Hi everyone, It happened again... dance-parenting is taking over our lives! We missed last week's email because we were both at a dance competition just minutes away from Disneyland. Unfortunately, we were surrounded by rhinestones, hairspray, and loud music rather than Mickey, the scent of churros, and Pirates of the Caribbean. But hey… it’s all for the kids, right? Here’s what’s happening in our planbook this week on the Top Floor. Wrapping Up the American Revolution We are finishing up our...
8 days ago • 2 min read
Hey friends, First, a quick apology for missing last weekend’s email. We were fully immersed in dance parent life and, if you know… you know. Sometimes it feels like we are juggling teaching, creating, and parenting all at once. Last weekend, dance won. Now, back to our planbook! Women's History Month! March means Women’s History Month, and we keep this one intentionally low prep. This doesn’t have to be a big, time-consuming unit to make an impact. We just share one or two biographies a day...
22 days ago • 2 min read
Hi friends, It’s a short week thanks to the Presidents Day holiday, which means no school Monday in our district. Short weeks always seem to fly by, but there is still a lot of meaningful learning packed into the days ahead. Winter sports have taken over our classroom ❄️ We are continuing to read about different winter sports during our language arts block. The excitement and drama of the games have completely hooked us, and our students are just as invested. We try to time our lessons so...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Hi friends, This week on the Top Floor, we’re diving into one of our favorite classroom traditions—Winter Sports! We absolutely love doing this unit every four years, and the excitement from students never gets old. Kicking Off Winter Sports We’re launching our Winter Sports unit by reading informational passages about different winter sports, which we typically assign using Google Slides for easy access and discussion. As time allows, we’ll also be incorporating hands-on STEM challenges...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Hi friends, We're back with another peek into what’s actually happening on the Top Floor! This week is a fun mix of new learning, real-world connections, and one very real teacher task we all know is coming… report cards. Starting a New Novel StudyWe’re kicking off a new novel study with My Brother Sam Is Dead by Christopher Collier and James Lincoln Collier. The timing couldn’t be better. It pairs perfectly with where we are in social studies as we dig into the American Revolution. We love...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hi there! Another week, another peek into what’s actually happening in our classrooms. We’re right in the middle of some heavy-lifting standards right now, so this week is all about checking for understanding, tightening up instruction, and giving students tools to work more independently. Here’s what we’re using this week on the Top Floor 👇 Wrapping Up Survival + Pretesting Our Next Reading FocusWe’re finishing up our survival unit in our district reading curriculum, but we’re already...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Hi friends, We’re back for week two of sharing what’s actually in our planbooks, so you can plan right along with us on the top floor. This week is a little shorter thanks to MLK Day, but it’s still packed with some really meaningful learning. Martin Luther King Jr. WeekTo introduce Dr. King, we use the Freedom’s Ring website from Stanford to show students his “I Have a Dream” speech. It is such a powerful resource—videos, background information, and so many things for students to explore and...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Since it’s a new year, we’re starting something new. Each week, we’ll share what we’re actually using in our own classrooms so you can plan right along with us on the Top Floor. Many of you have already been back for a bit. We had three weeks off for winter break (yes, we know 😅), so this is our first week back, and here’s what we’re using. And yes... there’s a freebie at the end. 1. New Year Decimals Countdown (Free for Subscribers!)We’re kicking things off with a 10-page decimals challenge...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Happy New Year! We hope you had a restful and joyful winter break. As you prepare to welcome your students back to the classroom, we’re excited to share some activities designed to make the transition fun, engaging, and meaningful! Make sure to read until the end for a fun little freebie! 1. Kick off the new year by helping your students reconnect with a Find Someone Who activity and Winter Break Superlatives! These activities are sure to get your kids laughing and bonding as they nominate...
3 months ago • 1 min read