Identifying and understanding plot structure is a key skill for elementary students to become good readers. Identifying main story elements is a building block to be able to eventually retell and summarize fiction. Plot structure may also be referred to as story structure or literature structure, but they are the same general skill. In this blog post, I provide a step-by-step on how to teach plot structure skills. I also
I created reading digital mini lessons for teachers who are always scrambling to find the materials they need in so many places. I thought, “What if teachers could have everything they need in ONE place with clear instructions broken down for each day?” Between the read alouds, question prep, anchor charts, student guided practice, and everything else, mini lessons took me so much time to prepare as a teacher. That
Teachers are some of the most creative people in the world. They come up with the most inventive, engaging, and exciting lessons, classrooms, and more. Cute and fun behavior management and reward systems are no exception. Teachers come up with adorable charts, token systems, prizes, and even the latest trend… Desk Pets. There is no doubt that these reward systems are super creative, fun, and motivating for students. But are
The beginning of the year is a crucial time to set expectations, develop relationships, and set the stage to grow a caring classroom community. One of my favorite ways to do this is through classroom read aloud books and discussions. These read aloud books can be sprinkled into your regular reading and social studies lessons to serve a double purpose! These are my seven favorite back to school read aloud
Behavior clip charts have been a staple in many classrooms as the primary behavior management tool for years. In my early days as a substitute teacher, I remember how helpful behavior charts were for me to manage behaviors as a guest teacher. However, early in my teaching career, I learned how harmful it is to use behavior clip charts. In this post, I talk about the reasons why behavior clip
Data Binders are a great way to incorporate student accountability and independence. In this post, I’m going to cover how to set up the Teacher Data Binder. I’ll keep this short and sweet because the majority of the data binder setup should be on the student side. After all, the goal is to get students involved so they are accountable and have ownership over their learning! You can read more
Teachers, you have enough on your plates! Why not hand off all you can to your students to promote independence?! Student data binders are a key tool that I used throughout my years of teaching to promote student success, accountability, and independence. In this post, I’m going to show you how to set up your student data binders. I know firsthand that the thought of teaching your students to track
Juneteenth is a holiday that celebrates the emancipation of previously enslaved Americans. It is important that we teach about the historical and modern significance of the Juneteenth holiday. In this post, I share some ideas and resources for incorporating lessons and stories about Juneteeth into your classroom. *As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Why Is Teaching about Juneteenth Important? To be honest, I didn’t know about this
Ensuring all students are accepted and proud of who they are is important to the growth and development of children. Unfortunately, LGBTQ+ rights are still controversial in many areas of the country. It is much easier to ignore these issues than to face the controversy and address them. But the fact of the matter is, for change to happen, for the suicide rates of LGBTQ+ children to decrease and for
When it comes to Pride and LGBTQ+ inclusion, many teachers can feel uncomfortable teaching about these topics in the classroom. Many believe we should not be teaching our children about “sex” in schools. However, gender identity and relationships are an important part of who we are as humans. In order to make our world a more accepting place and help fight discrimination, we must be inclusive of all family structures
We strive to create resources that empower teachers and transform student success. We create skill-focused resources that promote critical thinking, enhance student engagement, and incorporate diversity. Our goal is to develop the tools teachers need to reach their students and foster a lifetime of learning.