Coronavirus quarantine home school educational activity tips, schedules, and learning ideas for school closings for moms.

Use these STEM Experiments in your classroom to engage your students! Free from The Curriculum Corner and The Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Place Prepositions: Place and Movement Prepositions: Finally, some more MOVEMENT Prepositions: The girl is walking...: ...

It seems like every day there is an endless stream of students reporting behaviors or incidents that happen in the classroom. On one hand, we want to help our students feel heard and validated so they know we are a safe person for them to talk to. On the other hand, we certainly don't want to feed into the tattle machine. It's a fine line to walk. So how do we handle tattling in our classrooms?

By the time you kids grow to the age of 5 or 6 they will now start going to Kindergarten. My elder one is in that age range 5+ yrs and hence we have started learning science in a fun way with DIY experiments at home. You can find them here and we would want […]

Challenge your students with these tongue twisters!!! Have tons of fun! - ESL worksheets

Carole Osterweil explains the SCARF model as a way understand and respond to behaviour – both from yourself and others.

This article will give you a summary of when to use commas and the different kinds of commas. Check out our handy comma summary here.

Try these easy sound experiments -- Elementary & Middle School kids will LOVE testing the science of sound with this fun wave experiment to create a 'gong' and explore how sound waves travel!

Pick something off this list of family-friendly volunteer opportunities to spread kindness and participate in community service projects with your kids.

It feels like a science-y kind of day today, so I want to share with you our latest experiment! This rising water science experiment is fun and oh-so easy! That's the best kind. Check out

Trauma is a response to an intensely stressful event(s). While the after-effects can be difficult to manage, healing is possible.

Here’s a fun science experiment that will definitely get a “wow” from the kids. Combine baking soda and vinegar to make sodium acetate, or hot ice! It crystalizes instantly when you pour it, allowing you to create a tower of crystals. Since the process of crystallization is exothermic, the “ice” that forms will be hot […]

Poor executive function has a tremendous negative impact on our lives. The problem is, when you have ADHD your executive functions are impaired. It kinda is what it is you know? Living this way is terribly frustrating. And exhausting. Here is the lazy girl's guide to crushing your executive functions.

Starting a girls counseling group? You don't want to miss these 4 tips that will help you make sure your girls group is a success!

The fear in your children might remain unspoken unless you bring up the subject. That’s where our Conversation Starters About Your Children's Fears can help!

Stop trying to do parenting in your own strength. Look to the Bible instead. Correcting bad behavior using the Bible is the best way to parent your kids.

Shortly after I posted my Math Reflection Fans, I had a few people contact me to ask me to create a set for Reading based on Bloom's Revised Taxonomy. So, I got on it. I know including those higher-order thinking questions (HOT questions) into our lesson plans and class discussions is a HOT topic right now. ;) I just posted this set of Reading Reflection Fans for fiction (I'm going to create a set for nonfiction, next). The questions are aligned to the six levels in Bloom's Revised Taxonomy: Remember, Understand, Apply, Analyze, Evaluate, and Create. They will also fit the CCSS Reading Standards for Literature. There are between 15 and 23 questions for each level (with over 100 questions in total). I have also included a checklist sheet for each level so you can keep track of questions asked in class. The 23 different questions for CREATE can be used as formative or summative assessment activities. Questions can be used in class discussions, as prompts for written reader responses, in guided reading groups, after independent reading or paired reading activities, after read alouds, etc. I use mine for so many different purposes in the classroom. Sometimes I choose the question, and sometimes I ask a student to choose a question and display it under the document camera for all to see. You can see more about how I use and store my question fans HERE. Fans can be assembled into separate levels, using a brass fastener to keep them together. Or, you can clip all the levels together and keep them on a binder clip (this is how I store them in the classroom). Well, that's about it ... I hope you're all enjoying your weekend ... and maybe, just maybe, you get one extra day tomorrow! We're planning on taking our girls downhill skiing for the first time tomorrow (with ALL this snow we have, we've got to take advantage of it). Jen

I've been asked to share my assessments and those that I use. Assessments are snapshots of a child's current ability to perform a certai...

Are you ready for the month of March? We are all geared up for some fun learning this month! Our March NO PREP packets are done and we are ready to go!

The suffragettes were exposed to violence and intimidation as they campaigned for votes for women. So they taught themselves jiu-jitsu.

We are a Leader In Me School and talk a lot about using the 7 Habits of Happy Kids in our everyday lives. I love the idea of encouraging kids to act as leaders in the classroom and beyond. What I have noticed, however, is that sometimes "leadership" comes off as "bossypants" and that is not the route we want to take! I know you've probably heard of Sheryl Sandberg (of Facebook fame) and her campaign to end the word "bossy" (read or listen to an NPR story HERE), but I was hesitant to come straight out and use that word in our class. Instead, I wanted them to think on terms of "boss" and "leader" to recognize the differences between the two and to think about their own language choices in the classroom, in small groups, on their sports teams, and more. We first looked at this picture and talked about what we noticed: (source) This led to some discussion about leadership versus boss behavior. While the kids were discussing, I was passing out example cards to their table spots. Before I dismissed them, I shared this leadership quote from John Quincy Adams: They were then given instructions about our activity. I had printed example cards on two colors: blue for boss and green for leader (although they didn't know that yet) and they needed to read their card and find someone with an opposite color card and opposite example (good time to incorporate the word antonym, too!). I dismissed them to their tables and first had them converse with students in their table group to ensure they understood the word or phrase on their card. When they gave me the thumbs up, I told them to find their match and them meet to discuss why they went together and be able to give examples. We then began assembling our Anchor Chart. Each pair would come to the front of the class and would explain which card was descriptive of a "boss" and which was descriptive of a "leader" and why. They gave examples and I elicited a lot of help from the classroom for additional examples and language that both a boss and leader may use during that example. I would tape the cards to the Anchor Chart and we continued through each pair. There were two groups of three (with two leaders to one boss) and that worked out perfectly with my class (definitely feel free to adjust if you have lower numbers). Our completed anchor chart looked like: It was so powerful to see how often kids may think they are helping, but instead find themselves on the "boss" side of the chart instead of the "leader." I know several of the examples are repetitive, but we really talked through these and used examples from our own lives to recount when using "leader" words and language set us up for success. I also explained the "me vs. you" mentality of bosses versus the "we and us" mentality of leaders. Overall, it was a very powerful lesson and I look forward to referring back to this Anchor Chart this year, especially when "bossypants" behavior leads to conflict. I think these concrete examples can help guide the naturally strong leaders in my class to make better language decisions that can help grow them as leaders and really inspire others, just like the Adams quote! If you'd like a copy of these cards and quote, you can download this as a *freebie* HERE. How do you address bossy vs. leader behavior in your class? Share in the comments, I would love to build on this lesson!

This is a little throw-back post from over 2 years ago... yet it's one of my favorites. ;) I know we all love the book, "Have You Filled a Bucket Today?"! It's such a great book to encourage our little ones to fill others' buckets and in turn fill their own bucket. If you want to see more, go {here}. Well, I've found another amazing book to help with your students' self esteem. The book is: Amazon This book is so cute! It's about a grandma teaching a lesson to her grand daughter. Back in her day, Grandma felt the pressure to fit in. She bought her clothes from the Hap {like the Gap, but not}, worked out at Silver's Gym {get it? Like Gold's Gym...haha} and tried to be just like Mallory Emma McBane. Until Mallory started acting like Laura LaVan. This is such a fun rhyming book about the importance of being yourself and LOVING YOURSELF! Ok, I'm pretty partial to this book since a great friend of mine wrote it . It really has a great message and I like it so much I made a mini-unit to share with you for FREE! :) Here are some of the activities to do with your students: Student mini-book {just staple in the corner}: They add a piece of tin foil to this page to act like a mirror! Some writing activities too: Whole class chart: Whole class sequencing chart to go with the book: Head over to Amazon, pick up the book and help your students feel good about themselves! Frames courtesy of http://www.deliciousscrapshop.com/ Clipart &/or fonts copyright and used with permission by DJ Inkers

Abandoned and imprisoned, this real-life Amazon took back the life she had stolen away.

Late last week, I posted an article about Mayim Bialik and the issues of celebrities promoting science—specifically, including her in a picture of four...

A hand-crafted collection of free printables for kids and moms designed to simplify your life and make it sweeter.

As a parent, you deal with a LOT of feelings on a daily basis. Right? And sometimes, it can all get to […]

When the end of an era was at hand, this samurai woman refused to go gently.

Happy Friday! (Don't you just love the summer when you forget what day it is?) I am linking up with Cara from First Grade Parade and her weekly Favorite Pins Friday to share some of my recent Pinterest finds! Favorite School Pins: Completely agree, although I do love the Target Dollar Bins this time of year :) :) :) Love this chart from Using My Teacher Voice for the first week back to school! Favorite Style Pins: Chevron nails? Yes, please :) Currently obsessing over polka dots and chambray! This color combination takes my love of all things teal/turquoise and brightens it up! Love it :) Favorite Quote Pins: Yup! My besties, teammates, and husband probably think this is my personal motto ;) This is *by far* my most favorite quote If you don't already, be sure to follow me on Pinterest to see a whole bunch more! Have fun checking out the rest of the great finds over at The First Grade Parade! ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ I am *EXTREMELY* excited to announce a new collaborative blog I am a part of for 2nd and 3rd grade teachers!! Owl-ways Be Inspired is filled with some of your most favorite 2nd & 3rd grade bloggers and we are all so excited for the opportunity to collaborate and share with you! Best part? There is a gigantic Grand Opening Giveaway that started today filled with a *ton* of back-to-school goodies! Head over right now to check it out and be sure to follow us on Bloglovin', Facebook, and Pinterest! Have a wonderful weekend, friends!!

Students read the sentences and complete with an appropriate animal. Several answers possible in some cases. Students can work alone, in groups or pairs and discuss if needed. - ESL worksheets

Tonight I'm enjoying the sound of wind chimes through the window as the winds shift and winter blows back in. It's cold outside, so I'm staying bundled up inside and checking in just long enough to share a bulletin board I made today, to complement a lesson I'll be starting tomorrow on friendship. And, before I unplug again, some reflections on friendship: Making and keeping friends is an important skill for children to learn. Not only are friends fun to have around, but healthy attachments are an important part of a child's experience in school. Children that can form friendships tend to adjust to the school experience better because they're more likely to develop self-esteem and build important social skills, like getting along, cooperating and problem-solving. Since students don't come to school with these skills neatly tucked away in their backpack, we must be modeling, teaching, and practicing them in our day-to-day interactions right alongside of and, dare I say it, woven into academic content. How do you help your children find friends that fit? Here are some goals that friends can work on as new relationship opportunities present themselves: *Cooperate and be kind to others. *Be willing to play fairly, take turns, and share. *Listen to others' ideas. *Apologize and forgive one another. *Express feelings appropriately. Use "I" statements to share how you're feeling and what you need from your friends. *Practice empathy to respond to friends' feelings in an understanding, helpful way. *Be honest and loyal to your friends. *Keep a positive attitude and hang out with friends who uplift you. *Show respect. Be the kind of friend that you would want to have. *Express gratitude and appreciation. Encourage your children to choose one of these goals at a time to work on as they learn how each one looks, sounds, and feels in their world at their age. Remember that how these goals play out will change slightly through the ages and stages. Talk with your child(ren) about the qualities that they look for in a friend. Ask questions like these: *How did you decide on those qualities? *What do you usually do to make a new friend? *What advice would you give a classmate who is having a hard time making friends? *Would you want to be your friend? Why or why not? *What qualities do you have to offer to someone that might make you a good-fit friend? To enrich the discussion, have students trace their hands onto a paper, left on one side, right on the other. On the right hand, have them write five strengths that they bring to a friendship. On the other hand, have them write five areas for growth, things that they could do better in their friendships. If you don't have access to paper-pen supplies, partners can put their hands together as if they're giving a high-five and take the Five Finger Friendship Challenge aloud. Finally, check out these resources for additional friendship tips: 1. Do Kids Need Friends? 2. The Art of Boosting Your Child's Friendship Skills 3. Fostering Friendships

Discover the holy women of the Bible with our customizable bingo cards. Use images and words to celebrate their stories and contributions. Great for religious education and family fun!

Are you ready for the month of March? We are all geared up for some fun learning this month! Our March NO PREP packets are done and we are ready to go!

When making our home a haven, we find that the kitchen is not just for cooking, but connecting, too. Grab these conversation starters to help you connect.

Inside: Free resources to learn Spanish online with kids. More and more, parents are realizing the benefits of learning Spanish and want to do what they can at home. According to Eton Institute, “Language learning helps develop strong cognitive skills, such as a better concept formation, mental flexibility, multitasking, listening skills and problem-solving, in addition to

Everyone has come across signs on their travels that are clumsily translated into English. Now a website has compiled a list of the most hilarious, including the bra in Japan advertised as 'dairy comfort'.

10 Ways School Counselings Can Help Kids With Worry: Use these strategies to help your students manage their worries at school.

It’s easy enough to tell kids that sounds are caused by vibrations, but that can be a tough concept for them to really grasp! Here are two simple demonstrations that allow kids to actually SEE sound waves in action. This post is the final installment in the Summer STEAM Camp that we have been taking […]