Estimating fractions can be a challenge for many students, especially those who don’t have a good grasp of number sense. Before you teach students how to estimate fractions, there are some essential skills that need to be taught systematically. Here are the lessons in order that you will need to teach. Identify what fraction the […]
Step-by-Step Guide to Estimating Fractions Read More »
Teaching students about the 3 branches of government is an abstract concept. Most students understand that our country has a president and that is the extent of their knowledge about our country’s government. This is why I think it’s so important for students to have an understanding of how our country is run. So apart
Teaching the 3 Branches of Government: Hands-On Group Project for Kids Read More »
Getting struggling students to write a narrative essay can be like pulling teeth. It’s frustrating when you walk by a student’s desk after you teach a writing lesson and see that they have only two sentences written down. Two! And this is after 30 minutes of writing. I kid you not! So what do you
Best Strategies for Teaching Narrative Writing to Struggling Students Read More »
If you are a teacher who has to teach all subjects including PE (yep, that’s me), you are probably overwhelmed with lesson planning. Just coming up with engaging lessons for all subjects is very stressful. To tell you the truth, I dreaded teaching Science because I just didn’t know what to do to teach the
Mystery Science in 5th-Grade: Tips and Ideas for Implementation Read More »
For some students, writing a narrative essay is like trying to climb Mount Everest- difficult, laborious, and daunting. But with the right guidance, you can turn that literary climb into an attainable accomplishment. Breaking down an essay into manageable parts is the key to getting your most stubborn students to write. You’ll need at least
Step-By-Step Narrative Writing Lesson Plan for Struggling Students Read More »
When students are reading non-fiction text, their comprehension increases if they have some sort of background knowledge about the topic and are familiar with domain-specific vocabulary. It might feel like you are spoiling what the students are about to read when you activate their background knowledge and frontload vocabulary, but the opposite could not be
5 Strategies to Activate Background Knowledge Read More »
Curriculum Night (also known as Back-to-School Night or Meet the Teacher) can be stressful! Just getting through a normal week of instruction is hard enough but when you add the extra layer of preparing for Curriculum Night, it can feel like you are drowning in a pool of tasks. But getting ready for Curriculum Night
Curriculum Night Parent Activities and Ideas Read More »
When you teach, I can guarantee that many of your students are not listening. Don’t take it personally (I know I don’t); we are working with children. It happens. So what can you do to hold their attention and get them to listen? Guided notes are the answer! What are Guided Notes? When you are
Guided Notes: Examples and Strategies for Implementation Read More »
The first day of school is always a bit nerve-racking. The moment your students walk in, you can feel their nervous energy. To relieve their nerves (and yours too) it’s important to have a lesson plan that is easy to follow. The first day of school is a crucial time to set the tone for
First Day of School Activities for 5th Grade Read More »
Working at a Title 1 inner-city school, where many of my students are English Learners has taught me a thing or two about working with striving learners. Some of my students are 2 years or more behind in the core subjects of reading and math. How do you differentiate your instruction for these students while
How to Help Struggling Math Students in 5th Grade Read More »
