Hey there!

❄️ As I sit by the fire tonight and cross my fingers for one last snow day tomorrow (can you believe it!? On May 6th!?), I have a little bit of evening food for thought for you tonight!

I'm in the trenches with you. I get it. The kids are checked out (and maybe we're checked out just a little bit, too). It's super tempting to just let it go for the next few weeks. But if I can offer you one piece of advice...

Now isn't the time to let things get loosey-goosey.
....because I know from firsthand experience that's when things fall apart. 😬

Here are three literacy routines that students will actually be into these last few weeks of school.

⭐ Morphology Minutes

• The Quick Win: It’s one of the few things you can do right now that still feels academic—but requires almost no prep and keeps everyone on track. The format is super novel, so kids love it, too. ​
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• My Recommendations: Do a quick pre-teach with Using Pictures to Teach Morphology and then let students bring in their own pictures to write morphemic stories with! This time of year, I suggest doing Morphology Minutes whole class by projecting the slides up on the board (because we're all out of copies too, right?) and having students write their answers on whiteboard. I don't know what it is, but there's something about writing on white boards that students just love. Have them build word sums on their boards and stand up (and do a silent hokey pokey) to signal they are done. Lots of movement and a fun task like this are perfect for these final days!

⭐ Podcasts for Listening Comprehension

• The Immediate Win: Quiet in the classroom because headphones are on and students are totally engaged in what they're listening to and following along with. 🙌 Plus, listening comprehension is a VASTLY under-taught skill.
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• My Recommendation: I'd pull out a combo of Dear Danielle and Sports Shorts for this time of year. Both appeal to the masses!

⭐ Oral Reading Fluency Poems & Reader's Theatre

• The Immediate Win: They get to talk. A lot. And if you choose wisely, they get to be a little bit dramatic, too! Wins all around. I pencil this in for at least half an hour a day those last couple weeks. ​
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• My Recommendations: Let students choose if they want to be part of a Reader's Theatre group presentation or do an individual poem (like these figurative language poems) on their own.
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• Super short on time? Print (or project) these rhyme time story snippets and have students do an "improv" reading of each one.

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Have a great evening and send us here in Colorado all your best snow day vibes!

Mary