The Blog
Teaching Language Skills: Nouns and Verbs
Upper elementary students are pretty familiar with the function of nouns and verbs, but that doesn’t mean we can skip teaching this crucial language skill. Nouns and verbs lay the foundation for building sentences, correctly punctuating sentences, etc. This is…
Teaching Coordinate Grids
There are some standards I highly anticipate teaching, and coordinate graphing is one of them! Teaching coordinate graphing in upper elementary can be a ton of fun, and there are so many ways to make it incredibly engaging. There are…
Math Projects: Differentiated Hands-On Learning
When I’m looking for rigorous practice that’s so fun the students almost forget they’re learning, I turn to math projects! These projects hold so much learning power with their real-world connections, differentiation options, collaborative learning opportunities, and numerous avenues for…
Student Rewards: Beyond The Skittles
As I wrap up one year and start looking forward to the next, I use it as a time to reflect on what did (and didn’t!) work. Reassessing classroom management strategies is always part of that thought process and student…
Last Day of Teacher Appreciation Week Giveaways!
I hope you have been feeling alllllll the love this week, teacher friends! For our last day of teacher appreciation week, I’m giving away FOUR $50 TWAMV credits. YES!! How to Enter You have four different opportunities to enter this…
MORE Teacher Appreciation Giveaways
As promised, I’m back with more teacher appreciation giveaways! We are on Day 5 of my Teacher Appreciation Week giveaway! So far, I’ve given away books, school supplies, and a whole bunch of TpT Gift Cards. Today’s giveaway is a…
Teacher Appreciation Week Giveaways!
Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! This week, I’m thrilled to be giving you some of my very favorite teacher goodies. Each day will be new and exciting and geared JUST toward teachers and the things you love the most. You can…
Comparing Texts: Moving Beyond the Basics
It’s true. Comparing texts can be tedious, especially when you are teaching students in grades 3-5 how to thoughtfully compare and contrast multiple texts! Of course, it’s a must-teach skill because comparing texts helps increase understanding for students, increases critical…
Trauma-Informed Teaching: What It Is and Why It’s Important
Over the past few years, the practice of trauma-informed teaching has become more recognized. More schools are becoming aware of what childhood trauma is and how it’s related to student performance in the classroom. Administrators are recognizing the importance of…
How to Teach Poetry in Upper Elementary
How do your students react when you mention poetry? If they’re anything like mine, you’re probably met with groans. Students typically equate poems with sappy sentiments of love and cheesy rhymes. However, poetry can be so much more than that!…
How To Teach Commonly Confused Words in Upper Elementary
Even though upper elementary students have been introduced to homophones in earlier grades, many students (and let’s be honest… adults too!) still struggle to correctly use and understand commonly confused words. Explicit instruction, numerous examples, and additional opportunities to practice…
Teaching Volume with Hands-On Activities
Teaching volume is one of my absolute favorite math units, and I can’t believe I have never written about it before! When I taught 5th grade math, volume always came later in the year when fatigue was starting to set…
