If you’re still in high school, consider creating a bullet journal. These notebooks are great for noting down information that is important in your classes. For example, you can use them to record deadlines for assignments and class information. You can also use them to keep track of important dates. If you’re a student, consider […]
Flowers, insects, and sunshine! Just in time for the month of May, and these Transitional Kindergarten May Worksheets! These printables have been a life saver for me! In the midst of distance learning, I have been sending these electronically to my parents to help my TK students continue their learning at home. You can also...
Back to School is easy with these Meet the teacher night tips and ideas which include editable templates and parent stations.
Help parents and students out this year by giving them all of the information they need in one neat place. This listing is for a syllabus that is 100% customizable once you download it! The syllabus is all set for customization. All you need to do is change the information! Since it is customizable, you can change the fonts, wording, categories, colors, pictures, and sections to suit your needs. It is 100% editable. Since this is a PowerPoint file, you will need the program (or one that can edit a .pptx file) in order to edit it. Once it's downloaded, it's yours to customize and use year after year. You may need to download some free fonts if you do not already have them, and all of that information is provided in your files. Love this? There's more! I have tons of things you can print or edit for your classroom. Check out the links below! Classroom Decor https://etsy.me/2vn804E First Day of School Posters https://etsy.me/2vn804E I can also create a custom syllabus for you! https://www.etsy.com/listing/634895183/custom-class-syllabus-infographic
A simple way to teach your students classroom procedures and expectations at the beginning of the school year
Once every student has a baggie of Magic Dough on his or her desk, I pass out a copy of the Magic Dough Lab Report. We talk about what it means to
These free focus mats have been created to help you get your students ready for standardized testing or other stressful days in your classroom.
Do you incorporate growth mindset discussions in your classroom? We have made a concerted effort to keep students motivated by talking about how our mindset determines our ability to achieve success. And we have seen results! Our students are continuously putting forth effort and showing great determination. The sighs and choruses of "I can't" slowly but surely faded into 'a-has' and chants of "I'll keep trying!" One way to ensure that this becomes a central part of our classrooms is to make it a focus from Day 1. Enter our Growth Mindset Collaborative Craftivity! The first days of school are typically filled with many get-to-know-you activities and teambuilding exercises. This activity is all that and includes a growth mindset twist! Students work independently to think about how they can work on their growth mindset throughout the year, and then work together to build a dodecahedron with their classmates. Each student has a point that is only a portion of what will become a star. This provides the visual that when we have a positive mindset AND work together, we can reach the stars! So, what's the activity and how does it work? It is simple, ready to print, and includes little prep on the part of the teacher. Score! First, you will need to download the template from our store. The file includes a blank editable version of the template as well as our growth mindset version, so it is really a steal! Once you have it downloaded, print out a page for each student. The finished project looks great on either colored or white paper. Either way, this works best when printed on sturdy paper like cardstock. This activity is particularly great because it is really open to interpretation. The spaces provided allow the teacher and/or student to choose how they would like it filled in. For example, the "This is me" section can be a spot for the student to write their name or draw a self-portrait. Similarly, the "Growth Mindset Vision" panel can be a spot for the student to draw a picture of how they will be using a growth mindset, something they hope to accomplish through using a growth mindset, or what a growth mindset looks like to them. The possibilities are truly endless. Let the students run wild as they think about how their own mindset will set them up for future successes. Once the sheet is filled out, students will cut on the solid lines. It is VERY IMPORTANT to remind students not to cut on the dotted lines. Those will be for folding in the next step! Now we are ready for those dotted lines. Students need to fold on each of the dotted lines. This will separate the panels from the tabs that will be used for gluing. Start by folding over one panel at a time. Fold the tabs down and away from the triangle panels. To turn each sheet of panels into a point, glue the long tab behind the triangle panel on the opposite end (the 'This is me' panel). Here you can see the 'This is me' panel and 'Reach for the stars' panel are now side by side. Now that each of the students has created a star point, the collaborative portion of the project is ready to begin. Students now begin to connect the star points to one another. A total of 12 points will create one star. Begin by placing two star points next to each other. Glue one tab from point A to one tab from point B. Point A on the left is now glued to Point B on the right. Students will continue gluing in this fashion until there are 12 points. The 12th point is the most difficult to attach, as it will have five points to connect to. This is when a little helping hand from the teacher or another adult might come in handy. When all 12 points are glued together, you will have a star full of positive thoughts ready to be hung in the classroom! We hope your students enjoy this fun activity for the beginning of the school year and that they continue to see its value to their education. Let us know in the comments how else you plan to use the star template in your classroom!
The one night that is most stressful for me is definitely Meet-the-Teacher Night, but I have learned through the years that it can also be...
Do you and I run in the same circles? Doubt it. Although we do share at least one circle: teaching. Right? And if you and I ha...
Why I don't review the syllabus on the first day of class in high school and what I do instead. Fun first day of school activities and icebreakers!
Whether you are teaching the beatitudes at home and in Sunday school. Make it easier with this free printable Beatitudes craft for kids.
The pencils are sharpened, your classroom is clean and the bell rings…gulp…here they come! My feelings on the first week of school are conflicted. On one hand, it’s one of the most important weeks. Explaining and practicing the class procedures and expectations sets the tone for the rest of the school year. Success is vital. On the other hand, I’m so excited to start teaching my historical content that waiting until all the expectations are explained requires a lot of patience! Every teacher has their own plan of action for that pivotal time. Here are 5 things I can’t live without during the first week of school: One: An Icebreaker. I aim to try and make kids feel comfortable in my classroom on day one. One of my favorite little activities is Fact or Fiction. Each student receives a small slip of paper and they’re instructed to write one fact and two fictions. Then each person (including myself!) introduces themselves and we all try to guess which statement is the fact! It’s a great way to quickly learn about each other. Two: Classroom Information and Expectations. This is every teacher’s staple, I know, but it had to go on the list because it’s a must-have! When you’re making your own, spell everything out – from the obvious grading procedures and late work policy to how to pass back papers and when to sharpen pencils and go to the bathroom. Trust me, leave no stone unturned. Your classroom will function much better if you set the tone from day one. (Oh, and don’t forget a seating chart!) Three: Fun and Games. On the second day of school, I love to start class with a little game. It’s a great way for the kids to start practicing our classroom procedures and expectations while getting familiar with their teacher and classmates. Here are some of my favorite games that I use during the first week of school: (P.S. Some of these activities can be found in my Back to School Activities resources! Click the grade level you’re teaching to check them out: Sixth, Seventh, Eighth) InstaFriend: This activity gets students moving around the room and interviewing fellow classmates! Their InstaFriend paper has a series of descriptions and characteristics. When they find a student who matches the description, they write their name in the box. Each name can only be used once! Right or Wrong: I love skits. LOVE THEM. I like to introduce students to the idea of skits during the first week by allowing them to create their own based on our class expectations. I first divide students into small groups of 2-3. Each group then randomly receives one of our class procedures or expectations. As a group, they have to work together to create two mini skits – one showing the RIGHT way to follow the expectation, the other showing the WRONG way. They get to be silly and I get to reinforce my class expectations. After each skit I happily point out all the positive behaviors as well as each time a class policy was violated. It’s a light-hearted way to grab their attention and create a positive atmosphere all while practicing the laws of the land. Classmate Bingo: I love to play this game at the end of the first week. I give each student a blank bingo board with a large selection of personal characteristics, hobbies, etc. at the bottom. The students choose 16 off the list and create their customized board. Then, I randomly select characteristics from the list. If a student has that characteristic on their board, they have to write down a student’s name that matches the characteristic – but no cheating! They have to use what they’ve learned about others during their first week of school to try and win the game. Four: A Pre Test. After a few days of class information and fun, it’s time to start getting down to business. Each year, I make a short pre-test on the information they’ll learn about that year. It gives me a chance to see what the kids already know and gives them a feel for what subject matter they’ll be learning about in the coming weeks. FYI: Your pre-test probably won’t take the whole class period. Make sure to have plans for other activities, too, on the day you give your pre-test! Five: A Writing Activity. True fact: when I tell kids they’re going to do a writing activity, they groan every time. It’s a signal that the “real work” is about to begin. Luckily, they’re always relieved when I assure them that this activity will require very little research because it’s about a subject they’re experts in – themselves! I have a few different activities to choose from each year. Here are some suggestions: Student Survey: What are your strengths? Weaknesses? What do you hope to learn in this class? These are just some of the questions I ask students in the survey. The more I know about my students, the better I can help them achieve success in my class. Write Away: A staple of many: write a letter to a future you! I ask students to write goals for the year, dreams they wish to see realized, and questions they want to ask their “End of the Year” self. I tuck these letters away and revisit them during the last week of school. I’m Ready: Like every middle school history class, we do a lot of writing and students always have to back up their reasons, statements, etc. with evidence to support their claim. In this writing activity, students have to identify which class rule or expectation they believe is most important and provide evidence to support their claim. This activity both reinforces my classroom policies and secretly gives me a preview of their writing proficiency. Have I left anything out? If you have any fun plans for the first week of school, share them in the comments. I’m always looking for new ideas for my classroom!
Students will enjoy reporting their research on a state through these interesting and varied activities. They will create a travel brochure, flag, mini-timeline and state license plate.
If you're looking for Free Printable Worksheets for Preschool & Kindergarten, then look no further. Check out this list of free printable worksheets that I've created for preschoolers and kindergartners. You'll find math and literacy,
No Prep – Printable for Color Word Practice Especially those tricky colors that start with the same letters such as: black and blue pink and purple gray and green download from my TpT store This is a great printable to integrate language arts and religion. It could be used anytime, but some especially on special ... Read More about Free Color Word Practice Printables
Activities Inspired by Ish by Peter Reynolds
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Seattle's Best Coffee. All opinions are 100% mine.
With the beginning of the school year right the corner, it is time to start thinking about which lessons will be most valuable for our students. Starting the
One of the most effecitve parts of a lesson plan is the anticipatory set. It can set the mood for interest, enagement, and wonder. But how?
Pencil Names - Name Building Practice Printable comes with eight editable pages, containing two pencils. Each pencil has pieces for two letter names up to nine letter names. Getting Pencil Names - Name Building Practice Printable
Looking for cool games for VBS? Check out our top picks for engaging and fun activities to make your vacation bible school a hit.
You can give students a soft start to the school day, as well as incorporate essential practice with these strategies.
Classroom community building activities and free ideas and lesson plans to kick off the school year or implement at any time.
Summer Packet Send home this Summer Packet at the end of the year for parents and students to work on during the summer, if they choose. Many parents
This blog post lists ten must-dos for the first day of school! I want to share some actions you may know (or may not know) to ensure you have a great first
Need some fresh first week of school activities? Check out these day-by-day plans for the first week of third grade.
Use these 7 LDS Scripture-Themed Carnival stations and game ideas to create an epic Children's Primary activity outdoors at church!
The first 10 days of school are exhausting for both teachers and students! So many routines to teach and so many little learners to get to know!
