Make A Mini-Thesaurus
As my classroom has transitioned to anchor charts created with students, I've found less need for all the fancy posters I've purchased over the years. Check out how we made…
How Problem of the Week Saved My Sanity
I'd like to preface this blog post with a friendly reminder: I am NOT a morning person. I am a bleary-eyed, coffee-clutching, stumbling fool before about 9:00 am. Yet... MY…
Using Mentor Text to Introduce Genre
Happy Friday, friends! I'm so glad that spring is finally here and the weather is slowly, but surely, improving in our corner of the world. Today I want to share…
Easy Ways to Find Partners!
I can't believe that winter break is here already! This year is flying by, and I can definitely tell that it's time for a break. My students are moody. Chatty.…
Better Word Choice Using Pinduli
Ah, beginning of the year writing samples. They are the best, aren't they? {eye roll} It's clear that most kids have not picked up a pencil all summer long, let…
Building Student Confidence In Math
Every August, I take a poll in my 5th grade classroom. Everyone gets to vote for their favorite subject. Each year, hands wave for reading, science, writing and social studies.…