Math can be so much more engaging when you teach concepts in a new way. This year, I added some new math crafts to my math lessons, and the results were amazing!
HANDS-ON FUN
In my experience, teaching math has always been more effective when there are a lot of hands-on activities included in instruction. This includes lots of blocks, spinners, dice, cards, and other manipulatives. Little hands and brains seem to learn so much better when there are concrete objects to [Read More…]
I strive to make my classroom a place where students feel safe, appreciated and respected just as they are.
My classroom banner says simply: “Be Kind. Work Hard.”
These ideas are reinforced all year long, but there are some special ways that we spread kindness in December for Christmas.
RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS
Each year we take the month of December to really focus on Random Acts of Kindness and caring for each other. If possible, I enjoy getting families involved. A few years ago [Read More…]
How do you celebrate Thanksgiving in your classroom?
Do you celebrate “Friendsgiving” too?
WHAT EXACTLY IS “FRIENDSGIVING”?
Have you heard of “Friendsgiving”?
I was hearing this phrase everywhere and wondered what it was all about. Was I missing some new trend? NOPE. Turns out, it’s just like Thanksgiving, only you’re with your friends!
This is perfect for a group of friends who can’t afford to fly home to see relatives. But it’s also perfect for celebrating in the classroom. We’re all friends, and we’re all thankful!
I used [Read More…]
This will be my 25th year searching for cute new Mother’s and Father’s Day ideas! Because I often have siblings of my students from previous years, I don’t want to repeat those ideas too often.
I’ve collected a big list of ideas, most of which I’ve tried in my classroom to see how well they work out in real life!
The first one is super simple: a bouquet of paper flowers with a twist! Each flower stem has a coupon that mom’s [Read More…]
This year I was determined NOT to spend a gazillion dollars on Father’s Day gift ideas.
(Keep in mind that it’s taken me 25 years of teaching to finally realize that this is okay!)
I also wanted something that I thought Dads would be able to tuck away and keep for years and years,
or leave on their desks as a daily reminder that they are loved!
YOU ROCK, DAD
This new idea came about when the class was brainstorming things to write inside Father’s [Read More…]
Today I am sharing the steps involved in making this lovely, but simple, winter dove. Just follow the pictures below.
I always have lots of extra supplies handy because my students always want to make an extra dove once they grasp the process. And why stop at white doves? The birds look wonderful made with colorful paper and tissue as well.
*Teacher Tip: For younger students, show them how to fold the bird’s body in half (so the beak touches the tail) to [Read More…]
What are your no-fail Valentines Day project to do each year?
Here are some of the Valentines Day and Friendship themed ideas we have collected in class (and a freebie). The images below were some of the big winners in our classroom vote for what we should do for Valentines celebrations.
Tissue Hearts
How clever is this? Make a heart stamp out of a TP roll! Note the tape on top to hold its shape.
More super cute heart animals!
Free Valentine’s Day and Friendship Printables!
Do [Read More…]
