Teacher’s Brain

3 Benefits of Kindergarten Morning Work

Are your mornings chaos? As elementary teachers, there’s usually so much to do in the mornings! You have to take attendance, handle parent communication, make sure that lunch boxes and book bags get into the correct cubbies, and about a million other things. 

My favorite way to make the mornings smoother when I was in the classroom was morning work! Setting the expectation that students are to come in in the morning, put their things away and get started on their independent work helped me focus on the various tasks that need my attention first thing in the morning. 

kindergarten morning work

Should you use morning work in kindergarten? Here are a few benefits! 

Promotes a Smooth Transition

Kindergarten mornings can often be filled with a whirlwind of emotions and energy as young learners arrive at school. Morning work provides a structured transition that eases children into the learning environment. It allows them to settle into a routine, helping to reduce separation anxiety and set a positive tone for the day.

Kindergarten Morning Work Boosts Independence

One of the top benefits of morning work is that it encourages independence in kindergarten kiddos! As they tackle tasks on their own, like simple puzzles, worksheets, or coloring activities, they develop essential skills like fine motor coordination, focus, and problem-solving. This newfound confidence spills over into other classroom activities, fostering a sense of self-reliance.

Reinforces Learning Concepts

Morning work is an ideal opportunity to reinforce and review key concepts learned in previous lessons. With age-appropriate activities that align with the curriculum, morning work can be a valuable tool for consolidating knowledge. It helps your little learners retain what they’ve learned, ensuring that lessons from previous days and weeks continue to resonate in their developing minds.

Need morning work ideas? If you are looking for the perfect morning work resource or kindergarten morning work printables, I have you covered! 

This kindergarten morning work bundle has you covered for the entire year! 

kindergarten morning work preview

This engaging Morning Work for kindergarten resource covers reading and math skills and is super easy to implement! These morning work activities will help keep your class calm while reviewing skills at their own pace for the entire school year. 

This is 5 2-Month Journal Sets, 40 weeks worth of morning work! 

morning work activities

It covers:

❀ Handwriting Uppercase and Lowercase Letters

❀ Sight Word Practice 

❀ Beginning Letter Sounds

❀ Months of the Year

❀ Days of the Week

❀ Handwriting Sentences

❀ Word Families

❀ Silent /e/

❀ Digraphs

❀ Number Sense

❀ Ten Frames

❀ Counting

❀ Number Lines 

❀ Writing Numbers 

❀ Counting On

❀ Shapes

❀ More and Less Than

❀ 3D Shapes

❀ Graphs

❀ Place Value

What’s included?

Pg 1-42 – Aug. and Sept. (Handwriting, Letters, Numbers, Colors, Sight Words, Counting)

Pg. 43-84 – Oct. and Nov. (Handwriting, Letters, Numbers, Ten Frame, Counting, What Comes Next)

Pg. 85-126 Dec. Jan. (Word Families, Vowels, Counting, Greater than, Less Than, Handwriting)

Pg. 127-168 – Feb. and March (capital letters, lowercase letters, word families, shapes, counting on, less than)

Pg. 169-210 April and May (digraphs, tens and ones, 3D shapes, graphs, and silent /e/)

morning work printables

Each page has an extended activity for students to do on the back of the page for early finishers. It is designed to model once to the whole group, and then students should be working independently for each set. 

There are only mild changes in this packet each month to make it easy for students to follow the pattern each morning. I provide different fonts, so students get used to seeing letters that look different. 

The number and the number word is used so students get familiar with number word recognition. I tell students to look at their crayons to find the color word to help them figure out the color on their own to create independence. 

I print my pages out to create a journal to easily store papers, leaving the back blank for the extended activity. My students could move on to the next page if they finished. You can just give one individual sheet, if you like to ensure students don’t move on to the next page.

Ready to get started? Check it out here! 
Looking for more kindergarten resources? Check out these kindergarten science activities!

7 Fantastic Thanksgiving Activities for Students

Thanksgiving is almost here and as teachers, we have the perfect opportunity to create engaging, educational, and fun experiences for our students. If you are looking for Thanksgiving activities for kids or Thanksgiving activities for students in school, you’re in the right place. 

How do you make Thanksgiving fun for kids? I’ve gathered a selection of Thanksgiving-themed classroom resources and activities to help you infuse the holiday spirit into your curriculum this year. 🍂🦃📚

thanksgiving

What should I do for Thanksgiving in the classroom? Check out these ideas! 

Thanksgiving Pilgrim Hats | Craft | Writing

thanksgiving activities

Embrace the festive spirit with these adorable pilgrim hats! This craft and writing resource is perfect for that last day before break. 

Thanksgiving Escape Room

thanksgiving activities

Are you ready to be the most memorable teacher of a child’s life this fall season? Use these step-by-step instructions to guarantee student engagement while they learn about how to work as a team to solve a mystery, practice comprehension and ESCAPE THE CLASSROOM! With a little prep, your students will work as a team to break into a box, which breaks them out of the classroom as they beat the clock!

Thanksgiving Turkey Headband Craft

thanksgiving activities for kids

Be the hit at your school on Thanksgiving with these cute turkey headbands! I like to use their own handprints, but there are some printable ones provided, if you lack time. I also added feathers, if you would like a choice of that to put behind the turkey.

Turkey HUNT | Thanksgiving Digital Escape™ Room | Google Apps™

Thanksgiving activities turkey hunt

Looking for a great activity for your students to help your students practice problem solving, sight words and counting? Digital Escapes™ are a fun way to get students to learn without even realizing it. No Printing and No Prep needed for this digital escape! This Thanksgiving escape room will be a hit! 

Thanksgiving Play | Thanksgiving Activities | Holiday Show for Parents

thanksgiving activities: festival show resource preview

Everything you need to shine during the holidays! This Thanksgiving Play Includes Music with Jack Hartmann, detailed step-by-step directions, crafts, headbands, posters, poems, invitations, and more! The focus of the program is on family, being thankful, and food.

Balloons Over Broadway Thanksgiving Digital Escape Room Companion | Google Apps™

thanksgiving puppet parade

Looking for a GREAT holiday activity for your students to help your students practice comprehension, problem solving and learn about Tony Sarg, the puppeteer who designed the balloons in the Macy’s Parade? Digital Escapes™ are a fun way to get students to learn without even realizing it. NO Printing and No Prep needed for this digital escape! Super EASY for in person or Distance Learning.

Thanksgiving Vocabulary Activities, Journal, Books and Monthly Themed Words

thanksgiving activities vocabulary words

Are you looking for engaging vocabulary activities that are researched-based, a simple to follow plan yet still fun and rigorous?? I have you covered with this download of monthly themed vocabulary words!

I hope  you and your students love these crafts, activities, and resources! If you want even more Thanksgiving fun, check out my post here! 

What are your favorite ways to teach about Thanksgiving? Let me know in the comments!

5 Engaging Kindergarten Science Activities

Kindergarten is such an incredible time in a kid’s life. It’s like this magical phase where their curiosity is off the charts. Every day, they’re brimming with questions and ready to discover the world around them. And as teachers, we get to be part of that adventure.

Now, one of the most exciting ways to channel all that boundless curiosity is through science. In kindergarten, science isn’t just a subject – it’s an epic journey. From bugs in the backyard to stars in the night sky, these little explorers are natural scientists, eager to dive into the mysteries of the universe.

5 engaging kindergarten science activities

But, to really fire up their passion for science, we need some killer resources. We’re talking about stuff that’s not just educational but also fun. If you’re looking for fun kindergarten science activities, you’re in the right place! 

How do you make science fun for kindergarten? Try out these activities! 

Kindergarten Science Push and Pull Worksheets 

push and pull science activities for kindergarten

Are you looking for some engaging activities and plans for your Push and Pull unit?

This is a week unit focusing on Push and Pull Forces. It has a journal, rubric, lesson plans, inquiry lessons, printables to reinforce concepts, a home connection project, songs, video links, and 4 posters to display in the classroom.

Day and Night Activities

day and night science activities for kindergarten

Save time with this planned-out unit on Day and Night. Meet standards using links to games, posters, music for hooks, sorting activities, and a daily data journal. Your students will be engaged with this unit! 

Kindergarten Science Solar Eclipse Activities

solar eclipse science activities for kids

Need a fun, engaging week unit with activities to teach about the Sun, Moon and Earth using the Solar Eclipse this year? You’ll love this kindergarten lesson plan! It covers standards for K-2, models, home connections, collecting data, diagrams, shadows, gravity, links and more! 

What is a Scientist

kindergarten science what Is a scientist

Need a fun, engaging Introductory Unit for The Practice of Science? Check out these 3 weeks of lesson plans with printables. This resource covers What is a Scientist Science Tools, and The Scientific Method with Inquiry lessons! 

Properties of Matter

kindergarten science states of matter activities

Be that amazing teacher who uses hands-on inquiry lessons to help students retain information about matter. I have you covered with a daily data journal, rubrics, 3 inquiry lessons, posters, links, and printables to teach liquids, solids, and gases!

If you love all these science resources and want even more, make sure to check out this year-long kindergarten science curriculum bundle! 

This comprehensive and engaging science curriculum has 12 units with inquiry lessons, STEM activities, data notebooks, rubrics, print-and-go worksheets, home projects, and so much more. Check it out! 

If you’re looking for more kindergarten science ideas, check out my post here!

5 Fang-tastic Halloween Activities for Your Elementary Classroom

As October approaches, it’s time to get your classroom in the spooky spirit and plan some exciting Halloween activities for your students! 

Whether you’re a seasoned teacher or a newbie, I’ve got you covered with five fang-tastic ideas that will engage and excite your young learners. 

halloween activities

From virtual haunted house adventures to creative writing with a spooky twist, these activities are sure to make you every student’s favorite teacher. 

So, grab your broomstick (or marker) and let’s dive into the engaging world of Halloween-themed lessons!

Here are 5 fun Halloween activities for school students

1. Halloween Worksheets and Activities Resource

Halloween worksheets and activities

Looking for a great plan with everything you need to teach students all about Halloween in October? I have you covered with this math and literacy plan that includes crafts, writing, reading, bulletin board options, posters, and so much more! 

2. Virtual Haunted House Field Trip Activity

Halloween activities: haunted house 
virtual field trip

Be every student’s favorite teacher by taking them to a haunted house! Virtual Field trips are a great way engage students in learning.  Use these interactive, editable Google Slides to easily have students use movable parts, learn about Fiction and non-fiction and so much more!

3. All About Bats Halloween Digital Escape Room

Halloween activities bats escape room

Looking for a great activity for your students to help your students learn about bats? Digital Escapes™ are a fun way to get students to learn without even realizing it. No printing and No prep needed for this digital escape!

Students will click a video for a short story and directions to help with their first clue. 

halloween

During the escape, students will be tasked with solving 4 lock clues in order to escape the bizarre bats buzzing around their building. There is a pdf included in this download with directions, the link to the site, an answer key and an optional note taking worksheet for students. This activity takes about 20 to 30 minutes to complete.

4. Haunted House Creative Writing Activity

Halloween activities for kids

Use this Haunted House Layered Book to support Creative Writing with your kindergarten or first grade students. A writing rubric aligned with Common Core Standards is included in this packet. The book is 5 pages total and builds student’s creativity to have a final product of a short story about putting up a haunted house for sale. It also is cute on display in the classroom.

5. Halloween Scavenger Hunt

Halloween activities

Be every student’s favorite teacher by making school enjoyable! Scavenger hunts are great conversation starters, ice breakers, movement activities, classroom community builders, or writing prompts. Use this editable Powerpoint to engage your students in some Halloween fun.

I hope your students love these spook-tacular activities! If you want more Halloween activities or fall activities, check out my post here! 

What’s your favorite Halloween activity for kids? Let me know in the comments!