Hi. I'm Catherine, and I struggle adulting. And food is hard. In the summer months, I am actually a great cook. But, during the school year, my teacher lunches consist of fruit and veggie trays, ...
Blog
Opinion Writing
Opinions are powerful. When we generate ideas for opinions, we ask ourselves – What do we know all about? What do I care about? What do I wish other people believed? How is my thinking different from ...
Inform/Explain Writing in Kindergarten
As adults, inform/explain writing is a majority of what we do. From responding to emails to sharing what is being learned in our classrooms to offering our families information about our daily ...
Making the Most of Word Walls
Language matters in every content-area and subject we teach. From social-emotional learning to science to requesting food in the Dinning Room, vocabulary is a critical part of communicating. Word ...
Weekly Lesson Planning Routine
Intentionally planning instruction matters. Building relationships with students matters. Communicating with families matters. It seems like everything we do in the classroom (and outside) matters, so ...
Graphic Novel Making Kit
This post is a different kind of one for me. It was inspired by a very special, young author and artist in my life who LOVES graphic novels. Preparing for her upcoming birthday, I created a ...
End of Year Classroom Auction
An end-of-year auction is a simple way to declutter your classroom space while offering students *treasures* to take home for playing school, learning over the summer, or be a keepsake of the ...
Building Excitement for Reading
Books are mirrors and doors for students. Books can reflect back to students their own lives and experiences (mirrors) and they can also invite students to witness the perspectives and worlds of ...
Feedback in Writers Workshop
Writing Workshop includes a mini-lesson, writing time with conferring, and sharing of writing. While time is always so limited, students sharing writing builds community, allows students to hear ...
Wordless Picture Books
Books matter. Not only in reading, but in writing and in life. They bring joy, creativity, conversation, exploration, and love into our classrooms. When students walk into our classrooms they have so ...
Making 10 to Subtract
As a part of the Operations & Algebraic Thinking standards, 1st grade students are expected to add and subtract within 20, building fluency within 10 using a variety of strategies. (The fluency ...
Using Prior Knowledge to Research
Research. A word that drives fear into many primary teachers’ hearts. How? When? With what? Researching in primary grades is so often students sharing random facts (or things they believe are facts). ...
