In this post: Read about the science of reading and effective, quick changes you can make in your instruction today.
There have been some exciting conversations happening in the Kindergarten and 1st grade world, and most of them revolve around the science of reading.
While the science of reading seems to be an education buzzword recently, it isn't new. In fact, the science of reading refers to a body of research related to how the brain learns to read and it spans decades.
So why are ...
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Scarecrow Activities + A Free Scarecrow Craft
Fall is one of my favorite times of the year in the classroom, because we get to do so many fun themes! One fall theme that we recently began exploring is scarecrows. We have had a BLAST with a week full of scarecrow activities and a free scarecrow craft, so I wanted to share some with you!
How do themes work in your classroom?
When we have classroom themes, it doesn't mean that any of our regular lessons or standards get pushed aside. Rather, I try to incorporate the theme into our ...
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Teaching the Alphabet in Kindergarten [200 PAGE FREEBIE INCLUDED!]
If you teach Pre-K or Kindergarten, then you know that teaching the alphabet is kind of a big deal! Teaching letters and letter sounds is a HUGE part of our curriculum. It can feel like there's a lot of pressure to teach the alphabet the "right way." After all, teaching the alphabet is a foundation skill for learning how to read!
I truly believe that it doesn't have to be that complicated, however!
This blog post will discuss how to teach the alphabet in Kindergarten, hands on alphabet ...
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Fun and Easy Name Practice Activities [FREEBIES INCLUDED]
If you teach the early grades, chances are you are working on names right now! Most years, the majority of my Kindergarten class comes in unable to even recognize their names. So needless to say, we are spending LOTS of time on name practice activities!
These name practice ideas will help you work on names in lots of different ways - from identifying names, building names, name tracing, and writing names. This is also the perfect time to incorporate concepts of print practice and fine motor ...
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Teach Students How To Cut With Scissors
Learning how to use scissors is something we know we will have to teach every year. Many of our students come to us never having held a pair of scissors before! But how do we best teach students how to cut with scissors?
Teaching students how to cut with scissors is an important fine motor activity because it will help develop multiple essential developmental skills including:
Hand, wrist, and finger fine motor muscles needed for writingHand-eye coordinationBilateral coordination, which ...
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4 Kindergarten Whole Group Math Games that Use Jumbo Dice
One of the best ways to make Kindergarten math a little more engaging is to make whole group math games a part of your lessons. I love adding in jumbo dice when we play our whole group math games because it just adds a little something extra!
You can use jumbo dice or inflatable dice the same way you would use regular dice in your Kindergarten math lessons, but they have two benefits:
They are easier for your entire group to see no matter where they are sittingThey just make every ...
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The 1 Trick You Need for Lining Up in Kindergarten
At the beginning of the year, lining up in Kindergarten can feel a bit like herding cats. How to I teach my kindergarteners to line up without running, pushing, or complaining about where they are in line?
Well, believe it or not, it doesn’t have to be complicated.
There is one classroom management trick that I use every single year to teaching lining up procedures and transitions in Kindergarten.
Not only does this trick work wonders for lining up in Kindergarten, but it is also great ...
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Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Activities Your Students Will LOVE!
Is there anything more iconic than a Chicka Chicka Boom Boom week in Kindergarten? This is one of my favorite weeks of all time because it gets my students so excited to learn!
These chicka chicka boom boom activities will help make your week memorable!
Reading Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
Of course, we have to READ Chicka Chicka Boom Boom this week! This is our interactive read aloud for the week (it’s week two of the Empowering Little Readers Kindergarten Reading Curriculum).
What is an ...
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7 Easy Ways to Incorporate Play in Kindergarten
It has been said that play is the work of children, yet more and more, play is being pushed aside to fit in more academics. As free time is being taken out of the school day, teachers are wondering how to incorporate play in their kindergarten day.
While creative free play is still a childhood necessity, you may find that it is impossible to include this time in your kindergarten day.
These suggestions will help you incorporate play in kindergarten when you don't have time for dramatic ...
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5 Tips for a Successful First Week of Kindergarten
Planning for the first week of kindergarten can be overwhelming. There are a million and one things to remember and do and, let's face it, there is a reason people compare the first weeks of kindergarten to herding cats!
But take a deep breath, because i've got you. These 5 tips are guaranteed to make your first week of kindergarten a success (even if things still go wrong... because they will, but it will be okay!).
Focus On Building Relationships
For many of our littles, that first ...
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