Ninja Notes

Let us help you teach like a ninja!

Classroom Tips

Black History Books You Should Use All Year

by

While Black History Month happens each February there should be books about Black characters, Black history and by Black authors in your classroom all year round. Come check out our list of books that are in our classroom library and would be the perfect addition your school, too.

Black history is Canadian history. This history of all people that have made up this country should be included-both the heroic tales and the ones that are not told as often. We have always tried to include many stories of the different First Nations, Metis and Inuit People, but we discovered that our school and classroom library didn’t have enough books written by Black authors, featuring Black protagonists and telling the history from the perspective of Black Canadians.

The books we curated and collected shouldn’t be saved for one month of the year. These stories should be available to students all year round. They should be included in your language arts examples and in your history lessons. Come check out our list and see which books you might want to add to your collection.

[Read more…] about Black History Books You Should Use All Year

Chill Out With These Sanity Saving Indoor Recess Activities

by

Sometimes the winter weather prevents us from going outside for recess. If you're stuck inside for indoor recess, we've collected a whole list of indoor recess activities that will work even if your students have to socially distance. Come read the blog and grab a few activities for your classroom.

Every year, teachers in Canada are faced with several days in a row where the weather outside is not safe for students to go outside and play. These indoor recesses can be a nightmare at the best of times because no student wants to stay inside every recess in a row during a cold snap. We’ve collected these must-try activities for indoor recess to ease that job.

We try to let our students have a less structured recess break where they choose their own activities and aren’t micromanaged. This might not be possible depending on the situation at your school, but keep in mind that recess should be a break instead of another scheduled block of time. Come see which of these activities will work for your students.

[Read more…] about Chill Out With These Sanity Saving Indoor Recess Activities

Cozy Up With Great Winter Books

by

Come check out this list of winter books that we use in our upper elementary classroom. We use picture books to teach all kinds of English Language Arts skills, but our students also love them. We've even included some ways to inspire your students to dig into winter books.

When it’s cold outside, a good winter book is a great way to cozy up and spend the cold months. We love to read picture books to our students in Grade Four and Five. Older students love picture books and they love to be read to just as much as younger students.

Picture books are a great way to teach specific comprehension skills, show examples of different types of writing, teach poetic devices and show how grammar is used in real-world situations.

Having a great book is just part of the equation. Next, we’ll talk about some of the ways we get kids to read.

[Read more…] about Cozy Up With Great Winter Books

How to Communicate with Parents in a Fast-Paced World

by

Are you looking to improve communication between home and school? It is more difficult than ever to reach parents to talk about students. Come learn some of the strategies that help us build strong lines of communication with the families of our students right from the start.

Communicating with parents right from the beginning of the year is critical to smooth sailing for the rest of the year. As they say, “information is power.” When parents are properly informed there will be better parent-teacher communication.

There are many ways to communicate with parents, but before you get started it is helpful to figure out what parents have access to and what form of communication with parents works for them.

You will probably have to use more than one method of parent communication to make sure you reach every family. That does seem daunting, but let us help.

[Read more…] about How to Communicate with Parents in a Fast-Paced World

Easy to Use Remembrance Day Assembly Ideas

by

If you are looking for ideas to organize a Remembrance Day assembly in your school, check out this post full of ideas.

Every school across Canada has held a Remembrance Day assembly since the end of the Second World War. In fact, it is written into the School Act in Alberta as a requirement. Schools must have a Remembrance Day assembly on the day closest to November 11. We’ve got some Remembrance Day assembly ideas for you.

We had to make some changes during the pandemic. These ideas can work whether you’re able to gather together or need to be apart or learning online.

We’ve been rethinking how we’ll honour our soldiers at school. If you are planning a Remembrance Day assembly, we might have a few ideas for you.

[Read more…] about Easy to Use Remembrance Day Assembly Ideas

How to Celebrate Halloween In the Classroom

by

Are you looking for ways to celebrate Halloween in your upper elementary classroom? We gathered up some of our students' favourite activities for you to try. Come take a look!

Halloween is such a special time for many students. In past years, we’ve had parades and assemblies and handed out candy. There was a time when bobbing for apples was a good idea. Now, since the pandemic, the thought of countless students scrambling to bite into an apple floating around in a tub full of mouth germs…ugg.

Our classroom is usually bustling with parent volunteers who help out at different Halloween-themed stations. Still, some years, there might not be as many parent volunteers available as you need, so it’s nice to have easy alternatives in your back pocket.

If your school and students are celebrating Halloween, here are some generally easy ways to have a little fun.

[Read more…] about How to Celebrate Halloween In the Classroom