This is a fun whole class activity for introducing the subject and predicate of a sentence. Students are given strips of paper that have either a subject or a predicate. Students can mingle to find a partner who has a sentence part that will go with their part. Students with subject cards find a student ... Read More about Super Silly Sentences; Subjects and Predicates
Spending the first week of school teaching classroom expectations and procedures is essential for a successful year. Glue is a tricky school supply for many little learners and there definitely needs to be instruction dedicated to teaching learners how to use this tool.Glue BottlesWhen learners are not taught how to use their glue correctly things
Just a Dot, Not a Lot! is a free download for your students to practice using a glue bottle.
Teaching Shakespeare can be a rewarding experience, and incorporating creativity into your approach can make the material more engaging for students. Here are seven creative ways to begin a unit on William Shakespeare or a unit that studies his literature... 1. Create a scavenger hunt with facts related to Shakespeare's life, works, and the Elizabethan era. Hide or hang the facts around the classroom or school. Then, have students hunt for the facts. As they find each fact, have them add the information to their notes as they build background on Shakespeare. This activity gets students up and moving while providing them a historical base for their Shakespeare studies. Need ready-made facts? Find them here! 2. Have students choose a character from one of Shakespeare's plays and write a modern-day monologue for that character. This activity allows students to connect with the characters on a personal level and showcase their understanding of the language and themes. 3. Make learning about Shakespeare especially engaging with a doodle poster. Have students fill the poster with facts about William Shakespeare. Then, have students glue the pages together to make an extra-long infographic. As students color in their doodle poster, they'll be exposed to facts one more time. This activity makes building background creative and fun. Grab a ready-made doodle poster HERE. 4. Ask students to imagine that Shakespeare and his characters had social media profiles. They can create Facebook pages, Instagram accounts, or Twitter feeds for characters like Romeo, Juliet, or Hamlet. This activity encourages creativity and helps students relate Shakespearean themes to contemporary communication. 5. Give students a chance to investigate one of Shakespeare's sonnet. You can assign a sonnet or have students choose one of their own. Then, guide them through analyzing the poem with a Doodle Poem Analysis one-pager. This guide makes analyzing the poem approachable and creative. It's also a great way to get students to share their poem analysis with others. You can download the FREE Doodle Poetry Analysis HERE. 6. Use a simple craft like this "Will's Quill" activity to get students learning about Shakespeare. First, have them research facts about Shakespeare. They should also find a quote that they like from Shakespeare. Students will add their work to feather shapes. Then, they'll cut out and glue the feathers together to make a quill just like one William Shakespeare would have used. Find everything you need to do this activity HERE. 7. Devote a day to immerse students in the Elizabethan era. Encourage them to come dressed in costumes from that time, play Renaissance music, and even serve Elizabethan-inspired snacks. This thematic approach can set the stage for a deeper exploration of Shakespeare's works. ----------------------------------------------------------- These ideas are designed to make learning about Shakespeare fun and relatable. Taking the time to make Shakespeare approachable can be a great way to foster a lifelong appreciation for his work. I hope you give some of these ideas a try. (And don't forget get to save a TON of TIME with the William Shakespeare Doodle and Do resource!) Thanks for stopping by, Mary Beth P.S. Find more ways to make learning fun here.
Have a tough class? Need some new classroom management strategies? Whole Brain Teaching can transform your classroom! Learn what WBT is in this post!
Too many classroom icebreakers require students to take big social risks with people they barely know. Or they don't really help students get to know each other. Or they are just plain cheesy.
Substitutes, I don’t have to tell you that you have a unique and challenging job, especially when it comes to classroom management.I reader recently emailed with a great question: “How do I get students to realize they need to follow instructions even though I am ‘just a sub’?”Great question. One th
Teaching about the presidential election process? Even if you're just teaching U.S. forms of government, this free unit study will help.
Need some guidance for teaching preschool Spanish? You’re in the right place! Young children are the perfect age to soak up a new language. I'm currently raising my own three kids bilingually, and have taught classes to this age group as well. It's never too late to start, and 3-5 year olds are really fun to teach! In this post I've compiled my favorited strategies for you. To get started in learning Spanish together, you Can Do three things: 1. Outline some beginning topics. You can create your own list, with common preschool topics (think numbers, colors, greetings, etc.)Take a
Wondering how to teach sight words? This sight word folder method is quick and easy. It doesn't require any fancy supplies and gets results fast!
If your kids are fascinated by honey bees these free honey bee printables will teach them bee anatomy, honey bee facts, and more.
This FREE handout is a great activity for warm-ups or even early finishers. This handout was inspired by the book Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg. Here is the BLANK version. This is a good opti…
Have you ever had a class with so many difficult, disruptive students that you felt that you could barely even teach? What can you do to get past it? In this post, I am going to address this problem with my best advice, and some advice from others as well.
Here’s a list of alternative jobs for teachers you’d shine at with those incredible soft skills you’ve been building up for years. The best part? Most of these are jobs you can transition into within 0 - 12 months.
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!
Find out all the top picks for fun games to play in class. Liven up the classroom with these engaging games and activities.
Force and motion have to be one of my favorite units to teach! First, you can teach it at any time of the year. Movement doesn't happen at certain times of the year. It's everywhere all the time! Second, it's fun to teach because it's hands on. And that's what kids love. It keeps them
When children are young, their coloring artwork looks like a bunch of scribbles…at least to adults. But their creations are not just scribbles – they have color, character, shape, and personality! That’s why I love Diane Alber’s book, I’m NOT Just a Scribble… The main character (Scribble), along with the other illustrations in the book, are […]
These nine main idea strategies will help your students successfully master this important reading skill. The Teacher Next Door shares her favorite main idea strategies for teachers of upper elementary students.
Too many classroom icebreakers require students to take big social risks with people they barely know. Or they don't really help students get to know each other. Or they are just plain cheesy.
This is an idea that comes from one of my interns this year, Tracy. She saw it in another classroom. I could not find anything about it online so I just had to make my own poster. When you begin teaching handwriting on the “lines” this is such a helpful visual for the children. Chicken […]
Engage your Forensics students with the pickle autopsy! Check out how I prep and implement this fun activity into my Forensic Science class.
Learn 5 engaging states of matter hands on experiments and activities to teach grade 4 5 6 students in your classroom.
This post may contain affiliate links.I have posted about Q-tip painting before, but another therapist has a different twist on it. She has made some templates to do the q-tip painting, which requires more precision in the painting. This is a guest post by a therapist, Tova Stulberger, who made some templates to use when...
Learn how to teach children self-control the right way with this collection of fun yet powerful self-regulation strategies and activities for kids!
I've got so many great resources for making multiplication facts so much fun for elementary students! Check out my blog post for details!
If you’ve had the joy of teaching an Autistic child, you’ll know just how critical a supportive environment can be. But sadly, for so many Autistic kids, the right environment and support measures aren’t in place. And the impact of this is profound - as we know, a child’s experience at school can shape their self-identity in real and lasting ways. So BFFs, today I’m sharing five ways to support Autistic kids in your classroom. I’m sharing some of the resources, experts and questions you can draw upon to build a neurodivergent affirmative classroom. 1. Be Guided by the Experts Who are the greatest experts when it comes to Autism? Autistic people! Listening to the lived experience of Autistic people is paramount. The Autistic voice needs to inform any work to implement accommodations or supportive practices. So, to kick us off, I reached out to Cherie Clonan - a proud AUDHD’er (that’s Autism + ADHD) and Mum to an amazing Autistic son. She explained, “The biggest thing is that every Autistic experience is different. And therefore, learning experiences will be affected differently. Every single day an Autistic child goes to school they are heading into an environment not really set up to include their neurotype, no matter how inclusive the school is.” “The environment alone isn't designed for neurodistinct individuals, like the sensory overwhelm of a classroom or playground. The changing rules and expectations. The social communication challenges. Autistic children are impacted from a mental health and wellbeing perspective, and many have to ‘mask’ in order to survive.” There are so many wonderful Autistic folk online who are proud and keen to be advocates in this space. Never underestimate the value of a simple convo when it comes to understanding others’ lived experiences. Reach out to your Autistic mates and ask their thoughts on school, you’ll learn so much. The importance of a personalised approach and understanding was backed up for me, as I chatted to Support Education Consultant, Jenni Heffernan. She said, “The biggest trap for teachers is to generalise their understanding of Autism, instead of understanding the individual. You can’t just plonk Autistic kids into an artificial classroom and expect them to be motivated. The more you know the individual the more you can support them.” 2. Seek Trusted Professionals In addition to the expertise of everyday Autistic people, there are some fantastic professionals who work in this space. And when it comes to building safe and supportive classrooms, engaging professional support is so important. One Autistic person who does incredible work in this field is Sonny Jane Wise, aka livedexperienceeducator. BFFs, I can’t recommend their work enough - take some time to check out, support and engage their offerings. It’ll be a game-changer for you, no doubt about it! Another powerhouse is Sandhya Menon. She’s a Neurodivergent Paediatric Psychologist, and much like Sonny, she has online resources, workshops and services that are just groundbreakingly good. If you’re looking for fantastic professionals in your local area, my hot tip is this: pay close attention to the language they use. Do they talk about Autistic traits or challenges as deficits? Do they use problematic and outdated terms like ‘Aspergers’ or ‘high-functioning?’ These are red flags, my friends! Neurodivergent affirmative practitioners will be deeply conscious of the language they use and will advocate for others to do the same. Sandhya Menon, @onwardsandupwardspsych. 3. Consider Sensory Needs and Dysfunction Thankfully, the awareness that Autistic kids have specialised sensory needs is growing each year. And every day I see your gorgeous classrooms fill my feed with breakout spaces, sensory play stations and sensory tools like the ones Sonny describes below. Sonny Jane Wise, @livedexperienceeducator But there’s more we can do! After thirty years in Support Education, Consultant Jenni Heffernan shared some simple accommodations that made the world of difference for her students. She said: Ask your student and their parents to send you an introduction letter outlining the ways they like to be supported. Provide prompts like ‘I learn best when…’ or ‘You’ll notice I’m stressed by…’ or ‘My current passion is….’ Invite your students to visit the classroom before they settle into it. Ask their feedback on air conditioning, light, seats, visual clutter and more. Similarly, for older students, invite them to choose the ideal spot in an exam room. Speak with examiners to advocate for your students. For some students, the middle of the room is hell! The right space will make all the difference to their performance. Provide a green card or a symbol that signals, for example, that the student needs to walk outside around the building twice. Wordless aides can help when a meltdown or overwhelm is building. Above all else, build strong relationships with students with Autism, and keep an open door for them to pop in as needed. They can often feel so trapped in an environment that’s a poor fit. From my own resources, I’ve found that the Home Routine and Daily Schedule Cards, and the Visual Timetable Displays can be really useful for Autistic students. Planned, controlled and consistent environments can often be super helpful for kids with Autism. Image via @learningwithmiss_campbell, featuring the Spotty Brights product range. Similarly, the Voice Level Displays and Hand Signals can help with the management of noise, which is so important for an Austistic-friendly classroom. Hand Signals and Voice Level Displays can help cut through the noise that can be truly unsettling for some Autistic kiddos. Images via @misslass_class and @thanyoungeducator, using Spotty Neutrals and Boho Rainbow ranges. For many Autistic kids, routine, predictability and clarity are essential for their happiness, security and success in the classroom. These visual displays can play a small but mighty part in that! 4. Educate Yourself about Differences In addition to sensory needs, there’s a range of experiences that Autistic people can face, and knowing how to support these experiences will make a major impact. I’ve popped together a little list of these differences, linking to some amazing content from people with lived experience or specialised expertise. So, here are some common Autistic differences and traits to learn about, via the amazing @onwardsandupwardspsych and @livedexperienceeducator: Interoception and the tendency to be undersensitive to hunger, thirst or tiredness cues Hyposensitivity and hypersensitivity to sensory input and how to manage them The triggers and causes of meltdowns Emotion coaching to recognise that neurotypical and autistic children display emotions differently How to recognise meltdowns vs tantrums Monotropism, a processing style of hyperfocus which makes switching focus tricky Now, of course, it bears repeating that none of these experiences or strategies will fit all Autistic kids. And there are so many more differences to learn about. Like… *checks notes*... absolutely-every-human-ever, we all take time to learn who we are, how we thrive and what we need. Ms Chyna has such a gorgeous IG account sharing the ways she supports primary kids in support education. Source: @especiallysped When I think back (with horror!) at how little time my uni degree devoted to neurodiversity, it really drives home the need for self-led education. There’s so much we can learn from each other too. I reached out via IG stories recently to ask you guys about your approaches, and your responses were fantastic. I’ll share one below. I always love hearing your approach, and the lovely Ami from @mumma_makeup_and_me shared some of her thoughts over on IG. 5. Celebrate Neurodiversity Every human is completely unique - irrespective of where they lie with neurodiversity. But as I chatted to parents, teachers and Autistic folk, there were some descriptive words that just came up again and again - passionate, loyal, empathetic, detailed, and funny. There is so much to celebrate when it comes to neurodistinct kids - whether it’s their creativity, enthusiasm, analytic thinking, tangential thinking - the list is endless. Cherie put it best when she said “Autistic children have intense special interests, which can positively impact not only their own learning experiences ... but that of their peers as well. If you've ever wanted a classmate to go on an incredible adventure to deeply unpack the educational curriculum? Buddy them up with an Autistic child who has an intense special interest within that area.” I have to say, throughout writing this blog post, there was one thing that kept coming to mind - and that was elephants. (Bear with me on this one BFFs!) I kept coming back to the thought that you can tether a circus elephant - capable of clearing trees in the wild - to a thin pole if they’re conditioned the right way. They can go their whole lives not knowing the power they have. And I see our classrooms as having that same kind of potential. The wrong environment tethers kids to the belief that there’s something ‘wrong’ with them or that they’re inherently flawed. But with the right support and neurodiversity affirming practices, we rip those thin poles out. We help kids unleash their true potential.After all, helping students see their strengths clearly and their differences without judgement is my favourite teaching superpower. Another must-follow and a beautiful note to end on. Source: The amazing Esther at @gatherandplayau.
8 tips for teaching area and perimeter lessons to help you guide your students toward deeper area and perimeter understanding and mastery.
This FREE handout is a great activity for warm-ups or even early finishers. This handout was inspired by the book Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg. Here is the BLANK version. This is a good opti…
Help your students expand their writing skills with these teaching ideas on writing a paragraph before they need to know how to write a multi-paragraph.
ALL ABOUT FALL Fall is almost here! Those long hot days in August at the beginning of the school year are just about the hardest days of the entire year for me. I am just so tired. But as soon as the mornings are cool and the days start to get shorter, I get a huge burst of energy. Fall
This quick and EASY frankenworms experiment demonstrates baking soda and vinegar chemical reaction with fun halloween activities for October.
Learn tips, tricks, and activities to teach your toddler to talk. Develop language and vocabulary by turning everyday activities into learning experiences.
It is the first week of kindergarten! What do I teach? I get this question all the time! I am so excited to put together this page together for you. I’m sharing our favorite first week of kindergarten read aloud stories and the free coordinating printables I made to go with them. Plus I will s
If you have every needed to teach a beginning reader you may be familiar with BOB Books.BOB Books are a great way to get your little ones reading in a fun and simple way. They start by introducing new sounds until your children can read a complete book all on their own! There are many people that just use BOB books to teach their children how to read. If you are on a budget and are wanting an inexpensive preschool and kindergarten curriculum, you can pair BOB books with a ton of free printables created to go along with every book!
Well, my school year has barely ended, and call me crazy, because I am already planning and creating for next year!! I have a list a mile long of new ideas that I can’t wait to try out for next year. My first one?!?! Close Reading Toolboxes!! This post contains affiliate links to amazon.com. If you…
Subitizing, being able to quickly identify the amount of objects in a group, is a very important skill for early learners.
Preschool themes from A to Z. Choose a theme that is best for your preschooler or preschool class from over 130 preschool themes!
Make Ten... A fun and easy card game for kids that reinforces math concepts and uses a regular deck of playing cards. Free printable play mat included!
Looking for fresh new ideas to grab your class’s attention in Spanish? Who isn’t?!? We all have different attention getters that have worked for us in the past but it is always fun to spice up our classroom management toolbox with new ideas. Below is a list of eight attention grabbers in Spanish—some are call ... Read More about 8 Fun Attention Getters in Spanish
Geometric Art
