Fifteen Ways to Give Positive ClassDojo Points: Guest Poster, Flapjack Education Resources

ClassDojo is awesome and you probably already know this, but I just wanted to share with you some ways I reward my students with positive DoJo points. If you haven't gotten around to learning about ClassDoJo, just google and you will find umpteen amazing resources.Thankfully, I have a fantastic class this year, and I rarely have to resort to giving negative points. It seems focusing on the positive points has been more than enough motivation for...

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Bring History to Life For Your Students...and Integrate Reading into Social Studies!

If you recognize the first part of the title of this post, you most likely already know about an AMAZING resource called DocTeach. I have been using this resource for some time, and I feel like I have just barely scratched the surface! Like many of you, I have been teaching an integrated curriculum for many, many years. I have always believed that you teach science and social studies concepts at the same time you teach reading skills. You magically...

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Loss of Mojo... It happens!

So you are roughly 4-6 weeks into the school year and you are hitting some walls with lack of motivation and there are days that you are asking yourself, "When is the next three day weekend?"Over the Summer we took time to recharge our batteries, get creative and have fun. As a teacher, we need to carve time out of our regular schedule to do just the same so that we can continue to be the best that we can be.Top 10 Ways to Stay Creative (and save...

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Integrating Science and Informational Writing Instruction

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Get Comfy in the Classroom!

Students spend a great deal of time in the classroom each day.  They are usually positioned in their seats with a few movement breaks in-between.  This can become a bit monotonous which can lead to boredom with activities and a lack of interest in school in general.  To solve this problem, I use creative seating arrangements!  It adds a bit of fun to an otherwise "plain" day and if the students have great behavior, they may even...

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Mentor Texts... Are they worth the time?

Mentor texts.     I have tried, and tried to make them work for me. I have a shelf of picture books. I have several professional texts that explain all about how to use mentor texts. I have an extensive classroom library from which I can pull many popular books from which to use.     It just wasn't fitting into my day or my lessons. I was unsure of how to make it work. I wanted it to be a part of this year's writing...

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An Upper Elementary Take on Author's Purpose

At a staff meeting about five years back, our principal had us look at the previous year's test results, identify one or two areas of weakness, and then write a plan of action for improving that weak strand.  Well, my colleagues and I recognized that Author's Purpose was a weak area for our third and fourth graders that year.  We wrote what we thought was a fabulous plan to help our students to better understand the concept...

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Interactive Edits: Looking at Grammar and Mechanics the Right Way!

Hello again friends!This is Jen from Out of This World Literacy.  It feels like forever since I've blogged here and I am excited to share my latest thinking about interactive edits.  In the past, I have used D.O.L. (Daily Oral Language) worksheets in my classroom in the hopes that my students would correct all the mistakes in poorly written sentences.  I hoped, that by knowing how to correct numerous errors in poorly written sentences, they would be able to write correctly themselves.  My thinking completely shifted...

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DIY Transparent Ruler - Freebie Included!

Hi there, friends! Blair from One Lesson at a Time here. I've recently become obsessed with creating Interactive Notebook activities. Some might say, I've become addicted. And I might say they might be right.Anywho, when I was creating my 3.MD.4 pack, which reviews measuring to the nearest 1/4 inch and making line plots, I had an idea. Wouldn't it be great if kids could have a transparent ruler that showed whole inches, half inches, and quarter inches?...

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Putting the Puzzle Together!

I know this "team building" activity is an oldie but goodie, but if you are like me, you forget about some of the best ideas unless they are brought up fresh each year!Every year my class and I work to create a giant class puzzle.  Each child is given a puzzle piece one of those first few days of school and their directions are simple--design the puzzle piece to represent YOU!We brainstorm ideas about what might be on it . . .--words--pictures--colors--favorite...

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