When kids come back from winter break, they are full of new energy and excitement. Sometimes it can be hard to harness their energy for school work! That’s why you need some great January resources to help them get back in the groove. I have compiled books and activities to get you started with your lesson planning. January Resources… Read More
January Resources for Upper Elementary
Free Winter Writing Activities
Take a break on me and enjoy this gift, I love sharing resources with all of you… and I wanted to share a few Free Winter Writing Activities that are perfect to use this upcoming month. This season we are often busy planning engaging resources to keep our students excited to keep learning. These are also perfect bulletin board ideas… Read More
A Holiday Favorite: the Polar Express Activities
This time of the year I love incorporating engaging resources that bring meaning to children. One of my favorite holiday books to use this time of the year is the Polar Express. This book is wonderful to read to students of all ages and is perfect to read every year. The Polar Express Activities My own children have grew up… Read More
Christmas Around the World Research Activities
Celebrating different cultures isn’t just a part of the curriculum, it’s an obligation to help all learners feel included and valued in and out of the classroom. That’s why it’s so important to show upper elementary students how Christmas is celebrated around the globe. Celebrating Christmas Around the World can be done with many engaging and differentiated activities in your… Read More
Fall Read Aloud Books for Upper Elementary
Fall means pumpkins, leaves, bonfires, and great read alouds! Your students are never too old to be read aloud to. Upper elementary students love to hear engaging stories told by their teachers. Try some of these incredible fall read aloud books to share with your students this fall. This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. View our full… Read More
Fall Amazon Teacher Outfits
Fall is my favorite season, I love everything comfy, colorful and of course who doesn’t love boot weather! As we start to think about lesson planning, open house nights, and classroom decor, many of us are also thinking about ways to update our teacher wardrobe on a budget. Amazon is the perfect place to find some new fall pieces without… Read More
Dear Teacher Friend, Meaningful Teacher Memes
Dear Teacher Friend, I am so happy you are here today, being my teacher friend will be fun and I got your back if you need help throughout your school year. First I want to promise you 2 things. First, when you are having a day that makes you feel like you won’t get through this, you will… I promise… Read More
Meet the Teacher Ideas and Open House
Back to school night means time for parents and students to meet the teacher, share important classroom information, introduce the curriculum, and make families feel welcome! It shouldn’t have to be stressful, however. You have enough going on at the start of the school year than to spend hours on your open house. For Meet the Teacher: Creating an inviting… Read More
Affordable Classroom Decoration Ideas
Whether you are getting a new classroom in the fall or updating your theme in your current room, there are so many ways to decorate your student space. If you take the more difficult route, you could spend hours on Pinterest coming up with a theme and then more time (and money) creating and finding materials for the perfect classroom… Read More
Summer Activity Ideas to help Avoid the Summer Slide
Did you know summer time is one of the best opportunities for your kids to continue to grow and learn. Of course summer time is a great time for kids to relax, have fun and play a lot. However we want to avoid the summer slide and I will share some easy and fun summer activity ideas to keep your… Read More
Effective Classroom Communication: Newsletters & Calendars
Building special relationships with parents and guardians is very important and one way is communicating effectively. Sending Communication Newsletters is a resourceful way to communicate about all the wonderful things that are happening in your classroom. The time it takes to contact parents can be overwhelming, but an effective alternative is using digital newsletters and monthly calendars in your classroom. These… Read More
Fun & Inspirational Teacher Shirts
Who says jeans and inspirational teacher shirts can’t make for the perfect teaching outfit? My favorite day of the school week has always been spirit day or jeans day! So the past two years I have been creating my favorite themed shirts that are both fun and inspirational. You will love wearing your comfy cute jeans with the perfect teacher… Read More
Ways to Use Classroom Reading Logs with Questions
One thing I encourage my students to do outside of class daily is read! Studies show that even reading twenty minutes a day can drastically improve reading comprehension and even raise standardized test scores. Plus, reading independently helps our students enjoy reading more by focusing on texts that they love! Whether your students are reading informational or narrative texts, there… Read More
End of the Year Advice for Future Students
Kids love being the expert of all things. So why not have them be the expert of your class, grade level, and you as a teacher! Yes, you heard me. Let them take all that they have learned and be an expert to share advice for future students who will be coming to your class next year. Over the years… Read More
5 Easy Rewards and Positive Incentives for Students
Recognizing the good your students do is so important, especially in upper elementary grades. Students are used to getting “gold stars” and constant praise in their early school years, but as they continue in their academic careers, we often just expect them to do the right thing and work hard in school. It’s imperative to reward students who traditionally follow… Read More
Increase Student Engagement: Strategies for Setting the Stage in the Classroom
Our classrooms are competing with online stimuli, social media (yes, even in elementary school), video games, and television when it comes to intriguing, inspiring lessons that hold our students’ attention. Fortunately, you can succeed at teaching students engagement strategies by incorporating picture books, games, and making connections. Increase Student Engagement by Teaching Writing Through Picture Books and Mentor Texts… Read More
