Teaching students to activate their schema in kindergarten, first, and second grade can seem abstract at first. Once I let students know they actually use their schema all the time, they become more comfortable explaining their thoughts! Both as a first grade teacher and a K-2 literacy teacher, I emphasized schema at the beginning of […]

This small group phonics and number sense game reminds me of the good ole days. I used to play Spoons when I went up to the cabin with friends and family and it was always a hit. We would laugh and race to be sure we weren’t left without a spoon. With it being such a […]

Place value can be tricky in first grade. I feel like they go from learning to count to 20 to fully understanding base 10 in a matter of weeks. It flies and can be a difficult concept for my students to understand. When teaching place value I am ALL ABOUT it being hands on. Students […]

Sometimes reviewing sight words gets boring. Am I right?! Same with other identification skills: numbers, letters, rhyming words, etc., so I am always on the lookout for some new and exciting games to play with my students. Just to spice it up a little! Enter: SNAP! This is a fast-paced card game that you can […]