Jumbled Up Sentences - An Easy Way to Help Beginning Writers

Discover how jumbled up sentences can enhance literacy instruction in kindergarten or grade one classrooms. This evidence-based activity boosts sentence structure and enriches writing skills in a fun and productive way!

Explicit TeachingJanelle McArdle23 October 2023jumbled up sentences, beginning writers, early literacy, reading, writing, kindergarten, grade 1, first gradeComment

The Orientation Schema

In this blog post, you will learn all about the orientation schema and why it needs to be supported in your classroom. You’ll also discover several hands-on playful activities that will help you to support this interesting play schema.

InvestigationsJanelle McArdle16 November 2022play schema, orientation schema, kindergarten, prep, preschool, first grade, grade 1, early years, early childhood, child development, play based learning, play based classroom, play based Comment

How to Write Open Ended Math Questions

If you are wondering how to write open-ended math questions so you can improve your math instruction, this blog post is for you. Discover everything you need to know before you even start writing and then follow my 3 easy steps on how to write the best open-ended math problems.

Explicit TeachingJanelle McArdle31 October 2022maths, open ended, open-ended math questions, open ended questions, kindergarten, grade 1, first grade, early years math, teaching math, math problems, problem solving, teachingComment

The Transforming Schema

The transforming schema is all about change and how things transform in substance or appearance. If you have children in your classroom mixing sand with water or drawing and painting on their bodies, you might have children developing their transformation schema. This blog post will explain exactly what this play schema is and give you a heap of playful hands-on activities to support it.

InvestigationsJanelle McArdle17 October 2022play schema, play based learning, play based classroom, developmental play, child development, transforming schema, schema play, kindergarten, grade one, grade 1, preschool, hands-on learning, investigative playComment

Easter Writing Prompts

Grab yourself some fun Easter writing prompts and a heap of Easter writing activities and ideas in this blog post. You will be able to keep your students engaged and writing all the way up until the Easter break.

Explicit Teaching, InvestigationsJanelle McArdle22 March 2022writing, easter, kindergarten, grade 1, first grade, literacy, investigations, early years, primary school, elementary, writing promptsComment

Classroom Mindful Monday

Mindful Monday is a great way to start the school week. If you are looking for a way to bring some mindfulness into your classroom, you are going to love this Mindful Monday activity.

Social and EmotionalJanelle McArdle7 March 2022social and emotional, mindfulness, social skills, mindful classroom, mindful kids, kindergarten, prep, preschool, early childhood, classroom, grade 1, grade one, first gradeComment

Counting the Days of School

If you are not already counting the days of school, I encourage you to do it!!. This fun math activity is popular in kindergarten and grade 1 because it is such an engaging way to teach and consolidate early number concepts. Your students will love this predictable daily counting practice and you will be surprised at how many early numeracy skills and concepts can be taught when you count and celebrate 100 days of school.

Explicit TeachingJanelle McArdle17 January 2022100 days, counting, numbers, early years, kindergarten, grade 1, grade one, maths, counting the days, math activities, early numeracyComment

Teaching Rhyming Words

If you are wondering why you need to be teaching rhyming words in Preschool or Kindergarten and how to effectively teach the skill of rhyming to your students, this blog post is for you.

Explicit TeachingJanelle McArdle8 November 2021rhyme, rhyming words, word families, literacy, kindergarten, preschool, grade 1, hands-on learning, teachingComment

Reggio Math Provocations

Discover what Reggio math provocations are and how to plan and set up inviting Reggio inspired math provocations in your kindergarten or preschool classroom. You will have your children engaged with hands-on learning in no time.

Investigations, Classroom EnvironmentJanelle McArdle4 October 2021maths, reggio inspired, reggio, math provocations, reggio math, kindergarten, preschool, first grade, grade 1, hands-on learning, play based learning, playbased, loose parts Comment

Environment as the Third Teacher

Are you interested in transforming your learning environment into the third teacher? Read this blog post for tips and ideas on how you can get the third teacher working for you.

Easter Math Ideas For Play Based Learning

Easter math activities to keep your kids on task and learning right up until the school Easter break. These investigation area ideas and engaging Easter activities are easy to prep and easy to set up.

They will have your kindergarten students developing and consolidating their early years math skills through engaging hands-on Easter activities.

InvestigationsJanelle McArdle27 March 2021easter, investigations, maths, playbased, play based, provocations, hands-on, kindergarten, preschool, prep, grade 1Comment

Blog - Life in a Play Based Classroom

I’m Janelle and I’m here to help you implement an engaging, play based curriculum

that STILL has your children meeting academic standards and benchmarks!