Not So Wimpy Teacher Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Valentine's Day Activities for the Classroom Jan 20, 2020

Show notes

What kinds of Valentine's Day activities will you be doing in the classroom this year? I am always looking for new and creative ideas that will interest my students.

In this episode, I share some fun activities that your students will love!

Valentine's Day Vocabulary

Grab My FREE Valentine's Day Vocabulary Unit

2. Valentine's Day Paper Bag Book

3. Valentine's Day STEM activities.

You can learn more about these ideas from Little Bins Little Hands by clicking HERE.

4. Valentine's Day Lego Challenges

Click HERE to grab some FREE Valentine's Day Lego challenge cards.

5. Kiss Writing

Click HERE to grab the FREE kiss writing paper.

6. Kindness Activities

The Jelly Donut Difference.

Kindness Rocks Project

7. I Love You More Than…poem

Click HERE to grab FREE printables for this poem.

3 Ways to Save Time Lesson Planning Jan 20, 2020

Show notes

How much time do you spend lesson planning every week? What if you could cut that time in half?

Lesson planning is a necessary evil of teaching. Some schools require super specific plans. If we are not careful this process can be a huge time sucker.

In this episode I am going to share three tips that made lesson planning quicker and more effective for me.

Batching
Using Year Long Bundles
Collaboration

Want to learn more about batching? Check out episode 33!

Super Bowl Classroom Party Jan 13, 2020

Show notes

I tricked my students into half of a day of review worksheets! They had so much fun, that they didn't realize how much work they doing.

The secret? A Super Bowl party!

In this episode I share the activities my students did at our Super Bowl party and the one thing that made my students excited to review! I will also share the fun foods that we enjoyed!

Check out my Super Bowl close read passages. They are perfect for your Super Bowl party!

Football Close Read Passages: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Football-Close-Read-Passages-1023052

Teaching Grammar in 10 Minutes Per Day Jan 06, 2020

Show notes

How do you teach grammar?

Most teachers in my Facebook groups are complaining that grammar takes way too long to teach and their students aren't remembering the skills that are being taught. We have fourth graders who are still struggling with identifying nouns. That's tough when they have so many more complex language standards to master!

It is true that grammar is a challenge to teach, but it is also true that you can make it easier!

In this episode, I am sharing three of my most important tips for teaching grammar in just 10 minutes per day.

Grammar does not replace writing.
Grammar needs to be taught in small pieces.
Grammar is easier with a routine.

Next, I'm sharing the routine that I used and several tips that made each day work.

Monday: Mini Lesson with a PowerPoint

Tuesday: Interactive Notebook

Wednesday: Writing

Thursday: Task Card Scoot

Friday: Assessment

Finally, I have created grammar units that include PowerPoints, interactive notebooks, task cards and assessments.

Not So Wimpy Grammar Units:

Third grade: http://bit.ly/NotSoWimpy3rdGrammar

Fourth Grade:http://bit.ly/NotSoWimpy4thGrammar

Fifth Grade: http://bit.ly/NotSoWimpy5thGrammar

Reviewing Classroom Procedures After Winter Break Dec 31, 2019

Show notes

Are you planning to spend time reviewing classroom procedures during your first week back after break?

In a perfect world, we can jump right back into routines in January and pick up right where we left off before winter break. Right?! If your mentality is to jump right back in, you may find yourself pulling out your hair because no one seems to remember your classroom procedures.

Some of your students can jump right back in and remember your expectations. However, don't assume that all of your students can. I encourage you to take some time to review your routines in a fun way so that you have a smoother transition into next quarter.

In this episode, I share three different activities that make reviewing procedures more fun:

Board Games
Group Presentations
Find Someone Who

Click HERE to grab free board game cards and the Find Someone Who game.

Fourth Grade

Fifth Grade

Dear Tired Teacher Dec 09, 2019

Show notes

December is a tough month in the classroom.

I know that you are busy squeezing in those standards, tests, and conferences. But you are also doing spirit weeks, making gifts for parents, shopping for gifts for students and even making crafts with glitter.

It's nuts!

It's no wonder you are tired and feeling inadequate.

Today's episode is super short and super important.

You need to hear this one, my teacher friend!

Happy holiday!

Differentiating Vocabulary Instruction Dec 03, 2019

Show notes

Are you using the Not So Wimpy teacher vocabulary units and daily routine?

Monday: Definitions & Sentences

Tuesday: Synonyms & Antonyms

Wednesday: Prefixes & Suffixes

Thursday: Draw Pictures

Friday: Games and Assessment

In this episode, I quickly review this routine, but if you want to read more details, click HERE.

This routine helps the majority of the students in our classroom to be successful learning new tier 2 words, but we always have a few that continue to struggle. We need to differentiate our vocabulary instruction for those learners.

The good news is that it's easy to differentiate our lessons to help those learners! In this episode, I share many suggestions.

Hand Motions
Print Teacher Guide
Games (Click HERE for some free games!)
Modified Assessments
Technology

Not So Wimpy teacher vocabulary units

Free Vocabulary Games

When You Have Students Who Don't Celebrate the Holidays Nov 25, 2019

Show notes

Do you have students in your classroom family that do not celebrate the holidays?

Initially it can feel so challenging to plan your December classroom activities. You might not be able to put the Christmas tree up or read certain books. I know that can be a bummer when you have classroom traditions that you look forward to every year.

However, having a student that doesn't celebrate the holidays can be a huge opportunity. It's an opportunity for you and your students to learn more about diversity and culture. It's your opportunity to get creative and try some new activities in your classroom!

In this episode I am going to go through three tips for teaching in December when you have students who don't celebrate the holidays.

Talk to the parents.
Respect the student.
Get creative.

Let me know what kinds of activities you are planning in your classroom for those students who don't celebrate the holidays! I can't wait to hear!

Click HERE to grab the free snowman writing unit that I mentioned in this episode!

Improve Teacher and Staff Moral at Your School Nov 19, 2019

Show notes

What is teacher and staff morale like at your school? Is there a lot of positivity and teachers are happy to come to school? Or, is there a lot of negativity and frustration. Do teachers feel supported or do they feel like no one appreciates them?

Sadly many teachers feel like morale is low at their school.

There are so many things that we wish admin would do at our school to show that they trust us and appreciate us.

But today, we are changing the conversation. Instead of talking about what we wish others would do, we are going to start talking about what WE can do to help to improve the morale at our school.

In this episode, I share several simple ideas that you can implement!

Secret gift exchange
Stocking the staff lounge
Start a social club
Host a book club
Write positive notes

I'd love to hear about the ideas that you are coming up with. Let me know how you are going to improve morale at your school.

Let's make teaching fun, my friends!

Unique Thanksgiving Activities for the Classroom Nov 04, 2019

Show notes

Halloween is over and now it is time to start planning Thanksgiving activities for the classroom!

Sometimes making these plans can seem redundant or less than lively, because it's the same thing year after year. We talk about the Thanksgiving story, the Mayflower, and the feast. We have students write about what they are thankful for and make turkeys by painting their hands. It's the same year after year.

Well if you are tired of doing the same Thanksgiving lessons over and over each year, imagine how many times your students have done them by the time they get to you. It's getting old for them too!

What if instead you planned unique Thanksgiving activities for the classroom? Activities that tie in your standards, but also totally engage them in what they are learning?

Sound amazing? In this podcast episode, I am chatting with one of my teacher besties, Stacey. She is sharing three super simple and unique Thanksgiving activities that she has done with her third graders. Plus, I throw in a fun science activity that my students always enjoyed.

Unique Thanksgiving Activities

Stone Soup: Pumpkin Pie Science: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Thanksgiving-Pumpkin-Pie-Science-Activity-937107 Making Butter Cranberry STEM

Resources

Stone Soup book: amazon.com/gp/product/043933909X/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=noswite-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=043933909X&linkId=fd3147fce69a1847ad4f3e288ee38e68(opens in a new tab) Stone Soup letter to families: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pi1_NLB5nM2-D1odpIxLkqAvfIjSoFX1/view?usp=sharing Pumpkin Pie Science activity

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