Life Between Summers

Elementary Teaching Blog

FREE bookmarks to go with
Our Class is a FamilyGET YOUR FREEBIE
FREE bookmarks to go with
Our Class is a FamilyGET YOUR FREEBIE

FREE bookmarks to go with
Our Class is a Family GET YOUR FREEBIE

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Meet Shannon

picture of Shannon
Thanks for stopping by! I've taught second grade for 15 years and am a mom of 2 girls (so I'm tired and happy)! I am passionate about creating helpful resources for elementary teachers, and writing picture books for the classroom. When I'm not doing the work that I love, I enjoy spending time with my family, laughing with friends, and having travel adventures. Hope you enjoy taking a look around!

A Letter From Your Teacher

New picture book for the end of the school year! Here’s what teachers are saying about it:

“Exactly what I have been looking for to end the school year in a positive way with my class.”
“This book gives me all the feels. This will make such a special life long gift to each student that becomes part of your heart and family.” 
“Beautiful. So many colors and a representation of all students and abilities.”
“I am excited to share this book with my students for many years to come.”

It’s now available on Amazon, or at discounted pricing when ordering direct.

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Our Class is a Family

Have you picked up a copy of “Our Class is a Family” for your classroom library yet? Here’s what teachers are saying about the book:

“This book is PERFECT for building classroom community. 10/10 recommend!”
“This will definitely be a staple in my beginning and end of the year read alouds.”
“A MUST-HAVE for every classroom!”
“The beautiful illustrations show a diverse set of children.”
“EVERY TEACHER NEEDS THIS BOOK!”

You can get the best deal on paperbacks and hardcovers (plus extra savings on bulk orders) by ordering here directly on my website.

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Virtual Author Visits

I’d absolutely love to meet with you and your students to talk all about class community, as well as the writing and publishing process for Our Class is a Family and A Letter From Your Teacher.

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Life Between Summers

2 months ago

Life Between Summers
New book companion to go with Our Class is a Family! Class Family Memory Books for the end of the school year 📖💕This is a nice & simple writing activity for students to work on during those final weeks/days leading up to summer break 👌🏼 It’s a meaningful way to reflect on all their memories from the year, and they can take it home as a special keepsake on the last day of school! If you’re thinking you might want these memory books for your students, the timing couldn’t be better because they’re 25% off today & tomorrow (along with all other resources in my TPT store!) with the code THANKYOU22 💛 This comes available on its own, or in a discounted bundle with more extension activities for all 3 of my books 📚 I will share the link in the comments! 💕 ... See MoreSee Less

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Life Between Summers with Lakeshore Learning.

10 months ago

Life Between Summers
Check out these top 5 favorites from Lakeshore Learning! They are having their biggest sale of the year for back to school. Use the coupon code 6392 for 20% off any non-sale item! bit.ly/2Usm24T Coupon valid ‪through 8/31/2021 for one-time use in stores or online. Limit one coupon per customer. Not valid on items with shipping restrictions. Other exclusions may apply. Visit bit.ly/3bbUXIj for details. #LearnwithLakeshore #ad #sponsored ... See MoreSee Less

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Life Between Summers

1 years ago

Life Between Summers
Standard Form, Expanded Form, Word Form. Maybe not the most exciting math concept to teach, but definitely an important one…so why not make it fun and engaging?? 😄Guess Who math games encourage higher level thinking/reasoning and using math vocabulary verbally. They’re an instant favorite for math centers and early finishers!Find this game and others at bit.ly/guesswhomathgames ... See MoreSee Less

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  • After reading aloud the book Our Class is a Family, these bookmarks make for great back to school or end of the year gifts for your students! This Our Class is a Family bookmark will be a great reminder to your students about the importance of having a strong classroom community. These are great for back to school and can be used during readers workshop or literacy time. Students can keep them right in their book box all year long.
  • This back to school activity is a must for your first week lesson plans. This is not only a reading comprehension activity but a great first week writing activity for your elementary students. You will find different versions of this beginning of the year activity. You can use this with more advanced writers or beginning writers in kindergarten and first grade. Use this book companion for A Letter From Your Teacher: On The First Day of School by Shannon Olsen to build a classroom community.
  • Anchor charts! As teachers, we all use them but are you making the most of them. Today, I am sharing my top anchor chart ideas, tips, and hacks. Learn my top anchor chart storage ideas along with how to make interactive anchor charts. I also share the difference between anchor charts and classroom posters. Learn my top anchor chart design tips as well. Anchor charts are great for classroom management and so much more! Learn anchor chart tips now!
  • This addition and subtraction math game is perfect for kindergarten math centers, math workshop, and guided math. Students representing addition and subtraction using objects. This addition and subtraction activity is also great for morning work or early finishers. Use this kindergarten math activity in your classroom today to help students with problem solving addition and subtraction problems.
  • This addition and subtraction within 5 math game is perfect for kindergarten math centers, math workshop, and guided math. Students practice adding and subtracting within 5 in partners or small groups. This addition and subtraction activity is also great for morning work or early finishers. Use this kindergarten math activity in your classroom today!
  • This addition and subtraction math game is perfect for kindergarten math centers, math workshop, and guided math. Students representing addition and subtraction using objects. This addition and subtraction activity is also great for morning work or early finishers. Use this kindergarten math activity in your classroom today to help students with problem solving addition and subtraction problems.
  • Homophones can be super tricky for students but I’ve got you covered with tons of homophone activities and homophone anchor charts. In this blog post, I share how to teach homophones and highlight several different homophone activities you can use during literacy centers and readers workshop.You will find literacy center games and write the room activities using a homophones word list. These grammar activities will really help students to understand the different meanings between multiple words.
  • After reading aloud the book Our Class is a Family, these bookmarks make for great back to school or end of the year gifts for your students! This Our Class is a Family bookmark will be a great reminder to your students about the importance of having a strong classroom community. These are great for back to school and can be used during readers workshop or literacy time. Students can keep them right in their book box all year long.
  • Anchor charts! As teachers, we all use them but are you making the most of them. Today, I am sharing my top anchor chart ideas, tips, and hacks. Learn my top anchor chart storage ideas along with how to make interactive anchor charts. I also share the difference between anchor charts and classroom posters. Learn my top anchor chart design tips as well. Anchor charts are great for classroom management and so much more! Learn anchor chart tips now!