Blog - A Love of Teaching

Fun Test Prep: 5 Ways to Make it Happen!

Before we can complete the school year, we have to endure standardized testing. I’m sure you’ve been working hard to prepare your students for the test all year long through your daily lessons and activities. No matter how much we prepare, testing is a nerve-wracking time for both teachers and students. It’s important to take some of that pressure off of our kids and remind them to have a little bit of fun along the way. Throughout the years, I’ve learned several different ways to do this. Let’s jump right in and learn about some fun test prep!

May 16, 2021

May End of Year Activities for Upper Elementary

May Activities for Upper Elementary

May is an exciting time in the classroom! You can feel all of the energy in the air as students and teachers anticipate the sweet arrival of summertime! Our days are jammed packed with end of the year activities and closing ceremonies as we try to fit everything in before time runs out. Along with all the fun and games, we still have to continue to teach in order to get all of those standards in before sending our kiddos off to the next grade level. I have some exciting May activities in store for you to wrap up the year with a bang!

May 1, 2021

Figurative Language Teaching Idioms, Proverbs, and Adages

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

Tips for Teaching Poetry with Free Poetry Vocabulary Game

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

April Spring Activities for the Upper Elementary Classroom 3rd, 4th, 5th Grade

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

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

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

March St. Patrick's Day Activities for Upper Elementary 3rd 4th 5th Grades

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

Using Revised Bloom's Taxonomy to Guide Instruction in the Classroom

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

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

Valentine From Teacher Cards Coupon Booklet

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

February Valentine's Day Activities for Upper Elementary 3rd 4th 5th Grade

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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