Hey teacher friends! Hope everyone is fantastic today! I was doing some updating yesterday and wanted to freshen up a super popular freebie: my Differentiated Spelling Homework Menu! I used this menu in third grade (though it could be adapted easily by other grade levels as well), and the students, parents, and administrators loved it! […]
Charity Preston
Easy Center Sign Holders
Centers are pretty much a given in most elementary classrooms, and I even think upper level classrooms should also be able to implement centers if done in a “non-babyish” way. Centers are wonderful for allowing small group time to work with students on a specific skill, they teach students how to time-manage and work semi-independently, […]
Slider Baggie Counting
Need something new (and concrete) for those students that are struggling with math counting? Having something physical to see the adding and subtracting of items as they move the manipulative can really assist in children’s understanding of basic math skills. How about a fun video idea? I recorded a little something new today for you. […]
My Teacher’s Summer Break Book
Hey teacher friends! Hopefully this year is wrapping up quickly (and quietly) for you! I know it is a crazy time of year to say the least! While you may already have finished up – or even have the rest of the year planned, if you are someone who still has some time left to […]
How Do You Balance Home and Work Life?
That is the question that was posed on The OC Blog Facebook Fan Page yesterday, and there were lots of great answers from fellow educators! You might want to check out: Need some new ideas for lesson planning and calendar organization in the classroom? This 107 page digital book has you covered! Includes 22 […]
DIY Printed Classroom Posters
Do you love the look and functionality of classroom posters, but dislike the fact all your big company manufactured posters are mix-and-match and don’t really gel with your current classroom theme? I have always felt that way and for years, I always ONLY purchased classroom decor items that were solid primary colors so that way […]
DIY Mother’s Day Silhouette Necklaces
Finding the perfect Mother’s Day gift idea for students to wow mom can be a challenge. Teachers appreciate the caregivers and want to make sure the children show that appreciation as well. Looking through Pinterest for the one gift idea that is unique, personalized to that specific child, and will be treasured by the […]
9 Ideas For Organizing Differentiated Instruction
Do you WANT to differentiate, but are completely frozen in fear just thinking about all the chaos that COULD ensue in your classroom if you tried it? I am here to help with 9 tips that might get you moving in the right direction towards DI instead of away from it! 1. Prepare lessons with […]
Rolling with the Borders
Today I have a tip that shows you how to organize those pesky bulletin board borders. Many have used a cardboard box that you can find from the teacher supply store, or perhaps you just have them placed in the middle of chart paper or a tri-fold board. If you are looking for a more […]
Proactive Teachers vs Reactive Teachers
Being proactive vs reactive can be the difference between being miserable in the classroom on a daily basis, or looking at the big picture and taking steps that will take you into the long term feeling a greater sense of job satisfaction for the future. Is this you most days? Do any of these happen […]
Thinking Spring Bulletin Board
Thinking spring yet? Spring bulletin boards for classroom teachers (or even libraries or in church) are always a figurative breath of fresh air – even if the temperature hasn’t quite warmed up yet. Cute bulletin board idea themes for spring might include gardens, flowers, pinwheels, bunnies, pictures of baby chicks, spring showers, and definitely a […]
Crazy Fast QR Codes
By now, many of you are probably familiar with QR Codes. They’re everywhere. EVERYWHERE. QR Codes, Quick Response Codes, are simply bar codes within which you can embed media, links, text, songs, videos, and more. Using a QR Scanner (there are hundreds of these apps available on both Android and iOS platforms), one can scan […]
Teaching With Chrysanthemum
Yesterday I posted that I love the book Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes, and when over 40 people also agreed, I knew that it was a pretty popular book! Many noted on the Facebook Fan Page what they used the book for at the beginning of the year, and I wanted to make sure that everyone […]
Fact Family Funhouse
Teaching a fact family lesson is one of my favorite topics! I love watching students light up when they realize how they can easily figure out how to subtract without using fingers. Like any other math concept for young students, you will want to start by using concrete models and then eventually moving to […]
DIY Choose Your Adventure Stories
As a child that was drawn to books and to the library more than anywhere else, I LOVED the Choose Your Own Adventure series books! They bring back so many memories. So many times after I had finished a book, I tried to flip through the pages and figure out just how the author(s) […]
Create Your Class Website for FREE!
I am bringing back the weekly feature: Classroom Tech in 3 Minutes or Less! Whoo hoo! Today’s topic is how to create a classroom website using Shutterfly. I have heard of Shutterfly, but had no idea you could actually create a private website that you could customize for a classroom! Parents have to be invited […]
15 Fabulous Equivalent Fractions Teaching Tools
Teaching equivalent fractions is either something you love or you hate. I find very few teachers who are meh about it. Me? I personally love teaching students how to solve equivalent fractions. Once students realize it’s like a game to find matching pairs or “twins,” they tend to be way more interested in the challenge. […]
Color the World for Earth Day and 29 Other Awesome Ideas!
It is standardized testing week. We also have benchmarking assessments due. Students are off-the-wall because the first hints of warmer Spring weather have arrived. And I just remembered that I need some celebrate Earth Day activities for April 22 as it is now Wednesday and I’m almost out of time. Do you think I can […]
Free Polygon Math File!
I don’t know about everyone else, but it sure its hard getting all the subject areas in during the day sometimes! I like to integrate my subjects as much as possible by incorporating literature into all the other core subjects as well. In this way, students can begin to see that even in math, reading […]
Quiet Dice in Action
I’m back with another cheap and easy idea for another one of those pesky classroom problems! I love using dice in my classroom! We play dice games, we have dice centers and math tubs! They are cheap and fun tools. But they are so NOISY! That noise is one of things that […]