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CSI for kids, mystery powders, teaching mysteries

Engage, Plan, Science

Try a mystery powders lab in your third, fourth, or fifth grade classroom. Your kids will love it! You can use it as an activity in your mystery genre study,…

Power of Observation Activities Improve Kids’ Attention to Detail

November 8, 2020

observation activities, observation games, power of observation

Engage, English Language Arts, Learn, Plan, Science

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…)

Teacher Talk: Strategies for Teaching Incidental Vocabulary

October 25, 2020

teacher talk, teaching incidental vocabulary

Dive In, English Language Arts, Learn, Plan

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…

4 Ways to Teach Kids to Find Word Meaning in Context

October 20, 2020

determining meaning of unknown words, finding word meaning, teaching kids to find word meaning, teaching vocabulary

When kids find word meaning in a text, comprehension improves. How can you facilitate this? First, use direct instruction to teach kids the strategies they need. Second, ask them to…

Teaching Elements of Poetry for Kids

August 9, 2020

elements of poetry, poetry for kids, teaching poetry

Elements of poetry are fun and easy to teach. Start with key vocabulary. Then analyze some kid-friendly poems. Finally, ask students to memorize with poetry blackout and write some poems…

Teaching Folktales with Literature Activities for Kids

June 8, 2020

comparing and contrasting folklore, RL.4.9, teaching folklore, teaching folktales

Teaching folktales to fourth graders is educational and fun. Start with an introduction to genres of folklore. Then review elements of literature. Finally, show kids how to compare, contrast, and…

Teaching Point of View with Literature Activities for Kids

May 31, 2020

teaching point of view

Teaching point of view to fourth graders? Try this effective learning cycle. First, teach kids about first, second, and third person. Next, read short snippets from popular children’s books and…

Teaching Daily Language in Ten Minutes a Day

May 24, 2020

English Language Arts, Plan

capitalization, daily language, daily language review, parts of speech, punctuation, teaching daily language

Teaching daily language powerfully spirals students to mastery. With a careful plan, they can learn parts of speech, capitalization, and punctuation. Begin with simple concepts. Then build slowly. This allows…

Ease fourth grade students into customary units of measurement with scaffolding.

Effectively Teaching Customary Units of Measurement with Scaffolding

March 4, 2020

customary measurement, customary measurement lesson plans, customary units of measurement, teaching customary measures, teaching standard units

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