ESY Set-Up
Calling All ESY Teachers! Call me crazy, but I can't wait for ESY! We have some pretty spectacular things planned and I can't wait to learn with my students. I've slowly started gathering materials and getting set up. I'm lucky that ESY will be in my classroom this...
Preparing for ESY
The hustle and bustle of preparing for the end of the school year can be overwhelming. Now, add in planning and prepping for the extended school year, and you just added another item to your to-do list. Preparing for the extended school year can be simple and easy...
ESY Tips and Tricks
First thing’s first, congrats on making it to the month of May! I can’t tell if this school year has gone in the blink of an eye or has taken all of eternity; regardless, take a moment to commend yourself for getting here. Being a teacher is hard and you deserve to...
Teaching at the Farmer’s Market
Spring has sprung which hopefully means somewhere near you is a blossoming Farmer’s Market! I love going to the Farmer’s Market – fresh produce, flowers, local meat, and fresh squeezed lemonade – it’s my favorite place to spend a Saturday morning. But what I love most...
My Sensory Life: Smell
Here we are in Spring where April showers bring May flowers. I have heard that saying many times in my life and just figured that it was referring to the Mayflower that the pilgrims came on and the “April showers'' part just placed a picture of a calendar on the month...
Springtime Activity Fun!
Spring is here! Whether it feels like actual spring weather in your area or not, it’s time to unpack the colorful eggs, bunnies, and flowers! I had the best time recently using several different activities with two of my favorite young learners. We read the adapted...
Focus on Five: Academic Egg Hunt
Up until the pandemic, I had been doing an academic egg hunt for my students right before spring break. It was the last activity I was preparing for before school was closed down in 2020, so I am excited this year to do it with students in-person for the first time in...
Spring Into File Folder Activities
Happy Spring from Virginia! Spring is finally here in Virginia - for my family that means long walks to the dog park and spending our Saturdays at the local farmer's market - it's one of our favorite times of year! But, picking out what to dress our babies in...
Celebrating Autism in Elementary
The month of April is Autism Awareness/Acceptance month. In most of our worlds, every day is Autism Acceptance, however April gives us an excuse to educate and inform others how amazing our students are. I am a firm believer that we should talk about our differences...
Valentine’s Day Activities!
Readers I do not know if it’s the gray weather, the constant snow here on the East coast or lack of sunshine, but I am SO excited for February activities. Give me all the hearts, strawberry milkshakes, February bingo, and cupcakes that you can! Here is a little...
Valentine’s Day Class Party
Let’s talk about Valentine’s Day in the self-contained classroom! I don’t know about you, but I LOVE holidays in my classroom. They are the perfect time to build lasting memories with my students and no holiday is complete without a class party! Although they are...
Focus on Five: January Activities
There are so many holidays within the first months of school, sometimes it can be a challenge to come up with themes or activities after December. Here are five themes I am using in my classroom in January…1. New Year's Even though we are not in school on New Year’s...
Holiday Wellness Guide for Educators
Tis the season for staff Secret Santa, holiday themed spirit weeks, and making salt-dough ornaments with your students. The month of December is full of joy, cheer, and let’s be honest, counting down the days until the semester officially ends. It’s time for us as...
How To Adapt Holiday Project Based Learning with Community Service
Project Based Learning (PBL) is something new to our homeschool. Sure, we do a ton of projects, but not the ones that focus on several skills at once and off current study topics. MagiCore’s creativity with technology has drawn me in, and after success with her Build...
Winter Holiday Resource Round Up
With winter break rapidly approaching, attentions often become distracted and motivation fluctuates with staff and students alike! My favorite winter holiday themed resources will help to hold attention and keep everyone learning right up to winter break. These fun...
Basic Learner Skills with TURKEYS!
Well, it’s that time of year again! I love the holidays and different seasonal themes to increase engagement and skill building. You guessed it. It’s turkey time! As I now work with even younger kiddos (sometimes as young as 20 months), I have been stretching myself...
Simple Halloween Activities
Simple Halloween Activities There is nothing that brings more joy to my students than good holiday fun. Halloween is especially a favorite. Halloween activities are incredibly motivating for my students, so I’m sure to squeeze in as much learning fun as I can over...
The 12 Days of St. Patrick’s Day with Free Book Visuals and Questions
I’m always on the lookout for new books to use with my students related to holidays and I recently found one for St. Patrick’s Day which is “The 12 Days of St. Patrick’s Day.” I have used the other “The 12 Days of….” holiday books by Jenna Lettice and when I saw this...
Winter Themed Activities and Centers
I love a good theme. Teaching with a theme never gets old. In fact, I find it brings excitement and wonder back into the classroom after the holidays. Winter months always draw me to themes of snow, arctic animals and penguins. I intertwine themes in our center time....
Focus on Five: Virtual Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is one of my favorite holidays to celebrate in the classroom and this year, I am starting to plan ways I can celebrate with my students virtually. While it seems a little early, planning ahead for Valentine’s can ensure you have time to have students...
Winter Sensory Play & Fine Motor Activities
Teaching before winter break is hard. This year is especially hard. It's cold outside, festivities are likely cancelled or drastically changed due to COVID, and we seem to be squeezing in every assessment possible in the last few days of school. I'm determined to have...