Here is a new kind of word puzzle your students may enjoy. It’s one that I’ve incorporated into the newest Mini-Mystery Progressive Puzzle: Vengeance for Victims of a Valentine Vandal ($2 -TPT). I’ve added it to the Puzzle Tutorials page and you can find the student practice puzzle that goes along with the video here. … Read more
If you’ve tried some of the time and date patterns shared in Happy New Year Kick it Off with Time and Date Patterns! then you’ll quickly catch on to what I share in this post. At the time of this writing, we are moving into the year ’24, and I thought it would be fun … Read more
As we begin the spring semester, many of you are planning with the END in mind– the end being May / June for most of us. Shout out, though, to my international and Australian subscribers who are planning for a brand new year. It may be different for you, but for me, this time of … Read more
Welcome, New Year! The first week back in January is a great time to introduce your students to the fun patterns in calendars and teach them a few tricks they can perform at home. Previously I’ve shared about incorporating “math magic” in the classroom and some fun math card tricks in Learn a Card Trick … Read more
The extraordinary truce that took place on Christmas Day during World War I is a piece of history that you might like to share with older students during December. It can be shared in less than 15 minutes or expanded into a longer lesson with time for discussion. Your decision to share will depend on … Read more
This has been on my mind for a while, and a recent conversation in a social media group inspired me to write this. A new GT teacher asked, “Is gifted (education) all about STEM now?” This prompted some great discussion, and I’d like to continue the conversation here and in our Facebook group. Here is … Read more
“Socratic circles are the best activity that takes place in my classroom, bar none… Critical reading, critical thinking, discussion skills, listening skills, team-building skills, vocabulary improvement, and student ownership, voice, and empowerment are all valid reasons for including Socratic circles in the classroom.” ~ Matt Copeland, author of Socratic Circles If you’ve never tried Socratic … Read more
In the classic poem “The Skater at Ghost Lake,” William Rose Benet crafted an eerie picture with words, somewhat spooky but not horrific or frightening – perfect for late October. Here are a few ideas you can use to lure students into a closer reading of just four stanzas, with ideas for extensions. INTRODUCING the … Read more
If you’re looking for a novel topic of study that involves exploring MYSTERIES and UNANSWERED QUESTIONS, you might like to introduce your students to the ocean’s twilight zone! Some are calling it the next frontier because so little is known about this ecosystem. What has been discovered so far will fascinate and perhaps surprise your … Read more
The photo of my classroom shown here is one I took a few years back and I promise- I did not spend a lot of time or energy putting things on walls. As the year progressed, I added things, but here are some things you can put up very quickly that promote ongoing learning and … Read more
