The Blog
40+ Best Novels for End of the Year Novel Studies
📚 40+ End-of-Year Novel Study Ideas Your Students Will Love As the school year winds down, keeping students engaged can feel like a challenge. Testing, field trips, and summer anticipation can make it tough to maintain focus. But over the…
1 Simple Test Prep Strategy That Helps Students Master Multiple Choice: The Pink Elephant
I just finished preparing a group of students for a standardized test, and they CLUNG to this test prep strategy, so I knew I had to share it! I’ve been using this strategy to prepare students for state testing for…
Easy Picture Book Showdown Competition for March Madness in the Classroom
For the past several years, I have been inspired to create a March Madness-style Picture Book Showdown for my school (and classroom). It has now become something I look forward to so much — I enjoy everything from picking the…
The Best Valentine’s Day Gifts for Students
I love putting together little goodies for my students and sharing Valentine’s Day Gifts with them! I can still remember the days of scouring the aisles of the supermarket to find the perfect cards. Luckily, the world is now our…
Implementing Enrichment Binders for High-Achieving and Gifted Learners
Implementing Enrichment Binders for High Achievers and Gifted Students Teachers are the ultimate multitaskers, especially when it comes to differentiation! You know you need to meet the needs of all students in your classroom, but supplemental materials often focus on…
Elevate Your November Literacy Lessons with Engaging Passages & Picture Books
November can sometimes feel rushed between the excitement of Halloween and the upcoming magic of the Christmas season, but it has plenty of exciting themes of its own to integrate into your classroom! From Thanksgiving to World Kindness Day to…
Beyond the Curriculum: The Best Supplemental ELA and Math Resources for Upper Elementary
Teaching ELA and math in upper elementary can feel like juggling plates… while tap dancing and trying to feed an elephant. You have the curriculum (or lack thereof, in some cases), the standards, the pacing guides, and then you look…
Teacher-Approved Thinking Games for the Classroom
Games in the classroom aren’t just for indoor recess… they can be a powerful tool for learning and community building. Whether you’re looking for a way to make academic concepts more engaging in your rotations or a go-to solution for…
Narrative Writing Mentor Texts
Teaching narrative writing in upper elementary isn’t just about meeting your state writing standards… It’s about empowering your students to tell their own stories and build deeper connections with one another through shared work. When students learn to write narratives,…
Naturally Integrating SEL Into Your Classroom Routines
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is more than just a buzzword! It is and should be an essential part of your classroom. A part that you intentionally plan for and incorporate into your daily routines! When we prioritize Social-Emotional Learning, we…
The Best Strategies for Differentiated Instruction (Without Burning Out)
Each year, our classrooms are full of diverse learners with unique needs, and no two years are ever alike – this is part of what I love so much about this career! However, it is important to acknowledge that this…
ZERO Prep (and FREE!) Creative and Critical Thinking Games
I am always looking for quick and fun ways to keep students engaged in learning AND stretch their thinking. As a gifted and talented facilitator, I regularly add critical thinking games and tasks that challenge students to think outside the…
