As TV doctor dramas go, Doc McStuffins is no ER.
What do you first notice when meeting someone new? The answer is different for everyone. While some may be great body language readers, others may find more importance in the conversation they have when first meeting someone. But when it comes down…
One of my favourite ways to enjoy dumplings is by either steaming or boiling these and finishing it off with what I like to call the best dumpling sauce - with the perfect balance of savoury, heat, bit of sweetness and acidity. Let’s not forget the aromatics that really take it up a notch!
For so many of us, our 20s are when life really gets rocking and rolling. We finish college, move out on our own, try to get a job (any job, seriously, just pay me, for God's sake), and take control of our own lives. Whether it's by choice or not,…
Kids will love learning about the components of blood with this fun and memorable activity - make a blood model!
Experiment your way around the world with these 50 science experiments related to different countries and cultures around the world
On a normal, middle-of-the-year day, I want my students to come into my room in the morning knowing it is a calm place, a cooperative pla...
Have you tried using Collaborative Posters in the Classroom? Collaborative posters are a fantastic way to build a culture of teamwork and unity in your
Looking for fun STEM activities to do outside? Pendulum painting is perfect for kids of all ages. This pendulum STEAM activity is perfect for spring & summer.
People tend to stop caring about their names once they get past certain life landmarks: getting teased for an unfortunate last name in high school, agonizing over a nickname in college, wondering if a spouse should change their name. After all, it's…
Anyone can have a happy relationship if they put in the work. Sometimes the small things like what you say to your partner on a day to day basis really matters. Because according to experts and research, couples in happier relationships tend to say…
What do you first notice when meeting someone new? The answer is different for everyone. While some may be great body language readers, others may find more importance in the conversation they have when first meeting someone. But when it comes down…
Ready to "cook up" a great first day of school? It's easy with this recipe for a successful start to the school year! PREP: ➤ Think about how you will set the tone for your classroom on the first day of school. ➤ Plan to keep students engaged and active. ➤ Prepare to build a positive rapport with students from the first instant that they become a part of the classroom community. INGREDIENTS: ➤ Warm-Up Activity ➤ Get-to-Know-You Activity ➤ Game that gets students out of their seats ➤ Get-to-Know-the-Teacher Activity ➤ Writing Prompt ➤ Extension Activity Once you've gathered your ingredients, you can get "cooking!" (CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FREE RECIPE!) PROCEDURE: STEP 1: Begin with a warm-up activity. Place an activity on students' desks that they can complete independently. You might try a simple survey or poster. An All About Me poster is a quick way to learn about students. You can even gather them together for an awesome classroom display. Or, a survey is a wonderful way to collect information about students. You might include questions about where students like to sit, their favorite way to learn, and activities that they enjoy so that you can start connecting with students. Another awesome warm-up activity is an "All About You" name tag. Students answer questions about themselves while coloring in a name tag based on their responses. Then, students can place the name tag on their desks to help you learn your students' names. This activity is particularly awesome if you have multiple sets of students. You can collect the name tags and re-distribute them each day during each class while you learn names. Oh, and as a bonus, you can gather them together and leave them with substitute teachers throughout the year! If you'd like to check out ready-made Back to School Warm-Ups, just click here for the poster, here for the survey, and here for the name tags. STEP 2: Mix in a get-to-know-you activity. Give students a chance to share about themselves and learn about their classmates with an engaging get-to-know-you activity. One of my favorites is a doodle-inspired mini-book. Students transform a single sheet of paper into a doodley mini-book all about themselves. After students make the mini-book it's fun to hang them on a clothesline. Then, as students finish their work during the first days of school, you can encourage fast-finishers to grab a classmate's mini-book and learn about him or her. Check out the doodle mini-book HERE. Or, you could have students create this 3-D About Me Activity. Students create an infographic-style book about themselves. After answering some simple questions, they do a little cutting and gluing to create a 3-D "About Me" display. These are especially fun because students can set them on their desks and then everyone can tour around the classroom and learn about their peers. (These are awesome for Open House too!) Learn more HERE. STEP 3: Scatter in an activity that gets students moving. Since students crave opportunities to get up and out of their seats, plan to get your class moving on the first day of school. You might have students complete a scavenger hunt or even play a learning game that requires students to move around. I'm a huge fan of this simple get-to-know-you activity that gets students moving (and you can download it for FREE here.) First, students make paper airplanes. They write their name and 3 interview questions on the wings. Then, students line up shoulder-to-shoulder and launch the planes. Next, they pick up a classmate's plane, find him or her, and ask the interview questions. You can repeat the airplane launch as often as you'd like! Find everything you need to do this activity in this FREEBIE. If you'd like to combine movement and learning on the first day of school, then you and your students will love this Back to School Doodle Infographic. First students fill in the infographic with facts about school. There are 21 facts and you can hide them around the room to get students moving. Then, they put together the infographic to make a fun and doodle-y poster! Check it out HERE. STEP 4: Sprinkle in a chance for students to get-to-know-you (their teacher). On the first day of school, students are very curious about you. They want to learn about you, so you'll want to be sure to share about yourself. You can give a simple biography of yourself, or you might try these easy and engaging activities: Create a teacher interview question along with 4 or 5 prize cards for each student in your class. Then, tape the questions and the prize cards under students' seats before class begins. During class, explain to students that they all have something under their chairs. It might be a question and it might be a prize. If they get a prize card, have students keep it quiet. Then, call on students. They can either read a question for you to answer or reveal that they won a prize. If they won, you might give them a pencil, piece of candy, or a homework pass. You can find all my favorite questions HERE. Or, you might have students complete a "Teacher Guess" about you. First, they predict the answers to questions about you. Then, as you reveal the answers, they earn points for every correct prediction. It's a fun activity that students truly enjoy! You can check it out HERE. STEP 5: Add a fun writing prompt to your back to school activities. A writing prompt is a great way to gather a baseline for students' writing on the first day of school. You might give students a simple prompt about their summer or goals for the new school year. However, I love to add a fun creative writing prompt into the mix. For example, with this writing prompt students select a setting, character, problem, and 3 random objects. Then, they need to work them all into a story. It's fun, engaging, and a great way to see where your students are starting the school year. Find this writing prompt HERE or check out this collection of 10 creative writing activities. STEP 6: Top it off with a review of tomorrow's warm-up. Set students up for success during your next day of school by quickly reviewing what they will need to do when they arrive to class. If you're planning to have students work through warm-ups like these This or That ELA warm-ups where students choose to do the "this" or the "that" activity, then you might quickly review what will be waiting on their desks when they arrive. Taking the time to preview tomorrow's warm-up is a great way to set expectations for students! If you're looking for some daily warm-ups, you might want to check out these This or That ELA warm-ups or these This or That Writing warm-ups! STEP 7: Don't forget to have an extension activity just in case your lesson ends early. I love playing games like "Move If You..." which you can find for FREE HERE. While you may never get to the extension activity, it's a lifesaver if you need it! TIPS: When you're following this recipe for a great first day of school, you might want to: ➤ Greet students at the door and answer these questions for students right away: ➨ Where do I sit? ➨ Am I in the right classroom? ➨ What should I be doing right now? ➤ Also, be prepared to manage students' behavior on the first day of school. Ensure that you have a positive classroom management system in place and ready to use if you need it! Well, there you have it, my recipe for a great first day of school. Be sure to download all the ideas with links AND the FREE airplane activity HERE! CHECK THIS OUT! I've put together a 100+ page guide for back to school for teachers. It includes tips, tools, and printables for classroom décor, classroom organization, lesson planning, community building, and planning the first day of school. It's absolutely FREE! Just click here to sign up. When you sign up, you'll get access to 6 mini-courses that cover everything Back to School including classroom design, organization, curriculum planning, and ways to build a positive classroom community. There's also a TON of exclusive freebies, bonuses, and videos! If you'd like to learn more and sign up, just click HERE. Thanks so much for stopping by, Mary Beth P.S. If you'd like MORE free resources for your classroom, be sure to join the Brain Waves Instruction club!
Motivate students with independent reading by adding engaging reading sprints...turn the traditional reading log upside down!
Want to teach rules and expectations in an engaging way? Use picture books! These 15 picture books are some of the best to start your year.
These inspirational quotes for teens are uplifting and motivational! For the bad days and the good, these quotes are meaningful and...
Talking is the name of the game during a first date. You need to have strong conversational skills to get to date number two. Unfortunately, not all of us are blessed in the conversation department. Sometimes we say things we wish we could take…
These 20 minute Thai noodle bowls are so easy to whip up! They're packed full of sweet and spicy Thai flavor!
There are a lot of benefits of being single. Whether you're someone who prefers to be in a relationship or is normally flying solo, everyone can benefit from some time on their own. And some of the benefits are pretty obvious ones. You have more…
Every November, the world is treated to an influx of men with facial hair. Thanks to both the Movember campaign and No-Shave November which have gained popularity with celebrities and random dudes alike, men are growing out their mustaches and…
Get a delicious dinner on the table really quickly with these beyond simple lazy weeknight dinners. Easy, simple and kid approved these lazy weeknight dinners make supper a breeze.
Anyone can have a happy relationship if they put in the work. Sometimes the small things like what you say to your partner on a day to day basis really matters. Because according to experts and research, couples in happier relationships tend to say…
Slow cooker Thai peanut chicken is the perfect healthy weeknight supper that your entire family will love. This healthy meal is keto-friendly and gluten-free!
Peanut noodles are a quick and tasty dish with the easiest, creamiest, no-cook peanut sauce and a satisfying chewy texture.Inspired by Southeast Asian cuisine, we combine sweet, savory, tangy, and spicy flavors from peanut butter, soy sauce, garlic, chili, and lime.
Check out these 9 first week of school activities for your students. They help to forge those lasting bonds for a successful year!
We asked veteran teachers to share their best and most effective 2nd grade classroom procedures and we got hundreds of fantastic tips!
Recipe video above. Pad See Ew (which means Stir Fried Soy Sauce noodles) is one of the most popular Thai street foods. Traditionally made with Sen Yai which are wide, thin rice noodles which are not that easy to come by. So use dried rice noodles instead - I've eaten enough Pad See Ew at Thai restaurants to assure you that there is no compromise on flavour!KEY TIP FOR SUCCESS: Cook the chicken separately from the noodles. Home stoves are no match for the fierce heat of restaurant and street vendor burners. You have to cook separately to get caramelisation on the noodles which is key for authentic flavour. If you don't, the noodles will just stew and your dish will lack flavour!
These Chinese soup recipes are the perfect way to warm up! From wonton to noodle to hot and sour, get the takeout experience at home with these tasty soups.
Tasty, juicy filling wrapped with slippery wrappers and served in an umami broth, this easy wonton soup makes a wonderful all-in-one meal.
These Kung Pao chicken noodles are easy to make, saucy, full of flavor and perfect for a quick weeknight dinner. This recipe comes together in about 30 minutes and is a total family favorite.
These flavorful and nutritious salad recipes were clicked on most by EatingWell readers in 2023. You’ll want to make these four- and five-star rated recipes again and again.
Better than takeout, easy 20 minute cashew chicken.
If you are looking to eat a more high protein diet you will love these healthy make-ahead meals! Meal prep these high protein dishes for your healthy high protein lunch or dinner! Meal prepping is going to be easy!
Hungry but don't have time to cook?! These spicy peanut butter noodles are just for you. They're vegan, gluten free, easy to whip up, ready in just about 20 minutes and packed with delicious peanut flavor.
Cooking, card games, coloring, and chores!
Slurping and sipping on a nourishing bowl of Vietnamese gluten free Phở Bò (beef pho) is almost better than getting a hug from your mom. Topped with loads of fresh herbs, thin sliced beef, bean sprouts and chilis – a delicious way to transition from one season to another.
Get the best workouts for every type of exercise and part of the body including cardio workouts, HIIT workouts, arm workouts, and many more.
Perfect fluffy protein pancakes made without bananas, refined sugar, or flour! Made with protein powder, eggs and greek yogurt, these pancakes pack 9 grams of protein and are going to fuel you through your morning!
Eating for a healthy cholesterol is easy with these warming, one-pot soup recipes that are high in fiber and low in saturated fat.
Much like students who spend more hours on the hook of an essay than they do the bulk of an essay, I often found myself with a case of English teacher writing block when it came to planning my first day of school activities. Though I have ten years (x two semesters each) of ... Read More about First Day of School Activities for High School and Middle School English
Throw away those takeout menus, this Easy Spicy Chicken Pad Thai will be your new favorite dinner that’s quicker than delivery!
If you are feeling slugish, or miserable due to seasonal allergies, this lymphatic drainage therapy will be your new best friend along with diet changes
Fine Motor Journals are a place where students can do various fine motor activities such as writing, drawing, name activities, and cutting! It's like a mini-portfolio just about a student's fine motor skills, so instead of tons of random papers with fine motor activities, it's now in one organized spot! Fine motor journals are FUN short activities to support students learning how to write, draw, cut, and develop strong fine motor skills and match the learning theme (ex: transportation, pets, Valentine's Day, Earth Day, fall, spring) you are doing in your classroom.
This great collection of traditional Irish Food has plenty of great dishes to cook for St. Patrick's Day, or just whenever you're feeling Irish! We love this Guinness beef stew:
