In an effort to maximize my tiny reading small group time block, I’ve started doing a few different things. Today, I’m sharing those hacks for optimizing my small group time at my table. So this year, my district decided to move to a more “Science of Reading Aligned” reading block. I am putting that in […] The post 5 Sneaky Ways I’m Optimizing My Reading Small Group Block appeared first on The Applicious Teacher ..read more

You just finished reading a juicy informational book on how plants use sunlight, water, air, and the nutrients in the soil to produce food. Then, you ask your students to identify the text’s central idea. But instead of eager hands jutting up in the air, you’re met with blank stares… If you’ve ever encountered this […] The post Reading Graphic Organizers for ANY BOOK! appeared first on The Applicious Teacher ..read more

Well, we’ve just missed one hurricane and have another barrelling our way… MUST BE OCTOBER in Florida! All jokes aside, I hope everyone here in Florida with me is safe during this uncertain time. But since we’re knee-deep in October, I thought I’d share a fun and EASY Halloween math game using those cute pumpkin […] The post Pumpkin Egg Math Game: Fun Math Idea for October appeared first on The Applicious Teacher ..read more

Teachers work incredibly hard throughout the school year, and summer is the perfect time to relax, recharge, and focus on our well-being. But when you’re used to spending every day running around like your hair is on fire, relaxing can be hard. So today, I’m sharing some easy but practical ways you can unwind and enjoy your summer break! Please note this post contains affiliate links.  If you follow my links, please know that I make a very small commission from your purchase. There is no cost to you, but this extra coinage allows me to continue creating free resources and writing awesome ..read more

Are you ready to introduce your third graders to the classic Freckle Juice but aren’t sure where to start? Today, I’m sharing Freckle Juice activities we did in our third grade classroom! This week, we’ve been reading “Freckle Juice” by Judy Blume. To help make the text more meaningful, I used it as a close reading opportunity to teach the ever-tricky idea of theme. Close Reading with Freckle Juice Now, I know in close reads, you’re supposed to read the text a bazzillion times… but I knew my kiddos couldn’t handle that structure of reading for this long of a text, so instead, after reading a ..read more

Ok… so let’s be honest for a sec… every teacher influencer on Insta or Tiktok will say that *THIS* is the one thing you need to change your life… but the truth is there isn’t much you need to get by on the daily. But there are a few things that you can find on Amazon that actually help make your day-to-day a bit brighter. So today, I’m sharing some of the best Amazon classroom supplies I purchased that I actually use and I know that you will love them for your classroom too! Please note this post contains affiliate links.  If you follow my links, please know that I make a very small comm ..read more

Make this easy three-ingredient strawberry-scented slime for your students as a fun Valentine’s Day activity! What’s pink, red, and gooey and smells of sweet strawberries? Strawberry Valentine’s Day glitter slime, that’s what! If you’re looking for an activity with your students this Valentine’s Day, this one is fun and easy! This could also be used as an easy Valentine’s Day gift for your students! Please note that this post includes some affiliate links. Each time you click and purchase an item that I’ve included in this post, I receive a small fee in return. These small fees allow me to ke ..read more

Looking for fun and engaging ideas for teaching fractions in your 2nd-grade classroom? This post includes tons of ideas for fraction activities for your 2nd-grade classroom! We came back from Winter Break ready for a new unit in math. After literal months of double-digit addition and subtraction, we (me and my students!) were ready for some new math content. Now, who in their life has ever been excited to learn about fractions? But let me say… we were! My students literally cheered when I pulled out our vocabulary cards for our new unit! LOL! So, today I’m sharing all our fun fraction activiti ..read more

This Arctic Animals Research Mini-book project is the perfect way to warm up your learning this season! One of the most challenging lessons your students will need to learn is how to conduct research. What will they research? How do they know what information is important versus just fluff? Where will they look for information? What if they can’t read well? ​We know students need to learn how to search through various resources to collect information, but research can be tricky for younger students. (Finding the appropriate resources or time for the teacher is hard!) That’s why I designed&nb ..read more

Today, we are tackling the anchor chart storage chaos and discussing ways to level up your classroom organization game. Having designated anchor chart storage space is like giving your classroom a superhero cape! It keeps your teaching treasures neatly stashed away, ready to swoop in and save the day whenever a lesson needs that extra visual punch. So today, I’m sharing five helpful ways to keep those anchor charts in check and add a dash of efficiency to your classroom! Please note this post contains affiliate links.  If you follow my links, please know that I make a very small commissi ..read more