This is one of my favorite units to teach in kindergarten! We start by reading so many various versions of the classic Gingerbread Man tale, and learn to retell the stories, as well as practice comparing and contrasting characters, setting, problem, and solution. The kids also enjoy our STEM challenges, where they have to craft a boat to keep the gingerbread man afloat. We use different ... Read More about Gingerbread Week in Kindergarten
Distance Learning Resources
With the schools quickly closing, teachers have been working hard to keep up with the changes COVID-19 has caused for education. Teachers are amazing, and have come up with many resources in little to no time at all! I want to help educators, students, and families during this unexpected time off from school, so I've created several resources to help maintain consistency for kids. FREE ... Read More about Distance Learning Resources
Summer Book Club with Andriana @the_active_educator Part 2: Unpacking Hacks 5 & 6
Andriana and I have so enjoyed getting ideas from this book to revamp our writing workshop this year, and we hope you have too! Make sure to check out her post here where she unpacks hacks 3 & 4. Unpack the Hack: 5 Build a Better Notebook In the fifth chapter, Stockman shares the ways that creating a purposeful notebook can benefit writers of all ages. She mentions the importance of ... Read More about Summer Book Club with Andriana @the_active_educator Part 2: Unpacking Hacks 5 & 6
Summer Book Club with Andriana @the_active_educator Part 1: Unpacking Hacks 1 & 2
"Makerspace" seems to be one of the latest and greatest buzzwords in education right now, especially when it comes to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) or STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) learning. I always try to come up with innovative, fun ways to create genuine learning experiences in my classroom that incorporate aspects of STEM learning. I have been ... Read More about Summer Book Club with Andriana @the_active_educator Part 1: Unpacking Hacks 1 & 2
100th Day Centers & a Freebie
The 100th Day is one of my favorites to celebrate every year - and I think I've finally found the perfect combination of activities that are low-prep, and can be done independently by my little ones. That combination makes me one happy kindergarten teacher! So I thought I would share what works well for me in my classroom on this festive, fun day of learning! Setting the Stage for FUN What do ... Read More about 100th Day Centers & a Freebie
Guided Math Centers in Kindergarten
Guided math centers have easily become my favorite time of the day! It amazes me to see the progress kids make during this time. They run so smoothly, students are so engaged and to be honest, it’s just plain fun. While I’ve used the book, Daily 5 with the focus on the Daily 3 to get me started. But, I’ve had to tweak it a bit here and there to fit my ... Read More about Guided Math Centers in Kindergarten