Using Flipbooks During Distance Learning Chances are that distance learning wasn’t in the cards for you or your upper elementary students. You never planned on teaching your students away from the classroom. However, you have all the tools and resources you need to end the year with fun, engaging, and meaningful lessons for your learners. Using flipbooks during distance learning can help your students experience low-tech learning to get them ready to research, read, and write! Start by trying these social studies flipbooks with your online learners. European Explorers Have your students put on ..read more

I have been a long time love of all things Erin Condren, and their brand new Teacher Planner was just released! I splurged and got the Oh So Retro Teacher Lesson Planner Bundle which includes so many goodies that make planning colorful and organized- which makes my teacher heart very happy. This kit comes with a sticker book to jazz up that calendar! Snap in sticky notes, which are super helpful to the constant changing of our schedules. The AMAZING dual-tip markers and a Planny Pack to keep it all together. I have been using this planner for 10 years, I tried a few others and even tried to ..read more

Zoom for Beginners in Upper ElementaryZoom: it’s not just an adjective that means to go quickly. It is one of the most popular platforms for engaging virtually with our students. Zoom is a very easy, user-friendly platform that will allow you to engage with your entire class. Here are some tips and tricks to help you implement Zoom in your classroom. Test Zoom First We all know what happens as teachers when we try something out with our students before we have used it ourselves! It’s usually not the best. Test out Zoom with family, friends, or coworkers before you try it out with your students ..read more

If I ever had to move out of my wonderful elementary world and up to the land of the bigger kids (high school), I think I would be a social studies teacher. It definitely is one of my favorite subject areas to teach. There are so many fun and engaging social studies activities out there, and I seem to find more new ones every day! Check out these 5 Social Studies Activities for Upper Elementary you’ll love to try in your classroom! 13 American Colonies Flipbook The families I have worked with LOVE flipbooks! I don’t know what it is about them, but the students will do any work you ask them to ..read more

December writing in upper elementary can be so much fun, but too often, we fall to the same tired, old prompts. “What are you doing on winter break?” is isolating for kids who don’t have fun plans. Prompts about the weather are confusing for children who live in warm climates. Some prompts focus just on coloring and crafting without developing writing skills or using the writing process. Get your students excited about winter writing with these engaging December writing activities for upper elementary that foster creativity and writing skills! Ugly Christmas Sweater Descriptive and Persuasive ..read more

Elementary social studies is an excellent opportunity for your students to explore American history, their own state, and the world! You can spend hours upon hours finding amazing projects to address your state and district objectives and standards. Why not check out these social studies research projects for 3rd-5th grade? These engaging activities will help your students learn about history and their own community while having fun! European Explorers Flipbook I love using flipbooks with my students! Creating flipbooks at the end of a unit is a perfect way for students to showcase their learn ..read more

Red Ribbon Week is a celebration in school that promotes a healthy, drug-free lifestyle. The yearly celebration was started in honor of Enrique (Kiki) Camarena, a Drug Enforcement Agency Agent who fought against the effects that drugs and alcohol addiction had on families. Because of his dangerous job, Camarena was killed in 1985. Red Ribbon Week keeps his memory alive and focuses on saving the lives of young people by focusing on healthy alternatives to drugs and alcohol. In school, you can promote a drug-free lifestyle with these activities to celebrate red ribbon week. Decorate your classro ..read more

You’re back to school, and you’ve already dove into your stash of pencils, paper, and glue. Let’s face it. You’ve probably spent some of your hard earned money on supplies for your students. Don’t fret! It’s time to put your favorite items on your wish list to share with parents, donors (check out #clearthelist on Twitter for a donor movement sweeping the nation), and friends. Stock up on these must-have classroom supplies to put on your wish list. Dry Erase Markers Everyone needs Expo Markers in their arsenal. Writing the agenda and lessons on the whiteboard day after day can take a toll on ..read more

The school year is in swing for most of the country, and it’s time to start the year strong! Growth mindset is not just a hot topic; it’s a way of teaching your students to embrace challenges and failure and keep going. It’s the attitude that even though things might get tough, believing that you can and working hard to achieve goals is all about mindset. Teach your students how to start the year with a growth mindset. Model “I can” language. One way you can start the year with a growth mindset is by encouraging your students to say “I can” when or after rather than “I can’t”. It’s possible th ..read more

Well, we’re officially in Back to School mode, and Parent Orientation is a BTS event always noted in my planner. It may go by another name at your school- Open House, Back-to-School Night, or Curriculum Night– but its purpose is the same: to communicate to parents all they need to know as partners in their child’s education. Here are some simple strategies for a relaxed but professional parent orientation! Create a warm environment. There are some easy ways to create an inviting and warm atmosphere that will put everyone at ease. Have things for parents to see and do as they arrive. This is e ..read more