You’ll agree that smiling is contagious, right? I mean, didn’t you smile when you saw this photo? I sure did. I discovered the photo on a fellow teacher’s Pinterest board. She maintains a board of smiles: smiling kids, smiling adults, and even smiling animals. I love this idea and intend to create my own “Smile…
Need some leaf activities for fall? No problem! We have you covered. (Get it? Covered in leaves!) The best thing for you to do is to click this link right HERE. You’ll notice that there are 1135 leaf ideas. So look to left of your screen and narrow your search by grade level. If you’re…
Have you played the game 52-Card Pickup? It’s a card game you only agree to play one time. I was a kid when I agreed to play. My uncle asked. I agreed. The next thing I knew the 52 cards in the deck he was holding were spewing out all over the floor. Hence the…
When I discovered that this Saturday, September 9, is Teddy Bear Day, well my brain was overtaken with teddy bear thoughts. The idea that the Teddy Bear was named after President Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt has always warmed my heart. (For a quick review of how this came to be, click here.) I’m also a fan…
If Mo Willems’ pigeon character were to introduce this month’s First Friday Giveaway, I feel certain he would exclaim, “Oooooh!” just as he did when he found that yummy hot dog! I’m hoping your reaction is similar—and here’s why! When you answer this month’s question you’ll be entered to win a plush version of…
Some student names are more easily remembered than others. Most teachers have a few tricks up their sleeves for quickly learning student names. Some use association tricks such as “curly-haired Christy,” “glasses for Glenn,” and “Brian with a buzzcut.” These work well for remembering some student names, but not all. Desk tags are great too….
The start of a new school year means renewing a relationship with an alarm clock or another wake-up device. Dang it anyway! I don’t know about you, but for me morning minutes fly by super fast. This morning I found myself brushing my teeth and feeding my pooch at the same time. Ridiculous! How does…
Don’t worry, this back-to-school bulletin board isn’t going to run away. When I say it “has legs” I mean it can actually be an interesting part of your classroom for quite some time! To get started, use colorful yarn, string, or tape to partition a board like the one shown. In each section, attach a…
Am I right in thinking that every teacher has a locked desk drawer or another out-of-reach location where he or she keeps a collection of just-in-case items? I sure did. The more years I taught, the bigger my collection got. Now I’m not asking you to reveal any big secrets! I’m just thinking new teachers…
It’s the first Friday in August and you know what that means—it’s hot and it’s time for a giveaway! This month’s back-to-school prize pack includes a super fun “flip the flap” informational dinosaur book, a five-pack of colorful gel pens, a 24-pack of presharpened #2s, a pair of magnetic clips, a five-pack of colorful clothespins,…