Smekens Education Solutions, Inc.
Introducing the 6 Traits to Students
Put together an English language arts unit on the six traits of writing with this helpful collection of resources. From fun songs to differentiated writing exercises reinforcing each of the traits, great ideas are provided for...
Curated OER
Small Group Reading
It's the age of technology! The idea of computer literacy and fluency are rapidly gaining importance; can your learners keep up? To keep them interacting with technology, bring them to the computer lab for small group reading...
Achieve3000
Discriminating Phonemes
Develop the fluency of beginning readers one sound at a time with this phonemic awareness lesson. Through a series of whole-class instruction, independent practice, and collaborative learning activities, children practice...
Illustrative Mathematics
Many Ways to Do Addition
A great aspect of teaching math is that children have the freedom to solve problems using a variety of different strategies. The focus of this activity is for young mathematicians to become aware of many ways of answering addition...
Curated OER
"Spring" into Step
Pupils practice the strategy of reading independently to encourage them to read material on their own. They choose a book of their choice to read by themselves to have a positive effect on their comprehension, vocabulary and reading...
Curated OER
Check My Writing
Use this resource as an evaluation tool, or have your class assess their own letter writing skills. They will use a checklist that they create during some interactive writing sessions as criteria for their self-evaluation. Teachers can...
Illustrative Mathematics
Kiri's Mathematics Match Game
Learning math is so much more fun when it involves playing games. Following the rules of the classic game Memory, young mathematicians flip over two cards at a time as they look for numbers whose sum or difference is equal to the value...
Curated OER
Art About Me- The Skin You Live In
Students read the text The Skin You Live In by Michael Tyler. In this literacy lesson, students discuss the characters in the text and the various shades of skin they observed on each page. Students read the beautiful descriptions of the...
Curated OER
Reading Like Rabbits
Students work on their fluency skills by listening to specific directions. They read a book using a clock timer to set the beginning and ending times before counting the number of pages they read. Next, they repeat the steps three more...
Curated OER
Read, Read, Read !
Students perform repeated readings of the same text to increase their reading fluency and expression. They practice reading sentences from the board aloud to practice fluency. They read "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed" as a class.
Curated OER
A Reading Rockabye
Students practice developing skills to read independently and fluently. They focus on fluency in order to read faster, smoother and with more expression. The practice of reading and rereading decodable words in connected text is stressed...
Curriculum Corner
Digraph Word Sort Recording
Young readers sort their way through a deck of word cards in order to become familiar with four common spelling patterns. Focusing on the ch-, sh-, wh-, and th- consonant digraphs, students draw cards and write...
Curated OER
Rhyme Time
Students discover rhyming words. In this rhyming lesson, students read A Giraffe and a Half. Students examine rhyming words from the story. Working in small groups, students create rhymes in response to a prompt from the teacher.
Curated OER
There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves Storia Teaching Guide
There was an old lady who swallowed some leaves? Little learners read a new version of the old swallow story with a fall twist as they try to answer the big question; Why is that lady swallowing all that weird stuff? The teacher's guide...
Curated OER
Alphabet Poems
Develop fluency with a variety of works. Help kindergartners use multiple strategies to understand text and decoding. They will create an alphabet poem book on Kid Works 2 to illustrate and write their own poem. In the end, they will...
Lerner Publishing
Teaching Vowel Combinations
Need some fun activities to augment your lessons on vowel patterns and phonemic awareness? Peruse a series of worksheets designed to help little ones with their early reading skills.
Innovative Mobile Apps
Fry Words
Looking for a straightforward app for practicing high-frequency words? You've found one here! This app includes all 1000 Fry words and several ways for kids to practice with each and every one.
San Francisco Symphony
Lesson Ideas for Any Music
Music is a wonderful tool you can add to enhance the learning process for every subject. Here is a list of music selections that are categorized by subject, along with some neat teaching suggestions. You'll find songs suited to...
Curated OER
Kindergarten Writing: Narrative Prompt
What is special about summer (fall, winter, or spring)? Using a bag filled with season-related items (for summer items like sunglasses, a swimming suit, etc.) the class take turns taking out one item. A discussion of how each item might...
Curated OER
Random Acts of Kindness For Kids
Develop a world-wide, email chain on which class members can showcase their acts of kindness. After defining the meaning of random acts of kindness through discussion and through a reading of Random Acts of Kindness,...
Curated OER
Beginning Reading Lesson: Aaa-aaa-aaa-choo!!
Students study the letter sound recognition for the /a/ by recognizing the sound one makes when they sneeze. They use a chart with a tongue twister on it and work with letterboxes and manipulative letters that focus on words with the...
Curated OER
Chrysanthemum
Students identify the main story elements in the book Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes. In this literacy lesson, students listen to the book and use a guided reading ball check for comprehension. Students answer questions such as "Who are...
Curated OER
Narrative Prompt
Students write to describe a summer activity. They read a book about the seasons. They describe grab bag props and how they are used in summer.
Curated OER
Language and Literacy Support through Photography
Students experience creating realia with digital photos to increase their vocabularies. They practice creating meaningful digital photo books that the students can take home and read with their families. Each student interacts with a...