Hands-on Water Cycle Fun!

…consultant. When Pat was teaching 2nd grade, she used plastic rotisserie chicken containers to have her students create mini water cycles. Because 5th graders need to know the full water…

No Names on Papers? Problem Solved!

…students, download the Paper Drop System system packet to learn more about how it works. I included a collection of ready-to-use Paper Drop printables and a blank checklist, too! Paper…

Child-Centered Reading Conferences

…today? Will you explain how this strategy is helping you be a better reader?” Smiling and hoping to jot some notes on our charts or report card forms, we hope…

Valentine Candy Hearts Math Investigation

…at cheap prices. Your students won’t mind a bit if Valentine’s Day has already passed! Valentine Hearts Data Analysis Freebie If you’d like to use this activity with your students,…

Green Companies? Let the Jury Decide!

…the end of the packet. I originally created this freebie for Earth Day, but it’s a terrific lesson any day of the year. You can use it when studying propaganda…

Fun Twist on Book Reports!

…Stephanie Schifini compiled and alphabetized the list. Thanks, Adrienne and Stephanie! If you use this activity with students, I recommend having your own students brainstorm adjectives for books before showing…

Falling in Love … With a Poem

…words to create their poems because something touched them deeply. Amazed them. Tickled them. They write because they want to share these feelings with others. They write—as I do—because we…

Teaching Children Not to Be Rude!

…that way. If you can figure out the cause, it is much easier to develop the most effective solution. Use incidences of rudeness as teaching opportunities to better your students….

Cooking Up a Caring Classroom

…week. Ideal Books for Class Meetings Julia’s books are ideal for fostering class discussion because each one is short, engaging, and focuses on just one topic. Whether the characters are…

Teaching Kids to Express Appreciation

…their owners. This activity worked so beautifully with my students that I created these two freebies to share with you. You can use the Team Thanks gratitude before the Thanksgiving…

Helping Children Cope with Tragedy

…I knew I needed to write a book, one that spoke to children about living through and living after a disaster. I decided to use ants as a metaphor. Ants…