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Back to School Amazon Teacher Outfits

Sat, 03 Sep 2022 12:35:58 GMT

Get your closet ready for a new school year!

It’s back to school season. That means it’s likely time to see if your work pants still fit. It’s also time to treat yourself to a few new closet staples, so getting dressed in the morning becomes a bit more bearable. Old Navy is often our go-to for inexpensive work pants, but Amazon is our favorite spot to browse for new tops and dresses. We’ve had plenty of Amazon hits and misses over the years, but the items below are all hits that we pull off of hangers again and again! Check out these affiliate links and get "clicky fingers" with some must-have closet staples!

Everyday Closet Staples

3/4 Sleeve Denim Crop Top Tie Knot Shirt Cardigan
I’m putting these over all my summer dresses to make them school-appropriate! They’re soft and more comfortable than regular jean jackets, so you can be animated in the classroom without restrictions! I sized down for a more tailored fit.

Striped Short Sleeve T-Shirt Dress

This is a comfortable, covering, and flattering dress that comes in a variety of colors! I opted for our school’s colors (blue and white) so I always have something to wear for school events or spirit days!

Relaxed Fit Drop Shoulder Scoop Neck T-Shirt

This simple, loose-fitting t-shirt is easily paired with colored jeans and flats on those days when you really don’t feel like getting dressed.

Shaping Pull-on Skinny Jeans

Speaking of colored jeans, these pull-on skinny jeans are available in a few different color options and are far more comfortable than traditional work pants.

Comfy Weekend Favorites

Adidas Women's Cloudfoam Pure 2.0 Running Sneaker
These comfortable slip-on sneakers are perfect for running errands or stopping by student sporting events!

Women's V-Neck Hoodie

I find myself constantly reaching for this lightweight, non-fleece, loose-fitting pullover. It’s so good that I have it in 3 different colors. Get one in your school’s colors, so it can also be worn to athletic events or on spirit days!

Henley Tank Short Set

The outfit is perfect for those times when you don’t want to get out of your pajamas, but you might have to swing by the grocery store. If you select a neutral color, the pieces could also be worn separately!

High Waisted Joggers with Pockets

These high-waisted joggers are soft and have pockets! They’re flattering and not too tight, making them perfect for dress-down days at school, too!

Graphic Tee

A casual, comfortable t-shirt with a positive message is always a win! If you have dress-down Fridays, it doesn’t hurt to share a “be kind” message with students!

Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Lightning Thief - Camp Half-Blood Outdoor Relay Races

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 19:21:08 GMT

"It’s one of the most memorable days of the school year that students talk about for years to come!"

If there’s one thing to know about us, it’s that we love playing games, having fun, and celebrating learning! Our favorite read aloud of the year, by far, is Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief . It’s an action-packed crowd-pleaser full of references to Greek mythology. There’s even an illustrated edition filled with images to aid visualization! We usually save this book as our final read aloud of the year, so students head into summer with a series they are excited to continue reading! It’s also a longer read aloud, so waiting helps ensure students are ready to sit and listen for extended periods of time.

Throughout the book, we do research projects about the gods and goddesses and read some of the traditional Greek myths, so students understand references and make connections to events in the book. As the book is nearing completion, we start having students choose their favorite gods and goddesses, and eventually, we ask students to select their top three favorites. We tell them that a special event is coming up, and students will soon be sorted into cabins at Camp Half-Blood. We pick a day to announce their new “godly parents” and start telling students about our Camp Half-Blood Competition, where students will compete with other cabins in various outdoor relay race events.

When the book is finally finished, we are ready to celebrate! We have eight outdoor events and one indoor quiz testing students’ minds and bodies. We love watching student excitement as they talk about our beloved read aloud and work together to complete various challenges! It’s one of the most memorable days of the school year that students talk about for years to come!

If you are interested in hosting your own Camp Half-Blood Competition and want to view our relay races, check out Teachers Pay Teachers! Everything you need is there, including instructions, diagrams, signage, certificates, extension activities, and more!

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Percy-Jackson-The-Lightning-Thief-Camp-Half-Blood-Outdoor-Relay-Races-8375306

Note: You may need to purchase materials or ask for donations to make the day a success. We tried our best to use items teachers can easily find or borrow (plastic baskets, cones, pennies), but there are a few items that we purchased for a small cost on Amazon. Luckily, these items can all be reused year after year!

Warning: It’s a tiring day, but it’s full of fun! We choose to combine our classes, so we run the relays with 50 students at a time. If we have access to paraprofessionals, parent volunteers, or specialists, we often ask them to stop outside and join the fun! You might benefit from a whistle and a megaphone, too!

Getting to Know You Activities

Thu, 14 Jul 2022 18:42:31 GMT

These activities are our absolute favorite ways to get to know our students!

I officially had my first back-to-school nightmare… in July. It was the first day of school, kids were arriving in 12 minutes, and I couldn’t open Google Drive to access my lesson plans. I was angrily threatening to physically harm my computer while crying out to my coworkers that I wasn’t ready. “What am I going to do with them!?” I hollered before jolting myself awake. Clearly, the first day of school matters, and teachers often feel the pressure to plan a perfect first day. We know that getting to know students and establishing relationships is the most important work, and it begins as soon as students walk through the classroom door. The following activities are our absolute favorite ways to get to know our students!

Design Your Morning Work Journal

At the start of the year, each student is gifted a special composition book for morning work journaling. Thankfully, this comes out of our team’s budget and we can still afford to buy 100 per year. If you are unable to purchase composition books, lined paper or digital journals can work perfectly too! We’ve found that journaling is the perfect low-prep morning work activity, and we typically have students write in them every other day. Journals provide time for students to express ideas, reflect on learning, activate background knowledge, brainstorm thoughts, and build writing stamina. At the start of the year, a lot of the prompts ask students to share about themselves or become silly, yet interesting, discussion topics. As the year progresses, our morning work journal prompts relate to books, topics, or themes we are studying.

From the very first day, we want students to LOVE their journals. First, we take a class set and wrap the entire pile in wrapping paper. Then, we unwrap the “gift” in front of the class and hand out one per student. Then, we invite students to the front kidney table to pick 3 special stickers to personalize the front of their journals (or one large and two smaller stickers ). Of course, this comes with a catch. After selecting and sticking, students must complete their very first writing prompt, which asks students to explain the reasoning behind each sticker selection. Because it’s their first written prompt, we model exactly how we want the journals organized and share our sample entry. In terms of organization, each prompt gets a fresh page. At the top, students write the date on the first line and the title of the prompt on the second line. In this case, the title is “STICKERS!” Then, we provide 10 minutes for students to write about their sticker selections. After writing, students may share with table groups or partners, and we like to call on a few students to share with the class. Throughout the year, we have extra stickers on hand for rewards and prizes, and students are often excited to continue customizing their special journals!

*Storage tip! Put a piece of masking tape on the spine and carefully write each student’s name. Then, you can stack all notebooks with spines facing out in a plastic crate so students can easily grab, write, and return!

If you’re interested in viewing a sample of our morning work journal prompts, including the “STICKERS!” prompt, visit our Teachers Pay Teachers store !

All About Me; Play-Doh Edition !

Using Play-Doh as a getting to know you activity is certainly not a novel idea. In fact, it was inspired by two incredible books, Teach Like a Pirate and Play Like a Pirate . We highly recommend reading them if you’re interested in outrageous, hands-on classroom fun! We love using Play-Doh on day 1 to quickly get students talking and building. The best part is, once you buy a class set of Play-Doh, you can continue using it in lessons throughout the year!

Here’s how we put our own twist on using Play-Doh as an ice-breaker. We call this activity, “Who am I? Who are you?” First, we challenge students to answer 5 multiple choice questions and/or true/false questions about their teacher. To answer, students will craft either a T for true, an F for false, or an A, B, C, or D out of Play-Doh on their desks. This is a fun way for students to make guesses about their teacher while also being able to look around and see what answers friends are selecting. We read quiz questions aloud while projecting our Google Slides presentation on the TV. Then, when we reveal answers, we like to share pictures of us and our families. Once the five questions are answered, the game shifts from getting to know the teacher to getting to know the students.

For part two, we have 5 prompts asking students to sculpt something that reveals a little more about them. After each prompt, we ask students to share with table groups while we circulate the classroom. Then, we call on a few students to share with the class. We highlight connections and call out similarities. For example, if a prompt asks students to sculpt their favorite animal, we might ask for a show of hands while saying, “Who sculpted a cat? Who created a dog?” and so on.

Once the activity concludes and the Play-Doh is tightly capped, we like to challenge students to create two of their own true/false or multiple choice questions about themselves on an index card. It’s a great way to quickly see writing ability, and we can use the cards during extra time throughout the first week of school. If we line up a few minutes early, for example, we will pull out a card and ask the class a question. Students get excited to hear their classmates' responses and share the correct answer. Alternatively, we’ve had some students go home and craft 5-10 question quizzes for us to take the next day!

If you’re interested in using our Who am I? Who are you? template, check out our Teachers Pay Teachers store!

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-Who-Am-I-Who-Are-You-Play-Doh-Activity-8285688

Would You Rather?

This is an old classic and another classroom favorite! We usually do a 20-minute Would You Rather activity as a class sometime during the first week of school. Once students understand the format, these also become excellent fillers if you have a few extra minutes, or they can be used to encourage quicker transitions. For example, you might hear us say, “If you line up quickly and quietly, we can squeeze in a few Would You Rather questions!” These questions also make interesting journal prompts! Lastly, to get students comfortable with a new “tech tool,” we enjoy encouraging students to generate their own Would You Rather questions and post them to a Padlet for friends to see. We model how to post and discuss the importance of appropriateness in a shared digital space!

If you’re interested in seeing some of our favorite Would You Rather questions, check out our slideshow in our Teachers Pay Teachers store!

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-Would-You-Rather-Google-Slides-8285756

Word Search with Names of Classmates

This activity will certainly get students out of their seats and will encourage student interactions. First, create a word search using only the first names of students. We purposefully omit the word bank, so the first thing students must do is build their own! To do this, students stand and introduce themselves. They have to ask the names of their classmates and proper spelling. Then, students can work to find each name within the puzzle. We let students work with a partner if desired, after all, the entire purpose of the activity is to build connections. Often, we give out a ticket (to be used during a Friday prize day) as a reward for completion. This is a quick, low prep activity that students always seem to enjoy. Our only recommendation is to double check that every student’s name is included and spelled correctly!

Here are some word search generators:

Word Search Worksheet Generator | Education.com

Create Your Own Word Search Puzzle | Discovery Education Puzzlemaker

Create Your Own Word Search | Easy Word Search Maker (mywordsearch.com)

Back to School Books

Mon, 11 Jul 2022 15:41:35 GMT

Build a classroom community and make sure students feel valued and safe to share ideas and connections!

As ELA teachers, getting kids excited about books is a top priority during that first week of school! It’s also incredibly important to build a classroom community and make sure students feel valued and safe to share ideas and connections. The books below are our absolute favorites to share as we welcome students into our classroom spaces, set rules and expectations, and inspire a new group of readers and writers!

A Teacher’s Top Secret: Confidential by LaNesha Tabb

Who doesn’t love a fun spy theme? Plain and simple, this sweet book makes students feel like they were specifically chosen to be part of our classroom community. It highlights all the best qualities our students have and addresses the various emotions students may feel at the start of a school year. It’s such a fun and heart-warming read, so we know you’ll enjoy sharing this “top-secret” information with students!

The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson

Every child knows what it’s like to walk into a space and worry about being different. This book is the perfect way to address and alleviate those concerns, while also encouraging kids to make connections with one another. We love the conversations that follow this wonderful read aloud! Through discussion, our similarities are highlighted and differences are celebrated!

All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold and Suzanne Kaufman

This is another fantastic quick read that celebrates diversity while sharing the message “all are welcome here.” Written in rhyme with colorful illustrations, it sets a positive tone and is an excellent book to pluck off the shelf and read within the first few minutes of having students in the room.

The Best Part of Me by Wendy Ewald

We like this book because it naturally inspires a quick writing project that is beautiful to display. Students use the book as a model and select the best part of themselves. We’ll support any book that promotes positive self-image!

Our First Chapter Book

Save Me A Seat by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan

In the past few years we have used this chapter book as our class read aloud. It is the perfect way to begin the year. The story offers multiple perspectives from our main characters with very relatable experiences and emotions at the beginning of a school year. There are some awesome resources available online to pair with this read aloud. One of those great resources is an interview with the authors!

Growth Mindset Titles

One of our first units of the year focuses on the importance of having a growth mindset. Obviously, we want our students to believe in the magic of their brains and to be ready for an exciting year of new learning! Here are some of the best growth mindset books to share with upper elementary students!

The Magical Yet by Angela DiTerlizzi
After the Fall by Dan Santat
What Do You Do With a Problem? By Kobe Yamada
A Walk in the Words by Hudson Talbott

Amazon Classroom Must-Haves!

Wed, 06 Jul 2022 15:59:07 GMT

Get “ clicky fingers ” with some of the best items for your classroom!

Okay, let’s talk about the term “clicky fingers”...

… "clicky fingers” refers to the moment when you throw caution to the wind, click “add to cart” with infectious enthusiasm, and revel in your newly acquired purchase. You smile knowing that in just two days, a delightful brown box will appear on your doorstep. “Clicky fingers” have been known to get us in a little bit of trouble, but they’re also the reason behind so many of our smiles!

Here is a list of items we LOVE to use in our classroom! These are affiliated links on Amazon! Happy shopping!

Classroom Items

Paper Mate Flair, Scented Felt Tip Pens:
I normally LOVE Paper Mate Flair pens, but adding scent?! Yes, please! When signing student assignment books, these scented pens add a fun novelty. Nothing like seeing your students bring their assignment book to face to get a good whiff of that day’s chosen scent!

Mr. Sketch Washable Scented Markers:

Keeping on theme to scent, here are scented markers from Mr. Sketch. Again, these scents create a fun twist to writing. In addition to signing student assignment books, these markers are great when challenging students to focus on their sense of smell when becoming descriptive writers. Give a marker to a group of students and see what word choices and phrases they come up with… you may even hear some great examples of figurative language being used!

Glad Plastic Baskets for Organizing (Set of 12):
We LOVE collaborative hands-on learning experiences. Often we split our classrooms into six groups and then combine our two ELA classes for a total of 12 groups. These baskets help us to organize supplies needed for various learning activities. Stay tuned for future blog posts and paired resources to see some of these experiences. There are a few fun colors to choose from unless you are looking for something more neutral, there are options too! Each basket holds 1 gallon (4 liters) and measures 6.625”D x 10.125”W x 4.75”H overall.

Bell

This is a classroom management staple! It’s especially a lifesaver during guided reading rotations when we try to limit excessive talking. Ringing the bell three times means the rotation has ended and it’s time to switch. Ringing the bell just once serves an entirely different purpose- it’s a warning. If we see or hear something we don’t like and ring the bell one time (a lone, haunting ding), students know we are unhappy and have a chance to fix behaviors on their own accord. Most of the time, students self-correct!

Clipboards :

Clipboards are an excellent way to get students up and moving! During lessons, we often have students standing and moving around the room gathering ideas or engaging in Scoot activities. During writing, students are welcome to grab a clipboard to find a focused writing spot. Perhaps our favorite use is when we take students outside for writing walks and outdoor learning! This 30-pack ensures a class set (I hope numbers never get larger than 30!) and the boards are lightweight, yet sturdy enough for regular use.

Hanging Pocket Folders:

This hanging 6 pocket folder has been great in various classrooms of mine. From teaching middle school to my younger fourth graders, this is a great way to keep extra copies on hand if a student is absent or needs a fresh copy. In addition, we keep the most current study guide for our word work assessments. This helps to eliminate searching for papers and puts ownership on students to be responsible about getting what they need.

Magnetic Clips:

These strong, heavy-duty magnetic clips can be used for so many purposes! Most frequently, they hold our anchor chart paper to the whiteboard as we work together creating learning resources. The magnets can also hold student work or examples in a designated whiteboard space. If we are doing a quick collection of important forms or permission slips, we use these to hang gallon-sized ziplocks to the front whiteboard, so students can simply drop in paperwork!

Laminator:

Our school has a laminator, but someone locked it away to save money, and we haven’t found it yet! We are able to put in a request, but it’s never available when we need it. It’s so much easier having this little device on hand so we can laminate our favorite things to use year after year.

Scotch Thermal Laminating Pouches

Colored Masking Tape- Floor Tape:

This floor tape serves so many purposes in our classroom! We’ve used small squares to show where desks should stay and long lines to show where students need to line up before heading off to specials. We’ve divided our room in half for spirited debates. During our bigger simulations or classroom events, we use tape to make arrows on the floor so students and parent volunteers know which way to travel.

Colored Electrical Tape:

Electrical tape works so well on whiteboards! We use it to create our monthly calendar and a guided reading rotation board. We’ve also made whiteboard organizers like T-Charts or sectioned off an area for a special display.

3 Hole Punch:

This sits on our desk for those times when we forget to add holes when making copies. It punches 12 sheets at a time and helps keep student binders organized!

Colorful Dry Erase Dots Circles:

These have been an absolute game changer when it comes to guided reading groups! The dry erase element creates a fun tactile writing experience for students and it changes things up a bit. We often have a basket of guided reading books that are shared from one class to the next, so using Post-It notes to tag the text isn’t the best option in this situation. While tracking some of the comprehension of reading happens in a traditional packet, the dry erase circles are great for students to record their thoughts and questions as we read together.

Indoor Recess Games

Between rain, snow, and freezing temperatures, we have quite a few days of indoor recess. We learned early on in our careers that without engaging, easy-to-setup options, indoor recess can be a tricky time for classroom management. Now, early in the year when we are still working to build relationships and expectations, we have a “Playful Afternoon” where we explicitly teach students the rules of each game and model how to play. Then, we provide time for students to play in preassigned table groups. We rotate games among the groups and are available to provide direction and feedback. This makes our first indoor recesses run much more smoothly! Here are a few of our classroom favorites that are perfect for a 20-minute recess!

Spot It
Classic
Junior Animals
Blink!
Jenga
Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza
Ring It! The Clap and Ring Game
Uno
Hot Potato (This one needs practice, but can be great fun for groups in a circle on the carpet!)

Two-Player Games: In addition to the above games that are great for small groups, we like to provide some two-player options.

About Us

Sun, 03 Jul 2022 14:41:13 GMT

A little note about our inspirations and ideas when it comes to creating an engaging classroom!

We are two ELA teachers with 18 years of combined experience. We’ve taught students in fourth grade through eighth grade and have spent the most recent years of our career working together to gamify our fourth grade classrooms! Our goal is always to create memorable and engaging learning experiences that push kids to continue exploring, thinking, and creating. Tapping into gamification principles has helped us capitalize on student interests as we push kids to continue leveling up reading and writing skills.

Certifications:

Elementary K-6 with Middle Level English 7-9, B.S.

Literacy Education, M.Ed

Reading Specialist Certification

Middle Level English Education, B.S. (4-8)

Instructional Technology, M.Ed

Instructional Technology Specialist Certification (PK-12)

ESL Program Specialist Certification (currently working towards!)

When kids are little, they can’t wait to read and write. They reach for pencils, make random squiggles, and pretend they are writing words. They memorize phrases and hold books to their noses long before they actually decode words on the page. Yet too often, by the time students reach 4th grade, they start to view reading and writing as a chore instead of wildly magical experiences. We hope to bring back some of that magic and get kids excited about learning.

We see that kids spend hours gaming with their friends, playing and replaying difficult levels, and even using the internet or YouTube to research strategies. Why aren’t students this dedicated to their schoolwork , parents wonder. If only they spent half as much time studying . Even in the world of sports, we don’t see children walk off the court or the field in frustration if they don’t make their first attempt at a basket or score a goal. They keep showing up to practices, working on their skills, and setting achievable goals.

Perhaps, we’ve made school too high-stakes. Kids see it as stressful and overwhelming instead of fun and adventurous. In a gaming space, kids are comfortable taking risks, trying, failing, and trying again. In a school space, kids are afraid of failure. So, what if we made the schooling experience feel more like a gaming experience? What if instead of acing an exam or failing a test, students pushed themselves to simply level up and learn new skills?

Schooling is a gaming experience . We have taken on this mindset and shifted our own teaching pedagogies to embrace the ideas of gamification. It may seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. To be honest, gamifying lessons is its own gaming experience for educators. Often, teachers are handed a curriculum that seems very dull, but with a touch of creativity, educators have the opportunity to create engaging and rigorous lessons.

Students level up and learn new skills. As mentioned previously, many students enjoy gaming and competition outside of the school setting. From video games to board games and sports teams, kids are excited to level up and learn new skills. There are so many milestones kids can achieve when it comes to meeting curricular objectives and learning standards. Through gamification, those victories can be celebrated and treated like leveling up in your favorite game.

Why Capture the Mind ?

At this age, our biggest goal is to foster a love of literacy. We want students to become passionate readers who delight in stories and energetic writers who have confidence in their abilities. We discovered that one of the best ways to “ capture the mind ,” or engage students, is through gamification. This means we employ gaming elements to hook and challenge students. Learning to write an essay can be scary, whereas “leveling up” your writing skills sounds like an exciting challenge. Taking weekly grammar assessments feels mundane (and for some, torturous), but weekly boss fights to defeat an evil villain feels invigorating. Even nightly reading homework is less groan-worthy when students are working to complete a 40 book challenge. We find that when we pair the literacy basics with b reakouts, escape rooms, field days, and the latest tech tools, we have a classroom of excited and engaged learners! Our job becomes a whole lot more fun and perhaps a bit easier!

Favorite TED Talks about gamification:

https://www.ted.com/talks/jane_mcgonigal_gaming_can_make_a_better_world

https://www.ted.com/talks/jane_mcgonigal_massively_multi_player_thumb_wrestling

Here are some books that helped shape our mindset…

Reality is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World by Jane McGonigal

Explore like a Pirate by Michael Matera

Fully Engaged: Playful Pedagogy for Real Results by Michael Matera and John Meeh

These are commissionable links.