Elementary Matters

The Importance of Review

2025-11-11T12:21:00.001-05:00

Some of you may remember that I'm active in community theatre. Yes, I sing, dance, and create some wonderfully quirky characters. At yesterday's rehearsal, we were working on a scene that got me thinking about the importance of review. We were working on choreography for It's a Wonderful Life, the musical. (Don't you love the movie? The musical stage show is even more awesome!)

We spent several hours working on one of the musical scenes about 3 weeks ago. Yesterday, when we went back to it, no one really remembered much. Fortunately, with everyone's help, we were able to piece it back together, but it was a great reminder of the importance of frequent review.

Whether we're learning choreography or important skills in an elementary classroom, review is an essential part of the process!

Why Review Matters

Children learn best through repetition and meaningful practice. Research tells us that information moves from short-term to long-term memory when it’s revisited multiple times, in different ways, over time. Without review, even the most exciting lesson can fade from memory after a few weeks. (Just like our choreography!)

For elementary students, review does more than strengthen academic skills; it builds confidence! When students realize they remember something they learned weeks ago, they feel successful and capable. That confidence carries over into new learning.

When to Review

Review shouldn’t just happen before a big test. It can (and should!) be a regular part of your classroom routine. Here are a few ideas:

Morning Work: Include a quick spiral review of math or grammar skills from earlier in the year.
Transition Times: Use a few minutes between subjects to review a quick question or play a flashcard game.
Friday Fun: End the week with a review game show, scavenger hunt, or trivia challenge to revisit the week’s concepts.
Centers: Add review stations where students practice previously learned material in fun, hands-on ways.

How to Keep Review Engaging

Review doesn’t have to mean another worksheet! Here are some creative ways to make review time something your students look forward to:

Games: Try “Jeopardy,” “Scoot,” or “Around the World.” Kids love a little friendly competition!
Partner Challenges: Have students quiz each other or explain how to solve a problem. Talking about what they've learned helps them internalize it!
Interactive Notebooks: Revisit past pages and have students add new connections or reflect on what’s changed in their thinking.
Crafts and Projects: Combine art and academics! For example, making a life cycle wheel, sorting word families, or creating math fact posters. Integrating the arts deepens learning!

Some helpful review resources:

Phonics Review

Phonics Review on Boom Learning

Language Review (Parts of Speech)

Language Review on Boom Learning

Vocabulary Review (Prefixes, Suffixes, Antonyms, Synonyms, and Abbreviations)

Vocabulary Review on Boom Learning

Math Review

Math Review on Boom Learning

Social Studies Review

Social Studies Review on Boom Learning

Science Review

Science Review on Boom Learning

Basic Concepts Review Bundle

Basic Concepts Bundle on Boom Learning

Word Work Games Bundle

Math Games Bundle

Sports-Themed Word Work Games

Sports-Themed Math Games

End of Year/ Summer Bundle

Some blog posts about review:

Regular review shows students that learning is an ongoing process, not something that’s “one and done.” It gives you valuable insight into what students remember and what might need reteaching. Plus, review activities often provide opportunities for collaboration, laughter, and positive classroom energy.

Review isn’t about repeating learning, it’s about reinforcing it. By weaving review into your daily and weekly routines, you’re giving your students a stronger foundation for future success.

So next time you’re tempted to skip review in favor of something new, remember: a few minutes of review today can make a world of difference tomorrow.

Whatever Happened to Common Courtesy?

2025-04-04T23:37:00.006-04:00

Whatever happened to common courtesy?
It's a strange world out there. Many people are caught up in some very angry politics, and the children are seeing it all. Don't you miss common courtesy?

As elementary teachers, we know that social-emotional learning is just as important as academic instruction. One of the simplest, yet most powerful ways to create a positive classroom culture is by modeling common courtesy. (I genuinely believe modeling is the best way to teach pretty much everything!) When we consistently demonstrate respect, kindness, and consideration, our students learn these essential life skills by example.

What is Common Courtesy?

Common courtesy includes everyday acts of respect and politeness, such as saying “please” and “thank you,” listening attentively, and treating others with kindness. These small actions help build strong relationships, foster community, and create a welcoming classroom environment where all students feel valued. Hopefully, these actions are "common" in every classroom!

Ways to Model Common Courtesy in the Classroom

1. Use Polite Language

Teachers know that students will mirror how we speak, so it's important to use polite language in every interaction. Simple phrases like “Good morning,” “Excuse me,” “May I help you?” and “Thank you for waiting” set the tone for respectful communication. Using polite language seems so simple, yet it really teaches children how to respect each other!

2. Listen with Full Attention

When a student speaks, model active listening by making eye contact, nodding, and responding thoughtfully. Avoid interrupting, and let students finish their thoughts before you reply. This teaches them that their words matter and encourages them to listen attentively to others. It's a good idea to discuss how to listen with full attention with the children, and model with them what it looks like.

3. Show Appreciation

Express gratitude to students regularly for their efforts. Saying “Thank you for helping clean up” or “I appreciate how you included your friend in the game” reinforces positive behavior and encourages students to acknowledge others’ kindness. Encourage them to do this with each other as well!

4. Apologize When Necessary

Teachers are human, too! If you make a mistake or speak too quickly, own it. Saying, “I’m sorry for interrupting you. Please continue,” shows students that apologizing is a sign of strength and respect. They can't see enough of this, can they?

5. Hold Doors and Offer Help

Small acts of kindness, such as holding the door for a student or helping a child pick up dropped supplies, go a long way in demonstrating courtesy. These actions show that being thoughtful of others is an everyday habit.

6. Promote a Culture of Respect

Make common courtesy a classroom expectation by setting clear norms and modeling them daily. Create a class pledge or poster with phrases like “We say please and thank you,” “We listen when others speak,” and “We treat everyone with kindness.”

Related Posts

Here are a couple of related blog posts that interest you!

Related Resources:

Here are a few resources that might help to teach common courtesy to your students and practice reading skills at the same time!

Final Thoughts

Students learn best by watching the adults around them. By consistently modeling common courtesy, you’re shaping respectful students and creating a positive, inclusive classroom environment where everyone feels valued. Small actions make a big impact—so let’s lead by example and inspire kindness daily!

How do you model courtesy in your classroom? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Teach Students to Stay Healthy

2025-02-07T00:29:00.003-05:00

If our students are not healthy, they won't be learning much, will they? Although there's no guarantee, we can help them learn some ways to stay healthy.

Here are a few ways we can help them learn to develop good health habits:

Model Good Health Habits

Being a good role model is the best way to teach children pretty much anything. They need to see you modeling proper health habits! Let them see you:

drink water
wash your hands frequently
eating healthy foods
cough or sneeze into your elbow
brushing teeth
working through stress
exercising
getting fresh air

If you're unable to let them see you doing these healthy things, work it into your conversations:

Yesterday, when I was out for my daily walk... "
I was getting stressed about the weather, so I... "
This morning, while I was brushing my teeth... "

Share information about good health habits.

Plenty of resources with information can be shared with children about good health habits.

I suggest trying some of these "Stay Healthy" activities from this bundle.

Or you could try this bundle, available on the popular Boom Learning platform!

The "Stay Healthy" Boom Bundle has these two decks

Here are a couple of helpful videos!

You can easily add these books to your classroom library for the children to read or for read-aloud! (These are Amazon affiliate links.)

Talk about what we can do to stay healthy

I truly believe in having a health unit. But that's not enough! Good health habits should be discussed regularly! It might sound like this:

"I know it's chilly outside, but bundle up because fresh air is important for your health."

"What a healthy snack! That will help your body fight germs."

"I'm glad to see you wash your hands so carefully! You won't be spreading any germs!"

"Yes, you can refill your water bottle. Water helps us stay healthy!"

Being healthy is at the lowest level of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. So, it makes sense that being healthy is essential to learning. See the post below for more information about Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Bloom's Taxonomy.

For more ideas on keeping them healthy, see this post!

What do you do to help your students learn how to stay healthy?

6 Easy to Use Tips for Building a Positive Classroom Community All Year Long

2025-02-06T14:10:00.007-05:00

February is a wonderful time to emphasize friendship and the importance of a positive classroom community. Because I have a deep passion for helping students feel connected and loved, I have developed a fair number of resources with a social emotional focus. With just a little bit of advanced planning, it is so easy to weave into our lessons themes of inclusivity and caring for each other simply by selecting books with these themes.
In this post, I'd like to share ideas and activities with you that may support your goals of building a positive classroom community. Community building is one of the most important things we as teachers do, and it takes more than the first week of school to do it. In the first week, we help students get to know each other, help students get to know us, and we work to establish classroom norms so that the rest of the school year goes smoothly. However, it takes consistent conversations for deep friendships and memories to evolve.

Through community building activities, students have fun, work together, and learn that each member has value. As teachers, we plan a variety of activities to achieve our goals with community building, but I hope these recommendations hit you in the heart to help inspire love in your classroom.

Activities That Lead to a Positive Classroom Community

Use Shout Outs for Positive Feedback and to Strengthen Your Classroom Community

Shout outs are a great way for students to recognize the kindness shown by their peers. Teachers can ring a bell or another attention grabbing sound, or simply put out a request for shout outs. Shout outs can be done in your class meeting or any time they are relevant. We all love to be complimented, and shout outs provide sincere praise from peers which really means a lot to kids.

Hosting Morning Meetings Builds Common Bonds

Start the day with a short meeting where students greet each other, share personal news, and participate in a fun, community-building activity. This sets a positive tone for the day, and helps students forget about what may have happened on the bus or at home.

For my morning meetings, I recommend using these social emotional poems. There are 32 poems included and each comes with language arts activities as well as a projectable graphic organizer you can use for group discussion. If you would like a free sample of these poems, you can click the button below. The poetry set I am sharing is about perseverance which is an excellent term to teach especially as we've got the Superbowl and March Madness going on. You can use it with the book, Salt in His Shoes or Wilma Unlimited and tie in Black History Month too.

DOWNLOAD THIS RESOURCE

Team-Building Games Support a Positive Classroom Community

Team-building games can serve so many purposes. For one, they help kids get to know each other's strengths. If you have a dynamic speaker on your team, you can bet the kids will recognize it. Likewise, drawing skills are a hot commodity too. Playing games like "Human Knot," "Two Truths and a Lie," or cooperative problem-solving activities promote teamwork and communication, valuable skills in the workplace.

All about Me Activities Build Confidence and Self-Esteem

Have students create personal posters, time capsules, or presentations to share their interests. Helping classmates learn more about one another again reinforces personal strengths, improves self confidence, and builds common bonds.

In conjunction with All about Me activities, I recommend a few book titles on these themes.

Showcase Random Acts of Kindness to Teach and Inspire

Create monthly kindness challenges where students aim to complete specific acts of kindness within the school or community. You can brainstorm ideas they can use as RAKs during your morning meeting, and then allow time for students to share what they have observed. I would encourage them to watch for ways people show kindness and share what they see vs what they've done themselves. This way, it doesn't get out of hand with kids bragging about what they've done. You can then encourage the selfless nature of random acts.

I came across these RAK challenge cards from Counselor Chelsey on TPT. I know they'd be helpful for discussion too. You can click the image below to download them.

With Group Projects, Assign Rotating Roles:

The last suggestion I have are to utilize group projects often. Whether your students are collaborating on an experiment in science, a group presentation, a trifold display for the novel they are reading, or a poster project, these help build communication skills. Even if students don't get along initially, working through conflicts teaches them to work with colleagues for the future.

As you organize the groups, be sure to assign students different roles (leader, recorder, presenter, word wizard, or illustrator) to encourage collaboration and respect for diverse strengths. You might share this quote by Henry Ford for a bit of inspiration.

Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success. ~Henry Ford

Why You Need to Work on a Positive Classroom Community

All you have to do is read a newspaper, surf social media, or watch the evening news, and you'll see example after example of conflict. It is all around. However, if we all work to encourage teamwork, treating others with kindness, and build upon each others strengths, it will make a difference.

I appreciate the opportunity to blog on Sally's site, and I hope you'll drop by Comprehension Connection in the future. If you're interested in a few related posts, you might check out these:

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A New Year? A New Opportunity!

2024-12-28T16:48:00.005-05:00

It's a new year!

It's a chance for a whole new outlook!

It's the time of year when people make new goals and resolutions—it's time for a fresh start!

Many schools have been out for close to a couple of weeks.

We all know that the children have been "checked out" for a lot longer than that.

That means it's a good time to review and introduce new procedures. You may have noticed that their behavior at centers has been a bit "iffy." You may have noticed they're no longer lining up quietly. You may have noticed their use of computers and devices is no longer careful. This is a good time to review all these procedures. Here are some ideas on reintroducing procedures.

Tips for Teaching Procedures

I make this promise at the beginning of every school year. It's also not a bad one to introduce at the beginning of the new year!

My First Day of School Promise!

Resolutions! Are they worth it, or just a setup for future failure? That's a philosophical question I have no intention of answering, but a resolution to be happy is a good one. It's doable, and can be shared with your students! (Plus, these are research-based ways to be happy, AND, there's a freebie attached!)

15 Ways to Be Happy!

After a nice break and a rethink of procedures and behaviors, they'll be ready to learn again! Some of your students might not have been ready for these resources when they first arrived in your classroom, but I'll bet they're stronger readers, writers, and thinkers, and are more than ready to learn now!

Here are a couple of things they might be ready for now that they couldn't handle earlier in the year:

Math Fact Fluency: Addition and Subtraction

Math Fact Fluency: Multiplication and Division Facts

Cursive Writing: A Self-Directed Bundle

Earth Changes Bundle

Weather and Climate Bundle

Life Cycle Collection

Daily Calendar Writing Prompts for the Whole Year

Here are a few more resources your students might enjoy for the month of January:

January Resources

How are you handling this new opportunity of a brand-new year?

Why Drama Matters: 20 Ways Plays Benefit Elementary Students

2024-11-07T12:31:00.010-05:00

Getting students to work with other students can be a challenge!

They usually have a couple of friends they are comfortable with, but it's awkward when they need to work with someone else.

Things become less awkward when they work together for a common goal. How can we get them working together while continuing to teach the curriculum?

Starting the day with Morning Meeting, along with Team Building games is a great way to start! However, one of my favorite ways to get children working together is by putting on plays!

Research shows that including dramatics and theater in the learning environment enhances many important life skills. Here are 20 of them!

Students learn new words in context, improving their vocabulary.

Performing in front of their peers helps students gain confidence and reduce stage fright.

Working together in a play fosters teamwork and collaboration skills.

Students explore their imagination through character development and storytelling.

Students must listen to cues and instruction, honing their listening abilities.

Script reading allows students to practice reading fluently with expression.

Taking on different roles encourages empathy as students see the world through other perspectives.

Understanding the story and characters reinforces comprehension skills.

Acting and reacting on stage improves social interaction and communication.

Memorizing lines and cues enhance memory and recall abilities.

Plays often require creative solutions and quick thinking.

Staying in character and following the story requires focus.

Movement and gestures during dramatics improve coordination.

Many plays introduce students to different cultures and histories.

Speaking in front of others develops clarity and expressive language.

Acting can help students identify, express, and manage emotions.

Plays allow for various roles so all students can participate.

Drama gives students a constructive way to express themselves.

Regular practice helps students speak confidently in front of others.

Plays and dramatics bring excitement and joy to learning, making concepts more engaging.

What to use for resources? Well, I have several Reader’s Theater resources here: Reader's Theater Resources
And I’m working on more! And I’ll be glad to honor your requests! (Just email me at elementarymatters@gmail.com with your ideas!)

Check out these blog posts for more information about dramatics in the classroom and team-building activities:

Dramatics in the Classroom
Using Reader's Theater to Help Children Learn Kindness
Team Builders, Ice Breakers, and Get-to-Know-You Activities
Six Ways to Integrate Team Building Into Your Curriculum!
Build Social Skills and Academics with Morning Meeting

How do you get your students to work together?

Celebrate Winter Holidays!

2024-11-04T16:30:00.008-05:00

The holidays are coming fast!

As teachers, we want to have fun with our students during this very special time of year, yet we want to respect their individual beliefs and, of course, continue the important learning!

There are a whole lot of holidays celebrated in the winter! Here are ten of them:

Diwali
Hanukkah
St. Lucia Day
Las Posadas
Winter Solstice
Christmas
Boxing Day
Kwanzaa
New Year's Eve
Chinese New Year

I like to discuss each holiday and its meaning. Better yet, they can read about these holidays!

This resource provides a kid-friendly explanation of each of the above 10 holidays. It is available in color or black and white for easier printing.

Plus, after they learn about the holidays, they can perform the included readers' theater! What a great way to practice important reading and speaking skills, learn about winter holidays, and have some fun!

Plus, there's a song that can be used as a "grand finale!"

All these can be found in this one resource: Christmas and Holidays Around the World: Non-fiction Text AND Reader's Theater.

You can also grab this Winter Holidays Readers Theater for FREE by signing up for my weekly newsletter HERE!

Want a digital resource that covers these same holidays? Grab this resource that's available on the Boom Learning platform:

How do you celebrate the winter holidays with your students?

5 Reasons to Follow your Passions!

2024-10-05T21:37:00.006-04:00

My dad was a high school football coach and the town's physical education director. He was an amazing man who taught many things to many people.

Most of all, he taught me the importance of being passionate about some things.

The Benefits of Following Your Passions

Everyone needs to be passionate about something. Having passions and hobbies benefit us in many ways:

1. Stress Relief: Engaging in activities you love helps relieve stress and provides a mental break from daily responsibilities. Hobbies like painting, gardening, or playing sports can be calming and therapeutic.
2. Personal Growth: Hobbies allow you to learn new skills, challenge yourself, and grow as an individual. They can also build self-confidence as you achieve milestones or improve at something.
3. Creativity and Expression: Passions give people an outlet to express their creativity. Whether it's through music, art, or crafting, they provide a way to communicate emotions and ideas that might be difficult to express otherwise.
4. Sense of Purpose and Fulfillment: Being passionate about something gives you a sense of purpose and fulfillment. It helps you feel accomplished and motivates you to pursue personal goals.
5. Improved Mental Health: Many studies show that people who actively engage in hobbies and passions are more likely to experience higher levels of happiness and mental well-being. Hobbies provide joy, distraction, and a sense of achievement.

Many of us are passionate about many things! It's lovely when one of our passions is also our chosen career, but in most cases, our passions won't pay the bills. As teachers, we are probably passionate about teaching. (Why else would we do it?) But I'll bet most of us aren't passionate about everything to do with the job. Plus, I'm sure there are plenty of other passions among us.

Our students need to develop passions and hobbies for the exact same reasons. I'm sure you're already seeing some of these passions appearing in your classroom!

We all know those kids who are passionate about sports:

Not only are many little ones participating in many of these sports, but many also enjoy watching them! Despite my dad being a football coach, I've never been a big football fan, but I sure do love watching the Red Sox!

If you have any sports fans in your classroom, try some of these sports-related skill-building games:

Sports Learning Games

I'm pretty sure you know which kids in your class are passionate about visual arts!

There may be a few who haven't figured out what they're passionate about yet. As teachers (and parents), it's up to us to expose them to many things so they can begin to develop their own passions.

The performing arts are my personal passion! I'm a big musical theater fan and love a good song and dance! Yes, I can sing, act, and even tap dance!

Many students, particularly some of the shy ones, seem to come alive when performing! These kiddos really benefit from group songs, reader's theater, and presenting research or sharing in front of the class.

Who doesn't love exercise?

Even though I'm not athletic, I love many forms of exercise, and I'm sure your students do, too!

As teachers, we hope your students develop a passion for reading, but this isn't always true.

We can help them learn to enjoy reading by directing them toward different kinds of reading.

Writing can also be a passion for many people. (As a blogger, you probably know that I'm a fan of writing!))

Sometimes just offering a different kind of writing helps them learn to enjoy writing!

If you're looking for more ideas for writing in the classroom, try some of these:

Writing Resources

I'll bet you know plenty of people with a passion for cooking!

Although cooking isn't typically part of the classroom curriculum, it's a wonderful experience for many children in so many ways! For one thing, most recipes include math and reading directions. Plus, it's a life skill! Cooking has its own reward: you get to eat what you make!

There are many rewards in gardening. My dad (the football coach) often came home from coaching a game and would find solace in his garden.

Children LOVE gardening; some of those little ones have "green thumbs!" Growing a garden can be very educational and bring great joy.

Most kids LOVE animals. I think I've had one or two students who were passionate about horses in every class I've had. My sister was one of these, and we both went to horseback riding lessons frequently. To this day, she still owns horses.

After a couple of months of school, you can probably name the pets of most of your students, right?

Who doesn't love nature? There are several benefits to being outside in nature, including improved mental health, improved memory, improved sleep, and even boosting Vitamin D levels!

Here are a couple of articles about the benefits of nature:

Nurtured by Nature
How Can Nature Benefit My Mental Health?
How Connecting With Nature Benefits Our Mental Health

In other words, get those kiddos outside!

In case you're interested, here are a couple of posts I've written about my dad:

What does a non-athletic girl learn from a football coach?

Speaking of Heroes

I'm sure you recognize many of your students in the passions and hobbies I've listed, but I hope you also recognize some of your own passions. Plus, these lists are only the beginning!

What are your passions?

Pumpkin Learning Fun!

2024-09-28T23:08:00.005-04:00

It's a great time of year!

Autumn brings colorful leaves, apples, crisp weather, and of course, pumpkins!

Children love pumpkins, don't they? That’s why pumpkins are a great way to make learning fun!

I often start with books. Gail Gibbons writes some of my favorite informational books for kids this age, including a fabulous book about pumpkins called The Pumpkin Book!

Here are a few more pumpkin book suggestions: (These are Amazon affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission from each purchase, at no extra cost to you.)

Read-alouds are great, but it's also great when they have their own books!

Don't they just love a booklet that they can hold, read, color, and write in? This will make them happy!

This collection of activities makes learning about the life cycle of the pumpkin great fun for the students. They can make various fun crafts while sharing what they've learned about pumpkins!

I absolutely LOVE Boom Learning for a multitude of reasons, but most of all, the children love it and will want to use it over and over. Luckily, there are so many different pumpkin facts in the Boom deck that the children will need to play several times before they remember them all!

Want your students thinking about their progress?

2024-08-27T00:37:00.005-04:00

Want your students to take notice of their own learning?

Here's a little something I've done for years, and it never fails!

Get started with a monthly self-assessment.

I use these Monthly Check-Ins for my monthly assessment. The children LOVE them and look forward to them each month. Since the questions are similar each month, they anticipate what will be coming and will start to plan ahead! "I think this will be my favorite book for the month," or "I'm proud of how well I did with my life cycle project, that will go on the next monthly check-in!"

I often make a list of the main events of the past month before giving them the new month's check-in. Younger students, in particular, need that organization.

That list might look something like this:

The children reflect on the individual questions and write their very best answers. Sometimes, I'll let them make a final draft and decorate it to make it special. I don't correct any mistakes, but I'm hoping that as the months go by, they'll realize those mistakes and recognize that they are getting smarter!

Save in a binder as a collection of the year's growth.

I keep a binder for each child (I usually let them pick their own color at the beginning of the year.) When they're done with their newest entry, we place it in the binder.

When the children share their latest entries with me, I find the time to sit with each child and discuss what they should work on in the coming month. It's tough to find time to meet with each individual, but it's totally worth it!

Not only do the children LOVE to share, but here's where a lot of the learning happens! These are rich conversations and have a lot of value. I hear things like, "I loved learning about the life cycle of the bat, I had no idea their babies were called pups!" or "I can't believe I didn't know how to spell firefighters last month. Now I do!" or even, "My handwriting was so sloppy back then, I can write much more neatly now!"

These monthly check-in binders are great to share with families at conferences and open houses. Parents LOVE to see their children's growth.

Even when the changes are subtle, growth should certainly be celebrated!

How do you celebrate their learning?

Organizing Math Centers

2024-06-27T21:35:00.002-04:00

I typically start my math block with a whole group mini-lesson. Then we break into groups during the rest of the math time.

How do we organize our math groups?

Most of our students need small group guidance on their math development daily. This can be a juggling act! Not only is it a challenge deciding what to do with these small math groups, but also, what do the rest of the students do while the teacher is occupied?

Here are some suggestions:

I use magnets to display these cards on my board. The names have magnets as well. (I change my groups frequently, depending on the topic I'm teaching and the needs of my students.)

The above board represents how I might assign groups at the beginning of the school year. I would spend the first block of time teaching a game or two, and expectations for each center. The groups follow the cards vertically. Tanner's group would explore manipulatives first, while Bailey's group uses computers or tablets. Ethan's group has independent practice while Brian's group will play math games. Partners are usually assigned and are listed side by side. In the case of an odd amount of students, there will be a group of three.

At the beginning of the year, there is no "work with teacher" station. I use that time to circulate among my students, making sure they understand expectations and staying quietly focused on their assignments.

Once they've got the routine down, the board might look more like this:

I'll be meeting with three of the four groups today. I'll find time to check in with the fourth group, but this is the group that needs less guidance. I'll only meet with them 2-3 times a week. I make sure to meet with my lowest group daily. I typically teach my groups a warm-up they can do without me, so I'll have a chance to make sure the other students settle into their centers.

As the year goes on, there are times when I need to assess individuals.

My daily schedule might look something like this. I kept the one math group that really needed the guidance, but during the other 2 stations, I would pull individuals for assessment as needed. (You can see I used one of the blank cards for the group that needed time on that STEM project.)

If you're interested in these cards, just see the image below!

See the image below for information about organizing literacy centers.

How do you organize your math centers?

Ten Things for Students to Do While You're Teaching Math Groups

2024-06-26T23:31:00.003-04:00

With the variety of skills students come to you with Mathematically, it's important to meet the needs of ALL students. Teaching Math in small groups is a great way to come closer to meeting their individual needs. The big question:

What do the other students do while you're teaching math to small groups?

Here are some of the things that students can do when the teacher is busy with other students.

1.Independent Practice

Do you have a math series with workbook pages or practice sheets? This is where they fit in... but only if the children can perform these tasks on their own. Some of your more challenged students may need to be practicing skills that are more appropriate for them. They all love this, and it's a great way to build that number sense. (and easy to differentiate!)

Count to 1000 booklet

2. Working with a partner

Children are social beings and absolutely LOVE when they get to work together! For those children who are a little insecure in their skills, having a partner might help them build a little confidence. Plus, working with a partner leads to those rich conversations that help internalize learning.

3. Playing math games

Children love games, and will play them over and over again! That means they'll be practicing the skills over and over! Try some of these popular Math games:

or try this collection

Sports Themed Bingo Math Games

4. Writing math stories

Some children LOVE to write! Here's a chance to let them do what they love while practicing math. Once they've written the math stories, they can share them with classmates for solving!

5. Facts practice

If students spend 5 minutes a day practicing math facts, they will develop math fact fluency in no time at all. Here are a few posts that tell more about building math fact fluency.

6. Explore math manipulatives

They do love those manipulatives, don't they? In order to learn with manipulatives, they need to KNOW the manipulatives. My favorites are pattern blocks and Cuisenaire Rods. Read about these here:

7. Digital task cards

I'm a HUGE fan of Boom Learning Digital Task Cards, and so are the kiddos! Here are a few favorites:

Another option would be a digital math program. I've had much luck with Happy Numbers. It's a research-based individualized program that is easy to use and adapts to the mathematical needs of the students. Plus, teachers can see a record of how each child is doing! It's easy for the teachers and fun for the students.

8. Practice with a teacher assistant or a parent volunteer

Some students need the assistance of an adult. I often refer to these adults as a "guest teacher." Sometimes, These adults have specific directions for their time with the child, and I'll let the child choose.

9. Math puzzles and brain teasers

I'm sure you have plenty on hand, and the children love these! Here are some examples:

Tangrams
Sudoku
Magic Squares
Dominoes

10. STEM activities

Who doesn't love a good STEM activity? This is a good time for children to work on a STEM problem that's already been introduced and needs more time, or one with easy directions, since the teacher is unavailable during this time.

Looking for some ideas on organizing these math activities?

Try this link!

Looking for some similar ideas for reading groups? Try this link!

What do your students do while you're teaching math groups?

Who Might Benefit From Team-Building Exercises?

2024-03-24T22:54:00.004-04:00

I've always used team-building activities in my classroom. My dad was a football coach. Of course team building was important to him! I've taught theatre to children. Yes, we used team-building exercises as part of our program. In fact, I've been in a lot of plays and musicals. (Yes, I sing and dance, in my spare time.) We often start each rehearsal with a team-building activity.

Team-building exercises can benefit a wide range of groups across various contexts:

Nonprofit Organizations: Teams working within nonprofit organizations can use team building exercises to enhance cohesion, increase motivation, and align efforts toward achieving the organizations mission.

Educational Institutions: Student groups, faculty teams, or administrative staff within schools and universities can benefit from team building exercises to foster a positive learning environment, enhance teamwork skills, and improve academic outcomes.

Healthcare Teams: Healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, and support staff, can benefit from team building exercises to improve patient care, strengthen interdepartmental relationships, and reduce workplace stress.

Sports Teams: Athletic teams, whether amateur or professional, can use team building exercises to enhance teamwork, trust, and communication among teammates, leading to improved performance on the field or court.

Community Groups: Volunteer organizations, neighborhood associations, or community service groups can utilize team building exercises to strengthen relationships, increase engagement, and improve collective problem-solving abilities.

Project-Based Teams: Teams working on specific projects, whether temporary or ongoing, can use team building exercises to establish clear roles and responsibilities, improve coordination, and boost morale throughout the project lifecycle.

Family or Social Groups: Even informal groups such as families, friends or social clubs can benefit from team building activities to strengthen bonds, improve communication, and create memorable shared experiences.

Overall, any group that relies on collaboration, communication, and mutual support to achieve common goals can benefit from team building exercises tailored to their specific needs and dynamics.

So, as classroom teachers, how can we help build these important life skills?

We build these skills with team building activitiies!

Try these: 60 Team Building Games and Activities to Build Classroom Community

or try these blog posts for more information about team building:

Why encourage team building in the elementary classroom?

Six Ways to Integrate Team Building into Your Curriculum

How do you encorporate team building activities into your classroom?

Ten Activities to Keep Them Engaged!

2024-01-09T21:37:00.009-05:00

As elementary teachers, one of our biggest challenges is to keep our students engaged in the learning process!

Capturing the attention of the students is not always easy. But children are naturally curious and have that infectious enthusiasm. Here are ten ways to help capture their attention, making learning fun and memorable!

Books!

The right books can capture their attention and their hearts! I am committed to reading at least one picture book (or a chapter) to my students every day. Sometimes the book is related to something I'm teaching, and sometimes it is just to bring out the joy in books. See the image for a link to 10 of my favorites!

Educational Games!

Integrating educational games into your lessons makes learning more enjoyable. Whether it's math bingo, spelling races, or science jeopardy, games provide a hands-on approach to learning and reinforce important concepts. Plus, they're fun, which means children will want to play them over and over! See the image for more about learning games:

Hands-On Science Experiments!

Bring science to life by conducting simple, hands-on experiments. From creating a volcano eruption to exploring the properties of magnets, these activities not only make science more tangible but also stimulate students' natural curiosity. These monthly sets are a great source of science experiments:

Themed Days!

As much as children need consistency and routine, they also need novelty. Infuse excitement into the classroom by organizing themed days. Whether it's a historical era, a cultural celebration, or a scientific exploration, themed days allow students to delve deeply into a topic and make connections across different subjects. See the image for more about novelty.

Outdoor Learning!

Take the classroom outdoors! Plan nature walks, scavenger hunts, or even simple math games on the playground. The change of scenery can rejuvenate both students and teachers, making learning a breath of fresh air. See the image to read more about getting them outdoors

Integrate the Arts!

Guest Speakers or Virtual Tours!

Arrange for guest speakers to share their expertise or take virtual field trips. These experiences broaden students' perspectives and connect classroom learning to the real world, making lessons more relevant and engaging. Parents of students can be a great resource for guest speakers, and virtual field trips are easily accessible through Google!

Classroom Puzzles and Brain Teasers!

Stimulate critical thinking by introducing puzzles and brain teasers. These activities encourage problem-solving skills and perseverance, while also making learning enjoyable and challenging. Don't they just love word finds and crossword puzzles?

Role-Playing and Drama!

Incorporate role-playing and drama activities to make learning more immersive. Whether reenacting historical events or performing a play related to the curriculum, these activities allow students to embody what they've learned. See the image for more about dramatics in the classroom.

Student-Led Projects!

Empower students by allowing them to take the lead in projects. Whether it's creating a class newspaper, organizing a STEM project, or planning a cultural exhibition, student-led projects foster collaboration, responsibility, and a sense of accomplishment.

What do you think of these ten ideas?

What could you add to this list?

Six Ways to Use Seasonal and Holiday Printables

2023-11-25T22:25:00.003-05:00

Seasonal and holiday printables are a real time saver!

Plus, they bring valuable skills practice.

Oh yes, and the children LOVE them!

Here are 6 ways I have used these in my classroom:

1. Leave for a substitute teacher.

This is why I originally created seasonal printables. If I know I'm going to be out, I will make packets for my substitute to use for each of the subject areas. It's easy to differentiate both up and down.

For an extra challenge, write in an extra challenge. (Example: in math, you can ask these students to write story problems with 2-digit numbers, then solve them!)
To differentiate for more challenged students: give them fewer pages, or circle only some of the items for them to complete. (This is a trick I use all the time for both classwork and for homework. They know to only do the problems I have circled. If they finish early, they can attempt the other ones, but there's no "have to!" I am strategic when I circle the "have to")

2. Leave for when someone has to cover your class for a meeting.

You know those days: You'll have to leave your classroom with someone else. You don't want to leave complicated directions, especially if you don't even know who will be covering your class. But you want to leave meaningful skills practice that your students will enjoy.

3. Use on a day you just don't have the time to prepare.

We all know these days as well! Perhaps you were at school late the night before with parent conferences. Perhaps you've put in lots of hours preparing report cards. Maybe your child was up sick last night. Maybe you were up sick last night. There are a million reasons for running out of time to plan ahead. Seasonal printables to the rescue! Kids love them, and they'll make your life so much easier!

4. Use for independent practice.

Sometimes they just need something quiet to work on while you're working with reading or math groups. Seasonal printables will give them extra practice with their literacy and/ or math skills while letting them have a little fun. They really do enjoy the work a bit more if it has an element of fun!

5. Use for guided practice.

Your lower-abled students don't want to miss out on the fun of these seasonal pages! I've been known to use some of these printables during reading and/ or math groups for skills that are just a little beyond the abilities of my cherubs. (It might be the same thing some of the others are working on independently!) With a little bit of help, they'll feel a great sense of pride!

6. Use as partner work.

There are a lot of ways to partner up the students and a lot of good reasons to do this! Sometimes the partners would be relatively equal in abilities. This is a great way to get them talking! Yes, sometimes that's a good thing, isn't it? When they're talking through how they get their answers, that discussion internalizes learning! That's a good thing!

Sometimes it's ok to partner a stronger student with a weaker student, but this must be done very carefully. There is never a reason for a student to feel inferior to another. But with the right combination of students, some great conversations could happen, and they can both could learn from each other!

Here is a collection of Printables that could help you through the whole year: No Prep Activities and Worksheets for the Whole Year

Looking for some Science and Social Studies Printables? Try these! Science and Social Studies Activities for the Year!

What are your ideas for using seasonal and holiday printables?

Sunflower Learning Fun!

2023-10-06T14:40:00.011-04:00

Seriously, sunflowers?

Well, what makes learning fun in your classroom?

It's usually something the kiddos are excited about, isn't it?

Well, it's sunflower time right now, and that's what I'm using to keep the enthusiasm for learning going!

Here in New England, it's harvest time! That means everywhere you look, there are pumpkins, scarecrows, cornstalks, apples, and yes, sunflowers! The biggest country fairs of the year are among us! Since they're excited by their surroundings, let's work with it! After all, you've got to have a gimmick, don't you?

(Flashback to a post I did ages ago, called Gotta Get a Gimmick.)

Well, my gimmick for this week will be sunflowers, since that's what they're excited about!

Seriously, sunflowers are just the "vessel," but there's going to be some real learning!

Mental Math Game: Adding and Subtracting Tens and Hundreds With a Sunflower Theme

This is one of my most popular math games! It's an important skill (mental math with tens and hundreds), it's easy to differentiate, and it's so much fun that kids will want to play it repeatedly!

Sunflower Informational Text Mini-Book

Then, of course, there's a fun mini-booklet to read! Although I'm sure you have several books about sunflowers in your classroom, don't they just love to have a book they can hold in their own hands! Plus, these printable mini-booklets are perfect to use in reading groups, since the students can write in them! ("Underline the short a words in yellow." or "How many times can you find the word seeds on page 1?")

Sunflower LIfe Cycle Activities, Crafts, and Printables

Of course, I couldn't leave out the Sunflower Life Cycle Collection! The children absolutely LOVE these life cycle activities!

I also have other seasonal life cycles!

You can find the autumn bundle HERE.

Oh, and did I mention there's a bundle?

Sunflower MIni-Bundle

I always put a huge discount on my bundles! Enjoy!

Oh, yes, and there are books! Here are a couple of my favorites!

Sunflower House by Eve Bunting

A Sunflower's LIfe Cycle by Mary R. Dunn

Here's a fun one for your budding artists:

Van Gogh and the Sunflowers by Lawrence Anholt

Not specifically sunflowers, but I'm a huge fan of Gail Gibbons!

From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons

Some other ideas for celebrating sunflowers:

Roast some sunflower seeds!
Plant some sunflower seeds outside your school! (Yes, this needs to be done in the spring, but last year's students are still watching the ones they planted, and this year's students will want to continue this tradition in the spring!
Google some other recipes that use sunflower seeds. (There are plenty!)
Make a craft with sunflower seeds. (Again, google!)
Write a story (fiction or non-fiction) about sunflowers!
Estimate a sunflower's seeds. Or just a jar of sunflower seeds.
Measure the heads of the sunflowers in your sunflower garden and graph them.
I'll bet you can think of plenty more ways to enjoy sunflowers!

Fun and Easy: A Good Place to Start!

2023-08-18T22:25:00.004-04:00

They say it takes 6 weeks at the beginning of the school year for all the routines to be mastered, and REAL teaching can begin.

There are numerous routines and procedures to be taught between now and then. Additionally, there are various assessments that need to be completed. What about academics?

We have a whole lot of teaching to do!

Yes, we need to get to teaching academics! Reading, language, writing, math, science, social studies... those curricula won't teach themselves! How do we do it all?

We want them to be learning and growing.

After all, that's what school is for! But that real learning won't start until all the routines are in place. Once they know what to do when they enter the room, what to do during morning meeting, what to do during centers, how to line up for lunch, and what to do during reading and math groups, and so on! Once the classroom is running smoothly, the teaching of academics can begin successfully.

Yet, we want them to be confident and happy about school.

This is what allows learning to happen, isn't it? If they're not sure what to do, that doesn't build confidence. If they feel insecure about the work they're doing, they won't be happy in the classroom, will they? And if they're not happy or confident, they won't be learning.

How can we keep them feeling good while still encouraging their growth as learners?

Well, we shouldn't throw too much at them at once! Between all those procedures and routines that have to be taught, giving them more to learn as well is too much!

Have plenty of "reviewing of previous skills" to do while learning the new routine.

Studies show that teachers should introduce only one new skill at a time. That means, if you're teaching the routine of using devices during centers, they should be using skills they're already familiar with while learning the device routine!

When teaching the routine of independent reading, students should be reading books that are easy for them to understand.

If you're teaching the routine of coming to reading group, you should have them work on skills they've already learned.

There's plenty of time to introduce and practice new skills, once they've mastered the routine.

What should we use for review? Here are a few ideas:

Review for the beginning of Grade 2 Boom Cards

Review for the beginning of Grade 3 Boom Cards

Reading Celebration Game

Reading Games Bundle

Math Games Bundle

Have more "reviewing of previous skills" for them to do while assessing and learning about their learning!

Besides teaching routines, the other "biggie" at the beginning of the school year is figuring out where the children are in their skills. Regardless of our curriculum, if students are not ready for a specific skill, we must teach the prerequisite skills.

Don't forget those things that the students can always do at their own level:

Independent Reading (See these posts HERE and HERE.)

Writer's Workshop (See this post HERE.)

Learning Math Facts (See these posts HERE, HERE, and HERE.)

But to maintain a positive atmosphere and build confidence, start with "fun and easy" activities.

It's scary for the kiddos to start a new grade. If the work they're doing in that new grade is fairly easy for them, that will really dampen their academic mindset.

Here are a couple more resources that are fun, and an easy review to start off the year:

Basic Concepts Practice and Review: Literacy, Math, Science, Social Studies

or the same resource in for digital version:

Review Basic Concepts and Skills Review Boom Cards Bundle Second Grade

But then, there are those "high flyers!" They need something special, too! These science and social studies Boom Cards are perfect for these kids! The students can work independently, the cards provide immediate feedback, and can be used repeatedly, allowing them to learn more with each use.

Fun and Engaging Digital Science Topics Practice and Review Boom Cards Deck#1

Fun and Engaging Digital Science Topics Practice and Review Boom Cards Deck#2

Fun & Engaging Digital Social Studies Topics Practice & Review Boom Cards Deck#1

Fun & Engaging Digital Social Studies Topics Practice & Review Boom Cards Deck#2

How do you keep the children engaged and practicing skills while learning procedures and routine?

Eight Things to Think About While Long-Term Planning

2023-07-27T18:21:00.011-04:00

I never thought of long-term planning as something set in stone. In fact, I would never think about writing long-term plans in permanent ink!

I'll never forget the time I got marked down on my teacher evaluation because I didn't "show evidence of long-term planning." It was pretty frustrating since, had she asked, I'd have directed her to the flap inside my plan book with all my charts!

Yes, I'm a planner, but I do know better than to expect everything in the classroom to go exactly as planned!

Here are 8 things to think about while you're long-term planning"

1. Break the year into manageable chunks.

I typically do short-term planning by the week, but my longer plans are split into months. I know a lot of teachers like to use online planners, but I like to use old-fashioned paper. I start with a big grid labeled with each month.

2. Start with the big picture.

It's a good idea to start by plotting the big chunks of curriculum into smaller chunks. For example, I'll take a look at the writing curriculum, and break it into smaller parts such as writing narratives, creating a hook, word choice, fiction writing, informational writing, opinion writing, using dialogue, writing poetry, developing voice, and sentence fluency. Here's a rough draft of my writing long-term plans.

Even though you've plotted out the parts, we all know things will change. But if you teach the same grade next year, a lot of the work will be already done!

Feel free to use this blank copy, or make one of your own!

3. Establish routines.

We all know that the first few weeks of the year are dedicated to establishing routines that will be in place for the rest of the school year. If these routines are well taught, they will make your life easier in the long run. One example is starting each math lesson with 5 minutes of fact fluency practice.

These are the systems I use. They are easy to differentate and keep organized, and the students love them. (Much like a video game, it's a great accomplishment to "move up a level!") The students can practice alone, with a partner, with a small group, or even on ipads or laptops. Once the routine is set, that frees up the teacher to prepare the classroom for the rest of the daily math lessons, or to "listen in" to assess.

I also start my reading groups with a warm-up. These phrase cards are perfect for this purpose. (See more about reading warm-ups HERE.)

Here are some other resources that can help you establish valuable routines:

4. Consider seasonal themes.

Certain things are very appropriate for teaching at certain times of the year. For example, when I created the list of writing chunks above, I immediately put poetry into the April category, as April is poetry month. Clearly, teaching writing procedures comes at the beginning of the school year. (late August here) January is a great time to teach writing thank you notes, as they have a lot to write from the holidays! (Writing Thank You Notes) I teach writing friendly letters near the beginning of the year, because once they've learned the "routine," it goes straight into the Sub Tub! (See HERE for this routine!) I try to get most of the "nitty gritty" writing, (editing, proofreading, punctuation, and parts of speech) near the beginning, then go back to these as I see they need review.

When teaching about life cycles, I'll probably teach certain life cycles around December, like pine trees and reindeer. (See Winter LIfe Cycle Bundle) Some life cycles are more appropriate for springtime, like robins, butterflies, or dandelions. (See Spring Life Cycle Bundle)

5 Collaborate with colleagues.

We all have our strengths as well as weaknesses. We all have different experiences and different ideas. We all have our own styles. And thank goodness for this! As we chat with our colleagues and teammates, we can use these differences to benefit our students. Which teacher on your team is best at organization? Which teacher on your team is best at modeling writing behaviors? Which teacher on your team is best at finding the right books that model the skills you're working on? Most of the teaching for your own students goes with you, but it doesn't hurt to branch out, does it?

6. Integrate subjects when you can.

We all know there is never enough time in the classroom to do all that is needed to be done, as teachers all wear plenty of hats! When you are able, do "double duty!" What does that mean? Well, you can teach reading and writing skills while teaching social studies as well! You can teach science while integrating important math skills such as graphing and measuring! The resources below are perfect for combining subjects to save class time.

7. Don't forget sub plans!

It's a good idea to put aside plenty of activities that are valuable tasks that can be done any time of year, need minimal directions, and aren't dependent on previous lessons. This is a great time for review!

As mentioned above, I have my friendly letters all set to go in my sub tub. It's an activity that can be done over and over again, and their writing skills will grow each time. (Plus, they love it!)

These "no-prep" activities are perfect for such occasions! I keep several pages of my Camping No-Prep in the sub tub, as these can be done any time of year. But if you know you're going to be out, try one of these seasonal sets. (They do love when you integrate something seasonal with learning, don't they?) Seasonal No Prep Activities, Worksheets, and Printables for the Whole Year.

8. Be flexible.

Honestly, when it all comes down to it, the students should take the lead when it comes to planning. Yes, we have a curriculum to follow. But if you're about to teach multiplication and you realize there are several who can't remember how to add, you might need to change your plans. If you're teaching the long o patterns, and you realize your students don't remember the short o sound, change your plans. It's really all about the kids!

Here's a hint: when you see something you think will help you plan for a whole year, put it in your wishlist! Then, when a sale comes up, you can easily move it to your cart at a discounted price!

Happy teaching! May this year be the one filled with joy, excitement, wonder, and endless possibilities!

Strike a Hero Pose for Super Powers!

2023-07-09T21:22:00.002-04:00

Did you ever just strike a pose and suddenly feel more confident?

The other day I was watching old re-runs of Grey's Anatomy, when one of the doctors was standing in a pose similar to this little cutie.

She took a strong stance: arms strong, chin up, strong chest, with a look of determination on her face. The doctor explained that there was a study showing that 5 minutes in this strong stance before a hard task, a person gains confidence and performs better. (I found a reference to this episode HERE.)

After I saw that episode, I had to find out if it were a real thing, and I found a couple of articles about it: You can check these out:

I read about the advantages to a person's confidence, job performance, relationships, and a positive mindset!

Well, now I can't wait to try it! But even more... I want to see how the children react to it! I can just imagine they'll be quite creative in their power poses! Plus, I'm thinking of all the times these power poses can be brought into the classroom!

The first thing that comes to mind is testing... but my brain is racing with all sorts of other things: presentations, tough concepts, writing, science experiments, or even STEM projects!

Plus, teachers could use a little superpower posing as well. How about a little power posing before that observation?

How do you think a power pose would help in the classroom?

Me, Too! Not a Movement, But a Team Building Game!

2023-04-15T20:27:00.004-04:00

Me, Too!

I know what you're thinking... wasn't there a "Me Too" movement a couple of years ago?

I never really thought about that term being used in the classroom until I saw this on Twitter!

This game is great for the beginning of the school year, but it's also great for those times when a child is feeling a little too "different" and feels he doesn't belong.

It's also a great Morning Meeting activity!

It all starts with one child saying something they like. It can be an activity, or a food, or a toy, or even a subject in school.

Those students who also like that interest call out "Me, too!" and walk over to form a group of all those who like that item.

After a few rounds, children will be joining with a variety of groups and agreeing with a variety of interests.

Soon they'll be learning about the interests of their classmates.

They'll be learning they have things in common with classmates they never realized they'd have anything in common with!

After a few times, they'll realize, even though there are some interests they don't share with classmates, there are plenty of interests that they do share!

Most importantly, they will develop that feeling of belonging!

We all know that feeling like they're part of the team is the very beginning of the learning process! Acceptance matters!

Looking for more team-building ideas?

Try these posts:

Or try this resource: 60 Team Building Games and Activities to Build Classroom Community.

How do you help your students feel like they belong?

Maslow Before Blooms... What Does This Even Mean?

2023-04-06T23:24:00.003-04:00

You've probably seen the memes on social media:

Maslow Before Bloom's.

But what does it actually mean?

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Bloom's Taxonomy are two of the most widely known theories relating to human development and learning.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs emphasizes the importance of fulfilling physical, emotional, and psychological needs to achieve self-actualization.

Let's talk about these parts!

Our fundamental needs are quite simple. We all need air, water, food, health care, shelter, and sleep in order to survive and maintain a healthy life.

As the world continues to evolve and change, one thing becomes increasingly clear: safety and security needs are at an all-time high. From personal security and property protection to ensuring the safety of family members, it is essential for individuals to stay aware and be proactive about their safety. This need has become stronger in the classroom, as children are exposed to and practice "active shooter" drills. It's a scary world.

Humans have an innate need to feel a sense of belonging, friendship, and family. It's a basic fundamental that serves an important role in our day-to-day lives. Whether it's having someone to talk to or spending quality time with loved ones, these connections are essential for feeling secure and content. Morning meetings and Team Building Games are great for building a sense of belonging in the classroom.

It's no secret that self-esteem needs are essential to any individual’s growth and development. When people have a healthy sense of self-esteem, they have the confidence to take on challenges and believe in their ability to achieve great things.

Self-actualization occurs when an individual exercises their full potential and accepts themselves for who they are. According to Maslow’s theory, humans strive to reach their utmost potential by discovering purpose in life and accepting themselves at all stages of development. Achieving this level of self-acceptance enables us to reach our full potential, bringing us a sense of fulfillment in life.

Can you hear the angels singing? Honestly, it's rare for small children to reach this stage of development. Seriously, not many adults have total self-actualization!

But we can work toward this with our students, can't we?

Bloom's Taxonomy categorizes different levels of thinking and learning objectives that an individual must achieve to effectively process information.

When I went to college (many moons ago), that is what Bloom's Taxonomy looked like.

Now it looks like this! I like the new one, since the keywords are all verbs! It's much easier to think about how we can help students achieve these levels.

Let's explore these levels:

At its most basic level, Bloom's Taxonomy requires students to recall facts and memorize them. This involves repeating information until it can be recalled with ease. We're talking the very basics, from letters and their sounds, to memorizing math facts, to states and their capitals, or even the periodic table!

Understanding requires the learner to go beyond that surface-level comprehension and dig into higher-order thinking skills such as summarizing information, identifying key points from a text they read or heard about, describing the main themes from a video they watched, discussing subtle aspects of an article or book they read or paraphrasing complex ideas in their own words. There's a lot more thinking involved here!

Applying involves taking knowledge from one context and applying it in another context. It requires students to think beyond a basic understanding or mere memorization of facts; instead, they must demonstrate their ability to take information and apply it in new situations.

Students can justify their position on a particular issue by organizing their thoughts into logical arguments that are supported by evidence.

At the highest level of Bloom's Taxonomy, producing original work and inventing something new requires learners to synthesize ideas from multiple sources and devise unique solutions or products. This involves carefully analyzing facts and details, drawing inferences, making comparisons, creating abstractions, and more. This is the level teachers strive for with their students.

So what can we do to help our students?

The best we can. That's all we can do... the best we can.

We can make them feel safe, loved, important, and special.

It's a lot, but we do all that every day,
don't we?

The Most Important Thing Teachers (and Parents) Can Do to Help Children Be Successful

2023-01-29T07:00:00.003-05:00

As teachers and parents, we want our children to be successful.

There's one thing we can do to help them!

What's that one thing? Model the behavior you want to see!

Do you want your students to be kind? Show them kindness and let them see you showing kindness to others.

Do you want your students to show perseverance? Let them see you sticking with something, even when it's tough!

Do you want your students to be open? Be open with them. Share personal information with them. Share something you're struggling with.

Do you want your students to be friendly? Be friendly with them. Let them see you being friendly with other adults in the building. Show them how to be friendly.

Do you want your students to be honest? Be honest about yourself and with each of them.

Do you want your students to be lazy? Be lazy in front of them. Don't get their papers corrected and don't be organized for lessons.

Do you want your students to be greedy? Expect everything from them, without giving them anything in return.

Do you want your students to be arrogant? Insist you are always right. Don't consider the thoughts of others.

Do you want your students to be rude? Be rude to them, and let them see you being rude to others.

Do you want your students to be quick to anger? Lose your temper easily with them. Explode over little things.

Well, I know you won't do some of those negative things, but my point is that they are watching. Whatever you model for them, they will do the same.

Have children of your own? Substitute the word "children" for "students" in the above statements. It works the same.

My dad was an amazing role model.

Here's a post I wrote about what he taught me!

What does a non-athletic girl learn from a football coach?

If you want your students to behave a certain way, show them!

Keep smiling, teaching, and showing them the best way to be successful! By being a successful person yourself!

Life Cycle Ideas and Activities for Hands-on Learning Fun!

2022-11-14T08:30:00.010-05:00

Do you teach life cycles?

Here is a plethora of ideas and resources to make your life easier and to help make learning fun!

Why is it important to teach about life cycles?

Teaching young people about life cycles is a great way to help them understand the world around them. It helps them connect with nature, and develop a sense of life patterns.

I typically start any unit with plenty of books on the topic, and here are some of my favorites! (Can you tell who my favorite children's non-fiction author is?) Each image is an affiliate link to Amazon.

The Pumpkin Book by Gail Gibbons

Owls by Gail Gibbons

Bats by Gail Gibbons

From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons

Chicks and Chickens by Gail Gibbons

Frogs by Gail Gibbons

Apples by Gail Gibbons

What is a Life Cycle? by Bobbie Kalman

Life Cycles From Start to Finish by Sam Falconer

Plant Life Cycles by Mara Grumbaun

You can find more books on life cycles HERE! (Also affiliate links!) In my classroom, I'll read a few, then leave several different life cycle related books out for them to read on their own. (The librarian/ media specialist is your best friend!)

Start with something small, with just a few parts to the life cycle. Flowering plants, such as sunflowers or daisies are a great place to start, since these life cycles are very basic. After going over one or two simple life cycles, advance to something else children enjoy and know something about like apples or chickens !

Then do a few more together. Advance to something more complex and fun, like the butterfly or the frog!

There are so many plants and animals out there, each child can have plenty of options for exploring on their own!

Then assign research. More advanced students can do all the research on their own. Average students can do some research on their own. Some students will need extra guidance. I highly recommend using the text pages from these collections:

Spring Life Cycle Bundle: 9 different plants and animals (dandelions, cherry trees, bees, Monarch butterflies, chickens, robins, salmon, earthworms, and rabbits)

Summer Life Cycle Bundle: 9 different plants and animals (watermelons, daisies, strawberries, tomatoes, frogs, praying mantises, sea turtles, ants, and ladybugs)

Fall Life Cycle Bundle: 8 different plants and animals (apple trees, corn, pumpkins, sunflowers, owls, spiders, bats, and wild turkeys)

Winter Life Cycle Bundle: 9 different plants and animals (orange trees, cocoa trees, pine trees, deer, groundhogs, harp seal, penguin, polar bear, and puffins)

Why are these sorted by season? Well, because it's more fun! I'm sure you know how excited the kiddos get about special events and holidays! Use that excitement in your classroom! Let them explore pumpkins and bats near Halloween! Let them explore pine trees and deer around Christmas!

All these life cycle sets are sold separately, but the bundles are at a huge discount. Plus, all bundles include these two extra resources:

Reader's theater about life cycles: What Came First, the Chicken or the Egg? This is a great way for students to share what they've learned and culminate the unit! Plus, there's a song for performers to sing as a finale!

Digital fun! Life Cycle Fun Facts! This resource (hosted on the popular Boom Learning platform) includes facts and questions about a plethora of plant and animal life cycles! This deck has 40 different questions, and no child will know all the answers! One of the features I love about Boom Learning resources is that they can play the deck over and over, and because of the immediate feedback, they can learn something every time they play! Teachers can easily check their scores to make sure they are showing growth! (If they aren't, there's a conversation that needs to take place!)

There are many ways to differentiate the learning of life cycles!

Whether they're working alone, with a partner, a small group, or the whole group, this is important:

Get them talking and thinking! Have them compare different life cycles, looking for similarities and differences. Have them predict a plant or animal's life cycle before researching it. Encourage them to sort life cycles that are alike! Most of all, get them talking about what they are learning! Those conversations deepen the learning!

All life cycle resources include these 7 pages:

Choice is essential!

All of these resources are included in The Life Cycles Collection. This massive bundle includes 35 different plant and animal life cycles as well as the Reader's Theater: What Came First, the Chicken or the Egg? ave I mentioned that bundles come with big discounts?

Most importantly, give opportunities for students to share their learning. Although some might be shy about sharing information in front of the class, that's what makes it so memorable! Memory is powerful when strong emotions are involved. Not only will they remember what they shared, but they'll also remember what life cycles their classmates shared!

A special day to celebrate all the learning is a necessity! Have a Life Cycle Festival! Have children share their presentations on what they learned! Invite parents, administration, friends, other classes, etc! I'll bet you can think of plenty of life cycle related foods to serve! Be sure to have someone videotape it all!

What ideas do you have for learning and celebrating life cycles?

Twelve Ideas to Get Your Students to LOVE Reading!

2022-10-14T12:26:00.002-04:00

One of the most important things we can do as teachers is help our students develop a love of reading!

One way to get them to love reading is to get them hooked on books!

I am committed to reading daily to my students. Sometimes I read to them to emphasize a particular literature skill, or to teach a specific non-fiction topic, but for the most part, I read to them to help them develop a love for books! Here's a post I wrote a few years ago about the importance of reading aloud. (Plus, there's a freebie!) The Importance of Read Alouds!

Want to make story time even more fun?

Take them all outside on a nice day!

Even better:

Take them outside for reading! There's nothing more fun than being outside on a nice day! Here's another post about learning outside: Five Ways to Get Them Learning OUTSIDE!

Students are social beings!

Let them read with their friends! Just be careful... make sure they are reading books at their independent level (or easier) and are working with friends close to the same level. It needs to be a positive experience!

Here's one of my favorite ways to build enthusiasm for reading:

I confess, I've always been a big fan of integrating the arts and I even have an acting background. Both posts below show many reasons to use Reader's Theater, and suggests several resources, including a freebie!

Using Reader's Theater to Help Students Learn Kindness

Dramatics in the Classroom

Once in a while there's a reason to plop a kiddo down in the teacher's chair and have them read to the class.

Just like when they're reading with friends, be very careful. This should be a positive experience for all parties involved. One thing I do sometimes is let children choose a passage from a book they like, practice it, and then read it to their classmates. (This also works in a reading group!) It's a win-win! The child gets to share a book, and their friends get a taste of a book they might want to read! Here are some other ideas for building fluency and accuracy: Seven Ideas for Reading Accurately And yes, there's a freebie in there!

Don't they love those tablets and laptops? (and their parents' phone for homework)

There are plenty of places to find reading materials for these devices. May I suggest these Boom Learning resources? Teachers can check to see how students are doing, links can be sent home, and the children love these!

This idea is a bit obvious for teachers:

Where can I get all these books? Well, first of all, the school librarian (media specialist) is your best friend!

There are also those wonderful book orders. The books are quite reasonably priced, and the more books children purchase, the more free books they can get! I'll always let the kids look over the order sheets and circle the ones they might want. Then, I'll have them show the face they'll use when they're begging their grown-ups for books! (Melts my heart every time!)

Besides books at their level, they need books they enjoy!

Again, time to visit that librarian! They know what kids like!

But you know your kids best! Some very popular topics in my classroom include sports, animals, humor, mystery, friendships, school life, and any upcoming holiday. Let them discuss the books they're reading with each other. They can "sell" a book better than I can!

Have you ever noticed that when children are playing a game, they become so engrossed in it that they forget they are practicing a skill?

Here are some reading games that will help them forget they're practicing important skills: Reading Games and Activities.

As I've mentioned, integrating the arts is a valuable tool in the classroom! Music is magical in many ways!

This post offers several reasons to incorporate music into the classroom, along with some fun resources! Sing With Your Students

Don't hesitate to sing with them; it will increase their learning in many ways. Plus, it's fun!

This is probably the most important! (in addition to reading to them, of course!)

Let them see you reading!

Let them see that you love books!

Let them see you talking about the books you're reading!

Let them see your passion for books!

How do you get your students to LOVE reading?

The Most Important Part of Writer's Workshop

2022-09-28T22:03:00.002-04:00

I've been a passionate fan of Writer's Workshop ever since I learned about it a VERY long tie ago! (Not to give away my age, but I was first introduced to Writer's Workshop and the work of Donald Graves back in the 1980s!) I've been lucky to have a lot of instruction and support with the Writing Process, and have used it in my classroom with much success!

There are so many important parts to the process of writing! Here are some ideas!

Is sticking to a schedule the most important part?

Developing a schedule is very important! Most children need the predictability of a daily schedule. Sticking to that schedule matters, but there's something more important.

Is having the right materials the most important part?

Having the right materials is indeed very important! For young children, it's important for them to be writing on paper (as well as on a computer) to develop those fine motor skills. Folders with key writing tools are also valuable. Having the right materials matters, but there's something more important.

Is checking their daily work the most important part?

It's very important to check the students work frequently, but it would be insane to try to check every piece of writing they ever wrote! Checking their work is one of the strategies to help you plan what you need to teach. Checking their work matters, but there's something more important.

Is pre-writing the most important part?

Just like athletes need a warm-up, so do writers! Many activities can be considered pre-writing: talking, drawing a picture, making a list, free-writing, outlining, or doing research are some ways that writers warm up before the true writing happens. Pre-writing matters, but there's something more important.

Are Individual conferences the most important part?

Conferencing with individuals has many benefits. Quite often having a chat about a piece of writing that's in progress will help a child progress. This is also a comfortable one-on-one time to give a student plenty of positive feed back. Individual conferences matter, but there's something more important.

Are mini-lessons the most important part?

Mini-lessons are what drives their writing skills!

They are an opportunity to model desirable writing skills. The best way to find topics for your mini-lessons is to look at their work and see what they need modeled. Another place to find ideas for mini-lessons is in your district's writing standards.

Mini-lessons matter, but there's something more important.

Is taking a status of the class the most important part?

Taking a status of the class helps you keep track of where your students are. It's a good place to see how long each student is spending on each step of the writing process, and if they are using their writing time productively. It's not necessary to do this each and every day, but 2-3 times a week is suggested.Status of the class matters, but there's something more important.

Is giving them time to write the most important part?

Children need to write daily. However you can squeeze it into your very busy day, make sure they've got some time to write every single day! Just like an athlete, writers need to use their skills so they don't lose their skills! Giving them time to write matters, but there's something more important.

Is conferencing the most important part?

Besides individual conferences, it's important to have small group conferences as well as whole class conferences. Sharing conversations about the writing of classmates can promote positive attitudes about writing, and can be very motivational as well as educational for young writers. Conferencing, but there's something more important.

Is sharing the most important part?

Yes! This is it! Knowing that the students will be sharing is what motivates them to write! It gives them a sense of audience! It's important that children share their writing often! They can share in a whole group conference, a small group share, or even one-on-one with partners. It's essential! Why write if no one is ever going to see it? They need that audience!

Here are a couple of other posts about writing you might like:

Writer's Workshop: Help them learn to love writing by writing about what they love!

12 Ways to Celebrate Writing

Looking for some writing resources?

Check these out: Writing Resources