This sounds crazy but stay with me for a minute ; ) It works like this: *Explain or review that the short hand points to the hour. *Point out all of the little tick marks around the clock. Count them all together to establish that there are sixty. Explain that the long hand shows how…
Research about and best practices for teaching spelling in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade classroom. Do you ever feel like your teacher prep program left you with some major gaps? Like, how the heck do you really teach spelling? We’re probably all familiar with the technique of assigning lists and testing at the…
In my first year of teaching I was expected to use a writer’s workshop model where students almost always chose their own writing topics. This was before the Common Core standards and my district wasn’t very concerned about what genres students wrote in, as long as they wrote. I could definitely tell you that in my…
I’ve done a lot of experimenting with desk arrangements over the years. I’ve definitely found my favorite. Keep reading, I’ll tell you about it. I’ve also discovered that it’s smart to pick a few arrangements that you like and teach your students how to quickly move between the positions when the activity requires it.…
Skip counting ideas and activities for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade math class. This post contains affiliate links. If you teach 1st or 2nd grade you’ve probably spent a lot more time skip counting than the average person off the street. It’s one of those things that kids need a lot of…
If you’re not asleep during staff meetings, you’ve probably heard the phrase “research-based practices” thrown around a lot. Do you silently ask yourself, “Sooo, which practices are research-based anyway?” I don’t know about you but it’s been a little while since I originally learned about the people who did some of the major research in…
#1 Have Them Help Demonstrate – Your first instinct might be to choose a model student to help demonstrate a task. Try picking a student who struggles to follow directions instead. You may have to give them a lot of guidance as they demonstrate in front of the class but then you know they have…
With winter break quickly approaching, if you can keep your class from turning into all out chaos, you’re doing good. If you actually work in some academic content…well, you deserve something special from Santa ; ) I’ve got an ugly Christmas sweater contractions freebie to help you out. Students take words from two balls of…
You stayed up late pulling together an awesome activity that is sure to be a slam dunk with your students. You go in early to make the copies and put everything in its place. When your students arrive you start presenting your material. “Boys and girls, today we’re doing a rock investigation for scie…” You…
The seasonal aisle at my grocery store switched directly from Halloween to Christmas, but I refuse to ignore Thanksgiving! It’s one of my favorite holidays. I’ve got a Thanksgiving activity freebie for you! It’s a color by number that helps kids practice +10 and -10. It’s great as a math center, homework, or something to…