Andrea Knight

Teacher · Learner · Author

Jokes about Turkeys – Just for Kids

Who doesn't love a few fun jokes about turkeys this time of year? Ok... you and I maybe, but kids don't really get tired of silly jokes. As far as they're concerned, the cornier the better. I figure if I'm going to hear them anyway, I might as well print them so they can read them. Jokes require a definite sense of timing, expression, and smoothness for the perfect delivery, so they're just … [Read more...]

Balloons Over Broadway – Activities for Kids

Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet is one of our favorite picture books about the Thanksgiving season. It tells the true story of Tony Sarg, the original puppeteer behind the iconic Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons. The book is beautifully illustrated and rich with information about the world-famous parade and how it has evolved over time. Easily a 5-star book in my … [Read more...]

Vocabulary Activities and Games for Kids

Vocabulary activities are an important part of literacy planning. Because they play a fundamental role in reading comprehension, planning kid-friendly lessons is essential. Children learn the meanings of most words indirectly, usually through everyday experiences with spoken language. However, other words are learned through careful instruction. So what does that look like? WAYS TO DEVELOP WORD … [Read more...]

Comprehension Strategies in Reading

No matter which side of the literacy debate you're on, teaching comprehension strategies is obviously key. I think everyone can agree on that. If children don't understand the words they're reading, what's the point? I can't recall where I first read this, but I say it all the time: Reading is an action sport. I think, at the very least, we should help children fall in love with books. Once … [Read more...]

Classroom Posters That Develop Positive Behaviors

What do readers do? Or writers? How about scientists, musicians, and athletes? What does it look like to be an active listener? And what does it mean to be a good friend? The first week of school is right around the corner and these are some of the questions I know we'll talk about as we work on building our culture. These classroom posters have been in my back to school toolbox for years and I … [Read more...]