Each September, at the end of our unit on the five senses, my team has “Apple Day” where we use apples to help investigate our five senses. I love science and STEM, so I’d like to do something in those areas. I usually have students investigate if apples sink or float, but I’d like to change things up this year. Any ideas?

I have a water table in my kindergarten classroom and my students love to use it during literacy and math times for a variety of letter and number activities. I also let them use it during our play time so they can explore how water moves and changes in different containers of different shapes and sizes. What do you add to your water table to keep it fun and interesting for your students?

During my dissertation work, I used a age appropriate mock crime scene to help my kinder students investigate some fairy tale crimes (Who stole the Little Red Hen’s loaf of bread), and am looking for other immersive experiences outside of mock crime scenes and escape rooms. Any other suggestions?

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

What are your favorite play-based learning ideas?

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?

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

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!!) :)

I would like to set up a dedicated space in my classroom as a science area. What should I include?

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

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?

What are some of your first day “must have” lessons? How do you introduce your routines and procedures to your students?

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 had the opportunity this summer to attend several workshop sessions about AI. How do you use AI with young children? Do you have any projects you have had them complete or any examples you can share?

Do you use Science Notebooks with your students? I have used composition notebooks for years with my kindergarten students for science notebooks and have dabbled a little in using digital science notebooks. I am curious to know how you have used them and what you think is important to include in them.

What are your favorite play based learning activities you have used with your students?

I love introducing my kindergarten students to new technology! What are your favorite tech items to use with younger children?

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!

I LOVE school supplies! I get excited at the beginning of each school year as much as my kindergarten students do about using new supplies.

What is your favorite teacher supply or item? Something that you use all the time that others may like to know about?

How do you organize student data?

I have several data recording sheets I purchased online to help me see each of my students' growth over time and keep those in a binder. How do you store and keep track of anecdotal notes or informal observations you make?

How do you use your PLC time? How is it structured? What roles to different members have and how does your meeting time flow?

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!

How do you organize your classroom library in your Kindergarten classroom? Do you sort books in bins by topic or some other way? What are your most popular titles?

With the focus on Science of Reading, have you found any decodables for beginning readers that you really like?

I am ready for a new classroom theme! Any suggestions for a theme that is calming and has more muted colors?

I was introduced to Magic School over the summer. Have you used it with your students? How have you used it? I learned how to app smash it with Book Creator, but I am looking for some other suggestions.

Are you able to have live classroom pets? What are some good suggestions for classroom pets?

We are not able to have any pets with fur due to allergies, other than our school therapy dog. Several of our teachers have fish or turtles.

Do you use desk pets? How do you organize them and how do your students earn them?

How do you manage behaviors in Kindergarten?

I use a warm fuzzy jar and LOTS of modeling of behaviors that I WANT to see happening. Students earn warm fuzzies as a class for following classroom routines and expectations and when we fill the jar, we choose a no-cost, school appropriate reward such as extra recess, extra play time, dance parties (10 minutes), extra time to read/draw/paint/build/etc. Each time a student models the correct behavior they earn a warm fuzzy. As we move through the school year, it takes more to earn a warm fuzzy and they are given out less and less.

I am searching for some new dramatic play themes for my kindergarten classroom this year. Any suggestions or ideas I should try?
I have already decided that I will add in:
-coffee shop
-weather station
-garden center

How do you prepare for the upcoming school year during the summer?

My school will be shifting to using Fundations for our phonics skills next school year. For those of you who have used it with Kindergarten students, what do I need to do to prepare?
My district is not purchasing any materials for us except the teachers manual and online access.

What are your favorite summertime professional development reads?

I’m finally able to sit down and read The Anxious Generation and it is so good!

What other books would you recommend?

Have you found any good strategies that keep your absenteeism rates lower?

We introduced a school wide award that is awarded to the classroom in each grade level with the highest attendance rate each month. When our individual classes have attendance above 95% on a daily basis, we get a postcard with our mascot on it to display outside our classroom door (with the date earned). When our classroom earns 10 of them, we get a visit from the Woot-Woot wagon and each student gets to pick a treat!

How do you welcome new students to your classroom when they arrive 2-6 months after the school year has started?

I will be having a student teacher join my classroom in August. What do you wish you knew from your mentor teacher when you student taught?

What are some ways you celebrate the end of the year countdown with your students?

In my school, our kindergarten students have an ABC countdown for the last 26 days of the year. Today was letter B day and we celebrated by reading books, wearing blue, and playing with bubbles!

What are some ideas or lessons you do with students for Earth Day or Arbor Day?

What are some of your favorite dramatic play experiences that you set up for your students?

How do you incorporate movement into math and literacy?

What are your best tips and tricks for play based learning?

What are some ways you incorporate play into your day?

How do you help your students experience changing seasons?

What are your favorite new read alouds?

How do you welcome students back after a long vacation/break?

How do you help your students engage with not so exciting content?

Do you send any work home with students during school breaks? If so, what kinds of work do you send home?

What are some other ways to engage students in an immersive experience? I’ve used mock crime scenes, but would like to expand to other experiences.

As we head into many holidays, how do you keep your students engaged in learning and make it inclusive for all students?

Giving students brain breaks throughout the day is so important! What are some of your favorites and when do you use them?

How do you talk about Veteran’s Day with younger students?

Do you send home a weekly newsletter? What do you include in it?

I really want to include Science in my school day, but our schedule is so jam packed already, how can I fit it in?

How would you lead a discussion about climate change with younger students?

I am setting up an Amazon wishlist for families to purchase items (optionally!) for our classroom. What are items I should include on that wishlist?

We are going on our first field trip of the school year this week. What are some “must have” things that you take along on every trip as the teacher?

I have a parent who contacted me today and wants to help in the classroom, but I’m not sure how to have them help. Any suggestions?

What are some easy ways (on or offline) to introduce coding to K-1 students?

How do you effectively co-plan lessons with a co-teacher to ensure equal participation?

How do you celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with your students?

I want to include some Science of Reading strategies in my science teaching. What are some ways to go about this?

What are committees in your school or district and how do they give input on the school climate or activities?

How do you develop a culture of reading in your school? How do you get students (and staff!) excited to read?

How do you structure parent/teacher conferences?
Do students attend or lead the conference or do you just meet with caregivers?
What information do you share during the conference?

What science topics do you cover in September and October? We include some seasonal topics such as seasons and some learning about lifecycles (monarch butterflies, pumpkins and apples), but we are looking for some different, non-seasonal topics.

How do you deal with the “Sunday Scaries”? Are there any routines or things that you do to help you relax before beginning a new week?

How do you include science in an already crowded day? Here’s one way I do it!

How can I design hands-on, inquiry-based science activities that engage young learners in exploring the world around them?

What are some common misconceptions that first year or newer teachers have?

What have been your most positive experiences with mentorship? Both as a mentor and mentee?

How can I incorporate play-based learning into my classroom, even if it’s not the primary instructional method?

What are some efficient ways to track an analyze student data without becoming overwhelmed?

What are some strategies for adjusting my pacing when students need more time to grasp key concepts?

How do you help students who have not been in a school setting before, learn when interacting with certain areas of your classroom?

How do you help students see themselves in your classroom space?

How do you celebrate student birthdays or other celebrations?

What are your “go-to” websites for science resources?

How do you decide what dramatic play areas to set up in your classroom and how do you choose what goes in them?

What are the first science topics or units you teach in the new school year?

What are some things you do at the start of the school year to build relationships with students?

What are some of your most effective methods for building a positive classroom community?

When setting up and cleaning out spaces in your classroom, how do you decide what stays and what goes?

How do your students get to play? Here’s a peek at how my Kinders get to play!

How do you set up your classroom? How do these decisions influence and prioritize learning?

What are some classroom management rituals or practices that you start at the beginning of the year?

What happens when science experiments don’t go exactly as planned? How do you improvise?

How do you build community in a new school setting as a new teacher? It seems like other teachers have already formed their own groups.

I'm having a lot of anxiety about starting the school year! What are some tactical things I should do over the summer to feel more prepared, and what should I deprioritize?

How do you engage ALL your learners in a lesson?

Who are some lesser known scientists that you share with your students? What are their names and contributions to science?

Do you have outdoor classroom or garden space at your school? How do you use the space and who cares for the space?

How do you get organized for when you return to your classroom after summer break?

For example, I have a notebook where I make a list all summer so I know what needs to be tackled. What do you do to organize yourself?

Have you found ways that AI is helpful in your elementary classroom or with elementary students?

How do you include Science throughout your day when there might not be a dedicated block of time?

How do you motivate your colleagues? Is there anything special you do to help be their cheerleader?

How do you mentor and inspire new to the profession teachers?

What are some ways you bring nature into your classroom space?

Does your state have any specific requirements for you or your license/credentials if you want to teach in one or all of the STEM disciplines? Is that process any different if you work with younger students rather than older elementary students?

As you end one school year, is there anything you do to help prepare for the next year before you leave?

Will you be doing anything with your students to share or celebrate the Summer Olympics?

What curricular materials, if any, does your school use and why were they chosen?

What are your favorite seeds to have your students plant? I usually stick with Lima beans or alfalfa seeds, but I’m looking to branch out.

How do you plan with your team? Is there one teacher who takes the lead or do you share the planning? How often do you meet?

How do your teams plan together? Is there one teacher that takes the lead more than others or do you all collaborate together?

In so many schools, play is dismissed as frivolous or not important to include in the day. How do you advocate for the inclusion of play?

What are your favorite ongoing science experiments that you do with your students?

How do you organize your teaching materials?

How do you set up your classroom gathering spaces?

How do you prepare for your small groups so you can make the most of your time? I use these prepared baskets of materials so that students can get right to work when they visit with me!

Do your teaching practices ever get stuck in a rut? What do you do to reinvigorate your teaching?

What is your “go-to” educational quote that you find yourself going back to?

How does your school build community across grade levels?

How do you make the last day of school fun for your students? Are there any special activities or events that you hold?

Do you have your students create memory books of any kind at the end of the year? What do you include in them?

How do you celebrate and talk about Earth Day with your students? What are some books and resources you use?

Are your states requiring any additional coursework related to the Science of Reading? In Indiana, we have to take an 80 hour course on our own time to renew our Elementary licenses. Just curious what other states are requiring.

No power or Internet!

Today, and hour into our day, the power went out in parts of the building due to weather. How do you quickly switch your teaching when you have no power or Internet?

What are your favorite end of year or ABC countdown ideas? We want to change up what we do this year and would love to hear what you enjoy to celebrate the end of the year!

What are your favorite resources for teaching about plants and animals?

What are your favorite apps or other forms of technology you like to use with your students? How do you use them?

How do you teach sight words/heart words/etc., and how do you help them stick in a student’s mind?

What are your favorite strategies for helping younger students develop a good sense of comprehension?

April is poetry month, what are your favorite poets to share with elementary aged children and how do you encourage students to write their own poems?

How do you prepare for Open House? What do you have students share or leave out for their families? What is the overall structure of your Open House? Do families stay for length of time or do they come and go?

What are your best classroom organization tips?

How are your schools transitioning to Science of Reading practices if they have not already? What resources are you using to support and guide you?

How are your schools preparing for the solar eclipse? We are 100% in the path of totality, so we are having an elearning day.

I am looking for information on standards based report cards—do you use letter grades or a numerical score? How would a numerical score be determined?

Does anyone else use ESGI to help assess their students? What assessments do you find most useful in Kindergarten?

How much time do you get each day for science and how do you assess your students understanding of science content?

What is the best professional development you’ve attended recently?

What are somethings that your school does to build staff morale?

What are your favorite read alouds for K-5 aged students? I am always looking for new books to add to my collection!

What are your most favorite field trips that you’ve taken with your students and how did they tie into your content?

What are some great new reads for teachers?

I just finished Lifelong Kindergarten and it was FANTASTIC!! What are other suggestions?

What are some ways that you help yourself grow as a professional?

I often use charts to help students compare/contrast texts, organize events in a story, or to capture character feelings over the course of a text. What are your favorite charts to use for building comprehension and other literacy skills?

How do you build relationships with tough parents? What are some things you do to build trust so that you can have tough conversations with them when needed?

How do you organize your small literacy group materials, both those materials you will use to teach and those materials your students will use?

What are some ways you help students to calm their bodies throughout the day?

For example, sometimes we stop and take a few minutes to breathe deeply in quiet pose and reset for the next task.

What kinds of items do you include in your slow start or morning bins/tubs?

How do you modify your teaching when you have a significant number of students out with illness? For example, today half my Kindergarten students are out sick today, and I am reviewing some ideas with the students who are here while introducing a few new things that I can review as students slowly return. How do you handle situations like this when one or more students are absent?

What are your favorite items to include in a science notebook (paper or digital)?

How can I keep track of how my students are progressing in literacy small groups?

How can I help a student with behavior needs?

How can you reflect on your day?

What does writing progression look like from PK to K?

What are my other students doing while I’m working with a small group?