Is the end of the school year really near?   Finally, this year is over!   Which one can you relate to? How do you spend the last few school days at the end of the year?  My days are jam-packed with fun activities.  We begin the year with fun stuff and end with fun stuff.  So, what are some of these fun activities?  I've compiled a list that you can hopefully grab a few ideas 1.  Write a letter to next year's students Before releasing students to write their letter, brainstorm things that they might want to share with your future students.  Here are a handful of writing stems that keep students focused on the purpose: What did we do this year that you thought was fun... What advice would you give to someone entering our class next year... What should you do to keep the teacher happy... What really upsets the teacher... What will you learn in math, science, or social studies... 2.  Create a video for next year's students I......

This year is year four for me using Google Classroom, and every year I learn a little more and do a little more!  A few months ago, I took the plunge and took the exam to become a Google Certified Educator and am glad that I did so. Whether you are just getting started with Google Classroom or have been using it for a while, there is always something new that may come in handy! Below I have compiled 10 ideas that you can start to use in the Google Classroom today. 1.  Create Classroom for Subjects I teach 3rd grade, so I have 6 separate classes set up.  I have a class set up for each subject:  Reading, Writing, Word Work, Math, Science, and Social Studies.  This allows me to easily include links, assignments, and post questions for each specific subject.  For example, when we are doing Math, my students know that all related resources are found in the Math classroom.   2.  Exit Slips Take the paper out of exit slips.  After......

Teaching mathematical vocabulary is something that can be easily overlooked.  We want our students to be able to complete the math tasks at hand, but the vocabulary doesn't always seem as important.  Just like with any subject, students cannot learn what is being taught without being able to understand the language of instruction. Before beginning any unit or chapter, preview what you are going to teach to determine the vocabulary that is essential to student's understanding.  Most math curriculums already have these vocabulary words outlined for you. Once you have determined the words that are important for students to become familiar with, you can use the seven strategies below to introduce, model, and reinforce the mathematical vocabulary. 1.  Pre-teach the Vocabulary Consider this a preview of words.  Before you begin teaching the mathematical concepts, have a day where you showcase the words.  Introduce the word, its meaning, and give a br......

April is one of my favorite months of the school year because of Poetry Month.  It's fun to write, fun to read, and the students enjoy all of it!  Below you will find a list of activities that are perfect for celebrating Poetry Month. 1.  Poetry Flip Book With students, study the different types of poetry and create a poetry flip book that students can use as a reference throughout the month. Find the poetry flip book HERE . 2.  30 Poems in 30 Days Using construction paper or cardstock for a cover, have students create a poetry book in which they spend the entire month of April writing and illustrating poems.  We obviously aren't in school all 30 days, so you could double up some days or even assign for weekend homework.   3.  Poetry in Pairs After studying types of poetry, pair students up to write a collaborative poem.  They could collaborate in writing the poem from beginning to end, or one students writes a l......

About a year and a half ago, my district went 1:1 with technology.  It's definitely exciting, but for those who aren't technology savy, it can be overwhelming! Google Classroom is a great place to share links, post announcements, assign assignments, and much more.  It the past, the use of Google Classroom was limited to those who were known as a Google School.  That is no longer the case!  What does that mean for you?  If you have a Google account, you can now set up your own Google Classroom.  The only thing that you need to do beforehand is to check into your district's pooicy on creating Google user names for your students (my own recommendation). I use Google Classroom on a daily basis.  I can't lie, I still do a lot of paper/pencil activities, but I provide about as much technology activities as paper/pencil. If you are just getting started, or if you are like me and have been using Google Classroom for awhile, there is always some......

The drill and kill of multiplication facts can get old very quickly for students.  Especially those that struggle memorizing them.  Adding games into your math block will not only excite them, but provide great learning opportunities.   Here is a list of 5 multiplication games that are super easy to implement and require very little prep.  A win for both the teacher and the students! Games with Dominoes Ordering Products Students choose five dominoes, turn them over, and multiply each side together.   Order the products from least to greatest or greatest to least. Want to make it a game?  Partners order their dominos then find the difference between their greatest number and least number.  The partner with the greatest (or least) difference wins. Multiplication War Students begin with dominoes face down.   Each student chooses a domino. On the count of three, students turn over their domino and multip......