I like using Gerald McDermott's Native American folktales to teach the Common Core literature standards. The trickster tales are always a delight!
Growth Mindset: The Power of Yet Recently my 1st grade classroom has morphed into a K/1 combination classroom and then resulted in HUGE gaps (academically, socially, & emotionally) between my s…
From Anaïs Nin to Judy Blume, read a list of books recommended by Fleabag phenom Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
Good Mornings with Eric Carle and Gymboree, reading books, wearing cozy pajamas, and working on FREE Eric Carle printable activities & coloring pages!
These FREE Printables and Unit Studies for Eric Carle's Books will help you expand on what your kids are learning through these beloved books.
Learn how to teach making predictions to help your students develop strong reading comprehension skills with these three favorite read alouds.
Oh, the first day of school! It's such a fun, but chaotic day. Most of my first days are a little bit of a blur. This is why I have to write very detailed lesson plans or I'll forget everything from that day. I always try to have the same activities for that first day
We love book themed crafts and activities so I am so thrilled about today’s post because it is filled with the cutest ideas including Chicka...
We've rounded up 19 creative wedding guest book alternatives like a fingerprint tree, maps, a Polaroid guest book, and even a giant wine bottle!
Suzanne Collins biography, graphic novel style! Students should enjoy reading, right!? And there's a reason why young children love picture books: images are appealing. Do I prefer reading a graphic novel version of my favorite books? Not really. But, that doesn't mean none of my students do. In fact, I would say quite a few of them would prefer it. If I want my students to enjoy reading, I need to offer plenty of choices. The same with writing. Some kids are happy to write a classic book report. But some aren't. So why not give them choices? With the recent announcement on the Hunger Games Fireside Chat of Sara Gundell's comic-style biography of Suzanne Collins (author of The Hunger Games), (see picture) this reminds me that there are so many appealing ways to entice students to read rather than the traditionally printed book. I offer loads of choices in my high school classroom because we all have different tastes. I do love reading comics and have Calvin and Hobbes, The Far Side, Close to Home, and Frazz books for students to read. Of course I offer the classics along side them, but I would much rather have a student read something over nothing. We need to admit that it is OK to allow these choices in our classroom. Students DO learn from reading non-academia texts! Reading the Guiness Book of World Records is still helping my students' reading skills. How? Because they are reading! It doesn't matter what they are reading. The act alone and repetition of it makes them better readers. It is the same with writing. The more they write, the better writer they become. So why do we assign the boring 5-paragraph essay over and over again so they learn to hate writing? I don't know (well I do...because we are forced to). It's crazy. I would rather assign them more relevant and personally-connected pieces because 1. they will enjoy it, and 2. the chances of them copying & pasting text from the internet is less likely. Here's a free download for you: comic strip panels to use to assign a comic bio or book report. Download all of the pages here: I created them using Pasq.com's Comic Life program. You can head to my teacher store to find additional ideas for literature- and history-based learning. Sample pages:
Last summer I added Mo Willems' The Pigeon HAS to Go to School! to my classroom library. Of course, this addition was a no-brainer. Willems' books are always super popular, especially Pigeon books. Just as predicted, my students loved this book. It is the perfect length for the beginning of the year, when attention spans are extra short and students need a little break from all the procedural training they are receiving. Since I knew this book would be a hit, I decided to make it the centerpiece of back to school. I created some basic "Pigeon themed" math and literacy activities, as well as a simple craft. I used these activities intermittently during the first week and was able to glean some great info about my new students' basic math and literacy skills, as well as their fine motor skills and listening skills. One of the Pigeon themed activities was a number/number word/counting mini book. Students traced and wrote the numbers 1-10, as well as the number words 1-10. Then students illustrated a picture to go with each number. We broke this activity up over a couple of days. Students took part in a listening activity. Students had to complete a picture according to a series of questions/statements that I read aloud. (If you've every made a glyph with your students, this activity feels really similar.) Students also put together their first puzzler for the year. This puzzler focused on number representations. Students cut and glued the puzzler pieces to tell what number is represented in the box. By the end, students have a completed picture that they can color. I use various puzzlers throughout the year. This the Pigeon puzzler is a great introduction to how to complete a puzzler. Students loved making their simple, one-page craft Pigeons. All that was required was the Pigeon pattern (I used white card stock), scissors, and glue. The class Pigeons made a really quick and cute back to school bulletin board. In addition to these activities, students worked on counting/cardinality, geometry, place value, number bonds, handwriting, the alphabet, rhyming words, sight words, and more. The Pigeon HAS to Go to School! is a perfect springboard for a variety of skills. For a math freebie (from the printables featured above), click on the picture below. This freebie provides practice with ten frames, counting, and number identification. If you have not added, The Pigeon HAS to Go to School! to your classroom library, I highly recommend it. There are so many directions you can go with this book. More importantly, your students will love it and be totally engaged. What a great way to start the year, by reading a book that students truly enjoy. :) For more details about the all of the Pigeon inspired activities I used with my students, be sure to click on the picture below. Of course (like most), I'm not certain what this year's back to school days will look like. Whatever the setup, I know I'll be using The Pigeon HAS to Go to School! to help me kick off the year. Thanks for stopping by. School Is a Happy Place is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associated Program, an affiliate program that allows this site to earn advertising fees. Please know that all of the recommendations on this site are authentic and come from personal experience.
Do you guys remember when I posted all the pictures of the quiet book I made ? It was a really long time ago, but it remains one of my mo...
Are you looking for some cute and fun printable bookmarks to color with your student or kids? Well, look no further!
I have an affinity for books. I’ve been reading more books a week than the average person for many years now. It’s what I do with most of my spare time. Everyone seems to know
Fabric book covers are a quick, easy sewing project that can be completed in about an hour. Learn how to make one in this step-by-step tutorial.
Fotos y gifs (en más de una ocasión alguna otra cosa) de The Beatles, los biruls, the fab four, como quieran decirles ♡ Disfruten ♡♡
When I start the new school year, I pick a book of the day for the first two weeks. I create a variety of activities to go with each book. I use a lot of books that focus on social and emotional learning, including kindness, friendship, and respect. But, I also add in some fun ... Read More about 8 Books for Back to School
Giada's simple bolognese is a longtime favorite among readers, and it's no question why.
These FREE Printables and Unit Studies for Eric Carle's Books will help you expand on what your kids are learning through these beloved books.
Author Tricia Goyer shares Free Printables for Writing Your Novel. Do you want easy-to-use worksheets to help novel writing? Grab these!
Basswood is my favorite wood to cut with my Cricut Maker. In this post, I share all my favorite tips and tricks so you can avoid some of the mistakes I've
There's nothing quite as amazing as cooking with kids. Frustrating, yes. But amazing, too. I've always (mostly) enjoyed showing my kids how to cook decent food and take ownership of their own nutrition. But that's not always easy when they're first learning to read recipes. Especially for young kids still learning to read. Long recipes
Whether you're a homeschool mom looking for a great book for your 5th grader or a classroom teacher trying to build a great library, finding texts that are engaging and a great fit for your readers can be tough. I've compiled this list of the best books for 5th graders to help save you time and give you a
These crispy fried chicken thighs have a golden and crunchy breading and a juicy flavorful center. This easy chicken recipe will become a family favorite!
My favorite part of doing preschool with my little ones is our daily Bible time together. It is so sweet to watch them learn about some amazing Bible stories and famous people in the Bible.
A list of books recommended by Colombian writer Gabriel García Márquez, including work by James Joyce, John Steinbeck and Virginia Woolf.
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O'Keeffe's paintings make great inspiration for kids' art projects, so let's check out 10 of the best Georgia O'Keeffe projects for kids!
I have decided that I should have been an owl. The later it gets the better I focus and the more work I get done. I hit my stride at 7:30 pm. Here's the only problem with that - I get up at 5:30 am and my mind doesn't slow down until midnight. Sad, I know. Anyway, this will be a quick post. I am going to do my best to be a better blogger this week. We will see how that goes. I definitely seem to be getting more accomplished now that the craft room is functional and I've started listening to old Friday Night Lights episodes. By the way, LOVING my bajillion mason jars full of markers. They came in quite handy tonight. Plus, I love the fact I can work at the laptop, send something to the printer, grab the paper, scissors, and markers, and go to town. Speaking of paper, scissors, and markers, I have a new writing packet to share. It's called my Picture This Writing packet. It was created to give kids the chance to share their favorite places to visit. I've discovered that my kids do SOOO much better with their writing when they have a little craft included with it. Below are pictures. I also made three different types of writing paper so it's easier to differentiate. If you have any questions, shoot me an email and if you like the packet, click on it. It will take you straight to my TPT store. Have a great day tomorrow! Hopefully, I'll be back with a quick Mother's Day freebie tomorrow.
One of the first projects my first graders made were these “All About Me Crayons”. I had seen and taught this lesson probably 10 years ago and decided to revisit it. I can not remember exactly where I saw this idea, but as many lessons are, we get ideas and see projects all over the place. I try to credit when I can, but some of these I have been doing so long! We started the day by reading … Read more... →
Time to inspire and motivate your students with these 4 fun bulletin board ideas that are perfect for schools, classrooms, or libraries!
Here are some of my favorites STEM books for kids that you can add to your collection today! Before starting a STEM or building challenge, I always read a book with my class. I love connecting literacy, sitting together on the carpet, and engaging my students in discussions. There are so many amazing books that ... Read more
Here's how to decide if the Handwriting without Tears preschool program is right for your child. The most important thing to keep in mind is...
