Whimsy Workshop Teaching

Whimsy Workshop Teaching

Teacher Clip Art, Literary Resources, Classroom Ideas

Differentiated Story Writing

by

When students begin story writing, they often feel confused and anxious. While they love creativity, it can be hard to develop an entire story. Therefore, they often become so stressed that they cannot focus on their writing skills. Thankfully, there are ways for students to work on story writing in supportive ways. Best of all, the Differentiated Story Writing Prompts ensure students write on a level appropriate for their needs. Students will love story writing with this activity! 

Differentiated Story Writing [Read More…]

Math Doodles: First Grade Math Skills + Fun!

by

Here’s an easy way to make math time more fun!
Integrate math, art and writing to practice ANY math skill through the whole year!

HOW DOES IT WORK?
Here’s how it works:

Choose a math skill to practice. (ie: Addition Doubles)
Use the built-in spinner to choose a number to double. (ie: Spin a 2)
Write the equation in one of the spaces provided. Find the answer. (ie: 2+2=4)
Use the answer (4) to choose which doodle design to use on the Doodle Chart.
Use that design to [Read More…]

Math: 5 Steps to a Successful Program

by

A look at practical solutions for a primary math program.

Today I’m sharing a list of simple but effective changes I made in my classroom to make my math program more successful. Hopefully they will help you, too!

THE PROBLEM…

Does this sound familiar to you?

I’d finish a math lesson, and then before students went off to work,  I’d ask if there were any questions. All the little heads would shake no, and everyone seemed happy and confident skipping off to their desks.

HOWEVER…

Soon [Read More…]

Animal Writing Flap Books

by

Do your students love animal research projects?
It’s a great way to introduce non-fiction writing, and it can be a source of pride for students who feel very “grown up” because they are doing research! However, this enthusiasm can be dampened if emergent writers are not supported with reading materials at their level, and so long as the information sources are not too overwhelming.

This is why differentiating your non-fiction materials for emergent writers is so important.
Here are some tips for implementing your [Read More…]

Making Phonics Fun and Interactive

by

 
Teaching phonics can become a bit monotonous day after day, but there are lots of ways to keep it engaging!
Here are a few examples of the ways I’ve tried to keep phonics lessons interactive, hands on, and FUN!
Phonics instruction can also be differentiated with a little creativity.

BUILDING WORDS & SENTENCES
This activity allows for differentiation because the tasks get more complex as you work down the page. Some students will only be required to print the letters and build the [Read More…]

Phonics Centers for Back To School

by

When do you start teaching phonics?
There are so many things going on at the start of a new school year!
We are getting to know new personalities, watching them interact with each other, and at the same time, we are taking notes and assessing abilities.
One of the first things I set up are my EASY and independent literacy centers.
 

 
These take very little explanation, and students can happily work on literacy skills while I use valuable time to assess their abilities before moving [Read More…]

Differentiation In Writing Lessons

by

 
How do you handle differentiation when it comes to non-fiction writing?

 
Over the last 20 years, I’ve learned that when teaching in my multi-age classroom, differentiation is a MUST.  There are many different ways to accomplish this, and I have found that getting this right can make students feel very successful, which makes it a big deal!
 

 
 
MODIFY THE CONTENT
When we are working on non-fiction, for example, I offer students information in many different ways. I prefer to allow them to choose the materials [Read More…]

Would you like to access free teacher downloads? Join our VIP list - it's free!