magazine hunt: reading and rockin’ it This New For Us Friday I’m sharing a new-for-Cora activity and a new-for-us event: the fab, super-fun magazine hunt and Highlight’s State …Read moremagazine hunt: reading and rockin’ it
mom’s homeroom: ideas, advice, videos, crazy-cool blogs I am over the moon to share some exciting news: I’ve been working with MSN and Frosted Mini-Wheats for the last few months, writing as a …Read moremom’s homeroom: ideas, advice, videos, crazy-cool blogs
learning during read-alouds: oral language development Sometimes, simple is better. Sometimes, more choices make us more confused. If Maddy, Owen, and Cora were shown an amazing pallet of face paints …Read morelearning during read-alouds: oral language development
learning during read-alouds: making back-to-school connections Today I sent the big O-man off to Kindergarten and Maddy off to second grade, and I absolutely cannot believe it. If I think about it too much, I …Read morelearning during read-alouds: making back-to-school connections
learning during read-alouds: making predictions When my family visited our local butterfly garden a few weeks ago, none of us could have predicted that one of the beautiful creatures would have …Read morelearning during read-alouds: making predictions
learning during read-alouds: making connections and questioning (with siblings!) We have been putting in a lot of pool time lately, but we’ve also been spending a boatload of time indoors–staying …Read morelearning during read-alouds: making connections and questioning (with siblings!)
questioning and connecting during read-alouds I’m not going to lie–some summer days, I really think that if it weren’t for the 15 minutes of Adult Swim, my …Read morequestioning and connecting during read-alouds
learning during read-alouds: 5 things never to say to emerging readers Sometimes it’s very easy for teachers and parents to feel impatient with emerging readers. It’s hard to listen to kids sound out every …Read morelearning during read-alouds: 5 things never to say to emerging readers
using the weather forecast for sneaky math learning We are huge weather fans over here. Looking at the day’s forecast has become a regular part of our morning ever since the kids were really …Read moreusing the weather forecast for sneaky math learning
learning during read-alouds: activating schema According to Rachel and Mary Gabriel, the “schema theory tells us that prior knowledge is essential for comprehension of new knowledge and that …Read morelearning during read-alouds: activating schema
learning during read-alouds: making connections My kiddos are huge fans of popping pop beads, stringing beads, connecting nuts and bolts, and just sticking things together. Not only are these …Read morelearning during read-alouds: making connections
learning during read-alouds: word consciousness We shouldn’t try to fill every second of our children’s lives with learning and lessons. Our kiddos really do need time for free play …Read morelearning during read-alouds: word consciousness
making connections with nonfiction texts (and our new turtle friend) Between the insane weather we’ve been experiencing over here (tornadoes! wind gusts! rain, rain, and more rain–and then the next …Read moremaking connections with nonfiction texts (and our new turtle friend)
learning during read-alouds: visualizing Many of us have taken a moment now and again to encourage our children to find pictures in the sky on a cloudy day, right? No matter if it’s a …Read morelearning during read-alouds: visualizing
pow! bam! wow! print referencing and onomatopoeia I’ve said time and time again that read-alouds are an absolutely perfect time for sneaking in some learning with our kiddos, I believe there the …Read morepow! bam! wow! print referencing and onomatopoeia
the gift of reading: finding the ‘gifts’ in any book So many times as busy, rushed parents, we zip through reading books with our kids without really taking a minute to stop and chat about the gifts that …Read morethe gift of reading: finding the ‘gifts’ in any book
quick, sneaky questioning to improve reading comprehension It seems that Maddy’s leveled out a bit with her reading this year. She’s doing great with her …Read morequick, sneaky questioning to improve reading comprehension
playing with candy: candy experiments (part one) With three overly-tired kids and three pumpkins full of Halloween candy, I knew that I had to be extra creative if I wanted Maddy, Owen, …Read moreplaying with candy: candy experiments (part one)
fun ways to learn spelling words Not only did we lose Maddy’s very first homework packet over here in the chaos of the first few weeks of school; we also only spent only a …Read morefun ways to learn spelling words
super-important inferring during read-alouds Read-alouds are the perfect time to sneak in a little bit of learning, whether you’re talking simple reading …Read moresuper-important inferring during read-alouds