Student Engagement

Student Relationships and Puppy Love in the Classroom

Ah, young love. There’s something so sweet about the way students start navigating relationships, especially in the sixth grade. It’s a time of major transitions,

6 Fun and Engaging Activities for Teaching Colorado Symbols

I’ve always been fascinated with state symbols! Growing up, I loved discovering there’s a symbol for just about everything. Trees, flowers, birds, you name it.

The Perfect Sub Plans: Everything You Need to Get Prepared

Ah, it’s that time of year when germs seem to be lurking around every corner. One minute, you’re feeling fine. The next, you’re waking up

Vocabulary Strategies for Sixth Grade

Learning and building vocabulary in sixth grade is such a game-changer! At this level, the words get more complex. We’re not just talking about names

Tips and ideas on how to use color in the classroom in multiple ways

How to Effectively Use Color in the Classroom

If you asked my first year teaching self about the impact of color on my students’ learning, I probably would have given you a generic

This round up of fall activates for your classroom includes Halloween and Thanksgiving resources for middle school.

6 Engaging Fall Activities to Use in Your Classroom

As the crisp air starts to settle in and the leaves begin their colorful transformation, it’s the perfect time to embrace fall in our classroom.

This image says, "Teaching Timelines to Explain Colorado State History" and includes a photo of my Colorado Timelines Unit.

Colorado State History: Authentic Learning By Teaching Timelines

Using timelines to explain Colorado state history is a powerful way to help our students connect the dots between events and see the bigger picture.

Teaching Latitude and Longitude with Games

I always get a kick out of teaching latitude and longitude! It feels like we’re embarking on a treasure hunt every time we use coordinates

How to Use Scavenger Hunt Games with Your Middle Schoolers

Teaching older students really inspires me to get creative with my lessons and activities. They’ve been in school long enough to know the usual routines.

9 Engaging Social Studies Activities for Students

Sometimes, I feel like social studies gets an unfair reputation for being boring. So many students think it’s just a class where they’re forced to

Including National Park Research Reports in Your Curriculum

We often find ourselves juggling an array of standards. It can be overwhelming. However, once I started looking at the standards like tools in a

This image says, "Famous People That Made Colorado What it is Today" and includes a photo of an example of a reading passage focused on an important person from Colorado's history.

Famous People Who Made Colorado What It Is Today

Do you ever find yourself wondering how Colorado came to be? Who were the key players? How did they make it all happen? Whenever I