Fractions are such an important component of third grade math standards. In fact, I’ve been working diligently creating a new fraction unit specifically designed for teaching third grade fraction standards. The emphasis of the unit is conceptual lessons and teaching for understanding, but I’ve included plenty of games and practice pages too. Unit at a […]
Third Grade Fractions Read More »
I’ve got my visual pacing guide for language arts ready, and I hope you’re not disappointed! You’ll see that there are quite a few missing units in this pacing guide, and that’s because they’re still a work in progress. I’ve been working like crazy all summer, but these big product take me hours and hours
Visual Pacing Guide: Language Arts Read More »
I’ll be the first to admit that verb worksheets and activities were never appealing to me. I have memories learning about AND teaching parts of speech where my eyes were completely glazed over. I thought that it was almost, if not, impossible to make parts of speech fun and meaningful. This was definitely a difficult
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Enrichment is a crucial component to math workshop and guided math. Almost every year I have a handful of students who are beyond grade level standards or students who master the standards quickly, and I need to find ways to challenge and enrich those students. Of course I also have students who need remediation, and
Enrichment Math Centers Read More »
Narrative writing lessons are my favorite writing lessons! They are also a great way to get to know students on a deeper level. However, without highly structured narrative writing lessons personal narratives aren’t always easy for students to writ. Children have a tendency to write a list of events, rather than a fully developed narrative.
Narrative Writing Lessons Read More »
When I started teaching writing to elementary students, I had no clue how to actually teach writing! In fact, I could barely remember receiving any writing instruction as a child! Those first few years, I made writing instruction the focus of my professional development. I soon found that writing workshop was my favorite strategy to
Teaching Writing to Elementary Students Read More »
No prep end of year ideas and activities are essential for teachers. During the end of the year, teachers are swamped with DIBELS, DRA, portfolios, inventory lists, etc. so we want as many easy prep activities as possible! In this end of the year resource, there are 15 activities that are truly different from the
As summer break quickly {but not quickly enough} approaches, I’ve wanted to find engaging and creative ways to enrich and review our reading and writing standards. I also wanted to squeeze in a few fun, but easy, art projects, because we’ve worked hard all year and deserve a little fun! I decided to create a
Summer Literacy Activities Read More »
Research projects have a bad wrap these days. I certainly remember completing my fair share of boring research projects, but it doesn’t have to be that way…not even close! In fact, my students have been begging me to assign a state or country research project. That may sound a little strange, but there’s a reason
Differentiated Research Project Read More »
As a student I dreaded learning about the scientific method. I still have memories of sitting at my kitchen table in tears, because I could not wrap my head around independent and dependent variables. As a teacher, I don’t want my students to repeat that experience. The scientific method should be fun for students, and
Simplifying the Scientific Process Read More »
