It seems like teachers are always looking for innovative and new ways to engage students and encourage a more in-depth learning experience. Research projects are a powerful resource for students to explore topics of interest, develop critical thinking skills, and fulfill a sense of curiosity. In this blog post, we'll explore the benefits of research projects and provide practical tips for implementing them effectively in the classroom. SET UP IS QUICK AND EASY Assigning these research projects is SUPER simple! It's as easy as deciding which slides you want the students to ..read more

As state testing season approaches, teachers have an opportunity to inspire and motivate their students to do their personal best. Beyond traditional methods of preparation, adding in creative and positive elements can make a HUGE difference in students' confidence and performance. BULLETIN BOARDS: A VISUAL REMINDER Bulletin boards can be so much more than just decorative elements in the classroom – they can serve as powerful visual reminders for students to work hard, stay focused, and do their best. It doesn't have to be hard to create a super cute and meaningful bulletin board fo ..read more

I know it can be TOUGH to get students to write, especially during spring when there's a lull in the year. The secret is videos paired with writing and discussion prompts. Which means Spring Video of the Day! WHAT IS IT The Spring Writing Prompts & Discussion Starters is a low-stress, low-prep way to get students writing and thinking about writing. There are short unique videos (that you won't find anywhere else – so students can't say they've already done it) to watch. Each video has 2-3 discussion starters AND 2-3 writing prompts. Everything is done for you and ready to use in Google Sl ..read more

State testing is around the corner, and as teachers, we know the importance of preparing our students for success. However, traditional test prep activities and methods can be dull and uninspiring. The good news… test prep season doesn't have to be boring! Add some fun test prep activities to your lesson plans and get your students ready for the big test! FUN & RIGOROUS ACTIVITIES Activities that are challenging enough for test prep don't have to be worksheets or flash cards. Fun but still rigorous activities are the perfect combination for testing season. Reading Task Cards – One of the ..read more

Adding engaging Social Emotional Learning activities into classrooms has never been easier! The SEL Unlock is full of ready-to-use interactive activities that will help students be more successful learners in your classroom.  CLASSROOM COMMUNITY One of the best parts of the SEL Unlock activities is the classroom community that is created. These SEL activities let students share and get to know and appreciate each other. Giving students the opportunity to focus on areas of mindfulness, self-awareness, and positive self talk is so powerful. These positive affirmations ..read more

Getting ready for a sub or guest teacher can seem overwhelming and daunting. Sometimes even just getting started can seem like a big job. What forms should be shared? How to organize the schedule? What about this and that? Here are a few tips and tricks to help you make sub plans with a little less stress! SET UP Take some of the stress of planning for a sub away with this Sub Binder template. The organization is easy for you to prepare and easy for subs to follow. A win-win! Just print and fill out the pages you need ahead of time, and it will save you the extra work of putting tog ..read more

Teachers are always promoting kindness and encouraging students to show kindness. The perfect way for students to SHOW kindness is with the kindness activities using the Unlock the Door for Kindness Fun!  TEACHER SET UP The Kindness Activities are SUPER EASY and LOW PREP for you! There are many kindness ideas for your students to participate in. They are an excellent way to mix fun activities with small acts of kindness. First, decide if you want your class to do a fun activity a day and if you want to count up or down to something…maybe a class Valentine's Day party, holiday ..read more

February is the shortest month but it can feel like the longest! Check out this resource guide for a few February classroom resources that will help make this month a little more manageable. VALENTINE'S DAY BINGO February can be a tough month, especially with classroom behaviors starting to pop up. One way to help fix those little behaviors before they escalate is to implement a classroom bingo. The Valentine's Day Bingo is the perfect classroom management resource to encourage students to make positive choices. Bingo steps… Choose a focus – something like on task, voice level, tr ..read more

Amazon has all the things – but if you're looking for the BEST teacher items, this Top 5 Amazon Products blog is just what you need! MAGNETIC ROD A magnetic rod is the jack of all trades in a classroom! SO MANY uses! The magnetic rods has a little wiggle room in size which can be super handy. A few popular uses include… Curtains Pocket charts Anchor charts Classroom schedule Important documents Date – click HERE for a date freebie! Roll of butcher paper They are the best for hanging anything that you need on a whiteboard. These magnetic rods are easy to move around and rearrange whenever y ..read more

Engaging students in reading activities isn't always easy. Luckily this Open the Book For Reading Fun activity will give you six ready-to-use activities that take MINIMAL effort on your part. And sometimes that is exactly what you need. READY TO USE ACTIVITIES One of the benefits of Open the Book is how many ways it can be used AND it can be used throughout the year with different books. You can also choose to complete each of the six activities whole class or in small groups, in partnerships, or independently. These activities with increase student engagement while also b ..read more