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Jan152021
Teaching Writing

The Simple Solution for Kids that Have “Nothing to Write About”

Teaching WritingBy Hannah BraunJanuary 15, 2021Leave a comment

Inside: Use this writing teaching strategy to get kids thinking of topics quickly and easily so they can get on with their work. This post contains affiliate links. Y ou give your writing lesson. Everyone has their materials. The hard work on your part is done and now it’s time for the kids to give…

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Dec32020
Digital Learning

7 Simple Tools that Help Kids Get the Most Out of Seesaw

Digital LearningBy Hannah BraunDecember 3, 20201 Comment

Inside: Find out how to use basic Seesaw tools and features so that your students can learn a lot from digital assignments.   Have you decided that Seesaw is the right app for sending digital work to your students? Now you need to know: What can kids actually DO with Seesaw?   At the most…

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Nov172020
Teaching 101

Seesaw: Is it Right for Your Class?

Teaching 101By Hannah BraunNovember 17, 20201 Comment

Inside: Seesaw is an app for online learning. Can it simplify and improve your instruction? Find out inside! In the spring of 2020, teachers suddenly needed a way to deliver instruction from a distance. How would K-2 students complete work on a computer? They are slow typers. They need to draw and move things around.…

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Aug72020
SpellingTeaching Writing

How to Improve Spelling With Simple Word Sort Activities

Spelling, Teaching WritingBy Hannah BraunAugust 7, 2020

Inside: My 10 favorite word sort activities. Use these in your classroom or for distance learning to build up spelling and phonics skills.   O n Thursday nights when I was in 2nd grade, my mom turned into a spelling cheerleader.   “B clap, U-R clap, R-I clap -E-D!” she’d chant. It wasn’t that my…

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Sep222019
ComprehensionTeaching Reading The Best Way to Teaching Reading Comprehension for Mastery - Find out how to use the gradual release teaching method to effectively teach reading strategies in the elementary classroom #readingcomprehension #literacy #3rdgrade

The Best Way to Teach Reading Comprehension for Mastery

Comprehension, Teaching ReadingBy Hannah BraunSeptember 22, 2019

Teach reading comprehension effectively using the gradual release method. Lost in a Teacher’s Guide I was brand new to Utah. Like, hadn’t even found a place to live so I was staying in my cousin’s basement kind of new. Being a planner, I had gotten early access to my new classroom and lugged out all…

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Jun162019
ComprehensionTeaching Reading What Successful 2nd Grade Readers Know and How to Teach It, Reading comprehension skills and teaching ideas #readingcomprehension #2ndgrade #literacy

Reading Comprehension Strategies for 2nd-Graders

Comprehension, Teaching ReadingBy Hannah BraunJune 16, 2019

Reading comprehension strategies for 2nd graders and how to teach them. This post contains affiliate links. What Successful 2nd-Grade Readers Know and How to Teach It   Reading Comprehension Strategies are Like a Messy Closet You know how when you try to clean out a closet, things get complicated really fast? Soon you end up…

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Mar32019
ComprehensionTeaching Reading Comprehension strategies for teachers that want to help new readers understand text #readingcomprehension #readingstrategies #firstgrade

How to Get New Readers Comprehending with 5 Strategies

Comprehension, Teaching ReadingBy Hannah BraunMarch 3, 2019

Reading comprehension strategies for parents, teachers, and tutors to use with first graders This post contains affiliate links. Don’t Get So Busy With Decoding that You Forget This In a school hallway lit by fluorescent lights, I sat across a desk from a student. The tip of my pen hovered over a testing booklet as…

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Sep272018
DifferentiationTeaching 101Teaching Reading 5 Simple Ways to Help Kids With Dyslexia - quick strategies, interventions, and activities to improve reading skills, helpful for teachers and parents #dyslexia #teachingreading #intervention

5 Simple Ways to Help Kids With Dyslexia

Differentiation, Teaching 101, Teaching ReadingBy Hannah BraunSeptember 27, 2018

Strategies, interventions, and activities to improve reading skills in kids with dyslexia, for teachers and parents. This post contains affiliate links. When Reading Skills Aren’t Clicking Lauren* sorted cards with -at endings into one pile and -am endings into another pile. Then she read the -at list: “Bat, cat, sat, …happy?” guessed Lauren. “Let’s use…

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Feb282018
PhonicsTeaching 101Teaching Reading

How to Teach a Child to Read: The Ultimate Guide

Phonics, Teaching 101, Teaching ReadingBy Hannah BraunFebruary 28, 2018

Inside: Follow these five steps to teach a child to read. Helpful for parents, homeschoolers, and teachers that are teaching beginning readers. This post contains affiliate links.     I looked like a mother hen with my chick gathered around me. Sitting on the floor with my legs crossed, I stared into six eager pairs…

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Nov92017
ComprehensionTeaching Reading reading comprehension that will have your kids obsessed, a framework of 3 questions #readingcomprehension #literacy #teachingreading

Reading Comprehension Practice that Will Have Your Kids Obsessed

Comprehension, Teaching ReadingBy Hannah BraunNovember 9, 2017

How to make reading comprehension instruction engaging with ideas from the book Disrupting Thinking: Why How We Read Matters by Kylene Beers and Robert Probst This post contains affiliate links.   The Problem With Reading Comprehension Questions The book was thick and heavy with a dark blue cover. The print was small and the pictures were…

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Apr42017
GenresTeaching Writing Teach poetry writing to kids in elementary schools with these four easy skills #poetry #literacy #teachingwriting #2ndgrade #3rdgrade

Get Outstanding Poetry from Kids With 4 Simple Skills

Genres, Teaching WritingBy Hannah BraunApril 4, 2017

Inside: Use poetic devices to teach poetry writing lessons that will get your elementary students writing poetry in no time. There’s a little-known secret about teaching poetry writing that will blow your mind. I’m sure you’ve got a few kids in your class that would rather drop their pencil on the floor forty times in…

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Mar112017
Teaching MathWord Problems teach word or story problems using the 12 problem types, a helpful math schema for first, second, and third grade teachers to teach

How to Teach Difficult Word Problems Like a Boss

Teaching Math, Word ProblemsBy Hannah BraunMarch 11, 2017

“And that is how we solve a compare problem!” I say triumphantly as I step away from a white board filled with pictures and numbers. “Ok, go ahead and try the next one on your own.” Quiet, blank stares, tapping pencils. No one knows what to do. That’s when I realized that I was teaching…

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Oct22016
GrammarTeaching Writing Use this free song and video to teach your students verbs

A Fun Song for Teaching Your Students Verbs

Grammar, Teaching WritingBy Hannah BraunOctober 2, 2016

  I’ve got a new parts of speech video to share with you today and this time it’s about verbs! I love to practice songs like this one and my noun song during those extra two to five minute chunks of time that pop up now and then.        Help your students remember…

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Sep192016
Teaching ReadingVocabulary How to implement a vocabulary word wall in your classroom

Using Word Walls to Increase Student Vocabulary

Teaching Reading, VocabularyBy Hannah BraunSeptember 19, 20162 Comments

  One year I had a juggernaut of a word wall (how’s that for vocabulary?…haha!) Adding a word frequently involved standing on precariously stacked kid-sized furniture or trying to check if a word was straight from an awkward crouch with my head held sideways.  Each day when I read my students a picture book, I…

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Sep52016
GrammarTeaching Writing Use this free song and video to teach students about nouns, great for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade!

A Fun Song to Teach Your Students Nouns

Grammar, Teaching WritingBy Hannah BraunSeptember 5, 20162 Comments

Kids love music and it’s so helpful for memorization! I’ve written before about using music for learning parts of speech here and here. I’ve had a few people say that they wish they could hear the songs instead of just seeing them on a chart. I’ve been getting my feet wet with video lately and…

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Aug202016
PhonicsTeaching Reading FREE Bossy R song and video is a fun way to practice r controlled vowel phonics patterns

Teach the Bossy R Pattern with this Fun Video

Phonics, Teaching ReadingBy Hannah BraunAugust 20, 20162 Comments

If I were ever on a game show and asked to name all 50 states in alphabetical order, I could absolutely do it. And it’s not because I have a savant-like memory, it’s because in 8th grade we learned a song that listed all states in ABC order. I might not remember much else from…

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Aug42016
Classroom ManagementClassroom Set Up

Gorgeous Classroom Bulletin Board Ideas

Classroom Management, Classroom Set UpBy Hannah BraunAugust 4, 20164 Comments

There are lots of things you won’t learn about teaching during your time in college.  How to start up your literacy block at the beginning of the year and what you should be teaching in phonics are on the list. Making attractive bulletin boards is another one of these topics.  Back-to-School bulletin boards welcome your…

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Jun12016
ComputationTeaching Math

Help Students Understand Addition With Regrouping Using Sticky Notes

Computation, Teaching MathBy Hannah BraunJune 1, 20167 Comments

  Make addition with regrouping simpler! If you have laid a solid foundation in place value, your students are probably ready to take on addition with regrouping.  Kids can quickly get lost in what number to carry and where to write it.  Fortunately, there’s a teaching aid hiding right in your desk drawer…the versatile sticky note!…

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May92016
MeasurementTeaching Math

Why I Teach Time to the Minute First

Measurement, Teaching MathBy Hannah BraunMay 9, 20164 Comments

This sounds crazy but stay with me for a minute ; ) It works like this: *Explain or review that the short hand points to the hour. *Point out all of the little tick marks around the clock.  Count them all together to establish that there are sixty.  Explain that the long hand shows how…

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May12016
SpellingTeaching 101Teaching Writing

Research About Spelling for More Effective Instruction

Spelling, Teaching 101, Teaching WritingBy Hannah BraunMay 1, 20167 Comments

Research about and best practices for teaching spelling in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade classroom.   Do you ever feel like your teacher prep program left you with some major gaps? Like, how the heck do you really teach spelling? We’re probably all familiar with the technique of assigning lists and testing at the…

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Apr12016
GenresTeaching Writing 4 Amazing Opinion Writing Ideas to Try Now for elementary teachers

Get Students Excited about Opinion Writing with these 4 Ideas

Genres, Teaching WritingBy Hannah BraunApril 1, 2016

In my first year of teaching I was expected to use a writer’s workshop model where students almost always chose their own writing topics. This was before the Common Core standards and my district wasn’t very concerned about what genres students wrote in, as long as they wrote. I could definitely tell you that in my…

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Mar12016
Classroom ManagementClassroom Set Up 11 Desk Arrangements for your Best Classroom Yet

11 Easy Desk Arrangements for Your Best Classroom Yet

Classroom Management, Classroom Set UpBy Hannah BraunMarch 1, 201631 Comments

  I’ve done a lot of experimenting with desk arrangements over the years.  I’ve definitely found my favorite.  Keep reading, I’ll tell you about it.  I’ve also discovered that it’s smart to pick a few arrangements that you like and teach your students how to quickly move between the positions when the activity requires it.…

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Feb12016
Number SenseTeaching Math

The Big List of Skip Counting Activities

Number Sense, Teaching MathBy Hannah BraunFebruary 1, 20163 Comments

Skip counting ideas and activities for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade math class. This post contains affiliate links.     If you teach 1st or 2nd grade you’ve probably spent a lot more time skip counting than the average person off the street.  It’s one of those things that kids need a lot of…

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Jan152016
ResearchTeaching 101

The 6 Education Theorists That All Teachers Should Know

Research, Teaching 101By Hannah BraunJanuary 15, 20166 Comments

If you’re not asleep during staff meetings, you’ve probably heard the phrase “research-based practices” thrown around a lot.  Do you silently ask yourself, “Sooo, which practices are research-based anyway?”  I don’t know about you but it’s been a little while since I originally learned about the people who did some of the major research in…

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Jan12016
BehaviorClassroom ManagementDifferentiationTeaching 101Uncategorized

5 Ways to Help Spacey Kids Follow Directions

Behavior, Classroom Management, Differentiation, Teaching 101, UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunJanuary 1, 20165 Comments

#1 Have Them Help Demonstrate – Your first instinct might be to choose a model student to help demonstrate a task.  Try picking a student who struggles to follow directions instead.  You may have to give them a lot of guidance as they demonstrate in front of the class but then you know they have…

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Dec132015
GrammarTeaching Writing

Ugly Christmas Sweater Contractions FREEBIE

Grammar, Teaching WritingBy Hannah BraunDecember 13, 2015

With winter break quickly approaching, if you can keep your class from turning into all out chaos, you’re doing good.  If you actually work in some academic content…well, you deserve something special from Santa ; )  I’ve got an ugly Christmas sweater contractions freebie to help you out.  Students take words from two balls of…

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Dec22015
BehaviorClassroom ManagementUncategorized

The 4 Faces of Misbehavior and What They’re Trying to Tell You

Behavior, Classroom Management, UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunDecember 2, 20151 Comment

You stayed up late pulling together an awesome activity that is sure to be a slam dunk with your students.  You go in early to make the copies and put everything in its place.  When your students arrive you start presenting your material. “Boys and girls, today we’re doing a rock investigation for scie…”  You…

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Nov62015
ComputationTeaching Math

Thanksgiving Activity Freebie

Computation, Teaching MathBy Hannah BraunNovember 6, 20151 Comment

The seasonal aisle at my grocery store switched directly from Halloween to Christmas, but I refuse to ignore Thanksgiving!  It’s one of my favorite holidays.  I’ve got a Thanksgiving activity freebie for you!  It’s a color by number that helps kids practice +10 and -10.  It’s great as a math center, homework, or something to…

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Oct212015
Uncategorized

Teacher Humor 20

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunOctober 21, 20155 Comments

I’ve been doing so much “serious” blogging lately that it’s starting to get a little stuffy around here!  It’s time for some teacher humor! You know when you’re on a roll, checking things off your teacher to-do list like a boss, and then suddenly everything comes to a screeching halt because you can’t find….the GOOD…

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Oct102015
ComprehensionTeaching 101Teaching Reading

16 Reading Strategies to Teach This Year

Comprehension, Teaching 101, Teaching ReadingBy Hannah BraunOctober 10, 20153 Comments

Reading Strategies What reading strategies do students need to learn, anyway?  It would be so nice if the standards would just spell it out for us!  Unfortunately, I’ve never seen that.  I’ve racked my brain and made this cheat sheet of the reading strategies I’ve frequently seen in teacher’s guides, professional books, and trainings.  Click…

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Sep62015
ComputationTeaching Math

The 10-Minute Routine that Skyrockets Number Sense

Computation, Teaching MathBy Hannah BraunSeptember 6, 20156 Comments

I will never forget my first day of student teaching when my host teacher put a 2-digit by 2-digit division problem on the board and asked the kids to mentally solve it. I’m not sure what her point is here because I’m sure they’ll all be stumped. After a couple of minutes of silent “think time” she…

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Aug312015
Teaching 101Teaching Writing Find out how to teach writing to students without working so hard! Ideas, activities, and strategies for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade teachers. #teachingwriting #1stgrade #2ndgrade #3rdgrade #writing

8 Smart Strategies for Teaching Writing

Teaching 101, Teaching WritingBy Hannah BraunAugust 31, 20151 Comment

Inside: Teaching writing DOESN’T have to be complicated! With these simple strategies, you can improve students’ writing without having to work so hard.   M rs. Braun? I turned around to an outstretched notebook in a kid’s hands. “I don’t know what to do next,” said the student.   I leaned closer to decipher the…

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Aug242015
PhonicsTeaching 101Teaching Reading

Crash Course in Phonics, part 2

Phonics, Teaching 101, Teaching ReadingBy Hannah BraunAugust 24, 201515 Comments

Everything you needed to know about teaching phonics, you learned in college….right?  Wrong!  My professors were great, but there really wasn’t a course dedicated to teaching phonics.  Once you have your own classroom it doesn’t take long to realize that the phrase “sound it out” will only get your students so far.   Don’t worry!  I’ve…

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Aug172015
Teaching 101Teaching ReadingVocabulary What Every Teacher Should Know About Teaching Vocabulary

What Every Teacher Should Know About Teaching Vocabulary

Teaching 101, Teaching Reading, VocabularyBy Hannah BraunAugust 17, 20154 Comments

Research and best practices for teaching vocabulary in the elementary classroom. I’m back this week linking up with #TeacherMom for her Building Back to School series.  This week we’re talking about language tools.  I’ve done some digging to see what research tells us about teaching vocabulary.  Here’s what I found:   A Strong Vocabulary Is…

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Aug112015
Classroom ManagementClassroom Set Up

My Favorite Desk Arrangement and other Back to School Wisdom

Classroom Management, Classroom Set UpBy Hannah BraunAugust 11, 20157 Comments

Back to School Tips I’m linking up my back to school tips with some other great bloggers today for the Back to School is as easy as 1, 2, 3 link up.   After 8 years of teaching the one thing I wish I would have known from the beginning is this:   I tend…

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Aug102015
Number SenseTeaching Math

5 Must Try Classroom Tools for Building Number Sense

Number Sense, Teaching MathBy Hannah BraunAugust 10, 20156 Comments

A list of activities that build number sense in the elementary math classroom. Especially for 1st and 2nd graders. This post contains affiliate links.   “Mrs. Braun?” a second grader asked. “What comes after September?” With a smile, I responded, “October,” but my stomach tightened like it does when I realize I’ve left my curling…

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Aug32015
ResearchTeaching 101 9 Research-Based Teaching Strategies for elementary teachers

9 Research-Based Teaching Strategies for Your Toolbox

Research, Teaching 101By Hannah BraunAugust 3, 20157 Comments

You know, staff meetings bring out a lot of things in people…not all of them good. I distinctly remember one line that was said at a staff meeting that brought out some panic in me. But let me back up to say that I (and I bet probably you, too) got into teaching to have…

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Jul62015
Uncategorized

Teacher Humor 19

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunJuly 6, 2015

Teacher Humor – I used to work in a smaller town that had one WalMart and that’s where you’d find everybody on the weekends.  The second I got cranky with my kid, tried to pick out some underwear, or looked for any health and hygiene products…”HI MRS. BRAUN!!!”  Ahhhh!   It’s all fun and games…

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Jun302015
BehaviorClassroom ManagementTeaching 101 8 tips to supercharge student engagement

8 Tips to Supercharge Student Engagement

Behavior, Classroom Management, Teaching 101By Hannah BraunJune 30, 2015

Student Engagement Do you feel like you have to practically put on a circus to achieve student engagement with your lessons?  Before you bring out the lions, tigers, and bears, take a step back and see if one of these small changes might be the missing piece in your student engagement puzzle.   Make It “Doable”…

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Jun202015
Uncategorized the loudest sound in the room...***facepalm*** #teacherproblems

Teacher Humor 18

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunJune 20, 20153 Comments

Teacher Humor {{{SIIIIGGHHH}}} It’s been too long… definitely time for another installment of teacher humor! So we all know the student who is sure they’re being ever-so-helpful by SHHHHing the rest of the class with a force only know to cat-5 hurricanes.   There are many classroom mysteries.  Maybe you’ve encountered this one.  If I…

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Jun142015
ComputationTeaching Math

A Beginner’s Guide to Math Strategies – Part 1

Computation, Teaching MathBy Hannah BraunJune 14, 2015

Ideas for teaching math fact fluency strategies in first and second grade. A Continuum of Math Strategies     Math strategies develop along a continuum (see the dashboard above).  We teachers can build students’ mathematical power by recognizing where they are on the strategy continuum, and helping them to move toward the most efficient strategies.The Institute…

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May82015
LiteratureTeaching Reading

What should I read next? Picture book recommendations

Literature, Teaching ReadingBy Hannah BraunMay 8, 2015

 What should I read next? Looking for something new to read? Get a picture book recommendation based on which classics you (or your class) know and love!  Whether you’re into the silly monkey antics of Curious George, the sequential style of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, or the imaginative adventure  of Where the…

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May62015
Uncategorized teacher humor, markers...rookie mistake! #teacherproblems

Teacher Humor 17

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunMay 6, 20151 Comment

  Teacher Humor All of today’s teacher memes are inspired by the crazy stuff students do.    Take this first one; do you know who I’m talking about?  That kid who you swear was to your left but then you look up and he’s suddenly to your right.  The next time you look up he’s…

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Apr302015
Uncategorized

If teachers designed performance pay

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunApril 30, 20154 Comments

Teacher Performance Pay When my last school started talking about implementing performance pay for teachers, it put a knot in my stomach.  I imagined that test scores would be the main, perhaps only, means for measuring teacher performance.  While student academic growth (even if not on grade level) is one mark of teacher quality there…

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Apr242015
Uncategorized Spring printmaking activity

Spring Printmaking Art Project

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunApril 24, 2015

Printmaking for Kids I’m always looking for kids’ art projects that really look like art and this is a good one.  Printmaking allows kids to use paper and paint in a new way! Materials: paper tempera paints plastic page protectors cotton balls clothespins Sharpie markers (optional) 1.  Draw big outlines of flowers and leaves on pieces…

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Apr212015
LiteratureTeaching ReadingUncategorized FREE Mixed Up Chameleon craftivity

FREE Mixed Up Chameleon Craft

Literature, Teaching Reading, UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunApril 21, 2015

Mixed Up Chameleon Craft If your students love The Mixed Up Chameleon by Eric Carle then this is the perfect craft for them.  Students cut out different animal parts from old magazines and put them together to make a new mixed up animal.  It also includes a template for writing about what the animal would…

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Apr212015
Uncategorized FREE Mother's Day bath salts craftivity

FREE Mother’s Day Bath Salts Craft

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunApril 21, 20152 Comments

Mother’s Day Craft Life as a teacher is definitely easier when you have all your students’ moms on your side!  Click the picture to pick up an easy and fun bath salts craft you can have students make for Mother’s Day.

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Apr172015
Uncategorized

I wish my students knew…

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunApril 17, 20154 Comments

You may have seen the news article going around right now about things that 3rd graders wish their teacher knew.  In response, here are several things that I wish my students knew.  I bet you could add several of your own.     I wish my students knew: -I don’t like all this testing either.…

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Apr62015
Uncategorized

Teacher Humor 16

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunApril 6, 2015

Today’s teacher humor is inspired by school supplies.  How could school supplies be funny….well, teachers know : ) Creativity is something that we encourage in our students.  Frequently, their creativity knows no bounds, like with school supplies, and all the ways they can think up to use them as things…other than school supplies. Teaching tip…

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Mar312015
Teaching 101Teaching Reading

Praise and Prompts for Teaching Reading

Teaching 101, Teaching ReadingBy Hannah BraunMarch 31, 2015

If you asked the average person off the street what they would say to help someone struggling with a tricky word, I bet a lot of the responses would be, “Tell them to sound it out!”  And then the average person off the street would say, “What kind of question is that, anyway!”  : )…

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Mar162015
GeometryTeaching Math teaching coordinate graphing

Teaching Coordinate Graphing

Geometry, Teaching MathBy Hannah BraunMarch 16, 2015

Teaching coordinate graphing has never been so lively!  Here are ideas to engage all kinds of learners. Capture the Penguins Coordinate Graphing Game Turn coordinate graphing practice into a game!  MathWire.com has several different coordinate graphing games to play but I loved this one!  Students fill the grid with some kind of marker.  Here the…

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Mar122015
Uncategorized

Teacher Humor 15

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunMarch 12, 2015

For your entertainment, teacher humor! If you’re old enough to remember MacGyver then you’ll get this one.  I notice a few constants with the art projects for kids that I see on Pinterest.  Most involve some kind of genius way to use cheap/free materials like paper plates, paint color cards, toilet paper tubes, etc.  Just…

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Mar92015
Uncategorized

Monday Made It – teaching fables and more!

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunMarch 9, 20159 Comments

There’s a lot of room for creativity in teaching.  Here are the things I’ve been creating lately: Here’s a fun project when studying habitats.  I took a piece of butcher paper and painted a simple African savanna scene.  I had the students illustrate animals and add them to the scene in a place where they…

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Mar22015
DifferentiationTeaching 101Uncategorized FREE RtI (response to intervention) forms for use by elementary school teachers

Response to Intervention Forms FREEBIE!

Differentiation, Teaching 101, UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunMarch 2, 2015

Unraveling Response to Intervention I set out to unravel and get to the heart of Response to Intervention (RTI) like I’ve done before with close reading.  I was surprised to read on the RTI Network’s website that, “there is no single, thoroughly researched and widely practiced ‘model’ of the RTI process.”  Of course, that would…

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Feb232015
Teaching ReadingVocabulary

Synonym and Antonym Anchor Chart

Teaching Reading, VocabularyBy Hannah BraunFebruary 23, 2015

Happy Monday!  I dug back through some old pictures to find this synonym and antonym anchor chart for Anchors Away Monday with Crafting Connections: Synonym cinnamon bears (there’s a tongue-twister for ya!) and antonym ants.  My students referred to this chart quite a bit.  

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Feb222015
Uncategorized

Teacher Funnies 14

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunFebruary 22, 2015

Get ready to smile, it’s time for teacher funnies! Hey principals, want a cheap way to raise staff morale? I’ve definitely stepped on a few fingers doing this move:    And a management strategy we all know and love…

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Feb172015
GeometryTeaching Math

3D Shapes Anchor Chart

Geometry, Teaching MathBy Hannah BraunFebruary 17, 2015

 I made this chart with my class when we were studying 3D shapes.  All of the kids cut and taped together their own shapes.  Then we held them up and counted the faces, edges, and vertices.  The avalanche of card stock shapes went home with the kids (thank goodness) but we kept this chart to…

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Feb122015
Uncategorized Parent Teacher Conference Bingo, teacher humor

Parent Teacher Conference Bingo

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunFebruary 12, 20152 Comments

When you’re not serving as a social worker, cheerleader, data analyst, and preacher (you know, for those “Come to Jesus” talks) why not play some parent-teacher conference bingo?!?  Some of these are meant to be funny, some are sad, and some are just realistic.  Can you get a bingo at parent teacher conferences?  : )…

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Feb102015
Teaching MathWord Problems

Teach Problem Solving the Easy Way With Word Problem Types

Teaching Math, Word ProblemsBy Hannah BraunFebruary 10, 2015

Using story problem situations, or word problem types, to teach problem-solving in the elementary grades. The Problem with Problem-Solving I was tearing my hair out trying to get my students to solve word problems accurately! They would grab the two numbers they saw and randomly add or subtract them :::sigh::: Then I found what I affectionately…

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Feb92015
Teaching Math FREE Story Problem Types Chart

Monday Made It: February

Teaching MathBy Hannah BraunFebruary 9, 2015

It’s time for Monday Made It with 4th Grade Frolics! Have you heard of “The Progressions” for Common Core math?  I went to a workshop a while ago and the presenter said The Progressions is like a Common Core math bible!  I thought, why was I never given a copy or a link to this…

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Feb22015
GrammarTeaching Writing An easy song to help your students learn to identify adjectives, the fun way to teach part of speech! Great for 1st, 2nd, or 3rd grade

Confessions of a Teacher: I Sing Cheesy Songs Part 2

Grammar, Teaching WritingBy Hannah BraunFebruary 2, 201511 Comments

This is the second part of a mini series about songs for teaching parts of speech.  If you missed the first post about nouns and verbs, you can find it here. Click on any picture to print off a copy for yourself from Google Docs! Sing The Adjective Song to the tune of The Itsy…

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Feb12015
Uncategorized

Teacher Funnies 13

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunFebruary 1, 2015

Let’s start February off right with some teacher humor! I usually assign partners and kids say, “Why can’t we pick our own partners?”  Uh yeah, I know how that will turn out… It seems like the kid who can find every little typo and word that you said incorrectly, is also the same kid who…

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Jan282015
GrammarTeaching Writing

Confessions of a Teacher: I Sing Cheesy Songs- Part 1

Grammar, Teaching WritingBy Hannah BraunJanuary 28, 20158 Comments

Take a G and an E and O, And add a little R-G-E, To a W-A-S-H, I…N…G If you add 2,000 pounds, That makes a ton, So what have you got? You’ve got a lot! George Washington! This is part of a silly song I remember from way back in 5th grade when we were…

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Jan192015
GrammarTeaching Writing

Free Charts that Teach Apostrophes and Commas

Grammar, Teaching WritingBy Hannah BraunJanuary 19, 2015

“Mrs. Braun, you know that mark, it’s like a curve, I can’t remember what it’s called, but do I need to use one here?” When kids get to second grade and they’re exposed to contractions, possessives, writing lists, dates, and more, they start to get really bamboozled about the difference between commas and apostrophes. They…

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Jan142015
Uncategorized

Teacher Funnies 12

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunJanuary 14, 2015

Here is your daily dose of teacher humor, enjoy!: This seems to be a problem at many schools:   They always do this:  You’ve just read a story problem, or the first sentence of your read aloud, and someone’s hand is frantically waving.  You think they must have something amazing to say so you call…

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Jan122015
Uncategorized FREE syllable rules poster

Monday Made It – January

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunJanuary 12, 2015

It’s the second Monday of the month which means it’s time for Monday Made It! Over winter break I redecorated my master bath!  I’ll spare you the before pictures but the walls were all dark brown, it had a plain builder-grade mirror, and a dilapidated Roman shade that didn’t work.  Here’s what I did:  …

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Jan122015
ComprehensionTeaching Reading Author's Purpose Anchor Chart

An Anchor Chart for Teaching Author’s Purpose

Comprehension, Teaching ReadingBy Hannah BraunJanuary 12, 2015

I just love anchor charts so I’m linking up again with Deb from Crafting Connections for: This week my anchor is about author’s purpose. There’s no sense in looking for the author’s purpose just to look for the author’s purpose.  If we can figure out the author’s purpose, then we can read purposefully.  If kids…

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Jan32015
DifferentiationTeaching 101Teaching Reading Effective Instruction for Low Reading Groups - for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade teachers

Effective Instruction Ideas for Low Groups

Differentiation, Teaching 101, Teaching ReadingBy Hannah BraunJanuary 3, 2015

Ideas for teaching low reading groups for maximum effectiveness   My stomach tightened a little as I pulled out my small group data sheet. I had been working with a group of some of the lower readers pulled from each class in my grade level. I was taking care of the other teachers’ babies and…

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Dec312014
Uncategorized when the copier jams for the 20th time

Teacher Funnies 11

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunDecember 31, 2014

Copy machines…it’s a love/hate relationship… The Men’s Warehouse guy gets it… Yeah, cause I don’t have much else to do anyway…

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Dec232014
LiteratureTeaching Reading What do we find in a fairy tale?

Why teach fairy tales?

Literature, Teaching ReadingBy Hannah BraunDecember 23, 20143 Comments

Fairy tales are old stories told and retold again, but do they deserve a place in a modern language arts curriculum? Besides the fact that the Common Core standards require exposure to fairy tales, there are other reasons why fairy tales should be included in reading instruction. Fairytales spark the imagination – Can you imagine…

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Dec152014
GeometryTeaching Math array anchor chart, helpful in the 2nd grade math class

An Anchor Chart for Teaching Arrays

Geometry, Teaching MathBy Hannah BraunDecember 15, 20141 Comment

I just made this anchor chart for kids who are new to the concept of arrays.   Click the picture to download this anchor chart for FREE!   I highlighted the main vocabulary kids need to know about arrays.  This chart could be projected during a lesson, put up on a math bulletin board, or…

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Dec142014
Uncategorized when the staff meeting has already run 15 minutes over... #teacherproblems

Teacher Funnies 10

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunDecember 14, 2014

It’s time for another installment of teacher funnies! Nobody likes staff meetings, especially when this happens… I used to get really frustrated about kids that wouldn’t do work for me in class, and then I decided maybe the parents should help shoulder the burden. When you get your class list for a new school year,…

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Dec82014
GrammarTeaching Writing recipe for a sentence anchor chart

Recipe for a Sentence Anchor Chart

Grammar, Teaching WritingBy Hannah BraunDecember 8, 2014

I used this Recipe for a Sentence anchor chart to introduce my 2nd graders to the concept of subject and predicate.  To make it a little more “kid-friendly,” we called the subject the naming part of the sentence.  It names who or what the sentence is about.  The predicate is the telling part of the…

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Monday Made It, December

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunDecember 8, 2014

Its the 2nd Monday of the month which means its time for Monday Made It with Fourth Grade Frolics! There is never any lack of projects to work on in my life so I’m excited to share with you what I’ve been up to lately. I love to make greeting cards and recently found a…

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Dec42014
ComprehensionTeaching 101Teaching Reading

Taking the Rocket Science out of Close Reading

Comprehension, Teaching 101, Teaching ReadingBy Hannah BraunDecember 4, 201424 Comments

What is close reading? If you look around Pinterest at anchor charts about close reading, it gets really overwhelming really fast!  It seems like it’s about every reading strategy you’ve ever seen all put together at the same time.  How the heck do you craft a lesson around that?  It’s time to take the rocket…

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Dec22014
GrammarTeaching Writing

Ugly Christmas Sweater Contractions FREEBIE

Grammar, Teaching WritingBy Hannah BraunDecember 2, 20141 Comment

If you were in elementary school in the 1980s and 90s like I was, you’ve probably seen your fair share of holiday sweaters on teachers.  Kids today shouldn’t miss out on holiday sweaters just because teachers have moved on to more fashionable apparel…haha!  So here is some fun contraction practice perfect for the weeks before…

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Dec12014
Uncategorized

Teacher Funnies 9

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunDecember 1, 20142 Comments

Just in time to help you push through until winter break…teacher funnies!!! Teacher: Joey, do you have your homework today? Joey: No, my mom forgot to put it in my backpack. Love that excuse. We call this “snaggle tooth” in my family: I do love moms who send cutesy (or even just delicious) treats for…

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Nov142014
MeasurementTeaching Math area anchor chart

Kinesthetic Area and Perimeter

Measurement, Teaching MathBy Hannah BraunNovember 14, 2014

Here’s an easy idea for teaching area and perimeter that your students will love! Take them outside (but first, make it clear that it’s not recess time!). Have them follow behind you in a line as you walk around the edge of the basketball court (or playground, or blacktop, or whatever you have).  Yell out…

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Nov102014
Uncategorized neck tie turkey bulletin board

Monday Made It, November

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunNovember 10, 2014

I’m excited to link up with 4th Grade Frolics for Monday Made It! My first project is this silly bulletin board made of some thrift store neckties.  I made the big turkey and then realized I could us the little tie ends I had left to make a baby turkey.  This is a library bulletin…

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Nov82014
Uncategorized

Thanksgiving Color by Number Freebie!

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunNovember 8, 2014

I only became aware of color by number educational activities a couple of years ago and I think they’re so much fun! I made one just for Thanksgiving that helps students practice adding and subtracting 10 from a 2-digit number. Click the picture to grab yours! Enjoy : )

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Nov22014
Uncategorized

Teacher Funnies 8

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunNovember 2, 2014

It’s time for another installment of TEACHER FUNNIES! I think parent relations have to be one of the hardest parts of being a teacher.  Those little cherubs go home and tell their parents a (stretched and twisted) story from the day and next thing you know, you’ve got an irate mama/papa bear on your hands…

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Oct312014
ComprehensionTeaching 101Teaching Reading Comprehension strategies checklist

Making Your Thinking Visible With Graphic Organizers

Comprehension, Teaching 101, Teaching ReadingBy Hannah BraunOctober 31, 20142 Comments

Freebie! One of the keys to teaching reading comprehension is showing kids how proficient readers think about text.  Teachers have to find a way to make their thinking visible.  One way is with graphic organizers.  Here is a free set:          The first one is filled in with the steps for growing…

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Oct162014
Uncategorized

The Secret Life of Teachers

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunOctober 16, 20148 Comments

Teacher Burnout Explained in Two Pie Graphs This is a non-scientific (but probably pretty accurate) graphic I have created using my experience as a teacher.  Another title for this chart could be “Teacher Burnout Explained in Two Pie Graphs.”  I’m sure you can relate or even add some of your own crazy pie sections. Healthy…

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Oct62014
BehaviorClassroom ManagementUncategorized

Easy Classroom Management Hacks

Behavior, Classroom Management, UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunOctober 6, 2014

Every teacher needs a few fun, fast, easy, tricks up his/her sleeve.  Here are a few easy classroom management tricks I’ve picked up over the years. Need a Second to Get Ready for the Next Lesson? I got this first one from an art teacher I used to work with.  She would have a few…

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Sep292014
PhonicsTeaching Reading

Kid-Friendly Syllable Rules

Phonics, Teaching ReadingBy Hannah BraunSeptember 29, 20148 Comments

  Honestly, I don’t ever remember learning syllable rules when I was in school, and amazingly enough, I still learned how to read.  When I first started hearing about syllable rules (as a teacher) they were complicated statements like, “with a CVC pattern, if the vowel is short then divide after the second consonant.”  Holy…

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Teacher Funnies 7

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunSeptember 26, 20143 Comments

  Welcome to teaching!  Where the salaries are low and everything is your fault!  It’s a good thing there are people that care about kids and contributing to society because otherwise nobody would take this job. Mechanical pencils are writing utensils?  False.  They are plastic chisels designed to chip away at a teacher’s sanity.  Students…

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Sep222014
Uncategorized

Teaching Map Skills

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunSeptember 22, 20142 Comments

  FREE Craftivity! This is a simple cut-and-paste collage style compass rose craft.  It helps kids understand how a compass rose works and learn the order of the cardinal directions (plus it looks great hung up in the hall!)  You can pick up the template for free HERE. Here’s how it’s done: You will need…

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Sep152014
GenresTeaching Writing

Personal Narrative Writing

Genres, Teaching WritingBy Hannah BraunSeptember 15, 2014

Ideas for teaching personal narrative writing to first, second, and third graders. This post contains affiliate links. Where to Start with Teaching Personal Narrative Writing Before students start to write their own personal narratives, they need to be exposed to a good example or two.  Read a personal narrative mentor text like one of those…

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Sep82014
Uncategorized

Monday Made It – September

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunSeptember 8, 2014

I’m excited to be linking up with 4th Grade Frolics today for the September edition of Monday Made It! I’m not sure I inherited the enthusiasm for holidays that most teachers have, so I’m really working on it this year.  Just today I finished this fun Halloween-themed color by code activity, and I’m offering it…

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The 6 Signposts for Close Reading

Comprehension, Teaching ReadingBy Hannah BraunSeptember 6, 20145 Comments

A reading comprehension strategy for elementary students This post contains affiliate links. 6 Signposts for Close Reading If you’re a teacher that means you’ve been successful enough in school to get a college degree.  This also means you are probably a natural “comprehender” when it comes to things that you read. I don’t remember being…

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Aug282014
PhonicsTeaching 101Teaching Reading

Crash Course in Phonics

Phonics, Teaching 101, Teaching ReadingBy Hannah BraunAugust 28, 201410 Comments

Teaching Phonics Looking back I’m not sure how this happened, but somehow I got through college without actually learning phonics rules.  Hold on, hold on!  I know how to read and I know letter sounds but as far as actual “rules” that I could tell my students…I was lost.  And I know I’m not the…

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Aug262014
Uncategorized

Teacher Funnies 6

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunAugust 26, 2014

Hopefully the honeymoon period isn’t over yet with your new students, but in case you need a dose of teacher humor, here it is : )

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Aug222014
Uncategorized

Washi tape canisters

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunAugust 22, 2014

Have you been noticing colorful spools of tape on the end caps at your craft store?  And the name on it…Washi tape?  What in the world?!? I like to think of Washi tape as the more refined version of colorful/patterned duct tape.  I decided to “Washify” a set of plain glass canisters. These canisters would…

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Aug122014
Teaching 101Teaching ReadingTeaching Writing literacy block

Easing Into An Awesome Literacy Block

Teaching 101, Teaching Reading, Teaching WritingBy Hannah BraunAugust 12, 20142 Comments

Problem: Getting a good, solid literacy block up and running seems so complex, I don’t even know where to start. Solution:  It doesn’t magically happen on the first day of school.  It’s a process that takes the students and the teacher several weeks to ease into.  Here’s a basic structure that I have found works…

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Aug112014
Uncategorized

Print Making for Kids

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunAugust 11, 2014

Today I’m linking up with 4th Grade Frolics for Monday Made It! I’m always on the look out for kids’  art projects that actually look artsy and interesting (you know, more than just crayon or marker on paper).  I found some great inspiration from Kimberly at The Learning Tree and tried a print making technique. You…

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Aug92014
Teaching Math

12 Ways Teachers Can Use Play-Doh

Teaching MathBy Hannah BraunAugust 9, 2014

Teaching with Play Doh     If you don’t have a class set of Play Doh cups, you may want to consider purchasing some. (Or even asking for parent donations.) Play Doh can be used for a wide variety of activities and it’s very motivating for students.  Nobody wants to be the kid that gets…

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Jul302014
Uncategorized

Classroom Decor

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunJuly 30, 2014

Decorating your classroom isn’t one of your most critical duties as a teacher but if I’m going to spend 40-60 hours a week in my classroom, I want it to be a colorful, attractive environment!  Here is what I’ve done with my classroom: I feel very lucky to have windows!  I know not everybody does.…

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Jul282014
ComputationTeaching Math

Open Number Lines Explained

Computation, Teaching MathBy Hannah BraunJuly 28, 20143 Comments

If Not the Algorithm, Then What? The summer before my school was implementing Common Core math standards, we all attended a 3-day training.  In 2nd grade we tackle “regrouping” (or borrowing and carrying) in addition and subtraction.  It’s a big deal for us, it’s our thing, and we’re proud to teach this critical skill. I…

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Jul252014
Uncategorized

Teacher Funnies 5

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunJuly 25, 2014

Sometimes the best way to survive the challenges of teaching is to laugh! I hope you have a full-time janitor at your school but I once worked at a school where the janitor left at 2:00 pm every day…and that is the inspiration for this meme: If you’re a brand new teacher, you probably don’t…

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Jul232014
ComputationTeaching Math Math Running Records - An assessment to help elementary teachers find out what strategies students are really using to solve math facts

Math Fact Running Record

Computation, Teaching MathBy Hannah BraunJuly 23, 20142 Comments

Today I’m linking up with Miss V’s Busy Bees to talk about assessment! Have you had this experience during math: “Everybody tell me what the answer to the problem is..” “Seventeen!” You think: Wow!  My kids are doing great with solving math facts. Then you go to test them only to find out that some…

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Jul162014
MeasurementTeaching MathUncategorized

Measurement

Measurement, Teaching Math, UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunJuly 16, 2014

When I teach measurement I always wonder how kids make it so dang difficult! “Mrs. Braun, I measured my desk and it’s 2 inches long!”  …..wait, WHAT!?!  Every year I have taught, I encounter a kid who finds a different way to measure incorrectly.  After a while it starts to get humorous!  I’ve found that…

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Jul92014
Uncategorized

Back to School FREEBIE

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunJuly 9, 2014

Between trying to put supplies away and answering about a million questions, it’s really helpful to have something kids can do independently and quietly for a few minutes during your first few days back to school. Your kids will love solving the doubles facts (within 10) and coloring the picture based on the answer they…

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Jul72014
Uncategorized

Bulletin Boards 101

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunJuly 7, 2014

There are lots of things you won’t learn about teaching during your time in college.  How to start up your literacy block at the beginning of the year and what you should be teaching in phonics are on the list. Making attractive bulletin boards is another one of these topics.  Back-to-School bulletin boards welcome your…

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Jul52014
Uncategorized

Teacher Funnies 4

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunJuly 5, 2014
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Jul52014
Uncategorized

Tree Silhouette Art

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunJuly 5, 2014

Supplies: paperwatercolor paintblack tempera or acrylic paintthin paint brushes (better quality brushes if available)sponge pieces (optional) Practice: One problem with art projects is that kids can get easily discouraged if their product doesn’t turn out the way they thought it would.  A few years ago I discovered that having kids practice a few elements of…

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Jun212014
Uncategorized

Teacher Funnies 3

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunJune 21, 2014
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Jun192014
Uncategorized

Teacher Tip Thursday

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunJune 19, 2014

I’m linking up today with The Teaching Tribune where teachers are offering up their best bit of teaching advice.  Here’s mine: I first heard this at a training a few years ago and it really made me stop and think.  Of course we have to offer corrections, redirection, and constructive criticism to our students.  But…

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Jun182014
Uncategorized

The Important Book for Teaching Attributes

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunJune 18, 2014

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown was one of my favorite books from childhood.  Looking back at it now, the bright orange, green, and blue illustrations (and those crazy striped curtains) seem a bit strange compared to what book printers are currently putting out.  But there was something about the lulling lilt of the words…

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Jun122014
LiteratureTeaching ReadingUncategorized Knuffle Bunny activities for elementary teachers including a reading comprehension idea and an art project, 1st and 2nd graders love this!

An Easy Comprehension and Art Activity for Knuffle Bunny

Literature, Teaching Reading, UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunJune 12, 20142 Comments

A reading comprehension and art activity to go along with Mo Willem’s book, Knuffle Bunny. This post contains affiliate links.     The Book   Knuffle Bunny is the first in a series of three great books by Mo Willems.  The story starts with little babbling, bright-eyed Trixie and her dad taking a trip to…

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Jun32014
Uncategorized

Teacher Funnies 2

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunJune 3, 2014

   

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Jun32014
Teaching Reading

MORE Literacy Center Ideas – Word Work

Teaching ReadingBy Hannah BraunJune 3, 2014

I know some teachers that can get away with using the same five center activities all year.  That seems so simple and straight forward… but I’m always looking for something new to put in the rotation!  My students seem to enjoy some variety as well. So here are some word work/spelling center ideas: Look, Cover, Write,…

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May272014
Uncategorized

Teacher Funnies

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunMay 27, 2014

     

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May252014
Teaching Reading

Literacy Centers

Teaching ReadingBy Hannah BraunMay 25, 2014

  Whether you’re new to literacy centers or you’ve been doing them for a while, it’s always fun to get some new ideas and kids definitely enjoy some variety.  Here’s is a collection of centers I’ve had success with for word work, writing, reading, spelling, and grammar:     Magnetic Words There are lots of…

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May192014
GrammarTeaching Writing How to Teach Parts of Speech - activities and ideas for teaching nouns, verbs, adjectives and more in the elementary classroom for better grammar and writing

How to Teach Parts of Speech So They Stick

Grammar, Teaching WritingBy Hannah BraunMay 19, 20142 Comments

Inside: Find out how to teach parts of speech so that kids remember what they have learned! I’m sharing my favorite ideas and activities.     You’ve talked about pronouns for several weeks. You’ve given homework and review. You’re in the middle of your pronoun assessment and a student raises their hand and asks “What’s a…

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May112014
Teaching Math

Noodles and Cups

Teaching MathBy Hannah BraunMay 11, 2014

One of my favorite activities for starting the year in 2nd grade is counting to 1000.  Imagine this classroom scene – Instructions have been given, materials have been passed out, and everyone is working silently…at least for a few minutes!  I know when I have those rare moments in class that I have found an…

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May52014
ComputationTeaching Math

Choosing the Best Math Strategy

Computation, Teaching MathBy Hannah BraunMay 5, 2014

Improve math fact fluency for addition and subtraction by teaching first and second graders how to choose the best math strategy for a fact.   Matching Strategies to Equations Problem: I’ve taught my students lots of math fact strategies but how do I get them to put those strategies to use?!? Solution: Learning HOW to…

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Apr292014
Teaching Writing make editing writing fun by teaching rainbow editing, perfect for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade students

Make Editing Fun!

Teaching WritingBy Hannah BraunApril 29, 20141 Comment

Problem:  It’s like pulling teeth to get my kids to edit their writing.  They frequently turn it in, saying they’ve edited, and I still find lots of mistakes I know they could have corrected on their own. Solution: Shake up your editing routine!  Here are some ideas for making editing fun: Rainbow Editing Coloring coding makes…

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Apr272014
Uncategorized

Summer Practice FREEBIE

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunApril 27, 2014

Problem:  I’m concerned about my students losing ground over the summer. Solution:  Send home a fun summer packet for them to work on! Here is a FREE sample of my 2nd grade packet:   And here are full packets for both 1st and 2nd grade:         

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Apr222014
GenresTeaching Writing

A Week-Long Poetry Unit

Genres, Teaching WritingBy Hannah BraunApril 22, 2014

Problem: I would love to study poetry with my class but I’m not sure how to go about it. Solution:  Read on!  Here is a way to structure a week-long study of poetry: Preparation – Choose a few poems for you kids to work on all week.  For 2nd graders I would choose 4 to 7…

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Apr212014
Uncategorized

Using Hip Hop in Class

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunApril 21, 2014

Problem: I want to introduce my students to a wider range of poetry than just the typical Shel Silverstein funny stuff. Solution: Branch out into songs as poetry, even hip hop as poetry!  One of my students’ favorite poems to study all year is “Rapper’s Delight” by Sugar Hill Gang.  The classroom scene goes something…

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Apr182014
Uncategorized

Test Review Game

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunApril 18, 2014

Problem:  My kids are really bored with test review but we’ve got to do it anyway! Solution:  Make it a game!  This is a little bit like Jeopardy but I make some modifications to ensure maximum engagement.  Use index cards or pieces of paper to create the “game board.”  This one is set up for…

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Apr142014
LiteratureTeaching ReadingUncategorized

Love that Dog – Poetry Mentor Text

Literature, Teaching Reading, UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunApril 14, 2014

Problem: My kids need some poetry mentor texts and it’s hard  to find something (other than expensive anthologies) at the bookstore. Solution: Pick up Love That Dog by Sharon Creech.                                                                                                                                          So much depends                                                                     upon                                                                    a blue car                                                                    splattered with mud                                                                    speeding down the road   These are the first few cryptic lines…

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Apr112014
Number SenseTeaching Math

Skip Counting Routines

Number Sense, Teaching MathBy Hannah BraunApril 11, 20143 Comments

Problem: How can I get kids to master skip counting?  I can’t spend several lessons on it.  Solution:  Skip counting takes repetitive  practice but it’s not something you would want to devote a whole lesson to many times throughout the year.  Instead, short, frequent skip counting routines can help all students master skip counting.  Skip…

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Apr102014
ComputationTeaching Math

Part-Part-Whole

Computation, Teaching MathBy Hannah BraunApril 10, 2014

Problem: My students have such a hard time with unknowns in all positions of math problems. (Common Core standards 1.OA.A.1, 2.OA.A.1) Solution: Give them plenty of exposure to part-part-whole!  It seems so basic, just a way of showing the two smaller numbers that combine to make a bigger number.  As shown on the picture, 3…

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Apr82014
Uncategorized

Badness for Beginners

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunApril 8, 2014

Problem:  I need a fun way to address manners with my class. Solution:  Badness For Beginners is a hilarious book about the Wolf family.  Mommy and Daddy Wolf work tirelessly to teach their two wolf cubs to be bad.  Your students will immediately recognize that the lessons Little Wolf and Smellybref are learning are exactly…

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Apr62014
Uncategorized

Clear, Kid-Friendly Expectations

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunApril 6, 2014

Problem:  My students aren’t acting the way I tell them to act! Solution:  As with all things related to behavior, there isn’t necessarily one solution but successful classroom management starts with setting clear expectations.  I specifically remember an instance during my student teaching when I was trying to get kids on task by standing at…

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Apr32014
Uncategorized

Building rapport with behavior-problem students

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunApril 3, 2014

Problem: I feel like I’m not building very strong rapport with some students, especially those that struggle with behavior. Solution:   Problem behavior can have many causes and potential remedies.  One idea certainly won’t be a quick fix for every kid but this is something I’ve found helpful:  I had a big “ah-ha” moment in…

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Apr12014
Uncategorized

The Witches: An Engaging Classroom Read Aloud

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunApril 1, 20141 Comment

Problem:  I’m dying to find something funny and interesting to read aloud to my class. Solution:  Read them The Witches by Roald Dahl!  When a boy and his grandmother go on vacation they discover that they are sharing their hotel with a group of disguised witches that have a plot to destroy all the children in England! …

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Mar292014
Uncategorized

3D Flower Bulletin Board Element

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunMarch 29, 2014

Problem:  I love cute and colorful bulletin boards but I don’t have a lot of time or money to spend on them. Solution:  With the number of hours a teacher spends in his/her classroom, I think it’s so important to have a fresh and aesthetically pleasing classroom environment.  To put some color on the walls,…

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Mar262014
Uncategorized

Memorizing Multiplication Facts

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunMarch 26, 2014

Problem: It’s sooo hard for some of my students to memorize their multiplication facts!  They can’t do harder math because the basic facts take them too long to figure out. Solution:  Sometimes a silly rhyme is all it takes.  To this day, when I need to solve the fact  6 x 8, I think to…

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Mar242014
Uncategorized

Help for a Sub Day

UncategorizedBy Hannah BraunMarch 24, 2014

Problem: It’s so hard to come up with enough for my students to do when I’m making sub plans! Solution: On sub days I’m all in favor of activities that are simple, take some time, and involve at least some skill practice. Here’s a fun freebie to help you out. It’s a math fact color-by-number.…

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Mar212014
ComprehensionTeaching Reading

Nonfiction Text Structures

Comprehension, Teaching ReadingBy Hannah BraunMarch 21, 20141 Comment

I remember a professional development session where the presenter projected a piece of text with lots of blanks where words should have been. A quick glance at the format told us that it was a letter. The first line said, “Dear ______,” Someone instinctively said, “Dear John!” The presenter filled in the word “John.” It…

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Mar192014
ComputationTeaching Math

An Easy Strategy that Boosts Math Fact Fluency

Computation, Teaching MathBy Hannah BraunMarch 19, 20141 Comment

A strategy to teach elementary students for increased math fact fluency. Problem: My students spent so much time counting on to add.  It’s not efficient! Solution: While there are a variety of strategies for adding, one of my most recent discoveries is what I call the “in betweens” strategy.  Here’s how it works:    …

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