Andrea Knight

Teacher · Learner · Author

Constitution Day

September 17th is Constitution Day... a day set aside for celebrating the U.S. Constitution. Obviously, this is one of America's most important documents, but many young children don't understand what it's all about. I get it. When I was six years old, I was focused on my dolls and hoping my mom would let me eat Doritos after school. I was definitely not thinking about the … [Read more...]

The OK Book

We were combing through our bookshelves last week when we found our copy of The OK Book. And, embarrassingly, I kind of forgot I had it, which is a bit shocking, because I read it during the first week of school for so many years. I blame this on my book-buying hobby. I cannot stay out of bookstores. Some people (who claim to love me) think it's a problem. I do not. Although, I must say, I … [Read more...]

Elephant and Piggie Book Activities

I know when I first started teaching, the Elephant and Piggie series didn't exist, but I've been reading the books for so long now, I can't remember my teaching life without them. When my own kids were little, they couldn't get enough of these two unlikely friends. And for well over a decade now, our students are just as in love with these quirky little characters as any kid I've ever … [Read more...]

Word Problems – First Grade Math Support

I remember word problems being hard when I was a kid. For whatever reason, I thought they were a little challenging. I was definitely someone who preferred straight up equations... I'd solve those all day long. But reading about math wasn't something I wanted to do. Reading was for reading, not for math. As I got older, they only got worse. I thought those high school math problems about trains … [Read more...]

Fractions Activities for First Grade

We've loaded up on all sorts of fractions activities this year. It just so happens it's one of our students' favorite math units. Why? Because one of the key concepts is about equal parts. And kids (at least our kids) are obsessed with things being fair. Did everyone get the same amount of time on the swings? Will I get a chance to share my story, too? Is there enough glitter for … [Read more...]

National Grilled Cheese Day

Did you know April 12th is National Grilled Cheese Day? Neither did we, but we do now. For the last few years, we've been in the habit of browsing through the National Day Calendar to see all the quirky days it lists. If you're familiar with the calendar, you know there are a lot of silly, but fun days. Many center around food... jellybeans, pizza, pickles, and so on. This year, we noticed … [Read more...]