Reading

Data Collection and Graphing Activity

Math Read Aloud: Data Collection and Graphing!

Oh my goodness!  Oh my goodness!  I am so excited about this ADORABLE book!  I even moved out of my comfort zone to create a *gasp* math freebie!  This book is a great math read aloud that lends itself really well to a little data collection and graphing activity!  Read on to see what has inspired me…This post does contain affiliate links.  If you use the link I will receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks so much for your support. Math Read Aloud: I Need a Hug by Aaron Blabey Hello!  So happy to see you! 

Read More »
Read aloud for visualizing! This fun book is perfect for when you are teaching your students to make mental images or visualizing! Check out the blog post and grab your freebie!

Super Fun Read Aloud for Visualizing with The Purple Kangaroo!

One of my favorite reading strategies to teach my kiddos is Visualizing or making mental images.  This book is such a fun read-aloud for visualizing! In my opinion that is what makes reading so great!  YOU get to create the pictures in your head! This book is EPIC read aloud for visualizing or making mental images! This post does contain affiliate links.  If you use the link I will receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks so much for your support. Why teach Making Mental Images or Visualizing? In my opinion, this is the reading strategy that makes

Read More »
Hilarious Read Aloud for Cause and Effect

Hilarious Read Aloud for Cause and Effect

Oh My Goodness!  If you haven’t read this hilarious read aloud for cause and effect yet, you really need to go out and get this super-fun book! I mean…Potatoes in Pants? Read on my friend… Hilarious Read Aloud for Cause and Effect This post does contain affiliate links.  If you use the link I will receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks so much for your support. I am so excited about his book!  It is so fun.  You have to check out the trailer: My kiddos loved this story too! Potato is really excited because Lance Vance’s

Read More »
Winter Teaching Ideas

Winter Resource I Love!

    I have teamed up with some other amazing teacher authors to bring you this fun winter link up! Read on to see some amazing resources to help you keep them thinking all winter long!         Winter is (in my opinion) the best season for reading!  Curl up with a good book and a cup of hot cocoa!  Help your kiddos to find the joy in winter reading with these fun  reading logs and challenges!   So much great reading stuff in one place!  I love sending home the reading challenge at the beginning of the month

Read More »
Mentor text for teaching adjectives.

Picture Book for Teaching Adjectives: Mentor Text Monday {FREEBIE included!}

  I’m Back!  Welcome to Mentor Text Monday!  Today I am sharing with you a fantastic picture book for teaching adjectives!  Click Read More to continue…   I really enjoy teaching my students about adjectives!  Using adjectives make their writing so much more descriptive and fun!   Toad by Ruth Brown in a fun Picture Book for Teaching Adjectives! I love this great children’s book with descriptive language!  It is the story of a horrible toad, a slimy, mucky, disgusting toad!  The kiddos love the gross factor of the adjectives in this book!  It follows the toad through the swamp where

Read More »
Building Reading Stamina

5 Easy Strategies for Building Reading Stamina from Day 1

Building Reading Stamina is something that we start on our very first day back to school. Until our reading stamina is built, a lot of my lessons are on hold! We start slowly, just three minutes to begin. One of the best ways to help my students build their reading stamina is to help them have a plan for their reading time. So, how do I go about building reading stamina with my second graders? Read on! This post contains affiliate links for Amazon. By purchasing an item on the Amazon site using these links, I will receive a small commission on

Read More »
Professional Book Study: Teaching Reading in Small Groups by Jennifer Serravallo

Teaching Reading in Small Groups by Jennifer Serravallo Book Study!

Today I am blogging over at Adventures in Literacy Land!  We are doing a summer book study of Jennifer Serravallo’s book Teaching Reading in Small Groups.  If you haven’t had a chance to check it out yet, head over there.   I am talking about Chapter 4 today: Guided Practice Toward Independence: Strategy Lessons for Comprehension, Print Work, and Fluency. This post contains affiliate links for Amazon. By purchasing an item on the Amazon site using these links, I will receive a small commission on your purchase (with no extra cost to you). For more information about my Disclosure Policy, please visit this link!

Read More »
Asking questions read aloud

Springing Into Action: Asking Questions with The Wednesday Surprise

Teaching my students to ask and answer questions while reading is one of my favorite units to teach!  Why?   The books of course! Keep reading for a freebie and even more great reading ideas!   This post contains affiliate links for Amazon. By purchasing an item on the Amazon site using these links, I will receive a small commission on your purchase (with no extra cost to you). For more information about my Disclosure Policy, please visit this link!   I always introduce Asking Questions with a brown paper bag. I place something inside and let the kiddos ask questions. Then, we talk about which questions were

Read More »

Mentor Text for Making Inferences: In the Blink of an Eye by Dieter Wiesmuller

Teaching Second Graders to Make Inferences isn’t the easiest thing, is it? It is an abstract concept. That being said, I LOVE teaching inferences!I make a ton of inferences every day even when I am not reading. I always point that out to my students as well.  One of my favorites is when a student asks me a question that they could figure out the answer to by just looking at the evidence in front of them.  I tell them to “Make an inference!”This book is a fun mentor text for making inferences to use to introduce inferring to your students!

Read More »
Organizing reading and writing conferences

Organizing for Reading and Writing Conferences

So, let me start by saying that I am NOT the most organized person on the planet. That being said, this is what works for someone who is organizationally challenged! Let me help you to get organized for Reading and Writing Conferences!     This post contains affiliate links for Amazon. By purchasing an item on the Amazon site using these links, I will receive a small commission on your purchase (with no extra cost to you). For more information about my Disclosure Policy, please visit this link!  I do reading and or writing conferences almost every day! I usually start with small

Read More »
Reading Conference Forms Writing Conference Forms

Conferring with your students for reading and writing just got a little easier!

Looking for a quick way to help manage your Reading and Writing Conferences with your students?   Look no further! I will admit, I LOVE doing individual conferences with my kiddos for reading and writing! I will also admit, that sometimes I am at a loss for what to say, or what to teach next. I needed a way to help me focus!       So, I created these Reading/ Writing Conference Labels, Forms, and Rubrics. They help keep me focused on what I am looking for, plus give me space to take a note or two. When I sit down

Read More »
Dinosaur Read aloud

Book Talk Tuesday with a Creative Writing Freebie! What the Dinosaurs Did Last Night

“It usually starts with a mess you can’t explain…” This post contains affiliate links for Amazon. By purchasing an item on the Amazon site using these links, I will receive a small commission on your purchase (with no extra cost to you). For more information about my Disclosure Policy, please visit this link! Oh my goodness!What the Dinosaurs Did Last Night by Refe and Susan Toma is one of my new faves! This book is very near and dear to my heart.A few years ago I had a little girl in my class who knew in her heart of hearts that her toys

Read More »