In my district, the focus on science and social studies has taken a back seat to reading and math. Like so far back that it's basically not even in the car anymore. The pendulum has swung SO far over to that side that it's really hard to cope. I miss teaching science and social studies! The kids miss it! The little bit they get in the reading series isn't nearly enough. So while I wait for that freakin pendulum to start swinging back, I will supplement with at least a little something more.  A few years ago I created these One Sheet Wonders. I was actually inspired by children's menus. I ..read more

We're working with a new reading series and I have thoughts. Sometimes I'm so completely overwhelmed by the amount of resources that accompany the series and sometimes I'm scratching my head and searching my files because they don't provide some of the most basic activities. Sound familiar? I'm on a mission to close the gaps. I need to add some things that my kids need while also keeping my pledge of "fidelity" to the series. It feels like an arranged marriage, but here we are... So, what I find myself looking for is easy to implement center activities that are not overwhelming, can actually ..read more

This product may look simple, but it has been two years in the making. I created it for my students and have tested, revised, reworked, and re-tested over and over and I finally have it just right. It's become a staple in my classroom and has made center time SO MUCH EASIER. Let me tell you, I was struggling with centers in first grade. Mixing high expectations, "rigor" (don't get me started...) and kids with very little independence, below minimal reading levels, and pandemic babies who missed out on a lot of foundational skills left me frustrated to say the least. Not that this little book ..read more

Hello Friends! I originally wrote this post in 2016. I decided to share it again now because it may be helpful for many of us who are entering uncertain times for the 2020 school year. Self selected homework could be a great way to get to know your new class, especially if you are starting the year online, as I am. Students can share their projects with the class through Zoom or Teams. Just wanted to make that quick note in case any of the points I wrote about in 2016 seem a bit off kilter considering the current times. The original article is below in its entirety: I've made a really exc ..read more

As some of you know, I recently lost my father in law after a long battle with cancer. His last week or so was spent in a beautiful hospice facility and we are so grateful for the care he received and the kindness and support of family and friends we were shown during that time.  Now that it's been a couple of weeks, I've had some time to process the whole thing and I've had some thoughts about ways that I could support a friend should they find themselves in this position. I need to be clear that I never once felt abandoned by my friends or extended family. I was not sitting in the hosp ..read more

A few days ago I bared my bloggy soul and explained a bit about why this little corner of the internet has been sorely neglected. Thank you SO much to everyone who reached out with kindness and understanding. It felt great to be back in touch. One sweet reader told me that SunnyDays was the first teacher blog she ever read and she was glad to see me back. That was touching. And it inspired me to continue on with my ideas for the future of this blog. So what lies ahead? I've toyed with the idea of removing the "Second Grade" part of the title and just making it The SunnyDays Blog. That would k ..read more

If you have been a loyal SunnyDays reader since I started this little blog back in 2011, thank you...and I'm sorry. Thank you for for your kind comments and encouragement over the years and I'm so sorry for the serious lack of posts and half-hearted "comebacks" over the last year.  If you're new here, WELCOME! Feel free to stick around. So happy to have you. Whether you are an old friend or a new one, I want to let you know what's been going on and what I hope for the future. There are several reasons why I lost my blogging mojo. First of all, I think it's kind of inevitable to run out ..read more

Long time, no blog! Ok, let's just dive in, shall we? I've been teaching an after school craft club this year and we've done some really fun things that I want to share with you. Whether you're planning end of the year parties, indoor recess, fun rewards for reaching behavior goals or testing relief, these crafts might be just what you're looking for. Today I'll start with DIY Bouncy Balls. These were a hit with the craft club kids and a much better experience for me than slime or floam (HUGE messes and high on the craft fail spectrum) My students saw the ingredients in our classroom and the ..read more

Hey teacher friends! I'm so happy to be partnered once again with Scholastic to share a resource I've actually been using for years. It's their on-demand resource site called Scholastic Printables. It's a lot like someone took the best parts of your favorite teaching resource books and magazines, digitized them, categorized and stored them for you. And now all you have to do is search and print! A few years ago I went on a massive purge and got rid of years and years of old resource books that were just taking up space and collecting dust. It felt so great at the time to get all that cabinet ..read more

I have been a big fan of Scholastic News for many years, so when I was asked to partner with them to share some teacher tips, some big savings, and a great contest, well I jumped at the chance. Teaching a self-contained gifted second grade class, I usually subscribe to the third grade edition. For the purposes of this post, I was sent a set of second grade magazines and I have to say, the extra materials and online resources for this edition has changed my mind.  The second grade version seems to be a much better fit for my students. Even though they're all reading on or above grade level ..read more