I know you're thinking, "Where's my freebie?" I get it, I would be too. If you want to bypass this and get straight to the freebie, scroll to the bottom to find the green download button. If you want to spend 2 minutes reading why games are so important to education, then be my guest! Here are just three reasons why games are important to social studies. I could go on and on, but let's keep it short for today and get to the freebie! 1. Games are important because they give st

The second week in January is National 4 th Graders Day, which means we get to celebrate our amazing students! I student taught in 4th grade and after a few years of teaching found my way back there and loved it!   And aren’t 4th graders fun? Who doesn’t love multiplying, dividing, writing informational texts, and learning state history? (I mean our students…but only sometimes) And 4th graders are old enough to get into some of the internet trends, 6 7 anyone? I love re

As a 4th-grade Utah teacher, it’s easy to look at social studies as Mormon pioneers and not much else. While pioneers played a significant role in the state's history, there is so much more to Utah than that! The state has some of the best pre-Columbian petroglyphs in the USA. It’s home to 5 federally recognized tribes that have lived in Utah for thousands of years. Evidence of their history and continued culture is all over the state! Spanish explorers, mountain men, pony ex

It's 1995, you’re sitting in math class, and you just got a new pair of wheelies! Life is pretty good because in 15 minutes it's computer time and you know what that means.... The Oregon Trail! You know the one I’m talking about. The one where you have to hunt, ford rivers, and face insurmountable danger like a broken axle or dysentery (who has the funeral song playing in their head right now?)  It's been almost 30 years, and you still remember the game! That’s because it wa

As we are on the cusp of the “ber” months and the holidays that come with them, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and frustrated with the loss of instructional time. With holiday activities, parent programs, and student excitement, I feel like instructional time is like the Grinch’s heart at the beginning of the book, two sizes too small.   What if there were a way to harness the holidays and maximize student learning? That is where my holiday literacy lessons come in. For each m

Hey there teacher, Have you been wondering how to celebrate Chinese New Year in your classroom? Or, more specifically, how to use it as a...

Christmas is busy and school is hectic right now, so we'll keep this super short! If you are looking for a cute way for students to wrap...

It’s that time of the year again… school items are back on sale at Target and Walmart. Hopefully you’re excited for the set of new...

I grew up in the state with the smallest population, a state that pioneers walked through to get to California or Oregon, its nickname is...

Hey there teacher, I hope your summer is going great! I hope you have a chance to visit a swimming pool or whatever activity you prefer...