Free Resources

Category: Free Resources

Strategies for Teaching Main Idea and Supporting Details

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.

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March 17, 2021 No Comments
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.

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February 27, 2021 No Comments
December Christmas Activities for the Upper Elementary Classroom 3rd 4th 5th Grades

December Activities for the Upper Elementary Classroom

December in the classroom might be the shortest month of instructional days, but it might be the hardest, too. Students are excited about the holidays and school break. Their thoughts are consumed with Christmas and gifts and travel and well . . . just about anything but school! And teachers are just as busy, too! There are lessons to plan, students to engage, and a Christmas party to plan – and that is just at school. So, let me help you fill your lesson plans with fun and engaging December activities that your students will love!

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November 29, 2020 No Comments
Fun October Activities for Upper Elementary Classrooms

October Classroom Activities for Upper Elementary

It’s time for October classroom activities to make their debut as you start to gear up for the holidays! It’s such a fun month full of seasonal activities and sugar-filled days! Students love Halloween-themed topics, and there are so many ways to keep students intrigued and focused while continuing to build on skills and knowledge. This time of year is also when students get that ‘holiday brain.’ Instead of fighting against the ‘holiday brain,’ you can use it to your advantage. Here are 7 great October activities for upper elementary.

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October 19, 2020 2 Comments
How to Use Digital Stickers for Google Classroom and SeeSaw

Digital Stickers in the Classroom – FREE DOWNLOAD

With the sudden increase of digital activities and assignments, student feedback and grading of work can lose the personal element. Students turn in an assignment digitally, teacher checks, records grade . . . next. It’s all pretty mechanical. But just because the work has gone digital doesn’t mean that we have to lose all the personal and sometimes fun feedback and encouragement students receive from the teacher. Enter Digital Stickers! I’m so excited to teach you how to use digital stickers so you can add a personal touch to your digital grading. Keep reading, because I have some free digital stickers for you to try at the end!

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August 15, 2020 4 Comments
End of Year Activities for 3rd, 4th, 5th Grade

End of the Year Activities for Upper Elementary

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!

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April 11, 2020 No Comments
How to Teach Close Reading in 3rd 4th 5th Grade

Teaching Close Reading Skills in the Classroom

Close reading is a valuable skill for students to develop, but it can also be challenging to teach. As an upper elementary teacher, it’s important to know how to incorporate close reading into your curriculum and make it engaging for your students. Let’s explore some strategies and tips for teaching close reading in the classroom.

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December 20, 2019 No Comments

December Activities for the Classroom

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!

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December 10, 2019 No Comments
Free Reading Comprehension Worksheets

FREE Reading Comprehension Practice Worksheets

Do you struggle to engage your students in reading comprehension practice? I’ve got you. Finding high-quality free reading comprehension worksheets can be hard. Reading comprehension doesn’t come naturally to all students. It’s up to us to challenge our more gift readers to grow while helping our struggling readers flourish alongside them. Keeping reading skills practice fresh and fun is half the battle! Today I’m sharing two FREE print and digital resources that will keep your students engaged while fine-tuning their reading comprehension skills! I promise that they will beg for more!

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September 30, 2019 5 Comments
5 fail-proof ways to teach main idea

5 Fail-Proof Ways to Teach Main Idea

Many students struggle to find the main idea of a passage or story. Students tend to confuse the main idea with the summary, while others just can’t seem to grasp the concept. Here are a few tips, ideas, and activities to help you teach students how to identify the main idea and the supporting details of a passage, short story, or book.

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June 29, 2017 8 Comments
Free Download Printable End of Year Teacher Checklist

The Ultimate End of Year Teacher Checklist

Is the end of the year getting you down? I know…it’s overwhelming. There’s so much to do. From end of grade testing to finishing report cards to updating each individual student’s permanent records – the end of the school year leaves us drained every.single.day. With over 18 years in the classroom, I’ve managed to come up with an end-of-year checklist to make life a little easier. This checklist includes a little bit of everything. If you’re like me you’re swamped with so much to do that you don’t even want to think about next year. This checklist will help you keep your sanity and hopefully make the beginning of a new school year much easier!

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May 14, 2017 4 Comments
Teacher Appreciation: A FREE LETTER to the Teacher

Teacher Appreciation: A FREE LETTER to the Teacher

Teacher appreciation week is a wonderful time to thank teachers. But we don’t have to wait for that earmarked week in May. Showing our appreciation any time of the year is great. I promise whether it is the first day of school, a random day in March, teacher appreciation week, or the end of the year, this note will be cherished. You can give this FREE letter to a teacher anytime during the year to show your appreciation.

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May 13, 2017 No Comments

FREE Halloween Writing Activity with Rubric

The month of October is full of exciting fall and Halloween activities in the classroom. From pumpkins to witches – there are always so many fun things to choose from! You probably have that one lesson you teach every year at this time. For me, we always write book reviews on our favorite books and display them in the hall for others to see. It is our hope, as a classroom, that we inspire other students to read one (or more) of our favorite books.

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October 20, 2016 No Comments
Easy Mother's Day Craft for Teachers

Easy Mother’s Day Craft for Teachers

It’s almost Mother’s Day, and my students spent yesterday working on a special craft just for mom! I make these flower pens with my class every year, and they’re always a HUGE HIT with moms! I love how they turn out, and the best part is that they are C-H-E-A-P to make! Everything you need to make these pens can be found at the Dollar Store. I only spent $6 on this craft for 20 students! In this post, I’ll show you step-by-step how I make these pens with my students.

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May 6, 2015 No Comments

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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. 

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