For some kids, summer break is in full swing, and for other kids, it’s so close they can taste it! Trying to keep students engaged those last few days of school can be difficult, as they just want to be outside enjoying the sunshine. And, honestly, who can blame them?! The sunshine is so inviting!
If your school is one that is still in session, and you find yourself grasping for ways to keep your kiddos engaged and focused, I’ve got a fun math worksheet you can use! Geared for kindergarten or first graders, this summer themed addition and subtraction practice sheet is fun and educational! And as an added bonus, if you need to occupy a little more time, you can have your students color in the objects as they work on the problems.
If you’re a parent or caregiver who is desperate for ways to try to prevent the infamous “summer slide”, print this off and have your kiddos do it at home!
However you use it, I hope your students and/or kids will have fun as they practice those fundamental math skills that will serve them as they continue to learn!
**This download is free, and is for classroom or personal use only. Do not resell it, re-post it, or claim it as your own.**
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been doing a series of posts about the 7 Cs of education. So far I’ve covered Critical Thinking, Creativity, and Collaboration. Each ‘C’ is useful on its own, but can also be very effective when combined with other ‘Cs’. Today’s ‘C’ is, I think, one of the most important of the 7 Cs: Communication.
The ability to effectively communicate is such an important skill for kids to learn, especially in today’s world where there are so many different ways to communicate. The art of in person communication seems to be dwindling as digital forms of communication are rapidly developing and changing. And yet, it is still such an important skill to have. Students need to learn how to speak with another individual face to face, as it will help them immensely as they go out into the world, interview for jobs, work with coworkers, and so forth.
Since we do live in such a digital world, it’s also crucial that we teach our students how to communicate through the various digital means available. They ought to know when it’s appropriate to use “lazy”/slang text versus when they ought to be more formal. Students will inevitably have to communicate with bosses, coworkers, or other adults via email, and knowing how to properly format an email will come in handy.
Another important aspect of communication is teaching kids to be able to effectively communicate their wants and needs, and learning when it would be appropriate and inappropriate to express those various things. For example, students can learn that while the class is taking a test might not be the best time to loudly announce they need to use the restroom. On the other hand, they can learn that watching their classmates play a sport would be an appropriate time and place to use a louder voice to communicate their excitement and encouragement.
The methods in which we teach our students how to communicate can come in all shapes and sizes. It will vary from one content area to another. It doesn’t matter how we go about teaching it, only that we are finding ways to encourage and promote healthy communication amongst our students. Below are a few ways you might consider bringing and/or modeling communication practice into your curriculum:
Write-Pair-Share: After students answer a “question of the day” or class opener of some sort, have them share responses with a neighbor. Encourage them to talk to someone new each time you ask them to do this.
Give an assignment where students exchange emails with another student.
Have students practice interviewing others.
Assign students to email a business, using proper formatting and word choice.
During group discussions, provide a “talking piece”. Only the student who has possession of the talking piece can speak. This encourages students to listen and to exercise self control while waiting for their turn to speak.
Teach about and practice using proper body language– many kids don’t realize just how much body language can communicate.
Help students in your class learn their classmates’ names. Doing this helps them to be able to clearly communicate when they are speaking with someone.
Make your classroom a safe space. Students are more likely to effectively communicate their needs, opinions, and input if they feel like what they say will matter.
Establish a communication system early on. Will you use school email to keep students and parents informed? Will you use a communication app like Remind, Bloomz, ParentSquare, or ClassDojo? Whatever you choose to use, be consistent with it so that students and parents will know where they can go to keep up to date with classroom happenings as well as to contact you if they have questions.
Teaching and practicing effective communication within the classroom is essential for a smooth running classroom. It helps students have a clear idea of what to do, what is expected, and helps them feel seen and heard. In addition to these things, it teaches students how to be effective communicators, thus setting them up for success in all areas of their lives.
The end of the school year is so bittersweet: everyone is ready for summer break, but it’s also the end of something good. Students leave your classroom with so much more than they started with. The growth and change that occurs over the course of a school year is incredible, and is something that should be celebrated. Oftentimes, it’s harder for students to see that growth within themselves, so as teachers, it’s important that we help them realize just how far they’ve come.
An effective way I’ve found to help students notice how much they’ve learned and changed is by doing an end of year reflection. This gives them a chance to think about what they’ve accomplished over the course of the year, and causes them to reflect back on all the things that have happened since the beginning of school.
I’ve put together an end of year reflection page you can use with your students as you close out the school year. It’s appropriate for all ages, and is open to written or drawn responses. This worksheet is for personal or classroom use only. It is not to be shared, resold, reposted, or claimed as your own.
Finding books that teens and preteens will actually read and enjoy can be a little tricky sometimes. By this point in their education, many kids have lost their love for reading, which is unfortunate; reading has so many benefits! As teachers, though, we have the opportunity to help these reluctant or uninterested readers find books that they will enjoy and want to read. But with so many genres available to choose from, it can be difficult to narrow it down to something they will like. In the event that you find yourself in this position, look no further! I’ve created a list of a few book recommendations in each genre. You can see my historical fiction recommendations here, and my dystopian novel recommendations here.
Up on the docket today: Realistic Fiction! Books in this genre contain fictional characters who are placed into situations that have happened or could potentially happen. These stories could be based on true events. In this genre, we will find books about characters who are working through hard things at home, school, or with friends, characters who embark on an epic family vacation, or even characters who find themselves in the thick of illness or other hardship. Because these stories are based on real life events, students often find it easier to build a connection with the book and the characters– they can see themselves in the characters. Check out the books below and share with your students who need a good book!
Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper
Melody Brooks is an eleven year old fifth grader who happens to have cerebral palsy, which has taken away her ability to walk, write, and talk. Adults and children alike often assume she is mentally challenged because of her inability to speak or write, but that couldn’t be further from the truth! Melody is brilliant and has an incredible photographic memory– she just can’t express that to others. She is finally given a chance to use a computer device that allows her to type what she wants to say. The device then speaks for her by reading what she has written. It’s only once she is able to start communicating like this that people start to realize how smart she really is.
You May Already be a Winner by Ann Dee Ellis
Olivia and her sister, Berkeley live together with their mom in Sunny Pines Trailer Park. Olivia wants so badly to be able to leave the trailer park and find a better life for her and Berkeley. She devises a plan to enter several sweepstakes with the hope of winning a million dollars. She longs to live a “normal” life where she doesn’t have to miss school to babysit her sister, and a life free of poverty. She wants to escape from the challenges her mother faces that make life more difficult for the family. Through all of this, she makes friends with her quirky neighbor, and learns that sometimes family is who you least expect it to be. This book is a perfect combination of humor, difficult realities, and finding happiness where you are.
Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko
It’s 1935, and Moose Flanagan is twelve years old when his father takes a job as an electrician and guard at the infamous Alcatraz Prison. Moose and his family move to the island prison to begin their new life. His sister, Natalie, has autism and is admitted into a school for students with special needs. Moose befriends a girl named Piper, who also happens to be the warden’s daughter. Piper is constantly coming up with creative ways to make money with the hope of escaping the island. Her latest scheme involves using the prison inmates to do laundry for the other kids at school, and she convinces Moose to join her efforts. Their underground operation is stopped when the warden finds out, and Moose and Piper then have to find something else to fill their time. When Natalie gets kicked out of school for befriending one of the prisoners, Moose eventually enlists the help of the famous prisoner Al Capone to help get her back into the school. Choldenko continues Moose’s adventures across two more books, each equally as fun as this one.
Wonder by R.J. Palacio
This book follows Auggie Pullman, who was born with a facial difference. He wants to be treated like everyone else, and quickly finds that others can be cruel, and don’t want to be his friend. Fortunately, though, he is also able to form friendships with Jack, Will, and Summer. Auggie’s story is told from multiple perspectives, including Auggie’s, his sister Via’s, her boyfriend’s, as well as other friends. This unique story telling format gives the reader a broader picture of Auggie’s life from many points of view. Wonder is a heart warming story about kindness, acceptance, and the desire to fit in.
Counting by Sevens by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Counting by 7s is also told from multiple perspectives, bringing insight and dimension to the story. Willow Chance is a twelve year old girl who finds herself in a really hard situation– both of her adoptive parents are killed in a car crash. Willow must then figure out how to navigate grief, life, and what it means to be a family. She finds comfort in counting by 7s and plants and forms an unlikely friendship with her school counselor and a taxi driver, who both encourage her and help her figure out this new life.
Matt Sprouts and the Curse of the Ten Broken Toes by Matt Eicheldinger
Matt Sprouts is just living his ordinary life when, one day, he accidentally injures his neighbor. Soon after, he breaks one of his toes, which leads him to believe he is now cursed with “the Curse”, a made-up curse started in his hometown. The story follows him as he continues to break more toes all while navigating friendships, sibling relationships, and tough coaches. Filled with humor, this book is a fun read, and, as a bonus, includes two other books to round out the series.
Each of these books dives into different challenges or situations kids might face today. These stories connect readers to relatable characters, and allow readers to feel seen, understood, and heard.
Happy as a clam. A picture is worth a thousand words. Every dog has its day. A penny saved is a penny earned. What in the world do these even mean?! Unless you are familiar with these kinds of phrases, they probably sound a bit silly, probably don’t make a whole lot of sense, and might even be confusing. Sayings like these can be idioms, like we talked about last week. Sometimes, though, they are known as proverbs: short sayings meant to convey some kind of moral or life lesson.
As adults, we are likely pretty familiar with common proverbs and idioms. We hear them and say them without really thinking twice about it; we just know what they mean because we’ve known them for so long. For many of our students, however, these kinds of phrases are unfamiliar, and may sound like gibberish to them.
Just like everything else, these must be learned. We can’t expect our students to understand them and know what they mean if we don’t expose them to proverbs and other phrases. To help you with this, I’ve created a simple worksheet you can use. On it, you will find a list of the beginning half of several proverbs or idioms, followed by a blank line. After reading the first half of the saying, students can write what they think the rest of the saying is. No doubt you’ll get some funny answers, but that’s the fun of it!
** This printable is for personal or classroom use only. Do not resell, repost, or claim as your own. **
Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve been talking about the 7 Cs of education. Each ‘C’ covers a concept or method intended to engage students and encourage new ways of learning, thinking, and problem solving. So far, we’ve covered critical thinking and creativity. Both of these methods are great ways to get students thinking on their own. They can also both be great tools for partner or group learning, especially when combined with today’s ‘C’: Collaboration.
Collaboration, by definition, is the process of sharing knowledge, skills, ideas, and resources to achieve a shared goal or outcome. As each member of the team contributes, problems are solved and knowledge is gained. Teachers are familiar with the concept of collaboration; most schools today have implemented some form of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), where teachers can work together to share ideas, ask for help, offer advice, encourage one another, and find ways to work toward a common goal. So while this concept may come easily to us as teachers, it may not come as easily to some of our students. Not everyone loves to work with other people. Sometimes, we get students who don’t keep an open mind and come with a “my way or the highway” kind of attitude, which can make accepting others’ ideas tricky. However, helping students learn to work together to come up with solutions is worth the time it takes– collaboration is a great skill to have as an adult, and is one that is used often in the workplace as well as in other settings.
Inviting students to collaborate with one another gives them an opportunity to express their opinions, share their knowledge, contribute, be part of a team, and learn from each other. Collaborating can encourage critical thinking and creativity in really neat ways. One idea thought up by one student can spark an idea in another, which can then inspire another student to come up with a solution, and so on. It’s like a ripple in water– one small thing can continue on and get bigger as it goes. Since each person has their own individual way of addressing problems and thinking through things, each perspective is useful. Oftentimes, one student in a group will present an idea that no one else had thought of previously. This can sometimes also help struggling or confused students understand the problem better– sometimes all it takes for someone to understand is to have another person explain it in a new way.
It is inevitable that we will have students who refuse to collaborate because, as mentioned previously, they don’t want to see any other opinions besides their own. On the other hand, we will have students that are hesitant to participate in group collaboration because they are shy, or perhaps they don’t feel like their ideas are valuable or worth sharing. It could also be that they are afraid of sounding silly or stupid to their peers. And, boy, do I get that! I was that quiet, shy student who didn’t like to voice her opinion. But as teachers, we must encourage our students to share their ideas and learn from each other. If a student is not comfortable verbalizing their thoughts, you might consider having everyone in the group write their ideas down (without attaching their name to it), then the group has the chance to hear from everyone.
One of the most powerful tools we can use in the classroom is collaboration. Students can learn so much from each other. We just need to remind them to do it!
The English language can be tricky. It’s a lot of “do this” and “don’t do that”, and a lot of words that are spelled the same, but have different meanings. Or, my favorite– words that sound the same, but are spelled differently and have different meanings, and that’s just how it is, because someone a long time ago made up the rules, so you have to memorize which word to use when. And then, on top of that, we have language devices that have their own rules and uses– metaphors, similes, hyperbole, oxymorons, personification, onomatopoeia, and idioms. It’s a lot to learn, a lot to remember, and can be a lot to teach.
But… even though it can be a heavy load to learn and teach, the English language can be fun. Language devices, or figurative language, specifically can be fun. They help bring writing to life and can provide depth to writing. There are a plethora of engaging activities you can do with all grade levels to teach these concepts.
Idioms can be especially fun. Kids often find the sayings funny, so it engages them. Below is a worksheet you can use with your students. It contains a list of idioms, with a place for students to write in what they think it means. The responses students give are always entertaining, and sometimes insightful.
** This download is free, and is for personal or classroom use only. Do not sell, post, or claim as your own. **
