It’s hard to believe the end of the school year is almost here! This year has seemed to go by quite fast. I wasn’t sure May was ever going to get here during the months of January, February, and March,…
Free Literature Theme Cards
My afterschool tutoring group has recently been working on identifying the Main Idea and Theme, specifically CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.9 – Compare and contrast the themes, settings, and plots of stories written by the same author about the same or similar characters (e.g., in books from…
Main Idea Teaching Hack
As state testing nears, I’ve been tutoring a small group of Third Graders. We’ve been working really hard on our reading skills. Recently, one of our objectives was CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.2 – Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain…
Bouncy Bands Review
Do you have students in your classroom who struggle with hyperactivity and/or short attention spans? I do and am constantly trying to find new ways to accommodate my students’ needs. Recently, I was asked to review Bouncy Bands and jumped…
Free Titanic Reading Comprehension Packet
As a child, I was FASCINATED by the Titanic. Sure, the movie came out during my childhood, but I loved to read books about it, too. Fast-forward a few (ok, several) years, and I am still fascinated by Titanic. I…
Free Spring Sight Word Game
A few years ago, I came across some adorable Easter erasers in the Target Dollar Spot. The pack came with 50 assorted erasers. This year, I came across individually packed Easter erasers in the Target Dollar Spot! They had several…
Free St. Patrick’s Day Reading Packet
St. Patrick’s Day is only a few days away! Here is a FREE reading packet to get your students into the Irish spirit! Included: *Saint Patrick’s Day Fluency Passage, Comprehension Questions, and Bubble Map *Ireland Fluency Passage, Comprehension Questions, and…
Valentine Thank You Cards
If you were lucky like me, you received a bunch of thoughtful gifts for Valentine’s Day from parents and students. I was so appreciative of such thoughtful families I wanted to write thank you cards. Only problem is that I didn’t have…
MobyMax
Every now and then, I’m pulled into a conference room and given the lowdown on a new program to implement with my students. Sometimes the programs are useful; sometimes they are pretty bad. Recently, another one of those said programs…
Pre-K Christmas Counting Activity
Here’s a fun Christmas-themed activity for Preschool or Pre-K students. Some Kindergarten students might also benefit from this activity. Objective: Count to 12, identify numbers 1-12, and develop and strengthen fine motor skills Materials: Christmas Trees with Stars (download…
First Grade Christmas Sight Word Game
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…
Working With ELL Students in the Classroom
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…
