During those first few months following the holidays, teachers and students can find themselves stuck in the winter blues. When February 2nd rolls around, I am always excited to implement a few easy-to-use activities for Groundhog Day to spice things up a bit in the classroom. This post will share free Groundhog Day activities for reading skills and comprehension. ... Read More
Browse the archives below for even more great ideas
Using Word Matrix Activities to Increase Vocabulary (Free Posters)
Teachers know that vocabulary is an important part of reading and language comprehension but teaching vocabulary can be a challenge. One tool that teachers can use to increase student vocabulary is word matrix activities. This post will go into more detail about what word matrixes (matrices) are, activities you can do with them, and free teaching posters to help you get ... Read More
Using a Morphology Wall in Grades 4-5
Word walls for upper elementary? Try a morphology wall! Morphology walls are a great tool for teaching and reviewing prefixes, suffixes, bases, and roots. By using a "Morphology Wall" in your classroom, you can help your students better understand how words are put together and how to use that knowledge to determine the meaning of unknown words. This post will share ... Read More
Free Prefix, Suffix, and Roots Posters (Morphology Posters)
In order to become strong readers (and writers), students need to understand the meaning of words. Breaking words down into prefixes, suffixes, and roots/bases is a great way to help students understand how words are put together and what they mean. These free morphology posters (printable and digital!) will help your students (and you!) remember the most common prefixes, ... Read More
Decoding Multisyllabic Words in Grades 4-5
The ability to decode multisyllabic words in reading is (to me) equivalent to knowing basic multiplication and division facts. Multisyllabic words make up the foundation of many texts our students read, just like multiplication and division facts are embedded in so many grade level skills. And just like with basic math facts, our students need strategies for tackling ... Read More
Teaching Morphology in Grades 4-5 (with Free Resources)
Confession: I used to spend a week teaching affixes (prefixes and suffixes) and then another couple of weeks teaching roots. I’d assess and we'd move on to my next language/grammar standard. Sure, I may have spiraled them through grammar review and even mentioned them implicitly if it came up in texts we were reading. But I didn’t explicitly plan for morphology ... Read More
Free Veterans Day Reading Activities
Are you looking for a way to celebrate Veterans Day in your classroom? Do you want to teach students about the significance of honoring the day and recognizing the people it celebrates? In this post, I am sharing a free set of Veterans Day reading activities that will combine reading instruction and teaching the importance of Veterans Day. About the Veterans Day ... Read More
Decoding Multisyllabic Words: Using Syllable Types (Free Posters)
There are two specific core memories I have from my teaching career when I needed syllable type instruction to help my students with decoding multisyllabic words...and I didn't know it. During my first teaching observation, I presented a student with the word "udder." He said he couldn't read it because it had two ds. I had no idea what to do to guide him. Now, I ... Read More
Free Labor Day Reading Activities
Are you looking for a way to engage your students with reading comprehension activities? An easy way to do this is to incorporate seasonal events and holidays into reading instruction or texts students are reading. This post will share with you a free set of Labor Day reading activities that you can use with your students as the holiday approaches. About the Free ... Read More
Word Work Activities for 4th and 5th Grade
Word work is an effective way to help students practice and work with words in engaging ways. But it can be difficult to find engaging and rigorous word work activities for 4th and 5th graders. Rainbow words and writing words in sentences are not the most exciting (or rigorous) ways to work with words. This post will share more details about what word work is, why it is ... Read More
Using Digital Reading Centers (with Free Centers)
In today's digital age, it is more important than ever for students to be able to read and write effectively online. One way to help students improve their digital literacy skills AND engage them in reading is through digital reading centers. This post will dive into what digital reading centers are, ways to use them in your classroom, and share a free set of centers for ... Read More
Free End of Year Activity – Graduation Reading Activity
Are your students graduating or being promoted to another school? Engage your students with this free end of year reading activity that pairs interesting graduation ceremonies and traditions with reading comprehension. In other words, keep your students engaged and reading the last week(s) of school with this free end of year activity with a graduation ... Read More
