What strategies have you tried in your classroom? What has worked? What hasn't worked? by

sarahnilles1 — 2025-09-15 12:27:27 UTC

I created a thermometer to gauge my students’ understanding. Before starting a new module in math, we reviewed the topic and students rated how confident they felt about equal groups. We’ll revisit it after a few lessons so they can move their sticky notes- and again at the end of the module to show their growth.

charlottedannen — 2025-09-17 17:11:31 UTC

With third grade, I have begun integrating menti.com to check understanding throughout a lesson. They have the ability to gage their learning unanimously through scales and ratings as well as add discussion with asking questions and expressing their thoughts and feelings with word walls and discussion boards. This can be used for pre, mid, and post lesson.

amy_bradley1 — 2025-09-18 15:23:40 UTC

When we start our module, students attempt to answer the essential question. As we work through the module we revisit the essential question. My favorite thing is when we finish the module and I ask them to answer it again. Their answers are so different and involved when we discuss it at the end!

2025-10-08 20:47:30 UTC

I tried a physical student engaged activity this time. Students created and presented a Keynote over a famous Hispanic American for the class. We discussed what positive and constructive feedback looks like before hand and students wrote feedback notes after every presentation. I combined the feedback into a wall of sorts and had groups go up to read. We then had discussions about the feedback and the students used those comments and questions to improve and change their Keynotes.

sarahnilles1 — 2025-10-14 16:23:29 UTC

2nd graders did some self reflection on their work last week. We have been talking about collecting data and organizing our data into graphs. We took a class survey and they got to choose if they wanted to put their data into a tally chart, bar graph, or picture graph. Afterwards, they completed a checklist to review what they included, answer a few questions using their graph, and reflect on what they're most proud of and what they can improve on next time.

2025-10-14 16:54:11 UTC

In math we talk about the “I can” statement as we begin a new subject area and then revisit it as we progress and conclude the topic. I have also had great success using star charts, especially with the 5th graders. They love to add a star for participation and it helps to keep them focused on individual work.

amy_bradley1 — 2025-10-14 17:01:26 UTC

In SEL students write their own questions about the topic after hearing the lesson. This helps them think through the topic and talk through the subject with their peers.

amandanguyen12 — 2025-10-14 17:23:49 UTC

What I tried:

Students clapped out syllables for each word (e.g., “apple” = 2 claps).
Used picture cards for students to match the number of claps to the word.
Played a movement game where students jumped for each syllable in a word.

Student Feedback / Observations:

Students loved clapping and moving—it made counting syllables fun.
Some students struggled to hear syllables in longer words and needed extra modeling.
Students enjoyed working in pairs to check each other’s syllable counts.

What worked:

Hands-on clapping and movement kept students engaged.
Picture cards helped visual and auditory learners connect words to syllables.
Peer interaction reinforced learning through collaboration.

What didn’t work / Next steps:

A few students got confused when words were tricky or long—next time, I’ll start with shorter, simpler words first.
Whole-group instruction was too fast for some learners—breaking into small groups might help.

katrinaspikes — 2025-10-15 13:53:32 UTC

Strategies Tried:
In my kindergarten classroom, I implemented a math gallery walk to help students explore math concepts in an interactive and collaborative way.

What Worked:
At first, students struggled to understand the rotations and expectations during the gallery walk. After I modeled each rotation, provided guided practice, and gave instant formative feedback, students began to grasp the routine. Incorporating academic conversations helped them use math vocabulary and explain their thinking. I also encouraged peer feedback, and students began giving each other thumbs up to celebrate effort and success.

What Didn’t Work Initially:
The first round of rotations was challenging because students were unsure of how to transition between stations and what was expected at each one. They needed additional modeling and time to practice the routine before they could work more independently.

2025-10-15 17:01:23 UTC

In our first grade classroom, we implemented the checking for understanding board. The kids have their names on paper clips and they can go up to the board and choose whether or not they got it, almost got it, or need help. After each lesson we work with kids the groups that need help. This has really kept us on track and helped us monitor understanding in the classroom.

2025-10-15 17:08:16 UTC

1st Grade

We have also started creating AI EXAMS from HMH and uploading them in Seesaw. Students can take the exam from Seesaw digitally and this keeps them focus and engaged.

2025-10-16 17:06:18 UTC

Serena Body and Janice Coleman

We went on a Nature Walk and the students picked different leaves and twigs.

We put them in groups and they had to arrange leaves and twigs by color, shapes and sizes. Each group rotated and got a change to do each group task. As a reward we gave them a Star Twig. Now we have Plant and Twigologist❤️

2025-10-30 16:08:23 UTC

After students finished reading their HmH story about hurricanes, they were given the task to show understanding through a method of their choice. They could make a keynote, video, or written summary to demonstrate understanding. They were also able to work with a partner or on their own. They made some wonderful projects in their own learning styles.

2025-10-30 16:12:00 UTC

As we began the 6th grade module on addition and subtraction of rational numbers everyone came up with their ideas on what qualifies as a rational number and then each came up with a real world example of situations that would involve negative and positive numbers.

sarahnilles1 — 2025-11-05 13:19:41 UTC

During our place value module, students rolled dice three times to create a three-digit number. They then cut out hundreds, tens, and ones blocks to build a monster that represented their number. Once all the monsters were complete, we displayed them on the screen one by one, and the class had to identify each monster’s number by counting the hundreds, tens, and ones.

2025-11-10 20:48:58 UTC

Hello I created a puzzle using my 1st graders spelling words. They enjoyed this fun and engaging activity.

2025-11-10 20:53:27 UTC

I created spelling words to puzzles. My kids absolutely loved it.