If you’re looking for classroom ideas and activities for Valentine’s Day, you’re in the right place. While I’m not a huge Valentine’s Day fan outside of the classroom (read: my husband and I don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day), I really do love celebrating with my students. Valentine’s Day is perfect for reviewing friendship, kindness, and respect. … Read more
February means books for Valentine’s Day, and I have some really, really sweet ones to share. The bonus is that so many books for Valentine’s Day include themes of kindness, understanding, and respect. And if we’re being really honest, my students can use all the kindness reminders. Books for Valentine’s Day The Berenstain Bears’ Valentine … Read more
Hooray for the 100th day of school! We’re celebrating with activities themed with the number 100. I like to fill our 100th day of school with fun activities that incorporate math, reading, and writing. Candy Experiment Students will see if they can get to the center of a lollipop in 100 licks. After each lick, … Read more
The few weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas/Winter Break is intense. With so much craziness, the festive feeling can slip away pretty easily. Organize a “Secret Santa” exchange with free downloads for a fun way to keep things joyful and festive. What is Secret Santa? You know, you pull someone’s name out of some sort of … Read more
With less than 2 months until Christmas, it’s time to start thinking about gift giving, so I’ve put together a teacher holiday gift guide. The teacher holiday gift guide was inspired by the best gifts I’ve received, as well as my favorite gifts to give. Felt Tip Flair Pens Teacher Tumbler Sherpa Throw (Save $10 … Read more
In the last week or so, my students have been OFF.THE.WALLS! I’m not really sure what is going on, but I needed reinforcements, and FAST! My favorite strategy for these random WILD times throughout the year is a sticker challenge! Specifically, an April Sticker Challenge! What is a sticker challenge? A sticker challenge is used … Read more
At any given time, there are approximately 7,392 things on my to-do lists. During the back to school and end of the year craziness, that number triples exponentially. Having planning lists for the classroom during the craziest of times is pretty much essential for surviving the back to school rush. My lists don’t start during … Read more
While I don’t love what testing has become, the reality is that students will take tests for one reason or another for the rest of their lives. So how do we prepare students for testing? I’m not talking about things like bubbling in answers, or eliminating choices that don’t make sense, although, those are important … Read more
I love Valentine’s Day in the classroom! I especially love a reason to give each of my students a little something that shows how much I love and care for them. Unfortunately, I don’t have time to get super crafty, so I created a free printable valentine that can stand alone (or be dressed up … Read more
If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you know I LOVE children’s books, and I especially love books that go with a specific theme, holiday, or season. In this post, I’m sharing my favorite Valentine’s Day Books that are perfect for any classroom library. Having themed or seasonal books that only make an … Read more
My students love secret messages – you know, using a special code to figure out what the message is. And, since it’s December, and I’m trying desperately to keep my kids engaged, why not have December Secret Messages? What are December Secret Messages? Students use a special key to crack the code, and solve the … Read more
It’s almost time for Earth Day (although we could argue that everyday should be Earth Day), and I want to share my favorite Earth Day read alouds with you. As I was putting my Earth Day read alouds on the shelf, and realized they were seriously lacking. Although I had a few goods books, I … Read more
