Everyone has a story to tell. What is yours?
If you want your students to switch their mindset from one of entitlement to one of gratitude, you need to model and instill a community in your classroom that values that trait. Here are three 3 ways to foster gratitude in the classroom. Read Books about Gratitude and Thankfulness This is probably the easiest way to spread this message in… Read More
Are you ready to try goal setting with your students this year, but not sure how to start? Grab an inspiring picture book to help set the tone! Here are some picture books for goal setting that might just inspire your students to dream big! You can click on any of the covers below to learn more about these Picture… Read More
Students love to receive notes from their teacher! In our digital world, a handwritten or personalized note can add that special touch and let students know how much you care. Classroom postcards are a quick and easy way to jot a personal note to your students, communicate with families about an upcoming school event, let families know when school supplies… Read More
Having stuffed animals in the classroom can provide emotional comfort and academic support. Here are five ways you can use stuffed animals in the classroom. Reading Buddies This is probably the most common way that teachers use stuffed animals in the classroom. If you use The Daily 5 for your reading block, you know that Read to Someone can often… Read More
Spring in the classroom is an interesting time. Not only are students blooming and growing with their learning, but they are also becoming more like a family. And like any family, there are bound to be a few things that start to get on your nerves. One thing that always seems to pop up every spring is students who interrupt…. Read More
Transitions do not always come easy for students. However, getting from point A to point B doesn’t have to be a nightmare. Here are three quick tips to help improve hallway behavior. The most important thing you need to do is set your expectations. I love using acronyms with my students, so I played with the word LINE and… Read More
Are you a fan of fractured fairy tales? I am!
Josh Funk has taken this concept to a whole new level with his It’s Not a Fairy Tale series. In these stories, the fairy tale characters refuse to listen to the storyteller and will not go along with the original story. As you might expect, hilarity ensues!
So far, this series includes the following tales:
• It’s Not Little Red Riding Hood
• It’s Not Hansel and Gretel
• It’s Not Jack and the Beanstalk
My kids love hearing the back-and-forth banter between the narrator and the fairy tale characters. These books always get some big belly laughs, which is a win in my book! Have you read any of these books yet? If so, which fairy tale would you love to see @joshfunkbooks write about next?
#fracturedfairytales
❤️❤️❤️Reading is not only a meaning-making transaction between the author and the reader, it’s a magic-making experience and sharing this magic with students is one of the greatest gifts teachers can give their students, virtually or in person.
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
Balloons Over Broadway is not your average Thanksgiving book. This one tells the story of Tony Sarg, a master puppeteer who helped create the first helium-filled balloons that are now a staple of the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade.
Many classrooms now use this book as inspiration for their own school-wide balloon parades. Whether your kids watch these parades as spectators on the sidelines or through videos online, let them describe their favorite balloons with a fun kid craft. Swipe to take a peek. You can find this craft along with more activities for Balloons Over Broadway in my TpT store. This resource has printable and digital options.
#balloonsoverbroadway
#storiesbystorie
With the holidays quickly approaching, there are many important lessons students can learn from books to help encourage gratitude and thankfulness. Here are some books about gratitude and thankfulness that you can read together. I encourage you to share these books not just at the holidays, but throughout the whole year. bit.ly/36QxMQz
The turkey fell into the pond?
The pies were sold out?
The class bunny ate the salad?
Mashed potatoes on the wall?
Sounds like a 2020 Thanksgiving, right? But this is what happens in Thanksgiving at the Tappletons’. Fortunately, this family comes to realize that there is more to Thanksgiving than a turkey and the trimmings.
After reading this story, kids can make their own Thanksgiving placemat craft that opens to reveal a piece of writing. Since this will be a Thanksgiving like no other, students can share a memory, things they are thankful for, their favorite Thanksgiving foods, a holiday gone wrong, or something else. You can find this activity in my TpT store. Tap the photos for more info.
#thanksgivingatthetappletons
