Unlocking Student Success: Integrating Literacy Skills to Master Next-Gen Science Standards
Are your students struggling to meet the Next Generation Science Standards? One of the biggest obstacles isn’t just content knowledge—it’s the ability to make inferences. This essential skill is often overlooked, yet it’s a game changer when it comes to understanding complex scientific concepts. By integrating literacy strategies, like inferencing, into your science instruction, you can help students connect their background knowledge with evidence and build the reasoning needed for deep comprehension. Ready to empower your students to think critically and ace those performance expectations? Dive into our latest post for practical tips and tools to make it happen!
Math Books That Inspire: My Current Reads and Future Picks
As a passionate math educator, I find inspiration not only in the classroom but also within the pages of thought-provoking books. Whether it’s deepening my understanding of complex concepts or discovering new teaching strategies, math books have a special way of expanding both my knowledge and approach. In this post, I’m excited to share with you the math books currently on my nightstand, as well as a few that are next on my reading list. From insightful explorations of mathematical theory to practical guides for classroom instruction, these reads offer something for every math enthusiast or educator looking to spark…
Creative Library Displays: Adding a Dynamic Twist
While scrolling through TikTok, I found a great video by @the.laser.libraria showcasing a fun Open House idea for libraries or classroom collections. Inspired by @thebookwrangler’s resources, I put my own spin on the concept, which I am excited to share with you! This display works for both nonfiction and fiction books, using dynamic shelving techniques to make collections engaging and easy to browse. The Canva template I created includes everything you need—signs, editable tags, and fun sneaker pages. I hope this inspires you to try new display ideas in your library and make your collection more inviting for readers!
Graphic Novels are Reading!!
Graphic novels and webcomics are reshaping how we experience stories. These visual narratives deliver quick, engaging content that resonates with readers of all ages. Once considered a niche, they now fill a crucial gap in literature, offering an accessible and dynamic way to enjoy storytelling in today’s fast-paced world.
Play to Learn: Guess Who
Guess Who– one of the games we all grew up playing and that we probably have in our game closets, if we have kids. The classic game is a fun way to practice deduction, observation, and strategic questioning skills. Just a quick review of the simple rules of the game Each player randomly selects one character from a separate pile of cards. The goal is to guess the opponent’s chosen character by asking yes-or-no questions about their character’s features. Players take turns asking yes or no questions. Players eliminate characters on their board who don’t match the given features. The…
Play to Learn: Tenzi and More!
Today in the Play to Learn series, we are deep diving into the TENZI family of games! We will begin with the original TENZI game, that began this collection of games. TENZI is an exciting and quick-paced dice game that promotes fast reactions and is very easy to learn. To play TENZI, you roll your 10 dice as quickly as possible. The game comes with instructions for eight additional variations, including SPLITZI, MEGA TENZI, and TENZI TOWER. Playing TENZI helps children develop rapid and confident number recognition while being highly enjoyable and straightforward to play. It’s ideal for early finishers…
Play to Learn: Dice of Fury
The first three games we have looked at in our Play to Learn series have been games that take longer to play. Settlers of Catan, 60-90 minutes Carcassonne, 30-90 minutes Ticket to Ride, 30-60 minutes There are ways that teachers can be creative with how the games are played, saved, collaboratively played across different classes of the day, but sometimes we need quick games. Quick games can still connect to content in the classroom, but are time savers! Here is one of my FAVORITE short games to use in the classroom! Dice of Fury Think Yahtzee, with more…
Top Teacher Picks: Must-Have Games for Home and Classroom from Amazon Prime Day
Welcome to the ultimate guide to my favorite teacher items and math manipulatives, all available at unbeatable prices during Amazon Prime Day! As a dedicated educator, I know how essential it is to have the right tools to enhance the learning experience for our students. From engaging math manipulatives that make abstract concepts tangible to indispensable classroom supplies that keep us organized and efficient, this list has everything you need. Join me as I share my top picks, all at amazing discounts, to help you make the most of this year’s Prime Day deals. Get ready to stock up on…
Play to Learn: Ticket to Ride
The first American Style board game we will look at in the Play to Learn series is Ticket to Ride. This is one of the easier strategy games to play when entering this genre of games. It is in the group of games I first learned how to play and one of the first games I teach and suggest to new groups of gamers! Ticket to Ride is a cross-country train adventure where players gather and play matching train cards to claim railway routes connecting cities across North America. Longer routes earn more points. Additional points are awarded to players who…
Turning Pages: Strategies for Creating a Reading Culture
Transform booktalks from passive to active experiences with engaging techniques that inspire a love for reading. Discover methods like interactive displays, book trailers, and speed dating to create a dynamic reading culture. These strategies help students explore and connect with books, fostering a lifelong passion for literature.
