These are the steps that I did with my kids. There may be different ways of doing this, but this is what works for me. The first step is to fold your paper in half, down the long side ( we say hotdog fold). Then with a pencil write your name sitting on the fold, in cursive. Then, darken the name by tracing 2-3 times. Fold the name to the inside, make sure the name is facing down. Usually, you can see the name through the paper, which will help with the next step. With the cap of a marker, rub over the name. If you can see through the paper, you can rub directly on the name. Check to see if transfer is happening, if not check these things. 1. Is the name dark enough 2. Is the name on the inside (Yep, it happens) 3. Is the name facing down 4. If the following is done, you may not be holding the marker at the right angle. Once the name is transferred, you can start adding in details (eyes, nose, ears, hands, feet, lashes and so on) Remember it is a creature, so it can have 6 eyes, 2 mouths, and hands. Anything goes! This part is done just like the name. Draw on the original side and transfer for symmetry. Trace with sharpie and erase any left over pencil markings. Add color!
Even if you're a great teacher, even if you're a swell person most days, sometimes it all gets to be too much and you just snap.
Kids love music! I try to find ways to incorporate it throughout our school day. It is such an amazing learning tool. My Songs for the Year
Words of affirmation is my love language and I LOVE finding ways to celebrate my students and acknowledge their hard work. If you're looking for an easy and FUN way to build your classroom community, these cards are perfect! There is a visual for each cheer/chant and an explanation for how to do it. The visuals are great for our littlest learners to help recall the chants and amazing for you as a teacher because it gives you some variety! These mini celebrations quite literally take just a few seconds but make a tremendous and lasting impact! (: What's included: 20 different classroom cheers/chants that are designed to fit on a half sheet of paper Please note: This file is not editable and the included cheers/chants can be seen via the preview (: As always, don't forget to leave feedback to earn money back toward future TPT purchases! & tag me on Instagram (@teachingthetinies)! I love seeing you loving these products too! (:
Painting a porch floor is easy, but don't do it the wrong way. Check out my tips on how to prep and paint wooden porch flooring.
Customized routine charts for kids
Living in an apartment with loud roommates? The apartment you live in is small and all noises come straight into your bedroom. Is there an easy way to
This moon craft is great for preschool, kindergarten, first grade, or older kids. It's a great art extension during a space theme in the classroom.
Make a Keyboard Puzzle I designed this for those of us who will have young beginners in the fall. There are many...
5 Ways to teach the steady beat in elementary music class. At the beginning of the school year. I start with Steady Beat activities.
It's Salv ador Da li and his mustache!! I'd love to take credit for this goofy & adorable idea, but I can't. I first saw this lesson post...
Natural home remedies for an itchy candida skin rash, including foods to eat and avoid, topical solutions and using essential oils. Starve, Kill, Rebuild!
Although "practice makes perfect," it doesn't have to be boring. Find 6 ways to make lessons more engaging with movement in the classroom.
Hard Mazes for teens and adults will challenge your brain. Not only are they a fun little project to get through, they benefit you in many ways. Mazes enforce stronger connections in your brain which result in better memory, sharpened problem solving skills, enhanced spatial reasoning, and its even said to improve your IQ. Wanna […]
Establishing consistent accountability when using the workshop approach to teaching and learning may seem daunting at first. After all, your students are producing, and consuming an immense amount of content during workshop on a daily basis…far more than you can (and want) to grade. The good news is, you don’t have to grade every activity. I know what you’re thinking…”If I stop grading every single thing…there won’t be enough accountability.” The reality is, there are other far more efficient ways to establish accountability and boost meaningful student growth. One of these ways is routine student self-reflection. If you’re ready to bring more student reflection to your classroom, these tips can help you establish routines that maintain consistent accountability in your workshop classroom. Creating Rubrics Together A foundational rubric will help you and your students create a common language that can make ongoing assessment more meaningful and fluid in your classroom. Begin by pulling the rubric your district requires you to use, or write a rubric that communicates your parameters for each level of understanding in your classroom. Rewrite this rubric in your own student-friendly language so you can share these parameters with your class. Making a slide or poster for each level on your rubric so it is easier for students to digest may be helpful. Set aside time in your schedule each day to create a one-week series of work sessions when you and your students can rewrite the rubric again as a class using language that is actually produced by your students. You may opt to: Have all slides/posters on display simultaneously while students rotate to stations where they work in groups to make meaning of each level of understanding. Students can then write their interpretations on the slides/posters, which can be aggregated on the final day. Display one slide/poster each day and host a class conversation that facilitates meaning-making for each level of understanding. Record student ideas as you work toward a common, and final definition for each level of understanding. At the end of these series of work sessions, you and your students will have a rubric that is unpacked by them, rewritten by them, and ready to be used by them. Working together as a class to write a final rubric that will be adopted as the foundation makes conversations about assessments more meaningful and productive. Rubric Drawers Once your class rubric is created, you can make it easy for students to consistently reflect on their work by submitting any assignments to “rubric drawers” that are marked with the definitions for each level of understanding. This built-in practice of self-reflection builds students’ intrinsic motivation to reach higher and produce quality work. If you notice your students have a tendency to submit work to the “wrong” drawer, this signals they need a follow up lesson on the type of work quality required to achieve each level of understanding. Using exemplars (examples of each level of understanding from a particular subject area or activity) can help students build a stronger definition for what work quality looks like. As students build their ability to accurately assess themselves, you can also have them attach a short note of justification for their self-scoring. This will provide insight about any misconceptions they may have about their work or the rubric levels your class has written. If you want to track the score students give themselves on an activity, provide a special pen or stamp that allows them to mark their score before placing it in the drawer. In addition, you can have students submit work with the help of a partner. Once an activity is complete, a student can briefly confer with their assigned partner to get feedback, and make a decision about which drawer a piece should be submitted. This provides an additional layer of motivation for students to reach higher, as they know a peer will be reviewing their work quality. Reflection Letters Another routine that can boost student growth through self-assessment is the writing of reflection letters on a routine basis. Students thrive when they know they have an important role in their assessment process, and will be eager to read your response. Begin by creating a prompt that asks students to reflect specifically on different areas of the assignment that will support their goal setting and goal progress. Also direct students to refer to their rubric to self-assess, and provide justification for their assessment as part of their reflection process. This routine will remind students the importance of keeping the rubric in mind as they complete their work each week, which will foster stronger performance. Set aside time to read these reflection letters and write brief responses which may include your own score using the same rubric, and comments that support your scoring. This written dialogue further emphasizes the value you place on student work and growth. If you find the need to differentiate this letter writing process to support the unique needs of students in your classroom. Here are some differentiation ideas: Have students dictate as you record their reflection. Have students circle their score on a rubric and mark evidence with color-coding or sticky notes. Provide sentence frames to scaffold independence. Self Assessment & Reflection In Your Classroom Ready to give self-reflection a try in your own classroom? Here are a few editable tools to help you get started. Once you’ve established student self-reflection routines in your classroom, stop by and share your experience. I look forward to hearing about the growth your students make, and the freedom you feel from teaching in a workshop classroom where accountability and engagement are off the charts.
You hear it time and time again..." The days are long, but the years are short." One day the kids are extremely ornery and the clock seems to tick-tock at super snail speed. By the time they're tucked quietly in their beds, you're scrolling through your camera roll looking at pictures of your babies and
Making inferences worksheets and activities aren't always easy for students, but there are fun ways to teach this challenging reading skill.
I got this idea from my peer teacher, Nina. It's a great way for students to share about themselves. I think it would be perfect for a first day of school activity. I would start by having the students first write the numbers. Later, once we have learned about multiplication and division, I would have them create the equations. Finally, they can put it all together in time for Open House. It can be easily adapted for the younger grades by using addition and/or subtraction. It can be adapted for older grades with exponents, multi-step problems, and including fractions or decimals. Thanks to my friend Nannette for inspiring me with her sample.
Trying to figure out what to do with your child's artwork? These are the coolest ways to store, display, and save your little one's masterpieces!
3 fresh, contemporary All About Me Activities that your students enjoy. These all about me activities are approved by teachers and students!
This easy technique is one of my favourite crochet hacks, if you can call it a hack! Some people are taught to start this way and some people are taught a different type of slipknot. Which one do you...
Having short hair doesn't mean having no ways to style it. People think you just leave your short hair down and alone and it falls into place... well that's not…
I am short. There is no other way to put it. I’m barely 5′ tall. I think I’ve only bought two pairs of used jeans in my life that were already hemmed to my length…ever……
Teaching theme in fourth grade is not easy, but it is very rewarding to see the students' little light bulbs come on! In my experience, students need many
Find out how to teach English conversation classes,. Here are my tips for teaching English speaking with these lesson plans, and activities
*Google Slides and Print Option* *Rubric Added!* About this Product This product came as a result of my students’ love of the biography series “Who Was…?” If you have not looked into this series, I recommend that you do! They are a fun, easy read that offers an engaging way for students to learn about historical figures and important people. Although this product is based on this series, this product could be used for any biography book or project. This is a nice way to integrate Reading, Writing, and Social Studies.🛑 Are you a member of the TLL Membership? These materials are already included. If you are not a member, click here to learn more. The TLL Membership gives you an all-access pass to hundreds of ELA resources for teachers in Grades 3-5. How I Used this Product In my 3rd Grade classroom, I used multiple copies of the same book or books and paired students in partnerships. In my school, we have a 30 minute Reading Intervention Block. I began this project with students who were not pulled out or working with me in small groups during this time. This was a nice way for students to work independently or in partnerships. It also created an extension for what they could already do as readers. Plus, they had so much fun! I let them work on this project in their partnerships. This held several benefits. Many students who were not pulled out or working in small groups tend to be higher level students OR students who have untapped potential. Allowing them to work on a project like this can extend their learning, as well as find new ways to enjoy reading. While other students had special groups or went to see other teachers, it was nice for these students to have their own project too. The Poster Page is a template that you could use for students to turn in with the essay or you could use this as a planning page and then have students create a larger poster on their own. I assigned it as homework and was pleasantly surprised at what my students turned in. I saw a wonderful increase in engagement by students who had shown little motivation or enthusiasm for reading. You can see the photos in the preview or in the product itself. Please know I updated the pages after the photos were taken with more detail and provided the poster template. Good luck to you with this project! If you have any questions, please contact me! You might also LOVE... Reader’s Notebook Anchor Charts My Opinion Matters! {An Opinion Writing Unit} My Life is A Story {A Personal Narrative Writing Unit} Buzzin' in Book Clubs {Book Club Reading Unit Resources} Newspaper Article Writing Unit {Here's the Scoop!} Opinion Writing for a Literary Response Current Events Writing {What's the Scoop?}
No Knots! I have a few pet peeves about sewing but my biggest one is tying knots. I have that little bitty sense of dread everytime I have to do it - partly because I can't see up close as well as I used to and partly that I like to make several knots and I hate the angst I have over trying to match them up so they're on top of each other. Anyway, here's a nice little technique for handsewing to do away with knots :) #1 double your length of thread/floss and thread the *tails* through the eye of the needle; this leaves a loop at the other end of your thread #2 starting from the back of your fabric, bring the needle up through the fabric to the front side but do not pull all the way through - leave the loop of your thread on the backside #3 push the needle through to the backside, leaving a small space between your original stitch and this new one #4 *this is a picture of the backside* after pulling the thread through from the front put your needle through the loop on the back #5 *this is a picture of the backside* now pull your thread firmly and you are ready to begin stitching! No Tails! One of my other pet peeves? Little thread tails poking up through your work ;) I use this technique on my softies/stuffies/stuffed toys. #1 okay, you've finished sewing up your seams and you've created a knot on the outside of your work #2 with the tail still attached, reinsert your needle as close as possible to your last stitch and then bring your needle up as far as possible from that stitch (basically the length of the needle but you can scrunch your fabric up on the needle so it will go further) #3 it should look something like this #4 now pulling the thread taut, scrunch the fabric up against your last stitch, then snip the thread close to the fabric and let go #5 voila! no peek-a-boo tails! I hope this helps some of you and my directions are clear enough. I'll permalink it in a side column for future reference.
This recipe is your classic french toast with a surprising ingredient in the batter. You'll never do French toast any other way after making this recipe!
Do you remember those space rocks that I made? They have been providing hours of play and learning this week. The very first thing we did with them was create sensory bin that included all the planets (not poor Pluto much to the dismay of my children.) This free solar system printable includes, not only the planets, but astronauts, a rocket ship, and alien in a UFO and shooting stars. Lots of fun!
Whoever said you don't need a doula obviously never had a birth attended by a doula. Sure, they may have survived, but it would have been so much better if they had a doula.
Looking for a boho rainbow classroom theme? Find everything you need in this 1,600+ page boho rainbow classroom decor pack. You won't beli...
