Thinking stems are a powerful tool for elementary teachers. They completely transform the way students respond to prompts and class discussions. Learn about what they are, why they are important, and how to implement them in your classroom below! What is a Thinking Stem? A thinking stem is a visual
In my classroom, we have book buddies. These partnerships come in two forms: Classroom Book Clubs and Reading Partners. A book club consists of a group of students (typically 4-6 is manageable) while reading partners are just two classmates. Both groupings operate in the same manner: The students read the
Today my family and I are planning to pop in to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, so I made a new resource that fits the theme of the day. I think it’s also perfect for this time of year as things start winding down and the familiar glow of screen in a
Before I get into all the great tips for how to teach nouns, let me tell you… When I mention the word “science” in my classroom, 22 little faces all light up with excitement. I accidentally left a bag of bolts on a shelf in their view the other day
Today is a Tuesday, but it feels like a Monday since we didn’t have school yesterday. On Mondays I introduce the weekly vocabulary words {per the Treasures Reading Curriculum} so since today was pseudo-Monday we did that. I wasn’t quite prepared for the reaction I got when I announced it was
If you are looking for fun ways to teach inferencing at the elementary level, then you found the right place! This post shares 5 fun ways to teach inferencing. As you know, inferencing is such an important skill to develop in order to be effective readers and critical thinkers. That’s
I am so excited to share my READer’s Workshop Rotation Board with you. My Math Workshop Rotation Board is one of my most popular resources. I found it to be so successful in my classroom, that I created a similar format for structuring my reading block. Read all about my system
Do your students have trouble thinking of writing topics? Do they not really see themselves as writers? Writing notebooks are a great way for elementary students to live like writers by jotting down writing topics whenever they come to mind in their everyday life. Learn all about writing notebooks for
Before I get into sharing some simple word study ideas, let me tell you something: sometimes things are just ironic. I’ve been working with my first grade son on word study patterns that complement his weekly focus in class. For example, last week they did long i using “magic e”
When I taught kindergarten I welcomed guest readers into my classroom, which I referred to as mystery readers. My little ones were so excited to see who the secret guest would be. We had moms, dads, siblings, grandparents and other special friends. I remember getting a note from one of
Are you looking for a word study center that is highly engaging, reusable, easily prepped, student-driven, and open-ended for differentiation purposes? This classroom BOGGLE center is exactly what you need! It’s an interactive word study display called BOGGLE that is very popular among elementary teachers. Learn more about it and
Some teachers think that listening centers are just for kindergarten, first, and second graders; however, the older kids love listening centers too! Students of all ages benefit tremendously from listening to texts being read aloud. This post shares information about listening centers, as well as tons of ideas for setting
