Hello fellow educators! 🙂 One of the best ways that I’ve found to stay on top of what I am doing throughout the year is to have long range plans. I have them for first grade, and now I have them for third as well! 🙂 We have a county curriculum pacing guide in our...Read More »
This post shares 5 steps you can implement right now to plan your entire school year in advance + FREE Planning Reflection Guide for teachers
Trying to figure out how to prepare for your first teaching job is tough. I get that, I've been there! Here's help.
Find ideas for teaching middle school with these full year lesson plans for middle school ELA.
Happy New Year!! I hope this post finds you well, rested, and geared up for the second half of the school year!!Did you lesson plan over the break, or are you cramming it all into
Wondering how to sequence grammar instruction? You'll want this list that scaffolds grammar lessons so that one skill builds upon the next.
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These are 8 simple tips for beginning substitute teachers and even those who are seasoned guest teachers. Make your day easier with these tips!
A 1st Grade Math Curriculum with amazing math daily warm ups to help each student open their mind to learning!
As a beginning teacher mentor, I have the privilege of helping our future educators wrap their brains around the many components of teaching. This requires me to get my own brain back into what it felt like to start out - the details I would miss, what I struggled the most with, and the mistakes
So you have this student who seems determined to ruin your school year. He (or she) is blatantly disrespectful. He makes fun of and laughs at other students. He’s rude and silly. He’s argumentative and attention-seeking. He is well known by every staff member ... Read more
Think elementary and middle school is too young to apply for scholarships?! Not so fast! Here are scholarships for students 14 years old & younger.
Unschooling High School If you are planning to homeschool through high school,
Relationship building is key to good teaching. This system will help you quickly get to know students and benefit from those connections all year long.
Being a new special education teacher can be overwhelming and stressful. Check out The FIRST thing to do as a new special ed teacher.
25 Teacher side jobs for the summer that can be a way to share your love for learning in a completely different way than your normal classroom experience.
One of my favorite things to do is go to Half Price Books and scour the clearance section for good resources to complement our studies. Over the years, I've curated quite a library in my home, which means we have resources at our fingertips when we get curious about our Classical Conversations memory work. In…
These 5 classroom management tips will help high school teachers be a master at managing their students all year! End bad behavior for good...
I so remember my first year as a new teacher! I wondered why I was even hired! (Did they not know that I didn't have a clue how to do ‘this teacher thing'?!) Yes, I had graduated with a degree, a teaching certificate, and had an idealistic philosophy of education (that had no basis in research […]
Many teachers have "tried and true" resources that they pull from year after year. I've been an elementary ESL teacher since 2005 working with grades 1-6. During this time I have used a ton of resources with my students; and my favorites have stuck with me. Even though my "classroom" can change year to year, from pushing-in, co-teaching, to predominantly working with small pull-out groups, these tried and true resources are ones that I wouldn't want to do without. Here's a look at a few of my top favorites... Graphic Organizers This resource is #1 for a reason! I almost always use graphic organizers to teach reading comprehension. I find them to be highly effective because they are not text heavy. Students read with a purpose, then complete an activity that supports that specific reading skill/strategy. No matter my students' level of reading or language proficiency, a simple graphic organizer is what I need to reinforce that skill or strategy! I keep these graphic organizers on my desktop, and when I'm planning my lessons I can quickly pull up the organizers I need, then print and go! Tip: When I print, I reduce the setting to 80% and then trim the sides. Students glue the graphic organizer into their reading notebooks which makes for a great collection of student work and visual reference of student progress and effort. Leveled Books for Reading Instruction I have been very lucky to work in schools that have had awesome book rooms full of guided reading sets. I hope that you have the same access to books in your school. Finding books on my students' levels is one thing, but finding relevant books, especially for my upper elementary beginning ELs, is another. It's a challenge, for sure, but with a good book room I know that I can almost always find what I need. Click here for a free modified guided reading lesson plan template! Don't have a stocked book room? I also order several grade levels of the Scholastic News Magazines. (I think 10 magazines per grade level is the minimum order; that's what I get.) I mostly use grades 1, 2 & 3 with my ELs. With your order, you also have access to the online magazines, which is awesome! You can project to an interactive whiteboard, or have students read on an iPad or computer. These various grade levels make it easy to differentiate text levels. Since I use the magazines for reading instruction, students do not take them home. I keep the magazines organized by grade level and time of year, then I reuse the ones I love, year after year. Reading instruction is a big part of my day, so having access to leveled reading materials is a must! Visual Reading Word Wall Cards I love this resource because of the visuals. and the versatility. When introducing a reading concept, such as "making predictions" or "plot," to beginning or intermediate English learners, a meaningful visual is definitely worth a thousand words! These reading word wall cards provide my students with the visual supports they need as they are learning new concepts in English. I use these cards at my reading table, as a word wall, in anchor charts, as sorting headers, and in my learning objectives that I post on the board. Guided Reading Table Anchor Chart Lesson Objectives Words Their Way for Word Study For ELLs, learning spelling patterns in English is important. I especially like this resource because I can differentiate it according to the needs of my students. First, I assess what my students already know, as far as consonants, short and long vowels, word families, digraphs, etc., then start from there. We systematically work through the sorts building their knowledge of sounds and spelling patterns. A bonus with this resource is that it's another exposure to new vocabulary! Each Monday my students receive their list of words, and each day of the week they have various independent activities to do with their words. Then on Fridays, we finish up with a quick spelling quiz. Click for a free download of Weekly Word Study Activities To start, I set up their notebooks with their weekly Word Study Activities. We do this together the first week or two, so that I know that they understand what's expected. This is a word sort that my newcomers might be working on. And this is a sort that my intermediate ELLs might be working on. After I copy the page, I'll cut the page so that they have about 15 new words per week. My advanced ELLs might have 18 to 20 words. Once my students understand their weekly activities, these Word Study Activities become independent activities during the week while in Reader's Workshop. Students are responsible for completing the weekly work and learning their words. I set them up on Monday with their new words, then quiz them on Friday. It's up to them to do the work Tuesday through Thursday. Vocabulary Mini Office This is a MUST have for my newcomers! When they arrive, this is the first resource I give them. It's basic vocabulary that students use everyday. The Vocabulary Mini Office is kept at their desk to use during independent work time. Whether during Writer's Workshop, Reading or Vocabulary practice, it provides them with access to everyday vocabulary. My newcomers love this resource and they use it often. For my older newcomers I put the pages inside their reading folder. When they practice their writing, they can easily find the vocabulary they need. Daily Language Review I often use this resource as a warm-up activity. With my beginner and intermediate students, this is a group activity we do together. I want them to get used to the format of the questions so I do a lot of guided practice and modeling with this resource. My advanced kiddos do this as a quick independent warm up and then we go over it together. It takes about 5 minutes. Depending on the language level of my groups, I pull pages from either the first, second or third grade book. It also provides a great jumping off point. I can see in which areas of grammar my students need direct instruction, such as contractions, sentence structure, mechanics, etc. It's just a quick warm-up. My students like it and I get good information about them from it. As a teacher of English Language Learners, these are some of my must have resources. When I plan my lessons, these are many of the first resources I grab. They make my instruction consistent, effective and meaningful. Yes, there are other resources that I would not want to do without, and perhaps that would make for a follow up post, but if I were to pick my top resources, these would be them! I'd love to know what some of your favorite resources are! (Affiliate Links Below)
Check out these 6th-grade homeschool curriculum picks, reviews, our schedule, and strategies to put together your lesson plans.
Discover free middle school homeschool curriculum that your kids will enjoy and help keep you on budget. One of the best ways to homeschool frugally is to take time to find free homeschool resources that you can use before buying anything. It can be a long process, but so worthwhile! However, when children enter middle …
Planning out the homeschool year can be overwhelming—if you let it be. It really doesn’t have to be, though. This year, the name of the game is EASY. No, I don’t want my kids to have all easy schoolwork—though they sure would like that. But it is important that they have schoolwork that is easy […]
Algebra 1 Unit 1 Interactive Notebook Pages, day by day. Complete unit.
I share these stories because I suspect you have also had moments you’re not proud of, stories you’ve never told anyone; I want you to know you’re not alone.
The pencils are sharpened, your classroom is clean and the bell rings…gulp…here they come! My feelings on the first week of school are conflicted. On one hand, it’s one of the most important weeks. Explaining and practicing the class procedures and expectations sets the tone for the rest of the school year. Success is vital. On the other hand, I’m so excited to start teaching my historical content that waiting until all the expectations are explained requires a lot of patience! Every teacher has their own plan of action for that pivotal time. Here are 5 things I can’t live without during the first week of school: One: An Icebreaker. I aim to try and make kids feel comfortable in my classroom on day one. One of my favorite little activities is Fact or Fiction. Each student receives a small slip of paper and they’re instructed to write one fact and two fictions. Then each person (including myself!) introduces themselves and we all try to guess which statement is the fact! It’s a great way to quickly learn about each other. Two: Classroom Information and Expectations. This is every teacher’s staple, I know, but it had to go on the list because it’s a must-have! When you’re making your own, spell everything out – from the obvious grading procedures and late work policy to how to pass back papers and when to sharpen pencils and go to the bathroom. Trust me, leave no stone unturned. Your classroom will function much better if you set the tone from day one. (Oh, and don’t forget a seating chart!) Three: Fun and Games. On the second day of school, I love to start class with a little game. It’s a great way for the kids to start practicing our classroom procedures and expectations while getting familiar with their teacher and classmates. Here are some of my favorite games that I use during the first week of school: (P.S. Some of these activities can be found in my Back to School Activities resources! Click the grade level you’re teaching to check them out: Sixth, Seventh, Eighth) InstaFriend: This activity gets students moving around the room and interviewing fellow classmates! Their InstaFriend paper has a series of descriptions and characteristics. When they find a student who matches the description, they write their name in the box. Each name can only be used once! Right or Wrong: I love skits. LOVE THEM. I like to introduce students to the idea of skits during the first week by allowing them to create their own based on our class expectations. I first divide students into small groups of 2-3. Each group then randomly receives one of our class procedures or expectations. As a group, they have to work together to create two mini skits – one showing the RIGHT way to follow the expectation, the other showing the WRONG way. They get to be silly and I get to reinforce my class expectations. After each skit I happily point out all the positive behaviors as well as each time a class policy was violated. It’s a light-hearted way to grab their attention and create a positive atmosphere all while practicing the laws of the land. Classmate Bingo: I love to play this game at the end of the first week. I give each student a blank bingo board with a large selection of personal characteristics, hobbies, etc. at the bottom. The students choose 16 off the list and create their customized board. Then, I randomly select characteristics from the list. If a student has that characteristic on their board, they have to write down a student’s name that matches the characteristic – but no cheating! They have to use what they’ve learned about others during their first week of school to try and win the game. Four: A Pre Test. After a few days of class information and fun, it’s time to start getting down to business. Each year, I make a short pre-test on the information they’ll learn about that year. It gives me a chance to see what the kids already know and gives them a feel for what subject matter they’ll be learning about in the coming weeks. FYI: Your pre-test probably won’t take the whole class period. Make sure to have plans for other activities, too, on the day you give your pre-test! Five: A Writing Activity. True fact: when I tell kids they’re going to do a writing activity, they groan every time. It’s a signal that the “real work” is about to begin. Luckily, they’re always relieved when I assure them that this activity will require very little research because it’s about a subject they’re experts in – themselves! I have a few different activities to choose from each year. Here are some suggestions: Student Survey: What are your strengths? Weaknesses? What do you hope to learn in this class? These are just some of the questions I ask students in the survey. The more I know about my students, the better I can help them achieve success in my class. Write Away: A staple of many: write a letter to a future you! I ask students to write goals for the year, dreams they wish to see realized, and questions they want to ask their “End of the Year” self. I tuck these letters away and revisit them during the last week of school. I’m Ready: Like every middle school history class, we do a lot of writing and students always have to back up their reasons, statements, etc. with evidence to support their claim. In this writing activity, students have to identify which class rule or expectation they believe is most important and provide evidence to support their claim. This activity both reinforces my classroom policies and secretly gives me a preview of their writing proficiency. Have I left anything out? If you have any fun plans for the first week of school, share them in the comments. I’m always looking for new ideas for my classroom!
You begin the school year with so much hope. But then, not an hour after teaching your classroom management plan, your students are misbehaving. They’re talking when you’re talking. They’re leaving their seats without permission. They’re calling out, giggling, and ignoring your directions. It’s ... Read more
Planning is a task all teachers must do. You either love it or you hate it, and I LOVE it! I love it because my planning documents are purposeful. I refer to them and use them constantly throughout the term. No one wants to waste their time writing up planning documents only to file them away, nev
Whether you're brand-new to block scheduling or you've been doing it for years, these strategies will have you handling those 90 minutes like a boss.
Last week we talked about how to be consistent with your classroom management plan. Which is especially important to begin the school year. This alone will go a long way toward creating the learning environment you really want. Once you’ve conquered this challenge, however, ... Read more
Why I don't review the syllabus on the first day of class in high school and what I do instead. Fun first day of school activities and icebreakers!
Want to ensure that you teach EVERY standard every year? We are here to help and give you the inside scoop into our year long plans!
When sharing about our homeschool rhythm a few weeks ago I mentioned that I wanted to write a post about how I plan our year without a curriculum and I
Unearth the student life hacks you didn't know you needed! Dive into intriguing school hacks that will simplify your academic journey. Start your day with an empowering daily routine schedule designed to turbocharge your productivity. Embrace goal planning ideas to unlock your full potential and hit those personal growth goals
Looking for games to play with a classroom? This list of English games in the classroom is exactly what you need to engage students!
Everything you need to know about the 12 Week Year so you can accomplish the goals you've been dreaming of and finally see results!
The name Lev Vygotsky is well known to most teachers, his work has been the basis of modern evidence based education research.
Be who you are and do what you're good at, and win scholarship money while doing so!
FINALLY THE WEEKEND... now I can catch up on all my marking.
Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. See our full disclaimer here. It’s your first day of college! You’re probably super nervous, but I promise you it’ll be okay. These tips helped me out, […]
Overview: Afraid it's not possible to find a Charlotte Mason curriculum for high school, or even to use Charlotte Mason methods? I'm here to help with all of that! (Note: This post is sponsored by Dreaming Spires Home Learning, but all opinions are my own.) 'Do I have to? This is SO BORING! When am I ever going to use this stuff?' You may have heard these exact words from your teen. I know I have. Homeschool used to be fun! But in high school it has become a drudgery, because there are credits to count, grades to calculate—and taking
Top 3 Units for Middle School General Music. Organized Chaos. Ideas and resources for project based learning with middle school general music students. World music, composition, and careers in music.
BOOM! is an easy and active review game that works well for any subject. This review game for middle or high school students is SO MUCH FUN! I play this in my classroom before test day. It could be used for math, science, social studies or any other subject!
Is the existence of happy teachers a myth? Do they actually exist, or are they just something that we aspire to? We all have them. You know what I am talking about. Those habits that hold
How to set up and implement a classroom behavior plan that really works, with advice from Smart Classroom Management's Michael Linsin.
For all the ways I've beaten myself up over homeschooling over the years, I'm going to share with you 10 things I must've done right homeschooling high school.
Learn the simple, quick strategies cognitive scientists say can boost student learning in any classroom.
