Author: sanjay

Opinion writing can be a lot of fun—everyone loves a chance to share their point of view! But there’s more to this type of writing than simply stating what you believe. You need reasons and evidence to support your view. Our free opinion writing graphic organizer guides students through the process. Jump to: We Are Teacher FREE PRINTABLES Opinion Writing Graphic Organizer Sheets Use this free graphic organizer to help students find and use reliable facts to support their point of view. Just enter your email address in the form on this page for immediate access. Opinion Writing Graphic Organizer…

We know its far from summer break, but we think sunglasses are a year-round necessity. Maybe the sun sits at just the right (or wrong) angle to hit your eyes when you drive to school every morning. Or maybe you need some better protective wear while you’re out enjoying winter recesses with your students. Either way, Maui Jim can get you what you need in a blink. Educators save 30% on Maui Jim sunglasses Maui Jim has been producing sunglasses since the 80s, culminating in its collection of over 100 different sunglasses styles today. Whether you want to shop by…

Learning about the five senses is a classic preschool and kindergarten unit. Yes, it’s fun to watch students taste something super sour or take a listening walk around the school, but why do we teach the five senses? Here’s everything you need to know to teach the five senses, plus engaging activities to do so. Jump to: What are the five senses? The five senses are the primary ways that humans experience the world around them. Sight: how we see light and color Sound: how we hear frequencies of sound Taste: how we taste sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami…

Animals can be cute, cuddly, fast, smart … and gross, but they’re all pretty amazing! Kids love learning about animals, so these amazing animal facts are perfect for sharing with your students. Post one during your morning meeting or share the facts about the animals you’re learning about, from amphibians to mammals. Jump to:  Plus, click the button below and fill out the form to receive a Google Slideshow of all of the facts below! FEATURED PICK Learn About Wildlife From Around the World Bring the wild into your classroom with free Wildlife Species Cards from WWF’s Wild Classroom. These…

There are so many surprising facts about Valentine’s Day! Would you believe that the first valentine was sent in the 15th century or that chocolates used to be prescribed by doctors? Learn about these Valentine’s Day fun facts and more with this list—perfect for sharing with your students! We Are Teachers FREE DOWNLOAD Valentine’s Day Facts Slides Fill out the form on this page to grab our free Google Slideshow of all of the Valentine’s Day facts below to share with your classroom (or loved ones!). Jump to: The History of Valentine’s Day Valentine’s Day has its origins in a…

Ahrefs vs Semrush: Which AI‑Era Tool Fits Your Brand Visibility Goals Today, SEO tools are evolving fast — not just to track content data, but to show how your brand appears in AI answers, chatbots and generative‑search results. Two major players leading this shift are Ahrefs with its Brand Radar and Semrush with its AI Toolkit. Each serves a different type of user, so the better choice depends on what you’re trying to measure. What Each Tool Does Best Each tool plays a slightly different role in today’s noisy, multi‑channel web. Here’s where they shine: ToolStrengthsAhrefs Brand RadarMassive database (real search‑derived…

15 Alternatives To Report Cards In The K-12 Classroom by TeachThought Staff Like lunchboxes (or brown paper sacks), field trips, and textbooks, report cards are iconic–symbols of traditional classrooms and traditional approaches to education. In its name, the purpose of a ‘report card’ is plain enough: to report on progress. But it’s not that simple. Letter grades (and alternatives to letter grades) can ‘stick’ with a student forever. When combined over time, letter grades result in a grade point average, an innocent-sounding term that can be the difference between, among other effects, a student being accepted into their choice of college…

by TeachThought Staff Self-Directed Learning is not a new concept, but it’s often misunderstood—especially in the context of K-12 classrooms. In a prior reflection, Terry Heick explored the relationship between self-directed learning and the true purpose of education: “The goal of the model isn’t content knowledge (though it should produce that), but rather something closer to wisdom—learning how to learn, understanding what’s worth understanding, and perhaps most importantly, analyzing the purpose of learning (e.g., personal and social change). It also encourages the students to examine the relationship between study and work—an authentic ‘need to know’ with important abstractions like citizenship and…

by Terry Heick Meaningful conversation can make learning more personal, immediate, and emotional. During meaningful conversations, students are forced to be accountable for their positions, to listen, to analyze opposing perspectives, and to adapt their thinking on the fly. There are many popular strategies for these kinds of conversations, each with slightly unique rules and applications. Among them are Socrative Discussions, Accountable Talks, Debate, and Literature Circles. Whichever strategy you employ, students need support. It is sometimes argued that these kinds of conversations favor students that are confident expressing themselves verbally, and that’s hard to argue. But consider that academic…

Understanding the various states of matter is one of the key concepts kids need for exploring chemistry and physics. Use our big list of activities to help them learn about the properties of the various states of matter and the way they change between states. Plus, explore the “fourth state of matter,” plasma, as well as solutions, suspensions, non-Newtonian fluids, and more. You’ll find states of matter activities for preschool, elementary school, and middle school and science fair ideas too! Jump to: We Are Teachers FREE PRINTABLE Science Experiment Recording Sheet Use this free printable to follow the scientific method…