I use what I call “Build-Write-Say” spelling to help my students master their weekly spelling words. During my reading center rotations, I present the words to the students (my spelling words are differentiated according to what phonics skill the group is working on) during the teacher-led group. Then, for a follow-up center, I give each [...]

A great way to help your students master their sight words is to play “Sight Word Tic Tac Toe.” Materials: ~index cards or flashcards ~game pieces or markers of two different colors or shapes (I just cut out squares of colored paper) Prepare the game: 1. Write at least 9 target sight words on the [...]

Here’s a quick and easy way to get the students involved in decorating the classroom for holidays and special occasions. Find a simple outline of a character or object that goes along with the current holiday or celebration (i.e. hearts for Valentine’s Day, Christmas trees and ornaments for Christmas, and four leaf clovers for St. [...]

Here’s an idea of how to help your students create their own Christmas (or Holiday) cheer. Instead of having a traditional “Secret Santa” gift exchange this year, which most of your low socioeconomic students could not participate in anyway, have a “Secret Santa” greeting card exchange instead. Have each student draw a fellow student’s name, [...]

*Description Students will learn how to sort objects by their attributes and then indicate the results on a simple graph (tally table). *Literature Review: Grandma’s Button Box, by Linda Williams Aber Grandma has been collecting buttons for years. When Kelly accidentally knocks over her grandma’s box, she and her cousins scramble to sort the buttons [...]