International Dot Day is an annual celebration of creativity, courage, and collaboration, observed on September 15th. This day encourages students around the world to embrace their artistic side and make their mark, starting with a simple dot. In 2026, Dot Day presents an exciting opportunity for educators to engage intermediate and middle school students in […]
Category: reading
Start Strong in Middle School ELA: Build Relationships Without Losing Rigor
Learn Who They Are (Quickly) with Interest Surveys That Actually Inform Instruction Student interest surveys work best when they do more than collect “favorite color” facts. Aim for questions that help you teach: reading identity, strengths, supports, and what makes school feel safe and doable. Keep it simple: a one-page survey (paper or digital) you can […]
Starting the New Semester with Success: Integrating Daily Reading Routines
As the new semester unfolds, teachers across the globe are gearing up to welcome a fresh cohort of students into their classrooms. The start of a new term is a golden opportunity to establish routines that not only instill discipline but also promote academic growth. One such effective routine is the integration of daily reading […]
Celebrating December: A Month of Festivities, Birthdays, and Historic Events
As the calendar year draws to a close, December brings with it a spirit of celebration, reflection, and anticipation, especially within your classroom. For you, this month presents a wonderful opportunity to ignite a sense of wonder and learning as you celebrate not only the holiday season but also significant historical events and the birthdays […]
Enhancing Learning: Interactive Read Aloud Experiences in the Classroom
Interactive read aloud experiences in middle school classrooms provide a dynamic approach to engaging students with literature. By incorporating this method, educators can foster a love for reading, enhance comprehension skills, and promote critical thinking. This blog post explores the benefits, strategies, and practical applications of interactive read alouds in a middle school setting The […]
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Mother Goose Day (May 1) and Using Mother Goose in the Classroom
Mother Goose Day is a charming and whimsical holiday dedicated to the timeless nursery rhymes and fairy tales that have been passed down through generations. This special day celebrates the imaginary author of a collection of fairy tales and nursery rhymes – Mother Goose. It’s an opportunity for people of all ages to revisit the […]
Using Language Experience to Teach Reading and Prompts for Spring
The Language Experience Approach (LEA) is a powerful method for teaching reading that integrates various language skills in a meaningful context. By using students’ own language and experiences, LEA helps bridge the gap between spoken and written language, making reading more accessible and engaging. One of the key benefits of LEA is its ability to […]
4 Ways to Use Building Blocks Such as Legos With Older Students
Who doesn’t enjoy playing with building blocks such as Legos? There is something both relaxing and stimulating about these simple structures. Seeing your creation come together is fun for all ages! Pulling out building blocks will hook your students and almost always guarantee engagement. Writing Precise Directions and Following Directions For this activity, all students […]
Using Digital Picture Frames in the Classroom
Digital picture frames are versatile tools that can be used for various purposes in the classroom. They provide a modern and engaging way to display images and videos, making them ideal for creating an immersive learning environment. There are many different uses in the classroom. Showcase Student Work Digital picture frames can be used to […]
Classic Short Stories for Halloween (Secondary Classrooms)
Halloween is the perfect time to tell spooky stories, and what better way to celebrate the season than with some classic tales from the public domain? Here are five timeless Halloween short stories and suggestions for follow-up that are sure to give your students a good scare! “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allen Poe This […]
Starting a Successful School Year—Norms and Rules
As teachers begin a new school year, there are several things that they need to consider to ensure a smooth and successful academic year. It is important for teachers to establish clear expectations for their students regarding behavior, classroom rules, and a positive learning environment. Many groups I have participated in start by developing norms. […]
Lexile.com new features for K-2 Teachers
Lexile.com is a great resource for finding books and other reading materials that match the individual reading level of your students. It also provides information about reading assessments and other resources to help you and your students improve reading skills. Lexile.com is not new, and Reading Specialty has a previous blog post about readability which […]
Summer Challenge for Kids
Everyone looks forward to summer, yet it seems like boredom can quickly set in. Here is a list of activities/challenges for your students or for parents to share with their kids. Set a goal and see how many can be accomplished! Create Tap into your creative side. *Write a poem. *Compose a song. Write the […]
Promoting Independent Reading
12 Ideas to Promote Independent Reading in Your School or Class Librarians can be your best friend! Our school librarian provided monthly opportunities for our kids. They KNEW kids and they KNEW teen literature. They provided information on library resources,book talks, book speed dating, lessons on research, special presentations for banned book weeks, and information […]
Famous Duos–A Four Day Mini-Research Project and Activity for Your Classroom
This project began as famous couples (in honor of Valentine’s Day). It quickly morphed to famous duos and it is appropriate for any day of the year. The list of duos includes people in history, fictional characters, and pairs in pop culture. Each student selects one of the pairs: Mickey and Minnie Mouse Dr. Jekyll […]
Reflecting and Looking Forward
Starting the New Semester With Your Students January has traditionally been a time of both reflection and looking forward and setting goals. It is a good time for a reset in your classroom. Guide your students to reflect on their first semester and begin to look forward to the second semester. Students will benefit from […]
4 Resources for Teaching Dickens
Studying Charles Dickens in December is a highlight for Language Arts teachers. Here are 4 sites to help with your classroom study. Charles Dickens Info This website features three sections: The Life of Dickens The Work of Dickens A Christmas Carol Included in the website you will find a quiz, interactive resources, book and short […]
A Fun Class Digital Time Capsule for Thanksgiving
Trying to find classroom activities that capitalize on the interest of the holidays, provide meaningful classroom experiences, and avoid controversy can be challenging. This time of year can also be very stressful for teachers as they juggle report cards, conferences, curriculum demands, parent communication, meetings, and their own family obligations. Try this low-prep Thanksgiving activity […]
4 Fun Ideas for Halloween
1. R.L Stine Story Club Podcast R. L. Stine Story Club has a collection of podcasts designed for ages 8 and up. The episodes are stand alone. Ariel Winter (from Modern Family) is the narrator (club president) and there are more than 20 episodes for your students to enjoy. Click here to be directed to […]
8 Ideas for The Last Few Minutes of Class
Losing 5 minutes of instructional time a day over a 180 day school year will result in a loss 900 minutes or 15 hours. The precious minutes at the beginning and end of class add up! Sometimes your great lesson ends a few minutes before the end of the hour. This blog post gives you […]
Summer Reading Fun in 2021
Help your students avoid the summer reading achievement slide and give them some fun opportunities to encourage reading this summer. Check out these possibilities to keep reading a part of the lives of your students during school vacation. Books-A-Million Award-winning author Kate DiCamillo and Candlwick Press have teamed with Books-A-Million for a fun summer challenge. […]
Student Inspires Idea for Blog–Get Your Kids Involved
I was going through my list of potential blog topics, trying to decide which topic I would write about next. In an uncanny coincidence, I opened an email from a student who had used the resources in an old blog post. The email stated, “Yesterday my youngest was given a paper on the Statue of […]
3 Ways to Improve Fluency
The International Literacy Brief “Reading Fluently Does Not Mean Reading Fast” defines fluency as “reasonably accurate reading, at an appropriate rate, with suitable expression, that leads to accurate and deep comprehension and motivation to read.” Accurate reading involves developing automaticity. Reading accurately involves decoding and instant word recognition which allows the reader to concentrate on […]
Why A Reading Teacher Needs to Teach Geography
And free resources to help you do it! The Amazon River is in Africa. Dallas is a state. You can drive to Hawaii. Yes–HIGH SCHOOL students have all made these comments in my class. It is no wonder why they have trouble understanding things they read in their book when they have no idea where […]
Trello for Students and Teachers
My husband was consulting with a company which used Trello. He was talking about how they used it at the company, and I decided to have a look. So….now I am addicted. I love Trello. I use it daily. Trello is a visual collaboration tool which helps with planning and organization. Essentially it is a […]
Halloween in the Classroom
Holiday Fun With Academics! Halloween is fun for fall and provides a great theme for the classroom. It can provide interest for even a reluctant learner! Here are some ideas for the virtual or in-person class.SPOOKY MUSIC Spooky Music My personal preference is for instrumental background music. I feel like it is less distracting as […]
Developing Background Information to Improve Reading Comprehension
Reading comprehension is a very complex task. The background knowledge and vocabulary students have relating to what they are reading makes a huge difference in how they understand a text. I have no clue what I just read! As adults, we have all experienced this. Even with college degrees and as an avid reader, there […]
Student Choice
All of us like to feel like we have power over a situation. Students are no exception.Now, more than ever, students need to feel they have some control over their lives. Making a choice has been known to reduce stress. It makes us feel good. Most importantly, as a student making the choice then gives […]
Back to School with Academic Learning–Setting the Tone for older students
Starting the school year can be stressful, but with all the added complexities of COVID, this year may be especially difficult. Establishing additional health related routines, addressing fears, and planning for uncertainty has just made the job even more difficult. Now, perhaps more than ever, starting the year purposefully is extremely important. Harry Wong, guru […]
Looking at Preschool Learners with Boom Cards
My grandson was approaching “tablet age” about the time I took an interest in Boom™ Cards. I’ve enjoyed making some Boom cards for this 2 1/2 year old boy. You might enjoy it also, and personalized decks are fun to create using this program. (Consider yourself warned–it is a bit of a rabbit hole and […]
May 18-24
Develop the background knowledge of your students by sharing a historic event from each day. This post gives you an event which occurred each day in history from May 18-24. An online link for each day is also included. In this blog post you will find Plessy v. Ferguson, Guantanamo Bay, Hubble Telescope, Plato, Sir […]
Day In History May 9-17
Improve the reading of your students by helping them to develop background knowledge. Share an event with your students based on each day in history. Check out the links to related free resources to help with your lesson. Included May 9-17: Crown Jewels, FBI, Euro, Donner Party, Louis Armstrong, US Constitution, Gasoline Rationing, China Cultural […]
Day In History: May 1-8
Present an event which occurred in history to your students each day. Develop background knowledge as you discuss the event. Use the free online resource to supplement your resource. In this blog post: Osama Bin Laden, Kentucky Derby, Freedom Riders, Cinco De Mayo, Henry David Thoreau, Palace of Versailles, Mount Everest May 1–May Day May […]
Day In History April 25-30
A great way to develop background information on a variety of topics is to post an event from history for each day. Check out the events listed from each day April 25-30 and use the free online resources in this blog to supplement your teaching. April 25–Watson and Crick Watson and Crick formally announce they […]
Day In History: April 17-24
Develop the background knowledge of your students by sharing a historic event from each day. This post gives you an event which occurred each day in history from April 17 to April 24. A corresponding free online resource is linked. Check out the following topics: Bay of Pigs, Paul Revere, Boston Marathon, Columbine, Red Baron, […]
Day In History: April 9-16
Share a historic event each day with your students. This is a great bell-ringer! Post on Smartboard or write on white board and discuss with your students to develop background knowledge. If you are searching for a way to develop reading skills, check out the differentiated passages (with comprehension questions) at the bottom of the […]
Day in History: April 1-8
Free online resources for each of these topics: April Fool’s Day, White House Easter Egg Roll, Pony Express, Maya Angelou, Helen Keller, Sacajawea, History of the Internet, Buddhism April 1–April Fool’s Day A day of practical jokes and pranks is held every April 1. Looking for April fools’ Pranks for kids? Check out 41 Genius […]
Day In History: March 17-24
Free online resources for each of these topics: St. Patrick’s Day, History of the Railroad, Wyatt Earp, Harriet Beecher Stowe and Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Pocahontas, The Equal Rights Amendment, Patrick Henry, Harry Houdini March 17–St. Patrick’s Day Shamrocks? Leprechauns? St. Patrick? St. Patrick’s Day is March 17. Looking for a St. Patrick’s Day book? Penguin […]
Day In History: March 9-16
Free online resources for your classroom on each of these topics: Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal, Salvation Army, Richard Byrd, Truman Doctrine, K-9 War Dogs, Albert Einstein, Julius Caesar, and the Red Cross March 9: Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal March 9, 1933 Franklin D. Roosevelt submits the first of his […]
Day In History: March 1-8
Free online resources for each of these topics: Salem Witch Trials, Theador Seuss Geisel, Child Labor, Hindenburg, Boston Massacre, Dred Scott, Challenger March 1–Salem Witch Trials March 1, 1692 the Salem witch trials begin in Massachusetts. The Stanford History Education Group consists of Stanford faculty, and graduate students seeking to improve education. One of the […]
Day In History: February 23-28
Free online resources for your classroom on each of these topics: The Alamo, Japanese-American Internment, Muhammad Ali, World Trade Center, Mardi Gras, Branch Davidian Raid, February 23–The Alamo The siege of the Alamo begins February 23, 1836. Thealamo.org offers a variety of resources for the classroom. One interesting feature allows students to look at the […]
Day In History: February 16-22
Ku Klux Klan, Missouri Compromise, Dust Storms, Iwo Jima, US Post Office, Malcolm X, Dolly the Lamb February 16 Ku Klux Klan Ten members of the Ku Klux Klan were arrested February 16, 1952. National Geographic has a short approximately 2 min video giving a brief history of the Ku Klux Klan. February 17 Missouri […]
Day In History: February 8-15
Boy Scouts, Daylight Savings, Chinese New Year, Nelson Mandela, Abraham Lincoln, Galileo, Valentine’s Day, Socrates February 8–Boy Scouts Incorporation of Feb. 8, 1910 on Boy Scouts of America A Popular Mechanics article published February 6, 2019 entitled “10 Wild Things You Didn’t Know About Boy Scout History” is a delightful collection of fun facts your […]
Day In History: February 1-7
Greensboro Sit-In, Groundhog Day, Ferdinand Magellan, United Service Organization (USO), Mexican Constitution Day, Ronald Reagan,Beatles, February 1 Greensboro Woolworth Sit-In February 1, 1960, four black college students sat down at a “whites-only” lunch counter in Greensboro NC and refused to leave. C-span classroom has a Greensboro, North Carolina Woolworth Sit-In video with three clips including […]
February Give-Away–Held January 24-26
February is such a great time of year with So Many FUN Holidays to CELEBRATE!We’ve teamed up to give you a HUGE BUNDLE of Middle School Resources for February! You’ll get the products shown for a great selection of activities for your middle schoolers. Check them out here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/…/Search:FEBRUARYPRODUC…⭐️It’s EASY to Enter⭐️ Comment on this post by answering […]
Manhattan Project
February 4, 2020, a free virtual field trip for classrooms with a WWII theme. Electronic Field Trip Date and Time The National WWII Museum is offering two electronic virtual field trips on Tuesday, February 4 at 9 AM and again at noon (CDT). Each presentation is scheduled to last one hour. ‘ Topic The presentation […]
Day In History: January 24-31
Winston Churchill, Winter Olympics, Amnesty International, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the Eiffel Tower, Smithsonian Institute, Wright Brothers, Jackie Robinson January 24 Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955. A well-developed documentary is available from The People Profiles covering from […]
Day In History: January 16-23 Free Resources
Prohibition, Doomsday Clock, Martin Luther King Jr, Tokyo Rose, Barack Obama, Concorde, CIA, Poll Tax January 16–Prohibition Prohibition was a nationwide constitutional ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages from 1920 to 1933. January 16, 1919 prohibition takes effect. PBS.org has a number of activities for teachers to use in their classroom related […]
Day In History: January 9-15 Free Resources
Share a historic event each day with your students. This is a great bell-ringer! Post on Smartboard or write on white board and discuss with your students to develop background knowledge. If you are searching for a way to develop reading skills, check out the differentiated passages (with comprehension questions) at the bottom of the […]