Seven Tips for an Easy and Fun Classroom Holiday Party
The holidays are a wonderful time to celebrate with your students! But if you’re anything like me, the thought of planning a party for 20+ kiddos can be daunting. Never fear! With a little planning and these six easy tips, you’ll be on your way to hosting a stress-free classroom holiday party that your students will love. 1. Keep it Simple The holidays are already a busy time for you
Ways to Teach Greater Than and Less Than
Ok, you’ve made it over the hump of teaching basic place value, so now it’s time to build onto that skill. Number comparison (greater than and less than) is a skill that usually comes soon after teaching basic place value. And whether you were one of the teachers that loved teaching place value or one of the teachers that didn’t, we can all usually agree that comparing numbers and ordering
Activities for Teaching Place Value in First Grade
There are two types of teachers in this world – Teachers that love to teach place value and teachers that don’t. Ok, there’s definitely more than two types of teachers, but you get what I mean. Show of hands of those who love teaching place value in first grade? Show of hands that don’t? See what I mean? Definitely a house divided. One of the most vital foundational skills to
How To De-Stress Your Class Holiday Party
We’ve all been to a class holiday party. Well, 99% of us at least. The plates and napkins get passed out; Next comes all of the junk food, and then the movie. As a student, these were the fun days. As a teacher, these are some of the more stressful days. In theory, it doesn’t seem like it should be stressful. Teachers are used to passing out materials and showing
How to Teach Counting to 120 in First Grade
Some of the very first math skills children learn revolve around counting. Counting to 120 is something that sounds so easy, but in reality, is so much more than just saying numbers in sequential order and calling it a day. Gone are the days when we stood up in front of the class counting each number one by one. Well, I shouldn’t say the days are gone. The days are
Tips for Teaching How to Read and Write Numbers to 100
Read and write numbers to 100 is a skill that sounds so simple but can actually be a touch challenging for students. Such a sneaky, sneaky standard. Students are expected to read numbers in standard form, word form, and expanded form while writing numbers in standard and expanded form up to 100. What’s the tricky part you ask? *insert drum roll…..* Reading numbers in word form at this age level
How To Prepare for a Substitute Teacher
We’ve all been there. It’s 2am and you’ve been woken up from your slumber with a very upset stomach sprinting to the bathroom. Or maybe you actually made it to the time your alarm went off, but your body is aching beyond belief, and now you have cold chills and a fever. You know what that’s called? Yep, sickness. I know you’re thinking, “I don’t have time to be sick.
Five Great 100th Day of School Activities
There are so many days that I love during the school year. It’s hard to choose a favorite, but hanging out in the top five is definitely the 100th day of school. You know what I love about it? It’s a “fun” day where I can teach academics without the kids going completely crazy. I mean, let’s reflect for a moment and think about holidays. Do you get any academic
Tips for New Teachers to Achieve Classroom Success
Ok, let’s talk about new teachers. We’ve all been there once. Or maybe twice. Or maybe every single year when there are a bazillion new changes. New teachers are so special. Fresh out of school and ready to grab their flair pens and make a difference in students’ lives. The thing that most new teachers don’t usually realize is the workload that they are about to walk into. Sometimes, the
How To Practice Subtraction With Regrouping
Ahhhh, subtraction with regrouping. I can feel the confusion in the air just talking about it. I may have a little PTSD from my first year of teaching it actually. Ok, that may be a touch dramatic but if ya know, ya know. It seems that no matter what strategy you use, there are confusing parts to each one. Typically, it’s the concept of “borrowing.” Subtraction with regrouping is one
