I'm linking up with Jivey's Workshop Wednesday to talk about launching my writer's workshop this year with some good old-fashioned Grammar Rock! I used to love to sing along on Saturday mornings to all those great tunes, some of which I still remember by heart. So, as I was thinking about spending the first couple weeks this year reviewing the parts of speech, I thought why not throw in some Grammar Rock! I knew I didn't have a lot of time to devote to this, and I wanted to make it as fun as I could to spark their enthusiasm. After listening to Grammar Rock songs over and over and over (my son was wondering what the heck I was doing as I sang along to Interjections!) last weekend I came up with a plan. My idea was to spend one class period (or less) on each of the parts of speech featured by Schoolhouse Rock: nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions, interjections, prepositions, and pronouns. I would introduce the lesson with the song and provide students with a note-taking sheet to fill in while we watched the video on YouTube. We generally had to listen to the song a couple times to get the notes, and then we went over them as a class to make sure everyone had the right answers. Then, of course, we had to watch it one more time just for fun and to sing along! So, I passed out the lyrics and we did our best! After that, we would create a class anchor chart as a reference tool for students. These are some of our finished charts. After we did the anchor charts, students would do some kind of activity to practice using the part of speech. To go along with "Unpack Your Adjectives", students drew a picture of somewhere they went over the summer and then filled their suitcase with adjectives to describe that place. In another activity, students cut out different verbs and then fit them into a graphic organizer. After completing the activity, students were given a worksheet to complete independently to show what they had learned. Each time I started workshop out with the Grammar Rock song I would have several students go, "Yessss!", so I knew they were enjoying it. My hope is that as we talk about our writing and practice our word work throughout the year, this grammar unit will pay off. If you would like to try this Grammar Rock unit, you can find it at my TPT store! Subscribe to the Forever in Fifth Grade Newsletter for the latest info on freebies, classroom tips, and special sales!

I'm linking up with Jivey's Workshop Wednesday to talk about launching my writer's workshop this year with some good old-fashioned Grammar Rock! I used to love to sing along on Saturday mornings to all those great tunes, some of which I still remember by heart. So, as I was thinking about spending the first couple weeks this year reviewing the parts of speech, I thought why not throw in some Grammar Rock! I knew I didn't have a lot of time to devote to this, and I wanted to make it as fun as I could to spark their enthusiasm. After listening to Grammar Rock songs over and over and over (my son was wondering what the heck I was doing as I sang along to Interjections!) last weekend I came up with a plan. My idea was to spend one class period (or less) on each of the parts of speech featured by Schoolhouse Rock: nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions, interjections, prepositions, and pronouns. I would introduce the lesson with the song and provide students with a note-taking sheet to fill in while we watched the video on YouTube. We generally had to listen to the song a couple times to get the notes, and then we went over them as a class to make sure everyone had the right answers. Then, of course, we had to watch it one more time just for fun and to sing along! So, I passed out the lyrics and we did our best! After that, we would create a class anchor chart as a reference tool for students. These are some of our finished charts. After we did the anchor charts, students would do some kind of activity to practice using the part of speech. To go along with "Unpack Your Adjectives", students drew a picture of somewhere they went over the summer and then filled their suitcase with adjectives to describe that place. In another activity, students cut out different verbs and then fit them into a graphic organizer. After completing the activity, students were given a worksheet to complete independently to show what they had learned. Each time I started workshop out with the Grammar Rock song I would have several students go, "Yessss!", so I knew they were enjoying it. My hope is that as we talk about our writing and practice our word work throughout the year, this grammar unit will pay off. If you would like to try this Grammar Rock unit, you can find it at my TPT store! Subscribe to the Forever in Fifth Grade Newsletter for the latest info on freebies, classroom tips, and special sales!

Hang on, the learning is ready to start. Get ahead of the game with our 1st Grade Worksheets. These little minds are ready to mold, and you can do a great job getting them ready with English, Reading, Math and more. Print all of our...

I thought it might be nice to share a little snapshot of a sample lesson with you. If you've never used my curriculum guides before, this is what you get.

I have to admit – I was never a fan of poetry. In the words of my students, I just didn’t “get it.” That all changed my junior year of high school. I had what in most of my classmates’ minds was the toughest teacher in the school. She certainly wasn’t “warm and fuzzy,” but ... Read more

Rock... paper... scissors! Discover a bit more about the math behind this childhood game with this exercise in probability.

Helping K-2 Teachers Like You Save Time, Grow Instructional Skills, and Teach With Confidence!

First Grade WOW, Windows on Wonder

In preparation for the writing test, plurals is the topic of the day. Here's a simple way to practice plurals with your kids that costs only cents. What you will need: 1. Sentence strips 2. Markers 3. List of nouns that follow the rules. What you do: 1. Write the noun on the sentence strip. 2. Fold the right hand corner to cover up whatever gets taken away on the reform of the word. 3. Write the new ending that makes the word plural. See pictures below! Before the flaps are folded down. After the flaps are folded down (minus the first one). You could even have your children make their own. You really can use any type of paper and any noun! Simple and cheap! Make on.

Got a kid who loves rocks? Encourage your little geologist to learn about the 3 major rock types with this worksheet.

Originally designed with seventh grade students, Reciprocal Teaching is a research-based strategy that teaches students to work in small groups to coordinate the use of four comprehension strategies: prediction, clarification, summarization, and student-generated questions. This article illustrates how to implement Reciprocal Teaching for the Primary Grades (RTPG). Modifications include: additional strategies, cue cards with pictures and scripts, group work interspersed with whole class follow-up, and an independent written component for individual student accountability.

Little 1st grade Science Thinkers is a complete curriculum that includes scripted teacher lesson plans, read-aloud books in a printable or projectible format, easy-prep science investigations and activities, assessments, anchor chart examples, and more.

I have a couple of students who love the hand held pencil sharpeners. This is a great project from Martha Stewart Living.

Explore rocks and minerals with this fun rock testing experiment that uses vinegar & sedimentary rocks -- also known as the Acid Test for Rocks!

When my students start needing a little help with more detail in their writing/drawing, I remind them to think about their 5 senses. Here is a picture of the poster we made together that hangs in our writing center. Amber

Teaching rocks for kids can be fun, interactive and even yummy with these creative ideas. These 15 activities and ideas are perfect for teaching science about rocks that includes the rock cycle, the types of rocks and more! You'll even love how these ideas integrate food {yum!}, creativity and songs to meet all learners. Rocks for Kids 1. Rock Formations Worksheet - Students can take what they know about rocks and use them creatively to create rock formations. This is a more artistic way to work with rocks for kids and makes a great display next to a classroom anchor chart. {Free

Every year I am shocked by my students' underdeveloped vocabulary. They struggle with reading comprehension because of their limited understanding of words. Their writing can be very drab because of their limited word choice. And when it comes time for standardized testing they often struggle with understanding what is being asked of them because of

Discover the fiery origins of igneous rocks and their role in shaping Earth's crust in this comprehensive guide to their formation, classification, and uses.

After this past week, my kiddos could certainly answer that question with a big YES! This week we learned what the setting is, what makes up a setting, and why on earth it matters so much! My kiddos rocked it, so I’m here to share what we did. I know that spending an entire week on setting might seem like…

Although Shake and Drop is a simple game, I have many students get confused. You take a handful of beans and shake and drop. I have the students start with 6. Record how many red and how many yellows. I put the numbers on the bottom of the sheet to remind students of number direction. For this game, you roll two dice add or subtract and color in the square. You need to get four in a row to win. Many of my kids play this game adding two dice. I saw the idea of putting a cute border on a math game on Pinterest, and I love it!! The border is from Frog Spot. Tag Story Problems My class LOVES tag, so I know this will be a big hit!! We will probably create recess story problems soon. Click Here For Downloads

Hi everyone! It's Naomi O'Brien from Read Like a Rock Star! I've noticed a lot of teachers heading back to school, and thought I'd share a few of the ideas I use to create a positive classroom culture. For years, my coworkers chalked my sweet and well behaved classes up to the "luck of the draw", but then they had to admit, it must have been something I was doing. We, the teachers, really are responsible for setting the tone in our classroom. Our children are always watching us and how we respond to situations teaches them a lot about how they should respond to us and each other. How I Create and Maintain a Positive Classroom Culture for K-2! I Tell them They Were Handpicked to be in My Class, but Shhhhhh, It's a Secret: On the first day of school, I always let my students know that I have a HUGE secret to share with them. The secret is that I asked for only the best students to be in my class. I let them know that I read information about them, talked to the principal and other teachers, and that I only allowed the best kids into my room. I tell them that this is a secret and that if the rest of the school knew, everyone would be trying to be in our class and then it would get too crowded and too crazy. I let them know they can tell their parents, but nobody else. During restorative conversations, I remind them that they are still the best, deserve to be in my class, and to never forget it. It's always really cute when we get a new student and my students are so excited to have someone new to share the secret with! I Let Them Take Over the Classroom: I give them a lot of opportunities to learn and share with each other. Sometimes it's hard to give up the reigns, but they learn to respect and listen to one another. Every now and then, I pretend to be the confused one, and have them help me learn a concept. They think it's hilarious and they come together for a good cause; to teach their teacher. I Take Time to Start Personal Conversations: Instead of walking around or sitting at my desk, I like to sit with my students and get to know them. I let them know I'm interested in who they are, not just what they can do. It's this relationship building that makes them naturally want to behave better for me. They know I care about them, and it makes them care about me too. I Give Them Plenty of Opportunities to Work Together: Team work makes the dream work! I make them discuss everything with each other, and collaborate often. Also, they are not allowed to tattle! Once they realize they need to work together without any help or conflict resolution from me, they learn to get along (slowly, but surely). I Don't Allow Tattling: I know I just mentioned that, but I wanted to bring it up again. Unless something serious happened, I ignore any and all tattles. Sometimes I say, "All you've done is let me know that you're a tattle-tale. Thank you." They learn very quickly that tattling won't get them very far and it forces them to talk to each other and work out their problems on their own. I always drive home the point that we have to look out for each other, not try to get each other in trouble. Instead of telling me that someone isn't working, they learn to nicely remind the friend to get back on task. This takes a few months to master, but it works out beautifully! I Teach Character Traits: I pick 6 traits that I think will help my students excel. I make sure to make time in our busy day to teach them about these traits; usually right after lunch/recess as a "cool down" activity. I chose Kindness, Ambition, Self-Confidence, Honesty, Thoughtfulness, and Respect last year. Think about the traits that are most important to you. Focus on the traits that you'd like to teach your students to possess. Find creative ways to encourage your students to take on these traits for themselves. I made badges for my students to earn to make sure they were aware of the traits and working on their own character. You can also post pictures of students that show a specific trait frequently in class, write positive notes about good or improved behavior you've noticed, practice acting the traits out in student led plays or skits, make class videos showing the traits, or read stories that exemplify characters that show good character traits. Make sure to point out the traits and have discussions about them. In order to create a positive classroom culture, you must truly be intentional about creating one. It's important to use your character trait vocabulary throughout the day too. I Teach the Art of Giving a Compliment: Compliment Plates were always a hit with my students! Give out plates, give out markers, have a good time! In the beginning of the year, with my first graders, we brainstormed nice compliments and I wrote them on the board for a writing support. They loved going around filling them out, and they loved reading what their friends had to say about them. This was always followed by "Thank you's" and "You're welcome's'" being called out across the room. Even hugs were often being given out for the kind words shared. I pick a Kid of the Day to be showered in compliments! I truly believe doing this daily is one of the most beneficial activities I have done for my students. I found that with my first graders, we had to first discuss how to give and receive a compliment. Outside of "You're my best friend", they really couldn't think of anything else to say. After a lot of discussions and practice, they were giving out compliments left and right, even when they thought I wasn't paying attention. I also had to teach them to accept the compliment with a "Thank you". Surprisingly, some of them would say something like, "No, I'm not pretty." and really had a hard time accepting nice things being said about them. We also had to discuss that simply saying, "I know I'm cute." wasn't acceptable either... I also have a Compliment Count on the board. It's quick and easy, and it gets their attention. (Side Benefit: It helps them count tally marks really well!) If ever anyone outside of our classroom gives us a compliment, they get a tally mark added to the Compliment Count. If the principal gives them a compliment, it counts for two tally marks! This promotes great behavior when they are walking in the hallways, at recess, at lunch, and at Specials. Whenever we reached 20 tally marks, they got some of my stash. I Make My Students Reflect on their Unsavory Behavior: When students act out it is important to give them consequences for their actions. I believe it is equally as important to follow up with the student through a reflection sheet. After the student has been given time to cool down, I take the time to fill this out with them, or have them fill it out themselves if they are able (only after a discussion to make sure they understand what they did wrong and what they can do differently in the future). My students so loved and responded to this that when they were sent to their seats or to a cool down area, some would ask, "Are we still going to talk about this later?" I think they appreciated being heard, forgiven, and accepted again. It's so easy to hold a grudge for the rest of the day, but we have to be the best example of forgiveness to that child and for the rest of the class to see. This is a resource that I made and used, but a quick TpT search will surely bring up a few freebies, if you don't have time to create one yourself! This is also great to make a copy of and keep data on students. It’s also a wonderful way to keep parents in the loop of what’s been going on in class. At Open House, I let my parents know that if they see one of these sheets it means their student has already had consequences, so they should just discuss their child’s plan to make better choices in the future. This helps to build a parent/teacher partnership. I Created An Outsider Looking In: Creating an outsider to notice your class is a great way to promote a positive classroom culture. In addition to our Compliment Count that I track on the board, I created an invisible fairy friend! Sylese, the kindness fairy, would stop by our classroom every once in a while leaving a note, treats, and glitter in her wake. She watches the class without them knowing because she's invisible. They never know when she's watching or when she's coming for a visit. You can have another teacher write the note so your students don't recognize your handwriting. This was basically another way for me to give them a compliment, make them feel proud of themselves, and strengthen our positive classroom culture. This was done once a month, or once every other month. I simply leave glitter on their desks, bring in a treat, like stickers, cookies, candy, a movie, popcorn, (really anything you’d like to reward them with) and post the note somewhere in the classroom. I would usually wait for them to find it, and act like I was just as surprised as they were. Whenever it had been a while, someone always says something like, “Guys, why do you think the fairy hasn’t been back? We need to do better!” You could use anything to keep an eye on your class that leaves notes and fun treats! I Focus on the Behavior I Like: While it can be so tempting to want to always address a disruptive child right every time at the exact moment of disruption, I've learned to ignore it and focus on the behavior I like. If I have 23 students and only 1 is acting out, I'd rather give my attention and energy to the 22 that are doing a great job. I'm sure they appreciate it too. I always let them know when they are doing something that makes me happy. Scratch-n-Stickers were always a quick and easy reward. I also made up some "Caught Ya" cards to reward this good behavior and would slip them onto their desks. They could turn these cards in to enter a weekly drawing. This was a great motivator, and usually got that one disruptive child to stop what they were doing. If not, I would pull them aside at a later time and address their behavior. Because of the way I handled those situations, even at 6 and 7 years old, the rest of my class learned to ignore those behaviors too. Some would even ask if they could help that student make good choices, which was just fine with me! When you've got students that care about themselves, each other, and you, you've got a well oiled machine that is bursting with positivity! I hope you enjoyed these ideas and are able to take some or all back into your classrooms this year. Believe me, you won't be disappointed. Grab this resource for your classroom from my TpT store! Don't forget to come back tomorrow, and for the rest of the month to check out all of the other amazing ideas offered from your friends at:

Quiz your kid on different landforms in this quick match-up geography drill. Download to complete online or as a printable!

Most classrooms I've taught in have at least one or two early finishers that grasp the lesson quickly, speed through the independent work, and then do one of two things; ask you for something else to do or start to cause trouble. No matter what I was teaching, when a student finished early, I always gave them the same option of what to do while they waited for their classmates to finish: "Go read any book you'd like! Aaaand you can go read in the reading center on the pillows! Yay!" I cringe when I think about that now. Even if it was a math lesson, I still only offered for them to go read a book. Extension menus changed the way I teach and the way those students were learning. Just because they got things quickly, didn't mean that I should have easily dismissed them to go do something else. I know now that they should continue working on the same concept or skill that was introduced, just on a deeper level. They deserve to be challenged and allowed to be creative with the content they so easily mastered. Coming up with extension menus prior to my lessons were a game changer! They're now just a part of my planning. I began to come up with between 3 and 9 different options for my early finishers to choose from. They were free to choose any one they'd like. If two or three students finished early, and one of the menu options seemed like it could be a great group project, I definitely allowed that if they suggested it. Here's a sample extension menu I made for students that finished early work during a story elements lessons with a fiction story. The two 1st grade students that quickly and easily grasped the concepts of identifying the characters, setting, problem, solution, and events in the story, were given these choices to choose from. They were so excited to be working on something that challenged them in a fun way. They were still doing work that involved elements of the story we just read, but they were able to work on a deeper level to show a higher level of comprehension. Some menus I create are more specific depending on the lesson, some are more general (like the one above) and can be used more than once, which is a great time saver. Here is a list of questions I like to keep in mind when making my extension menus to challenge my early finishers in literacy and math. Thinking about your lessons, and planing these menus in advance could be really helpful in your classroom. Making sure my students knew where to find the extension menus and to continue working when they finished early is something that I felt helped with classroom management. My kids were excited to choose their own activities to work on! They weren't goofing off and getting themselves or others in trouble. These menus even motivated some sluggish workers to pick up the pace because they wanted the chance to move on to the extension menus. These menus maximized the learning potential for my students, and helped me to be a better teacher. Have you used extension menus in your classroom? I always love learning from other teachers about how these work in their classrooms! Have fun teaching! - Naomi

Diagramming sentences can be daunting, but the skill can be extremely helpful in the future. Here's a step by step guide on diagramming

Creepy crawly spiders! Heights! The dark! These are some common top fears to name a few, and if you're anything like me, heck, you're not to...

Made this for our rock unit... Click here for the Rock Concept Map

Creating a writing rubric helps students improve their writing skills by determining their areas of opportunity as details and example rubrics shows.

A Collaborative Blog for Upper Elementary (3rd-6th Grade) teachers!

The past few years I’ve had the opportunity to teach a course entirely through project based learning. Our local university approached a couple of schools in our district and asked us if we were interested in teaching a cross-curricular PBL program where our grade 12 students can earn college credits. Ummmm…. heck yeah! Basically, the ... Read more

Read how I carried out an experiment on weathering and erosion with my upper elementary class. Students get to use background knowledge to make predictions!

If you've ever considered adding reader's theater to your reading block but thought it would be too much work, check out this guest post from Sarah Wiggins!

Transdisciplinary Skills What do we want students to be able to do? Transdisciplinary Themes Who we are. Where we are in place and time. How we express ourselves. How the world works. How we organize ourselves. Sharing the planet. Five Essential Elements concepts knowledge skills attitudes action Learner Profile Freebies Inquirer Knowledgeable Thinker Communicator Principled Open-minded Caring Risk-taker Balanced Reflective Beginning of the Year Learner Profile activity (Click image to download the Google Doc) Schema Journal for Learner Profile reflections. We are using it for the 1st unit of the year. This is an 11 page PDF document. (Click image to download) Journal page sample: Choose Act Reflect Poster

Closing the gap between the language rich and the language poor is of upmost importance for educators. A proven way to shrink the literacy gap between the "rich" and the "poor" is by explicitly teaching vocabulary words. Research supports that teachers should be directly teaching 3-5 words per text selection and teaching them in a way that students "own" the words. Owning a word means you have a deep understanding of the word. You can pronounce the word. You understand it's meaning. You have the ability to use the word during conversation and in writing. An owned word is one that is a member of your personal lexicon. Vocabulary instruction is important for all kids, but it is vital for students who have under developed vocabularies. Teaching students vocabulary terms should happen before a text selection is read, and should be done using the following routine. 1. Pronounce the word, write it and read it. Always introduce a word orally first. Kids need to know how to correctly pronounce the word. Say it, and have them repeat it back to you. If the word is multi-syllabic, talk about the syllables and say the word in syllable chunks. Next, write the word. Say each sound, or each syllable as the write the word for all students to see. Example: Our new word is plain. Class, say plain. How many syllables does plain have? Lets clap the syllables in plain. How many sounds does plain have? Lets tap the sounds in plain. There are two spellings for the word plain.....plane and plain. We are going to learn about plain, spelled p....l.....a....i.....n. Plain is an adjective (which means it describes a noun). 2. Tell students what the new word means Use a student friendly definition of the new word. This ensures that students understand what the new word means. However, after a student friendly definition is given....don't be afraid to elevate a student's vocabulary by giving a more technical or advanced definition. Additionally, talk to the students about word origin. Point out prefixes, suffixes or any base words that may exist. Finally, give students a more concrete way to grasp the word by showing pictures, video clips, demonstrating an action or providing a hands on experience. It is always best to find real images to share as opposed to clipart images. Example: Plain means ordinary. Something that is plain is not flashy. Plain looks like this: 3. Say more about the word and give examples Once students have an understanding of the new word's meaning, use the word in several sentences. These sentences should help students further understand what the word is and what it isn't. Example: If I wanted to use plain in a sentence, I could say: My outfit is plain today because it doesn't have a lot of colors. Or, I enjoy eating plain yogurt that is only one flavor and doesn't have any mix-ins. 4. Ask Questions about the Word's Meaning Ask students yes and no questions about the word to really help the meaning sink in. Example: Students, are the outfits you are wearing plain? Is your bedroom at home plain? Do you like plain food, or food that doesn't have a lot of spice or ingredients? 5. Provide opportunities for students to use the word To help students truly "own" a word, they need ample opportunities to use the newly acquired term. Encourage students to use the word in writing and speaking activities. Have students write sentences using the word, or share a sentence verbally. Example: Students, I want you to think of a sentence using our new word plain. After some think time, have students hand up, stand up and pair up to share their sentence with a partner. Interested in seeing the vocabulary routine in action? Check out the following clip of explicit vocabulary instruction taking place in a kindergarten classroom. Make sure to check out this article from Reading Rockets, A Multidimensional Approach to Vocabulary Instruction: Supporting English Language Learners in Inclusive Classrooms, for eight more instructional tips regarding vocabulary instruction.

Vocabulary is an important aspect in reading comprehension. If students do not know what the words mean, they cannot understand what they are reading. Research has

Classroom decor with a purpose. Reinforce Reading Comprehension skills with these vibrant reading posters! Display on your focus wall, use in student binders, and create a fun classroom display with these 16 posters! Makes an excellent ELA Bulletin Board and helps students visualize the skills or concepts as they are introduced and reinforced throughout the year! Refer back to them often and make them a working part of your ELA instruction! This Resource Includes: ★Tips for Teachers 16 posters ⭐Title Poster ⭐Main Idea ⭐Setting ⭐Point of View ⭐Theme ⭐Character Traits ⭐Character Analysis ⭐Cause and Effect ⭐Summary (2) ⭐Author’s Purpose ⭐Inference ⭐Predict ⭐Visualize ⭐Text Connections ⭐*BONUS* Writing a Short Response using RACE ★Thank You ★Credits SEE ALSO Reading Skills & Strategies POSTERS SERIES 2 ***PERFECT COMPANION TO GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS This product is available as part of a bundle ELA Skills & Strategies BUNDLE Did you know? You can get TPT credit to use on future purchases. Go to your My Purchases page. You'll see a Provide Feedback button. Click it and give a quick rating and/or comment. Every time you give feedback, you earn TPT credits that you can use toward future purchases. Your feedback is so important and greatly appreciated! *Look for the green star next to my logo and click to FOLLOW ME! THANK YOU & HAPPY TEACHING! - Elena Elena Weiss © 2016 All rights reserved by the author. Permission to copy for classroom use only. This product is to be used by a single teacher. Copying for more than one teacher, classroom, department, school or school system is prohibited. This product may not be displayed or distributed digitally for public view without written permission from the author.

This lab is one of my top sellers in my Teachers Pay Teachers store. It is easy to set up and doesn’t require a lot of materials. However, I frequently get questions about the lab so I’m hoping this blog post will be useful to those teachers out there who about to set up this ... Read more

Celebrate your students with these 6 easy & positive ways to build students up! Your students will feel special with these simple ideas!