Ideas, Tools, and Expert Advice
to Get the Most Out of Teaching

I enjoy teaching, and you can too!

After 35 years teaching upper elementary students, I still love it. What’s the recipe for a long, fulfilling career? To survive, happy teachers organize, plan, and simplify. To thrive, they learn, engage, and dive in. Read on for ideas, tutorials, and inspiration to enjoy teaching.

Brenda Kovich, NBCT

6 Steps to Enjoy Teaching

How to Teach Genres of Writing to Upper Elementary Students

September 3, 2023

Brenda Kovich

English Language Arts, Writing

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Wondering how to teach genres of writing to upper elementary students? Start with the nuances of narrative, informative, and argumentative. Work on common strategies as you go. Finally, introduce specialized…

How to Organize Your Fourth Grade ELA Block from Scratch

August 27, 2023

Brenda Kovich

English Language Arts

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How can you organize your fourth grade ELA block? For the best results, sit down with a year-long planning grid. Then consider standards, skills, and complexity. Finally, arrange engaging activities…

Teaching Research Skills to Elementary Students

August 20, 2023

Brenda Kovich

English Language Arts, Research, Writing

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Teaching research skills to elementary students takes the entire year. Start with short, teacher-generated activities. Continue with guided subject-area projects. Finally, your students will be ready for independent research. (more…)

Teaching Informational Text for Third, Fourth & Fifth Graders

August 13, 2023

Brenda Kovich

English Language Arts, Informational Text

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Teaching informational text to third, fourth, or fifth graders? Surprisingly, you can use your science or social studies book for most skills. Read on for ideas to get started. Estimated…

Teaching Earth Science in Upper Elementary Grades

August 6, 2023

Brenda Kovich

Earth Science, Science

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Teaching earth science in upper elementary? Take some time to learn how all the pieces fit together. For example, in third grade, kids learn about the atmosphere, and in fourth…

Fourth Grade Hands-on Physical Science Activities Cover

Fourth Grade NGSS Physical Science Hands-on Activities

July 30, 2023

Brenda Kovich

Physical Science, Science

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Try these hands-on physical science activities for fourth grade NGSS standards. They focus on energy and waves. (more…)

Teaching Genres of Fiction and Nonfiction Cover

Teaching Genres of Fiction and Nonfiction Effectively

July 23, 2023

Brenda Kovich

English Language Arts, Genre Studies

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Teaching genres of fiction and nonfiction? Take a deep dive into purpose and elements. Then read and write! When fourth and fifth grade students study nuances of literature and informational…

Teaching Science with Integrated Experiences

July 16, 2023

Brenda Kovich

Science

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Teach science with integrated experiences. That way, kids see connections between earth, life, and physical science. Then processes in our natural world make sense. Include a variety of science practices…

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Ideas, Tools, and Expert Advice
to Get the Most Out of Teaching

I enjoy teaching, and you can too!

How to Teach Genres of Writing to Upper Elementary Students

How to Organize Your Fourth Grade ELA Block from Scratch

Teaching Research Skills to Elementary Students

Teaching Informational Text for Third, Fourth & Fifth Graders

Teaching Earth Science in Upper Elementary Grades

Fourth Grade NGSS Physical Science Hands-on Activities

Teaching Genres of Fiction and Nonfiction Effectively

Teaching Science with Integrated Experiences

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Brenda Kovich

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Ideas, Tools, and Expert Adviceto Get the Most Out of Teaching

I enjoy teaching, and you can too!

Visit my TPT store!

Ideas, Tools, and Expert Advice
to Get the Most Out of Teaching