Get teaching with these force and motion experiments, activities and videos to use in the elementary classroom. This collection of force and motion activities and resources should help you cover the topics like texture, gravity, incline and simple machines. If you’re looking for helpful ideas and lesson plans – then this is the place to start! Do you need a refresher … 24 Elementary Force and Motion Experiments & Activities Read More »
Practice grade 2 math with FREE printable 2nd grade math worksheets. Turn second grade math worksheets into a FUN Mad minutes game!
10 hands-on ideas for teaching earth changes and landforms in 2nd grade science with engaging STEM earth changes activities kids love!
LOTS of FREE Printable worksheets for kids to practice math, literacy, science, & history with kids of all ages from 123Homeschool4Me.
Get helpful tips for how to manage data folders in the primary classroom. Download the free student data folders kit to get started!
Main Idea Worksheet 4th Grade. Use this idea map for word work, main idea and supporting particulars, or to map out ideas. Teachers Pay Teachers is an internet marketplace where teachers purchase and sell unique academic materials. Skilled read
Learn how to provide math intervention that will make an impact in your classroom while making your life easier!
3rd Grade Social Studies Worksheet. Your students will use this useful resource to analyze their vocabulary words and relate them to different concepts and ideas. This selection of worksheets explores how the American Government is structured.
Come grab this free resource that is a collection of my favorite virtual math manipulatives!
I have several free resources available at my TpT store. Click on the images below to download your FREE copy! If you do not have access to a printer right away, you can also pin the images to your favorite boards and download them at a later date!! FREE
Make the most of your writing block with these funny picture prompts! Go here:
10 hands-on ideas for teaching earth changes and landforms in 2nd grade science with engaging STEM earth changes activities kids love!
Make the most of your writing block with these funny picture prompts! Go here:
Book Talk Tuesday: Reading, Science, and Magic!
Teaching area and perimeter in your upper elementary math class? This blog post shares a collection of ideas for teaching area and perimeter!
If you're looking for read alouds for 2nd grade, whether you're a 2nd grade teacher, librarian, or parent, find the best 2nd grade read aloud books.
These 10 science Youtube Channels offer high quality and engaging science videos. Use them to keep students excited and engaged in their learning.
Help your second graders better understand the properties of matter with this fun apple experiment. Perfect for for any apple unit!
What does a reader do? What about writers and scientists? Let's help young kids develop positive behaviors with these classroom posters!
This blog is intended to give helpful tips and tricks for incorporating technology into your classroom.
Free printable 2nd grade minimalist math curriculum that covers the same breadth of difficulty and variety of problems without all the repetition.
How do you keep your students engaged and motivated throughout your lesson? Do you have any special techniques to make keep your students interacting throughout? We know that just calling on one student who raises their hand is not the best way to create learning for everyone. Active engagement is critical. Below, I have compiled my top five strategies for active engagement throughout a lesson. (a.k.a. Turn and Tell, or
Warning! The first computer lesson in the Kindergarten classroom can be chaotic! Approach with patience and much planning! Here in Australia, our school year starts at the end of January. We now have about a month's worth of computer lessons under our belts, and the progress the little learners have made is remarkable! The majority of the class can now log in using a class username and password (which I.T. have not set to be particularly user friendly), navigate to the program required, complete some simple mouse applications and log off. This is quite a contrast to a month ago, when I logged each child in and out. For that first lesson, I set realistic expectations of what I thought could be achieved, and then I cut that in half :) Here's what we did. Upon entering the computer lab, the children sat down at the front near the demonstration computer and whiteboard. I introduced myself and an attention getter (of the clap, repeat variety). I asked the children what type of technology they have used and they had an opportunity to share with the person next to them. We talked about how wonderful it is to use computers and how we need to take good care of them. Lab Rules naturally followed. I read them. The children repeated them. We acted out what to do. We acted out what not to do. You get the idea. Click on the image to grab your copy! We looked at a computer and named the parts (monitor, keyboard, mouse, headphones and headphone plug, CPU). We talked about how some screens we use are touch screens, but the monitors in the computer labs are not touch screens! It has been close to a decade since I taught computers to Kindergartners, so this was the first time I had to give that instruction! We chatted about the CPU being the brains of the computer. Demonstrated how to hold each side of the headphone plug as we plug the headphones in and out. Showed how we use gentle fingers on the keyboard Investigated the mouse. As using the mouse was the main focus of the lesson, I made up a little song about using the mouse and it has stuck! The little learners want to sing it each lesson. I thought about videoing myself singing it, but I really couldn't do that to you! So here it is in word form. Think (and sing) Where is Thumbkin? (With right hand, point index finger) Peter Pointer, Peter Pointer. ('single click' once with index finger, then 'double click') Click, click-click. Click, click-click. ('click and drag' with index finger, moving hand as if to drag) Click and drag, Click and drag. (pretend to guide a mouse in figure of eight) With the mouse, With the mouse. During the investigation of the mouse, we identified the left and right mouse buttons. If you are able, it is a great idea to put a sticker on the left mouse button. Also important here is to identify any left handers in the class and arrange the equipment accordingly. The little learners did so well listening and learning the rules. It does seem a lot to go through, but I promise it doesn't take that long! As the computers were already logged in (highly recommend for the first lesson), I then demonstrated a simple mouse activity, handed out the headphones and away they went. While our school has purchased a range of educational software, if your school hasn't there are a lot of great online resources for free. For example HERE and HERE. Next time, the fun really begins. Logging in....
**Updated and Aligned with NEW 2017 Georgia Science Standards** 2nd Grade Standards: 1. obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the properties of matter and changes that occur in objects 1a. ask questions to describe and classify different objects according to their physical properties. This hands on experiment will engage your students in exploring the properties of matter in a tangible -- and yummy-- way! Students will complete a chart comparing properties of 4 different cookies. They will use that info to answer compare and contrast questions on the data they've collected. Students will also have the chance to formulate their own property questions to help clarify and classify their cookies. If you enjoyed this resource, please leave feedback in the comments section :) Be sure to also check out our Cracker Properties of Matter Hands On Lab OR get them both **BUNDLED at at DISCOUNT Here** Grab our other engaging Properties of Matter Resources Below: *PebbleGO Research It: Properties of Materials (Smooth/Rough, Float/Sink, Stiff/Bendable) *Changing States of Matter through Heating & Cooling Hands On Chocolate Lab *PebbleGO Research It: Properties of Materials (Hard/Soft, Hot/Cold, Shiny/Dull) *Properties of Matter SCOOT Task Cards *Properties of Matter Assembling/Disassembling Structures Lab
Find properties of matter activities and high-engagement science experiments that will excite your second grade scientists! Learn creative teaching ideas you can use tomorrow in your 2nd grade classroom or homeschool.
Come grab this free resource that is a collection of my favorite virtual math manipulatives!
Make the most of your writing block with these funny picture prompts! Go here:
Are you seeking morphology activities to help you introduce prefixes in an easy, no-prep way? These morpheme reading passages for prefixes were designed to do just that. They’re a must have for your collection of morphology activities. This resource will weave seamlessly into any morphology scope and sequence for Orton-Gillingham. Please preview before downloading! BUY ON TPT
Make reading assessments more efficient with these FREE reading assessment tools for teachers of kinder, first, and second grade.
Hi all! Today I want to chat with you about Number Talks! *Stay with me for a freebie at the end!* Last summer, I participated in professional development provided by Math Solutions. During the week long training, there was a lot of discussion around Number Talks and Math Talks. I have jumped into using these full force this year...and I LOVE them! The kids do too! Here is the structure of the number talks that I follow in my classroom. These typically last about 15 minutes-depending on how the conversation goes with the students! *This is how I use them in my 1st grade classroom, but they could easily be adapted for other primary grades! The pictures below are how I do number talks on a smart board.* 1. Pose a problem. I typically use the smart board or dry erase board for my talks. The type of problem differs throughout the year. This particular discussion centered around a string of addition problems. Addition strings (or strands) are related addition problems. 2. Allow think time. In my classroom, I have the students use hand signals during our number talks. These were suggested during the Math Solutions training and I love how they are working out! After the problem is posed, they have quiet think time to solve the problem mentally (I do not provide manipulatives or paper/pencil for them to use during these lessons). When they have an answer, they hold a thumbs up on their chest. This tells me that the child has had enough time to think and has a way to solve the problem. If the child can come up with an addition way to solve the problem (a different strategy), they hold up a second finger, and so on for the number of solutions they have thought of in their head. 3. Share out answers. After the students have had enough time to solve the problem, I asked for them to share out answers. "Who would like to share their answer?" I write the possible solutions next to the problem (shown above in green). If someone shares an answer that others agree with, they use another hand signal that means "me too" or "I agree." Using their thumb and pinky, they move their hand back and forth between them self and the person that shared the answer. This tells me that they came up with that answer as well. I typically share out all of their answers...unless it gets out of hand. 4. Provide partner share time. After we have shared out possible solutions, I have the students turn and talk with a partner to PROVE their answer. That is a word that I use a lot in math. "Turn and prove your answer to your partner." When someone has an answer, they have to be able to prove it. During number talks, that requires them to be able to explain it verbally. This can be a difficult task at the beginning of the year, but you will be amazed at how quickly they pick it up! 5. Allow student explanations. After they have had time to share in partners, I ask students to share out their explanations. "Who would like to share with us how you solved the problem?" or "Who can share their thinking?" As a student shares, I record exactly the steps that they say (shown above in blue) on the board for the other students to see (I also write their name with the explanation to give them ownership-plus they like seeing their name up there!). I typically allow 3-4 student explanations. I mark tallies next to the answer that the students are proving with their explanations. I also do my best to show when a student is thinking something in their head (see picture above). 6. Decide on a final answer. After students have shared out their solutions, I ask the class, "Do you agree that ____ is the answer?" After seeing the solutions (and problem solving any that might have gotten off track), we always come to a final answer together (shown above in red). I like to use number strings during math talks. So after solving the first problem, we usually do two more that relate to it. This helps them to see patterns in numbers and see relations in problems. When using the smart board, I group together the first problem and solutions and minimize them on the screen (shown above on the left). I like having them visible for the students to reference for the next problem. You can see in the solutions on the right above, that Brae did use the previous problem to help solve the second one. She said, "Well I used the other problem so in my head I knew that 4+4=8. But this problem had a 5 and 5 is one more than 4. So I knew the sum would be 1 more, so it equals 9." The picture above shows the final problem from that day. You can see that again, a student used the previous problem to help them solve the new one. Ashley said, "I saw from before that 4+5=9, and 7 is 2 more than 5 so the answer has to be 2 more. The answer is 11." You may also notice that Lane did not catch the pattern, but he did use the strategy of making a 10 which is another great way to solve the problem! I always record every solution. These number talks show me where students are in their math thinking and what they are comfortable with in their mental skills. Just by looking at these responses, I know that Zoe is still dependent on using her fingers, so we could work on more mental strategies in a small group to strengthen those skills and make her more confident. I absolutely LOVE using number talks in my classroom. I feel like my students have really taken the initiative to find their own way to solve problems, to find ways that make the most sense to them. They find connections in problems and use them to solve other problems! They have also deepened their use of math vocabulary through their explanations and use of our math word wall (check it out here). *Making mistakes help us learn!* It is crucial to make sure that students feel comfortable in the classroom. If they are afraid to be wrong or afraid to be embarrassed, they will not be willing to take risks and share out their solutions. We discuss how making mistakes is normal, that it happens to everyone, and that as long as we can fix the mistake, there is no problem with it! We also talk about how figuring out those mistakes helps us the next time we solve a similar problem. I let this conversation happen naturally when someone does try to prove an incorrect answer. We fix it, I smile, thank the student for sharing their thinking because it helped us all learn, and we move on. *Accuracy is key!* We usually have a few talks at the beginning of the year regarding accuracy. Sometimes you have students that want to share out an answer, so they will say anything even if they know it is wrong. We discuss how it is okay to make mistakes (and how we learn from them) but that we do want to try our best to be accurate. Using the "me too" sign helps cut down on this a bit, because that sign shows me their answer without them sharing out. *Model...and model some more!* When I pose a problem or repeat/reword someone's explanation, I use proper math terminology. The kids love hearing important math terms and using them in their explanations the next time! I often reference our math word wall or repeat a term that a student may have used in their explanation. They feel good about using the words the correct way! *Record their exact explanation* I scribe exactly what my students say. If they tell me, "I was thinking the number 4 in my head..." I draw a little smiley face with a thought bubble that has 4 in it. "Then I counted up 4 more, 5, 6, 7, 8." So after drawing the 4 in the thought bubble, I then record the 5, 6, 7, 8 to show what they did next. I want the other students to see that the student did start with that first number 4, but they didn't have to count 1, 2, 3, 4 to get started. *Sentence Stems* I also have some sentence stems by our math word wall. Some examples are: "I agree with _____ because ______." "I disagree with _____ because _______." "I knew that ______ so then I knew ______." "First I _____, then I _____." These are great for when you are just starting out number talks. *Keep your responses neutral* Students REALLY notice how you respond to answers. If someone gives a solution that just blows your mind (trust me, it will happen!), just act cool, record it on the board, and thank them for sharing. (You can brag about it to your co-workers later!) If students see you respond in a big way to one student's solution, and then not to theirs, it may make them feel bad about participating in the future. Number talks are great because they allow students to solve problems in their own way. If they are getting to the correct answer, the route they took to get there isn't right or wrong. You could take the conversation in the direction of, "Which way is more efficient?" if students are just finding long drawn out ways just to share something different, but never pose a correct solution as the wrong way to solve it. I hope you found this post helpful! I really do enjoy using number talks in my classroom. I have posted some math talk activities that I frequently use in my classroom. Check them out {here}. If you love the freebie above, check out the larger version of Number Talk Activities in my store! The larger version has 8 different discussion activities to use during number talks! Check it out {here}. I also have some free Dot Cards in my store if you are looking for more lower level number talk activities! Check them out {here}. If you are looking for resources to support number talks, you can check out the book Number Talks: Help Students Build Mental Math and Computation Strategies. Let me know below how you use number talks in your classroom!
If I ever end up on the show Hoarders, the two red flags my family and friends will point to are my obsessive collecting of craft supplies a...
Help the kids share the food equally! This coloring math worksheet helps your child build a visual foundation for understanding division.
Make the most of your writing block with these funny picture prompts! Go here:
Getting little learners excited about science is easy with engaging experiments and thematic units. Teaching them to collect and organize data like scientists is accomplished with a Science Notebook.Here are 3 reasons why using a Science Notebook with your learners can help your classroom and curriculum. 1) Work Doesn't Get Thrown AwayWhether you are homeschooling or in the
