November is the perfect time to reflect, give thanks, and have some turkey-themed fun in the classroom! Here are some simple ways to celebrate Thanksgiving in the classroom all month long! Add Gratitude to Your Morning Meeting Routine If a daily morning meeting is part of your classroom routine, November is a great time to […]
Inquiry-Based Learning with a Wonder Wall
Second graders are so inquisitive! Nearly every time we gather for a read aloud or guided reading lesson, one of my students comes up with a really great question about what we are learning. I don’t always have the answers or the time to look them up at that very moment, but I also don’t […]
Storage Solutions for Multisensory Word Work Materials
Multisensory word work practice plays an important role in developing fluency with sight words and phonics patterns, but center rotations go by quickly. When my students visit the word work center, I want them to get to work quickly and engage with the materials in a focused and meaningful way. This can be difficult to […]
Fun Ideas for Teaching Adjectives in October
The leaves are changing colors, you’re feeling the crisp fall air, and Halloween is just around the corner – which means your students might be having a bit of a hard time focusing on your adjective lesson! Fortunately, I’ve got some fun ideas for teaching adjectives and descriptive writing that are just right for October. […]
Multisensory Sight Word Centers with Visual Directions
When I first started teaching it took a lot of coaching and repeated practice to teach my beginning readers and language learners to work with multisensory materials like playdough, letter stamps, and magnet letters appropriately and independently. I couldn’t write out directions for them because they couldn’t yet read them. I ended up missing out […]
Tips for Stress-Free Learning Center Activities
I love that running daily learning centers in my classroom gives me the opportunity to work with small groups and differentiate my guided reading instruction. It also encourages my students to build independent and partner work skills. Over the years, I’ve learned that thoughtful planning and routines are key to setting up my classroom for […]
Building Relationships with Students Beginning Those First Weeks of School
You’ve heard it before – building relationships with students is key to both your students’ academic success and successful classroom management. It makes sense. Students perform better and behave better for teachers who they feel a connection with, the people they know care about them and have made an effort to get to know them. […]
Back to School with Guided Discovery of Materials
Appropriate use and storage of all your classroom materials – from pencils to glue sticks to tablets – goes a long way in helping your classroom to be safe, organized, and smoothly run. Knowing where things are when you need them and being able to trust that they will be in good condition saves time. […]
Math Manipulatives You’ll Need to Teach Second Grade
There are so many options out there for teaching second grade math using hands-on manipulatives. It’s easy to feel like you need it all, but if you’re like most teachers, you’re on a budget. Here are the math manipulatives I couldn’t live without and some tips for making your own or finding them at affordable […]