The Blog
3rd Grade Novel Study Books
Most teachers have a passion for stockpiling at least two things: school supplies and books! I cannot resist browsing new books for read alouds, mentor texts, and novel studies. Of the three, novel studies can be the trickiest to plan….
6 Strategies for Increasing Critical Thinking with Problem Solving
For many teachers, problem-solving feels synonymous with word problems, but it is so much more. That’s why I’m sharing my absolute favorite lessons and strategies for increasing critical thinking through problem solving below. You’ll learn six strategies for increasing critical…
Free Character Education Lesson for Morning Meeting
We often take the ability to have meaningful conversations for granted, but this is actually an important character education skill that needs to be taught, modeled, and practiced. That’s why I am such an advocate for morning meeting and make…
Tips for Using Picture Books with Intermediate Students
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Picture books are one of the greatest tools we can use to teach our students. There are so many different layers and components to each book. Each book has its purpose…
Back to School Reading Lesson
As a teacher, the beginning of a new school year is an exciting and busy time. One of the most important things we can do with our students (apart from building a strong classroom community) at the start of the…
The Complete Guide to Teaching Point of View and Perspective
Acquiring strong comprehension skills and utilizing those skills in a way that supports reading is critical for students’ reading success. Although point of view and perspective standards differ from state to state and overlap between grade levels, there are several…
My Favorite Upper Elementary Picture Books At Your Fingertips
It is no secret how much I love picture books. Yes, even in upper elementary and even for teaching complex academic topics! Picture books make great mentor texts and are the perfect length to read and reread as we study…
Tips for Organizing Student Work
Whether you’re a new teacher or have many years of experience, odds are you still find yourself trying to find your desk under all.that.paper from time to time. Then you add in students who forget to turn in assignments and…
The Complete Guide to Teaching Multiplication and Division
Multiplication and division are major math skills for upper elementary. I have compiled FREE lessons, key skills, anchor charts, book recommendations, and several differentiated activities for teaching multiplication and division in this post for you. Download Everything You Need– for…
Teaching Students To Make Nonfiction Inferences
When we make inferences, we help students draw conclusions and gather deeper meaning about the text using a combination of their background knowledge and clues in the text itself. This is a skill that naturally lends itself to fictional texts,…
Teacher Appreciation Week 2023 Giveaways
Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! We’re celebrating you all week long here at Teaching With a Mountain View. We know how busy you are, so here’s a quick rundown of what you can win and where to enter. Be sure to…
The Complete Guide to Teaching Inference
Skilled reading requires students to become adept with many different cognitive processes. Being able to make inferences sets students up for success in reading comprehension. One of the best ways to develop automaticity with inference (being able to make inferences…
