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Pre-K Christmas Counting Activity
December 22, 2014
Here's a fun Christmas-themed activity for Preschool or Pre-K students. Some Kindergarten students might also benefit from this activity.
December 09, 2014
Here is a FREE Christmas-themed Four-in-a-Row Sight Word Game! Four-in-a-Row plays just like Connect Four. Students must first read a word correctly to place one of their chips on the word. The first student to get four words in a row (diagonal, vertical, horizontal) wins. Students should work to block their opponent! For chips, I use either seasonal erasers, bingo chips, handmade chips (paper circles laminated), or plastic counting chips.
November 24, 2014
English Language Learners (ELL) are a joy to work with! Sometimes, though, it's easy to feel unsure as to whether or not you are meeting their needs in the classroom. Many college programs do not address ELL in-depth and only cover them in a lesson or two. Today's classroom has changed greatly from what it was ten years ago, much less twenty years ago. Today, there are many English Language Learns in the classroom, and these students are expected to meet the same Standards and take the same tests as natural born English speakers. It's certainly a challenge but one that can most definitely be tackled. In this post, you will find information explaining the varying language proficiency levels and methods you can use as a classroom teacher to support these students.
November 04, 2014
The Common Core Standards ask students to explore number relationships and see numbers as parts that are put together. To help with this, part-part-whole workmats are used. Below is a lesson using them to teach students how to count on and why counting on is an effective method to solve problems.
October 28, 2014
I do quite a bit of work with students who need interventions. Recently, one group has been working on fact recall, specifically plus one facts. To reinforce these facts, I did this lesson and activity with them. It could be adapted to fit other math facts as well.
October 01, 2014
Halloween is still a few weeks away, but I want to go ahead and share with you a favorite activity of mine. It's never too early to start planning!
Several years ago, I started doing a "Pumpkin Day" in the classroom instead of celebrating Halloween point on. The students have always had a blast and never noticed any difference. It's a great way to incorporate the season into curriculum but still keep it friendly, not scary.
September 21, 2014
September 11, 2014
I want to share a simple lesson with you on Comparing Numbers. There are several different ways to teach this skill. One of the most popular ways is to use the "Alligator eats the bigger number" method. With any lesson though, there will be some students who need to learn a skill a different way. This particular method would be great for students who need a more hands-on approach to learning.
September 04, 2014
With this lesson, children will be able to determine the difference between even and odd numbers and tell whether a number is even or odd and explain why.
September 03, 2014
Guest Post by Author Holly Schindler
One of the most surprising joys of releasing my first MG—THE JUNCTION OF SUNSHINE AND LUCKY, about a young girl turned folk artist—was that I was suddenly able to do classroom Skype visits. I adore meeting my readers face-to-face. As someone who publishes YA as well, I wish high schools were as open to Skypes as elementary schools. I’d love to Skype with high school English classes—or even collegiate courses on adolescent or children’s lit.Teachers have often told me they’re interested in doing Skype visits, but confess they’re not sure where to start. Skype is honestly nothing to be intimidated by—it’s no more complicated than a phone call.
In fact, Skype’s as easy as 1-2-3:
September 02, 2014
I can't believe September is here! I stepped outside the other day and was SHOCKED to see leaves changing colors and falling on the ground! When did this happen? Temperatures are still in the 90s! I feel like the leaves started changing overnight. It is September though, and that means autumn will be here before we know it. With autumn comes Johnny Appleseed!
July 30, 2014
(Huge thanks to Tamara for the adorable graphic!)
Have you heard the awesomely, fun news?!?!? Educents is throwing a HUGE Back-To-School Sale! They have several bundles full of packets created by TeachersPayTeachers sellers, and the best news is that they are at least 70% off retail price! That's right! At least 70% off. Sounds awesome, doesn't it?!?!?
May 15, 2014
Today is the 15th of the month, which means it is time for Lucky to Be in First's Fabulous Freebies on the 15th Linky!!!
I have a few summer-themed freebies this month! The first is this missing addend/minuend worksheet. I love these because they challenge students' thinking.
May 06, 2014
It's finally here! The BIG TeachersPayTeachers' Teacher Appreciation Sale! It kicks off today, May 6, and runs through tomorrow, May 7. EVERYTHING in my store is on sale for 20%, and you can use the TPT Code TPTXO to get an additional 8% off. This is a great time to stock up on products for the rest of the school year as well as the beginning of the school year!
This is one of my favorite reading activities that I use year after year. It helps students grasp the concept of reading fluently and with expression. Students receive a story strip and must practice reading it several times before "performing" it in front of the class. A fun award is included for the most fluent reader! Read my blog post about it here.
I just LOVE using this unit. Measurement is so fun to teach because it is very hands-on. This unit covers all of the Second Grade Common Core Standards and comes with step-by-step lesson plans, daily review checks, pre and post tests, activities, centers, and much, more! Read my blog post about it here.
This is another packet that I'm really proud of and love using. If you are a First Grade teacher or have students who struggle with reading, this packet contains a lot of activities that cover segmenting words and how this can help readers. It would be perfect for reading groups, intervention or remediation groups, or even whole-class lessons. Read my blog post about it here.
Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!
May 04, 2014
With Mother's Day next weekend, here are some ideas that I always use.
Every year I have my students create these Mother's Day books. They are quick and easy to assemble! What I love most about them is that they are long-lasting. When I was a kid, we would often make something for our moms out of construction paper, and time always took its toll on them. These books are laminated, so they will last!
April 20, 2014
First, I'm throwing a little sale in my TpT store today and tomorrow. Make sure to check it out. Also included in the sale are Easter/Spring and Earth Day units!
Now onto some Sunday Fun!
April 19, 2014
If you are a teacher and have ever searched the Internet for a worksheet to meet your lesson needs, chances are that you have stumbled upon Super Teacher Worksheets at one point or another. The website has been around for several years but has undergone a few changes recently. I had the opportunity to check out the updated website recently, and I was quite impressed!
April 16, 2014
Spring is the perfect time for this fraction review! Not only will it help your students prepare for upcoming testing, it will also make an adorable art project! April 15, 2014
If you are still allowed to use edible manipulatives during your math lessons, here is an activity you might consider using with your students. Since Easter is on Sunday (What?!? Where did the time go?), grab a bag of jellybeans and enjoy this simple math activity.
Just give each student several jellybeans, have them sort them, and then complete the graphing activity and questions! When they're finished, let your students eat their manipulatives!
If you would like this free activity packet, Download Here.
Just give each student several jellybeans, have them sort them, and then complete the graphing activity and questions! When they're finished, let your students eat their manipulatives!
If you would like this free activity packet, Download Here.
April 13, 2014
This year has just flown by. It's hard to believe Easter is this week, and school will be over for the year next month. Crazy!
Anyhow, speaking of spring, it is the perfect time to incorporate some Beatrix Potter works into your classroom! I absolutely adore her books. Not only are her illustrations easily identifiable, but she used vibrant and illustrative language in her books. More often that not, Beatrix connected the two, which make her books perfect for comprehension and word study. And that, my friends, means they are great texts to use to teach or review Common Core Standards.
Anyhow, speaking of spring, it is the perfect time to incorporate some Beatrix Potter works into your classroom! I absolutely adore her books. Not only are her illustrations easily identifiable, but she used vibrant and illustrative language in her books. More often that not, Beatrix connected the two, which make her books perfect for comprehension and word study. And that, my friends, means they are great texts to use to teach or review Common Core Standards.
April 02, 2014
IT IS FINALLY SPRING! After a harsh winter, we are in our first week of 70+ weather each day. Today, it even hit 80! Woo-ho! To say I am loving it would be quite the understatement!
Speaking of spring, Earth Day is only two weeks away. In the past, I've always based my Earth Day lessons and activities around Dr. Seuss' The Lorax. I once had a Lorax unit with all of the activities included, but since Seuss Enterprises doesn't want teachers creating resources to go with their books (grrrr!), that is no more.
The good news is that I updated that unit and replaced all the Lorax references with an Earth Day theme! The unit can be used by itself or with an Earth Day-themed book, and if you'd like to use The Lorax, it will work PERFECTLY with it as well!
March 22, 2014
I'm a total sucker for Target's Dollar Spot. It's my first stop every single time I go to Target, and no matter what my intentions are, I always leave with something. Such was the case a few years ago when I came across these Easter erasers. I'm not sure if they're selling them again this year. If not, I'm sure they will have some that are very similar!
March 08, 2014
I just love this time of year! There are so many holidays and topics to cover in the classroom. I love being able to "get in the spirit" and celebrate!
Next week is Saint Patrick's Day, so I have prepared some reading passages, comprehension questions, and graphic organizers to go along with it. Passage topics include St. Patrick's Day, rainbows, leprechauns, and Ireland.
Next week is Saint Patrick's Day, so I have prepared some reading passages, comprehension questions, and graphic organizers to go along with it. Passage topics include St. Patrick's Day, rainbows, leprechauns, and Ireland.
February 27, 2014
Start spreading the news! TeachersPayTeachers now has 3 million teachers on board!!! Wow. Can you believe that? I remember when it was just catching on. Well, to celebrate the huge milestone, TeachersPayTeachers is throwing a sale! That's right! You can get up to 28% off everything in my store today and tomorrow (Feb. 27 & 28) using the promo code TPT3 at checkout!
February 15, 2014
It's time once again for my all-time favorite unit to teach, President's Day! Call me crazy, but I love teaching history, and I personally find United States/Presidential history fascinating. I love sharing my (limited!) knowledge with my students, and I especially love being able to teach a subject that I feel doesn't quite get the love and attention it deserves. Needless to say, I go all out for President's Day!
February 06, 2014
It's Throwback Thursday, and I'm throwing back to 2012 when I first blogged about my love for teaching Dental Health. February is my favorite time of the year to teach! There is so much fun stuff to cover! Read on to find out some of the fun things I like to do in February!
Open Wide! A Dental Health Unit:
Students learn all about the parts of a tooth and make this fun diagram.
Students learn all about the parts of a tooth and make this fun diagram.February 01, 2014
Who is ready for the Super Bowl or, if you're like me, the Puppy Bowl? I'm not a football follower, but I do enjoy Super Bowl Sunday. During the game, I switch back and forth between the Super Bowl commercials and the adorable Puppy Bowl. :-)
This year I have another reason to look forward to Super Bowl Sunday. I have teamed up with some fabulous teacher friends of mine for a TpT sale! Everything in our stores is on sale for 20% today! This includes my February units for measurement, dental health, and President's Day!
January 31, 2014
Happy weekend everyone! Your favorite second grade bloggers are back, this time with sweet savings for you. We have gotten together to form a dollar sale linky party! Each blogger will be adding 2-4 products to the link up below that will be on sale for ONE DOLLAR now through Sunday night. Come Monday morning, all of the products will go back to their regular price, so make sure to grab them while you can!
January 13, 2014
I can't believe it is 2014. It seems like 2002 was only a few years ago, not 12. Time truly does fly by.
Anyhow, it's been awhile since I've blogged. With Christmas and the New Year, I took some time to enjoy myself. Now, I'm back, ready for a brand new year of blogging! It's hard to believe this will be Primary Junction's third year! Wow.
For my first blog of 2014, I want to do a quick recap of what I've been up to. In December, we took a fun trip up north to Chicago and Minneapolis. It was my first time visiting both cities, and I had an amazing time.
January 04, 2014
Tori, over at Tori's Teacher Tips, has rounded up some of the best second grade bloggers for a Facebook Freebie hop! Each of us has an *exclusive to Facebook* freebie for you. All you have to do is "like" our Facebook pages to pick it up. When you get to the Facebook page, look for this image:
Click on it and grab your freebie! It's that easy!