Monthly Calendars for Planning, Homework and Behavior Tracking

Back in 2014, my school used a color coded behavior system. 

New Year’s Goal Setting for Grades 3-5: Start the New Year Off Strong!

Updated for 2026!

My 5th-grade class and I had a lot of discussions about resolutions and goals for the new year. 

Number Bond Google Quizzes for K-1

When we switched to distance learning in March I was glad my class had already started working on addition and subtraction. What we hadn't focused on yet was number bonds, and the idea of parts and wholes. 

Would You Rather Google Quizzes for Opinion Writing

When our school went into distance learning, we were just beginning our third trimester. Unfortunately that is my (and my students) favorite ELA unit - opinion writing!

Distance Learning in Kindergarten

I'll be honest, distance learning in Kindergarten can be overwhelming when you first start to think about it!

Of course, that is true for most grades. However, in Kindergarten there  are many things that need to be seen in person, for both you and your student!

Kindergarten Writing Ideas - A Weekly Routine to Motivate Early Writers!

Over the past 6 years, I have noticed that a lot of my Kindergarten students struggle with free write time.

 

The Many Uses of Trays in K-1!

Last summer, I dragged my sister on quests to all the Targets in NH (and some in Maine) in order to find a class set of these trays.

Skill Games for Homework

Homework is such a hot topic these days - I know I have never been a fan of it for Kindergarten. 

Classroom Reveal!

Here is a peek at my classroom from last year!

Keep Track of Birthdays and Ages in Class with a Digital Chart

We all know that birthdays are a huge deal in our classrooms!

New Year’s Goal Setting for Grades 3-5: Start the New Year Off Strong!

Updated for 2026!

When I taught 5th grade, my class and I had a lot of discussions about resolutions and goals for the new year. The biggest areas they needed to focus on was being responsible for their work and cleanliness.

I had a few students who always went above and beyond when it came to cleaning our room each day, and most times it wasn't even their mess they were cleaning! Of course, like all teachers, I had several students who misplaced work or frequently forgot to pass in assignments.

Rather than just having my students brainstorm a goal, I decided to make an organizer that would help them to gather their thoughts and self-assess to see what areas they need improvement in.

There are two checklists in this set - one for school goals and one for home goals. First they read through and check off any goals they have already met.

Next, they choose 1 goal that they did not check off. If they have more than one, they will look closely to see which is the most important to them at this time.

Included are 2 graphic organizers, one with a sentence starter and one without.

Lastly there are 2 writing templates; a template for 1 goal and a template for 2 goals. I always liked to differentiate writing assignments by giving my class the option of completing a graphic organizer, or a writing paper for their final copy.

My class really enjoyed this activity. It was a great way to help them to narrow down the areas of school and home that they needed to improve on. 

If you are interested in purchasing this item you can find it in my shop here, or just click on the pictures above!

Happy 2019!Click here to see the updated 2026 version!

Kindergarten Classroom Decor

Kindergarten students need to have access to a wide variety of words in their first year. It can be overwhelming, having all those posters displayed in one classroom.

Increasing Vocabulary in Grades 3-5: 40 Social and Academic Vocabulary Words

Updated for 2022 with a new, clean look!

In my first year of teaching I taught a 5th grade class that benefited greatly from social and academic support.

Building Vocabulary in Grades 3-5 with an Easy Daily Routine!

I started using a daily vocabulary word when I worked in pull-out in grades 2-5. I worked with accelerated readers in the computer lab and they struggled when presented with new words in their reading passages.

Parent Communication with Digital Newsletters

For the past few years, I have tried to stay on top of parent communication. One of my teammates used to send a note home weekly - but that never worked out for me!

I decided to do monthly newsletter, and then has worked better. Though I always seem to miss December and June! I wonder why? 😆

Even on the months that I would write one, I would have the hardest time getting to the copier. I would have it ready to go, literally in my hand, then our copier would break, or I would have to go to a meeting...you know the drill!

Plus, I have a confession to make...I absolutely detest having to copy them each month and put them  into mailboxes. I can always think of at least 10 more important things that I need to do instead!

I decided to switch over to digital newsletters for the upcoming school year. I'm hoping that these colorful templates will be a bit more eye-catching too, rather than a black and white paper piled amongst many others!

All of the headers are editable, so they can be changed to suit any schedule. There are text boxes already in set in place, so once you upload it to Google you are ready to go!

It'll just take a few seconds to add in all of the upcoming events and units we have been studying in class. Then I can simply share it with my parents through Google.

I am all about obtainable goals, and I know I can easily send home a newsletter each month this way!

If you are interested in these digital newsletters, click here!

Prefer a printable copy? Click here!

How do you communicate with families in your classroom?