Struggling to keep your kindergarteners engaged while building strong literacy skills? Organizing an effective literacy block can feel impossible with so many moving parts—and with such short attention spans! Discover how implementing the Daily 5 framework can transform your kindergarten classroom. Learn how to build literacy skills, foster independence, and create a smooth, efficient literacy block that works!
Read MoreWanna know what I enjoy most about teaching fifth graders? Book Clubs! I know, I’m a bit of a Daily 5 junkie, but Book Clubs help me build strong relationships with my students while still teaching the content I need to cover. But choosing books for upper elementary Book Clubs can be a challenge, which is my I’m sharing my favorite books for upper elementary Book Clubs. These book recommendations are ones my students LOVE, and yours will, too!
Read MoreAs a first grade teacher, I understand the importance of proper handwriting technique. I’ve seen the total gamut of pencil grips over the years I’ve spent teaching kindergarten and first grade.
Read MoreWith so much technology in our student’s hands daily, you might be wondering if handwriting practice serves a purpose anymore. No matter how much technology our students use daily, I’m here to tell you that handwriting is just as important today as it was 50 years ago. In the primary grades, students are practicing fine motor skills when they learn how to hold a pencil and form their letters correctly.
Read MoreLetter identification is a skill that involves being able to say the names of both upper and lower case letters of the alphabet quickly, without having to think very long about each letter.
In an ideal world, kindergartners would come to school having this skill.
Is it necessary? No. They’ll absolutely learn this skill in kindergarten.
One caveat: kindergartners who already know their letters and sounds, start reading faster than kids who don’t. This has been my experience as a kindergarten teacher for many years.
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