My least favorite time of the day….RESTROOM BREAKS!!!! I think it would be amazing to have a restroom in each classroom, but that just isn’t the case. Restroom breaks are just time suckers. Since I’m constantly trying to think of ways to add more learning into the day, I thought this bulletin board would be…
It is officially my favorite month! I love everything about this month. The weather, pumpkins, changing leaves, and Halloween decorations are all refreshing. However, one of the best parts is the fact that my first grades always seem to get into the groove of things by October. Honestly, I always tell myself that my first…
I created these fluency passages to help my 1st graders increase their fluency while also working on comprehension and vocabulary skills. We complete a fluency passage each day starting in September. The passages include a variety of fiction, nonfiction, poems, and songs. These passages are for sale by the week, by the month, by the season…
Haven’t you always wanted to be a Fly on the Wall in certain classrooms? As I have read teaching blogs over the years, I have wanted to be a fly on the wall in so many classrooms. Could you imagine everything you would learn if you could take a year and go to a different…
This packet includes 180 fluency passages. Each passage includes Power Words (vocabulary), comprehension questions, and a home connection component. Each passage also includes an additional language arts skill sheet for a total of 360 pages. These passages are perfect for small group, whole group, morning work, or homework. The passages are themed for each week. Each packet includes a variety of fiction, nonfiction, poems and songs.
We’ve been learning all about presidents this week. First we learned all about George Washington. Then we wrote biographies about George Washington and made these cute Washington’s. Today, we learned all about Abraham Lincoln and wrote our biographies on hats. As a review, we made signs on popsicle sticks. One side said…
Do you use Focus Walls in your school? We were introduced to them a couple years ago. At that point, I put one up, but didn’t do much with it. (Needless to say…that was pointless.) However, two years ago, I placed it next to my calendar and bingo it became useful!! The words are kind…
One of my favorite bat activities to do every year is to tell students the number of mosquitoes that one bat can eat in an hour… 600! If that doesn’t make you love bats, I don’t know what will!! Then I put students into 6 groups, give each group 100 mosquitoes to cut out, and a paper plate. Each group cuts out…
This Thursday, we had Teddy Bear Day in our classroom. This is my second year doing this and I have loved it both times. I always get a little nervous wondering if some of my “tough” boys will think it’s silly and not get into it, but I’ve been wrong both years. Every one of…
I had seen the idea for using the Fancy Nancy books to teach vocabulary and creating a Fancy Nancy Words bulletin board before. I had been wanting to implement it since forever ago, but just never did. So, this week I DID IT!! Wahoo! And, let me tell you, it is spectacular, splendid, and sensational…
When students are learning facts, it can be overwhelming! There is so much to focus on when understanding how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide. However, these are skills students will use throughout their entire lives. So, it is crucial students gain understanding and confidence. One of the best ways to do this involves fact…
