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Why Book Clubs and Literature Circles Are an Amazing Resource for Your Classroom: Everything You Need to Get Started
Something I’ve been doing for the past several years is starting a book club/literature circle with my students. Most of them seem to really enjoy it, especially since I allow them to lead the group themselves rather than it be me who guides the discussion. I usually do this toward the end of the school year, as independent work expectations have been clearly established by then and, after end-of-year testing is over, the students need something to work on.
If you are looking for an activity like this to do with your students, keep reading!
Theme Park Classroom Transformation to Review and Prep for ELAR Testing
I think one of the only good things about testing season is that there are so many fun things you can do with it. One fun way I’ve come up with is a theme park classroom transformation! Whether your favorite theme park is Universal Studios, Disney World (or Disney Land), Six Flags, etc., this theme park transformation and stations will immerse your students into all the fun. (Although it is clearly more geared toward a certain animal… 😉)
Keep reading to learn more about it!
Grow Inferencing Skills With this Engaging Inferencing Detective Board Game - Perfect for Small Group or Stations
From my experience, inferencing is one of those comprehension strategies that is hard to grasp and can sometimes be difficult to teach. That’s why I came up with this Inferencing Detective board game, so my students can practice this skill in a fun way! You can use it for tutoring, small groups, guided reading, stations/centers, or even for a game day with your whole class.
All you need is a printer and some sort of tokens for game pieces, and you’re all set!
Keep reading to learn more about it!
Transform Your Classroom with Starbooks Decor + Freebie
Need to liven up your classroom a bit? Do you want to decorate for a special lesson you’re doing soon? Well, how about a classroom transformation? Classroom transformations are always such a fun time, for both students and teachers, no matter what subject area. However, they can be a bit tough to set up, so I have the perfect thing to get you started - my Starbooks Coffee Decoration Kit. I’ve done it for a few years in a row now and it’s been a hit every time - my grade level team even wanted to try it in their classrooms, too!
Keep reading to see what all the fuss is about!
Reset Expectations With Problem-Solving + SLANT Posters
Recently, I came up with the idea of doing a problem-solving activity with my students to reset these expectations. My students this year are in 4th grade. Drama comes with the territory of teaching upper elementary, I’m afraid. So, doing something like this was very important to me. However, I didn’t want to just talk their ears off - I wanted them to interact. Read more to find out how I did it!
Glow Day Classroom Transformation: ELAR Testing Prep Fun
I’ve done Glow Day almost every year before state testing (except for last year, as I was on maternity leave), and it’s probably my favorite day of the school year ever. I completely transform the classroom and we spend an entire block playing games and preparing for the STAAR test. My kids have a blast and I have fun watching and interacting with them!
Although I personally use this to prepare for our state test, many educators have been purchasing this resource for use year-round. So, it’s totally feasible to use it to prepare for any test, or just when you want a fun way to review reading test taking strategies.
Keep reading to learn all about it!
Interactive Poster Activity: Engaging Text Feature Review
I wanted a more interesting way to review text features with my students than with my school’s lesson plans said, so I found a way for them to do it that would get them moving, working together, involved in great conversations, and best of all - having FUN!
Keep reading if you want to learn more about what I did with my kids to review text features!
Engage Students with Test Question Slap Down Review!
Test Question Slap Down is a strategy my school introduced me to, and I tried it on my kids. They seemed to enjoy it much more than doing it the boring way and sitting still in their desks. Though I made my slides last-minute (they were kinda ugly tbh), I made some nicer-looking slides to go along with this strategy so YOU don’t have to. Keep reading to learn more about it and download this resource to level up your classroom.
Transform Your Classroom Management with CHAMPS Expectations
The truth is, classroom management is at its BEST when you set EXPLICIT expectations and follow through with natural consequences. Yes, you can reward positive behaviors, as many many students will respond positively to this. But you CANNOT leave out the expectations and consequences. Students should not just “be good” (though I hate the terms “good” and “bad” to refer to behavior) to get a piece of candy, as that is surface level and will not stick for long.
If the lack of explicit expectations sounds like your classroom, there is still hope! Many educators use what is known as CHAMPS to set these explicit expectations. Read more to discover what CHAMPS is all about.
Transform Boring Test Review with Annotation Relay Game
The other day it was in our lesson plans to read a passage and annotate it together. That’s it. Great discussion points were listed, sure, but would that reach every student? Probably not. (Like I said… engagement is the key!!!) So I came up with this game called Annotation Relay. It was my way to meet my students where they were at and attempt to make the otherwise snoozefest lesson a bit more engaging.
I wanted to share a resource with you that can help you get started with this will even LESS prep than I did. The slides are ready to go for you with directions and rules, but you can edit them if desired. Keep reading to learn all about it.