We have some high school athletes that come every Friday to open up car doors for car riders and then come play math games with our 1st and 3rd graders. Our focus this year is going to be on fluency. What are some easy to understand and play fluency games that you like to do with your students?

I love this site that goes along with the book Math Fact Fluency by Jennifer Bay-Williams and Gina Kling: https://kcm.nku.edu/mathfactfluency/. There are great games with PDFs here.

I am looking for some new loose parts! Do you have any favorites or recommendations?

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?

What are ways that you have found that engage all or most of your students?

What are some of your favorite STEM picture books for younger children?

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 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?

How do you start off science in your classroom? Do you have an introductory lesson you can share?
I like to use the children's book titled, "What is Science?" as it shows children that science can be lots of things and that they are already scientists!

I am always looking for new brain breaks! What are some of your favorites?

What materials do you have in your classroom for your students to play with? We end our day with Discovery time (free play) and I am always looking for new items to add, the more open-ended, the better!

What is the one thing you wish you knew as a first year teacher?

I wish I knew that it was okay to be firm and consistent with my students (classroom management 101!). Start the year by being firm and consistent with your students in your decision making, classroom expectations, etc., and that will pay you back all year long!