourselves with what is best for our students, and teach our little humans how to set fresh goals and welcome in new beginnings and growth! My favorite way to spark […]
Teaching Christmas Around the World is a highlight of December in many elementary classrooms, and one of the most exciting countries to explore is Australia. Because Christmas happens during summer “down under,” students are immediately intrigued by the warm weather, beach traditions, Santa surfing, and unique animals that appear in Australian holiday stories. Let’s explore Christmas in Australia […]
If you’re planning a gingerbread unit, holiday theme week, or simply want to bring seasonal fun to your literacy block, gingerbread read alouds are the perfect way to bring excitement and meaningful literacy work into your classroom. These stories are filled with engaging storylines and many opportunities for teaching our readers how to think about their reading–what […]
If you teach early elementary readers, you already know the power of using a decodable text. It’s one of the best tools we have to help students connect phonics skills to real reading. But here’s the thing—decodable text can be used for so much more than just reading small groups (though you all know that’s my favorite)! […]
Once your growing readers have a strong grasp of short and long vowel patterns, the next big hurdle in phonics instruction is r controlled vowels. These tricky sounds can be confusing at first, but with the right teaching sequence and plenty of practice, your students can master them confidently. Let’s walk through what r controlled vowels […]
Literacy centers give students a chance to practice reading and writing skills in a meaningful, independent way. While you’re working with reading small groups, your other students are still engaged in purposeful practice — reading, writing, listening, and working with words. Well-designed literacy center activities help students build independence, reinforce key phonics and reading comprehension […]
November brings about a lot of warmth and excitement to the classroom, especially in reading! From turkeys to family to thankfulness these November topics are always engaging for budding readers. When it comes to November read alouds, there are many to choose from that help you build strong readers with reading comprehension skills. Because there […]
You are there! You have finally trained your little learners well in literacy centers, you have gathered the best decodable readers, you know where your kids stand with their phonics skills, and you are *almost* ready to sit down at the small group table. Except one thing–how do you begin the precious time together? Every […]
