Doodle Newsletter Template for ALL GRADES! Editable!

Here is another newsletter template for you! I have it for all grades on my TPT store. I also have fourth grade as a freebie here!

Jeporady Game for Test Prep!

Testing, testing, testing.... this is the sad reality of our world. On that note, I try to make "test prep" as fun as possible for my kiddos. I have created a couple of Jeporady games for fourth grade and have them posted on my TPT site. If you would like one for a different standard band/grade level please let me know! I can have it done within a couple days. If you teach fourth, enjoy!

Wonder Wall - How I Encourge Curiosity in the Classroom

Happy first week back from spring break (to some of us). The year is almost over... can you believe it? I sure can't but, I am so excited for this year to be wrapping up. It's been a tough one. This year I have had a very sweet group of kids but, the ability to follow directions and complete a task was a STRUGGLE. This group thrived on hands-on, discussion, and project-based lessons. I really enjoyed them but, they were exhausting at times... that's for sure.

Today I wanted to share an idea with you to encourage curiosity, the Wonder Wall. With a group like the one I have this year, this part of my classroom is awesome. They write down anything that they are curious about or wondering about and pin it to the board. During their free time, indoor recess, or computer lab they can take an idea down and do some quick research on it. Then, they can share with their classmates. This idea doesn't take a lot of prep (SCORE!), is hands-on and interactive, and also encourages curious minds. Plus, who doesn't love a bulletin board that they don't have to maintain :)

My Wonder Wall:

A Long Walk to Water

This book is AWESOME! It follows two children living in Sudan at different time periods. One is a young boy named Salva and he is living during the war in the 1980's. He is a refugee and is a wonderful character for students to see true perseverance. Nya is a girl who lives in Sudan during present day and has to walk eight hours a day to fetch water for her family. This book brings an issue to light for students that they probably have not heard much about -- the Sudan water shortage. I highly recommend it for any grades from third and up. It also lends itself to so many other projects and learning opportunities. I have created a novel study unit to make this available to use in the classroom. I can't wait to read this with my class! Click here for TPT.

Room Survey

I read this great article that I found on Twitter... "12 Ways to Upgrade Your Classroom Design". It had some fresh ideas and it was great to see things that are new and unique. One of the ideas that really stuck with me was involving your students in the classroom design and layout. I feel very strongly that the students should feel as though the classroom is a community space. It should be somewhere that they want to be and somewhere that they feel comfortable. After all, they (and you!) spend A LOT of time there! After reading the article I gave my students a survey of the classroom. This survey gave me great feedback into what they like, don't like, how they prefer to sit, etc. I suggest giving it a try! Click here for the freebie!