School and the City

Ideas and Resources for Your Elementary Classroom

Celebrating Valentine’s Day in the Classroom

Valentine's Day falls on a Friday this year - AKA a full school day... on the same week as a full moon... YIKES! Don't worry - I've got some ideas to help keep you sane during those eight SWEET hours! Need a read aloud? Here are a few of my favorites. Click the links below the picture to shop on Amazon. Thank goodness for that 2-day shipping, amIright? Or, check your school library! Make the ... Read More about Celebrating Valentine’s Day in the Classroom

Winter Writing Favorites

I'm sure many of you agree with me when I say I have a love/hate relationship with bulletin boards. I don't know about you, but I feel a lot of pressure to make my bulletin boards show work that is attractive yet rigorous! (Tell me I'm not alone!) To gear all of us up for January/February bulletin boards, I've collected a few of my favorites to share with you. PENGUINS Who doesn't love ... Read More about Winter Writing Favorites

Get Organized for the New Year

You already know how much I love my Teacher Lesson Planner from Erin Condren. I've become so addicted to the organizational joy that my lesson planner brings me that I've started using Erin Condren planner products at home, too! I started using a Lifeplanner when I was in grad school and had to write down due dates and such in order to help me juggle all the things. But now that grad school is ... Read More about Get Organized for the New Year

Dry Erase Writing Checklists

Here’s one of my favorite uses for the clear adhesive pockets from the Target dollar spot - dry erase that students can use daily or as needed! It’s a very simple way that I can provide extra support for students that need it. For example, check out this writing checklist: I don't just use this concept for writing checklists, though. Some students have an unpack and pack-up checklist or a ... Read More about Dry Erase Writing Checklists

Click or Clunk: Reading Intervention Freebie

I’ve been using the “Click or Clunk” reading intervention with some of my students lately. It helps students self-monitor their comprehension as they read.    Essentially, students start by reading one sentence at a time. If they understand, they "click," but if they don't understand, they "clunk." This strategy teaches students to stop when they get stuck instead of moving on without ... Read More about Click or Clunk: Reading Intervention Freebie

Study Soil with Worm Week

It's Worm Week, y'all! We just wrapped up a fun themed week centered all around - yes, you guessed it - worms! This was my ridiculous idea a few years back in an effort to make the SOIL part of our science curriculum a little more exciting, relatable, and meaningful. It worked - My students are now experts on earthworms and the soil they live in! During the science block, we studied ... Read More about Study Soil with Worm Week