Apple Blossom Teachers

     We've all sat through PD sessions that were less than engaging. It doesn't feel great to be sitting through a session covering content we already know, or that has us sitting and listening for the bulk, rather than actively putting the new content into practice.      The same goes for our students. Today I'm sharing a quick acronym to help you self-check lessons to get the most bang for your instructional buck. When we are planning content that we know might be a little lengthy or dry for our students, we can make it REAL and hook them in.  How can I make this a little more relevant? What's a way we can spin it to be something my students need or are curious about? What engagement strategies or highly-engaging activities can I add? Are these tasks engaging students in the activity, with the content, or both? How can I add a layer of authenticity to our final product? Will students have a purpose for remembering this content other than “because 5th grade standards say we need to cover it?” Are we forming lasting pathways for accessing this content beyond the final exam or end of the unit? Links and Resources Mentioned in this Episode Book: 50 Strategies for Active Teaching by Guillamue, Yopp & Yopp Podcast Episode: Honest Math Chat Interview: Peg Smith Math Games: Color 10 from the Math Learning Center (bottom row on this page) Photo Samples: Relevant Map Skills Activities Podcast Episode: Authentic Audience Writing Projects for Upper Elementary

(TLDR - reading logs don't work, but this FREE printable bookshelf can!) Traditional reading logs - we've all seen them, used them, most likely fibbed on them...GASP! It's the truth though - in every post I see about reading logs, so many teachers and parents share anecdotes about how they have encouraged fibbing, even from voracious readers, because it's just something extra to fill out. We do know that keeping track of what we read can be helpful - it allows us to see patterns in our preferences of authors, genres, styles; it helps us remember what we might recommend to others; it gives us a sense of accomplishment when we realize, "Hey, I actually HAVE read quite a bit!" So what can we do instead that helps students reflect on this information and gives us insight into their reading life as their teacher? Try these personal bookshelves! Grab your free set at appleblossomteachers.com/readinglogs Want more ideas for building a strong reading culture in your classroom? Catch Episode 45: Classroom Community Starts with a Strong Reading Culture

Student centered norms and classroom design are important to establishing the ownership and engagement we desire. But what about when we get into the day-to-day, actual content area instruction?  Many of our teacher manuals aren't particularly designed to be student-centered, primarily because the big publishers don't know our actual students! There are somethings we can do, though, to adapt our content delivery and activities to be more student-centered: 1. Overlapping our content areas  2. Intentionally using formative assessments and flexibility of pacing 3. Providing opportunities to go deeper, not just move faster    

Today I'm sharing a quick run down of tips to keep in mind as you plan your class procedures and how you will introduce them during that very busy first week of school.  The short version: Pre-teach things that are essential to starting a task Mention that you may pause their work mid-activity to briefly introduce the next system they need to know Layer the teaching into activities that use it - don't separate a full time block to teach a million systems, introduce them as you need them and review next time they come up Keep things short and sweet - our brains will all be a bit mushy, and long explanations mean everyone tunes out and the systems don't stick! Lastly, have a checklist for you and a checklist for them to see! Resources & Links: Episode 62 - Setting your classroom norms in a student-centered way 3rd Grade First Week of School Highlight Back to School Instagram Guide   

With student ownership over their learning comes a need for shared responibility over the space and systems. Today I'm sharing 3 activities you can do within the first few days of school to support positive classroom management and gain student buy-in. Anchor charts to open dialogue about our shared vision for a succesful learning environment. Class commitments that will bring that shared vision to life. Family connections - sharing our vision and asking for support from our families. These 3 things can be circled back to all year as you and your students reflect on what is and is not working in your classroom, what everyone wants or needs in order to feel successful, and how every member of the community - grown ups and students alike - are essential to helping that vision come to fruition.  Need some visuals? Check out the charts I mentioned on Instagram (@AppleBlossomTeachers): Shared visions and class commitments Back to School Night charts And if you missed last week's episode, definitely catch a listen as you plan your classroom design for the upcoming school year! Listen HERE.

Let's look at a few easy swaps and considerations for setting up a student-centered classroom.  Today we'll talk: math manipulatives classroom library student supplies writing station and more! Links and resources:

     Today we are kicking off a mini series all about student-centered learning environments. What is student centered learning and why is it important in upper elementary?       Today's episode will be a little more philosophical…overall what does this mean to us and other educators? How has this looked in upper grade classrooms? What are the outcomes - pros and cons- of creating a student- centered learning environment? All of these can hopefully help you reflect on where your classroom is, and what we want our classrooms to be like next school year.       Over the next few episodes, we'll dig more into the practical - what might the first week of school look like in a student centered classroom? How can we design a student-centered learning space? Where does our adopted curriculum fit, especially if it's not very student centered?       Before we get into all that goodness, though, let's make sure we are in agreement on what a SC classroom is, and why it's so important to supporting lasting learning for our students. Resources & Links: FREE Training! 5 Keys to Increasing Student Engagement in Upper Elementary - appleblossomteachers.com/real XQ Super Schools article: What is Student-centered Learning and Why Is It Important? Article: Does the Teaching and Learning Process in Primary Schools Correspond to the Characteristics of the 21st Century Learning? (International Journal of Instruction; July 2020, Sumardi et. al) Come say hi over on Instagram @AppleBlossomTeachers - I'd love to hear from you!!  

 In honor of Earth Day, I'm RECYCLING and REPURPOSING an incredible interview with Amy Louise Davis, of Alou Artist, all about how we can reduce “throw away culture” in our classrooms while also supporting mindfulness and creativity in our students.     Amy is a textile artist and embroiderer who is fascinated by pattern and sculpture. Influenced by environmental and social issues, she created alou in 2013 to tackle throw away culture. With a particular interest in repurposing often overlooked, pre-loved materials, she uses her skills in sculpting and embroidery to conceptualize and design beautiful new artifacts. Amy has also found a strong connection in the relationship between sustainability and mindfulness, which she shares with us today along with project ideas we can easily incorporate into our classrooms, Links and resources: Meet Amy on her website alou.co.uk or follow her on Instagram @alouartist, where she shares plenty of Reels and IGTV episodes offering tutorials for creative repurposing. Follow along with the ideas and tutorials in her campaign, MendNotTrend.com, and share your own contributions using the hashtag #MendNotTrend on Instagram and Twitter Check out the incredible cacti sculptures Amy mentions in the show here. Be sure to follow along on Instagram, where I'll be sharing my takeaways and applications from this conversation as I revamp my classroom "Sustainability Station" mentioned in the episode: @appleblossomteachers For current resources and updates, check out my website.

What was the BEST class you've ever been in? What made it so? Great teachers have a knack for seamlessly weaving inspiration, passion, and content together in a way that creates a community of curiosity & excitement.  We no doubt always start the year with the mindset of creating this type of learning environment for our students, but come May? No amount of sparkly motivational teacher quotes or giant travel mugs of coffee are getting us through the days right now!  So take today's episode as a little power boost to get you through the final stretch of this year, to celebreate all the amazing things you've done to create an incredible space for your students this year, and to inspire all the motivation to be someone's best class ever! And because Teacher Appreciation Week is coming up, let's also celebrate some of the teachers who have left joy-filled and inspirational impressions on us and our teaching! Record a short message on your voice memo app telling me your name, what you teach, and a fun or inspirational memory about one of your favorite teachers. Then email it directly to me at Lorraine@appleblossomteachers.com (you can also just type it if the thought of hearing your voice on the radio gives you the heeby jeebies!). I look forward to sharing as many inspirational teacher stories as I can throughout the month of May!  Want some specific strategies and projects to level up the engagement &motivation in your upper grade classrom? Grab the FREE video training here!

We've been chatting a ton about higher order thinking skills and getting our students really digging deep with our grade level content.

Looking for some fun ways to teach informational text structures, author's purpose, nonfiction text features, and more that go beyond the usual activities and anchor charts?  Here's a quick mini-lesson and an exploration activity you can use to engage your students authentically with informational text analysis. Watch how this frame of thinking shifts the complexity for all your informational reading and writing lessons for the year.

Let's chat about an easy way to push students' observations, analyses, and questioning to a higher level. Using a strategy known as "Think Like A Disciplinarian," students are challenged to take on the perspective of an expert in a field or topic. Students ask questions, make observations, and draw relevant conclusions that a specific disciplinarian would note about our topic of study.  Why is this helpful for teaching higher order thinking skills? Taking on a specific perspective allows students to openly ask questions and analyze a topic in a more complex way, vs just making our own observations as 5th graders Social pressure of being viewed as "wrong" or not knowing something everyone else knows is virtually eliminated when we shoulder the questions onto an imaginary disciplinarian. Inspires complex questioning that helps students reach a deeper understanding of the content

I'm sharing a tool, known as the Icons of Depth and Complexity, for getting our students to think deeply about the texts we read, events we discuss, and situations we encounter. This simple tool for helping students access and apply higher-order thinking skills is a game changer for so many reasons! 

These 2 strategies had my students asking if they were allowed to go back and reread! Yup, a great reading response prompt can be the difference between "I have to go back and find text evidence." and "I've gotta find evidence to prove my point!!" Strategy 1: Add a Likert Scale to yes/no questions. Strategy 2: Have students add themseleves to the scene or event.

Today's quick win strategy is all about keeping our students moving forward, allowing them to deeply engage with complex upper elementary skills, by just giving them the key information. Literally, just give them the key! Fluently solving multiplication facts, figuring out how to spell a word, finding key details from a story...yes, there is a time and place for teaching our students these things. But when working on more complex aspects, don't stall student engagement by sidetracking the lesson. Or worse, don't hold students back from participation in a lesson just because they are stuck on a prerequisite skill. You'll win with more engagement, more motivation to try the tougher concepts, and less time teaching things over and over for the "first time" as students are ready.  Cheers to 2023, and I hope this episode helps you and your students get past those post-winter-break brain farts!  To learn more about the "Stronger Spelling: Small steps for teachers of big kids" on-demand training launching this month, click here!  

Over the last few weeks, we've been chatting all about how we can bridge high quality reading instruction to strengthen our students' writing. Today I want to share this throwback episode to give you some project ideas your students can actually apply all these lessons to. I hope this juicy past episode gives you some ideas on how to motivate and engage your young writers, and provides a frame of reference as we start to get into some higher order thinking strategies over the next few weeks.  Episode 31 Links and Resources:

We've talked about using physical texts such as novels, picture books, and poems as mentor text for writing and reading standards. But what if instead of just learning from the author's writing, we actually learn directly from the author themselves? Today I'm sharing all about why and how you can use author chats (live experiences or prerecorded) to study authors crafts moves for upper elementary writing lessons. How can we regularly bring author's voices and advice into our upper elementary classrooms? How can we ensure these types of experiences apply to lessons on writing, going beyond just a fun experience? Resources and Links: Mentor texts for paired narrative and expository REEL Instagram Guides (featuring picture book recommendations) Novel Study No-no's and How to Avoid Them - Episode 46 Using a Reading Lesson Plan for Writing - Episode 48 How to Use one Mentor Text for Narrative Writing and Reading Skills  - Episode 49 Storyvoice Flipgrid Live Scholastic Book Clubs - Sign up and get their newsletter with author chat invites throughout the school year *FYI: This is a referral link, and you and I will both earn bonus book points for referred sign ups.  RL Stine Video Lauren Tarshis video Standards At-a-glance Freebie Apple Blossom Teachers on Instagram

Today's focus will be literary mentor texts - using one text with paired reading and writing standards to maximize our class time, increase student engagement with the content, and create learning that lasts. One picture book can tackle authors craft moves, author's voice, tone of the story, point of view, sentence structures, and research for writing, to analyzing literary elements, word choice, narrative text features, tone of the story, and more for reading. Mentor text for narrative writing in this episode: fiction novels, poetry, fictional narrative picture books, narrative nonfiction picture books, wordless picture books   For a similar episode about informational mentor texts, head to episode 29 Resources and Links 5 Keys to Increasing Student Engagement in Upper Elementary FREE video training Informational Mentor Texts for Nonfiction Writing - Episode 29  Novel Study No-no's and How to Avoid Them - Episode 46 Using a Reading Lesson Plan for Writing - Episode 48 Placing Text at the Center of the Standards-Aligned ELA Classroom *By Meredith Liben and Susan Pimentel on Achieve the Core The Science of Reading Comprehension Instruction *By Nell K. Duke, Alessandra E. Ward, P. David Pearson *The Reading Teacher Journal, V.74 Issue 6 Apple Blossom Teachers on Instagram

One strategy to really deepen complexity and understanding beyond memorization, to a place where students are truly applying that skill, is to be very intentional with pairing reading and writing. Today, we're chatting all about using your weekly reading lesson plan to truly guide your writing plans. Why is this a huge help for BOTH reading and writing understandings? How does this increase student engagement? How the heck do I fit this in with my given pacing plan?!? This episode zones in on one example, specifically narrative point of view, to give you an idea of how you can pair reading and writing standards to get major bang for your buck! Resources mentioned in this episode: Episode 47 Reading Conferences FREE 5 Keys to increasing Student Engagement video training If you've tried some of the strategies I've shared and found success, I would so appreciate if you'd leave a review here on the podcast. This helps other teachers just like you discover the show, and that is my biggest dream...to have classrooms full of excited, engaged upper graders everywhere!! Thank you so much for your support.

It boils down to this: Students can't love reading without knowing HOW to read.  The good news is, teaching students how to read and creating a class community full of students who love to read can definitely happen simultaneously. And in upper grades, it absolutely needs to. Reading conferences are a great strategy for reading instruction in upper elementary, really helping you meet your students where they are and nudge their reading abilities forward.  Listen in for what reading conferences ca look like, why they're such an impactful strategy for reading lessons, and how to actually fit them in with your boxed curriculum. Resources and links mentioned: The Reading Strategies Book by Jennifer Serravallo The Reading Strategies Book 2.0 by Jennifer Serravallo A Teacher's Guide to Reading Conferences by Jennifer Serravallo Jen Bengel's reading conferences protocol as shared on Angela Watson's Truth for Teachers Podcast, Episode 169 Apple Blossom Teachers Instagram Guides featuring Jen Jones, Naomi O'brien, Heidi Martin, and more Looking for more? Visit appleblossomteachers.com/real for a FREE video training: 5 Keys to Increasing Engagement in Upper Elementary

These are 3 common novel study and read aloud no-no's, all 3 that I've definitely done myself! Teaching the BOOK, not the READER. Choosing a book that doesn't resonate with your current readers. Choosing a book that will take too long, OR taking too long on a short book. Today's episode shares what we can do instead that will increase student engagement and propel their learning forward. Resources mentioned in this episode: Dr. Sandra Kaplan's Icons of Depth & Complexity: An introduction from Kern County's Reagan Elementary Ian Byrd - Byrdseed - critical thinking strategies and intro to Depth & Complexity for teachers Upper Elementary Novels mentioned in this episode Listener Survey and coffee giveaway - Winners drawn on Nov. 7, 2022. I appreciate your feedback! Additional upper elementary engagement strategies: appleblossomteachers.com/real

Want 5 simple ways you can support a strong reading culture in upper elementary, and surprisingly have some strong classroom community building as a bonus?!   Allow for reading choice  Make time for book talks & reading life chats Use reading journals instead of traditional reading logs Incorporate reading conferences to individualize reading progress Share novels primarily for the love of reading! Resources mentioned in this episode: Reading Journal "Bookself" visual A More Powerful Reading Journal - Teacher Guide and Templates The Book Whisperer book by Donalyn Miller Your no-prep action item this week is to share pieces of your own reading life with your students. This can be a memory from your own elementary reading, a current or recent book you've loved or loathed and why, a time you ditched a book, the reason you chose a book, other things you've read that aren't books, and more! Make it your goal this week to connect with one student's reading journey each day, or with your whole class, by sharing a bit of your own reading journey that relates. Help me, help you! (And maybe get some coffee on me!) Take this quick 2-question survey so I can better plan the upcoming podcast episodes with your needs in mind. I truly appreciate your input! Winners drawn on November 7th.

You've heard of speed dating, right? What if I told you that model works for efficient and pretty thorough peer editing, too?! "Speed Proofread" eliminates some of the challenges and pressure that come with exchanging papers with one peer, and shifts proofreading and revisions to a whole-class, collaborative effort where everyone supports everyone's growth. The best part? It can be done in just 15 minutes! Grab the table tents and a written description of the activity here, and be sure to share this with a fellow teacher who would find it helpful. 

This is a simple, no-prep method for helping students give authentic, skills-focused feedback on peer projects. Having students set up art projects, STEM designs, etc. around the room in a gallery format, then having students leave sticky note compliments around peer projects using content-specific vocabulary we were focusing on. Check out examples here and here of how we've done this with an art project! Don't forget to share this episode with a friend who would find it helpful, and catch you next week for another of may favorite peer feedback strategies!

Short on time, but still want students to regularly practice formally presenting to peers? Enter - Gallery Walk Presentations! This is a great strategy for building students' presentation confidence, and great for assessing peer listening comprehension. Listen in for a quick run down of what this can look like in upper elementary. Links and Resources: Biography Presentation Listening Comprehension Rubric - snag it now before the price increases as more project types are added! Want even more student engagement ideas? Grab your FREE on-demand video training at appleblossomteachers.com/real Ready for a personalized student-centered back to school plan? Kick off your year of Relevant, Engaging, and Lasting Learning. Join me THIS THURSDAY for a live, interactive virtual workshop. For more information, and to register, visit appleblossomteachers.com/summer

Accommodations aren't just for inside our classrooms, and Erin Castillo of @AffirmationsAndAccessibility is sharing some insight on how we can make all parts of our school year engaging and accessible to all our learners.  This is such an important conversation full of eye-opening considerations. You will leave this episode feeling empowered to support each and every student during things like field trips, assemblies, group projects, and so much more.  Erin and I would love to hear your biggest takeaways, questions you have upon reflection, and if you'd like us to dig deeper into accessible education. Take a screenshot of the episode, share it to your stories or feed, and tag us in your thoughts over on Instagram: Erin: @affirmationsandaccessibility  Lorraine: @appleblossomteachers

Guest speakers can be an easy way to make learning relevant, help students build value for skills, topics, and disciplines you are covering, and form partnerships that can open even more learning opportunities within your community. Ready for more? Join me on July 28th for a half-day, virtual, interactive workshop! I am so excited to help you collaboratively design your student-centered classroom...a place where your students will be eager to continue learning, sharing their knowledge, and have the teachers down the hall asking "how the heck do you do that?!" I promise it's easier than it sounds, and in this workshop we will cover the basics PLUS give you actionable tools and strategies to kick start your best school year yet! For all the details, and to register before we reach capacity, head to AppleBlossomTeachers.com/summer. Links mentioned in this episode: Guest Speaker Planning Template FREEBIE - download available as part of the FREE 5 Keys to Increasing Engagement in Upper Elementary video training. Register for the summer workshop: Upper Elementary Engagement Academy

Short and Sweet Episode Week 3: This is a strategy called “Step In - Step Out,” which I originally learned from Michael Friermood, AKA The Thinker Builder. You can learn more about his version HERE, which is awesome for building a deeper understanding of a narrative text, as well as the impact of authors' choices.  I also have a few ideas for how we can do something similar but more focused on nonfiction texts. Listen in for my two ideas, plus a little announcement about an incredible interview dropping on July 12!

Welcome to week two of our Short And Sweet Summer episodes! Each week I'll share one quick-win engagement strategy for your third through sixth grade classroom, along with a brain dump of ways YOU can use it!  These SASS-y episodes are great for a quick listen while running errands, or to save up for a big binge on your upcoming flight or road trip! 

Welcome to week one of our Short And Sweet Summer episodes! Each week I'll share one quick-win engagement strategy for your third through sixth grade classroom, along with a brain dump of ways YOU can use it!  These SASS-y episodes are great for a quick listen while running errands, or to save up for a big binge on your upcoming flight or road trip! 

Top 3 Tips to Maximize your Summer PD: A system for your notes, a system for your files, and a system to keep track of how well (or not!) the new ideas work when you try them! These are my top 3 tips to get the most out of the amazing summer learning you have planned.  And speaking of summer learning, are you ready to join me for a one-day virtual LIVE workshop? The Upper Elementary Engagement Academy is coming this July. Together, we will design YOUR student-centered classroom to increase engagement, spark motivation, and level up learning! For all the details, visit AppleBlossomTeachers.com/summer Ready to jump into some summer learning right now? Grab the FREE on-demand video training: 5 Lasting Ways to Increase Student Engagement in Upper Elementary

     Teacher Summer Priorities: Join me in a more casual episode as I share a little behind-the-scenes of the summer reflection process we've been chatting about. If you need a little inspiration or camaraderie, this is the episode for you!       Looking for something a little more actionable? Grab the FREE on-demand video training: 5 Lasting Ways to Increase Student Engagement in Upper Elementary

Welcome to “Choose-your-own-adventure” summer learning edition! Whether it's organization and planning, instruction in specific content areas, or even taking your teaching to the next level, here are some recommendations.  Use the guide below to quickly find what you need, or listen to the full episode so you know what else is available when you need it. I scratched the surface on why these ones made the curated list, so feel free to DM me on Instagram @appleblossomteachers for more info on any of the resources I recommended!

Have you ever come back to that one week of teacher prep time feeling like it's just NOT enough to really help you mentally and instructionally plan for a solid year? Then once we get into the day-to-day hustle, it's impossible to catch up, let alone get ahead! This leads to that slow-burning-candle vibe, which ain't it if we want to stay passionate and be our best teacher selves.  The solution? Intentionally plan for how you will rest, recharge, reset, and refine your teacher self this summer. Grab a notepad or the free notetaking guide, and let's get into it!

It can be such a great feeling when our kids are writing solid paragraphs or essays, using the fun little acronyms or mnemonic devices we've supported them with. But just like learning to ride a bike with training wheels, it's not until those extra supports are taken off that you're truly challenged with applying your skills. Today, we are chatting all about teaching writing without a formula.  

Students who are BEGGING for more writing time? Yes, please! One easy key to increasing writing engagement and motivation is adding in an authentic audience. Here's why you need to be leveraging this strategy, plus real 3rd - 6th grade project ideas from no additional prep all the way to the big leagues, major audience productions.

How can you differentiate for such a wide range of writing levels in upper elementary, especially when it feels like pulling teeth to get your kids excited about writing? Writer's Workshop is a great solution, and with a few key moves in your teacher toolbox, your students' writing will start to soar!  ***There are TONS of great references and resources shared throughout this episode. Scroll down to the Links section to check out the books I use and those free Jen Bengel resources I mentioned. The Navigator: Use this to find what you need most! (3:30) My favorite book of creative writing prompts for upper elementary (6:50) A quick rundown of the four component of a writing workshop model - be sure to check the links below for those articles and free resources that have been very helpful in getting the pieces functioning in my 3rd - 6th grade classrooms (9:50) My current favorite teacher book full of writer's workshop strategies and prompts: The Write Thing is written by one of my favorite authors, Kwame Alexander, full of his beautiful narratives of the workshop model's impacts on students he's worked with…seriously, this one is MAGIC! (11:10) The classroom management secrets! How do you manage such a variety of writing levels, topics, modes of publication…?!? Here's what the workshop block looks like in many classrooms. (15:55) Teacher move #1: How do you decide what to focus your conferring and small group time on?  (18:25) Teacher move #2: Use mailing labels for your student workshop notes! It builds such a great picture of your young writers' progress. (20:30) Teacher move #3: How I use their graphic organizers to identify instructional focus points, quickly group students on the spot, and get students started with a specific goal while I pull group number one. (24:40) Teacher move #4: How do you figure out what to say to help students with the goal you've identified? Use my motto: “What would Jennifer Serravallo do?!” (26:50) Teacher move #5: How do you decide whether to confer one-on-one or pull a small group? (29:35) A workshop pep talk for teachers, in beautiful words, by Kwame Alexander (31:41) Teacher move #6: Use a wide variety of mentor texts - here's how a student used popular kid's podcasts to craft his own introduction, AND why this motivated more writing! Links and resources from this episode: Check out all the children's book creators who contributed to Colby Sharp's The Creativity Project book I shared about  What is Writing Workshop? A quick overview on We Are Teachers FREE Reading & Writing Workshop Webinar and downloadable materials from Jen Bengel of Out of this World Literacy (I've watched this the last few summers and get energized and refine my craft each time!) The Write Thing: Kwame Alexander engages students in Writing Workshop, and you can too! The Writing Strategies Book from Jennifer Serravallo Get on the waitlist for the FREE virtual training on how to take your upper elementary lessons from rote to “REAL” - leave with 5 “purposeful project” planning templates and the tools you need to increase student engagement, boost motivation, and create lasting learning! Read my Edutopia article about the 5 authentic audiences that will motivate your upper grade writers.  Loved this episode? Take a screenshot, add it to IG, and tag me @appleblossomteachers so we can help even more teachers just like you! Don't forget to submit your Curriculum Conundrum at appleblossomteachers.com/mycc, and subscribe to this podcast so you don't miss an answer!

Do you use literary mentor texts in your classroom? This practice has definitely gained popularity, and for good reason, but many of the resources out there offer strategies for using picture books, novels, and poetry as mentor texts for writing. The strategies from literature analysis can be applied to nonfiction sentence structure, but there are a few easy things you can add to specifically help your students read like writers in informational text.  You don't want to miss: (4:40) My biggest reason for wanting my students to write with variety and authenticity…spoiler alert, it's totally selfish! (7:46) Why sticking to only 5 paragraph essays is doing our students a disservice  (9:23) Activity 1: Dissecting introductions and conclusions for students to determine aspects they might mimic  (13:50) Activity 2: Have students learn about caption cards and informational plaques from museums, and create those about class projects.  (16:30) The cool thing about variety: understanding that one text about a topic cannot cover everything about a topic, and authors have to be intentional!  (21:40) Activity 3: Analyze and mimic text features: digging into all the great examples you collected from episode 27 & 28, and finding what they can imitate about their own topics in their own writing  PLUS, my very favorite way to make Open House truly highlight student learning by helping them be the docents!  Links and resources from this episode: Get on the waitlist for the FREE virtual training on how to take your upper elementary lessons from rote to “REAL” - leave with 5 “purposeful project” planning templates and the tools you need to increase student engagement, boost motivation, and create lasting learning! Read my Edutopia article about the 5 authentic audiences that will motivate your upper grade writers.  Analyzing introductions & conclusions activity: See it in action here from 5th, and in my story highlights from just this week in 3rd grade! And if you'd like more guidance, this resource has a simple poster setup and guiding questions for your students. Want to see the interactive Open House I shared? Check that post and this one from my 5th grade classroom, and see even more in my Open House story highlight.  >>> P.S. Next week is my first ever THIRD GRADE open house, and my students and I have been planning BIG THINGS! Be sure to follow along in my stories next week for all the prep and showcase! Loved this episode? Take a screenshot, add it to IG, and tag me @appleblossomteachers so we can help even more teachers just like you! Don't forget to submit your Curriculum Conundrum at appleblossomteachers.com/mycc, and subscribe to this podcast so you don't miss an answer!

Remember all those incredible types of informational text we talked about last week? (ICYMI, definitely head back to episode 27!) Today I'm spilling my secrets for bulking up your informational classroom library section on a budget.  Listen in for 6 ways you can support student learning with more (and more authentic!) informational texts for free and almost-free! You don't want to miss: 2:15 - Dani's question about how to set up a classroom library that doesn't have a ton of books (yet!).  5:40 - managing borrowed books from the public library so they are ready for you to return without a late fee! 8:21 - How to ask for free books from your neighborhood! 10:10 - Budget-friendly ways to bulk up your library…not free, but definitely easy on your wallet and often have great sets of series or themed books! 13:45 - My ABSOLUTE favorite spot for unique, budget-friendly nonfiction books that are ALWAYS a hit in my classroom, and most have been $7-$9! 15:45 - Going beyond the books: quick, FREE ways to add more informational mentor texts to your classroom library, like this dentist pamphlet! 19:00 - Even if the CONTENT isn't specifically relevant (they're not going on a road trip through Spain right now!), the skills of understanding real informational text is important in life. Here's how to support that in your young readers. 21:50 How your students' families or your own family can help! Links and resources from this episode: Check out the example I mentioned from the San Francisco Airport here, and comment with one random type of informational text you thought of after this episode! Get on the waitlist for the FREE virtual training on how to take your upper elementary lessons from rote to “REAL” - leave with 5 “purposeful project” planning templates and the tools you need to increase student engagement, boost motivation, and create lasting learning! Loved this episode? Take a screenshot, add it to IG, and tag me @appleblossomteachers so we can help even more teachers just like you! Don't forget to submit your Curriculum Conundrum at appleblossomteachers.com/mycc, and subscribe to this podcast so you don't miss an answer!

Welcome back! I am so pumped for this relaunch. Let's jump on in! >>> Nonfiction books and articles are often readily available in our curriculum and digital downloads, but there's a whole world of real informational text we can easily incorporate beyond that.  Grab your notepad, because I'm sharing TONS of easy ways you can expose your students to more authentic, more varied types of informational text. Giving nonfiction text a purpose in their world, beyond the classroom, is key to increasing student motivation and engagement.  You don't want to miss: (3:36) Why your packaged curriculum isn't motivating your students to write, and 3 easy ways to fix it (11:17) Trade book recommendations for authentically tying science, social studies, math, art, and more into your reading and writing lessons (13:45) My favorite place to buy unique informational books for a steal!  (21:50) The BEST genre you definitely need in your library!! All about narrative nonfiction and why it's so great for reading and writing instruction… (26:17) Authentic nonfiction articles - why quality and frequency matters (30:22) What informational text is TRULY presented to us in our world? Spoiler alert, it's not just from books and articles! Here are some easy ways you can expose your students to authentic informational text. PLUS, how a local dentist is my recent favorite source of informational text in my library. Say what?!  Links and resources from this episode: Read about a bonus type of free informational text to add to your instruction here, and be sure to comment with your favorite type mentioned in the episode!  Get on the waitlist for the FREE virtual training on how to take your upper elementary lessons from rote to “REAL” - leave with 5 “purposeful project” planning templates and the tools you need to increase student engagement, boost motivation, and create lasting learning! Loved this episode? Take a screenshot, add it to IG, and tag me @appleblossomteachers so we can help even more teachers just like you! Don't forget to submit your Curriculum Conundrum at appleblossomteachers.com/mycc, and subscribe to this podcast so you don't miss an answer!

Summary: Today's episode is FULL of simple and actionable strategies that will level up your students' motivation, retention of content knowledge, interpersonal skills, and so much more. The key? Sketchbooks!! I'm sharing a little about my journey with sketchbooks in the classroom, and how I use them as a tool to support student creativity and content knowledge in transferable ways. Key Points: This episode is brought to you by Sketch for Schools. Sketch for schools is on a mission to support learning through visual arts, even sharing brain-based research on the positive impacts art has on learning and academic output.  Today they are offering listeners of this episode a discount on your sketchbook purchase using the code Smile4Sketchbooks on their website, sketchforschools.com On top of this, Sketch For Schools has generously donated a $100 gift certificate that I will be raffling off to one lucky attendee of my workshop on sketchbooks in the classroom. I want to invite you to join me on Saturday August 7th at 10:00 a.m. PDT for a “sketchbooks in the classroom” live workshop! For all the details, along with the coupon code for Sketch For Schools, please visit appleblossomteachers.com/sketch You can get started using sketchbooks in the classroom with things you already have on hand - as simple as cardstock + printer paper and some pencils! Feeling like your best art skill is fancy stick figures on the whiteboard? All good! You don't need to be an artist, and art teacher, or have any fancy training in order to learn and explore in sketchbooks right alongside your students. Sketchbooks can support content retention and application in all subject areas. Students learn and explore with basic art skills in transferable ways, so ALL your class projects end up leveling up! “The Zen Factor!”.- Sketchbook time is our most peaceful time of the day! Some cafe jazz and time to explore with various media and reflect on our learning together...the BEST!  Plus, don't miss my tips on how I introduce and utilize them simply, all year long.

Summary:  Were you a math lover or a “math avoider” as a student? What do you want your students to be? I had the privilege of chatting with Mona Iehl of Local Learners and Co, who is sharing her passion and strategies for building positive math identities within our students. Mona is an absolute “math teacher cheerleader” and the tips she shares in this episode are so motivating and so actionable!  A few things we chatted about: Math is creative!  A positive class community can make a world of difference in supporting our learners. Speed isn't everything! Focus on the learning that occurs in the journey to the solution. The thinking matters more than the answer. The teacher isn't the authority on what's right and wrong in math class - help students see that we *all* have a collective responsibility to help one another understand. Build a safe space and provide language students can use to question, clarify, and encourage one another. Lift the burden off our students of “I have to have the right answer in order to succeed in math class.” Provide math role models and help students see connections to math in the real world, both their own world and throughout history. Think about who you want your students to be as mathematicians when they leave your class next spring, and what pieces you need to put in place now to get them there. And so much more!! Links and resources: Connect with Mona on Instagram @locallearnersandco, on her website locallearnersandco.com, or in that incredible Facebook community we chatted about, The Math Teacher Collaborative. Grab Mona's FREE E-book, 5 Steps to a Student Centered Math Class, at locallearnersandco.com/ebook   Get ready for first-year teacher success! Download my free ebook: New Teacher's Roadmap to Confidence and Growth Follow me on Instagram, where I'm sharing my process of starting in a new district, school, and grade level: @appleblossomteachers For current resources and updates, check out my website. Also mentioned in this episode: I'm presenting on building positive relationships with students and their families at the Educators2Educators conference! (P.S. It's FREE!) I'm presenting on using simple robotics for content-area instruction and assessment at the Teach With Tech conference! (Under 40 bucks! That's not even half a tank of gas here in SoCal!! Yikes…) Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss out on any of the excitement coming your way! I've got a great list of special guests and bonus episodes coming your way all summer long! And, if you enjoyed this episode, please share it out so other teachers can find it too!

Summary:  Congrats! You just landed a new teaching job...but where to begin?! You're so excited to start, but it's still a couple months until you can really meet with your team or set up your room. Even if you aren't sure of the specifics quite yet, there are a few things you can think about that can help you feel ready once back to school hits. Decide on your educational priorities: What would people notice about how you teach and how your students learn? What is the general “feel” of your classroom community and the learning that takes place there? What pedagogical goals do you have for yourself this year? Classroom functions: What systems (organization, routines, procedures, pedagogical practices) will you need to have in place in order for your vision to become a success? Brainstorm your systems with room for flexibility - things may need to shift a little once you actually get into your room or meet with your team! Content “big ideas” overview: Again, wait until you meet with your team to plan specifics, because they may have certain expectations or grade-level wide routines that you'll be expected to accommodate. But you can definitely start familiarizing yourself with the big ideas of your grade level or subject area content. Use your state standards resources, grade level checklists from TPT (my favorite is linked below!), or the scope and sequence plans from your school's curriculum adoptions, if possible. Links and resources: Get ready for first-year teacher success! Download my free ebook: New Teacher's Roadmap to Confidence and Growth Follow me on Instagram, where I'm sharing my process of starting in a new district, school, and grade level: @appleblossomteachers For current resources and updates, check out my website. Mentioned in this episode: Free grade level standards “cheat sheets” for grades K-5 ELA and Math  Video recap of my planning process for these three steps Tell me where you're at in the process and how I can help on this post! I'm presenting on building positive relationships with students and their families at the Educators2Educators conference! (P.S. It's FREE!) I'm presenting on using simple robotics for content-area instruction and assessment at the Teach With Tech conference! (Under 40 bucks! That's not even half a tank of gas here in SoCal!! Yikes…) Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss out on any of the excitement coming your way this summer! I've got a great list of special guests and bonus episodes coming your way all summer long! And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave me a rating and a review so more teachers can find us. Thanks! 

Summary:      Elementary classrooms are notorious for cute, colorful decor and fun little projects that supplement our content, but that often comes with a cost in terms of sustainability. Today I'm interviewing Amy Louise Davis, of Alou Artist, all about how we can reduce “throw away culture” in our classrooms while also supporting mindfulness and creativity in our students.     Amy is a textile artist and embroiderer who is fascinated by pattern and sculpture. Influenced by environmental and social issues, she created alou in 2013 to tackle throw away culture. With a particular interest in repurposing often overlooked, pre-loved materials, she uses her skills in sculpting and embroidery to conceptualize and design beautiful new artifacts. Amy has also found a strong connection in the relationship between sustainability and mindfulness, which she shares with us today along with project ideas we can easily incorporate into our classrooms, Links and resources: Meet Amy on her website alou.co.uk or follow her on Instagram @alouartist, where she shares plenty of Reels and IGTV episodes offering tutorials for creative repurposing. Follow along with the ideas and tutorials in her campaign, MendNotTrend.com, and share your own contributions using the hashtag #MendNotTrend on Instagram and Twitter Check out the incredible cacti sculptures Amy mentions in the show here. Be sure to follow along on Instagram, where I'll be sharing my takeaways and applications from this conversation as I set up my new classroom: @appleblossomteachers For current resources and updates, check out my website.   Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss out on any of the excitement coming your way this summer! I've got a great list of special guests and bonus episodes coming your way, plus I'll be sharing all my advice during my process of restarting at a new district, school, and grade level this summer!  And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave a rating and a review so more teachers can find us. Thanks! 

Summary:  Project Based Learning, PBL, is an incredible way to bring authentic learning applications to your students. Today, I'm chatting with Kristen Moore of @moorethanjustX all about getting started with PBL, some common challenges in designing authentic PBL units as well as how to avoid them, and some helpful tips for getting started! Kristen is an instructional coach at a variety of schools across Michigan, applying her expertise of Project Based Learning from her years of teaching at a PBL-centric, competency-based high school. Kristen also provides professional development for educators everywhere through her math professional development company, Moore Than Just X. You can also find Kristen sharing her advice in various education publications, such as Edutopia and the Modern Classrooms Project. Be sure to check out the links below to grab Kristen's free resources, learn more about her mission and professional development options, and connect with her online! Links and resources: Meet Kristen on her website moorethanjustx.com or follow her on Instagram @moorethanjustX Join Kristen's Kick-ass Math Class Kickstart, where she helps you go from zero to fully-planned PBL experience in just 5 days! Join the incredible community for math-minded, forward thinking educators on Facebook in The Modern Math Teachers Movement group.  Read Kristen's article on Edutopia: Creating Opportunities for Project Based Learning in Math Looking to rock your first year of teaching, or just reset your teaching passion? Grab my free ebook: New Teacher's Roadmap to Confidence and Growth Follow me on Instagram: @appleblossomteachers For current resources and updates, check out my website. Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss out on any of the excitement coming your way this summer! I've got a great list of special guests and bonus episodes coming your way, plus I'll be sharing all my advice during my process of restarting at a new district, school, and grade level this summer!  And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave a rating and share what you loved about it in a review so more teachers can find us. Thanks so much!

Summary:  Now that you've closed out your teacher-brain for the year and wrapped up your time with your students, it's time to think about closing out your classroom! But before you lock that door or turn in your key for the summer, follow these tips so August you will be singing your praises! I'm sharing tips for closing out your physical classroom efficiently and effectively, getting that digital file hot mess in order, and staging a few things that will be easy to find and use come back-to-school season! You won't want to miss my unique tip for mapping out my classroom layout and design - but you need to hear it before you lock those classroom doors for the summer! Links and resources: Download my free ebook: New Teacher's Roadmap to Confidence and Growth Follow me on Instagram: @appleblossomteachers For current resources and updates, check out my website. Mentioned in this episode: Erin's Google Drive cleanup tips  @erintegration Aris' Google Drive cleanup checklist @sailingintosecond Kristen's beautifully organized and color coded Google Drive @ladybugsteacherfiles Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss out on any of the excitement coming your way this summer! I've got a great list of special guests and bonus episodes coming your way, starting with Kristen Moore of @moorethanjustx sharing all her Project Based Learning wisdom next week! And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave me a rating and a review so more teachers can find us. Thanks! 

Now that you've reflected on your school year and started to clear out your "teacher thoughts," it's time to set some plans in place for summer! Wait, aren't we just going to chill and recharge over the summer?! YES!! But if you're anything like me, without intentionally planning the things that will make me feel rested and reenergized, those summer days will slip away all too quickly! Grab your reflection guide at appleblossomteachers.com/links and follow along as we think of the things we want and need to do this summer in order to avoid burnout and feel recharged come Back to School Season! Plus, hang tight 'til the end for some announcements about the great things coming your way on the podcast this summer! As always, I would love to connect with you on socials, so send me a message on Instagram and let me know what's in store for your summer!  And if you're enjoying this podcast and finding it helpful, I would be forever grateful if you'd add a rating and share what you love about it. This will help other teachers discover it in their search, and will help me to make sure I keep providing the things you need most!  Thanks a million, Apple Blossom Teachers! Keep on blooming!

Let's make sure that teacher brain of yours is ready to close out this chapter of your teaching career, rest and recharge over the summer, and prepare to start another incredible chapter in the fall! Today is definitely a grab a notepad, be ready to hit pause a few times kind of episode, so get ready! I wanted to make sure YOU left today feeling like you've really identified your own strengths and challenges from the year, and have some specific things in mind you want to improve on for next year.  I hope you find today's episode so helpful, but if you want a little more guidance on this or feel like you've found things you need to work on but aren't quite sure how, be sure to reach out so we can make a game plan together! Remember, I'm here to be your favorite teacher mentor, the one you can come to with your questions and never feel like you're imposing! I want to make sure you feel like you are continually blooming as the incredible teacher you are meant to be! You can find me over on Instagram @appleblossomteachers or at appleblossomteachers.com, and be sure to hit subscribe here so you don't miss an episode. If you are enjoying this podcast and finding it helpful, please be sure to leave a review so other teachers can discover it too!  I'm so grateful you are here!

You and your students have made significant memories and progress as a group this year. Honor that relationship and provide great closure by tying up your loose ends, making some extra-fun lasting memories, and reflecting on your year together. Today I share some of my favorite ways to close out the school year with my students. Be sure to hop on over to Instagram to tell me which one you try, or what other ideas you would add to my list! And don't forget to sign up for your interview coaching session over at appleblossomteachers.com/letsgetgrowing - let's make sure you are ready to ROCK those interviews!

No one wants to draw a blank in an interview! You know you have the experience or knowledge you need to answer confidently, but being put on the spot can lock the words on the tip of your tongue!! Doing these 3 things can help you prepare to rock your teaching interview and answer any question with confidence:  1. Review as many sample interview questions as you can! 2. Use those questions to guide your portfolio - choose examples and evidence that is relevant and will help you lock your strongest traits in your mind. 3. Practice, practice, practice - out loud, and if possible, with a buddy or mentor!  Listen in for a bit more on why and how these can help you rock that interview, and be sure to join the ABT Teacher Career Kickoff where we will be helping YOU prepare to interview with confidence!

It is TEACHER CAREER KICKOFF time!!! Today is all about how to stand out from the rest and show your interviewers why YOU are the most valuable candidate. We'll chat about how to showcase your unique Skills, Hobbies, Interests, Notable stories, and Extracurricular activities so you can really SHINE!! Be sure to head to appleblossomteachers.com/careerkickoff to download your FREE Interview Prep Pack, which includes the editable resume and portfolio templates, interview prep checklists, practice questions, and MORE! Plus, you'll be the first to know all the details for the big Career Kickoff Party happening in just a few weeks!