How would you like your students to have skills-based practice in a self-correcting format? What about an engaging activity like an app without ads? Maybe you’d prefer a practice or review activity without the need for making copies? If you answered yes to any of these, then I have the answer for you: digital task cards! In fact, digital task cards are all of these rolled into one!
The end of the school year is an exciting time! I know what you’re thinking – “Yes, Summer is coming!” But summer aside it is still an exciting time. It’s a time to celebrate the learning, the friendships, the hard work. But it’s also a busy time for teachers with so much to do. I’m here to help with both of these things! I’ve gathered some amazing End of the Year Activities for the Classroom!
I’ve got an amazing digital lesson for my students, but how do I get it to them? If this thought has been in your head – trust me you are not alone! Whether you are new to a school that uses technology for facilitating assignments or whether you have been thrust into distance learning due to an emergency, the underlying issue is the same. Teaching our students through technology can be difficult if you don’t know the basics. So that’s what I want to give you today – the basic ins and outs of how to assign digital lessons to your students.
Whether you have been thrown into distance learning because of a worldwide emergency like the coronavirus, your school is transitioning to a 1:1 format or whether you have chosen to educate your children through homeschooling, these distance learning tips and resources will make your job easier!
Third grade is a pivotal year when it comes to reading instruction. It is the year that we focus less on “how to read” and we begin focusing more on “reading to learn.” Along with this change comes a push for students to be thinking at a higher level while reading. Teaching with paired reading passages is a great way to do this. With paired reading passages, students have the opportunity to work on thinking skills that they generally don’t get with a single passage. Paired passages are great opportunities for comparing author’s purpose, drawing conclusions, comparing & contrasting, and inferencing.
Learning to read is a process, a long process. I have found that there are two primary phases. From kindergarten through 2nd grade, students are ‘learning to read.’ From about 3rd grade forward, students move into a phase that I refer to as ‘reading to learn.’ Learning to think critically while reading is a goal of this second phase of reading instruction. Using paired passages is a great way to teach these important thinking skills.
When I was growing up my least favorite subject in school was spelling. Each week we had a new spelling list of 10 words, and each week we had to write each word 5 times and use it in a sentence. It seemed to be the same spelling activities, year after year. I wasn’t a bad speller, but I just couldn’t make myself get excited or even a little happy to sit down and write my words A.G.A.I.N.
If you’ve been around education for the last few years, you’ve likely heard the words “growth mindset” more than once. It’s a powerful tool that we can teach our students, one that has the potential of changing their future. But when there is so much to accomplish in a short day, how do we add one.more.thing to the schedule? Today I want to share 3 quick and easy ways to develop a growth mindset environment in your classroom.
It’s winter break and you are enjoying your well deserved time off from school. As much as you try to block it out, there is always that nagging little voice in your head that says “you’ve got to work on lesson plans!” Well, now you can silence that voice and plan a fun and engaging New Year’s Day with these NO PREP New Year’s activities for upper elementary students.
In the upper elementary classroom (3rd grade and up) teaching reading transitions from learning to read to reading to learn. The focus moves from sight words and phonics to reading comprehension and learning to think like a good reader. Close reading is a wonderful way to teach these important skills.
December is here and that brings so many thoughts and feelings. On one hand, I’m amazed that it is already December. On the other hand, December is a month unlike any other (except maybe the last month of school). The students are filled with energy and excitement about the approaching holidays and school break. I am focused on finishing the month strong while also trying to balance all that December brings (gift buying, decorating, parties, and so much more). These December activities for the classroom are a great way to focus the students and keep them learning while making life a little easier for the teacher too!
Task Cards are a great classroom activity loved by students and teachers alike. Most commonly used as a center activity, task cards are a wonderful way for students to practice a skill or concept on their own. But . . . there are many other ways to use task cards in the classroom. Today I am excited to share with you 5 new ways to use task cards in the classroom.
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