Student Data Notebooks Do you want a way to help students become responsible for their learning? Student success data notebooks are the key to teaching students to track their progress and help them have ownership of their learning; however, the thought of implementing data notebooks can be overwhelming. My Experience I first heard about student data notebooks from a partner teacher when I was teaching 5th grade. My partner teacher
How to Teach the Ask and Answer Questions in Literature Standards The 2nd and 3rd grade RL.2.1 / RL.3.1 ask and answer questions in literature standards are closely aligned. Both standards require students to determine what the text says explicitly to understand the key details within the text. The only major difference between these two standards is that the 6 Ws are used as the types of questions in the
How I Teach Common Core Reading Standards Many teachers and students cringe when it comes to Common Core reading passages. When thinking about them, their minds immediately go to boring standards based test prep. I’m here to tell you, teaching and learning about Common Core reading passages and answering standards-based questions does not have to be tedious or boring. It can actually be fun and fulfilling! Keep reading to learn
Teaching Second Grade Measurement Measurement is a big topic for second grade. There is a lot that goes into teaching the second grade Common Core measurement standards, and tons of engaging and interactive activities you can use. Here are some helpful tips for teaching your 2nd graders. What First Graders Need to Know Students should enter the 2nd grade with the following skills: Order 3 objects by length. (ex. The
Teaching Word Problems Word problems was one of the biggest units I taught in 2nd grade, and I know firsthand that teaching word problems to 2nd graders can be challenging. But as challenging as it can be, it is also extremely important. Word problems are a key skill for students and should be taught and reviewed throughout the entire year. Before we talk about teaching 2nd grade word problems, let’s
Learning basic math facts in early grades is so important! When I used to teach 4th and 5th grade, math was very difficult for my students that didn’t know their basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division math facts. The same concept is true for younger grades! In second grade, students start working with two and three digit numbers, which can be very diffuclut and time consuming if they do not
It’s raining. AGAIN. Its twenty degrees. AGAIN. You have indoor recess. AGAIN. You’re GOING TO LOOSE YOUR MIND. AGAIN. Not to mention the fact that your students still have to sit still and attempt to absorb new knowledge for the rest of the school day. Try some of these fun indoor activities to ensure that recess time is still used to keep kids moving and grooving (and let’s be real,
When I was in the classroom, I implemented two different types of reading small groups during my reading block: guided reading and strategy groups. Here is the main purpose for each: Guided ReadingTo teach students reading comprehension skills and strategies in general. These are leveled groups with 4-6 students per group. In this small community, students are reading in the same range and share similar reading traits. Many students stay in
Some public school teachers avoid anything to do with religion in the classroom. Some schools and districts even forbid celebrating holidays associated with a single religion. The reality is that sometimes it’s easier to avoid a subject rather than deal with questions and criticism from parents or administrations. But avoidance can be extremely difficult during religious holidays. Worse yet, avoidance deprives children of the opportunity to form a comprehensive understanding
While falling around the same time as Christmas and Hanukkah, being celebrated December 26 – January 1, Kwanzaa is different in that it is not a religious holiday at all. Instead, it is a celebration of life that some African Americans (mostly from the United States) celebrate each year. Kwanzaa was established in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga to observe African culture and motivate and encourage African Americans. The name
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