Teaching figurative language makes students’ writing sparkle! Teaching simile is often the gateway to other types of figurative language that makes our writing rich and engaging. Simile can be taught to children as young as preschool and kindergarten, especially when they are learning colors! This activity would be great to model brainstorming and also makes […]
Poem of the Week for the Whole School Year for Kindergarten, First Grade, and Second Grade
The poem of the week format has been a critical component of my literacy instruction in the primary grades. I am able to cover a wide range of needed comprehension skills without a heavy amount of text. Poetry is easier to differentiate for special needs and ELL learners than a word-intensive picture book or novel […]
Summer Poem Unit
Summer is here, which for many kids means one thing: the dreaded summer slide. I find that poetry takes minimal effort in our crazy summer schedules! Whether you are a teacher with a summer school session, a homeschooler continuing through the summer, or a parent looking to supplement- this Summer Poetry mini-unit is a NO […]
Differentiated Pocket Chart Literacy Center Ideas
As teachers, we need a variety of literacy centers to review skills and introduce new concepts. I find that pocket chart centers work well, because the students are standing rather than sitting! The more movement we have in our classrooms, the happier the kids are. Joyful learning equates with mastery! Here are some must-have pocket […]
5 Free Thanksgiving Math, Literacy, and Art Activities for K-2
Need some great freebies for your Thanksgiving math and literacy blocks this November? Check out these FREE Thanksgiving math and literacy center resources below! We’ve rounded up some of our greatest freebies for your primary grades. We hope these help out your classrooms and homeschools in preparation for Thanksgiving this week and next week! Free […]