Andrea Knight

Teacher · Learner · Author

The Anatomy of an Anchor Chart

I get asked about anchor charts all the time. It seems to be a thing a lot of teachers dread making because they think they aren't good at it. But anchor charts are an important part of any classroom. They contain key information about the concept you want children to learn. They represent the learning going on in the classroom and they foster independence, so they need to be posted … [Read more...]

Segmenting & Blending Sounds

These are a few simple ways I try to help my visual and tactile learners practice segmenting the sounds in words.This is especially helpful if their auditory discrimination skills are still developing. This way, they can connect hearing the sounds with something they can also see and feel.   The tool we like best is the one that uses pony beads on a pipe … [Read more...]

Laser Tag in the Classroom

My students really love using these Loco Lasers to play laser tag in the classroom. They're easy. to find in the pet section of most discount stores or pet shops. I found these. at Walmart for only. $3.97 each, which is a lot better than at an office supply store where they can easily cost between 14 and 30 dollars!    I usually use them in a small group setting as a warm-up activity, but I've … [Read more...]

Lap Book Templates for Kids

There's really no middle ground here. You're either a lap-book-loving teacher or you're not. I've heard, "I LOVE them!" and "I HATE them!" but never, "Yeah, they're kind of okay, I guess."😂 Teachers on the thumbs-down-side cringe at the thought of lap books because they seem tedious and labor intensive, like scrapbooking. I totally get the scrapbooking thing... that's way too much work. I have … [Read more...]

5 Anchor Charts to Support Reading Discussions

Anchor charts don't have to be complicated.  As a matter of fact, they shouldn't be... especially for primary children.  I once read that anchor charts should be designed the way advertisers design billboards... simple, clear, and to the point.  A driver needs to be able to look quickly at the sign, see a few key words and images, and understand what the message is about. … [Read more...]