Life Between Summers

Elementary Teaching Blog

Let's Stay in Touch

Shop

So happy you’re here! Thanks for visiting my shop!

Best Selling Books

Our Class is a Family

Our Class is a Family

The ultimate read aloud to help build class community.

Shop now

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.

Shop now

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.

Shop now

Virtual Author Visits

Virtual Author Visits

Shop now

Best Selling Resources

Book Companions

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

Shop now

Jenga Games

Math and Literacy Games for the Classroom

Shop now

Guess Who Games

Math Games for the Classroom

Shop now

Seasonal Resources

Disguise a Turkey Opinion Writing & Thanksgiving Craft EDITABLE & DIGITAL

Disguise a Turkey Opinion Writing & Thanksgiving Craft EDITABLE & DIGITAL

Shop now

Thankful Journal November Writing Prompts for Thanksgiving

Thankful Journal November Writing Prompts for Thanksgiving

Shop now

Shades of Meaning Fall Writing Craft and Synonym Word Sort

Shades of Meaning Fall Writing Craft and Synonym Word Sort

Shop now

“The Farmer in the Dell” for Parts of Speech: Adjectives, Nouns, Verbs, Adverbs

Shop now

Latest on Instagram

Latest on Facebook

Life Between Summers

3 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

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Life Between Summers

7 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

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Life Between Summers with Lakeshore Learning.

1 years 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

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

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

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Latest on Pinterest

  • Are you looking for Valentine’s Day activities that are fun and engaging and also promote friendship? This blog talks about my friendship book I created for elementary teachers to use as a Valentine’s Day party activity. This Valentine’s Day writing activity helps build a classroom community. Students get to work on adjectives, asking questions, and writing sentences. This is also a great coloring activity. Use this friendship book during centers or for morning work.
  • Teach Close Reading, Opinion Writing, & Social Studies all in one with this American Heroes topic. This download comes with 5 reading passages that can be used for Close Reading with President’s day, Black History month or any time of year. You will get an opinion writing prompt along with writing paper that can then be turned into your February bulletin board. This writing activity is perfect for writer’s workshop as well as readers workshop for working on reading comprehension skills.
  • Are you looking for some hands-on counting money games and activities for your elementary students? Today, I am sharing some of my favorite counting money activities that are perfect for math workshop, math centers, or early finishers. These math games can be played with a partner or in small groups. You can also use them for guided math groups. Work on money skills for kids with these math activities today!
  • Are you looking for grammar crafts and grammar activities you can use all year long? In this post, I am sharing my favorite language arts activities for elementary students you can use for every season. Find parts of speech activities, a multiple meaning words Halloween craft as well as a snowman craft for working on compound sentences. There is also a spring craft for working on plural nouns as well as a summer craft for compound words. Find a homophones craft too!
  • Reviewing classroom management strategies after a long break is so important. Today, I am sharing my top classroom management tips and classroom management tools that will help get you to the end of the school year. It is important to review classroom rules, routines, and procedures like no name papers secret walkers. You also want to do activities that help build classroom community. This will really help with behavior management. Learn more today!
  • This resource can be used in a number of ways in any reading or writing lesson about Martin Luther King Jr. The download contains a close reading passage about Martin Luther King’s life , short answer comprehension questions, and stationery perfect for any MLK writing assignment. This close reading comprehension passage is perfect for reader’s workshop or writer’s workshop. You can also use this Martin Luther King Jr. activity for morning work or early finishers.
  • Are you looking for a fun Rosa Parks activity to help celebrate Black History Month or Women’s History Month? This close reading passage & Rosa Parks writing craft is perfect for you first, second, or third graders. Students will do a close reading of the passage where they can annotate the text to help them identify the main idea and details. Students get to work on comprehension skills but also get to do a fun Rosa Parks craft at the same time. You can incorporate this into reader’s worksh
  • Looking for Valentine’s cards for parents? In this blog, I am sharing a Valentine’s card craft that is a favorite among elementary students and their parents. This Valentine’s Day craft also helps students with letter writing. Students get to write a Valentine’s note to their parents with the Valentine’s Day writing paper. This writing activity and hands-on craft is perfect for centers or morning work. Great for you Valentine's Day party!
  • Do you have beginning writers or reluctant writers in your elementary classroom? I came up with a fun and motivating way to teach the writing process which includes using a baseball theme. This writing activity can be taught during your writing mini lessons and use throughout your writing workshop all year long. I have writing posters brainstorming writing ideas, editing and revising, writing conferences and more. Students get to use a writing checklist as they write.