SQ3R

Have you used this strategy?  I use it with my 4th and 5th graders every year but 3rd graders could use it too.  For those of you who aren't familiar with SQ3R, it is a great strategy to use with non-fiction, especially textbooks.  It keeps students actively engaged while writing. To use it, have each student fold a piece of paper in half hot dog style and give them a non-fiction text. S...

Assessment Organization

I have been a terrible blogger lately!  The last two weeks have been spent writing IEP's, calling parents, writing 40 progress notes (still not done), and getting all of next weeks plans to my principal....All of this was due yesterday!  Thankfully, my principal gave me until Monday for my plans and the progress notes have a secret 5 day extension.   I was at school until 8 on...

Complete Sentences

Do you find it hard to teach sentence writing to your students?  I did until I started breaking the sentences down into: Who?  Did what?  When?  Where?  How?Using this method really improved my students sentence and paragraph writing!  I made some writing sheets for my students a while ago but they weren't cute.  I bought some adorable new graphics last week and...

Pinterest Inspired Classroom

As many of you are, I am working on getting organized this year.  I don't want to just organize though..I want everything to look cute, colorful, and clean.  To keep me focused on this goal, I thought it would be helpful to visualize what I want my room to look like/feel like.  I gathered some pictures I've found on pinterest that inspire me and I thought I'd share them with you.  Click...

Versatile & Liebster Awards!

Two awards?!  Are you kidding?!  It still surprises me when people read what I write.  I know how much other blogs have helped me as a teacher and it's weird to think that I could be helping others in the same way.    Okay, on to the awards!  Thank you to Ms. D at  superlativesix.blogspot.com and Carrie from ateachersobsessions.blogspot.comfor this award!...

Sight Word Book Freebie

Halfway through my first year, I was assigned a group of 1st grade girls.  Up to this point, I was used to working with 3rd-5th graders.  My plans for the girls were the same as my older kids - read a book and do some sort of writing with it plus a little word work.  The girls were done in about 10 minutes.   I still had 20 minutes to fill.  The girls needed to work on sight...

Organizing Plan

Today was one of the first snowy days we have had this winter!  I don't have any other pictures for this post so I figured a nice snowy day picture would be a good addition.  I really wanted to skip this post.  I want to snap my fingers and be organized...that would be nice, wouldn't it?  Unfortunately, I don't think that is a realistic plan so here is a more realistic one: Create...

Daily Materials

This year started off so well!  I was always planned ahead...I was on top of paperwork...I made like 20 games from all of your TPT stores...It felt great!  This all fell apart in the second quarter and I'm not really sure why.  Now that I have fallen behind, my paper piles are coming back and I can't find things.  I need to set up permanent systems for taking care of all the paper....

Clutter Free Classroom Project

I am sooooooooooo excited to join the Clutter Free Classroom Project!  As soon as I heard about it, I knew it was something I had to do, after all it is my biggest new years resolution!  I did a whole series of posts on how I organized myself (search or use the tag Organization to find them) but I have a lot more to do.  There have also been a TON of changes in my state and district since...