I would like to engage my kindergarten students in more STEM activities. Any suggestions?
We host a STEAM night each year at our school and are always looking for large scale activities that families can engage in together. Have you been successful with any activities that you would recommend?
I am currently hosting a student teacher. What do you wish you knew when you were student teaching that I could share with them? (Other than joining us here!!) :)
What are some of your favorite STEAM activities that you like to do with elementary students (bonus if you can share something that could be done as a family!)?
We have adopted enVision for our Math Curriculum and text books this year. We are using Savvy as the adaptive practice for third through fifth grade. I don't know much about the program and as the STEM Coach, I don't have a class to play around with to see what it looks like. Any tips or tricks about using this effectively in the classroom? Teachers aren't happy about using it (our state had paid for Dreambox previously to this year and they are reluctant to change) so I'm looking for advice from others who have used it and seen growth for students.
I have been reading a lot about assessments and assessing students to reduce anxiety for students. I came across this idea and I immediately fell in love with it. I also wished I would have seen this as a classroom teacher. What I love about it is that it gives students an opportunity to build their thinking capacity before testing and increase their thought process when working on questions. I know students can't do this before high-stakes testing, but I think using this will build students' confidence and expand their thinking.
Thoughts about this? What are some other strategies you have tried?
"'I'm gathering evidence of learning.'
That shift in language in how I approach the assessment process opened so many doors for how l assess students and what I pay attention to in order to determine
where a student's at in their learning." --Tyler Rabin, educator
I read this quote recently on Edutopia (I went back to try to find the article but unfortunately, I couldn't find it. My notes weren't thorough enough I suppose!) and it helped me figure out how to frame this for teachers. Students don't need to be afraid of assessments and changing how we speak about them could change their mindset. How do you frame assessments for your students? Any tips on how to change teachers' mindsets around assessments or students'?
Back to School = Back to Family Literacy!
As we head into a new school year, let’s remember that literacy grows strongest when school and home work together.
Family literacy isn’t just about reading books—it’s about building language, curiosity, and a love of learning through everyday moments. 📖✨
Here are a few simple ways to weave literacy into your family’s daily life this fall:
Read Together – Even 10 minutes a day makes a difference.
Talk About Your Day – Conversation builds vocabulary and connection.
Write for a Purpose – Grocery lists, thank-you notes, and family calendars all count.
Share Stories – Tell family stories or make up your own adventures.
When families read, talk, and learn together, children’s confidence and academic success grow. Let’s make this year one where literacy thrives—in every classroom and every home. ❤️
What’s your favorite family reading tradition?
I am beginning the year looking at primary documents on a 3rd grade level. Some of the items I am including are the Pledge of Allegiance, The Star Spangled Banner, and the March on Washington (Aug 28- I have a Dream speech). I focus on the "I Have a Dream" portion of the text because it is most familiar. I let the students know that there was more to the speech and as a center, I have the students analyze the inspirations that were used in the speech. I feel that these would be a great start for students to look at primary sources seeing how they are familiar.
I would like to set up a dedicated space in my classroom as a science area. What should I include?
One of our first units in our knowledge block is nursery rhymes and fables. How can I make learning about these more interactive for my students? I am planning on having them create a "knowledge notebook" where they get a copy of the nursery rhyme and can illustrate it and are able to revisit it. I am also going to use AI to have my students interview some of the nursery rhyme characters (Humpty Dumpty, Jack and Jill, etc.) to ask them about their actions. Are there other ideas you might have that I could try?
Do you have a STEM teacher or a Makerspace in your school? What are some lessons that they share with students?
As a Kindergarten teacher, I guide my students through a calendar routine everyday that includes the date, the weather, counting how many days we have been in school and singing songs about the days of the week and the months of the year. Is there anything else that you do that has been helpful to review or introduce your students to skills that could be added in this time?
One of my favorite beginning of the year activities was discussing how we would treat each other in our classroom (and how we would treat others who enter our classroom). Unfortunately I don't have a picture of one of our anchor charts, but I found this one. With 5th graders, I had them write ideas on sticky notes and put this on the poster. How do you help establish non-negotiables in your classroom at the start of the year?
I wish I would have planned like this when I was a teacher! When I read this, I immediately thought how much this could have helped me a new teacher (or even a few years in!). Does anyone plan like this and have some feedback?
I was looking for things for some new teachers for math talk and I came across this list. Are there any you would add or change?
I came across this a few years ago, and started implementing in my classroom! My students loved it and I saw immediate engagement. When I had a homeroom, I would also put a positive attribute that students exhibited throughout the week (or weeks) on their name tag on the desk. This also engaged students! How do you build a strong community with your students through the year?
