Are you planning to celebrate Valentine’s Day in the classroom? Do you need some new ideas that are fun for kids, easy for you, and provide the opportunity to practice important skills? Well, look no further! Today I am sharing four simple Valentine’s Day party ideas that will make your students swoon. Cupcake Cafe Is it even Valentine’s ... Continue Reading
Teaching Informational Report Writing: 8 Must-Do Tips
One of the most important types of writing your students will learn is informational report writing. This writing genre will be used throughout their academic careers in a variety of different subjects like social studies and science. But because informational report writing relies on research, it can be challenging for some kids. Today ... Continue Reading
Fractions Fun: 7 Activities that Keep Kids Engaged
Fractions can be one of the trickier math units to teach. Many students have been counting, adding and subtracting since well before kindergarten, But learning about fractions is a whole new skill for many kids. Understanding the relationship between parts and whole is a difficult abstract concept. Some kids are not developmentally ready to ... Continue Reading
Winter Olympics: 4 Easy Ways to Celebrate in the Classroom
Athletes across the world are gearing up for the Winter Olympics. The XXIV Winter Games are being held in Beijing from February 4 - February 20, 2022. For sixteen days, the world will be focused on winter sports like the bobsled, speed skating, and curling. This is a great opportunity to introduce kids to the Olympic spirit, instill some ... Continue Reading
Fun Reading Lessons that Excite Readers
Reading is one of my favorite activities. And I know I am not alone. Most teachers love reading, and we all want to instill a love of reading in our students. But kids don’t always embrace it the way we hope, especially when reading lessons are boring. Today, I’m sharing five fun ways to spice up your reading instruction in the new year. If you ... Continue Reading
Got Struggling Writers? Try These 5 Tips
One of the most common concerns I hear from teachers in my Facebook groups is that they don’t know how to help their struggling writers. I know it can be disheartening when you feel like you have some students who just aren’t at grade level, no matter what you do. So today I am going to share five simple tips to help you reach all your writers. ... Continue Reading
A Stress-Free Winter Break Can Be Yours
I'm dreaming of a stress-free Christmas . . . There’s no tired quite like teacher-tired. Especially at the start of Christmas break. After a bustling December full of Christmas cheer, all you want to do is head home and rest. (Or start your wrapping, baking, decorating . . . you know, all the things you’ve put off until break.) But if you ... Continue Reading
6 Holiday Activities to Keep Kids Engaged Before Winter Break
It’s the most wonderful time of the year. And one of the craziest. Your students are preoccupied with visions of sugarplums, or more likely Playstations, and trying to keep their attention in December is often more challenging than untangling the Christmas lights. But don’t despair, because today I am sharing 6 holiday activities to keep kids ... Continue Reading
Top 10 Things Teachers Are Grateful for this Holiday Season
Are you excited about Thanksgiving? Maybe you’re looking forward to the cornbread stuffing, green bean casserole, or deep-dish apple pie. Maybe you're excited about the football games or gathering with family. (That is allowed this year, isn’t it?) Or maybe, you’re grateful for an extra-long weekend. No shame in that. Even during the best of times, ... Continue Reading
Interactive Notebooks: An Easy Way to Engage and Assess Students
I love interactive notebooks. If you are familiar with my materials, you know I include them regularly in reading, grammar, and math. Interactive notebooks are an easy way to engage and assess students. And I'm not the only one who loves them. When I was in the classroom, interactive notebooks were one of my students’ favorite parts of our ... Continue Reading
