Poetry is an easy way to incorporate writing into your weekly plans. Once I teach a style of poetry, my students are able to choose it during Work on Writing time. Last week they couldn’t wait to write acrostic poems about topics of their choice. This week they will be learning how to write cinquains. This is a template I created to help them create their cinquains. It is just one activity in my Winter Writing…
DO YOU HAVE THIS Problem? Each year you and your colleagues teach grammar and mechanics, yet they still don’t know how to write complete detailed sentences. Why Should I Use Mentor Sentences? Research has shown that completing numerous grammar worksheets or editing sentences with mistakes does not transfer to writing. You know this to be true, too. How many times have you said, “I taught it and they STILL don’t do it!” It’s time for a…
Readers learn about a character through their actions and words. Rarely does an author directly say the character is curious or hardworking. Instead, the reader is actually using the skill of making inferences to figure this out. For developing readers, identifying character traits can be a challenge. When I introduce this skill, I like to read aloud a story that has a very strong character such as the little wolf in The Wolf Who Cried Boy….
Are you looking for solid grade-level Morning Work? Would quick assessment checks help you design future lessons? Then Daily Common Core and More is for you! This is a monthly series of daily math, reading, and writing activities. Every month provides 4 weeks’ worth of review and practice in math and language arts that are on a 5-day rotation. Click on the picture to learn more! Each page is identified with a letter of the…
What are some of the best stories to read aloud? I can’t imagine not having great books and stories to share with my class. My 2nd graders LOVE when I read to them each day. They have come to cherish stories that touch their heart, make them laugh, or inspire them. What books are your class favorites? Here are a couple of mine: The Royal Bee by Frances and Ginger Park is a touching story…
This time of year I love to find new ideas to make my classroom functional, yet cute. The way I figure it, I spend more awake hours in my classroom than any other room in my house. So, why not make it visually appealing! Here are some ideas that are functional, yet adorable at the same time. Create a Cohesive Look Can’t you just feel the soothing appeal of this chalkboard and burlap room created by…
Over the summer I write new resources for teachers. Often they are based upon needs I see with my own students. Here are 2 new items I added in July: These passages start off with an intriguing question. Perhaps something you have been wondering yourself ❉ Can I Make My Parents’ Hair Turn Gray? ❉ Where Do Marshmallows Come From? ❉ Can I Sneeze In My Sleep? ❉ Did Castle Moats Have Alligators? ❉ What’s a…
