Teacher’s Brain

Joyce Lansky TpT Conference and COVID Resources

I attended a Teachers Pay Teachers National Conference in 2018. I was able to meet up with my online friend, Joyce Lansky. To know Joyce is to know joy! She is always smiling and willing to help me learn all about the TpT world. She also loves dogs and a good ghost story too! What is not to love? 🙂 I had a wonderful time being able to get to know her better.

A little over a year later, we both worked on COVID resources for teachers during the pandemic. It was great to be able to bounce ideas off of each other about how to make resources that were digital, and appropriate for different aged students. You can find her Logic Puzzle HERE.

Joyce Lansky

If you are ever wondering if it is worth it to attend the National TpT Conference, I highly recommend it so you can find your “JOY” too!

Joyce Lansky COVID Resources

Top 3 Tips For An Amazing Year in Kindergarten


Are you getting prepped for a brand new year of teaching kindergarten? You’re in the right place! Kindergarten is such a magical time. Students are truly so excited to be coming to school and their little minds are so ready to learn! It’s one of my favorite age groups! If you’re looking for kindergarten activities or even some fun kindergarten worksheets, I have you covered. 

kindergarten activities

But first, you may be wondering, how do you entertain a kindergarten class? 

The key with entertaining your kindergarten students is to make learning fun! Don’t know where to start? Here are three tips for making it happen. 

1. Engaging STEAM Activities:

Incorporate trending STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) activities in your lesson plans. Kids love hands-on experiences, so try out simple science experiments, building challenges, or creative art projects that stimulate their curiosity and imagination. It’s a fantastic way to foster a love for learning and critical thinking skills! 

2. Interactive Learning with EdTech:

Embrace educational technology to make learning interactive and exciting. Use educational apps and interactive whiteboards to engage the little ones and reinforce concepts through gamified learning. Don’t worry; there are plenty of kid-friendly apps and online resources that are both safe and educational! 

3. Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Focus:

A trending approach that has shown fantastic results is focusing on Social-Emotional Learning. Create a warm and caring classroom environment, encourage kindness, empathy, and emotional awareness. Teach mindfulness techniques and help children develop essential social skills. A positive and supportive classroom atmosphere will work wonders for their overall development.

Remember, patience and flexibility are key! Kindergarteners are a bundle of energy and curiosity, so embrace the journey and celebrate their small wins. 

If you’re looking for an all-in-one kindergarten mega resource full of teaching activities for kindergarten that will give you everything you need to start the year off on an amazing foot, you’ll love this Kindergarten Survival Pack bundle! 

I picked 10 of my best resources for getting started back to school in Kindergarten! Some of these I swear, I could not survive without the past couple of years. This will save you time and money!! 

What will YOU get in this Download?

541 PAGES OF MUST HAVES…

YEARLONG Morning Work for Kindergarten with Sight Word Practice

Vocabulary Kindergarten – 3rd YEAR LONG Reading Blocks Program

Kindergarten HOMEWORK for the YEAR

Mini Me OPEN HOUSE CRAFTivity for BOYS and GIRLS

TOOL KIT for the Beginning of the YEAR (name tags, sign in sheets, passes and more)

Word Wall Printables – Laminate and use with Dry Erase Markers

Numbers and Cardinality with Numbers 1-10

Campus SCAVENGER HUNT

The Kissing Hand HOME CONNECTION Project

Rules for the CLASSROOM Posters and Behavior Contract

This bundle really does have it all. Make sure to check it out! 

kindergarten

I hope you have an amazing year with your little learners, and together, let’s make their kindergarten experience a magical one! 😊🌟

Looking for more kindergarten activity ideas, check out my letter work post here! 

5 Back To School Resources That Will Make Your Year Better


It’s almost time to head back to the classroom! 

As we gear up to welcome our new students and reunite with the familiar faces, it’s essential to be equipped with the best resources to make this academic year a smashing success. 

If you’re looking for back to school activities, classroom decoration ideas, classroom management resources, or back to school resources for teachers, you’re in the right place! I’ll be sharing some fantastic back-to-school resources that will help us create engaging lessons, foster a positive classroom environment, and make this school year the best one yet! 🚀

back to school

What do you do to welcome kids back to school? 

It all starts with your classroom! Creating a warm and welcome environment can work wonders when it comes to easing students’ stress and making them feel comfortable. Add colors and even a fun classroom theme to bring life to a cold and bland classroom. 

The next step is implementing a good classroom management system that will make expectations clear, and then you want to have some fun with back to school and get to know you activities! 

Here are 5 back to school resources to get you started!

1. This Boho Rainbow Classroom Decor Bundle is adorable and welcoming!  

back to school classroom decoration ideas

Create an inviting classroom decor with this calming boho Rainbow-themed set! This is a calm theme with editable pages to easily personalize. Use the suggested fonts or create your own.

What is in the download:

  • An Editable Calendar Set
  • Editable Birthday Chart
  • Editable Daily Visual Schedule 
  • Classroom Jobs Set
  • Color Word Posters & Name Tags
  • An Alphabet Line (Print and Cursive)
  • Back to School Welcome Banners, Forms, Posters & Labels for Binders

2. Try out the Desk Pet Pals Classroom Management System

back to school classroom management system

Need a great way to help your class improve daily behavior? I have you covered with this editable Powerpoint and Google Slides! Use these slides to personalize editable text boxes. Use mini erasers or the virtual pets provided to improve student’s behavior.

This resource comes with everything you need to implement this fun and engaging resource including behavior contracts, charts, pet store price list, signs, writing prompts, pet personality posters, and so much more! Just add some pet erasers. 

Try it out free here! 

3. Wondering what’s a good activity for the first lesson? Try out this Back To  School Gingerbread Man Campus Hunt activity! 

back to school Ginger Bread Man Hunt resource

Are you looking for a back-to-school activity to help students learn where different locations are on your school campus? This is a week of lessons integrating reading with a campus hunt for the Gingerbread Man! There is enough to keep your kiddos busy for weeks learning with this fun theme. It is full of extras too! Check it out!

4. Try out this First Day Jitters Glitter Slime Activity to ease the nerves

first day of school activity

Love reading First Day Jitters to your students to help them get rid of their nervousness during the first week of school? The Jitter Glitter Slime included in this week lesson plan is always a huge hit with students! Use this at the beginning of the year to get students excited about science and teach them about inferences!

5. Don’t forget a fun craft! Check out these First Day of School Hat Crafts

back to school craft

Looking for an engaging activity to do with students to celebrate the first day or week of school? Have them create their own first day of school hat to wear while using the provided writing prompt to explain their favorite part of the first day, and give them a certificate!

I hope you and your students love these resources and that you have a marvelous first day of school! 
Want more back to school resources? Check out these beachy classroom decor ideas.

Letter Work Activities for Kindergarten

We all know that teaching letters to our little ones can be an exciting and crucial milestone. If you’re looking for a delightful collection of interactive and engaging letter work activities for kindergarten learners, you’re in the right place! From letter hunts to multi-sensory creations, you’ll love these ways to make letter learning a joyous experience for our little learners.

letter work activities

Here are some letter work activities your students will love:

Letter of the Week

Introduce one letter each week, and make it super exciting! Decorate the classroom with pictures of things that start with that letter, read books featuring the letter, and encourage kids to bring in items from home that begin with the letter of the week.

Multi-Sensory Activities

Engage your kiddos in hands-on activities involving different senses. Use materials like sand or shaving cream for letter writing, have them mold letters out of playdough, or use finger paint to create letter art (more exciting alphabet activities here!)

Letter Hunts

Turn letter recognition into an adventure! Organize letter hunts around the classroom or school. Give them a list of letters to find, and when they spot one, they can call it out with excitement.

Letter Sounds Practice

Once they get a good grasp of individual letter names, introduce letter sounds. You can do this through playful activities like “What Sound Does it Make?” where you show them pictures of objects and ask which letter sound they hear at the beginning.

Letter Writing Practice

Provide them with plenty of opportunities to practice writing the letters. Start with large-sized letters on paper or whiteboards, and as they improve, gradually move to smaller ones.

If you’re looking for a resource that has everything you need to make letter work fun and easy and more, I have you covered!

This Kindergarten Everything Mega Bundle will have you set for the year! 

I have you covered with this huge endless curriculum bundle of bundles with a MASSIVE AMOUNT of materials made with kindergarten in mind! Even assessments  are included.

YEAR-LONG SUBJECTS

  • Guided Reading
  • Monthly Writing Themed Journals
  • Morning Work Journals
  • Kindergarten Math Centers
  • Science
  • Social Studies

Check out the YouTube Tutorial!

Reading Curriculum includes activities, lesson plans and assessments for:

  • Phonics
  • Phonemic awareness
  • Comprehension
  • Vocabulary
  • Fluency

Kindergarten Math Centers includes activities, lesson plans and assessments for:

SCIENCE includes activities, lesson plans and assessments for:

Social Studies includes activities, lesson plans and assessments for:

BONUS – Butterfly Life Cycle Flip Book

Writing Journals Included: (with word banks and rubrics)

BONUS: Silly Story Starters

Kindergarten Morning Work Included: 

August and September Morning Work

October and November Morning Work

December and January Morning Work

February and March Morning Work

April and May Morning Work

When I say this has everything, I mean it! Check it out here! 

I hope you found these tips and resources helpful! Remember to celebrate progress! Be generous with praise and encouragement. Positive reinforcement goes a long way in building kindergarten students confidence and love for learning!