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anchoredinlearning

• Whiteboards • Crafts • SEL • Read Alouds • Learning Games • Positivity • Real Teacher Ideas • Laughs •

Added a new sign to my door today! Before state

Added a new sign to my door today!

Before state testing I like to put up a sign for my students to see as they walk in. I want them to feel excited and happy as they walk in and this sign does the trick!

I had a few more surprises throughout the day I’m excited to share! When do you do state testing?

#statetesting #MCAS #teachersofinstagram #classroomengagement #classroomfun #classroomactivities #fifthgradefun #middleschoolteacher #highschoolteacher #teacherthings #teachersoftpt #teacherspayteachers #iteachtoo #testtakingstrategies #teachertips #classroomfun #classroomideas #teacherideas #teaching #teachingisfun #funclassroom #teachingenglishisfun #teacherlove #teachersonig #teachersfollowteachers #teachersfollowingteachers

Some days are tough, some days remind you you’re

Some days are tough, some days remind you you’re doing something right.

There was an envelope on my desk at the end of the day, and when I opened it up to this-my entire week was made.

#thelittlethings #handwritten #teacherstuff #teachersofinstagram #iteachtoo #teachersfollowteachers #weareteachers #teachersofinsta #teacherlife #tea#teacherlovechergram #teachersneedcoffee #tpt #tftpickme #teacherpost #teacherthings #teachertips

Have you heard of the make a @lego duck challenge?

Have you heard of the make a @lego duck challenge?

Honestly, I did this activity a while ago, but it’s been a year so I hadn’t gotten around to posting till now (probably because I’m sitting in the chair at the dentist 🦷)

With state testing coming for everyone this is an AWESOME activity. You give your students six legos and tell them to build a duck. There is THOUSANDS of ways to do this. It’s so fun to watch the kids create different ducks, and then evaluate and redesign as they look at other ducks!

SEL and science follow each other in our class so I also use it as a lesson to highlight and celebrate differences that make us unique! Then I piggy back on how just because someone does something similar to you doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing, and that instead your idea inspired them!

There is kits on Amazon of the six legos, but honestly I just purchased the legos individually and it was MUCH cheaper!

#stemeducation #STEM #STEAM #lego #legoduckchallenge #legoduck #legoandlearning #legoeducation #collaborativelearning #elementaryteacher #elementaryed #elementaryeducation #teachertips #teachersfollowteachers #teacherlife #teacherblogger #teacherpreneur #teachersoftpt #teacherspayteachers #tptresources #fifthgradeteacher #5thgrade #iteachfourth #teacherideas #teacheridea #classroomidea #classroommanagement #teacherthings #teacherorganization #teacherresources

Anyone else find that behaviors tend to spike in M

Anyone else find that behaviors tend to spike in March? Maybe just us teachers who don’t have spring break in March?

I love reading this book with my kids who let things bubble up and then explode. It’s a great analogy for kids (plus they love it if you pair it with a shaken up soda!).

The book also comes with an activity companion that is full of ideas to help students recognize their feelings and emotions, and how to handle them!

Shout out to @nationalcenterforyouthissues for always keeping my students with thoughtful books and activities for SEL!

#iteachsel #iteachtoo #teachingkindness #socialemotionallearning #socialemotionaldevelopment #socialemotionalskills #socialemotionaleducation #iteachlittles #iteachmiddles #breathingexercises #breathingtechniques #breathingstrategies #counselorsofinstagram #counselorsofinstagram #elementaryteachers #elementarycounselors #mindfulness #classroomidea #classroommanagement #teacherthings #teacherorganization #teacherresources

“Sometimes we need someone to just listen. Not t

“Sometimes we need someone to just listen. Not to try and fix anything or offer alternatives, but to just be there… to listen” -Steve Maraboli

This is one of my favorite books to teach my students with. In a world saturated with strategies (I teach a lot of them at least), I think it’s essential to teach kids it’s not always our job to fix things, change things, or make it better. We can show empathy and just listen. (Honestly I feel like we can always work on this from time to time)

The book is about Taylor (you never know Taylors gender which I love) and Taylor builds something magnificent with blocks. In a freak accident it all falls. Animals offer different strategies, the chicken wants to talk, the elephant wants to remember, the kangaroo wants to clean up, etc. but Taylor doesn’t want to do any of those things. When the rabbit finally comes the rabbit just stays, and listens, and Taylor gets to process how they need to. All Taylor needed was a friend. 💕🐰

I always pair this with making sock bunnies (rabbits) that students take home so they always have someone to listen!

What’s your favorite read aloud?

#iteachsel #iteachtoo #teachingkindness #socialemotionallearning #socialemotionaldevelopment #socialemotionalskills #socialemotionaleducation #iteachlittles #iteachmiddles #breathingexercises #breathingtechniques #breathingstrategies #counselorsofinstagram #counselorsofinstagram #elementaryteachers #elementarycounselors #mindfulness #classroomidea #classroommanagement #teacherthings #teacherorganization #teacherresources #selbooks #openthemagic #picturebookaday #childrensbooks

We love a good SEL read aloud! Sometimes when I

We love a good SEL read aloud!

Sometimes when I start with a read aloud or an SEL lesson I remind my kids that we’re going to have “a real chat” so let’s be honest and not tell me what they think I want to hear because I’m the teacher. This was one of those times. After we talked a lot about what makes someone cool and gave examples (excluding names) of a time they thought someone was cool and connected it to the story.

I love these open discussions and our anchor charts! Real question though. Do you save your anchor charts all year? Toss them? Send them home? We make so many it’s impossible to hang them all, I was thinking of printing small ones for their resource binder (yes I have an SEL section) and sending the anchor charts home!

#iteachsel #iteachtoo #teachingkindness #socialemotionallearning #socialemotionaldevelopment #socialemotionalskills #socialemotionaleducation #iteachlittles #iteachmiddles #breathingexercises #breathingtechniques #breathingstrategies #counselorsofinstagram #counselorsofinstagram #elementaryteachers #elementarycounselors #mindfulness #classroomidea #classroommanagement #teacherthings #teacherorganization #teacherresources

Social Emotion Learning Chat! 🌮 SEL is my FAVO

Social Emotion Learning Chat! 🌮

SEL is my FAVORITE subject, before I became a teacher I loved the behavioral setting so truly this is no surprise. I think SEL (like any subject) requires a lot of practice, deep conversations, and active participation. I’m lucky to work in a district that prioritizes SEL and we have it 5 days a week!

One way we had some student involvement was through these taco slips. The slip has no names on it and was turned in through a bin, but students got the chance to write about what they feel teachers don’t see or know and they wish they had more tools to handle! They also are completely anonymous (unless they want to include a name) so there’s no pressure behind the slip.

It was great to see what my students wanted in the classroom-like a lesson on responding to people when you know you’re in the wrong (but still frustrated).

These slips and others will be posted on @teacherspayteachers later this week with some other prompts to help guide classroom lessons and discussions!

What are you teaching in SEL?

Papers printed on @astrobrights of course!

#collaborativelearning #elementaryteacher #elementaryed #elementaryeducation #teachertips #teachersfollowteachers #teacherlife #teacherblogger #teacherpreneur #teachersoftpt #teacherspayteachers #tptresources #fifthgradeteacher #5thgrade #iteachfourth #teacherideas #teacheridea #classroomidea #classroommanagement #teacherthings #teacherorganization #teacherresources

Do you have students who struggle to tell the trut

Do you have students who struggle to tell the truth in class?

I’ve always found it presents a real challenge because there’s different reasons for lies (avoidance, embarrassment, trying to fit in, worry, etc.)! I was so excited when @nationalcenterforyouthissues sent me Lying Up a Storm by @juliacookonline because the book does such a great job of explaining lying to kids (whether they are lying or are lied to!).

This book led to amazing classroom discussions about why people lie, that we’ve all done it, that we can all work on it, but also the lie may not be for the reason we think so we should be flexible. We also talked about how lying can really add a storm cloud to your day, it sits with you and feels like it is over your head. We also talked about when it’s okay to lie, because there is a time and place for that too.

If you’re looking to help your students understand or stop lying in class, I seriously suggest this book for all elementary kids! I even had a kid come to me later in the day and tell me the storm was getting to big so we needed to talk! 💕

Now for fun, what’s the best lie you’ve been told? Mine involved someone owning 27 quads 💚

#iteachsel #iteachtoo #teachingkindness #socialemotionallearning #socialemotionaldevelopment #socialemotionalskills #socialemotionaleducation #iteachlittles #iteachmiddles #breathingexercises #breathingtechniques #breathingstrategies #counselorsofinstagram #counselorsofinstagram #elementaryteachers #elementarycounselors #mindfulness #classroomidea #classroommanagement #teacherthings #teacherorganization #teacherresources

When it’s a full moon, the 100th day of school,

When it’s a full moon, the 100th day of school, Valentine’s Day, book character day, the day before break, and whatever else you have going on right now, your kids probably have some extra wiggles!

The timing couldn’t have been better to get this book from the @nationalcenterforyouthissues by @juliacookonline!

The main character Louis (who is featured in other books so at this point he’s just like a classmate to my kids) wants to do what’s right, but he can’t help it his body takes control and it gets him into trouble. So with the help of his mom he learns how to control his body-he uses a check list, a wiggle dance, some movements, and fidgets!

After reading we had a great discussion about what works for our bodies to stay in control, how everyone has different strategies, and how we know a fidget is working! My kids loved it! Of course we ended with a @gonoodle because that’s the perfect way to practice getting our wiggles out!

Now real question-do you do movement breaks with your kids? I do! Teachers have to wiggle too!

#NCYI #nationalcenterforyouthissues #juliacook #juliacookonline #selbooknook #selbooks #socialemotionallearning #socialemotionaldevelopment #socialemotionalskills #socialemotionaleducation #socialemotionalcurriculum #picturebooks #picturebookaday #bookaday #iteachmiddles #breathingexercises #breathingtechniques #breathingstrategies #counselorsofinstagram #counselorsofinstagram #elementaryteachers #elementarycounselors #mindfulness #classroomidea #classroommanagement #teacherthings #teacherorganization #teacherresources

How are you smart? Lately, my students have take

How are you smart?

Lately, my students have taken over making my whiteboards (and trust me after the past few months-I’m not complaining) but that has left me with a new outlet for art in the classroom and that’s been adding out class discussions to anchor charts! I honestly strayed away from them for a while, but I have had so much fun doing them with my kids!

If you haven’t read The Smart Cookie, it falls in line with the @onenicethingtoday series and is seriously amazing! I loved seeing how my kids view themselves as smart (shoutout to @jaworek_art because literally every child said they were an artist) and seeing their confidence grow as they built each other up!

Now on to planning for the 100th day tomorrow-one of my kids mentioned they expect big things-trying not to disappoint!

#picturebooksofinstagram #picturebooks #classroombookaday #childrensbooks #teachershare #teacheridea #iteachelementary #iteach345 #iteachk #iteachfirstgrade #iteach2ndgrade #iteachlittles #iteachtoo #teachersofinstagram #teacherfriends #teachersofig #teachersofinsta #teachersofthegram #teacherresources #classroomlibrary #classroom #classroomorganization #openthemagic #picturebooksaremyjam #fourthgrade

Another anchor chart and share from our SEL lesson

Another anchor chart and share from our SEL lessons! My class loved this one, it’s been read several times since. 🥚

We used this book to talk about stress, how do you handle stress?

For me it’s making a list, completing small easy tasks, and art! 🎨

#iteachsel #iteachtoo #teachingkindness #socialemotionallearning #socialemotionaldevelopment #socialemotionalskills #socialemotionaleducation #iteachlittles #iteachmiddles #counselorsofinstagram #counselorsofinstagram #elementaryteachers #elementarycounselors #mindfulness #classroomidea #classroommanagement

Hi Teachergram! 👋🏼 I’ve taken quite the b

Hi Teachergram! 👋🏼

I’ve taken quite the break from Instagram, to be honest I had so much going on this just was not the place for me to be.

However, I’m finally getting back to what feels semi normal and excited to share some of the things that have been going on in my classroom! 📚

This week we have been reading through the @onenicethingtoday series eggs and seeds and more! What started as a last minute switch excited my class so we’ve been making some anchor charts to reflect on what we’ve learned from each book! (Do I turn these digital?! Can you use them?)

While this series is well loved by my students, I’m excited to share The Smart Cookie with my class since no one has read that!

What is your favorite Jory John book? Tell me below! ⬇️

Anyone else have a love for Rot the mutant potato?

Anyone else have a love for Rot the mutant potato?

My kids LOVED using this for narrative stories, character traits, and SEL last week! (Plus they loved laughing at my silly voices and the very silly story)!

It was a bonus I could carry it into the whiteboard prompt!

My kids are all about the voices, what are your fav read alouds with fun voices to act out?!

📚 Rot the Cutest in the World! by @benclantoon

I love working for a district that supports our EL

I love working for a district that supports our EL students so much that they purchase relatable books for kids! Last week we were allowed to come pick out multiple chapter books and picture books that relate to our specific students! Lots of books about immigrants and adjusting to life in the US.

If you’re looking for books for your classroom I’ve included the summary below! (Plus it’s available as part of the the buy two get one free deal on @amazon)

“When Isabel and her family move to the United States, Isabel misses all the things she left behind in Mexico, especially her aunt Lupita and hearing people speak Spanish. But she also experiences some wonderful new things--her first snow storm and a teacher who does not speak Spanish but has a big smile. Even better, Papa and her brother Chavo help her turn a big box into her own quiet place, where she keeps her books and toys and writes letters to Aunt Lupita. As she decorates and adds more and more on to her quiet place, it is here that Isabel feels the most at home in her new country while she learns to adjust to the changes in her life.”

#picturebooksofinstagram #picturebooks #classroombookaday #childrensbooks #teachershare #teacheridea #iteachelementary #iteach345 #iteachk #iteachfirstgrade #iteach2ndgrade #iteachlittles #iteachtoo #teachersofinstagram #teacherfriends #teachersofig #teachersofinsta #teachersofthegram #teacherresources #classroomlibrary #classroom #classroomorganization #openthemagic #picturebooksaremyjam #fourthgrade #classroomlove #iteach

Trophy Tuesday! 🏆 Today I got to see how my ki

Trophy Tuesday! 🏆

Today I got to see how my kids view each other and see their growth and successes!

I adapted this prompt from @miss5th! I probably could have neatened up the trophy but it was a Monday and I was #teachertired!

#teachersofinstagram #classroomengagement #classroomfun #classroomactivities #fifthgradefun #middleschoolteacher #highschoolteacher #teacherthings #teachersoftpt #teacherspayteachers #iteachtoo #testtakingstrategies #teachertips #classroomfun #classroomideas #teacherideas #teaching #teachingisfun #funclassroom #teachingenglishisfun #teacherlove #teachersonig #teachersfollowteachers #teachersfollowingteachers

Sometimes I like to tag @jaworek_art in projects I

Sometimes I like to tag @jaworek_art in projects I see online, and every time she comes up with a design better than what I saw!

We read The Dot by @peterhreynolds in class and Dina read it to some of her classes too! Then for Dot Day she completed this masterpiece!

So much fun seeing the kids creativity and my kids LOVE seeing their dots hanging! Seriously Dina, they have told me! 🥰

#dotday #internationaldotday #artisessential #iteach456 #elementaryteacher #classroomfun #readingteacher #elateacher #elementaryteacher #teacherblogger #teacherpreneur #teacherthings #teacherresources #readingcenters #iteachreading #iteachela #iteach5th #iteach345 #teachersofthegram #teachersofig #teachersofinsta #tptresources #teachersoftpt #teacherlife #teacherorganization #fifthgradeteacher #teachersofinstagram

Today I had a lot of catching up to do and was at

Today I had a lot of catching up to do and was at school till seven, and then home to grade at the table till now, however I’m truly not complaining (I planned this day).

However, what’s awesome is that to save myself some time grading this week and to do a check in on my kids I added @99mathgame to my lesson plans!

I’ve partnered up with them to show you all the FREE resources available for you in a game format but providing PLENTY of data on your kids (swipe to see an example)!

My favorite features are that it truly is no prep, click a topic and go! The game is also quick and highly engaging which is a win! You can assign it as a center so it’s a game built into learning-which again no prep, no grading, just data 👌🏻 and the data it gives is SO useful! Head to my stories to see more!

Also, if you checked it out last year, make sure to check it out again! @99mathgame was busy this summer and there is SO many more topics for games!

Have you tried it yet?!

#99math #99mathgame #learninggames #makelearningfun #mathgames #iteachmath #elementarymath #datadriven #partner

I taught one of my favorite lessons today! I sta

I taught one of my favorite lessons today!

I start the morning with a whiteboard prompt and pray a kid asks for a bandaid! If not I make up a reason one is needed!

I ask kids if fair and equal are the same, and if it has to be equal to be fair. Typically most of the class says yes, so I tell kids that by being fair I can heal everyone’s scrapes and cuts! They LOVE showing them off (and if not they can always share a story) howeve mr I use that first need for a bandaid for everyone, so when one student needed a bandaid for their leg, everyone got a bandaid in the same spot on their leg, despite where their scrape was.

The class is filled with giggles quickly, and they think I’m slightly crazy. By the end we talk about that if it was truly equal, not everyone would get what they need-and THATS not fair at all.

We had a discussion about how that might look in school and then followed up by reading Fair is Fair by Sonny Varela (it’s available on @youtube).

How do you teach fair vs equal?!

Also the bandaid example I learned years ago from @simplystainedclassroom! It’s a must teach every year for me!

#iteachsel #iteachtoo #teachingkindness #socialemotionallearning #socialemotionaldevelopment #socialemotionalskills #socialemotionaleducation #iteachlittles #iteachmiddles #breathingexercises #breathingtechniques #breathingstrategies #counselorsofinstagram #counselorsofinstagram #elementaryteachers #elementarycounselors #mindfulness #classroomidea #classroommanagement #teacherthings #teacherorganization #teacherresources

These water bottles have been a life saver this ye

These water bottles have been a life saver this year. No trips to the bubbler, they can be cleaned easily, they simply are the best. Plus my kids love decorating them with stickers from our sticker celebration board!

What’s your favorite thing you have for your kids?

#teachersofinstagram #classroomengagement #classroomfun #classroomactivities #fifthgradefun #middleschoolteacher #highschoolteacher #teacherthings #teachersoftpt #teacherspayteachers #iteachtoo #testtakingstrategies #teachertips #classroomfun #classroomideas #teacherideas #teaching #teachingisfun #funclassroom #teachingenglishisfun #teacherlove #teachersonig #teachersfollowteachers #teachersfollowingteachers

Always one of my favorite prompts every year and g

Always one of my favorite prompts every year and good in a pinch when I’m trying to get a board up!

What are your favorite questions to ask your students?

#warmheartedwednesday #morningjournal #writingprompt #teachingwriters #iteachsel #iteachtoo #teachingkindness #socialemotionallearning #socialemotionaldevelopment #socialemotionalskills #socialemotionaleducation #iteachlittles #iteachmiddles #breathingexercises #breathingtechniques #breathingstrategies #counselorsofinstagram #counselorsofinstagram #elementaryteachers #elementarycounselors #mindfulness #classroomidea #classroommanagement #teacherthings #teacherorganization #teacherresources