When I was in elementary school, my favorite activity was whole-class flashcard races. I already had the longing to become a teacher and couldn’t wait to get my own set of tall, buff-colored flashcards for every math operation. When I had my own classroom, I used flashcards in a less competitive way. My students made […]
Springtime can be magical for children and their pets. Spend some time with an adorable pup by exploring a longtime-favorite, Harry the Dirty Dog, by Gene Zion with illustrations by Margaret Bloy Graham. Then, create a story map. (By the way, you can use this idea with any children’s book.) If you don’t have a copy […]
While the best way to teach reading is still debated, years of research support explicit, systematic phonics instruction as the foundation for reading success. In 2000, the National Reading Panel¹ recommended teaching phonics patterns by following a defined scope and sequence. “Learning to read is not natural or easy for most children. Reading is an […]
More classroom time can be devoted to introducing new material when the teacher is not required to continually reteach old skills and concepts. We love how this short Edutopia video explains practice testing. (HINT: It’s not the typical kind of testing!) Low-stakes testing is a form of retrieval practice, a strategy that boosts long-term retention […]
We have created two math activities to celebrate leap day, although this activity can be used any day of the year! The primary Counting On worksheet contains problems that are similar to what can be found in our first grade Standards-Based Simple Solutions and Summer Solutions books. To complete the problems, students start with the […]
Snow is starting to fall in Northeast Ohio and to celebrate we’ve created a “Flurry of Math” to keep your students’ math skills sharp. The worksheet for each grade is coded with the Common Core State Standard that it reinforces. social media Follow Simple Solutions!
Teachers who use Simple Solutions know that the S2TaR Center has some amazing features that are included when a class set of books is purchased. Not only will they find the Simple Solutions Teacher Editions, but supplemental Resources, a Worksheet Generator, and Digital Quizzes. Simple Solutions Digital Quizzes are an easy way for a […]
The ability to read impacts all aspects of life, but above all, reading is essential for learning. That’s why schools and districts all over the country set rigorous reading proficiency goals for students in the primary grades. From preschool through third grade, children are learning to read; by fourth grade, they are reading to learn, […]
As my profile states, I am a Cleveland Indians fan. Inhabitants of Northeast Ohio understand what that means. You see, we have witnessed a lot of exciting baseball in our town, and we have come REALLY close to winning it ALL. But it’s been 71 years since we’ve won a World Series. My 89-year-old mother […]
Summer Solutions Books The Simple Solutions Approach–solid instruction, daily distributed practice, and ongoing assessment–is a proven strategy that promotes mastery and ensures long-term retention. Summer Solutions provides review and practice that allows students to retain important math and language arts skills, not only over the summer break but for a lifetime. Pre-K, Kindergarten, and Grade […]
