A large part of my curriculum is purposely spent exploring emotions with my students. We explore what they are called, what causes them, and how to handle them appropriately in the classroom. The big idea is that emotions are all okay, but how we react to our emotions is worth some thought.
There is also a large part of my teaching week dedicated to unplanned teaching of social skills and emotions. These are during the conflicts that arise daily during any [Read More…]
Making Phonics Fun and Interactive
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
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…]
Secret Sentences for Phonics Fun!
One of the most engaging activities in my classroom over the last 20+ year has been Secret Sentences. Students LOVE to solve a secret mystery, and even better when they are practicing their letter sound knowledge at the same time!
WHERE TO BEGIN: SIMPLE WORDS
We begin with simple words. We use word tiles, scrabble tiles, or homemade tiles with n
As shown, student place tiles to match the FIRST SOUND of each little picture. They can also use dry erase marker on [Read More…]
Animal Writing Flap Books
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…]
Story Writing Ideas
We reserve time each day for story writing.
There are so many ways to encourage students to write, even when they are just at the emergent level.
Two things that I focus on the most in my primary classroom are:
-Students feel confident in their ability to express ideas through writing.
-Students have the opportunity to share their written ideas in a supportive environment.
Explore Different Kinds of Writing
Many students have no strategies for finding a topic, so we spend time discussing different forms of writing and [Read More…]
S.T.E.M. and Growth Mindset
Here’s some real talk about my experience using STEM in the classroom.
When I am coordinating S.T.E.M. curriculum for grades 1-5, I observe many students exploring the STEM process who are truly engaged with hands-on learning.
For the most part, students LOVE it!
However…
Sometimes I also see students who are not yet comfortable with taking risks.
Some students are not emotionally equipped for dealing with the disappointment that arises when their great idea doesn’t quite work out the way they wanted.
Other students feel threatened by other students [Read More…]
Integrating Math Writing Art and Science
I am constantly trying to find new ways to integrate different subject areas in my classroom. We have LOTS of activities that integrate math, art and writing, but because it’s that time of year to start studying life cycles, we’ve now incorporated science into the mix! Here’s how we do it:
Our caterpillars arrived last week and my students are completely engaged in learning about their life cycle. We used color by numbers templates to create the round life cycle pictures [Read More…]
Drawing as a Writing Prompt
Directed Drawing is a fun and engaging way to integrate art and writing.
Here are some ways that I use art in my classroom to encourage more writing!
WRITING COMPLIMENTS
After your whole class directed drawing lessons, invite students to do a “gallery walk” around the room to see other students’ work. Then, leave a post-it note beside each picture and assign secret partners. Students study their partner’s drawing and write a compliment on the post-it note. Students love to return to their [Read More…]
Art History and Writing Integration
MAKING TIME FOR ART
As a primary teacher with a degree in visual art and art history, it’s so sad for me to hear that art programs across the country are being eliminated, art budgets being cut, and that teachers just don’t have time for art lessons because of increased pressure to get through other curriculum.
I’ve experienced the same things in my own district, and so I am trying to think of art in a different way to come up with some [Read More…]