Browse by Category
Latest from the Blog
Creating & Planning Math Centers Ahead of Time
In my classroom, I only have three math rotations, and the third rotation, math centers/games, is the only one I routinely have to plan & prep ahead of time. Today I want to share with you how I plan and choose the best math centers to make that third rotation
Holding Students Accountable During Math & Literacy Centers
One of my favorite ways to keep up with grading & checking work is by going paperless. Let’s be honest, there’s been a few times that I’ve taken a stack of completed worksheets or recording sheets from centers and just tossed them in the recycling bin. I know, I know.
Word Work Centers & Phonics Instruction
When setting up your word work centers, there are many different things you need to consider. In my classroom, I want my word work centers to match the phonics skills we are working on. I also think it’s important that my students can do these activities independently! That’s why I
No Prep Sight Word Game
Looking for a new way to practice sight words? Today I’m sharing with you my favorite sight word game that my students LOVE! Bonus: It’s a NO PREP, easy to implement game! No Prep Sight Word Game Directions This game is called Guess My Sight Word and works best if
Top 5 Favorite Chapter Book Read Alouds for First & Second Grade
What’s the one time you look forward to every single day when you come to school? For my class, it’s our read aloud time. Right when we come inside from recess and are trying to calm down, we settle at the carpet for our chapter book read aloud. It is
Creating Effective Individual Student Behavior Charts
Finding yourself with a student who might need a little extra help when it comes to managing behavior? I feel you! That’s why I wanted to quickly show you my favorite little behavior charts that you might find helpful with one (or a few!) of your students! These {editable} behavior
Organizing Math & Reading Rotations for Small Group Instruction
After seven years of teaching, I finally found the best way to organize my small group rotations. I’m going to share with you how I organize my rotations. Keep in mind this is what worked for my students and my classroom – you might adapt or change these ideas as
Morning Tub Ideas from Oriental Trading
I’m so excited to share with you some amazing resources I’ve tested out from Oriental Trading that are PERFECT for your morning tubs! This year I wanted to give my students a morning that was less stressful (for them and for me) when they arrived in the morning, so I
Organizing Your Math Rotations
The organization and planning/prepping that comes with math rotations can sometimes feel daunting, so today I’m going to share with you a few different ways I plan my math rotations every year. If you’re just diving into math rotations for the first time, I suggest choosing starting with only three
Math at the Teacher Table
I’m so excited to share with you all my favorite time of the day… Math at the Teacher Table! I’m not even kidding, it’s the best 15-20 minutes of my guided math because this is where I truly get to know my students as mathematicians! So today I’m going to
Number Talks
I am thrilled to be sharing about my favorite subject to teach… MATH! If you’re just beginning Guided Math, fully implementing Guided Math, or simply thinking about diving into it, this series is for you! This month, I wanted to share with you something I’ve implemented in my classroom that
Transition Superstars
Do you ever feel like it takes your kids FIVE BILLION YEARS to clean up and transition to whatever is next on your agenda? This year, my class is having the hardest time! They’ve really been struggling with transitions when we’re cleaning up math and literacy centers. Usually we have