One skill my students seem to struggle with across grade levels is comparing and contrasting texts. In honor of Presidents' Day, I use the following compare and contrast...
Every January or February, I enjoy teaching my students about Chinese New Year, otherwise known as Spring Festival. According to the Chinese zodiac calendar, 2020 is the Year...
Now that Halloween is over, use Thanksgiving to keep the instructional momentum going in your classroom! Here are seven of my favorite Thanksgiving reading comprehension...
Do you want to bring a 21st century classroom design into your classroom? This article will assist you in setting up a literacy-rich environment in a 21st century classroom...
National Tell a Story Day is celebrated on April 27th. This is a day for people to get together to tell all kinds of different stories. These stories can be about anything –...
Recently I've had a lot of teachers come to me asking about standardized test preparation. While I hope the majority of my instruction prepares my kids for our standardized...
In this article, you'll find free resources that will assist you in assessing the reading levels of elementary students at the beginning of the school year and throughout the...
The methodology that I use to teach reading is "Balanced Literacy." Many of my blog posts refer to "Balanced Literacy" as I share units, lessons, and activities. Balanced...
I love to share books that get even the most reluctant reader to start reading. Outside of sharing my recommendations with colleagues, I've also dedicated numerous blog...
Attention all principals and teachers! Today I'm highlighting another 'thinking routine' from the book Making Thinking Visible: How to Promote Engagement, Understanding and...
Spring is a wonderful time to teach students about plants and what they need to survive. Use the Growing Grassy Heads Activity to explore plants in your classroom. This fun...
This article outlines how educators can use the CSI– Color, Symbol, Image Thinking Routine to engage students in visible thinking and includes an awesome printable graphic...
