Fun and Practical Ideas for Primary Classrooms
Fluency practice is one of those things we know our students need, but keeping it fun and engaging all year long can be a challenge. If it feels repetitive or tedious, students can lose interest quickly. The good news? With just a few simple routines and activities, you can build strong, confident readers and keep your classroom excited about reading…. Read More
If your literacy block starts to feel a little… chaotic 😵💫… this time of year, you are definitely not alone! Spring is a fun time in the classroom, but it can also be a tiring time. Students are excited, they argue like siblings after a whole school year together, and teachers are juggling testing, end-of-year tasks, and everything in between…. Read More
Movement can be a powerful tool for keeping young learners engaged while learning important literacy skills. When students are up, talking, and interacting with their classmates, they are often more focused and excited to participate. ✅ Here are some of our favorite ways we MOVE in 1st grade! 1. Stand Up, Sit Down Simple and quick, just like it sounds!… Read More
Strong phonics instruction is one of the most important parts of helping young readers become confident and successful. If you’re looking for phonics activities for kindergarten and first grade, simple routines that reinforce letter sounds, blending, and word building can make a big difference. These easy phonics activities for K–1 classrooms are perfect for literacy centers, small group instruction, or… Read More
Teaching friendship skills is an important part of helping young students build a positive classroom community. These friendship activities for primary students are designed to help children learn how to be kind, work together, and solve problems with their classmates. This friendship activities booklet for kindergarten and first grade includes simple lessons, reflection pages, and engaging activities that encourage students… Read More
Do you LOVE fun poems as much as I do? Well, I know young readers LOVE poems when they are learning to read, rhyme, and identify letters and sounds. These alphabet poems are a favorite! These Alphabet Poems are fantastic for ABC Bootcamp or whenever you start learning and reviewing letter names and sounds in Kindergarten. And, each letter includes… Read More
After 20+ years of teaching, I’ve done a lot of different things for reading homework. I stopped doing reading logs several years ago because I didn’t feel it was meaningful. Sometimes, families were just rushing to write down book titles to get “credit” for homework, instead of focusing on the fun and important work of enjoying books together. Another reading… Read More
I love using fun decodable books with my young readers! See our four-day reading group routine with our short vowel decodable books! I’ve used these in reading groups, with reading volunteers, and I send them home with students as well. The kids love the funny characters and simple text. The “words to know” section is a great warmup for kids… Read More
I love using spring-themed activities to keep my first grade students engaged during this exciting time of the year! Here is a roundup of some of my favorites that I think you’ll love! Spring-Themed Reading Passages I’ve used these passages for leveled homework, reading groups, and more! Each week has three levels (emerging, growing, established) that cover the same topic… Read More
I love making and sharing great resources for teachers to use. Here is a roundup of some of my FAVORITE FREEBIES from my Teachers Pay Teachers store or my blog! Click the pictures to get your free resources! This pack has 17 passages for first grade Reading Literature (RL) and Reading Informational (RI) passages. Perfect for practice, review, and assessment… Read More
