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Math games add instant engagement. Try this one for free!

SOLVE IT is perfect for upper elementary students! It is a quick and easy game that can be used to practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division.

Latest from the Blog

3 Ways to Really Get to Know Your Students

Building a classroom community is one of the most important things for teachers to think about at the start of a school year. Successful classroom communities begin by forming positive relationships with students. For that to happen, you have to really get to know your students and let them get

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Kindness Rocks in the Classroom

Have you heard about the Kindness Rocks Project? The trend started several years ago with the simple mission of “one message at just the right moment can change someone’s entire day, outlook, life.” This mission spoke to me and I wanted to bring it to life in my classroom.  The

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5 Chapter Books to Read Aloud This Year

Read-aloud time is my favorite part of the day. We come together as a class to listen and discuss books. The conversation is important because it helps us grow.  There are many ways to choose read-aloud books. I look for books that will spark conversations. I also like to use

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Instagram Worthy Classroom Activities

My friend Luke teaches history at the secondary level. He just shared a great blog post about “insta-worthy” teaching activities that are great for any level! The title refers to museums catering their exhibits to Instagram. Because people love documenting their experiences on social media, museums have started making visually

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STEM Challenges with Classroom Buddies

Have you ever considered starting a buddy program? I did and I loved it! Older students act as mentors to younger students and both groups gain from the experience. Younger students get the opportunity to learn and grow with an older peer model while older students develop important skills like

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Fun February Activities for the Upper Elementary Classroom

The month of February lends itself easily to holiday-themed activities and projects. Groundhog Day, the 100th Day of School, and Valentine’s Day are all perfect for school. I don’t celebrate Groundhog Day, but I do like to incorporate some holiday fun for my fifth graders because let’s face it if they

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How to Keep Elementary Students Engaged in December

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Or is it? It’s only the beginning of December, but students everywhere are counting down the days until the holiday break. Let’s face it – some teachers are, too. Finding activities to keep students engaged at this time of year can be

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Digital Math Centers for Upper Elementary

Math stations or centers are an important component of Math Workshop. My students rotate through four centers each day: Math Facts & More, At Your Pace (independent work), Teacher’s Choice, and Hands-on. The Hand’s On station is my digital station. Digital centers are perfect for the classroom, but it can hard

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Student-Led Conferences

Parent conferences can be stressful for teachers, parents, and students. The purpose of a conference is to discuss student learning, but planning and organizing conferences can be time-consuming. What if I told you that I found a system that works? I realized that students should take part in the conference.

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Tips for Teaching Volume

Volume can be a difficult concept for students. Fifth-grade students are expected to understand the concept of volume, calculate volume by counting cubes and by using a formula, and understand that volume is additive. Here are my tried and true tips for teaching volume.  1. Review Area Concepts Before tackling

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How to Get Started with Google Classroom

Are you using Google Classroom? I started using it a few years ago and I LOVE it! Fun fact: You don’t need to be a 1:1 school to use it! I have access to a shared Chromebook cart and use Google Classroom every day. I have embraced the power of

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6 Tips for Back to School Night

  Getting ready for back to school also means getting ready for Back to School Night aka Open House. Back to School Night at my school is for parents only. It is meant to be a time for teachers to introduce themselves, the classroom expectations, and an overview of the

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