The Blog
Tips for Using Focus Walls in Upper Elementary
Are you required to display learning objectives or focus walls in your classroom? Many schools now require focus walls in upper elementary as a way to clearly communicate and display what students are learning. While you might be nervous about…
7 Favorite Fluency Picture Books
You may have started hearing more and more about the science of reading, which is a body of research about how kids learn to read and evidence-based instructional practices on how to effectively teach kids to read. Though the research…
8 Weeks of Free Professional Development for Teachers
I am so excited to share eight weeks of FREE professional development resources with you! These weekly tips will leave you better prepared to teach eight key upper elementary reading and math skills all year. Skills Covered in the Free…
4th Grade Novel Study Books
We’re continuing our novel study series by looking at the best 4th grade novel study books. In case you missed it, I already shared my favorite 3rd grade novel study book recommendations and general novel study tips in this post,…
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…
Literacy | Back to School | Book Recommendations | Picture Books | Seasonal | The First Few Weeks of School
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…
Reading Skills | Anchor Charts | Free | Literacy | Literacy Anchor Charts | Professional Development
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…
Giggles and Grammar | Upper Elementary Grammar Program