Writing portfolios were a game-changer for me in my classroom. Before implementing them, I remember a student asking me for a certain story that she had written that she was really proud of and wanted to share. I didn't have the story and she couldn't find it in her writing folder. At some point, she may have taken it home or it just disappeared into the Bermuda Triangle ... Read More
Browse the archives below for even more great ideas
Writer’s Workshop Procedures to Teach
If you are anything like me, you want writing time in your classroom to be sacred and productive. You want your students writing, writing, and writing even more daily. You also want them discussing and sharing writing. And of course, you need to teach new skills and strategies. In order to accomplish these goals, you need a strong foundation in place. In order to get this ... Read More
Activities for Early Finishers (Upper Elementary)
What if I told you that you could have plans in place for your early finishers without a ton of prep on your part? What if those "activities" were super meaningful, engaging, and directly aligned with what you were teaching? Well, that is exactly what I am going to describe in this post. Let's take a look at my favorite early finisher activities that will save your ... Read More
Outdoor Learning Activities for Upper Elementary
The spring and summer seasons are the perfect time to take your students out of the classroom for some outdoor learning activities. Your students will be more motivated to work before, during, and after the outdoor learning activity. Outdoor learning is also an excellent behavior motivator for when your students have spring or summer fever. There are so many ways to ... Read More
How I Teach Writing in 5th Grade
Let's be real for a moment. During my first year teaching I did a terrible, horrible, rotten job at teaching writing. My students (3rd graders at the time) were not assessed on writing, and I really didn't know how to teach writing at that point in my career (especially since my students seriously struggled with all things literacy when they came to me). I remember ... Read More
Types of Writing Lessons (Writing Workshop Ideas)
I recently spoke with a teacher who asked me what writing program I use to teach writing. When I told her I didn't use a program, she was a little shocked and wanted to know how I knew what to teach. As I explained to her how I generate my lesson topics, I realized this might be something useful to share on my blog. Keep reading for three types of writing lessons, how I ... Read More
Playing Spoons in the Classroom {Highly Engaging Review Game}
A few years ago, I was introduced to a highly motivating, fast-paced academic version of the games Spoons. After playing a few rounds and having a lot of fun, I knew this was something I wanted to incorporate as much as possible into my classroom. The academic version of Spoons is a great way to motivate your students to review almost any concept! (If you are not ... Read More
How to Get Students Excited About Writing
My first year teaching third grade, I had a student in my class who had very strong feelings toward writing. He hated it with a passion and wasn't afraid to let others know about how he felt. I am not sure that first year that I made that much of an impact one way or another on his feelings toward writing. To be honest, my first year teaching was kind of a big blur. I ... Read More
Writing Toolkits (Free Writing Resources for Upper Elementary)
Over the summer, I made math toolkits with tons of math charts and resources to help my students during math centers. I knew I wanted something similar for writing and I finally have it ready to share with you. These writing toolkits are full of FREE writing resources and charts that will help your students become independent and confident writers. This post includes ... Read More
5th Grade ELA Pacing Guide {Free}
Last year, I shared my 5th grade math pacing guide and several requested an ELA one. On this post, I will share a printable download of my 5th Grade ELA pacing guide using the common core state standards. The post will also include some general information and rationale behind my specific pacing decisions. This guide includes how I pace reading standards, language ... Read More
How to Plan and Use Test Prep Centers
One thing I heave learned over the years is that a variety of review is key for many students to be successful or feel successful on their end of year test. Some students thrive with engaging review and competition like games. Others need small group instruction to review or practice previously learned skills. Over the last 7 years, I have been using test prep centers ... Read More
Bean Boozled in the Classroom (Jelly Belly Challenge): Engaging Test Prep
I will have to admit it that I was a bit on the fence when I first heard about teachers using Bean Boozled in the classroom. If you are not familiar with this "game", the players spin a spinner to determine which color jelly bean they will eat. The color could be one of two different flavors: a yummy flavor (peach or berry for example) or a disgusting flavor (barf or ... Read More
