Adding Details to Our Writing for First Grade English Language Arts
I look at a draft from one of my first grade English language arts students. It reads: “I went to the park. It was fun.” My heart sinks just a little because I know they have so much more to say, but they do not know how to pull it out of their heads and... read more
Helping first graders build phonetic spelling in English Language Arts
You know that moment in first grade English Language Arts when you watch a student sound out a word they have never seen before, and you can practically see the gears turning? That is exactly what this Writing Sounds We Hear lesson targets. It strips away the anxiety... read more
Supporting 1st Grade Speaking and Listening Skills in English Language Arts
It happens every time we ask for a group discussion: two or three students talk over one another, while another few retreat entirely into their own thoughts. It is a natural impulse for six-year-olds to want to get their idea out first, or simply to tune out when... read more