Fall Science Activities for Elementary Students Fall is one of my favorite times of the year. It starts off a little crazy with all the back to school chaos, but by mid-to-late September, things start calming down, the weather gets cooler, and the leaves change color. And that means it’s time to break out all the fun fall-themed activities! If you’re a teacher who loves fall like me, then you’ll love these fall science activities! 4 Fall Science Activities #1: Apple Oxidation Experiment Materials needed: 1 apple, a variety of liquids (such as water, lemon water, lemonade, sugar water, pure lemon juice, orange juice, water with honey, etc.), containers labeled…
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5 of the Best Activities for Addition and Subtraction with Regrouping
Activities for Addition and Subtraction with Regrouping Pop quiz! What is the bane of a 2nd grade math teacher’s existence? If you said addition and subtraction with regrouping, you win! All jokes aside, addition and subtraction is one of the major focuses of 2nd grade math – and for good reason! In most states, students only learn addition and subtraction through 20 in 1st grade. By the time they reach 3rd grade, the focus shifts to multiplication and division, and addition and subtraction is only barely touched on. They are already expected to know it. In other words, students basically have one year to not only learn but master addition…
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6 Fun Math Holidays That You Should Be Celebrating
Math Holidays to Celebrate at School There are a lot of celebrations during the school year in various subjects that are celebrated in schools. In reading, there’s Read Across America Week; history/social studies can easily observe any historical holiday such as Martin Luther King Jr. Day or Black History month; and in science, we often celebrate events like eclipses or rocket launches. But what about math holidays? Though not as well known, there are actually several math holidays that take place throughout the year that we can easily celebrate with our students! One – Math 2.0 Day – actually takes place tomorrow on July 8th! Fortunately, there are many that…
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This is the Best End of Year Activity for Your Classroom
My Favorite End of Year Activity The end of the school year can be hard, especially if you still have a few weeks left after finishing your content instruction for the year. On the one hand, we want to leave our students with pleasant memories of our final days together. On the other hand, we still want our time together to be meaningful and structured. How can we as teachers facilitate both of these things in such a crazy and stressful time? Well, I have the perfect end of year activity for you to try. An Easy End of Year Activity Two years ago, I was in this exact situation.…
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5 Geometry Games for 2nd Grade That Will Excite Your Students
Geometry Games for 2nd Grade Geometry – that is, 2D and 3D shapes and attributes – is one of my absolute favorite units to teach in math. This is partly because geometry in 2nd grade is a very visual subject, and I am a visual learner. Geometry is also very hands-on and active for your physical learners as well! Today, I’m sharing some of my favorite geometry games for 2nd grade that I think your students will love. 5 Low-Prep Geometry Games These are some of my favorite games that help students gain a better understanding of shapes and their attributes. The best part about these games is that they…
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How to Teach Word Problems to Every Type of Learner
How to Teach Word Problems Word problems are one of the most complex skills to teach in elementary math. At the same time, they are also the most practical skill. It is so important that our students understand how to solve word problems, yet many teachers struggle with helping their students succeed with this skill. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be hard. Keep reading to learn how to teach word problems like a boss. The problem with many traditional math curriculums is that they only cater to one type of learner. As a teacher, you know very well that there is way more than one type of learner out there!…
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How to Teach Money Using Games and Activities
How to Teach Money Money is one of my absolute favorite units to teach because it is so real life. That was a weird sentence, but you know what I mean? Everyone uses money. Kids are fascinated by money. There are so many real-world experiences we can create for our students when teaching money. Counting coins, making change, adding money – these are all super practical skills that we use every single day and the best part is students KNOW they will use these skills. The buy in is already there! As teachers, we just need to make sure we keep it interesting. Today, I’m sharing how to teach money…
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6 Dice Games for Math That Are Simple and Fun (+FREEBIE)
Dice Games for Math Want a quick and easy way to instantly make math more fun for your students? Give them some dice. Seriously – the simplest math activity becomes 100x more fun when dice are involved. Fortunately, there are so many ways to use dice in the math classroom for various concepts. Today I’m sharing with you 6 of my favorite dice games for math. Math Dice Games for 2nd Grade 1. Make That Number Make that Number is a simple dice game to practice addition and subtraction. All you need is 2 or 3 dice and a list of numbers 0-12 (for 2 dice) or 0-18 (for 3…
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Guest Post: 5 Engaging Sight Word Games
Teaching Sight Words using Engaging Sight Word Games Today on the blog, Erin from Classrooms and Cats shares all about her favorite engaging sight word games that she uses in her classroom, and hopes that you will implement in yours as well! Hello friends, my name is Erin Custer and I blog over at Classrooms and Cats! I have been a Transitional Kindergarten teacher for 7 years and I am all about helping other teachers find fun and engaging ways to help their students learn. Early Education is where I have spent my entire 10 year teaching career and it is my passion. I am eager to share my ideas…
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A Fun Easter STEM Activity That Will Challenge Your Students
Easter STEM Activity Easter is just around the corner! Are you looking for some fun Easter activities to do with your students in the classroom? If so, this easy Easter STEM activity perfect for you. It’s low-prep and inexpensive – all you need is some plastic Easter eggs and about 15 minutes. The best part? It’s challenging! Not only does this activity get students thinking creatively, it also teaches teamwork and patience. Keep reading for more details on how to implement this Easter STEM activity! Easy Easter STEM Challenge The goal of this Easter STEM challenge is simple: build the tallest Easter egg tower. Students will carefully stack Easter egg…
