Paragraph Writing in 1st and 2nd Grade Just a few months ago we welcomed our first-grade friends and they were able to write a few words and if we were lucky, a complete sentence. How can we help ...
Blog
Contraction Surgery
Friday was one of those fun, engaging, awesome days of learning. It was play-based, rigorous, and had my operating room of 1st grader doctors begging for more. Today I wanted to share with you more ...
Safely Using Videos in the Classroom
So, you've found the perfect Science Kids video to launch your writing unit or a just-right song to review that phonics skill, you hit play on the video and allofasudden you see Hedi Klum's body in a ...
Compare and Contrast Song
We love music in 1st grade. We sing in every transition, in all of our spare moments, and in our efforts to master tough skills. Music is perfect for focusing, energizing, and setting the pace within ...
20 Positive Behavior Rewards that Aren’t Food
20 Positive Behavior Rewards That Aren't Not Food Teaching a PBIS school, we focus on positivity and creating structures where student choices are celebrated. We love focusing on the gains students ...
A Simple Sight Word Game
Sight words play such an important part in building a foundation for reading...especially with my struggling first graders. Today I wanted to share with you a quick and simple game we use to practice ...
Twitter in the Classroom
As a teacher, watching other teachers in action is the most valuable Professional Development I can have. I love seeing other professionals in their happy place and learn from their classrooms. ...
A 1st Grade Morning Work Alternative
Want an alternative to Morning Work? Over Winter Break, I took time to reflect on what was working in my classroom and what still needed tweaking. Slowly throughout January, I've been taking little ...
Snow Day Learning Ideas
Oh friends - this post comes to you with Snow Day #3 in the books and a very-possible Day #4. When your school secretary shares this picture with you, you start longing for your classroom. Especially ...
Work on Writing Ideas
Since coming to 1st grade, I've adopted a Daily 5 style to our Reading Block. I have shared dozens of posts about how Daily 5 works in our classroom (click here to read more) but I've never shared ...
Compound Words: Construction Style
Friday was one of those fun, hands-on, best-day-ever kind of days. It was play-based, rigorous, and had my crew of 1st grader workers begging for more. Today I wanted to share with you more about ...
5 Tips for an Organized Classroom
Organization and order are two very important things for me in the classroom. I'm definitely not afraid of making messes and letting kids be kids, BUT I do think that our students (of any age) can ...