Scented, fall-themed playdough is so simple to make! Once you have your basic playdough recipe, it’s really all about adding the coloring and the mix-ins to make it smell amazing. First, gather your ingredients. The best play dough recipe I have found (and I’ve made a lot) calls or 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup salt, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon cream of tartar, and 1 cup water. This is the base for every type of play dough I make. Dump the dry ingredients into a pot. Add the wet ingredients.
Alphabet Intervention that Works
The beginning of the school year is upon us. For kindergarten teachers, that means back to basics. We all know that many kinders come in knowing zero letters, while others come in reading up a storm. Did you know that according to Richard Allington, students who enter kindergarten knowing fewer than 40 letters (upper and lower combined) are already a year below grade level? Crazy isn’t it? Below grade level before even starting school! Not only that–Allington also asserts that ALL kindergarten students, regardless of socioeconomic status or literacy in
How to do an Author Study
Nothing motivates my students like reading book after book from the same beloved author. Mo Willems, David Shannon, Kevin Henkes, Ezra Jack Keats, Jan Brett, and Tomie DePaola are just a few of our favorite authors. I absolutely LOVE doing author studies with my students. For one, we get to know authors and understand their work on a much deeper level. When the students connect to the writer, they love the stories even more! When I talk about doing author studies, some people seem to think it’s a big complicated
DIY Glass Rock Magnets
Hi everyone! Today I’m going to show you a fun DIY that could have tons of uses–glass rock magnets! Here’s what you will need: Large glass rocks from the Dollar Tree Photos of your students printed out Mod Podge (I used Elmer’s for my tester and it worked great! But I trust and love Mod Podge!) Magnet circles from Wal-Mart (they are sticky-backed and come in a pack of 18) The process is so simple. Just plop a rock down on top of the picture and trace it. Then, cut it
Father’s Day Gifts from Your Students
Father’s Day will be here before we know it. Whether or not school is in session over Father’s Day, I always like to have my students make something to show appreciation for their dads, grandpas, uncles, etc… I am usually looking for something quick and easy. Read on for some of the best and simplest ideas for Father’s Day! 1. I Mustache You About Your Dad- I got everything I needed for this gift at Dollar General! It’s closer to me than Wal-Mart or Target, and I have made MANY early
Tea-Riffic Teacher Appreciation Tags
My son and daughter just finished their last day of preschool and daycare for the summer! What do you do when you have multiple teachers to buy for? Something cute, punny, and simple is perfect to me. So I created these tags to attach to some Snapple tea. I also added gift cards in a separate card, but that’s completely optional and not necessary. You could also buy plastic cups in multiple colors, and these would look great on those! If you enjoy these tags, just snag the image below
Five Reasons to Sing With Your Students
I love to sing with my students. I love to sings songs about what we are learning, and I love to sing songs about men who play the ladle and have hair made out of spaghetti. I get made fun of for turning just about anything into a song. But I also know that music is a powerful learning tool. It saddens me when teachers say they are afraid to sing songs in their classroom, because they feel like they are “wasting instructional time.” Music can support instruction and benefit
St. Patrick’s Day Classroom Activities and Freebie
St. Patrick’s Day will be here before we know it! Check out some of our St. Patrick’s Day festivities, and then snag a freebie for your classroom! DIRECTED DRAWINGS You know that I am hooked on directed drawings. We do one every month and I think that it is time well spent. We draw it together and they color or paint them with a parent volunteer or even during indoor recess if they choose to. The skills they’ve learned from their directed drawings have transferred over to their stories and
#TeacherProblems
We’re teachers–we love our jobs! But everyone knows that teachers have their share of challenges. So I compiled ten #teacherproblems that resonated with me. If you teach elementary school, they might speak to you too. Because if you are a teacher, then you’d better have a sense of humor! THE REALITY CHECK THE COMPULSIVE LAMINATING Source: Instruct and Inspire THE NIGHTLIFE THE CASE OF THE MISSING PENCILS THE TEACHER FACE THE EVIDENCE THE “CLASSROOM CHALLENGE” THE DOLLAR SPOT THE PINTEREST-ING THE MISLEADING CRAYONS Been there? The struggle is all too
10 Ideas for Indoor Recess
It’s winter. It’s cold outside. We’re stuck inside for recess and my students are climbing. the. walls. It was time to overhaul the indoor recess routine (I guess giving them free reign of the classroom wasn’t working anymore). So I took to Facebook and Instagram to ask you about your favorite indoor recess activities, and I compiled your responses with some of my own to give you this list! 1. GoNoodle If you don’t know about GoNoodle yet, go visit them right now! This is a free website that