Do Kids with Autism Really Need a Routine? In today's understanding of neurodiversity, recognizing the unique needs and strengths of individuals with autism has never been more crucial. Central to this understanding is the profound role routines play in fostering a sense of security and aiding in transitions.
Teaching is a great responsibility for any parent or teacher. Teaching Tips save your time and make you shine with your students.
Winter 5 senses activity to add to your winter lesson repertoire! ❄ Students will write and/or draw what they see, smell, hear, taste and can touch during the winter season ❄ ***This file includes both English and French versions!*** If you download this FREE product, please take a second to leave feedback! THIS IS ALSO PART OF ❄ 5 SENS ☼ 4 SAISONS ❄ - Check it out for the complete set of graphic organizers! - Thanks for stopping by :) ************************************************************************* Copyright 2015 PegSwift By downloading this FREE product, you agree that you are entitled to one (1) non-transferable, single-use license for one classroom only. Thank-you for respecting my work. ************************************************************************* {cinq sens, hiver}
I use this planning sheet to outline my groups and focus skills each week. It keeps me focused and makes it easy for me to gather and organize materials for the lessons. I use my phonics lesson planning sheet to write out the words I am going to use for the review and new part of my lesson. I use...
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What bin do these items go into? This recycling sorting game is a fun way to introduce kids to the basics of re-purposing waste!
I'm back at it! Last month, I shared the bulletin board my bestie "let" me do for Black History Month. If you missed it, here's what you need to know: I'm a SAHM who loves to create and my best friend is a teacher with one million other things to do, so I got to create THIS beaut for her February board! It was such a hit with teachers and student alike, that I decided for March I would follow the same format. Why reinvent the wheel, amiright?! This month, we're switching gears and focusing on Genres. I chose this theme because it's applicable across grade levels so it can be appropriate for lots of kiddos in the hallway. Plus, it's a great topic to review before those dreaded ever-anticipated standardized tests roll around! I present to you my What's That Genre? bulletin board! Like last months board, this board has interactive flaps with a question on the outside and the answer on the inside. Half of the twenty flaps for this board have a title and description of a book. The students use both to decide which genre they think it fits in! Also like last month's board, I incorporated word scramble cards, where the students will use the scrambled letters + a description of the genre to determine the genre. These make up the other 10 cards. The ten genres included are: Folktales, Fairy Tales, Nonfiction, Autobiography, Fantasy, Poetry, Historical Fiction, Fable, Realistic Fiction, and Mystery. Finally, of course, the set includes the extra little tid bits you'll need to bring the board together: The "Name That Genre" title letters, the "Identifying Genres" poster! I'm looking forward to seeing the kiddos interact with this one as much as they did with last month's! To follow my adventures in teaching at home, raising Kingdom kids, and balancing this crazy Mom Life, plus random journeys back into the school, make sure to follow me on Instagram and BlogLovin'! Use the teeny icons on the top left!
Task cards are awesome! They switch things up for the students but often provide the same or often better practice as a boring old worksheet! They also allow for an abundance of creative activities with your students. You can find task cards all over the place. I have a few sets in my store & am working on more! You can check them out here! You could also make task cards with pre-made worksheets. Simply cut them apart and glue the individual pieces on index cards. Voila! ;) In the meantime, here are 15 creative ideas for using task cards in the classroom. 1. Board Games Pull out a board game. Some simple ones that would work well include Chutes & Ladders, Sorry, Trouble, etc. Then students simply have to pull and answer a Task Card before they get to take their turn! Brilliant! :) I LOVE this idea! I found it at {Task Card Corner}. Make sure you check out her other game ideas! 2. Buzzers Put the students on teams and have them make buzzers out of whatever materials are available. They can beat two markers together, make noise-maker our of rolled up paper, stomp their feed, etc. Then flash one Task Card (on the Elmo) at a time. Now your students have an opportunity to make a little obnoxious noise instead of just raising their hands! Keep score to make the review extra competitive and enticing. This game is borrowed from my post on {Creative Ways to Use Worksheets}. 3. Centers Place the Task Cards at a reading literacy or math center and have students complete the answer sheet independently. 4. Early Finisher Station Put the task cards in a basket at an "Early Finisher Station." When students have time, they can work to complete each of the task cards in a set. Over the course of a week (or whatever time frame works for you), their goal will be to complete all of the task cards in a station. You could even consider having a special incentive like iPad or computer time once they've completed them all. 5. Exit Tickets Display a task card on the Smart Board or Elmo and have students answer the question and explain their answer. They can write this on an index card, sticky note, or a more "official" exit ticket and hand in as they leave the classroom. Sample Exit Ticket 6. Jar Game Put all of the Task Cards in a bucket or jar. Students close their eyes and take turns pulling one out at a time. If they can answer the question, they get to keep the card. If not, they put it back. They student with the most cards at the end, wins. You can change this game up by adding a "zap" card (where they have to put all of the cards back if they draw one). This is a variety of my {Bug Juice Game}. 7. Jeopardy Place the Task Cards in a pocket chart, assign them each a value (use post it notes or dry erase markers on laminated cards), and let the game begin! 8. Journal Entries Teach the students to journal about their task cards. For their entry they would answer the question, then elaborate on their "experience." They could write about how they got their answer, their thought process, problems they had, things they learned or were reminded of, tools & resources they used, people they asked for help, questions they have, how much they enjoy the particular topic, how they can use this information in real life, etc. 9. Morning Work Put a task card on each student's desk for them to work on when they enter the classroom. When they finish the task card they've got, they can trade with a neighbor. Have them keep the same recording sheet for the entire week. 10. Partner Discussion Put students in pairs with Task Cards. Have each student answer the questions independently. Then the students should have a conversation about why they chose their answers. 11. Pass the Card Have students sit at their seats, or in a large circle. Give each student a Task Card. Play music. Allow the students 1-2 minutes to answer their question. Then students pass the card to their neighbor. 12. Dice Game Grab a die and put students on teams. Assign each number on the die a special challenging way of answering the question. Keep score as you go! You can download my {Freebie Game Posters Here}. This game is borrowed from my post on {Creative Ways to Use Worksheets}. 13. Rotation Activity {Often called "Scoot"} Place one Task Cards at each student’s desk, or at other tables throughout the room. Set one student at each task card. Play music and have give students 1-2 minutes to read their card and answer the question. Then students rotate to the next card. 14. Student Teachers Assign each student a task card. Give them time to complete the answer, and compose an explaination of their process. Then have students take turns teaching the rest of the class using their task card lesson they prepared. Encourage the students to ask the "teacher" questions, requiring them to dig deeper into their understanding! 15. Task Card Hunt Hide the Task Cards around your classroom, the gym, or the playground. Instruct students to hunt for the cards, answer the questions, and then return to you. You may want to print 2-3 sets of the same card for this game. You may want to make rules such as, “no more than one student per card.”
Visual Support for Families & Caregivers Empower Your Child's Learning & Communication with Smarty Symbols Studio Imagine a day where transitions are smooth, emotions are clearly expressed, and your child's world becomes more understandable for you and for them. From visual schedules that structure their day, to communication boards that give voice to their
It's a new year! Whilst you are busy making resolutions about your health, diet, food, and spending habits, consider your workplace. You probably spend more time at work than at home, and if your classroom clutter is getting you down then this challenge is for you!
Do you look on Pinterest for Anchor Chart ideas and give up at the thought that your Anchor Chart could never look that amazing? It actually doesn’t have to be that difficult to make an amazi…
Visual Support for Families & Caregivers Empower Your Child's Learning & Communication with Smarty Symbols Studio Imagine a day where transitions are smooth, emotions are clearly expressed, and your child's world becomes more understandable for you and for them. From visual schedules that structure their day, to communication boards that give voice to their
Your students will learn and retain information more with this research based strategy that just reading it alone. Jigsaw is a fun, engaging cooperative learning strategy that requires the participation of all students and they are mutually dependent on each other for a successful outcome. In this r...
This 4 minute video talks about the importance of utilizing repetition in your daily lesson plans. I walk through an example of how I used one of my favorite tools, a literacy unit. I never felt like I was cheating my students by repeating the same lesson plan several days in a row. I just […]
ELECTION DAY WORD SCRAMBLE A fun word scramble! ************************************************************************* Customer Tips: How to get TPT credit to use for future purchases: • Go to your My Purchases page and beside each purchase you'll see a "Provide Feedback" button. Click it and you will be able to give a quick rating and leave a comment for the product. Each time you give feedback, TPT gives you credits that you can use to lower the cost of your future purchases. I value your feedback! Be the First to Get Updates from TN Teacher TPT Store: • Look for the green star next to my store logo and click it to become a follower. You will get TPT mail updates about my store. *************************************************************************
Do Kids with Autism Really Need a Routine? In today's understanding of neurodiversity, recognizing the unique needs and strengths of individuals with autism has never been more crucial. Central to this understanding is the profound role routines play in fostering a sense of security and aiding in transitions.
Worksheets can be amazing. They're already prepared for you, they do the important jobs of practice & assessment, and they require little to no prep work! What more can a teacher ask for? Well, we all know what more we could ask for: something that the kids also ENJOY. So, here I've compiled a few ways that you can use the same old worksheets, in more creative and unique ways your students will think are AMAZING! {Buzzers} Additional Materials: Varies Basic Instructions: Have students make buzzers out of whatever materials are available. They can beat two markers together, make a noise-maker out of rolled up paper, stomp their feet, etc. Then, review your worksheet just like you would normally... except it's not normal! As you ask a question, students "buzz in" instead of raising their hands! Even More Ways to Mix It Up: - Call the questions out of order so students don't know which question is coming next. - Keep score; Give additional points for being able to thoroughly explain their reasoning - Put students in teams {Convince Me} Additional Materials: None Basic Instructions: Students complete a worksheet independently. This works best with multiple choice. As you review, designate a spot in the room for A, B, C, or D. After reading each question, students will stand in the section of the room that represents their answer. After every student is in place, each group discusses the reasons they chose this answer. Then they groups try to convince the other groups that THEIR answer is correct. After each group has had a chance to speak, give students a chance to change places. After students have changed places, ask one or two students why they chose to change. Sometimes they realize they were correct to begin with! Even More Ways to Mix It Up: - Give points or candy for correct answers - Use toy microphones for the speakers {Dice Game} Additional Materials: A die, {Dice Game Poster}, Other materials vary depending on the challenges you choose. Basic Instructions: Instead of handing out the worksheet, just have one to display on a SmartBoard or Elmo. You'll need something to cover up the rest of the worksheet so you only reveal one question at a time. Then split students into teams. Assign each number on the die a special challenge. You can use one of the posters in my {Dice Game Poster Pack Freebie} (below) or make up your own. Each team takes a turn rolling the dice and following the special challenge in order to complete the question! This game makes more sense once you check out the poster. In my pack, I have two versions: one that requires no supplies and one that requires several supplies. Even More Ways to Mix It Up: - Allow students to study the worksheet, individually or in groups, for a certain amount of time before getting started. - Assign the worksheet for homework the night before, then collect it before playing the game. - Assign the same worksheet for a quiz or homework AFTER playing the game. - Give additional points for being able to thoroughly explain their reasoning. {Highlighter Heaven} Additional Materials: Highlighters Basic Instructions: Instead of answering the questions outright, students must go through the reading and highlight where they find the answer. Then they must label in the margins which number question this passage answers. Even More Ways to Mix It Up: - Partner students and give them two separate worksheets. Have them work independently to highlight them. Then have the students trade. Time the students to see how quickly they can answer the questions with the reading already highlighted for them! {Movin' & Music} Additional Materials: Music & a Timer Basic Instructions: Simply allow students to sit anywhere in the room. They can sit under desks, in special chairs, on the floors, stand against walls, etc. Then just play music and tell the kids they'll have to switch every minute. Play music & set a time. After a minute is up, the kids find a new place in the room to sit. This works best with worksheets that don't require a TON of concentration on one question for a long period of time. I would not recommend it for reading comprehension. The purpose is to just keep their attention, let them move, and get some oxygen flowing to those brains! Even More Ways to Mix It Up: - My second graders LOVED this. We used it with fluency practice readers. Every time they switched, they started reading their passage over again, hoping to read more in a minute each time! - You may need to set a time limit on how long they have to choose a new spot. 10-15 seconds should be PLENTY. {Pass the Q} Additional Materials: None Basic Instructions: {This game is similar the the Rotation Activity below, except the students don't move}. Cut the worksheet up and hand out one question to each student. Have student number a separate paper. Remind students to pay attention, because they won't all start on #1. Set a timer, and go! Students work to answer their question. When the time is up, students pass their question on to the next person. If they're not ready, they pass anyway. Continue until each student has had each question. Even More Ways to Mix It Up: - Play music {Rainbow Worksheet} Additional Materials: A plethora of colored pencils, crayons, or markers Basic Instructions: Students get to use colored pencils to do their worksheet! Here's how I do it: Students choose any shade of blue to complete their worksheet. They work individually to complete it. Then they switch to a shade of green and partner up. With their partners, they discuss each answer. If they choose to make any corrections/changes, it must be done in their shade of green. Then students choose a shade of pink/purple. Together, we go over the worksheet. We discuss each question. I ask students for their opinions on the question, and why they feel that way. I make sure to target students with green on their paper: "Why did you change your answer? Tell us your thought process." As we go, we don't give ANY final answers, but students are allowed to make more changes. Then at the end, we choose a shade of red/orange to correct the paper together. With all of these colors, it adds a bit of fun and variety. Plus it allows me as the teacher to see the though processes and evolution of thinking. I can get students talking about their thought process and answers, and focus on those that have made several changes. Even Ways to Mix It Up: - Obviously, use whatever color pallet you prefer! - Have student write reasonings for why they changed their answer. - Stop after the partner discussion & just turn the pages in. {Rotation Activity} Additional Materials: Paper & Pencils, Timer Basic Instructions: Cut the worksheet up and place the questions around the room, playground, etc. Each student starts at a question. Have them number their paper before they get started. Remind students they all won't start at #1, so pay attention! Set a timer, and go! When the timer goes off, the students move to the next question in the rotation. If they're not ready, they have to move anyway! Continue until all students have been to all questions. Even More Ways to Mix It Up: - Play music - Make students do silly moves as they move between questions (walk like a duck, spin twice, hop like a bunny, etc). {Train Game} Additional Materials: Tape. You'll also need to do some cutting prep work. Basic Instructions: This can work in one of two ways: - With a reading passage: Cut the questions corresponding with a reading passage. Then cut out the section of the passage where you'd find the answer. Tape one question on each student's back, and then give each student an answer/section of the passage. The students' goal is to find the question they have the answer to, and stand behind that person. They will eventually make a train. HINT: You'll need to do some thinking in advance & ordering to make sure students don't get the answer to their own question and that the train doesn't turn into a ball! :) - Any other type of worksheet: Use the same method, but you'll need to write/type the answers or cut them from a copy of the answer key. Even More Ways to Mix It Up: - Don't allow talking. Play music instead.
Babbling Abby's Teacher Week topic today is Creative Ideas. (How about that use of alliteration!?) I am going to share some ideas of things...
Inclusive ABA Practices: Using Visual Supports to Foster Engagement and Participation Welcome to the world of Inclusive ABA Practices, where visual supports unlock possibilities for every individual. Join Smarty Symbols Studio as we explore personalized communication boards, engaging social stories, and empowering visual schedules. With over 30,000 diverse symbols, let's celebrate
Love this craft for for St. Patrick's day encouraging students to reflect on when they feel lucky! Click to learn more!
Welcome to our final week of our Building Back to School Linky! Today, we're rounding off our Tools with some Tools, Tips, & Resources for Writing! :) I'm keeping it simple today with a super quick and easy tip that I really loved implementing in the classroom! My last year teaching ELL, we implemented writer's workshop. I loved it SO MUCH. At the end of each workshop, we had a fabulous share time. During conferences, we invited individual students to share their writing, and if they agreed, they got to sit in this adorable chair and share their current draft. Afterward, we designated a small amount of time for providing positive feedback, and a small amount of time for asking meaningful questions intended to guide the author's revisions. During this time, we wrote down the questions that the students asked on a post it note! The note stuck directly to their draft, so that when the author went to revise their work, they had specific guidance for improving their piece! We taught each step of these processes in individual mini-lessons. And of course, this process meets common core standard W.5. What do you think? Is this something that you could use in your classroom? What processes do you use to help your students through revisions? This week, in celebration of our Writing Tools theme, ALL of my writing centers, non-fiction writing packs, writing paper packs, and MORE are on sale! You can check out the goodies in my store here or by clicking the individual links below! An InLinkz Link-up I'm also giving away my FALL writing center this week! This set is jam packed with tools you can use for a fabulous fall unit, or to supplement whatever units you already have in place! For your chance to win this and other goodies, just enter the rafflecopter below! a Rafflecopter giveaway An InLinkz Link-up
The Unspoken Revolution: Therapists and Educators Unite To Make Public Spaces More Inclusive For Non-Speaking Children This transformative vision aspires to create a ripple effect, originating in Boston but capable of affecting communities globally. Rather than merely departing with new insights and connections, attendees and the broader community
New apps are being continuously developed to help you organize your life, increase your productivity and supposedly save you time. There are so many apps it is difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff, but here are five that I think are most helpful, with video previews to show you how they work. Only one […]
Support Communication, Learning, Behavior and Social Skills by Creating Custom Resources. Stop struggling with complicated programs and outdated images. Create your custom visual support materials with easy drag and drop tools and contemporary images that the kids will love. Sign
Top Ten Kindergarten YouTube Channels. Teaching with Music and Movement Is How the Brain Learns Best!
Free downloads of classroom signs Who doesn't appreciate complimentary classroom resources? In a burst of inspiration, we dove into Keynote today to craft some vibrant classroom signs tailored just for you. Feel free to download these signs in your preferred format or even as standalone
Ataxia and Communication Ataxia, a term perhaps unfamiliar to many, is a medical condition that poses significant challenges to muscle control, affecting not just physical mobility but speech as well. As we delve deeper into the intricacies of this disorder, it becomes evident that its impact extends far beyond physical
What does the research tell us about best practices in teaching vocabulary?
Very versatile resource that can be used in a variety of ways in your classroom;→ Photo collage pages can be used as-is to create bulletin board displays and wonder wall to support student inquiry.→ Cut them apart and use for seasonal sorting activities; sort the cards by season as a science centre ...
Welcome to our final week of our Building Back to School Linky! Today, we're rounding off our Tools with some Tools, Tips, & Resources for Writing! :) I'm keeping it simple today with a super quick and easy tip that I really loved implementing in the classroom! My last year teaching ELL, we implemented writer's workshop. I loved it SO MUCH. At the end of each workshop, we had a fabulous share time. During conferences, we invited individual students to share their writing, and if they agreed, they got to sit in this adorable chair and share their current draft. Afterward, we designated a small amount of time for providing positive feedback, and a small amount of time for asking meaningful questions intended to guide the author's revisions. During this time, we wrote down the questions that the students asked on a post it note! The note stuck directly to their draft, so that when the author went to revise their work, they had specific guidance for improving their piece! We taught each step of these processes in individual mini-lessons. And of course, this process meets common core standard W.5. What do you think? Is this something that you could use in your classroom? What processes do you use to help your students through revisions? This week, in celebration of our Writing Tools theme, ALL of my writing centers, non-fiction writing packs, writing paper packs, and MORE are on sale! You can check out the goodies in my store here or by clicking the individual links below! An InLinkz Link-up I'm also giving away my FALL writing center this week! This set is jam packed with tools you can use for a fabulous fall unit, or to supplement whatever units you already have in place! For your chance to win this and other goodies, just enter the rafflecopter below! a Rafflecopter giveaway An InLinkz Link-up
Support Communication, Learning, Behavior and Social Skills by Creating Custom Resources. Stop struggling with complicated programs and outdated images. Create your custom visual support materials with easy drag and drop tools and contemporary images that the kids will love. Sign
(Disclosure: Some of links below are affiliate links, which means that at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.) Where are my kindergarten and pre-K teachers? Are you teaching scissor skills? It is so important for young children to use TOOLS safely in the […]
You are about to embark on a discussion of someone’s child. And whilst parents might not expect their child to be the next Einstein, what they want, what we all want, is for their child to be making progress. They are going to be concerned if you tell them that their child hasn’t met the benchmark goal for this quarter. They are going to ask why. They may question your teaching. They may ask what is distracting their child in class. And they may tell you that at home their child seems to fully understand everything that is going on in class.
