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 […]
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 […]
Writing Task Activity Story mapping is the ability to identify the components of a story—setting and characters, as well as the sequence of the story (beginning, middle, and end). Story mapping is an important skill that contributes to a student’s ability to comprehend what he/she has read. This skill is particularly important when reading narrative […]
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 even the very youngest students. From preschool through third grade, children are learning to read; by fourth grade, they are reading to learn, […]
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 […]
No More “Summer Packets” All teachers are aware that summer learning loss is real. In fact, many teachers take a pro-active approach to curb that loss by creating summer reading lists or putting together “packets” of enrichment or reinforcement worksheets for kids to complete over the summer. All activities have the same goal: keep students […]
Snap out of the day-to-day monotony in the classroom by planning a virtual field trip to…anywhere. Virtual field trips are a great way to enhance your curriculum and make learning more engaging. They incorporate 21st century technology in a meaningful way, provide interactive learning experiences, and expose students to places they may never have a […]
With the holiday season upon us, you might be looking for a few apps that can engage your children in some silly holiday fun. Sometimes though, you don’t want screen time to be just entertainment; you want your kids to be learning something, as well. Check out these 10 apps, found by our Simple Solutions […]
