Looking for a great method for introducing new vocabulary to kids in the intermediate grades? I’ve got you covered! This post contains affiliate links. Vocabulary. I don’t know about you, but that word makes me feel guilty. Guilty about all the years I spent as a classroom teacher … and didn’t make time for focused vocabulary instruction. It just felt like an extra. After all, I was hyper-focused on phonics,…
How to build vocabulary through read alouds
We all know that a large vocabulary is important for our learners. Here’s how to build vocabulary through read alouds! This post contains affiliate links. One of the easiest ways to build our learners’ vocabulary is through whole class read alouds. Today I’m sharing tips for making the most of this instructional time.* *If you’re a parent, these tips work for one-on-one read alouds, too! When you teach vocabulary through…
How to choose words for vocabulary instruction
We know that it’s important to build our students’ vocabularies. And we know that talking about words here and there isn’t enough. But how do we decide exactly which words to use for vocabulary instruction? Last week I told you ten mistakes to avoid when teaching vocabulary. This week we want to answer an important question … How do you choose which vocabulary words to teach? I wish I could…
Mistakes to avoid when teaching vocabulary
If you have questions about teaching new vocabulary words to learners in grades K-5, you’re in the right spot! This post kicks off a 9-part series with everything you need to know! This post contains affiliate links. Phonemic awareness. Phonics. Comprehension. Fluency. Am I missing something? What’s another key element to reading instruction? Oh, yeah. Vocabulary. Isn’t that how it often works? We think of vocabulary as that thing…
Review vocabulary with this fun learning center!
This is a great activity to use when you want your learners to review vocabulary! Many of you have requested vocabulary activities, so I created this simple learning center that you could use with kids in grades 3-5. As you can see, the activity is simple. Gather a list of vocabulary words that you’ve already taught your students (they don’t come with the download) and have your learners use them…
What to do when kids can’t remember what they read
It’s one of the hardest things to navigate as a reading teacher. What do you do when kids can’t remember what they read? Especially if they’re reading a book you’re not familiar with? These tips will help! It’s one of my least favorite experiences as a classroom teacher … trying to get answers from a student about the chapter book s/he read – only to get blank stares or a…
40 Black history books for kids
Today I’m sharing a huge list of our favorite black history books for kids! (This post contains affiliate links.) Do your kids encounter a lot of racial diversity? We live near a major American city, full of people of all races. But our own little suburb is mostly white. Unless we go shopping, my children don’t encounter a lot of faces different from their own during the school week. I can’t…
5 Ways to get your kids to love math (even if you don’t!)
How can we help kids love math … even when we don’t? Here are five tips! I still remember standing beside my fourth grade teacher’s desk, overwhelmed with tears and quite sure the world was over. How on earth was I supposed to make sense of all these numbers? How could I remember where to put them, what to do next, and how to keep it all straight? My kind teacher…
The best activity books for kids (plus a giveaway!)
Are you looking for activity books for kids? Here are the very best! What are your feelings about long trips with kids? We’ve taken a few, and I’ve got to say that we can have a (mostly) enjoyable journey if we remember one thing. Be prepared. A number of years ago, we drove 16 hours to Virginia Beach. Five years ago, we traveled by plane from America to Hong Kong. And…
How to help your students defeat writer’s block
Try these tips to help your students defeat writer’s block! (This post contains affiliate links.) So you’ve launched Writing Workshop. You’ve taught your students how to find their own writing ideas. Even if things aren’t quite smooth sailing, you’re on a good path. Teaching writing isn’t so hard after all! Until that dreaded day (which may in fact be the very first day) that a student has writer’s block. She may…
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