Teaching Tips

English Language Arts, Writing

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

English Language Arts

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

English Language Arts, Research, Writing

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

English Language Arts, Informational Text

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

Earth Science, Science

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

Physical Science, Science

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

English Language Arts, Genre Studies

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

Science

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…

Great Games for Comparing Numbers – and Ordering Them Too!

July 9, 2023

Looking for some great games for comparing numbers? Just grab some dice. When kids roll and rearrange the digits, they can compare and order in a fun way. (more…)

Teaching Rounding with a Number Line

July 2, 2023

Teaching rounding with a number line helps kids understand what it’s all about. The tactile experience lets them explore base-ten place value in a meaningful way. Before you ask your…

How to Write a Number in Expanded Form

June 25, 2023

Wondering how to write a number in expanded form? Just decompose it by place value. For example, 390,406 = 300,000 + 90,000 + 400 + 6. Let’s take a look…

Writing Rules for Numbers in Standard Form and Words

June 18, 2023