Starting centers in primary grades can be very overwhelming. These practical tips for starting centers can help make the transition seamless and enjoyable for everyone! Keep it Simple! First, keep it simple! I cannot stress this enough! Start simple, you can add the fluff later. There are countless ways to set up and conduct centers, but the best method is simplicity. Keep the purpose of your centers in mind when planning them! Why use learning centers? What are the ... Read the Post
Practical Tips for Starting Centers
Christmas Around the World for Primary Grades
The month of December is the perfect month to incorporate engaging, multicultural lessons into your classroom. Christmas around the world is a fantastic and cohesive way to implement this idea. We as educators know students' attention span grows shorter during this time of year. Keeping students engaged can be quite the challenge in December. Choosing fun, relatable Christmas Around the World activities will definitely keep your kiddos engaged and you sane! Below are some ... Read the Post
Fun Math Games to Play with Uno Cards
Uno cards are an engaging way to practice Math! This post focuses on fun math games with Uno cards that your kids could play in math centers. The bright colorful cards make math fact practice fun and engaging! Uno cards can be used in all grade levels to practice Math facts. This post will focus on Primary Grade level games but are great for all ages to practice math fact fluency in Math Centers and small groups. A large number of kids already know how to play the Uno Card game, if not it ... Read the Post
Writing Center for Primary Grades
Enhance writing in the elementary classroom with this writing center for K-2. As an individual who thoroughly loves to write, I struggled when students seemed to dislike writing. As educators, we know that the first thing we must 'teach', is to instill a lifelong love of learning. Writing requires a lot of skills: letters, letter sounds, letter sounds make words, words have meaning...those barely scratch the surface! Then there are the physical aspects of writing: fine motor skills, spatial ... Read the Post
Teaching Compare and Contrast in K-3
Teaching compare and contrast can be an exciting adventure when using Fairy Tales! Comparing and contrasting is a higher-level reading comprehension skill that can be a bit tricky for younger students. Using a variety of visuals such as anchor charts, puppets, and familiar stories like Fairy Tales eases this transition to higher-order thinking. Begin with something familiar, like comparing and contrasting objects. Be sure to introduce the terms compare and contrast and more familiar ... Read the Post
October Learning Activities For the Elementary Classroom
Fall is in the air! With students settling into routines it's time to break out those fun learning activities for October! 2021 still poses many challenges for both students and educators. These October-themed learning activities are a fun way to continue to engage students while learning while incorporating a Fall Theme. There are Amazon affiliate links in this post. As an affiliate, I do make a very small commission on purchases at no cost to you. Books and Crafts for ... Read the Post