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Look here!

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This page is intended to give teachers a resource for obtaining class-wide or individual interventions that have been found to meet the criteria for "evidence-based" as required in the determination of a student's responsiveness to intervention. Interventions are provided below in a variety of categories to meet your needs.

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Some fun & easy ways to add STEM to your room.

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Stave off the dreaded "I'm bored" syndrome that hits partway into any vacation or downtime with a few of the BEST simple STEM activities that cost almost next to nothing. We have many easy STEM challenges to get the juices flowing, and keep the kiddos thinking and learning. As always, we have plenty of STEM projects to get you through the year. Shhh, don't tell them!

EASY STEM PROJECTS FOR KIDS TO KEEP THEM BUSY!

EASY STEM CHALLENGES

So you ask, what does costing next to nothing look like for a simple STEM activity? What materials do I actually need to do fun STEM activities? If I don't know much about STEM, can we still do these activities?

Easy STEM activities can look like grabbing items from the pantry, recycling bin, junk drawer, and maybe a trip to the dollar store too. I always like to ensure I have a few basic supplies, as you will find in our MUST HAVE STEM SUPPLIES LIST (free bonus pack too).

WHAT IS STEM?

First, STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and math. STEM activities involving these fields have a huge impact on kids. Even the simplest STEM activities, like building the catapult I talk about below, provide numerous opportunities for kids to learn and explore STEM.

These STEM building activities might look like your kids are just playing, but they are doing much more. Look closely; you will see the engineering design process in motion. You will see experimenting and critical thinking in action and notice problem-solving at its finest. When kids play, they learn about the world around them!

STEM TEACHES LIFE SKILLS

These simple STEM activities for elementary to middle school work just as well in the classroom as they do for distance learning, homeschool groups, or screen-free time at home. Also perfect for library groups, scouting groups, and vacation camps.

I highly encourage you to get in on the fun if you can but hold back on providing the answers when things don't go as expected!
Read more on how STEM provides real-world skills!
Frustration and failure go hand in hand with success and perseverance. You can provide encouragement when things aren't working well and offer congratulations for a successful challenge completed. Younger kids may need more assistance, while older kids might choose to work independently.

It's always good to discuss the importance of failing with our kids. Some of our greatest inventors, like Darwin, Newton, Einstein, and Edison, failed and failed time again, only to make history later on. And why is that? Because they didn't give up.

STEM RESOURCES TO GET YOU STARTED

Here are a few resources that will help you introduce STEM more effectively to your kiddos or students and feel confident yourself when presenting materials. You'll find helpful free printables throughout.

10 SIMPLE STEM ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

So let's start with some of the best, simplest, and most fun STEM activities that will have your kids chanting your name and eagerly waiting for the next awesome idea.

Each of these easy STEM activities will provide you with a materials list or you can read about it under the descriptions below. The STEM supplies are pretty simple and you probably have most of it floating around the house.

1. Build a Catapult

Time to storm the castle with a homemade catapult that explores many parts of STEM and that is entirely playful. The kids will come back to this one over and over again. We have several popular versions of the homemade catapult, the best being made out of craft sticks and rubber bands.
POPSICLE STICK CATAPULT PENCIL CATAPULT MARSHMALLOW CATAPULT LEGO CATAPULT
2. Build a Balloon Rocket

Oh, the fun you can have with Sir Isaac Newton, a balloon, a straw, and some string. Explore Newton's Third Law of Motion when you make a balloon rocket. Have races, conduct experiments, and explore physics while you play.

Here's also our Christmas theme balloon rocket... Santa's Balloon Rocket

Alternatively, you can make a balloon car!

3. Build Structures

All you need is a box of toothpicks and a bag of mini marshmallows, gumdrops, or styrofoam peanuts. Turn it into a challenge to build a certain style of a bridge, a famous monument or simply an abstract creation. Or you can challenge the kids to build a tower 12″ tall (or any other height).
GUMDROP STRUCTURES GUMDROP BRIDGE BUILDING POOL NOODLE STRUCTURES EDIBLE STRUCTURES STYROFOAM BALLS
4. 100 Cup Tower Challenge

Grab a bag of 100 cups at the grocery store and challenge the kids to build a tower with all 100! That will keep them busy. Grab a free printable too!
CHECK OUT: 100 Cup Tower Challenge
5. Think Like the 3 Little Pigs (Architectural Activity)

What happens when you take a classic fairy tale like The Three Little Pigs and you join it with architectural inspiration from Frank Lloyd Wright? You get an awesome STEM picture book called The Three Little Pigs: An Architectural Tale written by Steve Guarnaccia. Of course, we had to come up with an easy STEM project to go along with it and a free printable pack too!
CHECK OUT: DESIGN A HOUSE (with printables)
6. Learn Basic Coding

Computer coding with LEGO® is a great introduction to the world of coding using a favorite building toy. Yes, you can teach young kids about computer coding, especially if they are highly interested in computers and how they work.
PRINTABLE ALGORITHM GAMES LEGO CODING ACTIVITIES CODE YOUR NAME IN BINARY
7. Build a Marble Run

Building a marble run is full of design possibilities and encourages those engineering skills. You can build it on the wall with cardboard tubes and tape, LEGO bricks on a baseplate, or in a box top with tape, craft sticks, or straws.
LEGO MARBLE RUN CARDBOARD TUBE MARBLE RUN POOL NOODLE MARBLE RUN
8. Paper Chain Challenge

Only one sheet of paper needed to get started with this super easy to set up STEM challenge. As long as your kiddo can use scissors safely, this is a great challenge to try! Perfect for different ages, groups, and team building!
CHECK OUT: Paper Chain Challenge
You can also find more easy STEM activities with paper here.

9. Egg Drop Challenge

If you can stand to give your kids a carton of raw eggs, this type of STEM challenge will be a blast. Have each kid design a mechanism that will protect a raw egg from breaking when dropped. Look around the house for items that could work. Challenge your kids to only use what they can find and not buy.
CHECK OUT: EGG DROP PROJECT
10. Build A Simple Machine

Simple machines make our lives so much easier. Do your kids know all 6 simple machines? Have them do some investigative research and find a simple machine they can build from materials on hand.
LEGO SIMPLE MACHINES HOMEMADE PULLEY SYSTEM BUILD A WINCH
CHECK OUT MORE FUN STEM ACTIVITIES

Printable STEM Pack for Kids

80+ Doable Engineering Projects in one convenient pack!

Full instructions with sample images

Activity-specific instruction sheets

Data Collection Sheets

Questions for Reflection

Architecture Building Cards: Try the tallest tower challenge

Bridge Building Cards: Explore different types of bridges to build your own.

Paper Chain STEM Challenge: Who can make the longest chain? Great icebreaker or quick challenge!

3 Little Pigs Architectural Pack: Design a house that won't blow away!

Great marshmallow challenge: A classic challenge kids love!

Real-world STEM challenge lesson but don't know where to start? Our easy-to-follow template shows the steps!

What's the difference between a scientist and an engineer?

Crossword and word search with engineering vocabulary.

Engineering vocabulary cards

Design a one-of-a-kind invention and write about it with this 5-page activity!

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Easy STEM Activities For Kids - Little Bins for Little Hands

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Pull out our list of the best ever easy STEM activities the kids will love. Simple STEM challenges with cheap supplies.

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PLUS a litte math! I used class cash for YEARS in my classroom and it works.

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Hey Friends!

It's Theresa, from True Life I'm a Teacher!

I wanted to share how I use (and have used for several years) a token economy in my classroom. I've taught at PBIS/PBS schools for 7 years, and a token economy is the perfect addition to what your school is already doing!

I've used this system in 1st, 2nd, and 4th grades, and absolutely LOVE it! Even better? My students love it, and that's really what matters.

While I don't use a clip chart, I have in the past, and a classroom economy can be used in conjunction with a clip chart.

Why Use a Token Economy?

Reinforces positive behavior

Targets specific behavior

Targets behavior change

Students work for delayed reinforcement

Students receive immediate and delayed reinforcement

Promotes fair exchanges, addition, subtraction, counting money, and economics

There are LOTS of different ways a token or classroom economy can work in your classroom. The best part is that it doesn't have to cost ANY money! I choose to spend a small amount of money on candy and gum, but not much.
Assign Values to Tasks

Pay Day Monday - I pay my students on Mondays just for showing up. We talk a lot about how coming to school and learning the job of my students. So I pay them!

Homework - I am NOT assigning homework this year, however, in the past I've paid my students for turning in their homework.

Reading Log - I am also NOT assigning a reading log this year, but I also paid my students for completing their reading log each night.

Take Home Folder - I pay my students daily for remembering to turn in their Take Home Folder each day.

Hand out your classroom money as you catch students doing things they should. This is especially beneficial at the beginning of the year when you're trying to reinforce procedures, routines, and expectations.

This can be continued throughout the year, or you can switch to the assigned values method once students know and regularly demonstrate classroom and school expectations.

You can also use a combination of both methods. It really comes down to your students, their needs, and your preference.

Pay Day - $10 every Monday

Homework - $5 every Friday

Reading Log - $1/daily

Take Home Folder - $1/daily

Positive Behavior - $1 as needed

Depending on the age of your students, and your preferences, you may want to consider "fining" your students. However, in my experience, a classroom/token economy works much more effectively, if students are not penalized for misbehavior, BUT it also depends on each individual student.

Some students respond well to understanding that there are penalties associated with certain behaviors. For example, students who are "blurters" may respond well to being fined $1 for each time they blurt. This is an intervention you can set up with individual students, or the whole class, if needed.

Penalties aren't typically necessary because regardless of the method you choose, if a student isn't doing what they need to be doing (homework, expectations, etc...) they just wouldn't get the token for that task.

For example, if a student doesn't turn in homework, they simply don't get paid for their homework...I do not also require them to "pay" me and amount.

Every Friday is Fun Friday! It's the last 10-20 minutes of the day, and it's free time. Blocks, Legos, coloring, computers, board games, puzzles, pretty much whatever. That's the beauty of it.

Before students can purchase ANYTHING from the class store, they must pay for Fun Friday. It's not optional. I charge $5 for Fun Friday. Although, you could make it whatever you want depending on your class.

You should charge a fair amount though. You WANT most or ALL of your students to be able to participate.

Students who cannot afford Fun Friday, complete a reflection sheet, and have one-on-one conferences with me to talk about why they were unable to participate, and to set a goal for the following week!

I open the class store every Friday during morning work. I call students back to my table a few a time. Students must purchase Fun Friday first, and may then purchase anything they'd like in the class store, that they have the money for. Does it take time? YES! However, the payoff is HUGE! The real life skills my students learn far outweigh the amount of time this takes each week.

Students may also choose to save their money, to purchase a more expensive option from the class store. Some students spend every penny they have, others spend a little and save a little, others purchase only Fun Friday and save the remainder.

These are the items I have available for "purchase" in my classroom. But the list is pretty endless. It just depends on what is allowed at your school, and what you want in your classroom. You can grab these "coupons" HERE.

Shoes off in the classroom

Computer time

Choose the brain break

Sit by a friend

Fun Friday

Choose a stuffed animal to have for the day

New pencil (pencils with designs and mechanical pencils)

Write with a pen for the day (student favorite)

Chew gum

Piece of candy

Lunch bunch

Treasure Box

The ONLY things I spend money on are candy and gum! Everything else is just what I already have in the classroom, and are things that I'm willing to manage.

I use a small sheet like the one below for documentation. I use a check mark to show that they paid for Fun Friday, and then jot a quick note about what they purchased. On the back, I write down who has paid for Lunch Bunch, as I only have Lunch Bunch once per month.

The yellow tickets, are what my school uses in common areas, as well as at specials. These have a value of $5 in my classroom, and can be used just like our classroom cash.

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Hey Friends! It's Theresa, from True Life I'm a Teacher! I wanted to share how I use (and have used for several years) a token economy in my classroom. I've taught at PBIS/PBS schools for 7 years, and a token economy is the perfect addition to what your school is already doing!

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This site asks you to click a behavior, and then gives STRATEGIES! If those don't work, move to TIER 2, and TIER 3!

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PBIS World | A Complete Tier 1 Through Tier 3 Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports System

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PBIS World is in no way affiliated, associated, or connected with any other website, entity, organization, or federal, state, local, or other government agency, department, program, policy, organization, or initiative.

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Winter break is almost over and that means your little learners are about to come back to school rested, refreshed, calm, and ready to take on every piece of rigorous learning you throw at them with intense focus and determination. They will all sit criss cross applesauce with their hands folded perfectly in their laps, never daring to wander into the carpet square of another. They will take turns on the swings at recess, ask others politely to share (and they will!), and everyone wants to be everyone's friend every second of the day....

Haha okay okay, so that might not happen (I enjoy daydreaming) BUT here are some tips that will hopefully help your class with the transition back into the school routines you worked so hard to establish in the beginning of the year.

Do you get attacked with tattles each day? Do you go to pick up your students from recess with an optimistic smile on your face only to be attacked with, "HE SAID HE'S NOT MY FRIEND!" and "SHE WOULDN'T SHARE THE BALL!"

Do you have - *gasp* - little hands actually grabbing at your shirt to tell you such horrible playground atrocities have occurred such as, "Lily wouldn't get off the swings and I never got a turn!" and "He cut me in line!" Oh, the horror.

Ask most elementary teachers and they will tell you that tattling is an issue in their classroom. Thankfully, there are a lot of ways to curb tattling in your classroom while still meeting the emotional needs of your students.

So little Alex is aggravated and says, "Jimmy keeps looking at me!"
You could be Miss Sassypants Teacher and say, "Well how do you know he's looking at you if you're not looking at him??"
But of course you wouldn't say that (out loud). :)
Plus, it won't stop Alex from being upset. It won't stop Alex from tattling the next time he's upset. It won't stop Jimmy from looking at Alex. It'll just show Alex that you don't care which will make him even more upset. Even worse, Jimmy might have heard the whole thing and be a bigger instigator because now he knows he can get away with making Alex upset and you won't do anything about it.

Instead, you can teach your students to know the difference between TATTLING and REPORTING (as well as talking their problems out with one another which I'll talk about later).

A TATTLE is when you're upset at someone and are trying to get them into trouble.

A REPORT is when someone is hurting or may be hurt and you're trying to help them a.k.a. get them out of trouble.

If you teach your students the difference between these two, you'll drastically cut down on the meaningless tattles while still getting important information as it arises. You want students to know that they can come to you if they really need help and, most importantly, that you care. But you also want to teach them how to handle problems on their own. Problem solving is a crucial life skill that they will carry with them forever that will make their lives (and your life) so much easier.

The easiest way to teach the difference is ROLE PLAYING. I love role playing! You can show them how silly they look when they tattle and they'll think it is hilarious. Gather your students on the carpet. Let a student play the teacher and you play the student so you can really drama it up. Have the "teacher" just stand there while you run up and say, "(Totally out of breath like it's a huge deal) Miss GGGG! Miss GGGG! Olivia took my peeeenciiiillll and she won't give it backkkk" in your whiniest little kid voice. Ask them if you're tattling or reporting. Then, come up and say, "Miss G! Sam fell on the playground and his leg is bleeding! He's laying down crying over there!" Ask them if it's tattling or reporting. Explain to them the difference here is that they were trying to get someone out of trouble rather than IN trouble. Act out several scenarios until they really start to get it which will happen pretty quickly. Let the teacher change a few times but keep playing the student of course. They'll think it's really funny and it'll show them how ridiculous some tattles are and how/why reporting is different.

After you do the activity on the carpet, do a Tattling vs. Reporting cut and paste sort to solidify the concept and check for understanding. You can either do the text only version or the picture enhanced version for more support.

These sorts are great for helping students differentiate between tattling and reporting. I recommend pulling them out again for review any time in the year if tattling issues begin to resurface. You could even laminate them and put velcro on them to have out in your "calm down" area of your room for a reminder.

You've probably also gone over good choices vs. bad choices a million and one times but I really don't think there's anything wrong with a million and two. Young kids need a lot of reminders and I think visuals can be really helpful so I made picture versions of my Good vs. Bad Choices sorts.

And there's a text only version too of course!

After you feel like they understand the difference between tattling and reporting, work on problem solving with them. Bring them back to the carpet for some more role playing. I'm telling you, it works!

Channel your inner Julia Roberts (or whoever! I prefer to pretend that I'm Jennifer Aniston) and play the role of the upset student. Have another student be the offender (they'll LOVE getting to play the "bad guy"). Have them pretend to do something undesirable to you (take the pencil you're using, not let you swing on the swings, stick their tongue out, whatever!) and practice how you should and shouldn't handle the situation.

-Student: *sticks their tongue out at you* (said student's year is made that they got away with sticking their tongue out at their teacher in front of everyone)

-You: You're mean! I'm telling Miss G!

Ask them if this is the right way to handle the situation. You'll hear a resounding noooo.

- Student: *sticks their tongue out at you*

- You: It hurts my feelings when you do that. Could you please stop?

Give them the right sentence starters to express their feelings to one another. "It hurts my feelings when you.." "Can you please..." "Will you please..." etc.

Also teach how to offer a compromise. Someone may not want to get off the swings or are currently using the red crayon. Teach them how to say, "Can I use the red crayon after you?" or "Can I get on the swings after you?" and also how to be kind in responding to such requests. If you see someone is waiting for the swings, swing for a little bit and then let them have it. Use a different crayon color. Teaching kindness is just as important.

After you act out several scenarios, have them practice with the person next to them. Kids love acting and will be really engaged.

Make sure you also explain that they need to say it nicely and be sincere if they want the person to respond nicely. If you say, "Can you please stop?!" rudely, that's not the same thing. Being nice will usually get niceness in return, rudeness will usually get rudeness in return but they need to always be nice even if the person is being rude to them. Also, if and only if, they try multiple times to ask someone to stop and they don't, it becomes a report.

When they just absolutely oh-my-goodness it-can't-wait must-tell-you-now tattle, have a system for that. There are a lot of great options!

- A Tattle Box: Have a little box with a slit in it (so that students can't get into them without causing a scene) that students can write down "tattles" to tell you. A box of tissues is perfectly sized and has a slit already in the top which makes it easy. You could cut a hole in the top of a shoe box or other box as well. Another fun option are those little trash cans with the push opening that you can usually find at dollar stores. Students write down the tattle AND how they tried to fix it and put it in the box. For example, they have to write, "I asked Molly to stop but she keeps making fun of me." Sometimes they just want to get it off their chest and feel listened to so just writing it down and knowing you'll read it later is enough for them to feel a lot better about the situation. It's also a great insight into what goes on "behind the scenes" with your students in their little world. You may notice a lot of tattles about Ava being mean to others when she's perfectly behaved in class. Many kids are great chameleons where they can be manipulative bullies on the playground and the most helpful charming seeming child in class. This little box of communication can be a great peek into your kids' perceptions. Make sure they know you will read them when you get a chance. You don't have to read them every day, just whenever you get a chance. You can just put little paper strips from scratch paper at the box that students can come to after they've finished any work they should be doing.

- A Tattle Phone: Use an old phone students can talk into in a corner somewhere private to vent their frustrations. You won't get to (or should I say have to?) hear them and they get all their thoughts off their chest.

- A Tattle Buddy: A stuffed animal they can tell their tattles to, much like the tattle phone. This also works for feelings. It can be great for a calm down area of your room where students can feel heard and loved by their stuffed animal friend as they express themselves.

- A Sticky Note: Have a little pad of sticky notes they can write their tattles/thoughts down on and then just place on your desk. Be careful of this though - you might end up with a million "I <3 you" sticky notes on your desk if you don't explain how they are only to relay important messages.

The best thing about these tattle options is that they don't stop you from teaching or doing what you're doing. Tattles usually come at the most inopportune times when you don't have time to handle a problem so these are all options where it's not omgthisjusthappenedrightnowpleasefixit urgent.

When someone does come up to you with something to tell you about someone else, straight up ask them, "Is this a report or is this a tattle?" This causes them to stop and think past their current emotion and analyze the situation. Many times they will giggle, turn around, and walk away when they realize it's a tattle. Make sure you do this every. single. time. though. If you let one tattle through, you will glow with a radiant "Come tell your tattles to meeee!" aura that children somehow pick up on and you'll be ducking and dodging so many tattles before you know it. If it IS a tattle and they still insist on telling you, have them put it into a tattle taco (or whatever you want to call it - I'm in Arizona so we love us some tacos). They have to surround the tattle with a delicious taco shell of compliments. If they want to tell you that Abby keeps messing up the books in the library, they need to wrap that baby in a taco. "Abby writes good stories, she keeps messing up your library books, and she is a good door holder." 9 times out of 10 they'll forget their upset by having to think of nice things to wrap the tattle in so it defuses the situation easily, or they decide that the tattle isn't worth the effort. And if it's not worth it, you probably didn't need to hear it anyway. ;)

This leads into one of my favorite classroom management techniques ever - the community circle. You can call it whatever you want. Think of a clever name if you must. It's a GREAT end of the week (or end of the day if you need it) activity that adds a lot of love and positivity to your classroom and your kids will love it.

Instead of sitting on their carpet spots, have students sit on the floor in a circle. If you've never done this before, the first time will be hilariously difficult for them. Have them simply form what they think is a circle and hold hands. Have them keep holding hands while you push/pull them into a decent circle. OR - the easiest way - have them sit on the very edges of the carpet in somewhat of a rectangle (assuming your carpet is a rectangle). But you can still call it a circle. You haven't done shapes yet anyway, right? :)

Anyway! Once they're all sitting in a circle/rectangle/whatever, have them all put their legs straight out in front of them. YOU are also in the circle.. or at least the first couple of times. You can sit on the floor with them or sit in a chair so you have a better view of what is going on and not on sneeze level.

Grab a stuffed animal and tell them that you can only talk if you're holding the stuffed animal. This is a firm rule. You can use this time to say what went well in the day, what you'd like to be better for tomorrow/next week, etc. before you start the complimenting activity.

The way it goes is - When you have the stuffed animal, you pick someone in the circle with their legs out to give a compliment to. You should start to model it. For example, Jill's legs are out, so I might say, "Jill - I love the way you worked so hard during centers and helped your friends when they needed it. Thank you!" and Jill will say, "You're welcome" and put her legs criss cross applesauce to show that she has already received a compliment. Her legs will stay criss cross. My legs stay out and I will pass the stuffed animal to whoever is on my right. That person will choose someone with their legs out to give a compliment to. The complimented person will pull their legs in criss cross. The complimenter keeps their legs out because they gave a compliment, not received one, and pass the stuffed animal. The stuffed animal goes around the circle like this until it get backs to me. By this time, everyone has both given and received a compliment and all legs should be criss crossed. The trick is that you can only compliment someone who has their legs out which ensures that everyone will receive one compliment. It is AWESOME to hear their compliments for one another - things you didn't realize happened on the playground or at specials or lunch. It really fosters a great sense of community and you can really feel the love. After you do one or two, you'll really start to notice your kids doing nice things for one another a lot more. I can't say enough great things about it! It's such a great feel good activity.

If you have chronic tattlers, try to find out why.

*Do they feel like an outcast, like they're always being picked on?

If this is the case, help them connect with one of your sweetest kids. Let them be math partners or sit next to them. Sneakily put them next to each other in the lunch line so they eat lunch together. Give them a task to do together to help. Sometimes just knowing they have one good friend they can rely on that cares about them is what they were craving.

*Do they feel the need to control everything around them because they feel so helpless in their home lives?

I call these kids "classroom cops" because they walk around constantly policing the other students. They need to feel in control of something and that's a valid need. Give them an important classroom job (or two), especially one with authority like managing the lunch cards or the clean up supervisor. That way, they can channel all of that need to control into their job.

*Are they extremely good do-right-always kids and can't imagine how anyone else could possibly misbehave?

These are the easiest kids to deal with because you just need to explain to them that they only need to worry about themselves doing the right thing. Knowing that tattling is against the rules because of your tattling vs. reporting lesson is often enough to deter these little tattlers. If it's not, have a quick little sit down with them to explain that.

*Do they just desperately want your attention?

Let them write the tattles to you. Or, better yet, start a journal with them. Be discreet and whisper about your private journal with them so they think it's your little secret and feel special. They can write things to you - anything! And trust me, they'll come up with things to say. Write them back just a few quick sentences whenever you get a chance. Ask how their day is going or what they like to do at recess. Of course make sure they know that you might not write back for a day or two because you're extremely busy teaching but that you will write back when you can. Have them simply put it in your "inbox" (where students turn in papers) when they want you to read it and keep it in their backpacks any other time. If and when they run out of things to say... GREAT! But it's always there when they feel like they want to talk to you and are craving that attention. This way, it'll come out in a positive easy-to-manage way and their needs are still being met. It's honestly a great thing to do with any student though - it's great writing practice, it builds such a strong rapport with them, and it really gives you a look into what's going on in your classroom that you might not see. You may not know little Susie feels like she has no one to play with at recess or that all the kids got into trouble at daycare yesterday and that's why everyone's acting a little wacky today.

In summation (look at my college skills, ha), tattling can be a difficult thing to deal with but it can easily be fixed. Students need to know that you care but also need to learn how to handle problems themselves, be taught kindness, and understand the reasons behind their actions. I truly feel like tattling can be eradicated almost completely, or at least made much more manageable, if you follow through with some of these tips! I really hope this post was helpful to you and you were able to find some good information that will help you in the new year with your students!

Have a wonderful return back to school, friends!!

Also - don't forget to join Miss Giraffe's Class so you never miss out on fun ideas and exclusive free stuff from me only for subscribers!

Here's a picture you can pin if you want to save this for later! :)

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Winter break is almost over and that means your little learners are about to come back to school rested, refreshed, calm, and ready to take on every piece of rigorous learning you throw at them with intense focus and determination.

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Teaching students how to behave during the first few weeks of school will completely make or break your classroom for the entire school year. That's A LOT to take in and A LOT of pressure. I always find it incredibly beneficial to incorporate classroom behavior books into my lessons when teaching good and bad behaviors. They allow students to relate to the characters in the book and they can see examples of what it is expected of each of them when they are at school. Below are my favorite classroom behavior books. To see all book lists, click here.
David Goes to School by David Shannon
David's high energy antics are disrupting the class and his teacher really has her hands full!
Lacey Walker, Nonstop Talker by Christianne C. Jones
Lacey Walker talks ALL day! So it takes her losing her voice to learn the importance of listening.
What If Everybody Did That? by Ellen Javernick
Join a small boy as he learns about actions and their consequences, and the importance of making good choices.
A Bad Case of the Tattle Tongue by Julia Cook
A humorous story that illustrates the difference between unnecessary tattling and responsibly telling.
You Get What You Get by Julie Gassman
Join Melvin as he learns how to deal with disappointment...and not throw a fit!
My Mouth is a Volcano by Julie Cook
Louis is full of things to say, but he learns the importance of respecting others by listening and waiting his turn.
Enemy Pie by Derek Munson
A little boy learns effective recipes for turning his worst enemy into his best friend.
Have You Filled Your Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud
This book teaches positive behaviors by teaching and encouraging the concept of 'bucket filling': expressing kindness and love to others.
Spaghetti in a Hotdog Bun by Maria Dismondy
This book shows kids how to always do the right thing, even in challenging situations.
Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell
Molly gets picked on at school, but she knows how to respond: she walks proud, smiles big, and sings loud, just like her grandmother told her.
The Recess Queen by Alexis O'neil
A fresh take on the issue of bullying. Mean Jean is the recess queen, until little Katie Sue arrives and shows her kindness.
Don't Squeal Unless It's a Big Deal by Jeanie Franz Ransom
This book teaches kids when telling on a classmate is appropriate and when it is merely tattling.

Can you not find a resource that you would LOVE to have for your classroom? Contact me and I would be happy to make it for you.

Are you looking for more back to school ideas, activities, and printables to do at home or in the classroom? If so click here.

Do you have any favorite classroom behavior books that is not on the list? If so, please share in the comments below.

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12 behavior books for little kids - A Dab of Glue Will Do

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Teaching students how to behave during the first few weeks of school will completely make or break your classroom for the entire school year. That's A LOT to take in and A LOT of pressure. I always find it incredibly beneficial to incorporate classroom behavior books into my lessons when teaching good and bad behaviors.

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Let the kids track their data and set goals!

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Managing data folders in the primary classroom doesn't have to take a lot of time. In this post I'll share some management tips plus how I've learned to use student data folders effectively to guide my instruction, but most of all, give my students a voice in their learning. Learn how to implement this valuable tool and pretty much make it manage itself. I've even included a free data folder classroom kit at the end of this post to get you started.

Teach Students to Understand Their Data

Explicitly teach students to monitor their progress and how to interpret their data. Make up a few sample graphs and project them to discuss. Ask students what they can determine about the example student's progress. Guide students, through questioning, to be able to determine their strengths and what they need to work on. Discuss setting learning goals and possible ways to accomplish their goals.

Set Learning Goals

Once students understand what their data is showing them and how they can use it, teach them to set realistic and achievable learning goals. By setting goals, students can see what they have accomplished and what they are capable of. With your guidance, they can work toward successfully meeting objectives in a systematic way.

Make Your Data Folders Meaningful

Feedback from you makes the data folders more meaningful. Meet with students briefly to conference one on one or during small group times to guide them in setting their goals. The subject or activity you are collecting data on will determine how often you meet and set new goals with students. For example, if my students are tracking their Accelerated Reader (AR) levels and points, I would help them set a goal at the start of each 9 weeks. I briefly check in with several students each day to conference during our AR time. Tracking reading fluency would happen weekly or bi-weekly with conferencing during guided reading groups.

Feedback From You Is Key

Have a "coaching conversation" where you listen to students' insights and interpretations. Give feedback that guides them in where they need to be and how they can get there. Encourage students to set small, incremental goals that are achievable. Setting clearly defined, realistic goals that include a plan for how to accomplish them, gives students a sense of pride and satisfaction in their accomplishments as well as motivation to achieve.

Set Up A Quick and Easy Routine

It's important to find a routine that works for your class or you just won't do it. Recording their data doesn't need to take students a lot of time. Once they are familiar with the routine, it can be done in under 5 minutes without taking up your instructional time.

Keep data folders handy for students, rather than passing them out. I have students record math facts and weekly spelling as I pass back their graded tests. Teach students the format you want them to use for writing in the category- date, week 1, week 2, by standard, by concept etc. or provide graphs with the categories included.

I copy everything I use at the start of each quarter or even a year's worth before I leave for the summer.

If you use data folders or are considering implementing them in your classroom, I've put together this free classroom kit to get you started.

This classroom kit has 4 different folder labels, 10 different graphs with scales in increments of 5 and 10. Differentiate easily with these graphs that go to 80, 100, and 200. Titled and untitled graphs are also included. This file is NOT editable, however, I've also included blank versions for you to write the title at the top of the graphs.

Subscribe to our newsletter and get instant access to this free Data Folder Classroom Kit. Make it easy to implement or update your use of data folders with folder labels, several versions of titled and untitled graphs, plus discussion questions to guide your conferencing and help your students in setting their goals.

If you found this post helpful, share it with your teacher friends!

Follow Around the Kampfire on Facebook and look for more Classroom Management Ideas on our Pinterest board!

Need help teaching your students to manage their own space?

Find helpful tips in this post, Student Spaces the Desk Fairy Will Love!

Happy Teaching!

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Managing Data Folders in the Primary Classroom - Around the Kampfire

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Managing data folders in the primary classroom doesn't have to take a lot of time. Find out how I've learned to use data folders effectively to guide my teaching and give my students a voice in their learning. Subscribe to our newsletter and receive these free fluency graphs and progress charts for reading, math and more.

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These come in VERY handy!

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I probably should have shared this one with you back in the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer, but that's water under the bridge. You can either put this together now or file away this brilliant tip for next year.

Have a bag on hand (or bags if you tend to get a few New Kids on your Block) with all the things you'll need for a new students. Think about things like nametags, cubby tags, classroom information, reading strategy cards, etc. I would also have a "Welcome to Our Class" card in there that you can have the other kiddos sign before his/her arrival.

What would you include in the bag?

Subscribe to the Clutter-Free Classroom Newsletter I hate clutter and promise not to fill your inbox with spammy clutter. I value your time and won't waste it with junk. Instead, you'll receive valuable free content and printables that will make your teaching job easier delivered in one weekly email.

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How to Be Prepared for Getting a New Student During the Year

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I probably should have shared this one with you back in the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer, but that's water under the bridge. You can either put this together now or file away this brilliant tip for next year.

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Videos, resources, etc. Make math clear & fun!!!!

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Mr Elementary Math - Making Math Clear & Simply Fun

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Don't forget your closure!

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There are so many components to a teaching lesson (the opening, direct instruction, guided practice, closing, and more). How can a teacher perfect them all?

Nothing is ever perfect, but each portion can be learned and mastered. Teaching is an art that is crafted over time. Today I want to focus on lesson closure. I don't know about you, but this was the one area where I needed the most help. I was so focused on the other parts of the lesson that I would sometimes forget to close my lessons effectively.

As a teacher, I constantly searched for quick and effective ways to close my lessons. I knew that lesson closure was a critical component to an effective lesson cycle, but I just couldn't seem to get it right. In my search for the "perfect" lesson closure, I thought about the following:

How much did my students understand from the lesson that I taught?

How could I effectively close my lesson in a short period of time?

So today, I want to share what I consider to be...

Please note that these strategies should be seen as a toolkit. Of course I am biased because I love math, and all of the examples below will reflect that. But these strategies can be used for any content area.

What is it?
An exit ticket is a quick way to assess what students know. It's given to students at the end of a lesson or the end of the day. While exit tickets are versatile (e.g., open-ended questions, true/false questions, multiple choice, etc.), they should be brief. They can be individual sheets (e.g., exit slips) or a place in your classroom where all students can post their answers, like a "Show What You Know" board. Exit tickets are extremely beneficial because they provide information about student strengths and areas for growth, as well as assist with teacher planning for small group instruction.

How can you use it?
After the completion of your lesson, give each student an opportunity to review and reflect on his or her learning. Here's an example of an exit ticket that I enjoy using:

Questioning

What is it?
Questioning is a tried-and-true way to close out a lesson. Questions can be used as a review or to see where students need more practice. The right questions can cast a laser focus on a specific concept, strategy, or standard. They can be presented in written or verbal form. One way to do a quick and effective close on a lesson would be to use my Flip and Go Math Cards. These cards, which are available in grades K-5, contain a variety of questions that are directly aligned to a specific concept. For more information, you can check them out here.

How can you use it?
Select two to three questions from the set. Show your selected cards to the whole group. Allow the students approximately one to two minutes to think about the answer. Depending on your purpose, you can have students pair with a partner or work individually. Students can record their answers on a dry erase board to hold up immediately, or you can have them write their answers on a piece of paper and collect them later.

The 2 Sentence Wrap-Up

What is it?
The 2 sentence wrap-up is a quick and insightful way to close a lesson. Students write two sentences that summarize their learning based on the lesson. The two sentences should include the following:

Sentence 1: Tell what the student learned

Sentence 2: Provide an example of the learning through application or a drawing

How can you use it?
The sentences can be recorded in student journals or on a piece of paper. If you're working with younger students, you can have them draw a picture and label it.

Teaching tip: Sentence frames are helpful tools because they provide a scaffold for writing. Display the following sentence frames on your board:

Today I learned ____________________.

A ____________ is an example of a _____________ because _____________ .

The Vocabulary Concept Map

What is it?
Concepts maps are graphic organizers that show a connection or a relationship between concepts.

How can you use it?
Use concept maps to assess student understanding by having your kids describe key vocabulary from the lesson. Have your students write the word and the formal definition during the lesson. During the closure, students work to create their own definition and provide examples and non-examples. For younger students, complete this as a whole group activity, with the teacher recording student responses on an enlarged graphic organizer.

Teacher tip: You can save more time by having the formal definition already filled in for students.

Clear or Cloudy?

What is it?
Clear or Cloudy is a tool that students use to communicate what is clear (what they understand) and what is cloudy (what they're having trouble understanding). I enjoy this tool because students must reflect on their learning.

How can you use it?
At the end of your lesson, give each student a "Clear or Cloudy" sheet. Ask them to independently record one thing that was clear and one thing that was cloudy. After students complete their sheets, collect and read their responses.

Their responses may surprise you! You will easily see student strengths and misconceptions that can be addressed in future lessons.

I hope you enjoyed reading 5 Fast Ways to Close a Lesson. Click here to download some of the free templates shown in this post. These tools helped me on my quest to find the "perfect lesson closure." I hope they're helpful to you as well.

***

Greg Coleman is currently a K-5 math instructional coach in Atlanta, Georgia. He has 13 years of experience in the field of education. He loves to share math ideas and resources with elementary school teachers. His mission is to make math clear and simply fun. You can find more ideas on his blog Mr Elementary Math.

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5 Fast Ways to Close a Lesson | The TpT Blog

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There are so many components to a teaching lesson (the opening, direct instruction, guided practice, closing, and more). How can a teacher perfect them all? Nothing is ever perfect, but each portion can be learned and mastered. Teaching is an art that is crafted over time. Today I want to focus on lesson closure.

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I've heard him speak and he is PHENOMENAL. Follow him on all social media!

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Ellen Surprises Incredible Teacher Mr. Bonner

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Innovative educator Ron Clark inspires passion for learning

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Heard of Hope & Wade King? They teach at the Ron Clark Academy!!! WOW~

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the wild card: 7 steps to an educator's creative breakthrough

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The Wild Card: 7 Steps to an Educator's Creative Breakthrough

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The Wild Card is your step-by-step guide to experiencing a creative breakthrough in your classroom with your students. "This book is a teacher wonderland of ideas, inspiration, and mind-blowing magic." --Ron Clark, New York Times bestselling author and cofounder, Ron Clark Academy. In t...

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Watch Dave Burgess!

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PREVIEW: Teach with passion and engagement -- like a PIRATE! (Dave Burgess)

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Need help planning? Want to engage your kids? WOW. Dave Burgess is AMAZING.

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teach like a pirate: increase student engagement

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education / teaching methods & materials / general

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education : teaching methods & materials - general

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education/teaching methods & materials - general

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Teach Like a PIRATE: Increase Student Engagement, Boost Your Creativity, and Transform Your Life as an Educator

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Based on Dave Burgess's popular "Teach Like a PIRATE" seminars, this book offers inspiration, practical techniques, and innovative ideas that will help you to increase student engagement, boost your creativity, and transform your life as an educator. You'll learn how to: Tap i...

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Angela Lee Duckworth talks about GRIT and how it can make the difference for kids.

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Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance | Angela Lee Duckworth | TED

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This one is free, but you can make your own. It will come in handy when you're out sick!

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We all have days where we need to have a sub, so why not be prepared? Here you will find a *free* download of some substitute teacher binder materials. Type up your own information to add to each section and you'll be sure to have a successful day with a sub!

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Have ONE PLACE where you keep EVERYTHING important: papers from principal, meeting notes, calendars, standards, etc.

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I just love binders! I like how everything can be sorted into neat little, hidden files, then stowed away oh so nicely on the shelf. However, I think I might like binders (as in the plural form) a bit too much. See photo evidence here .

Thanks to the fabulous Leslie, from Kindergarten Works , I have decided to consolidate my system. Leslie just posted an incredible entry on her blog about how she keeps everything important together in one binder, in her post on Binder Basics . (By the way, if you haven't checked out her blog yet, you must! She is so amazing, she makes me sometimes wish I taught Kindergarten, and you know how much I love working with my older students!!)

Anyhow, I have kept my lesson plans and district standards together in the past, but usually kept other items in different binders and folders. Not anymore!

I started by making my own laminated tabs, so they could be a bit bigger and color-coordinated the way I want. I taped each tab, front and back, onto some extra paper I had stashed away, to make dividers:

I made four larger tabs for the basic categories: Planning, Assessing, Grading, and Info. I then made smaller tabs for specific materials and resources. Here are some photos of each section:

Planning
Yearlong Calendar
(Leslie shares a fantastic one on her blog!)

Lesson Plans
(an old template from last year)

Standards and GLE's

(These have been shrunken to print two to a page, front and back, since I need standards for both 4th and 5th grade, for all subjects).

Assessing

District Assessments to be given

Record Sheets for District Assessments

Grading

Grading Reference Sheets

(in the back of the binder--I love to tape things to the inside covers!)

Information

Meeting Notes
(for PLCs, staff meetings, and workshops)

I used to take a notebook to my meetings, but I want to keep my notes in one binder as well. I never filled an entire notebook page, usually just about half, so there are two to a page (this is one of the files being shared below).

This is taped to the inside, front cover of the binder. It is a district form that I typed up and color-coded (we use Fountas and Pinnell guided reading levels). It's a really important resource, as I have ELL students reading from a pre-K level all the way to a 5th grade reading level. I've used this chart for years and it really helps!

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I just love binders! I like how everything can be sorted into neat little, hidden files, then stowed away oh so nicely on the shelf. However, I think I might like binders (as in the plural form) a bit too much. See photo evidence here .

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2x10 Strategy for behavior issues in class!

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2x10 Strategy for behavior issues in class!

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I've tried this!

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The 2x10 strategy: a miraculous solution for behavior issues?

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The 2×10 strategy is simple: spend 2 minutes per day for 10 days in a row talking with an at-risk student about anything she or he wants to talk about.

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Check out happytinylivin.com for more that you could post in your room. Great reminders for the kids.

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Using "texts" to analyze writing! GENIUS WAY to engage kids.  

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Using "texts" to analyze writing! GENIUS WAY to engage kids.  

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This resource costs $2, but you can make your own!

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Text Message Analysis Inferencing and Citing Evidence

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In this engaging activity, students will review eight different text message conversations in order to make inferences and draw conclusions. Students are required to cite evidence for each answer. This product also includes a page that has two blank phone conversations.

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This is a great tip!

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Teaching kids to tell time past the hour

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Telling time past the hour can be challenging for primary kids but it doesn’t have to be a struggle for you or your students. Learn simple ways and effective strategies to make telling time easier for primary kids.

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Kiddos need to build their reading & writing stamina! Be sure to build this into your schedule a few minutes at a time.

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FREE! Perfect for littles just learning their numbers.

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These subitizing worksheets are the perfect no prep way to build your students' number sense! Each sort features the numbers as dots, tally marks, fingers, and dice. Students will cut out the pictures and sort them by number. There are 5 sorts included featuring the numbers 1-10.

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Use a teacher bell or any noisemaker. Let them all celebrate when one meets a goal.

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Let the creativity fly! It only takes 10 min max!

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Do your students struggle to make sense of mathematical concepts?

Do your students solve mathematical problems using only one strategy?

Do your students struggle with mathematical coversations?

If you answered YES to any of these questions....

I have a great solution for you....

I introduced number talks at my school on last year and they have made a difference in many classrooms.

In this post, you will learn the 5 basic steps to conducting a number talk. In future posts, we will explore more about number talks and resources to get you started in doing your own number talks.

A number talk is a quick classroom discussion that allows students to share their mathematical thinking. A few of the things you can see during a number talk can include the following:

You can use the following 5 easy steps to get started with doing your own number talks in your classroom.

I hope you will enjoy the free resource below as you start on your number talk journey. Don't forget to sign up for my newsletter where you can get updates and great info!
Flying into Learning Newsletter Signup
CLICK HERE

Make sure to pin this for later with the image below!

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Number Talks! Get your students Talking!

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Do your students struggle to make sense of mathematical concepts? Do your students solve mathematical problems using only one strategy? Do your students struggle with mathematical coversations? If you answered YES to any of these questions.... I have a great solution for you....