An escape room in the classroom is a super fun way to engage your students in any topic. Make one easily with the worksheet you already have!
The language spoken in the lessons is English. Here are some phrases about classroom language you should know, understand, or be able to use.
Some newcomers arrive with no English at all and need to focus on basic classroom English first. This pack will help.
An escape room in the classroom is a super fun way to engage your students in any topic. Make one easily with the worksheet you already have!
Working with kids and young adults who are oppositional can be challenging. Being oppositional might mean refusing to do work, breaking rules, and engaging in other challenging behaviors. The truth is, many kids can be oppositional from time to time, so many of these strategies work with all learner
It seems like every day there is an endless stream of students reporting behaviors or incidents that happen in the classroom. On one hand, we want to help our students feel heard and validated so they know we are a safe person for them to talk to. On the other hand, we certainly don't want to feed into the tattle machine. It's a fine line to walk. So how do we handle tattling in our classrooms?
Happy Sunday, all! I hope you’ve had a great weekend and are ready to tackle the week ahead. I’m making a point today to get my mind right, if you will, to focus on having a positive week because last week was … well, let’s just say it was a doozy. Do you ever have ... Read More about Using Blooket in the Classroom
Check out these 5 No-Prep Reviews Games for any classroom or any subject! Click to see what no-prep review games you can add to your teacher toolbox!
20 ways to make teaching and learning the wonderful world of grammar fun.
I’m not going to get into the nitty gritty of what ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is. If you are reading this post there is an excellent chance you already know what it is because you are dealing with it in your classroom. I’m also going to go out on a limb and assume that […]
Podcasts in the classroom are so fun and engaging! Have you jumped on the podcast train yet?! I have a great system for using podcasts in the classroom...
Guest blogger Lori Desautels translates Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs into a blueprint for classroom practice that can set the stage with comfort, care, and self-reflection to optimize brain-compatible learning.
Helping K-2 Teachers Like You Save Time, Grow Instructional Skills, and Teach With Confidence!
I've been reading the book, Mindsets in the Classroom by Mary Cay Ricci, and just finished chapter 3. It was a real eye-opener. Through all of my years of teaching, I thought I was differentiating by planning and implementing reteaching and enrichment lessons and activities as my class worked through a unit. But in this chapter, I learned how important it is to start the differentiation before the unit even begins! This process begins with the preassessment. So much valuable information can be gathered before you begin teaching a unit. The purpose of the preassessment is to find how much students understand the content before you plan and teach the unit. Do they have a complete understanding of the content? Then they will need enrichment and/or accelerated activities. Do they have a partial understanding of the content? Then you need to make note of the gaps in their learning so you can plan accordingly. Checklists are a great way to keep track of the objectives and student mastery. From this checklist, you will also see students that need to be grouped for instruction. Keep in mind that this grouping will change as students master the objectives. Another insight I gained from this chapter is the different types of assessments used in a classroom. I put together this graphic to sum up the three types of assessment you should be using in your classroom. Click on the image to download the pdf version. You can also download this free packet with three quick and easy formative assessments you can use
Hi everyone! Welcome to the next stop on the Bunny Trail. (and if you missed the other stops this week, click on the bunny below to go to the beginning!) This post will be short and sweet, as today is moving day in my household (yay!!!) and my keyboard is packed away (thank goodness for touch screens!) I have a fun little math page for you today. It is a "secret code" page, where the students use order of operations to solve the puzzle. My students always enjoy these, and I thought yours might too. So here you go! I told you, uncharacteristically short and sweet ;) And now on to your next stop, Kim at Finding Joy in 6th Grade. Notice how the button is purple? It matches Kim's blog perfectly! Oh, and for those of you who saw this earlier but were directed to an unfound page...you can thank the touch screen for that mistake ;)
Working with kids and young adults who are oppositional can be challenging. Being oppositional might mean refusing to do work, breaking rules, and engaging in other challenging behaviors. The truth is, many kids can be oppositional from time to time, so many of these strategies work with all learner
A worksheet for practising telling the time in English (part two) - ESL worksheets
I received a handout at a workshop I recently attended on different factors coaches can look for in classroom observations. Collecting quality evidence during observations and presenting it in a clear manner to teachers is such an important piece of improving teacher practice and student achievement…so this handout really got me thinking about what I look […]
Many kids and young adults struggle with executive functioning challenges. Some are easy to spot, such as when a student can't focus on a lesson or comes to class without their entire binder. Other EF challenges are less obvious, though. A learner might take two times as long on homework because th
Infographic by Global Digital Citizen
Hatching Chicks in the Classroom Hatching chicks in the classroom is probably my favorite activity every year! Not only is it a wonderful hands-on life science lesson, but hatching chicks in the classroom also creates the perfect stage for you to teach concepts across the curriculum because your students are so engaged! You can […]
This 3rd part of ESL ideas (view other parts of the series here: part 1, part 2) features 7 more quick but powerful tips. Some of them will will definitely come in handy one day. Who kn
This post explains how teachers can use an academic version of the highly engaging Spoons game to review concepts. Free games included!
Strategies and supports for executive functioning challenges can make all the difference, especially for students who struggle with task initiation. This is such an important skill, since it's like the motor in allowing us to get started on all tasks and assignments. When someone is struggling to in
Looking for games to play with a classroom? This list of English games in the classroom is exactly what you need to engage students!
These engaging strategies to incorporate movement in the classroom are perfect for the fidgety students & kinesthetic learners in your class!
I hope everyone is enjoying their summer break! I hate being the bearer of bad news, but Back to School is quickly approaching…Yikes!! I’m sure many of you are clinging on to those last few days of vacation. If you are having trouble setting down the margarita and jumping back into school mode, I totally
Whether they're completed on a piece of paper, a tablet, or a whiteboard, exit tickets are a powerful tool to use in your classroom. Exit tickets are formative assessments that provide a quick snapshot about your students' learning and understanding of a topic faster than any other tool in the classroom.
9 cheap, fun and effective ways to use paddle pop sticks for hands on activities in the classroom.
I created Writing Power Standards to use in my classroom, and this was a poster to help my students with figures of speech. Not all 17 figures of speech are there, but eight main ones (alliteration, simile, metaphor, hyperbole, irony, personification, onomatopoeia, oxymoron) are included. If you ...
Practice recognizing and counting basic geometric shapes with this printable worksheet. How many shapes do you see in this picture?
A fairly basic practice of the prepositions of place and the present continuous tense. I start this off by looking at the picture and giving them some speaking practice with a TRUE or FALSE. e.g. the horse is in the pond/ the father and son are playing cricket... - ESL worksheets
Is grammar outdated or still necessary for a homeschool education? Learn the pros and cons and find some great, free resources for teaching this often maligned topic.
Teamwork in the classroom is essential in order to have a high functioning and welcoming environment for students. Check out three easy ways to build teamwork with your students.
Place prepositions poster for the classroom board for English language grammar. It can also be used as a reference to keep in the student's notebooks as a visual reminder. ...
Get ideas for teaching the six syllable types to your students, details about my Syllable Types Resource and a FREE syllable types activity to get you started!
Whether your students are lethargic or super-charged, adding movement to your lesson plans will help to solve both issues. Not only is it healthy to move throughout the day, but it can also help students focus and become more engaged with the content they are trying to master. Due to the nature of English classes, ELA ... Read More about 10 Ways to Add Movement in the ELA Classroom
Filler Activities for ELA (blog post) What can you do with five extra minutes in secondary ELA? Here are a few ideas to engage students until the bell.
Hello darlings! This post is an overview of the Word Study Program I use in third grade. Stick with me though, because you could do the same thing in your classroom, you just need some word lists. These pics will take you through the program step by step. It is a mash up of Words ... Read More about Differentiating Spelling in the Elementary Classroom
Recently I saw this infographic depicting an iceberg as a metaphor for culture- most of the culture is 'underwater' or rather, more in depth. It is a great graphic! However, at the elementary level, where young children are first being introduced to and learning about the concept of language and culture (often for the first time!) finding tangible, concrete aspects of culture to include in the classroom are key, in my opinion, and typically fall under the 'surface culture' part of the iceberg. As they gain experience and the mental ability to comprehend deeper culture as more than a fact about a group of people they have never met (such as concepts of self, attitudes, and such) these can be added into Spanish class. . One of the most tangible and authentic ways I have brought culture into my elementary classroom, which I believe hits both surface and deep culture at the same time, is the tradition of Ratoncito Pérez, the Tooth Mouse. It is a celebration of sorts, that wonderful and magical experience of losing a tooth, and a coming of age moment for little kiddos. Recognizing and celebrating it in Spanish class via an adorable mouse (not a fairy!) has always been the most remembered, understood and delightful aspects of culture my students interact with. And, because kiddos always have loose teeth or one has fallen out, Ratoncito Pérez is part of EVERY class! Talk about keeping something fresh in their minds! Here are ways I integrate Ratoncito Pérez in my classes: *Right from Kindergarten kiddos learn how to say 'Tengo un diente flojo' and 'Se me cayó un diente'... they are encouraged to share their 'tooth news' with me anytime *I have tooth chart posters featuring Ratoncito Pérez where I record each kiddo's name when he/she loses a tooth (they have to tell me in Spanish or their name doesn't go on the poster :) ) *I teach an entire theme about Ratoncito Pérez in Second Grade, where we read our book 'El diente de Javi' (see the link to our store at the end of this post) and then imagine what Ratoncito Pérez looks like (color and size) and what mode of transportation he uses to get around. After they have practiced this, they then write and illustrate three sentences describing him with this vocab. Super cute! *I hand out certificates celebrating the lost tooth *I read books I have collected over the years of various authors imagining adventures with Ratoncito Pérez-go to Amazon and type in 'Ratoncito Pérez' or 'Ratón Pérez'...a whole load of books will come up. My favorite is 'Cartas al Ratón Pérez'! (Note: most of these are in Spanish and with vocabulary far too advanced for my students to understand so I translate in my head and read it out loud in English) *I have printed out lots of illustrations from Google images over the years which I put around my classroom...he is always present! There are also two full length movies about Ratón Pérez made in Spain- if you are able to get ahold of a copy and can play it, what fun that is! And here's a great link of an article describing what el Ratoncito Pérez might "give" to children: https://www.heraldo.es/noticias/sociedad/2017/11/30/que-puede-regalar-ratoncito-perez-cuando-cae-diente-1209813-310.html If you are interested in integrating Ratoncito Pérez into your classroom and don't want to start from scratch, please check out our Activity Pack in our store on TpT! It is full of printable activities, posters, 'El diente de Javi' minibook, props for retelling the story, and more! Ratoncito Pérez Printable Minibook & Activity Pack You can also watch me introducing a comparison of the Tooth Fairy and el Ratoncito Pérez here:
