Multiplication is one of the most important math concepts to master in elementary school. But it can be tricky to learn. There are lots of students who don't understand how multiplication works or have not yet mastered fact fluency. Today I am sharing some of my very favorite ways to teach multiplication. These techniques will help students ... Continue Reading
Close Reading Strategies that Keep Kids Engaged
Close reading is an important skill for students to learn. Not only is it required by the Common Core standards, but it helps deepen comprehension. But close reading can be hard for students. And boring. It requires repeated reading and discussion of the same text. And each time students read, they are pushed to dig deeper into the text for its ... Continue Reading
Halloween Activities Your Students Will Love
Halloween is almost here! The most frightening time of the year. And I'm not talking about ghosts, goblins, and ghouls. No, I'm talking about the uncontainable excitement that leads to non-stop chatter, lack of focus, and a buzzing candy-infused craziness that seems to settle in elementary students long before trick-or-treat night. Luckily, ... Continue Reading
Math Small Groups are the Best Way to Differentiate Lessons
Math workshop is divided into four parts: the mini lesson, student centers, small group instruction, and sharing time. Today we are talking about math small groups and why you need to add guided math instruction to your math block. If you're new to math workshop, check out this post for an overview of all four elements. You can read more about ... Continue Reading
8 Must-Do Tips for Teaching Personal Narrative
When I was in the classroom, I organized my writing instruction into units of study. Focusing on one unit at a time helps students become better writers. Rather than skipping around from topic to topic, students get to dig into one genre for eight weeks. This helps them truly master the skills and strategies of each genre. You can read more about ... Continue Reading
Grab these FREE 60 writing prompts for grades 2-5.