Teaching Resource Center

The Cafe Book Informs Our Use of Assessments in the Classroom

Kelly Wilson — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 16:03:55 +0000

As teachers, we want to teach reading while building independence and a love for stories and their elements. The Cafe Book provides a cohesive structure that accomplishes both of those goals while helping us use assessment to inform our instruction.

Why Should You Use The Daily Five in Your Classroom?

Kelly Wilson — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 15:30:51 +0000

The Daily Five is an awesome resource written by "The Sisters," Gail Boushey and Jan Moser. This resource for teaching reading offers philosophical and practical advice for teaching reading, writing and skills of independence at any point in the school year.

The Extra Long Pocket Chart

Kelly Wilson — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 21:00:56 +0000

I love pocket charts, and this one is no exception! Twenty pockets and portable, use it with these lesson plans across the curriculum, or find a great use of your own!

Top 7 Fun Summer Learning Activities

Teaching Resource Center — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 12:05:39 +0000

When your kids are out of school for summer vacation, try these fun learning activities whenever you hear “I’m so bored…” Top 5 Fun Summer Activities Teaching Summer Safety Saving Summer Coins Preparing Kids For Summer Reading Free Sun Salutation Handout and Daily Exercise Plan United States of America Flag and Lesson Plan Summer Fun [...]

Saving Summer Coins

Carol Brooke — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 03:19:08 +0000

This fun math activity will keep your students busy this summer! Ms. Robin teaches students how to save and count coins. Materials: Saving Summer Coins Chart and Jar Label Jar or Coffee Can Pencil Coins (Students find coins over the summer.) Instructions: Teacher This activity can be started at school and completed at home with [...]

Summer Fun Journal

Carol Brooke — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 03:08:20 +0000

Your students will love writing in their journals with the help of their summer adventures guide, Ms. Robin! The Summer Fun Journal can be sent home on the last day of school or it can be used for summer school. Ms. Robin sings writing prompts on each page. Your students will enjoy writing and illustrating [...]

Top Ten Ways to Use the New Magnetic Letters

Kelly Wilson — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 13:15:32 +0000

Magnetic letters offer a great way for students to learn letters, sounds, spelling and word building through using manipulatives. Check out my top ten ways to use magnetic letters to build these skills!

United States of America Flag and Lesson Plan

Carol Brooke — Tue, 25 May 2010 21:35:39 +0000

Symbolism on the Flag of the United States of America The flag of the United States of America has thirteen equal, horizontal red and white stripes. The upper left corner of the flag has a blue rectangle in the canton, which is referred to as the “union”. Inside the blue rectangle there are fifty white stars. The fifty stars on the [...]

End of the Year Candy Math

Kelly Wilson — Mon, 24 May 2010 13:10:21 +0000

At this point of the school year, there are activities that can put candy to good use. Have your students enjoy this candy math project and reinforce important math skills at the same time!

Preparing Kids For Summer Reading

Kelly Wilson — Thu, 20 May 2010 13:42:50 +0000

Establish a Summer Reading routine early on to help kids retain reading skills, build confidence, and experience down time during chaotic summer days. Helpful tips for how to get started, where to find books, and keeping track of those Summer Reading minutes!

Last Days Book

Carol Brooke — Mon, 17 May 2010 06:53:32 +0000

Your students and their parents will love reading the Last Days Books. Students create their own books about experiences at school. This activity can be combined with the Classroom Memory Book or can stand alone. Materials: Last Days Book Colored Pencils or Crayons Bind/Attach to Classroom Memory Book Activities (optional) Stapler or Hole Punch & Yarn [...]

Finishing Classroom Memory Books

Carol Brooke — Mon, 17 May 2010 06:52:10 +0000

Many teachers choose to create classroom memory books as a special gift for their students and parents towards the end of the school year. When I was teaching Kindergarten and 2nd grade I enjoyed helping my students create these books with the help of volunteer parents. Towards the beginning of the school year, you may [...]

Teaching Summer Safety

Kelly Wilson — Thu, 13 May 2010 13:24:10 +0000

The end of the school year is almost here! Here's a lesson plan, simple project and craft to help you teach your kids personal safety skills and how to play safe in the sun this summer.

Memorial Day Poetry and Poppies

Carol Brooke — Sun, 09 May 2010 09:32:55 +0000

One important teaching skill is to guide children through the steps involved in being kind and respectful. We need to teach good character as well as academics. This lesson plan will allow your students to make a positive difference in the world while learning about poetry and history. Specifically, how to honor the memory of soldiers on Memorial [...]

Dear Teacher, Dear Student Letter Writing Lesson Plan

Kelly Wilson — Fri, 07 May 2010 13:50:56 +0000

Here's a writing lesson plan to help wrap up the school year. Help kids write friendly letters to next year's teachers and students, appropriately formatting them along the way!

Long Vowel/Short Vowel Poetry

Kelly Wilson — Thu, 06 May 2010 13:17:47 +0000

Teaching your students to write Couplets is a fun way to practice Long Vowel/Short Vowel concepts as well as explore how to write rhythmically in rhyme. Teach your kids how to put Couplets of different patterns together to tell a story!

Long Vowel/Short Vowel Tree

Kelly Wilson — Wed, 05 May 2010 13:21:56 +0000

The Family Tree template was originally created for a classroom project involving students and their families, but it has many more uses. This reading lesson plan emphasizes how to use the Family Tree template to practice, review and assess long vowel and short vowel skills.

Ladybug Word Family/Rime

Carol Brooke — Wed, 05 May 2010 04:33:54 +0000

When studying the _ug word family/rime, this little ladybug can be a helpful visual. Definitions: Onset – An onset is the beginning consonant element in a syllable, before the vowel. (For example, the word ring. R is the onset and ing is the rime. (Ring, wing, king and bring all belong to the ing word [...]

Ice Cream Word Family Game

Carol Brooke — Tue, 04 May 2010 05:22:53 +0000

Use this fun game, complete with free printable game template, to reinforce word families. Materials to Create the Game: Ice Cream Word Family Printable Game Template (cones, ice cream scoops, word family dice and score cards) Scissors Laminate and White Copy Paper or Card Stock Paper White Board Markers or Pencils Small Yogurt Container (keep the scoops [...]

End Of The Year Alphabet Countdown

Kelly Wilson — Mon, 03 May 2010 12:42:46 +0000

The school year is quickly coming to an end! The Editors at TRC have put together a list of some of our favorite activities from this year to help you and your students count down to summer fun. Use a few, several or all of them through the letter Z or the last day of school, whichever comes first!

Teaching Rhyming Poetry in the Classroom

Kelly Wilson — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 12:13:44 +0000

Use your students' background knowledge of word families and word sorting to create Couplets and Quatrains. Gather these two forms of poetry, along with others, into a Poetry Book project, which makes a perfect gift!

Poetry For Parts of Speech Practice

Kelly Wilson — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 12:13:20 +0000

Playing with language is fun, especially when exploring different forms of poetry with your students. Use Parts of Speech poems to review nouns, verbs, conjunctions, adjectives and more while collecting poetry to use in a Poetry Book project.

Father’s Day My Dad Rocks Gift

Carol Brooke — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 05:39:34 +0000

Here’s an easy to make and useful Father’s Day gift! Dad can use the My Dad Rocks jar to store coins, office or workshop supplies. Materials: My Dad Rocks Label Template Father’s Day Gift Certificates Two Rocks (big and small) Paint (blue or green) Paint Brushes Glass Jar with Lid Tape Markers Wiggly Eyes (8) Elmer’s Glue [...]

Mother’s Day Purse and Coupons

Carol Brooke — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 02:06:26 +0000

Here’s a free, printable Mother’s Day gift craft! Students will create purses and fill them with personalized coupons that Mom can redeem any time. Materials: Free Mother’s Day Purse and Coupons Template Yarn Scissors Crayons or Colored Pencils Instructions: Purse Color and cut out the purse. Use a hole puncher to poke holes in the [...]

Chocolate Chip Digraphs: ch, sh, th Word Game

Carol Brooke — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 01:16:47 +0000

Here’s a fun Chocolate Chip Digraph Game and lesson plan! Explaining Digraphs – Think Chocolate! A digraph is two letters together which create a new sound (e.g. ch, sh, th, wh, qu, ph, -ck). Bring unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter, sugar and chocolate chips as visuals for your lesson. Put all of the ingredients on display in [...]