ER Nursing hacks to make that 12-hour shift in the ER a little bit more bearable. The more you know, the more you can save time your sanity!

Hey guys, how's it going? In math, we have been working on quite a few things!! Normally, teachers like to read Chrysanthemum on the first day of school, and I see name charts all over the place. Th

Learn how to pack healthy school lunches that are yummy and protein-packed so they will...

Molded to Be Holy object lesson will have a profound impact on the way the kids in your children's ministry view being holy.

This week was our first week back and, boy am I tired! My class is great though...very inquisitive and eager to learn. They take their work seriously and are actively working most of the day. Who could ask for more?? We did quite a few things this week, but I want to share with you one "get to know you" project we did that really came out great. I seriously can't stop staring at it! I saw this pin on Pinterest. I love how it looks and thought it would make a great welcome sign. Now, on the pin, the hands seemed to be just colored in. I wanted something a bit more. So we started with creating Circle Maps about ourselves. What made us special? What are some things that have shaped us? Where did you go in your life? etc....Most of the kids finished these Circle Maps in class on the first day of school. I then asked the students to trace their hands and arms on a piece of 11 x 17" piece of paper. They then had to draw, write, decorate, etc...the traced in hand with items from the Circle Map. The goal was to teach their fellow classmates about themselves in a visual way, without giving away too much information (ie: I didn't want them to write paragraphs.) That is pretty much how far we got in class. So, the first homework assignment the students had to finish the project at home. I gave them this sheet so that they could be a bit more focused on their project and add a bit if they wanted. (but if you are going copy-less, just forgo this. They can write the information on a sheet of paper instead.) The next day, the hands came back to school...and they were great! I had the kids get into groups and share what they decided to put on their hands and why. The kids learned a lot about each other in that 15 minute session! You can see some of them used words as well as pictures to tell about themselves. I love the one directly in the center of this picture! Others just used pictures, like the one in the middle here. When I went to put them around a piece of poster board, like in the original pin, they didn't fit :( I think if I had used a smaller piece of paper to trace their hands to begin with they might have. Oh well! I decided to put them up as if the hands were all in a line, raising up.....and it came out great! I overlapped the hands, so I was able to get 5 or 6 on one piece of large construction paper. I then mounted them on my wall. I love it! All in all, this was a fun little project that served as a great way for the kids to get to know each other and make a nice display! What is something you do during the first week of school to help the kids get to know each other and for you to learn a little about them? Follow me on Snapchat for even more teaching ideas!

Use these quick writing prompts anytime your students say that they don’t know what to write about or when they simply need a little bit of extra creativity!

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: ➤ ...

We're sharing 10 things NOT to do on the first day of school. If you're a teacher wanting a smooth start to the school year, look no further. This post will show you what mistakes to avoid so that you have the best classroom management practices in place from the beginning!

This is such a crazy time with most schools transitioning to online classes. For most of us, online classes are foreign territory and were not our first choice. Taking classes online is great for some people! However, for others, it can be hard to stay focused and turn in work on time. As someone who …

The Pigeon has to go to school and he's not happy about it! In fact, he's worried. Help kids kick their first-day fears with these fun ideas!

It is possible to use math small group instruction in middle school with a bit of upfront planning! Tips for implementation and ideas to get your math small groups running smoothly.

This is such a crazy time with most schools transitioning to online classes. For most of us, online classes are foreign territory and were not our first choice. Taking classes online is great for some people! However, for others, it can be hard to stay focused and turn in work on time. As someone who …

Want something to send home to your parents in the beginning of the year?? I store this in my communication folder in a plastic sleeve and store all the notes I get from parents behind this…. Come on over HERE to snag a copy. Would you like to have your printables ... Read More about Parent Survey for Beginning of Year

The gradual release of responsibility model allows for students to take more and more ownership of the content. Here are some tips and ideas for how and when to implement it. | maneuveringthemiddle.com

Having to wear the same style of clothing every single day can honestly be such a pain especially when neither your oversized blazer or your lanky tie do you any justice. So, here are some tips to how you can still look amazing in just your school uniform.

Sometimes we all need a pick-me-up. A reminder that things will get better and that we are capable of getting through whatever life throws our...

Do you struggle to plan P.E. games for your students? Here are a few resources that elementary teachers might find useful when planning P.E.

Sometimes we all need a pick-me-up. A reminder that things will get better and that we are capable of getting through whatever life throws our...

Have you ever had a class that just tried your patience day after day? Have you ever felt like you could walk away from teaching forever tom...

Looking for a lesson on responsibility for your elementary students, but can’t seem to find one that meets all your student’s needs? You might see other teachers doing fun character lessons and want to do those too, but the activities don’t quite fit with your student’s abilities. Maybe you need just a little bit of

If your kids enjoy reading this genre, most likely they'll enjoy writing fantasy themselves. See our fantasy writing prompts for middle school and beyond!

Do you want to keep your students engaged and reading during reading time? Read this post to learn about 10 reading centers for upper elementary.

Multiplication can be challenging for kids to learn and for teachers to teach! Here are a few tips to make teaching multiplication easier.

Teaching music with fun, tried & tested lessons, DIY classroom projects & ideas your students will love with Tracy King, the Bulletin Board Lady.

Every now and then, we all go through tough times. And it is really nice to hear some encouraging words from our friends. However, it...

Discover the 5 proven methods I have used to make extra money after OT school to get those student loans paid down a little bit quicker.

Got fine, thin hair that looks limp and lifeless? We asked a celebrity hairstylist for the best short haircuts to make fine, thin hair seem thicker and fuller.

By Barbara Gruener Okay, I’ll admit it: When I was growing up, I had no idea how to deal with my anger well. Not one little bit. During my formative years, I was sent to my room to get over my bad …

Does the first week of Kindergarten have you shaking in your boots? You are not alone! I've been at this for a little while now so you would think it would get easier with time but I am here to tell you it does not! I still get anxious right before school starts. What will they be like? Will I remember what to do at line up time? What if I don't set things up right and I mess up the whole rest of the year? (sounds dramatic but that is really what goes through my head!) I sat down as soon as school got out and wrote down my first week of lesson plans to put my mind at ease. It has really helped with my worry so far! I wrote down the first five days, plans and procedures I need to introduce, brain breaks, classroom community building activities, easy morning work to get started with and even got my welcome back gifts ready. My mind is officially at ease. I want to make sure I have a lot of fun and a LOT of books planned for the first week too. Here are a couple of fun crafts to go with the books I have planned. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. You can't skip this book the first week of school! Our focus will be all about names the first week (or more!). I put together all of my favorite books with some crafts to help teach all of those back to school procedures like cutting, gluing, and of course following directions. The Wheels on the Bus This one is fun for a little first sound fun. The students change the words to match the first sound in their name. A My Name is Alice by Jane Bayer Alphabet books are the best the first few weeks of school. A My Name is Alice Jane Bayer is the best! This is a fun activity to do after we read the book and they will make really cute self portraits to hang in the hallway the first week of school. Not only did I plan out the activities for these books but for lots of other favorites like Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes, Rosie Takes a Walk by Pat Hutchins, No David by David Shannon, and Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell. So now I don't have to feel guilty when I am floating in the pool this summer (just kidding, I never feel guilty doing that!) But honestly, I can relax knowing all I have to do is hit print when I get back to school. These plans can work for you too! Click here to see them in my store! Or if you are not ready to think about school yet pin this for later! P.S. Get a FREE ALPHABET ACTIVITY when you sign up for my newsletter HERE!

A solid prayer life is one of the best gifts you can give kids. Here's how to start a kid's prayer journal & get them excited about praying, plus some printables!

Over the years I've created and shared more than 500 printables here on the blog. Keeping track of all of them and, more importantly, making them easy for you to find can be a bit

Many students find annotation a chore. They do it for the teacher and not for their own benefit. They claim annotating makes them hate reading. I understand where they’re coming from. Annotation is difficult. It slows down the reading process. However, we can’t build active readers without it. We want students to interact with the ... Read more

The end of the year tends to creep up on us fast! We blink, and somehow, it’s May! And the last few months of school get super busy and can be overwhelming for students, so it’s important to incorporate fun activities that help them enjoy their time. And it’s a fun way for me to celebrate them. Snag up some of these ideas to make the end of the year special for your students.

Copywork is a fantastic way for children to practice a number of writing skills. I've taken the concept of copywork in a bit of a different direction by offering a collection of fun facts about a wide variety of interesting subjects children enjoy. Each worksheet present the child with a fascinating fact coupled with a

Welcome the students back to school and find out a little bit about them! This free printable first day of school all about me gives your students an opportunity to tell you all about themselves. From things about their family, what they are good at, what they’re nervous about and so much more. It is a valuable tool for gaining helpful...

OK. I was mildly obsessed over meeting Mr Slope Guy for the first time. I was observing two novice teachers, and they were using Mr Slope Guy as a mnemonic for students in analyzing slope. But I think he could be fated for bigger and better adventures. Since my son Xavier is a budding comic book artist, we put together the following (PDF of the whole comic), with some inking support from Ysabela. The problem was whether MSG was a hero or villain, and he wound up needing to be defeated. He is a personification of algebra. Be interested in your feedback. Only one more thing to say: Marvel, please don't sue! Spider-man is a wholly owned trademark of Marvel, created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, and starring in a major motion picture this summer.

One of the best things students can do to hone their story-writing skills is to practice doing it. Make practice a bit easier with these short story prompts.

Everything you need to know about Montessori for your 21-24 month old. Including age-appropriate Montessori material, activity, and practical life suggestions!

I am so excited to launch my first "series" of blog posts! It's making me feel all grown-up and blogger-like :)My first series is going to be on increasing student engagement in the classroom. Over