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5 Tips to Support Emergent Writers in the Drawing Stage
Teaching writing can be hard, especially in Kindergarten! I often see the initial focus of writing workshops placed on text as opposed to spending the necessary time supporting emergent writers in the drawing stage. I think this can be one of the things that makes teaching writing to these littles so hard. If you’re new…
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6 Critical Steps to Launching a Smooth Writing Workshop in Your Classroom
If you’ve been here before, you know I LOVE teaching writing. I think there are so many benefits to incorporating a writing workshop into your kindergarten or first-grade classroom! If you are not familiar with the writing workshop model, it is a method of teaching writing that consists of four main components: The goal of…
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15 Read Alouds For The Beginning Of The Year
It’s almost that time again. Time to head back into the classroom and prepare for a new year! One of my favorite things to get ready for the year is to look for a new back-to-school read-aloud or two. Read-Alouds are essential at the beginning of the year. They are a great way to have…
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How To Set Up Your New Classroom Stress-Free
I absolutely loved setting up my classroom! I know I may be in the minority on this, but I was the one calling the office every day to check if the rooms are done, then going in any free moment to organize every millimeter. By October, it’s all a mess but I enjoy making a…
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A Beginner’s Guide to Writing Workshop in Kindergarten & First Grade
In terms of both support and resources, writing seems to take a back seat to reading in many districts. Some teachers are given curriculum that’s either overwhelming, not developmentally appropriate or nothing at all. So, today I want to go through each component of the Writing Workshop in detail to help you implement it in…
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Books That Are Perfect For The End Of The Year
The end of the school year is a time of mixed emotions. Students have worked hard all year and are almost at the finish line. Some may be excited for their summer vacation, while others may feel anxious to say goodbye. All these emotions can make classroom management a bit of a struggle! However students…
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ELEVATE Conference for Kindergarten to Second-grade teachers
Hey, teachers! It’s almost the end of the year for most of you and I know you can almost taste the saltiness of the beach air and the sweetness of a piña colada! The summer is a time when you hopefully get to relax, let loose, and have fun! But, it’s also a time when…
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How To Plan a Writing Celebration in Writing Workshop
You finished your writing unit and kids worked hard to plan, write, revise, and edit their stories. You worked hard conducting mini-lessons, conferencing, and guiding kids to become better writers. The writing unit is over and you’re about to start a new genre. But, wait! Celebrate all of that hard work with a writing celebration!…
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The best books for Teaching sequencing and retelling
Recently on my blog, I discussed the importance of teaching sequencing with teaching tips and activity ideas. One of my tips for teaching sequencing was to practice with simple texts. Texts that have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Today, I wanted to share 16 of my favorite books for teaching sequencing. When making this…
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Story Sequencing and Retelling With Pop-up Scenes
If you teach pre-K, kindergarten, or first grade, you know how important retelling a story is. Language, comprehension, story vocabulary….there are so many skills covered when students practice retelling! One of our favorite ways to retell stories was acting it out, whether using pieces on a pocket or with popsicle stick puppets. Both of these…
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6 Ways to Boost Students’ Confidence for Guided Reading
Some kids LOVE when they get called for guided reading. They may cheer, get their book baggie, and skip over to you with a smile. But, some kids dread it and drag their feet across the room to your table. If lack of confidence is the culprit for their lack of motivation, then you’ll want…
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21 Ways to Motivate Kindergarten and First-Grade Students to Read
Do you have students who don’t love to read? Most students in kindergarten and first grade love being read to and looking through pictures in books, but it may be a different story when they’re asked to read. Reading is an important part of school and life, but not all kids love it. Luckily, there…