When it comes to complex sentences, things quickly become... well... complex . At the mere mention of independent clauses, dependent clauses, and subordinating conjunctions, many young eyes immediately glaze over. One year, when I was about to introduce the topic of complex sentences to my fifth graders, I decided on a whim to use an image of a nurse helping a patient walk. I was amazed  by how much this simple image helped my students. I told them that the nurse in the picture was like the independent clause. Just as the nurse can stand alone, so also can an independent clause "stand alone" as a complete sentence. Then I told my students that the patient with the crutch leaning against the nurse was like the dependent clause. The patient could clearly not stand on his own, just as a dependent clause cannot stand alone, either. A dependent clause depends on the independent clause to help it be part of a complete sentence. This idea resonated so well with my students that ......

Creating a positive classroom culture is the first thing every classroom teacher should do the first week of school. But it shouldn't stop there. You should continue to work on class culture the entire school year. We are hear to offer some tips, advice, and activities for you to use in your classroom to build on what you started the first month of school. Interest Inventory If you have not yet given an interest inventory to get to know your students you should. We have a simple one that we have created that you can download here for free . It contains thirteen questions that will help you to know your students better. You may be surprised at some of the answers! Use the surveys throughout the year by incorporating students' interests. Your students will be excited to see that you are interested in what they like. Cooperative Challenges Another way to build a positive classroom culture is through cooperative activities. One of our students' favorites is the Ma......

Every year students in elementary school face bullying. Whether it is on the playground, in the hallways, on the bus, or even in the classroom, bullying is always an issue. We have created a quick Bully Busting 101 session that you can use in your classroom to help start the conversation about what to do when a classmate is bullied. We hope that you can follow the below steps to help bust bullying in your school. Recognize Bullying   In order to stop bullying, students have to understand what bullying is. Brainstorm with the class what their perceptions are about bullying. This can be done with chart paper or on a white board. Elicit responses from students and write them down. After the list is compiled, try to separate the incidents that wouldn't be considered bullying and discuss why. Then point to the examples where someone is repeatedly harassing a student. These are the incidents you want to focus on. Be a Bully Buster Once your students have recognized wh......