May Activities for Upper Elementary
May is an exciting time in the classroom! There is tons of energy in the air as students and teachers anticipate the sweet arrival of
May 1, 2021
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Year: 2021
Teaching Figurative Language
Does the thought of teaching figurative language make you feel as sick as a dog? Teaching figurative language like idioms, adages, and proverbs can be daunting if you don’t have a plan in place before you get started. Using figurative language in everyday conversations is something we as adults take for granted, but our young learners haven’t acquired the skills necessary to use idioms, adages, and proverbs correctly just yet. We all know the proverb, “A friend in need is a friend indeed!”, and I’m here for you my friends! I am so excited to share my tips and tricks for teaching figurative language with you.
April 25, 2021
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My #1 Tip for Teaching Poetry in an Exciting Way!
Do you dread teaching poetry? I get it! I’ve been there! The concepts of poetry are oftentimes difficult for children to understand and that makes it challenging to teach. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way. After years of teaching and practice, I’ve nailed down a few strategies for teaching poetry effectively in the classroom. They say practice makes perfect, right?
April 13, 2021
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April Activities For Upper Elementary
Aaaahhhh! It’s almost April and you know what that means. The snow has melted and the soft, refreshing rains of spring are upon us. Soon we will see flowers popping up everywhere after a long, dreary winter. In addition to the changes in the weather, April is filled with some fun holidays too! With April Fools Day, Earth Day, and Easter all wrapped up in one month, there are lots of engaging themes to bring into the classroom. I have a lot of fun April activities to help you finish strong.
March 30, 2021
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3 Fun & Engaging Reading Comprehension Activities Perfect for Test Prep
Engaging students in reading comprehension activities can be so hard. As teachers, however, we know the importance of these skills. So working to keep reading comprehension lessons and activities fresh and fun is half the battle. It is so important to keep students engaged so they can fine-tune their reading comprehension skills. Sure, we can assign reading passage after reading passage, but who really wants to do that? Instead, let’s focus on some engaging reading comprehension activities that will make reading lessons fun!
March 22, 2021
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Strategies for Teaching Main Idea and Supporting Details – FREE Main Idea Activities
Teaching main idea and supporting details to students isn’t all that easy. Many students struggle with the concept and the process. They get confused and caught up in all of the little details when reading through the text. Some even confuse summarizing a passage with finding the main idea. So, how can you as a teacher make sure that this doesn’t happen to your students? After many years of trial and error, I have the solution that has worked in my classroom time after time. I’m excited to share with you my strategies for teaching main idea and supporting details.
March 17, 2021
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March Classroom Activities for Upper Elementary Students
March is a month of budding potential in the upper elementary classroom. It’s a time when the academic year is in full swing, students are eager for a change after the winter blues, and teachers are looking for engaging activities to keep the learning environment exciting and educational. From springing into new seasonal reads to adding some St. Patrick’s Day charm in lessons, here’s a pot of gold full of ideas to enrich your upper elementary classroom.
February 27, 2021
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The Ins and Outs of Bloom’s Taxonomy
Bloom’s Taxonomy was created by educational psychologist Benjamin Bloom and his colleagues in 1956. It is a great tool to encourage higher-order thinking in the classroom. Teachers have used this as a framework for education for many years to guide their students to deeper levels of understanding and mastery. In recent years we have seen the inclusion of higher-level thinking skills in educational reform. These more rigorous standards and skill requirements make it imperative that we incorporate these skills into our classroom. Let’s dive right in and discuss what Bloom’s Taxonomy is and how we can use it to guide instruction.
February 21, 2021
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Presidents’ Day Activities for Upper Elementary
While I love a good school holiday, there’s also a part of me that really loves being in school on holidays so that students can learn about them. There are many holidays that we seem to have lost the significance of and they have become nothing more than just a Monday off. Presidents’ Day is one of those holidays. These Presidents’ Day activities will help you teach your students about this holiday and the important position of the president. Consider adding a few of them to your lesson plans during the week of Presidents’ Day!
February 13, 2021
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The Perfect Valentine for Students
Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. It’s one of those holidays that seems to sneak up on you because it happens just about the time you really get rolling and back in the groove after winter break. I have had years where I have been so focused on teaching and the inevitable test prep that I almost forgot Valentine’s Day. Ahhhhh! Not something I want to do. These Valentine Coupon Books are perfect for students! They can easily be prepared in advance or at the last minute.
February 7, 2021
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February Activities for the Upper Elementary Classroom
Can you believe it’s already February? For a short month, there sure is a lot to do! This month has so many great things to celebrate: Valentine’s Day, Groundhog Day, Presidents Day, Black History Month, and much more! Here are some fun February activities your students are going to love.
February 3, 2021
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The 100th Day of School for Upper Grades
The 100th Day of School is a milestone worth celebrating! However, if you’re an upper elementary teacher, you might feel like this fun day is
January 27, 2021
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How to Teach Character Education
As teachers, there are many demands on the precious hours we have with our students. We have many standards to teach and students to prepare. Sometimes the thought of adding one.more.thing is enough to make a teacher scream. However, there is one thing we owe to our students to prepare them for the future. No, it’s not more academic knowledge. It’s the practice of instilling good character. Character education plays an important part in preparing our students for lifelong skills. I’m excited to share these Character Education in the Classroom Year-Long Activities! As well as, help you develop a plan for incorporating these ideas into your daily lesson plans.
January 19, 2021
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January Activities for Upper Elementary
As the new year begins, it’s a great time to kick off with some fresh ideas in your upper elementary classroom. January marks the perfect opportunity to energize your students’ learning and get them thinking differently while exploring exciting topics! This blog post provides eight engaging winter activities for grades 3-5. Each resource is designed to help your students build collaboration, communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills. Keep reading to discover activity ideas, tips for success, and printable resources that will prepare you each step of the way.
January 3, 2021
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WELCOME!
I’m Kim, the founder of A Love of Teaching. My ultimate goal is to empower teachers to reclaim their afternoons and weekends, all while feeling confident in their role as educators. I’m passionate about inspiring teachers with fresh ideas and providing them with time-saving materials.
I’m happy you’re here!