Mrs. Tech

Flag Day is a holiday I didn't even know existed until this year when I was doing some research on the American Flag. I learned a little about Flag Day and wanted to share some of the resources that I found with you.  If you are interested in talking more about the American Flag with your students, check out these links below!  • Kids Fun Facts on the US Flag • History of the Flag as a story • Information on the American Flag • List of Flag Changes over the years • 10 Facts about the Flag **Use these QR codes to watch videos or read informational text about the American Flag.  I {heart} America, Hilary 

It's that time of year again! I wanted to share with you some of my favorite online Valentines Day activities that my students enjoy each year! These are all kid-friendly websites and most of them are free of any ads. Some are educational and others are just fun for early finishers or Valentines Day parties! Did I miss any? Let me know in the comments below! xoxo - Mrs. Tech Valentines Day Puzzle Valentines Day Coloring Sheets Tic Tac Cupid Trap Heart Counting Hearts (tally or counting practice) Valentines Day Word Unscramble February Mad Lib Heart Match (vowel sound match) Heart Break Dora & The Lost Valentine

ZipGrade is a tool that I encourage the Middle and High School teachers in my school to use, but it can be beneficial to Elementary students as well if you take standardized tests. This is completely a teacher tool and a super easy way to grade papers. The only difference for students from regular tests/quizzes is that they fill out the answer sheet document with their tests. The answer sheet documents are available here on the ZipGrade website. The only difference for teachers is that the ONLY thing you have to do is hold your phone or tablet over the student answer sheet and it will tell you which ones they got right/wrong and a total number and grade if you so choose. ZipGrade is free (and so is the app) if you only scan 100 or less tests a month. There is a charge if you want to scan more than that, but it is worth it for the ease in grading and prepping your students for these types of tests that they will take in college. Try it out & let me know what you think, ...

Black History Month is worth recognizing in any classroom because of the significance that many African American men and women have had on our country over the years. It is also important for our students to discuss how the course of history has changed because these strong men and women stood up for what they believed in and made a difference in the world around them. There are many websites that talk about Black History month that would be great to use in your classroom with your students. Some of these websites are: Time for Kids  (also free printables for teachers can be found here for grades K-6)  Book recommendations  and video interviews with authors  Timelines, Facts, and Issues Readers Theater Scripts, Lesson Plans, and more PBS book recommendations by grade level  Interactive Activity talking about African Americans Martin Luther King "I Have a Dream" Speech  If you are looking for some people to mention as you discuss B...

It's that time of year again! I love school, but what a celebration 100 days is. That means we're over halfway through and so I wanted to share with you some of my favorite online 100th Day of School activities that my students enjoy each year! These are all kid-friendly websites and most of them are free of any ads. Some are educational and others are just fun for early finishers or 100th Day Parties! Did I miss any? Let me know in the comments below! 80 days left? - Mrs. Tech 100 Snowballs Peg & Cat 100th Day of School  Starfall - Count to 100 Multiples Ghost Blaster (100 points) Interactive Number Chart - 100 Splat Square Give The Dog a Bone 100 Days Songs 100 Days Math

Martin Luther King Jr. is definitely a man worth discussing. Your students know that we get out of school for a day because of him, but do they know anything more than that? Do they know the freedoms that he fought for? I compiled a list of some great resources to use when teaching about MLK Jr. These are all kid-friendly websites and most of them are free of any ads.  Do you teach about Martin Luther King Jr. each year around this time?  Dream Big, - Mrs. Tech Lessons on Tolerance Lessons on Respect Seattle Times Tribute Information Page MLK Jr. Coloring Pages I Have a Dream Too! Speech  (A definite win in my class!) MLK Jr. Wordsearch The Meaning of the King Holiday (written by his wife) Full MLK Jr. Lesson for Grades 3-5   and Grades K-2 MLK Jr. Videos & Teacher Guides for Grades 6-8 Bonus: QR Codes for Videos on MLK Jr. which are part of my MLK Jr. Webquest !

Build Your Wild Self  was a site that I just stumbled upon, but was probably one of my students favorite activities that we did all year. Basically, students are able to create themselves by playing with their body, hair, eyes, mouth, clothes. They can then make themselves "wild" by adding headgear, ears, face, arms, bottoms, backsides, and tails that are all body parts of wild animals. This activity isn't all fun though - there is educational value too! Once the students are done creating their "wild self" they will click I'M DONE. This will take them to the next page where it will explain to the students what is "wild" about them. It will tell them where their wild parts came from and why those parts are important to the survival of that particular animal. So there you have it - educational and a ton of fun! Just wait to see what kind of creatures your students come up with! It will be entertaining, I guarantee you that much. Try it ou...

Plickers  is a super great resource for assessment at any point in your lessons. Basically, each student is assigned a piece of paper that is linked to their name on the teachers side. At any point, you can ask a question from the app, and scan the students papers across the room and read their answers. It's real time formative assessment and couldn't be any easier. I just have my students keep their QR code (plickers paper) in their pencil box or in a book that's always at their desk. Within a minute, I can ask the question and know where students stand on if they are getting it or not. You can download the cards for Plickers for free and the app is available on Google Play store or the App Store and is so easy to use. Seriously y'all, you won't be disappointed. The learning curve is basically nonexistent and it takes very little prep work on your end. Such an easy tool to start using and you'll wow your principal the next time they come for an observati...

Padlet is one of my favorite tools to use for exit tickets and bell ringers. It is basically a virtual bulletin board where your students can post pictures, text, video, or audio recording in response to a prompt that you choose. Try it once in your class and I can almost guarantee that you'll love it! Above is a Padlet I used during Teacher Inservice to talk about Padlet. As you can see, it's a work in progress. Here are step-by-step (SUPER SIMPLE) directions on how to set up your first Padlet! If you are more of a visual learner, check out my video on how to attack Padlet for the first time! Directions : Go to padlet.com and click on Create a Padlet Choose a Title and a Description. Then choose one of the three prearranged layouts, and a wallpaper (to be the background of your wall). You may also pick an icon to show what your padlet is about. Then click NEXT. You will now choose your privacy. You will need to choose secret (which means it can only be accessed b...