When our students hear the word "test" they cringe and you can see the fear on their face. When we start to talk about the standardized test, that fear turns to panic and sheer horror. Thoughts flood their minds,  "I'm going to have to repeat 5th grade! My parents are going to ground me forever if I don't pass this test. Maybe I can pretend I'm sick and get out of the whole test. I wonder if I broke my writing arm if I would have to do it?" After 40 years of combined teaching at grade levels where standardized tests are administered, we have developed a TOP 10 LIST that we think will help not only your students, but yourself cope with the "stress of the test." #1: Treats! What student, or teacher for that matter, doesn't love treats? About a week before the test begins we read a letter to our students about how their parents can bring in healthy snacks and healthy drinks on the days of the test. This gets the students excited....
Hi there! It’s Deb Hanson from Crafting Connections , and I’m going to share a free character traits lesson with you today. This lesson is based on one I did a few years ago for a formal observation. My principal at the time loved the lesson… I hope you will, too! If you do decide that you want to try this activity with your students, be sure to click on the following image . Everything you need for this lesson is FREE! (Well, almost everything… you’ll have to provide your own anchor chart paper and cups!) Part 1: Anchor Chart I almost always start my ELA units with a PowerPoint presentation to introduce the topic . Therefore, the lesson I am describing would occur on Day 2 of our character traits study. Prior to class, I would create the base of my character traits anchor chart. To start the lesson, I would use the anchor chart to review how good readers analyze clues provided by the author in order to infer character traits. Next, I would read four short passa...
Hi friends! I'm Jodi from The Clutter-Free Classroom and one of my absolute favorite things to do is transform piles of furniture in a bare space into a colorful, organized home away from home for teachers and students. Although educators don't know what the new school year will bring, it is always fun to dream about what your teaching space (either at school or in a corner of your home) will look like this year.   The good news is it is easy to create a customized, beautiful space on a budget.  I am excited to share some tips and links to my FREE Classroom Decor Guide  with you so you will have them when you are getting ready for the new school year. (DOWNLOAD THE FREEBIE ) It is helpful to start by picking a color scheme for your classroom.  Picking a main color with only 1 or 2 accent colors will make your classroom look great without feeling overwhelming.  Once you have your color scheme selected the real fun begins. Use these co...