The five-paragraph essay provides a strong, well-structured text. What’s more? It’s easy to compose. All you need is a good organizer and an example. (more…)
Teaching persuasive writing to third or fourth graders? Begin with a simple graphic organizer. Then elaborate, improve word choice, add transitions, and vary sentences. Before you know it, kids writing…
Constructed response is easy to teach with this hamburger craft. First, kids find text evidence. Second, they write it as detail sentences. Then they answer the question and write a…
Logic puzzles for kids build deductive reasoning – and they’re fun! First, teach them how to eliminate possibilities. That way, they can uncover solutions. Then teach them to create their…
Fingerprinting activities bring fun to the classroom! Kids love studying dactyloscopy, or the science of identifying fingerprints. Recording their own prints, analyzing others, and even some creative art projects will…
Secret codes make kids think like detectives. Add some cryptograms and ciphers to your mystery unit. (Or just do some for fun!) Your upper elementary students will love it. (more…)
Observation activities help kids tune in. Try memory games, sensory activities, hidden pictures, and drawing to heighten awareness. Then apply these skills in classroom instruction. (more…)
Are you purposely teaching incidental vocabulary? Improve your teacher talk. Simply weave definitions and pictures into daily lessons. From this, kids’ vocabularies grow. Furthermore, they learn how to determine meanings…