A range of free printable SEN teaching resources used with Autistic pupils aged 4-18, literacy, numeracy, topic and themed resources.
Money is a fun topic for our little learners! They see adults use it all the time, and they want to be a part of it. A newer standard, financial literacy, is a fun unit that many kids love. Let's Use this at Home This binder is perfect for any type of learning. I created
Get your little learners revved up for writing with these exciting printable Letter Road mats! With both uppercase and lowercase letter mats, they'll be
FREE printable Sequencing worksheets for preschool and kindergarten kids. Includes 15 activities featuring seasonal themes, hygiene such as brushing teeth, washing hands, and fire safety. Great for language and literacy development!
Kids will LOVE these FREE Paleontologist Printables to practice math and literacy with a fossil, dinosaur, and paleontolist theme.
Teach kids how food goes from field to table with this hands-on activity using our FREE Farm Sequencing Cards for kids of all ages.
I did the research so that you don't have to! Here is a list of 10 free resources that are perfect for distance learning in Kindergarten.
Anyone who knows me, reads this blog, or uses my resources knows that I am passionate about differentiation. I think that is because I grew ...
Find hands-on butterfly life cycle activities, butterfly science labs, and free printables to incorporate reading skills and get kids writing about science!
Introduce your students to Keith Haring's colorful pop art with these printable Keith Haring for kids resources.
With all of the excitement about the upcoming Olympics, it's time to celebrate this beloved events with some Olympics books for kids!
Create a Math Block I can't say this enough. An effective math block will help you tremendously! It creates routine and structure that you need to make sure everyone is on task. This is what I include in my math block: Engaging Mini Lessons Math centers Independent practice visuals throughout the classroom Use A
Integrate art and literacy with no prep or background knowledge with step by step tutorials for art history and art around the world!
Children wonder, "What is Labor Day?" Teach the history and purpose of the holiday with these Labor Day books for kids. They're perfect for..
Alphabet Watches Craft Ideas. Free English Worksheets and Teaching Resources. English Activities For Kids. English Created Resources.
Didn't I promise a new product?! Yep! And I am good on my word. Here ya go! These are great for your math and literacy centers. I am so happy with them! Click on any of the pictures to see more and to go to my TpT store. Roll a die and read the numbers across the row next to the number you rolled. Then write the numbers in the boxes on the blank sheet that is also included in the bundle. Here is the Roll It! Read It! Write It! being used in a center. I had the sheets laminated and had the kids use dry erase markers to help cut costs on printing and make them completely reusable. Plus, the kids LOVE to use the markers and erasers. Word from the wise: Give each kiddo 1 die and give them a bowl of sorts to roll them in. You'll lose your dice otherwise. Roll a die and draw what you see. Then rewrite that number as a ten frame, a math sentence, the written form, and with objects. Same as the math version, but with high frequency words. Roll a die and place an "X" or an "O" on the space! There are also boards included without dice images, but with equations within 10, such as 10-5, 10-8, etc. Draw a card and write the high frequency word on included stationary the number of times shown in the dice in the image. There are also cards with just the sight words, so if desired, students can roll a die instead of just using the image on the card. There are 22 pages of cards... so... should keep the kiddos busy and give them lots of practice with these important words! I always feel a little bad that I always post products and printouts for K-2. I do have things for upper grade levels, too! So, for those of you who need some extra practice with factors and multiples, here's a freebie for ya that I'm linking up with Classroom Freebies! I hope it will be of use to you. HERE it is! Multiples and Factors Tic-Tac-Toe ENJOY!
Whether you call them literacy centers or literacy stations, big kids at the upper elementary level love center time and get so much out of it! How do literacy centers benefit kids? They add variety to learning and to the routine. They allow teachers to easily differentiate learning. They are a great way to help cover and reinforce all of the standards. They give students a place to practice important social skills, like collaboration, problem-solving, and communication. So how do you set up literacy centers and run them successfully? Here are a few things to keep in mind: 1. Plan Centers and Center Spaces Plan Centers: Since I've been teaching for quite a few years, I have a pretty good idea of what I'll be teaching and when. Of course, I make small changes as needed with each class, but generally, my pacing is pretty set. This information helps me make a skeleton plan for the major concepts, games, and activities I'll plan for the year. If you aren't sure of your yearly schedule, maybe you could schedule them a month ahead of time as you go. Another idea is to meet with your grade level team to talk about your reading themes for the year and to plan together. Plan Center Spaces in Your Classroom: Classrooms never seem big enough, so this can be a challenge. I like to have 4 - 5 kids at each center (the smaller number the better) but it depends on the class size. If I have 28 kids, that means about six center areas. Since my classroom is pretty small, when kids do the independent reading center, they stay at their desk/seat. That leaves me with 5 center areas to plan. 2. Types of Centers One of the questions teachers often ask is what kind of centers to include. Here are some suggestions that I've used in my classroom. I don't use all of the centers suggested at the same time but do mix up some of the centers every now and then for a bit of variety. Each center lasts 20 minutes long and the total center time is one hour, which means students should visit 3 centers each day. A. Independent Reading - This is one that ALL students do every day! It's important to me that students self-select books based on motivation and not reading level. One of the rules is that kids need to have a book ready before reading time. I don't want them to waste time searching the classroom library during this time. B. Teacher Time - This could be guided reading in a very structured setting or it could be reader's workshop style, where students meet with me to read a bit and to discuss concepts. C. Word Work - At this center, students work on spelling, grammar, context clues, and vocabulary. They may have a worksheet but more often they play a game. Since I couldn't find any games already made, I created a bundle of 30 Grammar Games, one for third grade and one for fourth grade to cover all language standards. They target grade-level skills and really make grammar fun. A huge time saver for sure! D. Magazine Center/Informational Text - This center is filled with children's news magazines (some from last year) like Scholastic News. I also include kid's magazines, like National Geographic Kids. I have graphic organizers I use for a bit of accountability. Students read an article, fill out the template, and then are free to continue reading whatever they'd like at this center. E. Technology Center - Every school is a bit different but whether you are blessed with tons of technology or are scraping by with a few older computers, there are still lots of great websites students can access with your direction at this center. Here are some you might want to check out: Freckle Education (formerly Front Row) Edcite Newsela MobyMax.com ABCYA.com Edmodo National Geographic Young Explorers Big Universe Spelling City I've also created standards-aligned reading units for 3rd - 5th grades. They give lots of focused, paperless practice. CLICK THE PHOTO BELOW TO LEARN MORE. F. Genius Hour - If you've never done Genius Hour with your students, you'll want to definitely look into it. I used to call these independent projects. Students are able to research and read about topics of interest and then prepare some type of presentation to share what they've learned with the class. Genius Hour projects are ongoing projects which students complete on their own time table, although you can set guidelines for how many they need to complete a semester for example. I tend to let it be more open-ended, as long as I see them engaged and focused. I know that some projects may take a number of weeks, while others may take two center rotation times. G. Reading Skills - At this center, I tie in worksheets that match our current reading strategy. Reading is my very favorite subject so I have lots of reading units already prepared which are no-prep, print and go. Click here if you need some fresh reading units for this center. H. Writing - Students may create poetry, write a letter to the principal, or create a personal narrative in their writer's workshop notebook. This is NOT our main writing time, however. It's more of a chance to let students experience low-pressure writing which is not specifically connected to a writing lesson. I. Reading Games - I love this center because it is rigorous while masquerading as fun! Kids at this center play games which are connected to the topic we are highlighting, like main idea, cause and effect, theme, or character traits. I actually created a whole series of reading games, just because I really needed them for my classroom and thought others might too. There is a game for each standard and they provide so much focused practice. I really love these! There's a set of 20 Reading Centers for 3rd Grade and 20 Reading Centers for 4th/5th. Each bundle of reading games has 10 Fiction Games and 10 Nonfiction Games. I also have digital reading units too. J. Read to a Friend - In this center, I have a variety of materials like poetry books and mini-plays to read together, to practice fluency. I also like to place high-interest picture books in this center! Even for 5th graders, you might be surprised at the complexity level of many picture books! Kids love them and they really are beneficial for them. Sometimes I have students bring their own independent books to share with each other. Other times, I have a book sampling basket at the center filled with book underdogs! These are some lesser-known books that I want kids to try. Their job is to read the book summary on the cover and to take turns reading either a paragraph or a page at a time. 3. Prepare Centers Once you've tentatively planned out your centers, the next step is to make or purchase the centers you'll need. I really do like to get the majority done in the summertime or at the beginning of the year because it's great to just pull out the center I need and it's ready to go. You can store the centers a number of ways. I really like the gallon size plastic baggies because I can put game boards, task cards, and anything else I might need (game markers or spinners...) in that bag. I just label the bag with a sharpie but you could make cute labels on the computer too if you want. You'll also want to have plenty of baskets and trays to organize center materials as you use them each week. The Dollar Store always has a great selection of these! 4. Decide How to Structure the Centers You can either have students do a rotation schedule that you create, or allow them to self-select within your parameters. Either works well, so you just need to decide which one works best for you. If students self-select, kids need to know expectations. For example, how many students can be at a single center at a time? How many centers do students need to complete each day or each week? I actually prefer a rotation schedule. I make some simple cards with center titles on them and create the schedule in a pocket chart with the days on the left side (vertically) and the center titles across the top (horizontally). 5. Set Expectations for Center Time Just like anything in the classroom, rules and procedures have to be explicitly taught and reviewed or chaos is bound to occur. First, I think through all of the possibilities of what could happen, and then I prepare for that by making up my list of rules on an anchor chart for all to see. We do some modeling of good and bad examples of behavior and discuss them together. If centers are going to work, this piece is crucial!!! There is no way for you to have quality teacher time if you are interrupted every few minutes to put out fires, answer questions, and give more directions. Take the time to set up centers well and you'll find it to be worth it. 6. Teach Each Center to the Whole Class Before Kids Use It Getting kids ready for centers is truly a process. To make it successful, you'll want to introduce the center to the whole class before expecting them to participate on their own. This is a great time for thumbs up and down questions to check for understanding, as well as modeling when appropriate. Once you've tried centers and have them operating smoothly, I think you'll really enjoy them. Want more information about why literacy centers are beneficial for kids in grades 3rd - 5th? Click here to read Why You Should be Using Reading Centers in Upper Elementary. If you like this post, I would love for you to pin it or to share it with a teacher friend. For more ideas and strategies focused on upper elementary, be sure to sign up for The Teacher Next Door's free email newsletter! Bonus, you'll also gain access to my FREE Resource Library which contains exclusive upper elementary freebies that you won't find anywhere else! Thanks so much for stopping by and taking the time to read it! I'd love to connect with you! The Teacher Next Door's Website Facebook Pinterest Instagram TpT Store
Learn about the benefits of monthly writing prompts for kids. This article gives examples for each month as well as a free writing calendar.
A perfect BACK TO SCHOOL activity! Encourage your students to share about their summer vacations by having them fill in this free resource! You may choose to have students draw or write in the spaces, providing differentiated opportunities to those who need it. Makes a sweet bulletin board! #backtoschool #freebie #kwriting #1stgradewriting #writing #literacy #education #kindergarten #1stgrade
It's the beginning of the year, and you have a whole new class that is sitting in front of you. You don't know them besides the information you got on the student information card. You know the first few weeks are getting to know them. Both personally and academically. You also know the first few
This post may contain affiliate links. See our disclosure policy for details. Teaching your kids how to type is easy and FUN with typing games for kids by KidzType. Read on for a full review of the program! I have received compensation for my time to prepare a full and honest review. We’ve progressed from…
Free printable alphabet tracing worksheets. These FUN path maze activity sheets will have your student practicing letter formation alongside key fine motor skills. Great for reviewing uppercase and lowercase letter recognition.
Five Fun Activities for Teaching Prepositions. Teaching prepositions through playing games & enjoyable activities for children to learn while having fun.
Learn about countries for kids with Around the WOrld Country Coloring Pages! These coloring sheets are easy way to explore 19 countries!
Free printable workbook to help the kids get serious in setting up
Are you reading Swimmy by Leo Lionni? Be sure to incorporate this cute, DIY Swimmy stamp craft! It's fun for the kids & easy to set up!
This one page drawing exercise encourages students to think creatively. I use this exercise as a part of senior sketchbook exercises. Two versions of the file are included - one with media instructions, one without (so that you can have the students use whatever media you would like). This product is now available in: French https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Draw-the-Alphabet-FRENCH-Creativity-Exercise-7032208 Spanish https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Draw-the-Alphabet-SPANISH-Creativity-Exercise-7032200
Use station activities to improve reading comprehension! Get your students
Here is a list of some of the Free French Resources found in my TPT store. Click on the title of each resource for a direct link!
Reading Response Activities for Wonder
Five fun and action-filled circle games to practice rhythm, pitch, and more with your elementary music students.
This post features literacy center ideas and printables for 4th-grade classrooms. It includes reading centers for fourth grade.
A clever classroom trick to help children learning to write inside lines
Orange Shirt Day is held on September 30 to honour the children of Residential Schools. We've collected activities to use in your classroom.
Challenge your young learners to use these colorful cups, tubes, and balls to build their creations on the light table. It's art; it's engineering; it's fun!
Ring in the new year with these January Writing Prompts! Fun, educational, and imagination building ideas for Opinion, Narrative, and Informative writing.
As a teacher, one of the things I get asked the MOST about is teaching kids to read. For some children, it comes so quickly and naturally. And for others... it doesn't. So this post is for the mama of one of those "others" (and I say that in a kidding and kind way, of
