December is always a crazy teaching month. To combat the mayhem we play a lot of games and spend this time reviewing what we’ve learned during the first half of the year! I recently sent out these 3 free games in my monthly newsletter and I wanted to share them with you here in case anyone didn’t […]

Happy December! Hannukah has already started and Christmas is right around the corner. As with every year, I have no idea how the holidays arrive so quickly, but here I am scurrying around to get my gifts in order. I have been wanting to write a post like this for awhile, so I thought I […]

The Legend of the Poinsettia by Tomie dePaola is one of my favorite Holidays Around the World books to read! I thought I would share some of the comprehension and vocabulary activities I use each year {of course, all “gussied up” with better borders and fonts than I used in the past}. If you need […]

It can be hard to keep your young students’ minds focused on school when the holidays come around. Heck, it can be hard to keep your own mind focused on school when the holiday lights are up, the Christmas songs are on the radio, and the air starts to get a little chill!   Holiday […]

Christmas break is HERE!! The past week was wild and fast and fun… but I am glad it is over and I am even gladder(?) that I am relaxing in my hometown of Salem, MA.  I wanted to do a quick little post on some cute n’ crafty parent gifts we made this year! My […]

Monday was filled with hugs, learning, and laughter. It was exactly what we needed to get back into the swing of things in our little classroom. Today… was jam-packed with holiday fun! This morning we read The Gingerbread Man and retold the story using headbands and a little reader’s theater action. The students picked their […]

My Christmas countdown is ON! Is yours?!? We started a few holiday activities today and let me tell you, the kids were SO excited! I picked a few of the most exciting ones to highlight this evening.   First up: Holiday Scratch n’ Sniff    Peppermints, gingerbread cookies, cinnamon and some pine needles (or just […]