Tip #8 for Making Your Next School Year Easier

Summertime can be tough on a teacher’s wallet. If you’re a 10-month employee, those eight, otherwise awesome weeks may require you to get creative and stretch your dollars. That's why tip #8 is to

There are a ton of awesome free lesson plans available for teachers.  They're perfect to tide you over and ensure that your classroom this coming school year runs smoothly.

Check out these two FREE resources to get you started...

12 Lesson Extenders 

Sometimes, despite your best efforts, a lesson ends a little bit early leaving the opportunity for unstructured classroom chaos. That’s where these 12 Lesson Extender activity cards come in handy. Each game and activity is fast, simple, educational and engaging. They’re the perfect addition to any teacher’s “toolbox.” Each taps into language arts, math and critical thinking skills to challenge and engage students in short bursts of time.

Back-Up Lesson Plans

We’ve all suffered through interruptions, technology failures, and other obstacles that serve to drive a lesson right off the rails. In those moments, we could all use a back-up plan. Here's a FREE collection of five ofmy favorites:

Learning On the Go --- Make the most out of every instructional minute with “Learning on the Go.” When a fire drill or other classroom interruption stops a lesson in its tracks, pass out the “Learning on the Go” activity sheet and keep students learning outside the classroom.

Stump the Student --- Sometimes even the best lessons end early. Stump the Student gives students an opportunity to review the lesson’s instruction while creating questions for peers and answering questions about the day’s instruction. It’s instructional and engaging!

Technology Debate --- Technology can be an incredible resource in the classroom…until it doesn’t work. Working through technology issues in front of a classroom of students can lead to a management nightmare and a loss of instructional time. That’s where this Technology Debate activity comes in. It’s an activity that gets kids thinking and promotes targeted group discussions. Students can be working on this while you work on solving the tech issues in your classroom.

Behavior Cards --- Behavior cards are a simple and nonverbal management tool. One set acknowledges good behavior, and the other set redirects misbehavior. The “Keep It Up” cards are designed to positively recognize good behavior in the classroom. The “Stop” cards are perfect for encouraging students to stop inappropriate behavior and make a better choice. They’re simple and effective!

Let’s Get Focused --- Instructional interruptions happen. Whether it is a fire drill or a student council presentation in the middle of class or school-wide intercom announcements….oftentimes it’s important to regroup before moving forward with a lesson. That’s where the “Let’s Get Focused” worksheet comes in. It’s adaptable to any situation and a perfect way to refocus students after an interruption.

Find a bunch more FREE resources to stock up on this summer HERE.  Have fun looking them over, and head back here for Day 9 of our summer series!

Thanks for stopping by!

Mary Beth

P.S.  Check out these tips for making your next school year easier, too!  Tip 1, Tip 2, Tip 3, Tip 4, Tip 5, Tip 6, Tip 7