Author: Jessica Boschen

Jessica shares her passion for teaching and education on What I Have Learned. Jessica has 16 years of elementary teaching experience and currently homeschools her two middle school boys. She enjoys scaffolding learning for students, focusing on helping our most challenging learners achieve success in all academic areas.

Early Reading

Heart Word Method: Mapping Sight Words Using the Science of Reading

The heart word method is a research-backed approach to teaching sight words that asks students to analyze each word’s sounds rather than memorize the word as a whole. If you’ve…

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Fall

Books About Apples for Elementary Students: Fiction and Nonfiction

If you’re looking for books about apples to use with your elementary class, this list covers both fiction and nonfiction titles. The fiction section includes picture books, early chapter books,…

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Differentiation

Use Sorting Activities to Build Background Knowledge, Vocabulary, and Higher-order Thinking Skills

Sorting activities can be a great resource in the elementary classroom. They allow students to explore their background knowledge creatively and build upon new ideas and vocabulary words. These activities…

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Early Reading

Syllable Division Rules: How to Divide Words with Examples

When a student hits a long word and stops cold, syllable division is often the missing skill. Breaking multisyllabic words into smaller chunks is one of the most transferable decoding…

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Earth Science

Phases of the Moon Projects for Elementary Students in the Classroom & At Home

Hands-on learning is an integral part of the elementary school curriculum, and what better way to engage students in science than with fun and interactive moon phase projects? Teaching the phases…

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Social Studies

Biography Questions for Students: 40 Research Questions

These biography questions give students a structured way to research a historical figure’s life. They are organized by topic — personal background, achievements, life events, influences, and legacy — so…

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Classroom Management

Classroom Money Reward System: How to Use Classroom Cash for Positive Behavior

A classroom money reward system gives students a visible, tangible goal: earn classroom cash for meeting expectations, save it up, and spend it on prizes or privileges they actually want….

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Earth Science

Volcano Activities for Elementary Students (2nd and 4th Grade NGSS)

This list includes 45 volcano activities for K-5 students, sorted into four types: NGSS-aligned science station lessons, hands-on experiments, research and creative projects, and writing tasks. The activities are designed…

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Writing | Winter

Christmas Writing Prompts for Elementary Students

This post has 68 Christmas writing prompts for K–5 students, organized by writing type: 30 narrative (personal and fictional), 13 informational, and 24 opinion. The genre breakdown makes it easy…

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Seasonal

22 Easy Handmade Crafts for Father’s Day That Elementary Students Can Make in the Classroom

If you’re looking for a fun and creative way to celebrate Father’s Day with your elementary school students, why not have them make some handmade crafts for Father’s Day in…

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Fall | Writing

Thanksgiving Writing Prompts for Elementary Students

This post includes 50 Thanksgiving and November writing prompts for K-5 students: 22 opinion, 15 informational, and 13 narrative—organized by type for easy use in any elementary classroom. The prompts…

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Writing

How to Use Writing Prompts in Your Classroom: 10 Strategies That Work

Writing prompts are one of the most versatile tools in the elementary classroom. The challenge is knowing how to use them well so students grow as writers, not just complete…

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