Importance The main idea is the central, or most important, idea in a paragraph or passage. Arguably, being able to identify the main idea is the most important skill for students when reading nonfiction, but it doesn’t stop there! Finding the main idea is only the first step in summarizing a text, and so being […]
Blended Learning in Elementary: Station Rotation
Blended learning, not hybrid learning, is a delicate mix of MEANINGFUL online learning and traditional learning. Benefits of Blended Learning There are many benefits to learning this way, but the obvious current benefit is the COVID situation. Every place to already be prepared to instruct this way will have a smoother transition if, all of […]
Generic Asynchronous Sites for Elementary
We are actually face-to-face! It is really exciting that, after a year and a half, we can welcome students back in the classroom! That being said, we have parents who have chosen to remain virtual and some students who have to quarantine from time to time. Since these students will not get a WHOLE DAY […]
Prepping for Workshop Model: Classroom Design
For me, the weeks leading up to an in-service week are the most exciting and the most overwhelming. I am eager to meet my students and make my classroom come alive, but I also know there’s a lot of “boring” work I should be creating as well. For a Workshop Model classroom, there is quite […]
Writers’ Workshop: Show Don’t Tell
Every elementary Writers’ Workshop teacher has a go-to “Show, Don’t Tell” lesson in which students learn how to show or illustrate what is happening, instead of merely stating it. But do we ever have enough? Do the students ever master this highly important writing skill?? Exactly! So here is another lesson to add to your […]
Content Area Essays in Middle School
Admit it – you groaned just reading the title of this post! Any teacher who has taught middle school students to write in the content areas realizes how frustrating this experience can be. I am not going to even pretend that I have a silver bullet and everything will be fine. You might still smack […]
Revising Lesson Planning with Backward Design
When I first read Understanding By Design, I wasn’t completely sold.
Back to School Team Building Ideas
Similar & Unique. I have only done this activity with teachers in trainings, but it would definitely work in an upper elementary through secondary class setting. Each student will write three things they enjoy doing on a piece of paper without sharing. The first one should be something that a lot of other people probably […]