3rd Grade ELA - Morning Work

When I was still teaching, I would constantly search for the perfect morning work. I love having a consistent routine that helps kids get in the right headspace for work, but is still rigorous and meaningful. I wanted something that touched multiple areas within ELA- fluency, comprehension, language, and writing. I wanted something low-prep and brief. Being a third grade teacher, I really wanted to prepare my first-time test-takers with test-style questions. I never found what I was looking for so... I made it! 

My ELA Morning Work for 3rd Grade is exactly what your students need to learn and review both reading and language standards. Each day comes with a reading and language question over the weekly text. Did you know that rereading the same text can improve fluency? Students use the same text for four days. There is also a writing prompt each day (except for Tuesdays and Thursdays when students are asked to edit their writing from the previous day). Fridays are for assessing the standards on that week's morning work. Check out the full product on my TPT store here.

Right now only Quarter 1 is available. But stay tuned for quarters 2, 3, and 4! 

Hope you and your students can benefit from this resource! Happy Teaching :)

Back to School Questionnaire

Building relationships is the single most important thing about teaching. It can take several months to get to know your students. This student questionnaire helps you learn more about them and use as conversation pieces in building your relationship with them. Plus, who doesn't love to talk about themselves? Most kids want to share details about their lives. This gives them that opportunity. You could even use it for a game to help students form new friendships. 

The parent questionnaire is a bonus! You have to make those connections with parents right away. They love bragging on their kids. They love it even more when you acknowledge that they know their babies better than anyone else does. Ask parents to fill this paper out on Back to School Night. It is a great way to get insight on your students from a special perspective!

Like what you see? Follow me on TPT for more! Check out my Pinterest and Instagram for more ideas. Click here for this specific product.

Happy Teaching!

Fast, Easy, and Low Prep Social Studies Lessons

Howdy!

So today, we're talking about social studies. Specifically, the way nobody teaches it 🥴 Like that cannot be okay, you guys lol. In our state, testing is heavily focused on ELA and math. Science is important but not the same way math and ELA are. And social studies? It hasn't been tested for years so many teachers have stopped teaching it altogether or gotten extremely lax. 

I get it, test scores matter for us way more than they should so we have to prioritize our time. I'm not judging! I've been there. But I also really see the value in a quality education that includes all subjects. I have created Social Studies lessons that follow the 3rd grade standards. These lessons are low prep and quick. I am in TN, so they follow TN standards pretty closely but are definitely usable in other states. I tried to avoid making them too specific to my state alone. 

The first product I want to share is my maps and globes lesson. These babies do not know where they are from, y'all! They can't pinpoint their state on a map to save their sweet lives. This lesson hits standard 3.1- Analyze maps and globes. It comes with a vocabulary list, printable notes page, Google Slides lesson, and final assessment.

As we start school soon, be intentional about adding in social studies. They need those skills- tested or not. Use my fast lessons to hit and assess the standards without pulling tons of time away from your other core subjects.

Get it here!

Hi, I'm Natalie!

Every good blog starts off with an introduction post, right? My name is Natalie Anderson. I am a full-time TPT author and education blogger. But before we jump into that, let's talk about how I got here.

Being a teacher was my dream job, y'all. I loved my education classes during undergrad. The thought that one day I would have a classroom of my very own and my own set of kids... it was truly a dream. I pursued my M.Ed. thinking I would be a teacher forever.

I started my teaching career in a small town about an hour away from where I lived. It was a Title I school in the middle of nowhere. I loved that school. My team quickly became like family. I didn't realize it at the time, but I am one blessed teacher to have found a team that supports each other the way we did. That doesn't come by often! I taught at that school for four years before welcoming my little girl, Olivia. The drive was too much, so I decided to find a school more local.

My county was opening a brand new school, and I was lucky enough to be hired! If you have ever been a part of opening a new school, you know how incredibly exhausting it can be. This school was so different from what I was used to. The kids were very well-off financially, the parents were super involved... it was a whole new world! 

I taught third grade for five years. I was self-contained for my first four years and departmentalized (ELA) for my final year. Test-prep and room transformations are my jam! 

As you know, being a teacher is not for the weak. It is extremely demanding. My husband and I decided it was best for our family if I stepped away from the classroom. This allows me to be a stay at home mama, while pumping out content for my TPT store! I am so thankful for my five-year career as a teacher, but I'm very excited for a new journey. And I'm happy to have you along for the ride! 

Every like, follow, or purchase helps me pursue my dream of staying home with my daughter while still impacting the education world. Stay up-to-date on my TPT products by following my TPT store here, my Pinterest here, and my Instagram here.

I am so excited to share these products, tips, and stay-at-home-educator moments with you!