Often when the school year starts, we do a few different writing activities to get a sense of how well students can (or cannot) write. One of the things we continually see is the lack of conventions regardless of whether students write by hand or type it into a device. We found that a simple lesson around the different types of sentences changed many of the punctuation problems. Come read about the lesson and get some ideas for your classroom.
[Read more…] about How to Teach Types of Sentences and Fix Punctuation ProblemsEnglish Language Arts
Unravel the Magic of Fractured Fairy Tale Activities!
Once upon a time, there was a teacher who discovered her students didn’t know the story of Little Red Riding Hood. Yes! It’s a true story. It is not a fairy tale. With each year, it is surprising that fewer and fewer students know the traditional fairy tales. It seems that reading classic stories before entering school has become less and less common at home. With the huge selection of stories, teachers just don’t have time to read them all.
Even in upper elementary, one of our favourite units is fairy tales. We start our fairy tale unit by reading some of the old classics. If you have older students who are a little twisty, you can even share the darker versions. We talk about why fairy tales were used by parents and how the stories have changed over time. Come learn about how we use fairy tales in our upper elementary classroom.
[Read more…] about Unravel the Magic of Fractured Fairy Tale Activities!5 Fascinating and Inspiring Canadian Trailblazers
We teamed up with several Canadian teacher-authors to collaborate on different historical (and modern) Canadian trailblazers that you should be teaching your students about.
A trailblazer is the first to do something or to lead the way for others. This term is often used to describe someone who pioneers a new idea, creates a new path, or achieves something that has never been done before. Trailblazers are often seen as innovators or leaders who inspire others to follow in their footsteps. They create positive change in society. They may face challenges and obstacles along the way, but they persist in pursuing their goals and paving the way for others to follow.
How well do you know these Canadian trailblazers?
[Read more…] about 5 Fascinating and Inspiring Canadian TrailblazersHow to Have Fun With Homonyms
Do your students struggle with using the correct word when they are writing? Do homophones confuse your students when they are reading? They are not alone. There are more than six thousand different homophones in the English language. No wonder it’s so confusing for students.
Teaching homophones and homographs can be a lot of fun. We’ve collected some of our favourite lessons, books and activities that you can use in your classroom to practice using homonyms. Come read more!
[Read more…] about How to Have Fun With HomonymsHow to Add Some Meat to Your Idioms Lessons
Idioms are a complicated thing for many English Language Learners. In fact, many students struggle with them in their day-to-day life. Every language has its own idioms: phrases that say one thing literally but mean another thing figuratively.
Learning idioms helps students understand the cultural context and conversational skills. Many idioms come naturally to native English speakers, making them challenging for English Language Learners. Students with learning challenges like Autism or cognitive issues can find figurative language misleading and frustrating. In our experience, many native English speakers don’t always know the meanings of the idioms either, so they are great for all your students to learn.
What are some different ways you can help your students learn idioms?
[Read more…] about How to Add Some Meat to Your Idioms Lessons22 Amazing Ways to Use Word Wall Words
What are word wall words?
A word wall is an organized display of a collection of words that are usually left posted on a wall or bulletin board for a long period of time. The words are typically high-frequency words. Posted word wall words can provide a visual reference for students throughout a unit of study, a term, or a year. Teachers and students use these words continuously.
But are you guilty of hanging up your words and then forgetting about them? Come learn how we make our word wall more interactive.
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