Habitats One Sheet Wonder
Sunny Days in Second Grade
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1y ago
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
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Phonics Center for Blends
Sunny Days in Second Grade
by
1y ago
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
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Word Work for Any List! {On Sale Now!}
Sunny Days in Second Grade
by
1y ago
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
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I'm Making Videos Now! Maybe Not What You Might Think...
Sunny Days in Second Grade
by
1y ago
I have taken a HUGE step in my social media adventures. Something I never thought I would do. I've jumped into video creation with both feet! I have always been someone who avoids the camera like my life depends on it. I have never liked seeing myself in pictures and I definitely do not enjoy hearing the sound of my own voice or watching myself on video. BUT I'm doing it anyway. I'm finding that the more videos I create, the more self-accepting I'm becoming. Now, I really don't know what I'm doing. I'm filming on my phone. The lighting usually isn't great. Wow, that's really making you want to ..read more
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First Day Fallbacks - Expect the Unexpected!
Sunny Days in Second Grade
by
1y ago
Whether you're a first year teacher or a veteran, those first few minutes of a new school year can be a whirlwind! I wrote a post a while back with some other ideas for those first few minutes, including things like Play-Doh and puzzles, which you can read here.  I know that sometimes your best laid plans of exciting hands-on fun can sometimes go off the rails real fast. One or two kids having a really hard time separating from their grown-ups, last minute new students, weird weather, talkative parents, late busses - they can all throw your fairy tale first day for a loop. I've been tea ..read more
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Five Ways to Improve Student Handwriting
Sunny Days in Second Grade
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1y ago
I've found myself become rather passionate about two things - handwriting and spelling. Two things that are so insanely important, but seem to get pushed to the side way too often. I'll talk more about spelling soon, but you can see what I use for that in this post. As I mentioned in this post, I couldn't find what I was looking for in terms of handwriting practice, so I created a pack to use with my kids. Today I'd like to share a bit about what else you can do to help your students become more legible writers.  The number one area to tackle is fine motor strength. If your students don ..read more
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Self-Selected Homework
Sunny Days in Second Grade
by
3y ago
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
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How to Help When a Friend has a Loved One In Hospice Care
Sunny Days in Second Grade
by
3y ago
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
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What's Next Around Here?
Sunny Days in Second Grade
by
3y ago
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
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Where I've Been
Sunny Days in Second Grade
by
3y ago
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
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