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Writing

5 Effective Ways to Use Personal Word Walls With Elementary Students

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Personal word walls are the solution to the question, “How do you spell ______ ?” This simple-to-make and customizable tool is one of my favorite resources for my young writers. Personal Word Walls During Writing Workshop I love that my young writers are eager to spell correctly. They are no longer satisfied with using inventive spelling. However, their young age makes using a dictionary quite intimidating. So using personal word walls is how I was able…

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Reading

{Printable Freebie} Notebook Labels

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Part of my getting ready for the first day of school includes deciding what types of notebooks or learning logs I want to use with this class. I can’t tell you how much I go back and forth between should I use a spiral notebook, composition notebook, a pocket folder, or a binder. Each one has pros and cons. Once I’ve decided, I like to put kid friendly labels on them that identify their purpose. Below…

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Writing

Spice Up Their Words

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One growth area my students usually need is a wider vocabulary. Frequently,  they get stuck using dull adjectives and boring verbs. So I began thinking of a creative way to get them to spice up their writing. I quickly latched onto the word “spicier” and images of cooking, recipes, and mixing up a tastier paragraph whisked in my brain. Below is an interactive word wall that I created. The bowls are glued onto envelopes to create…

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Reading

Teaching About Nonfiction

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   We often assume young readers know the differences between fiction and nonfiction and if they can comprehend one, they can automatically understand the other. However research has shown that proficient readers use different strategies for informational texts and that these strategies must be explicitly modeled and practiced. Nonfiction comes in a variety of formats including maps, signs, letters,  recipes, advertisements, diagrams, instructions, textbooks, and certain websites. In addition, readers need to know how to use…

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Reading, Writing

Morning Work for May

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   One thing I have realized is that even though you teach it, it doesn’t mean they’ve learned it! Like most new learning, it takes an abundant amount of practice before the student “owns” the concept. That is why I am so happy to be using Daily Common Core & More for my morning work. It has shown me which skills they have mastered and which ones… well let’s say “haven’t stuck” yet. I had some…

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Reading

What Is the Common Core?

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The Common Core Standards were designed to establish a baseline of what all students in the United States should be able to do by the end of each grade. They do not tell teachers how to teach, nor is it a curriculum. Curriculum is still determined at the local level. Schools can still provide differentiated instruction and advanced materials. The ultimate goal is to have clear, consistent goals that prepare our students to compete in a…

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