Popular Podcasts for Early Elementary Teachers
Need new teacher podcasts for your drive, lunch break, or planning period? Here’s a list of top picks to help early elementary teachers feel inspired & supported!
BACK TO SCHOOL BLOG POSTS
BACK TO SCHOOL BLOG POSTS
Tips for Using a Sound Wall in Kindergarten, Early Elementary Grades
This blog post offers practical tips and effective strategies for introducing and utilizing sound walls to help students connect speech to print and improve phoneme-grapheme correspondence. Learn how to make daily lessons engaging, use mirrors for articulation awareness, movement, build excitement with lock cards, and incorporate interactive activities. Find helpful resources and professional development recommendations to enhance your teaching practice.
How to Set Up a Sound Wall in Kindergarten, Early Elementary
This post offers practical tips and resources for setting up and using a sound wall effectively in your kindergarten or early elementary classroom. Learn how sound walls support phoneme-grapheme correspondence, enhance reading and spelling skills, and organize sounds by articulation. Discover space-saving options, lesson ideas, and the importance of professional development to maximize your sound wall’s impact.
Name Recognition & Name Writing Activities
Fun, editable name activities for preschool & kindergarten! These engaging ideas will help your students learn to recognize, spell, and write their names. Perfect for name writing practice, back-to-school centers, and helping students recognize their names.
Free Bulletin Board Activity for “Our Class is a Family” by Shannon Olsen
Discover the “Our Class is a Family” student-created bulletin board based on Shannon Olsen’s book. This free resource helps create a warm, welcoming classroom environment where students see themselves as part of a supportive family. Perfect for building a positive community from the start of the school year.
How to Build Relationships with Your Students at the Beginning of the Year
Start the school year by building strong relationships with your students! Discover free resources, including editable welcome letter templates, fun get-to-know-you questions, and engaging movement activities. Perfect for both in-person and virtual classrooms, these tools help create a supportive and engaging learning environment from day one.
Back to School, Open House, Meet the Teacher Student Gift Ideas & Gift Tags
A small, thoughtful gift can go a long way in easing first-day jitters and making students feel welcome! In this post, I’m sharing some of my favorite back-to-school student gift ideas—perfect for Open House, Meet the Teacher Night, or the first day of school. These simple treats paired with printable gift tags help create a warm classroom environment right from the start.
Books / Read Alouds for the Beginning of the School Year
A list of favorite back to school read alouds for preschool, kindergarten, and first grade! Sharing books is one of my favorite ways to ease back-to-school nerves and build classroom community. These tried-and-true read alouds are perfect for the first few weeks of school—and they help spark a love of reading from day one!
How to Set Up a Fun, Fall Themed Escape Room for Kindergarten – First Grade
Discover how to set up a fun, fall-themed escape room for kindergarten and first-grade students! This blog post shares step-by-step tips for creating an engaging escape room experience that builds teamwork, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills. Learn how to craft a captivating scenario, incorporate academic clues, and adapt the escape room for different classroom settings. Perfect for any elementary classroom!
How to Use & Organize Centers in the Kindergarten Classroom Plus Free Center Labels
Discover how to use, manage, and organize centers in your kindergarten classroom with practical tips, classroom-tested routines, and free printable center labels!
Differentiated & Engaging Apple-Themed Learning Activities, Centers
Apple season and Johnny Appleseed’s birthday (Sept. 26th) are the perfect time to bring engaging, differentiated learning into your classroom! These hands-on apple-themed math and literacy centers are easy to prep, fun for little learners, and designed to meet your students right where they are—no matter their level.
How to Welcome Students Back to School: Meaningful Ideas for the First Weeks of School
Starting a new school year can feel exciting—and a little overwhelming—for both students and teachers. In this post, I’m sharing my favorite back-to-school ideas to help you welcome students with confidence, ease first-day jitters, and build meaningful classroom connections from day one. You’ll find time-saving tips, calm-down strategies, and simple ways to prepare families with Meet the Teacher letters and more.