Checking for Understanding with Exit Tickets

…effective strategy to check for understanding is to provide each student with a paper exit ticket. When creating effective paper exit tickets, I consider the following to be 3 critical…

Teaching Informational Text with Magazines

…National Geographic for Kids or American Girls. Monthly magazines are larger, more colorful, and have a wider variety of different types of content. Unfortunately, they are also more expensive and…

How to Get Kids to Slow Down with Their Work

…so they are never “done.” This should eliminate some of the rush to complete assignments and place value on quality. Cathy Vogler – I write them a “speeding ticket” and…

5 Engaging Ways to Introduce New Content

…the American Revolution, don’t you think? Ask questions like “What do you think ‘up and to arm’ means?” or “What is the mood of these lines?” or “Is the narrator…

Managing Whole Group Instruction

…seats without permission. They need something tangible to remind them to follow the classroom procedures. I have found that using raffle tickets helps tremendously. I give students 2 raffle tickets…

Winning a Million – Math Lessons and More!

…can win different amounts; what is the probability of winning each amount? (Click here to download a chart showing the approximate odds of winning.) A lottery ticket costs $20. Look…

Is Your Classroom ELL-Friendly?

…a can of popsicle sticks and write your students’ names on them. Furthermore, institute a “no-raised hands” policy. Then, when you ask a question, randomly choose a popsicle stick and…

How to Create a Class Handbook that Rocks!

…If you sent home a handbook during the first week of school with information about that policy, you can politely direct the parent to that handbook. Creating a handbook also…