When you're planning station activities, whether its Math or ELA focused, keeping it simple can be the difference between your students finding success (and you keeping your sanity) and absolute chaos. Tumbling Blocks (or Jenga if you prefer) is a simple game that offers so much diversity and engagement for your students, that you just HAVE to add it to your station activities. And here's the best part . . . They are super inexpensive and SO incredibly simple to differentiate! Plus your ... VIEW POST
Keeping It Simple With Tumbling Blocks
Stress-Free Valentine’s Day Fun Stations
After posting about my Stress-free Halloween Fun Stations, I had a bunch of requests for similar posts for other holidays . . . including Valentine's Day. I know a bunch of teacher friends dislike these days and planning a 'party' is beyond stressful with everything else we do, so I make my parties as simple as possible by filling time with simple, stress-free fun stations. I know that there are many teachers that have the benefit of a 'class parent' to plan these things, but I don't so this ... VIEW POST
Rolling The Dice
Some time last fall, before MacKale got sick, SDE (Staff Development for Educators) contacted me to ask if I might be willing to present this summer at their National I Teach K and Differentiated Instruction conferences in Vegas. While I was a bit nervous at the prospect, I accepted their offer. But then, of course, my teaching world as I knew it came to a screeching halt. I wavered back and forth, not knowing where I would be or where MacKale would be in his treatment this summer. I felt ... VIEW POST
Game Play, Freebies and Worksheets Don’t Grow Dendrites Chapter 4
I’m a bit late but back to hook up to the Worksheets Don’t Grow Dendrites Book Study and Strategy 4 is all about games. I love that research supports what parents and teachers have known for so long. Game play builds cooperative relationships, allows students to practice without pressure and teaches them how to follow rules and social norms, problem solving, develop strategies and . . . Let’s face it . . . It’s just FUN. I know when my students are motivated and engaged, ... VIEW POST
Deal Me In . . . Again!
Last year, just around Christmas time, I posted about my family's love of card games and how I love using cards for teaching math skills in kindergarten. I was able to suggest some great games that are especially appropriate for younger learners and that have been given the McGuire Boys' card game stamp of approval. If you missed it, go ahead and click HERE or the picture above to check out some of our favorites and some great resources. Well, since then, we've spent several ... VIEW POST
Deal Me In . . .
I decided a long time ago that you’re either born with the card-playing gene or you are not. While my family played boardgames, we weren't much on playing with a deck of cards. So when I married into my husband's card-playing family, I quickly was schooled in the finer strategies and rules of their favorite games. Fast forward ahead three little boys later, and I soon discover that not just one, but all three of them have inherited their fathers card gene. Yep! They're all ... VIEW POST
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