It’s that time of year again! Summer break is winding down, and the smells of sunscreen and chlorine will soon be replaced with those of freshly sharpened pencils You will soon be getting your room ready and getting your class lists – 20 or more names that will quickly become part of the fabric of your every day. Their bright,… Read More
What Your New Students Hope You Know About Them
10 Ways to Use Task Cards
Raise your hand if you’re looking for more ways to keep your students engaged in their learning? Task cards are the perfect way to get your kids up and moving. They are perfect for practice and review for any skill in any subject. What are Task Cards? Task cards are exactly how they sound. They are small cards that have… Read More
Interactive Word Walls
Word walls can be a powerful tool in any classroom. Several years ago I made the switch to an interactive word wall and never looked back. Let me tell you why. My first year of teaching I created this huge word wall display that took up an entire wall. I think I put less than 10 words up on it… Read More
7 Books for Teaching Kids How to Tell Time
Teaching kids how to tell time can be tricky! Incorporating literature into your math block is a great way to keep students engaged. Here are some great children’s books you can use to help teach kids how to tell time. I hope you can find the best book to teach time concepts. A Second, A Minute, a Week with Days… Read More
6 Vocabulary Games for Any Word List
Vocabulary instruction is so critical in today’s classroom! A strong foundation in vocabulary will help students to become better readers and writers. In part 5 of my vocabulary series, I am sharing some of my favorite vocabulary games to help maximize learning. In my previous posts, I have walked though Marzano’s Six Step Process for teaching vocabulary words. They are:… Read More
4 Activities for Applying Vocabulary Words in Writing
Hey there! Welcome back to part 4 of my vocabulary series where we are focusing on creating meaningful vocabulary instruction. In this series, I am walking though Marzano’s Six Step Process for teaching vocabulary. They are: Describe and Explain Restate and Explain in their OWN words. Create a Drawing Enrich and Explain their Knowledge (synonyms, antonyms, prefixes, etc…) Collaborate with… Read More
Vocabulary Words: Exploring Synonyms & Antonyms
Hey there! Welcome back to part 3 of my vocabulary series where we are focusing on creating meaningful vocabulary instruction. In this series, I am walking though Marzano’s Six Step Process for teaching vocabulary. They are: Describe and Explain Restate and Explain in their OWN words. Create a Drawing Enrich and Explain their Knowledge (synonyms, antonyms, prefixes, etc…) Collaborate with… Read More
Vocabulary Pictures to Enhance Student Learning
Hey there! Welcome back to part 2 of my vocabulary series where we are focusing on creating effective instruction through meaningful vocabulary activities, including creating vocabulary pictures. In part one of this series, I introduced Marzano’s Six Step Process for teaching vocabulary. They are: Describe and explain Restate and Explain in their OWN words. Create a Drawing. Enrich and Expand… Read More
Vocabulary Activities to Introduce & Explore New Words
If you’ve been following me for a while you know that I am a huge advocate for teaching vocabulary for your kids in the classroom. Vocabulary holds a strong relationship with comprehension. It plays an important roll in helping students learn to read as well as reading to learn. Effective instruction through vocabulary activities is essential. Students need both direct and… Read More
Online Student Assessments Made Easy
Hey there, friend! I don’t know about you but I’m tired of spending hours upon hours on student assessments and analyzing data. Let’s not forget about all the paperwork that goes along with that. Then you have to keep up with said paperwork to take to parent conferences and RTI meetings. IT IS A LOT OF WORK! What if I told… Read More
