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Sunday, October 4, 2020

Simple Book Report Ideas That Kids Will Love

Hi friends,

 Does the mere mention of the phrase “book report” bring groans of dread from your students?

 Visions of endless writing and tedious presentations feel overwhelming to some students. But reading an awesome book and telling others all about it can be one of the great pleasures in life!  Book reports don’t need to be dull. Actually, they can be a ton of fun, and with the right project, students will love the entire process of creating and sharing meaningful book projects. 

 Here are 4 easy to assign and complete book report ideas that will be sure to get your students excited about their next assignment.

CHARACTER DAY

Have students dress up as the main character of their book. Then, have each student take a turn standing in front of the class and telling their character’s story in first person point of view.

REPORT POSTER

Give students a large piece of poster paper or chart paper. Posters must identify main characters, setting, title, problem, and solution. Display finished posters on classroom or hallway walls.

BOOK JACKET 

Show your students several examples of  book jackets. Point out the front with the title and illustration, the spine and its information, and the back with the book summary. Also show the 2 inside flaps with information about the author and a smaller summary. Provide them each with a larger piece of paper and have them design a jacket for the book they have just read.

DIARY ENTRIES

Have students create a diary with at least 10 entries, writing from the main character’s point of view. I like to assign this project at the beginning of the book, and have students write a diary entry for the events of each chapter of the book.

As long as you keep it fun and engaging, your students will be excited to invest their time in their projects! Be sure to clearly outline the expectations before your students begin. I like to write their questions on chart paper in one color, and my answers in another color.  This way students can refer back to the poster when they "forget" expectations. 
I would love to expand my go to book reports.  Please comment below with your tried and true book reports.
See you next week,

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Sunday, September 20, 2020

Student Motivation

Dear teacher friends,
Here we go again!  Another season of state assessments is upon us.  Every year, the weight of the assessments creates pressure for administrators, teachers, parents, and unfortunately the students.  I’m sure you are feeling anxious, but you do not want your students to feel the same way.
“Test Prep” are the two 4-letter words that cause fear and loathing in the heart’s of teachers everywhere.  I have heard teachers complain about how test prep takes away from teaching time, and causes extra stress to students.  It doesn’t have to be that way!
Keep your test prep fun, sweet, and simple! Whether you have a few days, a week or a little more time to dedicate to reviewing skills taught all year make it a time filled with games, practice, and prizes in your classroom.  For instance, dig out the task cards that you have used all year.  Place them around the room for a game of review Scoot. One way that I have done this in the past for a math review: Cards 1-5 Order of Operations, Cards 6-10 Adding and Subtracting Fractions, Cards 11-15 Adding, Subtracting, Multiplying, Dividing Decimals, Cards 16-20… You get the idea.  You want to have enough cards around the room so that each student starts with one.  You can have more if you have time, but make sure that you review the answers with your students when the game is over.  If you don’t have time to review during the same class period, try to review the answers the following day.  
(If you have never played Scoot before, you don’t 
know what you are missing!  My 5th graders beg to 
play at least once a week.  I wrote about how to play 
in a previous blog post. Check it out here to learn more.) 

Keep in mind that realistically, you will not be able to review all of the skills. It is imperative that you choose standards that your students still struggle with, standards taught at the beginning of the year, and standards that you know your students can excel at if they are just reminded of the skill.  Good luck!
Once testing day(s) arrives, it is important for your students to know that you aren’t worried. And if you are nervous? Fake it until you make it!  Remember, the test-taking attitudes your students form now may impact their test-taking behaviors for the rest of their education. After all, standardized tests don’t go away as you go up through the grades.  If anything, you are creating the foundation for your students to take the SAT in high school.  Keep in mind that a lot of your students’ attitudes will be shaped by the feelings you project.
This is the time for you to emphasize that testing is a chance for your students to show off and show what they know. Each morning students are testing, I give testing treats.  This is just a little something I give to ease the stress.
🍭Dum Dum lollipops: Because they are not dumb-dumbs!
👓Nerds: So they can be a nerd and read every word!
😋Blow Pops: So they can blow the test away!

Providing your students with motivation before and during testing is the best way to keep your students engaged during the entire testing process.  If you have any additional motivational ideas for keeping students focused, engaged, and prepared to do their very best leave them in the comments section.

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Sunday, September 6, 2020

Help Your Students with Word Problems

Hi friends!!!

We have all been there.  We've given an amazing lesson.  Students were engaged, correctly answered questions and explained their steps they took to solve it, were able to give alternative ways to solve problems... and you feel confident that you can now assign practice problems.

And then... BAM!  It happens.  You know what I am talking about!  It's that exact moment your students realize that there are *gasp* word problems for them to solve!  Before you even have a moment to take a sip of water or just gather your thoughts you hear something like...
"I don't get it."
or (and this statement makes me cringe every single time)
"What am I supposed to do?"

In most classrooms, there are students who are below grade level in reading.  So they have difficulty determining what the problem is asking. Then there are other students who struggle with word problems because they do not understand which part of the text is relevant.  And of course, some students struggle with reading AND figuring out which information is needed to solve the problem.

I have a few strategies that I find useful.  Let me know what you think!

1.)  I read the math problem to the students.  Sometimes this is done whole group, while other times I do this in small group.  I  use this strategy every single day! I have students in my class who are English Language Learners and/or below grade level in reading.  By taking the "stress" out of reading the word problem, students can focus on the math piece.

2.)  Students are quite familiar with the concept of "Close Reading."  After all, they dig deeper to analyze the text daily during Reading, Science, and Social Studies.  So why not have students 'close read' their math problems? I have students rereading math problems a minimum of four times, and doing something different EACH time with the information.  By the last step, students have a better understanding of how to solve the problem.  Some of my students are able to memorize the steps and use it without me reminding them.
I have a blog post if you are interested in reading about it.  Just click here!

3.)  Whenever I introduce a new math concept I use a real world word problem or story.  For instance, in my class we are currently working on fractions.  I don't want students to think that they will only do this in math class!!!  So we discuss real world situations that involve math.

"It's your birthday and you and all 15 of your guests want a piece of birthday cake.  How many pieces do need to be cut?"  (Answer:16)
Or "before you pass out the pieces of cake, your mom puts birthday candles on half of your cake.  How much of your cake has candles?" (Answer 1/2, and then you can start developing the understanding that 8 pieces out of 16 is 1/2 of the whole.  Equivalent fractions!!!)

4.)  One of my favorite strategies to help my students become more successful with word problems doesn't involve me speaking a lot.  At least two times a week (when my schedule allows it), I have students take their homework up to my document camera and explain how they solved the problem.  This involves students rereading the problem, circling any numbers needed to solve, underlining key words, and then explaining the steps as well as doing the math.  During this time we discuss misconceptions, strategies, and new ways of thinking.  I love when students show me a new way to solve a problem!

I hope you are enjoyed reading this post.  Please leave a comment below to let me know if any of these strategies help you!
Happy Teaching!
:-) Sandra @The Happy Learning Den
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Sunday, August 9, 2020

Getting Started with Interactive Notebooks

They're everywhere.
Interactive notebooks, that is.
And they aren't going anywhere!
Have you ever thought that you'd like to implement interactive notebooks in your classroom, but not sure how you'd get started?
Perhaps you're nervous to try them with your students because you've heard horror stories from teacher friends who felt they took up too much instructional time, or that it was just chaotic and not worth the effort?
Well, stick around because I'm going to give you some tips for making them a success in your classroom.

What are Interactive Notebooks (INB)?
Interactive notebooks come in all shapes and sizes, but essentially, interactive notebooks are spiral or composition notebooks where students can organize their notes. I personally prefer composition notebooks. Pages are less likely to be torn out and those pesky spiral edges aren't everywhere!

What do I need?

  • spiral/composition notebook
  • glue (I think glue sticks are better... less mess.
  • scissors
  • crayons or colored pencils (not markers - they will bleed through the pages)
How "formal" are your notebooks?I do not follow any typical format but have adapted each year to best fit the needs of my classroom.  Notebooks are utilized as a learning portfolio with a record of all the lessons and activities completed during class.  While some pages are more interactive, there are others that act as notes or information pages.

How often do you grade the science notebooks?I don't grade each notebook individually but monitor them often for specific items - organization, page completion, etc.  
I have also used an organization quiz, which is a half-sheet quiz that asks students to record page #s for specific items to see if they have the notebooks organized and completed. 

Since I supervise my students as they add worksheets, quizzes, and tests, I can ensure they are placing items on the correct pages.  

 I do give notebook quizzes once a week with questions from the lessons completed in class.  Students use their notebooks to find the answers.  Some questions may be the same as those included on their worksheets, while others require students to use the information to answer questions about the topics/concept.

Have any questions?  Suggestions?
Comment below and I will get right back with you!

 ~Sandra @TheHappyLearningDen







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Sunday, August 2, 2020

Back to School Activities for Elementary Students

The first day of school is an exciting time for students, parents and of course you... teachers!  There's a new class full of students to get to know. 
Not only is it exciting, but as you know, it is also quite EXHAUSTING.  (We have all seen the teacher memes with the teacher in their front hallway laying face down.  LOL) There is so much to do, and it’s hard to get everything done. That’s why I am sharing four time-saving back to school activities for upper elementary school teachers. You'll be sure to get the school year started off on the right foot with these back-to-school activities and lessons.  Some are designed to get students talking about themselves, others set goals and expectations for the year, and the rest are just for putting a smile on their faces on the first day.

 With All. The. Things. on your to-do list, it can be really hard to not feel stressed and anxious about that first week back to school.  Try these back to school activities. Your students will love them, and they are just print and go!

Back to School Activities

This has ENGAGING and DIFFERENTIATED resources that will get your students excited about learning!  You can find these activities in my First Days of Schools Activity Resource.  The best part is that there is MINIMAL PREP! Only the All About Me banners need to be cut out, and your students can do that part! You simply print and go!  




 Fortune Tellers and Worksheets

With all of the individual assessments I need to give students during the first week of school, I always need something fun AND academic to QUIETLY ENGAGE the other students in my classroom. 

By having a few fun math printables on hand, it was a lot less stressful for everyone during benchmark time. These fortune tellers (aka cootie catchers) and worksheets are a LIFESAVER year after year!
















Goal Setting Activities


Ringing in the new year is a great time to turn over a new leaf, try new things, and end bad habits.  This writing activity can be done any time of year, but is designed to be used at either the beginning of the school year or for new year’s resolutions.







Social Emotional Learning

Students need direction instruction on HOW and WHY to be responsible, respectful, and all the things school, home, and society wants them to be. They need this instruction and supporting activities just like they do in academic areas, such as reading and math. In previous posts I explained why SEL is near and dear to my heart.  In this bundle you get all 6 units that I developed for a deep discount.  Use the lessons in any order you like.  Teach about respect one week and attentiveness the next!  You do what is best for your class.  Click here to see the Social Emotional Learning (SEL) bundle of lessons and activities for Attentiveness, Caring, Empathy, Respect, Responsibility, and Respect. 

Have a great school year!
Sandy @ The Happy Learning Den

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Sunday, March 29, 2020

Close Reading

Chances are, you’ve heard of Close Reading. Some of you may already be using strategies in your own classroom, while others haven’t yet begun.
Today, I am going to share some easy to implement steps to follow for a successful close read! You can start right away with these steps!!! 

 Also, with everything that is happening in the world right now, it is a great time for your students to get lost in a good book.  Then go back to reread that same book for comprehension.  This strategy is as easy to implement at home as it is in the classroom!  The only difference is that their siblings and parents/guardians are their classmates for the sake of this particular strategy.
First off, close reading does not take place in one day and shouldn't be completed completely independent. You want your students talking to one another about what they are reading and thinking deeply about the text.
Instead, close reading is a series of lessons spanning SEVERAL days.  Students work in pairs or in small groups using short reading passages or parts of a familiar book.  You want your students to make a deep connection with the text, but in order for that to happen I strongly encourage you to take the time to teach and model the steps you want your students to follow.
There are many ways to implement close reading your classroom.  You can have students Think-Pair-Share, or work in small groups, or you can have them work together in another way that works for YOUR STYLE.  You do what works for you.  I am only here to guide you.  :-)
Informational Text                                                                            Day 1: Read the text.  Write down 2 interesting facts from your reading and 2 questions you have.
Day 2: Reread the text. Write down 5 facts from the text in your own words.
Day 3: Reread the text and create a graphic organizer to summarize the main idea and key details.
Day 4: Write 3 questions for a friend to answer and swap papers.  Then have students grade one another.  They LOVE getting to leave feedback for each other!
Fiction Text                                                                                       Day 1: Read the text.  Explain if the main character(s) changed from the beginning to the end of the story. How did they change? Why did they change?
Day 2: Reread the text. What are 3 significant events that helped the main character? Explain how and why the character reacted.
Day 3: Reread the text. What is the theme?
Day 4: Day 4: Write 3 questions for a friend to answer and swap papers.  Then have students grade one another. 
That's basically it.  Easy peasy!  And with repeated practice, you will soon see your students ability to tackle challenging texts take off!  
I have 3 engaging resources for close reading which parents, teachers, and students LOVE.  Click each link to see them in my store:

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Saturday, March 14, 2020

Share and e-mail parents these FREE RESOURCES

Hi friends!
Did your school close due to the Corona Virus? Deep breaths, guys. Deep breaths. We can do this together.
A good message to send to families about the virus is how “we’re working together to keep more people from getting sick by pausing school and other places crowds gather…it’s so awesome so many people are working to help one another out!"
I want to do SOMETHING.  Something to take the stress away from teachers and parents (and students) during this uncertain time.  It's so important to keep children on a schedule.  These unprecedented school closures are sure to cause anxiety for many children and adults. Here are free resources that you can send to parents while school is closed.  This way, learning can still take place, and parents will have a little something to guide them.
Click here to open!


Click here to open!


Click here to open!

Deep breaths, everyone. Deep breaths. We can do this together.
I wish you a calm and healthy week,
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Sunday, March 8, 2020

New Year Resolution

Hi again friends!



I am sure that you read the title of today's topic and had a WTH moment.  I have not lost my mind.  I pinky-swear!  :)  The reason I am writing about my New Year Resolution is to:
  • get myself back on track
  • keep myself accountable
This year I made a simple resolution to drink half of my body weight in ounces of water each day.  From January 1st through February I did GREAT!  But last week, I don't know what happened.  I still drank water, but not what I was supposed to drink.  Not. Even. Close.

So today I am reminding myself of my resolution, and hopefully giving you some great info about water!  (How do you make sure that you drink enough water during the day?)


Benefits of Drinking WaterKeeping hydrated is crucial for health and well-being, but many people do not consume enough fluids each day.  I was one of those people, hence my resolution.
  • Around 60% of the body is made up of water
  • Blood is 90% water 
  • Water is essential for the kidneys and other bodily functions.
  • When dehydrated, the skin can become more vulnerable to skin disorders and wrinkling.
  • Drinking water instead of soda can help with weight loss.
  • All of the cells and organs in your body need water
  • Drinking water  keeps the mouth clean.
  • It boosts skin health and beauty
  • It cushions the brain, spinal cord, and other sensitive tissues
  • It regulates body temperature
  • The digestive system depends on it
  • It flushes body waste
  • It prevents kidney damage

Thank you for letting me share this information with you today.  I am ready to get back on track.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go pour myself a glass of water!

Until next time,
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Sunday, March 1, 2020

My 10 Reasons Why SEL Instruction is Important

Hello again friends,

 I hope last week was wonderful for you.  I had a few challenges, but it's a brand new week and I am ready for it.  :-)
Today I would like to share with you why I am so passionate about teaching Social Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum.
  1. Develop self management: Teaching students to control their emotions and behaviors will allow them to see increased success in new or challenging social and academic situations
  2. Boost students’ social awareness: Increasing a child’s ability to interact with others in a way that shows respect for their ideas and behaviors can decrease instances of bullying
  3. Improve relationship skills: Promoting socially acceptable actions will help them maintain positive connections with others 
  4. Further personal responsibility: Instilling in students the tendency to be careful with his/her actions will ensure they are successful both in their individual tasks and in contributing to group efforts 
  5. Foster decision making: Honing a child’s approach to problem solving will teach them to use information from her/his own previous experiences, to use her/his values to guide action, to learn from others and to accept responsibility for her/his decisions
  6. Stimulate positive attitudes: Infusing more positive attitudes toward oneself, others, and tasks can result in higher self-efficacy, confidence, persistence, empathy, connection and commitment to school, and a sense of purpose
  7. Reinforce optimistic thinking: Boosting a child’s attitude of hopefulness, and positive thinking regarding herself/himself and her/his life situations can have a huge impact in the decisions they make, in and out of school  
  8. Improve attitudes and behaviors: Students will have a greater motivation to learn, deeper commitment to school, increased time devoted to schoolwork, and better classroom behavior
  9. Decrease negative behaviors: SEL instruction can lead to decreased disruptive class behavior (It has been a game changer in my classroom!)
  10. Reduce emotional distress: SEL instruction leads to fewer reports of student anxiety and stress

Have you tried any SEL curriculum with your students?  Have you noticed any improvement yet?  Let me know in the comments section below!

Until next time,


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Sunday, February 23, 2020

Social and Emotional Learning Is Essential for Students

Hi friends!
I am back again today to share with you why Social and Emotional learning (SEL) is an imperative foundation for safe and positive learning.  SEL enhances students' ability to succeed in school, careers, and helps them in becoming a productive member of their community.  After all, we are preparing them for life outside the walls of our classroom and of our school.
Students are more successful in school and daily life when they:
  • Can manage themselves 
  • Understand the perspectives of others 
  • Make positive personal and social decisions

Teaching students about kindness, sharing, and empathy etc. improves student attitudes toward school. What does this mean for you?  Less behavior issues!  Less behavior management is necessary once students are able to learn (and put into practice) effective social and emotional learning.  However, this learning cannot only be taught in isolation.  Effective  programming involves coordinated classroom, school wide, family, and community buy-in.  Everyone needs to be on board about educating the whole child.  (In other words, it's more important that a state assessment in isolation.)


In order to be successful (in life), students need to  learn how to understand their own emotions, strengths and weaknesses, and have positive mindsets.
SEL curriculum will help your students manage stress, control impulses, and persevere through challenges in order to achieve personal and educational goals. It gives them the ability to understand, empathize, and feel compassion for those with different backgrounds or cultures (tolerance). I did create curriculum for SEL, and have plans for several more units in the near future.  In my classroom, I focus on about 3 SEL traits per month.  This gives me a chance to focus and review with my students throughout the entire year the core competencies.  If you are interested, you can see my growing bundle of SEL HERE.  
Your classroom is one of the places where students learn social and emotional skills. An effective SEL program should be explicit, focused, and active.  You need to make sure that you are targeting specific social and emotional skills, emphasizing personal and social skills, and actively helping your students master the skills.
Wishing you a week of peace and learning,




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Sunday, February 16, 2020

How SEL Makes a Difference for Your Struggling Students


Hello again, friends!
I am here again to talk to you about a subject that is near and dear to my heart:  Social Emotional Learning (SEL).  

Some people view social and emotional learning (SEL) as about “soft” skills that are not connected to academics. But I am here to tell you that it is a critical part of how we help struggling students through our academic intervention programs. As a teacher, you need to foster connections with your students for students to have a satisfactory amount of work completion. I have found that most of the students in intervention programs are students who struggle to have “traditional” connections to our school. 

One of the things that I do is teach students specific SEL skills each month.  During the first month of school, I generally start with PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.  After all, students need to understand that they are personally responsible for their actions toward classroom materials and assignments, as well as their own behavior for the entire school year. Otherwise, you will have an epidemic of students who consistently "forget" to turn in classwork and homework assignments.  And then when you remind them because you have finally gotten through the last pile of papers to grade, they of course, don't remember where the work is.... or they insist they turned it in!

So during the months of August and September my focus is RESPONSIBILITY.  I have 4 lessons that I weave through the first weeks of school. With all the paperwork that needs to be filled out by parents and then returned to you, the student interest inventories, the getting to know you activities, etc. I find that it is imperative to start with being responsible.  


My Being Responsible Unit has 4 lessons, just like most of my SEL units do.  If you would like to see it click HERE. However, because responsibility is critical for success, I separated one of the lessons into three parts.


Lesson 1
Being Responsible: What it Means, Sounds, Looks, and Feels Like

Lesson 2
Take Responsibility: Making a Choice

Lesson 3
Being Responsible: Following Through
3 Day Lesson-Being Responsible
•Day 1 (part 1) : Why Do We Do Homework?
•Day 2 (part 2): Creating a Homework Space
•Day 3 (part 3): Planning Ahead

I would love to hear how you teach your students to be responsible for themselves and their own learning.  Please comment below and share your thoughts!

Until next time,


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