Let’s face it, at this time of year, we all feel like the owl on the right. Keeping students engaged at the end of the […]
By popular demand, we’ve bundled all of our strategy resources into 2 different Site License options to give you the best possible deal! The Astute Hoot Reading Site License contains over 20 complete decoding and comprehension units and the Astute Hoot […]
Teaching opinion and persuasive writing can be difficult, but not any more. Here are 3 secrets for delivering engaging, differentiated writing instruction from our latest strategy-based resource, Cats vs Dogs: A Common Core Research Opinion Writing Unit. Plus, it’s on […]
Retelling is the process in which a child reads or listens to a story and then summarizes it in his own words including the beginning, middle and ending. Retelling helps students develop a sense of story structure and become more […]
“Hello, Ramona the Rereading Raccoon is my name. Using context clues is my favorite game. As you read, ask yourself: Does it look right, does it sound right, and does it make sense? I guarantee my strategy will make you […]
Students love Dr. Seuss books because of their engaging, rhymed text, memorable characters, and whimsical illustrations. But, Dr. Seuss books are so much more. They are the ideal tool for teaching central message because each one focuses on a specific theme or life lesson. Plus, the […]
Read Across America is around the corner–celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday with these fun, no-prep activities: 1. Cat in the Hat Kabob: Download this FREE recipe to make these adorable Cat in the Hat kabobs, a perfect activity to incorporate during […]
Since it was President’s Day on Monday and we are reading and writing biographies, my class studied the life of Barack Obama this week. They loved learning about his childhood, interests, schooling and more. This study prompted them to ask […]
Mathematical understanding means that students understand the story problem and follow the problem-solving steps. Understanding story problems can be very challenging because it requires multi-step, higher-level thinking processes. Students are required to process several pieces of information before starting any […]
The Science Fair usually brings a mix of emotions. Students love the hands-on learning but for teachers, the Science Fair can be nightmare. What project(s) should the class do? How can I organize students’ work samples? How do I involve parents? Use […]
Use code Start16 to enjoy up to 28% off all Astute Hoot products January 20-21st on www.teacherspayteachers.com. This Fresh Start sale is the perfect time to purchase our top-selling bundles such as our Reading Intervention Essentials Bundle, Math Intervention Problem-Solving […]
Problem-solving plays an important role in my daily math instruction. Students use pre-made journals to help them complete the problem-solving steps, solve the problem in 2 ways, explain their thinking and rate themselves on a learning scale. These journals track […]
Christmas is right around the corner and as veteran teachers, we know these next few weeks can be extremely busy and exhausting. We are here to help! We’ve created FREE, NO PREP Christmas reading and math activities to keep your students engaged […]
Authors use many different types of characters to tell a story. Characters help us feel like we are a part of the story and give us an opportunity to see into their hearts and examine their motivations. Since characters play such […]
“I’m Chloe the Connecting Coyote, and I make connections. Connections help you understand your reading selections. Link the story to your life or what you’ve read in a book. These text connections are guaranteed to get you hooked.” Chloe the […]
“My name is Dexter the Detecting Deer. Now let me tell you why I’m here. I’ll help you look for picture clues, So you don’t get the reading blues. Look at the pictures to figure out What the words are […]
“Welcome, I’m Peter the Predicting Possum. Making guesses while you read is…oh…so awesome! Use picture and word clues to guess what will happen next. Then read on to find the outcome in the text.” Peter the Predicting Possum is one our […]
Panic, paranoia, shutting down, frustration, and lack of confidence are all symptoms of math anxiety. Math anxiety has been defined as feelings of tension and anxiety that interfere with the manipulation of numbers and the solving of mathematical problems in […]
“I’m Vern the Visualizing Vulture; use me like a TV. Events, characters, and settings are what I help you see. If you picture these in your mind like your favorite movie, Then understanding what you read will be so groovy!” […]
“Hey, I’m Quinn the Questioning Quail; use me when you read. Questions are the way to get the information you need. Good readers ask questions to help them understand; They read the text to find the answers—that’s a smart plan.” […]
Flash FREEBIE Friday: Beginning of the School Year Ice Breakers and Community Building Activities You know the horrible feeling when you walk into a room and you don’t recognize a single soul? Even worse, everyone else already knows […]
You know the horrible feeling when you walk into a room and you don’t recognize a single soul? Even worse, everyone else already knows each other, happily mingling together. Most adults shudder at the thought, yet as teachers, we fail […]
“Hi, I’m Paco the Pointing Porcupine. Point with me as you read each line. I’m here to help you to keep your place And remind you that reading is not a race.” Paco the Pointing Porcupine is one our decoding […]
Looking for an engaging last day of school project? Use our Last Day of School Blues FREE Activity to […]
Students are more successful when they monitor and reflect upon their thinking and learning. Cultivate a classroom of self-reflective learners using these concrete strategies from our recent blog post at Really Good Stuff.
