• Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • Home
  • About Me
    • Contact
  • Shop Here
  • Blog
  • Shop TPT
  • Amazon Favs

That Teaching Spark

Latest from the Blog

Quick & Easy Strategies for Encouraging Students During State Testing

Uncategorized

Hello Darlings! I don’t know about you but I feel as though we are constantly testing kids to measure their understanding. I often worry we are burning them out! With exit tickets, tests, quizzes, and so much more happening day in and day out I can feel a bit of a groan of exhaustion when I mention state testing. Not…
Read More

Teaching Narrative Writing & the 1st person Point of View…The Fun Way!

Uncategorized

Hello Darlings! Do your kids love to tell stories?!  My kids LOVE to tell stories!  It seems to come naturally to them when they speak, but as soon as their pencils hit the paper (if they can find a pencil that is!); there is a breakdown. The ideas don’t seem to flow as naturally, organization becomes a bit dizzying, and…
Read More

Hands-On Fraction Activities for the Upper Elementary Classroom

Uncategorized

Hello Darlings! Fractions can be a beast to teach.  It starts off fun with cutting pizza slices, using colorful manipulatives, and eating ⅔ of a piece of candy… Then, we add, subtract, multiply, and divide fractions…sheesh.  One way I have found to make tackling fractions much easier is by using real-life activities and experiences to help students understand fractions better. …
Read More

Easy Strategies for Solving Two-Step Word Problems

Uncategorized

Hello Darlings! Let’s face it. Most students hate word problems. Now, add in TWO steps and math word problems instantly become that much more overwhelming.  Many students give up once they see more than 2 numbers in a problem.   Instead of getting impatient or frustrated with my students for giving up or feeling defeated about two step word problems, I…
Read More

Simple Ideas for a Fun Valentine’s Day Party in Your Elementary Classroom

Uncategorized

Hello Darlings! I know over the years classroom parties have become “outlawed.” Cue the western music with a tumbleweed breezing by. If it’s not “educational” then many schools won’t “allow” classroom parties. My opinion? That’s simply just sad. After the two years we have had, our kiddos deserve/need/crave social interaction and fun! Speaking of parties, I wanted to share my…
Read More

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to page 3
  • Go to page 4
  • Go to page 5
  • Go to page 6
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 17
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Let’s Connect

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Subscribe

Join my newsletter for more sent directly to your inbox!

Find it Fast

Past Posts

Read by Category

Shop my favorites

Pinterest

Shop My TPT Store

thatteachingspark

Amy Hoffmann
Year 18 complete! Couldn’t have done it without Year 18 complete! Couldn’t have done it without this amazing team! What year did you (or will you) complete?
Don’t forget why we have a long weekend. ❤️ Don’t forget why we have a long weekend. ❤️ Honor all those we have lost. 🇺🇸Say a prayer for them and their families today. 💙
How is this possible? My little nephew just finish How is this possible? My little nephew just finished preschool. 😭🥰🎉 #proudauntie
Normal call and responses not working at the end o Normal call and responses not working at the end of the year?  Try something different. Tell me  one that your class loves.
After state testing, we had a grade level pizza pa After state testing, we had a grade level pizza party. We put all of our math knowledge to good use to figure out how many pizzas we needed.  They couldn’t believe how much math we had to do. Lol! #realworldmath
Donut stress! Try your best! Today was day 1 of s Donut stress! Try your best!  Today was day 1 of state testing for my third graders. 
I tried to make it a little less painful with some yummy @krispykreme donuts! 
Are you finished with state testing? Reply below with an emoji. 
🤓 haven’t started
😳currently testing
🤩finished testing
I’m going to be tired tomorrow but being out wit I’m going to be tired tomorrow but being out with the girls is good for the soul. What are you doing to keep yourself sane right now?
Never under estimate the power of doing something Never under estimate the power of doing something “scandalous.” Students love using dry erase markers on their desks to compete assignments. You can do it for any subject!  For this lesson I was having them list as many mammals as they could in one minute. Every single one of them was engaged.
“It’s not hard, it’s just a lot of work and “It’s not hard, it’s just a lot of work and we aren’t afraid of work!” This is our motto during state test prep. Now we are trying to find problems to practice that make us do the most work. Students were working on our Google forms test prep centers and asking me to take pics of all of their work for just one problem. They were so proud of themselves. Now it’s turned into a competition!
Teaching fractions getting a little boring? Always Teaching fractions getting a little boring? Always teaching fractions with food? Try Fractions basketball! My students love playing this game and then comparing fractions! bit.ly/compfracdig
I love this April Fools Prank! 😉 Thanks for the I love this April Fools Prank! 😉 Thanks for the idea @theliteracydive
Don’t forget-Friday is April Fools Day! I have Don’t forget-Friday is April Fools Day!  I have this awesome freebie for you to fool your students!  It is a “multiplication” test but if the read the directions it says to do addition instead. How always trick my students with this one and then they want to take one home to try it on their parents. (So I make 2 copies per kid) Go to thatteachingspark.com now! ➡️link in bio https://thatteachingspark.com/2022/03/aprilfoolsandspringfun.html
Anyone else’s kiddos getting antsy? This is the Anyone else’s kiddos getting antsy? This is the time of year that I double up on movement activities in the classroom. Keep them moving and engaged and keep behavior issues away! 
One of our favs is this Hidden Pictures Multiplication activity. Students complete the multiplication facts correctly and each correct answer forms a piece of the picture. 
This particular theme is all about workouts! There are ten different workouts to discover. Go grab this to assign in Google Classroom tomorrow! No prep for you! bit.ly/hidpicwork
I put this guy up as high as he could go so little I put this guy up as high as he could go so little hands couldn’t reach. Nothing drives me crazy like not being able to find my markers when I’m trying to teach.  What’s one thing you have to “hide” from your students?  To get the link click @thatteachingspark and then the link in my profile https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MSC0HAR/?ref=idea_lv_dp_ov_mw
TWOs Day is “Two”morrow! 2-22-22 Grab this fre TWOs Day is “Two”morrow! 2-22-22 Grab this free 2’s Hidden Picture Multiplication activity! What other “twos” activities do you have planned? https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Free-Multiplication-2s-Facts-Digital-Hidden-Picture-6683604
Happy Valentine’s Day, darlings! We made it! I Happy Valentine’s Day, darlings!  We made it!  It might only be Monday but just think, Friday is getting closer. LOL!  In all seriousness, I hope you enjoyed your day with your little love bugs. I hate wishing my weekdays away and living for the weekends. We have to try to find the joy in each day. Teaching is getting harder every year, but I have hope that we are raising world changers. Try to find the joy in your littles this week.
We had so much fun with our football room transfor We had so much fun with our football room transformation today! Students did different math and ela football themed activities all day. Watch my story to see how you can do a simple room transformation or go all out. Thanks to @cootiesandcuties @2ndgradesassypants I was able to decorate with some adorable signs that made the room pop. Thanks to @nicholeetchason_ for letting me document her room cuteness!
The TPT Sale is Tuesday and Wednesday! Make sure t The TPT Sale is Tuesday and Wednesday! Make sure to grab Emergency Sub Plans, Math Movement Games, Science experiments, and much more!
Tell me one thing that you want from my store and one winner will be chosen for a F R E E product! 
Winner announced Feb. 8th.
The Super Bowl is next weekend, so here is a perfe The Super Bowl is next weekend, so here is a perfect free multiplication game for your students. I love it because it involves strategy and facts. By the way, which two teams are playing? Is it terrible that I don’t know? 🙃 bit.ly/footballmulti
We know Black History month shouldn’t be the fir We know Black History month shouldn’t be the first time kids are hearing about MLK, Rosa Parks, and other civil rights activists. But are we also teaching about the amazing accomplishments of Black scientists, inventors, aviators, athletes?  Not many get to hear the stories of these phenomenal people. Here are just a few books I read throughout the year. PLEASE give me ideas of more books I could add!!
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2022 · BRAND + WEBSITE DESIGN BY LAUGH EAT LEARN