Ideas for Teacher Gifts: TEN Time-Saving & Unique Etsy Gifts!

Are you crunched for time and worried you won't find a personalized gift for your special teacher?  Maybe your children are struggling to find that special gift for teachers from students. Or, are you looking for something different & unique for a colleague?

And, hey!...when shopping on Etsy, you are also supporting small business owners (many of whom are teachers!)

Check out these inexpensive & unique gifts for men and women on Etsy!

BEST Black Friday & Cyber Monday Deals for Teachers: Classroom Guide

If you are a teacher, Black Friday is a great opportunity to score HUGE deals on classroom supplies!

Are you thinking about adding some flexible seating options to your space? Or, maybe you're thinking about taking on some DIY projects? Whatever your classroom needs are, this is a fantastic opportunity to get some bargains!

Check out the BEST Black Friday & Cyber Monday Deals for Teachers 2020!

{This post contains affiliate links to materials I recommend. If you purchase something using these links I may receive a small commission.}

Teacher Supplies "Must-Haves": Ideas for Classroom Management and Organization!

Preparing for your first year as a teacher?  Or, maybe you are a seasoned teacher looking for new items to spice up your room? 

Regardless of your experience, there are some standard classroom supplies and resources you'll want, to ensure you and your students are in the learning groove!

Check out my FAVORITE and most "necessary" items.  These are all items I use and love!  

Ten Must-Haves for Any Elementary Classroom:

{This post may contain affiliate links to materials I recommend. If you purchase something using these links I may receive a small commission.}

Hopes and Dreams: Creating Student & Community Goals. First Six Weeks of School!

Looking for a way to build classroom community, start student goal-setting, AND decorate your classroom at the beginning of the school year?  Look no further! 

You can head confidently back to school, using these decorative bunting banner flags to help your students establish their Hopes and Dreams for the school year.

{This post may contain affiliate links to materials I recommend. If you purchase something using these links I may receive a small commission.}

Teach CVC Reading & Spelling Practice, Through Thematic Activities! FREE Ocean Printable

Have you noticed how hard it is to find phonics-based CVC thematic units, where the words are actually related to the topic? 

When my son wanted to learn about ocean words, all of the beach word work activities and games online had unconnected words!  (For example: they had words like pin, wig, and fox.)  What?!!

{This post may contain affiliate links to materials I recommend. If you purchase something using these links I may receive a small commission.}

Flexible Seating DIY, Teacher Hacks, and Tips for an Elementary Classroom!

Check out these ideas, to create alternative seating options for your classroom!

P.S. I purchased ALL of these items while on a tight budget. You can, too! Check out this post for other money-saving tips.

A Basic Overview of Phonemic Awareness and Phonics Instruction: Low-Prep Activities Ages 2-5

Literary terms and jargon, for emergent and developing readers! 

Two of the most important terms to know are PHONEMES and PHONICS.  Not sure how they are they are related or different?  No problem!  Here is a simple overview, to get you started.

10 Children's Books Using Rhyme

10 Picture Books Using Rhyme

One of the best ways to develop an ear for rhyme is through stories, short poems, nursery rhymes, and songs read or sung aloud. While reading, notice and talk about patterns and make predictions.

Check out these books and grab a free printable of the list, down below!

10 Picture Books using Alliteration: Text Summaries Included!

10 Picture Books Using Alliteration

One of the best ways to develop an ear for alliteration is through stories read aloud. While reading, notice and talk about repetition of sounds. Example: Brown bear, brown bear... "What sound do these words start with?"

Check out these books and grab a free printable of the list, down below!

15 Must-Have Supplies New Teachers Need to Start a Classroom for Grades 3, 4, & 5

If you are a new teacher or are changing grade levels, you may be wondering what items you NEED to purchase, to start off the year.  

Here is a list of fifteen necessities, to teach in an elementary classroom with a focus on third, fourth, or fifth grade students.

Check out my Amazon Wish List for "New Teacher--New Classroom" ideas!

Top 15 Supplies for Elementary Classrooms

Using Amazon's Echo Dot in the Classroom: "Alexa, I Need a Teaching Assistant!" (FREE Download)

"Alexa, set a timer for 5 minutes."   That's how easy it is.  For real.

When you are managing children, there are undoubtably times when you wish you had an extra set of hands.  Not to fear!  The Echo Dot is here!  

Let me tell you about how handy the Echo Dot can be for management tips, skill practice, and classroom fun! Did I mention it occasionally goes on sale for 50% off?! 😊   

{This post may contain affiliate links to materials I recommend. If you purchase something using these links I may receive a small commission.}

The BEST Amazon Prime Day Deals for Teachers 2019!

If you are a teacher, Amazon Prime Day is a great opportunity to score HUGE deals on classroom supplies! Are you thinking about adding some flexible seating options to your space? Or, maybe you're thinking about taking on some DIY projects? Whatever your classroom needs are, this is a fantastic opportunity to get some bargains!

What is Prime Day

Amazon's Prime Day is a world-wide shopping event, where thousands of products are discounted. You can find deals on items from across a huge spectrum.

RSVP for Updates on our Black Friday/Cyber Monday FACEBOOK EVENT!

This post may contain affiliate links to materials I recommend. If you purchase something using these links I may receive a small commission.

Custom Book Stamp (New FAVORITE gem!) for My Classroom Library

Don't waste your time putting labels on all of your classroom books or literature sets! 

My reading-heart skipped a beat when I saw these awesome customized book stamps!!  😍💞📚  They are:

• Easy
• Fast
• Personalized
• Fun (in a teacher sort of way!)

{This post may contain affiliate links to materials I recommend. If you purchase something using these links I may receive a small commission.}

I saw a colleague using this AMAZING customized book stamp today, on her new books from the Scholastic books fair:

   
{This post contains affiliate links to materials I recommend.}

I seriously went online and ordered it during my lunch break!  As soon as I got my newest order of books, I got busy labeling:

Scholastic Book Order: All the Books! 

Personalized Book Stamp is Ready!

What?! Stamping is so EASY!

    

Check out another version with the Personalized Book Stamp from Mabel's Labels!

DIY Plastic Drawer Organizer UPGRADE: Classroom Decor on a BUDGET!

Old, tired classroom supplies got you down?  On a tight budget?  Well, this tip is for you!  

I'm excited to show you how I turned my ugly classroom bins and drawers into handsome, functional pieces.  It was SUPER easy and fun!

Buy Krylon Plastic Spray Paint HERE

Last summer, I decided to update my classroom decor into a Colorful Farmhouse theme.  It started off great--I was highly inspired and had a blast shopping for decorations and supplies at Michael's, the Christmas Tree Shop, and JoAnn's Fabrics (to name a few.)  

{This post may contain affiliate links to materials I recommend. If you purchase something using these links I may receive a small commission.}

Mindful Moments in the Classroom: Creating a Space for Coping Skills and Self-Awareness

Sometimes, there are just too many things for me to manage in a day!  Seriously.  I want to do it all!  But, more often than not, the day flies by and I find myself reflecting back thinking things like, "I should have given my students more (insert: breaks, transition time, movement, mindful moments, sensory activities, coping skills, etc.).  Ugh... I want to do better!

Well, today, I thought of ONE thing I could change.  One thing I could take off my plate.  One little gift I could give my students...  

Instead of 'leading' our mindfulness activities in class, I found a way to facilitate them!  

Now my students will be more self-directed, have more freedom of choice, and will be able to practice coping-skills and self-regulation!

{This post may contain affiliate links to materials I recommend. If you purchase something using these links I may receive a small commission.}

Teaching TRAITS, using Classification and Dichotomous Key!

If you have ever taught Physical and Behavioral Traits (or Adaptations), then you know some students struggle with differentiating between the two!

We are getting ready to launch into our unit on TRAITS LS3-1, LS3-2, LS4-2.  Before we begin, I like to pull out my Classification Unit to engage and elicit background information... 

WOW!  It is such a powerful way to start this unit!

Check it out here!

Homophone Activities: Commonly Confused Words!

I have a secret mission in teaching... 

to make sure my students can spell these commonly confused homophone words:

* To, too, two
* There, their, they're
* Your, you're
* Its, it's

This year, I upped my game! 

We not only learned about each type, read books, and practiced...

{This post may contain affiliate links to materials I recommend. If you purchase something using these links I may receive a small commission.}

Constructed Response--Writing about Reading (Freebie)

If you are looking for a simple and straightforward way to teach essay-writing, then Constructed Responses are it!

It is important for students to understand what it means to "construct" an essay or response.  You will want to spend some time talking about the art of building your ideas, while using evidence directly from the text. 

CONSTRUCTION TIME!

  

{This post may contain affiliate links to materials I recommend. If you purchase something using these links I may receive a small commission.}

Responsive Classroom Management: Books, Signals, Rules, Consequences--FREE Printable Poster!

Download a FREE Printable Poster!

Teachers KNOW how critical effective classroom management is!  

The best classrooms employ strategies, which utilize both SOCIAL and EMOTIONAL skills, in order to achieve high ACADEMIC success.

Responsive Classroom is an approach to teaching, which (when well-constructed) leads to improved classroom behavior and academic growth.  

According to Responsive Classroom, "Responsive Classroom is an evidence-based approach to teaching that focuses on engaging academics, positive community, effective management, and developmental awareness."  This helps educators to "create safe and joyful learning communities where students develop strong social and academic skills and every student can thrive."  

I have been using Responsive Classroom strategies for over 17 years!  

Check out my TOP THREE book recommendations and Responsive Classroom Management Posters!

{This post may contain affiliate links to materials I recommend. If you purchase something using these links I may receive a small commission.}

Mindfulness: Practicing Mental Health & Well-Being, FREE Printable

Click Here for a FREE Printable Poster

If you work with children who struggle with anxiety, self-regulation, or stress, then teaching mindfulness practices are for you.

Schools all over the world are now training teachers and support staff to teach mindfulness techniques--and to practice themselves for mental health well-being. 

{This post may contain affiliate links to materials I recommend. If you purchase something using these links I may receive a small commission.}

Why Mindfulness in the Classroom?

According to the Positive Psychology Program: 

Mindfulness helps students and staff manage their stress more effectively and work through it more quickly. Frequent mindfulness practice—even micro-sessions of a few minutes or less—imparts health benefits. Research suggests that mindfulness programs can improve cognitive performance as well as resilience to stress.

Summary Posters & Graphic Organizers: FREE Printables!

Summarizing teaches students how to integrate the most important (main ideas) from their reading, in a meaningful way!

*Updated April 2019!

Download These FREE Printable Posters

Summarizing strategies can be used across almost every areas of learning.  They help students recall and synthesize important information!  

{This post may contain affiliate links to materials I recommend. If you purchase something using these links I may receive a small commission.}

These posters provide a clear structure and support for both fiction and nonfiction summarizing, by using the 5Ws (and H).

5 TIPS for Flexible Seating: Creating an Alternative Classroom on a Budget

As a teacher, you have probably spent HOURS arranging (and rearranging) your desks, chairs, tables, and various other items in your classroom space.... trying to find the perfect classroom design.

Sound familiar?  Find out how you can create MORE options for students who need to wiggle, stand, or get more comfortable.  Plus, you can acquire quality furniture, without breaking the bank!  

Shoebox Dioramas to Talk about Setting (Free Rubric!)

Download FREE Rubric Package

I was looking for a fun activity to use, to focus on the importance of setting details.  My students had a BLAST creating these dioramas, to represent setting elements.   

Alliteration: Phonemic Development, Listen for Sounds!

What is Alliteration?

General alliteration is the repetition of the same letter or sound, at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words.  For example:

"Peter piper picked a peck of pickled peppers."

Alliteration is a craft, which offers many effects.  It can draw the reader's attention to the text.  It often adds to the rhythm of the story.  It can also create a mood, depending on the connotation of the particular sound being emphasized.

{This post may contain affiliate links to materials I recommend. If you purchase something using these links I may receive a small commission.}

Why is Alliteration Important for Phonemic Awareness?

Basic Overview of Using Rhyme in Phonemic Awareness, Ages 2-5

What is Rhyming in Reading?

{This post may contain affiliate links to materials I recommend. If you purchase something using these links I may receive a small commission.}

Rhyming is a sequence of words (in verse or poem) where this is a re-occurrence of similar-sounding sounds.  This typically occurs with end sounds.
For example: