If you have an extra-chatty class, check out this post with tips for how to get your students to stop talking in just one week!
Learn how to manage one of the biggest challenges of teaching: Six disrespectful students in the same class. Yikes!
After 19 years in the classroom, I‘ve picked up a few tricks that have saved me from hours reinventing the wheel year after year. The best thing I ever did for myself was complete some upfront work that led to years of little to no prep and planning! Here are my top three work smarter, not harder tips for easy lesson planning: 1. Save and store reusable worksheets and task cards. Classrooms don't have a lot of storage space, but keeping photocopies of the materials your students will use year af
This idea is actually a gem that one of my students thought of years ago! This fun trick will get students as young as Kindergarten to stop chatting! It's one of my favorite classroom management tricks!
How to create an end-of-day routine that leaves your room spotless, every time!
If you can't take one more day of dismissal chaos, a closing circle is the solution. Like morning meeting, this let's you focus on what's important before you part ways.
These three icebreakers for teens will make the first class, youth group, or club fun for everyone, even the introverts.
Today I'm sharing one of my favourite tasks for building community in the classroom. Students are able to share an important aspect of themselves (the story of their name) with the class and with me, their teacher. Through this task we are also working on important skills, like reading comprehension, writing, and reflection. Day 1 To begin, I asked my students to write any name they wish they had on a sticky note. They then placed it in a mason jar. I read my class the story "The Name Jar" by Yansook Choi. We stopped at several points in the story to predict, make connections, infer, and ask questions. At one point, we paused in the story so that students could journal about the name they wrote down on the sticky note earlier: - Did they choose their own name? Or another? - Why? - If you chose another name, where did you hear that name before? Day 2 At the end of Day 1, students were given homework. (Stick around to the bottom of this post for a chance to get your own copy of this sheet.) I make it very clear, that while names all have meanings, your family may not have chosen your name for that reason. They might not know the meaning, and you can choose to look it up with your family if you wish. I also focus a lot on nicknames and your own feelings about your name. While I've never taught a student in foster care, or one who was adopted, I do think it's important to mention that this could be a touchy task in those situations, so be sure to know your students first, and modify as needed. Students use the homework task, and the journal write from the previous day, to write "The Story of their Name". Some possible options to include are: - who you are named after - the meaning of your name - a name you'd rather have - your feelings toward your name - nicknames you may have - the person (or people) who chose your name - how your name was chosen This piece of writing is then self, peer, and teacher edited, and a "good" copy is made. Day 3 I found this excellent step-by-step self-portrait from "Art Projects for Kids". I modified the task so that instead of drawing the left or right side of their face, they would draw the top half. Students find that folding their page into quadrants as she suggests is very helpful. Under the document camera I demonstrate each step, and students copy, adapting to their own facial features. Each student gets a mirror to look in to help them personalize. The final pieces are put on a bulletin board for display. Students also coloured in a bubble letter version of their names to complete the display. (I used the font KG Red Hands Outline for this.) Day 4 Once we've completed the task, the last job is to reflect on our work. I pulled some elements from our Arts Education curriculum (very relevant regardless of where you teach) for students to self-assess on. I've used the proficiency scale language our school has moved to for all reporting. A few students found it helpful to complete their reflection while looking at the finished product on their bulletin board, but most didn't need this. Want a copy of both my homework and reflection pages? Follow the image or button below to grab your copy. Take Me to the Free Download Pin this post.
This fun lesson was inspired by "The Dot" by Peter Reynolds, and is a perfect choice for celebrating "Dot Day"! Use this technique to make a series of quick and colorful, one-of-a-kind monoprint "dots". Then repaint your printing surface and make as many new designs as you like!
Upper elementary blog with practical, rigorous, classroom tested ideas to implement with your students.
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Classroom/behavior management is one of the most important things to master in your classroom. Having solid behavior management helps maintain a positive classroom environment, while enabling teachers and students to accomplish LEARNING! Here are TEN tips and tricks for behavior management I use in my classroom: Greeting Students at the Door The way you start
I've done a lot of experimenting with desk arrangements over the years. I've definitely found my favorite. Keep reading, I'll tell you about it. I've also discovered that it's smart to pick a few
From the moment students step through your door, you begin to build that sense of community together. It’s important to start working on core values immediately so that students know they are going to be apart of a class family that is safe, supportive, and welcoming. These are some of my favorite ways to build […]
Get your students moving with active review games. Tons of fun ideas to review the standards while having fun in the classroom.
These are the top 10 best 4th grade classroom transformations. They are easy to implement, rigorous, and fun for fourth graders!
Rainbow Dot Day Display from September 2017 Dot Day is coming! Did you know the beloved children’s book “The Dot” by Peter H. Reynolds has its own day? On September 15th (ish) teachers, children, and creatives all around the world celebrate creativity, courage, and collaboration inspired by The Dot. I have been celebra
Winter break is almost over and that means your little learners are about to come back to school rested, refreshed, calm, and ready to take ...
With these classroom management strategies, your room will have order and your students will thrive. Quickly create your classroom management plan here!
Are you ready to transform your daily routine with engaging "question of the day for kids" activities? Not only do these activities spark conversation, but they also foster critical thinking skills, enhance communication, and create a
Orange Shirt Day is held on September 30 to honour the children of Residential Schools. We've collected activities to use in your classroom.
We have all been there. We have all had that one student who constantly pushes our buttons and doesn't seem to follow any of the class rules. We have all had a challenging kiddo with behavior that has made us cry.So how do we deal with a student who has challenging behavior?I think that lots
Prepare for the school year by organizing your curriculum for your self-contained special education classroom.
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Fun and engaging ideas to get to know your students at the beginning of the school year. Build a strong classroom community with these free resources.
Let’s talk about creating and using tactile schedules in the classroom. If you have a Teacher of the Visually Impaired that works with you, they may provide you with a kit or schedule pieces from the library of the blind. Here is a link to my local library. Check with your state and see if you […]
This is a digital file. You will NOT receive anything by mail. Make the sweetest flowers ever with your little ones handprints (or footprints) for Grandparents Day! This is a digital download in 8.5x11. Handprints are not in downloaded file. This Grandparents Day printable is a project that allows kids to add their own handprints and/or footprints to the page. Makes a great keepsake for grandparents. Great for use at home or in a classroom! *I am a former childcare teacher turned stay at home mom of a toddler. I have 14 years of experience in writing lesson plans and planning activities for the toddler age range. These are the same activities I do at home with my daughter! Follow us on Instagram for tutorials and more toddler ideas! Search growing_upwith_grace. *This printable is for private use only either at home or in a classroom. NOT TO BE RESOLD.
Check out these 6 ideas to use as science time fillers in your grade 5 6 7 class to keep students engaged.
Are you looking for a fun way to reinforce teaching similes to students? Making simile monsters is always a huge hit! Students will create a fictitious monster and use similes to describe the 5 senses about their monsters. To hook students, I love to read the text Quick as a Cricket by Audrey Wood (affiliate […]
I firmly believe in the motto, "Work Smarter, Not Harder." You can't do it all! There's a pile of marking toppling over on the desk, last month's marking is
Lessons, Themes, Resources, Tips, & Freebies for Kindergarten Week One - Help and Advice for New Teachers from Fern Smith of #FernSmithsClassroomIdeas
