Life Between Summers

Elementary Teaching Blog

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Best Selling Books

Our School is a Family

Our School is a Family

The ultimate read aloud to help strengthen school community.

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Our Class is a Family

Our Class is a Family

The #1 read aloud to help build class community.

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A Letter From Your Teacher: On the First Day of School

A Letter From Your Teacher: On the First Day of School

A picture book to warmly welcome students on the first day of school.

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A Letter From Your Teacher: On the Last Day of School

A Letter From Your Teacher: On the Last Day of School

A picture book to bid students a special farewell on the last day of school.

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Shannon Olsen Book Bundle

Shannon Olsen Book Bundle

Get special savings when you order a copy of all 4 hardcover picture books in one bundle!

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Author Visits

Author Visits

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Best Selling Resources

Book Companions

Extension activities for “Our Class is a Family” and “A Letter from Your Teacher.”

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Jenga Games

Math and Literacy Games for the Classroom

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Guess Who Games

Math Games for the Classroom

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Seasonal Resources

Shades of Meaning Synonym Word Sort and Rainbow Craftivity

Shades of Meaning Synonym Word Sort and Rainbow Craftivity

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Telling Time: SpringTIME flower pot craft & bulletin board letters

Telling Time: SpringTIME flower pot craft & bulletin board letters

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Butterfly Life Cycle Craft Template and Writing Paper

Butterfly Life Cycle Craft Template and Writing Paper

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Spring Activities for Repeated Addition and Multiplication Arrays

Spring Activities for Repeated Addition and Multiplication Arrays

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Life Between Summers

1 week ago

Life Between Summers
Today is the DAY!!! 🎉 Our School is a Family is officially available on Amazon! 👏🏼This new book really builds upon Our Class is a Family- extending classroom community to the wider school community 🏫 It’s a book that can be read to kids by teachers, administrators, school librarians, school counselors, speech pathologists, parents, etc. Essentially, any caring grownup who wants students to feel safe, loved, and supported at school! ❤️I've shared more details about the book (including a video book trailer, extension activities, & where you can order your copy) right here: lifebetweensummers.com/2023/03/20/our-school-is-a-family-a-school-community-book/ ... See MoreSee Less

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Life Between Summers

2 weeks ago

Life Between Summers
Our School is a Family will be available to order on Amazon very soon!! 📖💕 Want to see this brand new book before it’s officially released??You can get the eBook and read it right now! 👏🏼OR just get a little sneaky peek at the first few pages by going to Amazon & clicking where it says “Look Inside” 👀See it here: www.amazon.com/dp/B0BY81F194/ ... See MoreSee Less

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Life Between Summers

3 weeks ago

Life Between Summers
Our Class is a Family bracelets for the end of the year are officially available for preorder!!! 🥳👏🏼The EOY is still quite a ways away, but preordering is open early so that there’s plenty of time to get these handmade for you!These can be given to your students as a special keepsake on the last day of school- especially if you plan on reading aloud “Our Class is a Family” to them that day! 📖 They come fully assembled with the tag, packaging, and beaded bracelets for your specific grade level...nothing you have to take time to put together yourself! 🙌🏼There will only be a limited quantity of these- if you’re interested in reserving a class set of bracelets to be shipped to you by May, it’s recommended to preorder sooner rather than later, just in case. Hope you & your class family love them!! 🥰lifebetweensummers.com/product/our-class-is-a-family-bracelets-farewell-bracelets-for-end-of-the-... ... See MoreSee Less

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Life Between Summers

7 months ago

Life Between Summers
SURPRISE!!! 🎉 Sandie Sonke Illustration & I just finished up the cover for our 4th book together, coming in 2023! 📙🥳In the past, I haven’t shared new book titles/covers until closer to the release date, but this time around I’d like to try and share more with you throughout the actual book-creating journey (sketches, sneak peeks, etc.) so here ya have it! 💞As you probably guessed by the title, this new one will be a follow up to Our Class is a Family! 🥰The premise:Kids have their immediate family that they live with, but extended relatives (grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.) make up a special part of a family too! You can see where this is going- it’s similar at school! Students have their teacher & each other within their classroom walls, but they also have an extended family there to support them ❤️Specifically, all of the amazing people who are a big piece of the heart of a school:Librarians, speech pathologists, school counselors, administrators, custodians, school secretaries, reading specialists, cafeteria workers, and parent volunteers, just to name a few 🏫 And you’ll find them all represented in this new book! 🙌🏼 My hope for “Our School is a Family” is that it will help students feel extra safe, loved, & supported, and encourage kids to form positive relationships with (and show appreciation toward) the helpers at their school!I am so excited to share more about this book with you in the months to come!! 📖 P.S. Speaking of “months,” my very warmest congrats to Sandie, who is Society of Children's Book Writers & IllustratorsIllustrator of the Month! So very well-deserved!!! 🥂💗#ourschoolisafamily #ourclassisafamily #aletterfromyourteacher #shannonolsen #shannonolsenauthor #backtoschoolbooks #teacherreadaloud #schoollibrarian #schoolcounselor #speechpathologist #schoolcommunity ... See MoreSee Less

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Life Between Summers

11 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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  • Are you looking for end of the year activities to do with your elementary students? One of my all time favorite activities to add to my end of the year lesson plans is an end of the year memory book. This year I created a memory book to go with my book Our Class is a Family. In this post, I share my end of the year memory book along with other end of the year activities that go with this best seller. Find all of my Our Class is a Family activities for the end of the year here!
  • Are you looking for some fun Father's Day activities to use with your first and second graders? These sports themed Father’s Day gifts are a major hit with dads! These easy prep Father's day crafts are great for the sports loving day. Student's love this writing activitiy: All About My Dad where they get to talk about their dads favorites. Students also get to make a Father's Day picture frame. This is a great Father's Day idea that's simple and easy to do in any elementary classroom.
  • With the end of the school year just around the corner, have you decided what you are going to give as student gifts? If you are struggling with an idea, check out this post for 5 student gifts from the teacher. All of the student gift ideas are inspired by a picture book, so you can do a classroom read aloud before handing out the end of the year gifts. Your students will love everything from the classroom bracelets to end of the year letters. Don’t miss these end of the year ideas.
  • Are you looking for hands-on geometry activities to spice up your math lessons? These geometry games and activities are a hit for K-3 students. You can use these math activities during math workshop, small groups, and math centers. Help students to learn about 2D shapes and 3D shapes with a shape scavenger hunts. This blog post also includes shape building activities. Geometry Jenga is one of the most engaging and exciting math games for young learners. What geometry activity will you pick?
  • Are you looking for a Father's Day gift idea you can do with your elementary students? This football themed Father's Day book and craft is the perfect student gift for dads. Who doesn't love handmade gifts from their kids?! Students write and illustrate a Father's Day book all about their dads. Students can also make their own football-themed picture frame. This Father's Day craft is low prep and easy to make.
  • This memory book is an end of the year activity that can be used as an extension for the book Our Class is a Family by Shannon Olsen. It’s a fun way for students to reflect on their favorite memories from the year, and they can take it home with them on the last day of school. Incorporate this into your end of year lesson plans. This makes a great end of year gift. Celebrate your strong classroom community one more time with this last day of school activity.
  • Are you looking for end of the year activities to do with your elementary students? One of my all time favorite activities to add to my end of the year lesson plans is an end of the year memory book. This year I created a memory book to go with my book Our Class is a Family. In this post, I share my end of the year memory book along with other end of the year activities that go with this best seller. Find all of my Our Class is a Family activities for the end of the year here!
  • With the end of the school year just around the corner, have you decided what you are going to give as student gifts? If you are struggling with an idea, check out this post for 5 student gifts from the teacher. All of the student gift ideas are inspired by a picture book, so you can do a classroom read aloud before handing out the end of the year gifts. Your students will love everything from the classroom bracelets to end of the year letters. Don’t miss these end of the year ideas.
  • This memory book is an end of the year activity that can be used as an extension for the book Our Class is a Family by Shannon Olsen. It’s a fun way for students to reflect on their favorite memories from the year, and they can take it home with them on the last day of school. Incorporate this into your end of year lesson plans. This makes a great end of year gift. Celebrate your strong classroom community one more time with this last day of school activity.