Today I want to share with you a little something that I have done in different forms for YEARS. Do you take "status of the class"? It's so much more than tracking student reading. Taking reading status is literally one of my favorite times of the day. I call it... THE POWER OF CONNECTIONS! One of my favorite (and most valuable) times of my school day begins after lunch when my students ... Read the Post
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Teaching a Historical Fiction Unit: Getting Started
One of my favorite units to teach is my historical fiction unit. I love it for SO many reasons! Historical fiction is a new genre for many elementary students, so they get super excited! There are SO many great comprehension strategies to teach as you read. Fortunately, there are TONS of amazing books to share with students--from picture books to chapter books. I love being able to ... Read the Post
Teaching Angles Using Math Sorts
Lots of teachers have shared that they have been working on angle concepts, so I thought I'd share one of my favorite teaching angles lessons with you. I use math sorts often in my room, and I just love how much "bang" I get for my buck! At this point, my students have gotten pretty good at the sorts routine, but I thought I'd share a few tricks with you. Again--there is NO right way, but here ... Read the Post
Before You Read, While You Read, After You Read: Comprehension Activities
I know this may come as a shock to you--but we teachers are swamped. I'm confident that 99% of us truly want to do a great job, but there is JUST. SO. MUCH. One of my missions is to help teachers provide quality instruction that is engaging and effective. One area where I think many schools struggle is finding meaningful comprehension activities that push student thinking, discourse, and ... Read the Post
“Thirst” by Varsha Bajaj – A Social Issues Novel Study
Several years ago the book "Fish in a Tree" became one of the most popular books for addressing social issues with upper elementary students. Since then, millions of students have been exposed to this fantastic text. I am so grateful to have been able to guide teachers through the novel and give them help to get the most out of it. (Check out this blog post about why I love it so much in case you ... Read the Post
Using a Low Floor, High Ceiling Math Task with Whole Class Instruction
By definition, a low floor, high ceiling math task is a math activity where all group members, despite background and skills, can begin and then work on at their own level of engagement. Tasks present possibilities for the students to do much more challenging mathematics as it unfolds. In order to make these powerful tasks meaningful, there are some things for teachers to keep in mind. Remember, ... Read the Post
Using Math Warm-Ups: Best Practices
How we spend our valuable math minutes is a decision we make every single day. Using math warm-ups to kick off a powerful math class is a tried and true way to activate students' deep math thinking. Much like an athlete needs to get themselves ready for their workout, using math warm-ups prepares our students to do the "real" work of our lessons. Sometimes I like to vary how I do these ... Read the Post
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