Lesson Planning Help for Upper Elementary ELA Teachers
Learn how to make lesson planning easier, create a year-long plan, develop cohesive units, plan teaching and student routines, set a work schedule - all while saving you hours of time.
Planned Just So™
Learn a simplified lesson planning process that increases rigor and saves you time.
Go from feeling stuck and overwhelmed to feeling empowered and in control as you learn the systematic process of creating lesson plans that increase rigor for your students and free time for yourself.
Looking for quick help with planning?
Learn the basics of lesson planning including how to create a year-long plan, the backward approach, aligned assessments, thematic units, and engaging learning plans.
Need help planning during holiday or seasonal changes?
Do you stress over planning for schedule changes? Discover ways to keep your plans on track no matter the time of year.
It’s simply not possible to truly affect change without being consistent. Consistency is just as important when it comes to planning. If you want to lessen your stress, improve the effectiveness of your lessons, and help your students meet standards and goals, consistent planning is a must.
Here are 24 self care resources that include tips for getting started with self care, self care strategies for the classroom, and mindfulness books for teachers.
With the start of the school year, it’s difficult to let go of the carefree days of summer for the busyness that going back to school brings. While finding a balance between work and life is difficult for many, it’s particularly difficult for teachers, whose work is not over when the final bell rings. Here are just a few tips to begin mastering home and school life balance.
Taking time to protect your own well-being benefits not only you, but everyone around you. That includes your students. This year, make it a goal to prioritize self care. Here are seven simple ways to get started.
There is a better way to lesson planning. A way that streamlines the process, saves you time, while also boosting rigor. I’m talking about planning backward. This idea might be new to you. If it is, I ask you to keep an open mind, continue reading, and trust me.
Taking time to rest and recharge is so important. I hope you’ve taken that time for yourself during these summer months. Giving yourself time and space to process and reflect on this past school year - as well as time to think about anything but teaching - is essential to your well-being as a teacher. But… there is another gift you need to give yourself during this time away from the classroom - the gift of a smooth start.
Every teacher wants to start the school year feeling prepared, organized, and in control. And that means setting up systems at the beginning of the year so the rest of the year runs smoothly. Today, we’re talking about three systems to put in place now to help start your school year off on the path to success.
One of the best pieces of advice I could give to any teacher is to establish (and stick to) daily classroom routines at the very beginning of the year. Not only will creating routines help you manage all there is to accomplish in the classroom every day, but it also provides much needed structure for your students. Consistent routines are one of the best strategies for avoiding behavior management issues as well. Let me share with you a few tips on how classroom routines benefit you, the best places to have routines, and advice for sticking to them.
Spontaneity can be fun when you’re planning a last minute trip or deciding what to have for dinner. However, it’s not a recipe for success when we’re talking about lesson planning. Planning without having a system in place leads to so much time wasted searching for activities and resources that might fit with what your students need to learn.
There is a better way.
To make lesson planning less time-consuming, less stressful, and infinitely more effective, you need a system. It starts with saying no to planning “Pinterest-style.”
Over the past several years, I’ve talked to hundreds of teachers about lesson planning. We all have to do it and yet so many of us never quite find a way to make the process streamlined or easy. With something so foundational to our work as teachers, establishing a successful routine for lesson planning is paramount to simplifying our jobs as a whole.
The act of lesson planning will never go away - it’s something you’ll always have to do as a teacher. So why not incorporate a few changes now that will streamline the process and save you hours of time later? With these three tips, you can easily cut your planning time in half.
Lesson planning doesn’t need to be a chore. Establishing routines and using a planning approach can go a long way to simplifying your lesson planning process. Here are four simple steps that streamlined my lesson planning process and saved me hours of time.
Planning backward will change what and how you teach. Radically. It will challenge you. It might even frustrate you at first. It will also result in instruction that is cohesive, aligned, and meaningful.
When I started planning backward, using the Understanding by Design® method it transformed my teaching. My lesson planning process and the quality of my instruction as a whole changed dramatically. For the better.
If you’re like me, you love using the “classic” paper and pencil work in the classroom. I don’t mean worksheets, per se, but having students write on paper for assignments. I like digital materials too, but for me I have always liked having students work on paper.
Unfortunately, the pandemic and our new world of virtual teaching has made that nearly impossible. Now, everything is digital, from math tests to writing prompts.
What if we don’t have those materials readily available?
Guess what? You do!
So many of you are scrambling to find resources to send home with your students due to the COVID-19/ coronavirus pandemic. And for parents, many of you are wondering what to do with kids at home.
It’s easy to choose cute over substance when celebrating school holidays. But our students deserve more. Here are three reasons why choosing substance over fluff is always better when celebrating holidays in the upper elementary classroom. Plus help finding teaching resources to bring both meaning and fun when planning holiday activities throughout the year.
As teachers, we often try to function as islands at school. Doing everything ourselves instead of asking for or accepting help. However, this superwoman mentality can only lead to isolation and burnout. Rather than trying to do it all yourself, utilize these three sources of help to simplify your workload and maintain a work-life balance.
Planning to be out of the classroom is never easy, but scrambling to throw together lesson plans for a substitute you weren't expecting is far worse. There are three things you can do now to make lesson planning for a substitute easier. Follow these easy steps and you’ll be prepared for an unexpected or planned absence from the very beginning of the school year.
Do you purchase resources for your classroom on Teachers Pay Teachers? TpT is one of the best sites around for finding teaching resources. But do you know how to get the most for your money on TpT? Let me teach you to get the absolute most for your money on Teachers Pay Teachers.
Popular planning posts:
Before you make your classroom cute, set up the systems that run it. Here’s the simple test for which routines actually save you time all year, plus the four to build first.
A letter to my first-year teacher self, and to anyone dreading the first month of school. Five honest lessons on starting the year strong without burning out.
Feeling overwhelmed by end-of-year classroom chaos? This post walks you through six teacher-tested strategies to purge, organize, and prep your space before summer. From what to toss to how to get students involved (without losing structure), you’ll find practical tips that save time now—and next fall. Includes a free printable checklist to guide you step-by-step.
The end of the school year is the perfect time to show appreciation for the students, parents, colleagues, and support staff who made your year meaningful. This post shares creative, low-cost, and heartfelt gift ideas—including free printables—for each group. From student reading kits to thank-you notes for staff, you’ll find thoughtful, easy-to-implement ways to close out the year with gratitude (and minimal stress).
Worried about summer learning loss? This post is packed with practical, engaging, and free activities to help families and teachers prevent the summer slide. From daily reading strategies to creative writing, this post offers detailed, actionable ideas that support continued growth all summer long—without the stress. Perfect for teachers looking to empower parents or send students off with confidence.
Preparing students for standardized tests doesn’t have to mean endless drills and last-minute cramming. This blog post explores simple, stress-free strategies to seamlessly integrate test prep into everyday lessons. Learn how to embed test-style questions naturally, reinforce academic vocabulary, and build students' confidence without sacrificing engagement.
Feeling overwhelmed by the thought of returning to school after winter break? With just a few simple, high-impact tasks, you can set yourself up for a smooth and stress-free January. From quick pre-break prep to actionable strategies for your first week back, this guide is packed with tips to simplify your classroom reset and help you focus on what matters most: teaching with ease and confidence.
Discover 4 simple reading strategies to re-engage students after winter break! From new book ideas and fun reading challenges to interactive read-alouds and group projects, these classroom tips will help students rebuild their love for reading. Plus, grab free resources to make implementation even easier!
Unlock the secret to keeping your classroom learning-focused during the festive season with our top five strategies. Discover how to blend holiday excitement with educational rigor and keep your students thoroughly engaged. Plus download a free resource that will help you master the holiday teaching challenge!
You made it to the end of the school year with your students. Let’s make sure it ends on a positive note. I have five tips and activities for the end of the year that are easy to implement, involve little to no prep, and will put smiles on the faces of you and your students.
Discover how to engage students with project-based learning at the end of the school year. Learn tips for creating interdisciplinary, meaningful projects that celebrate learning and growth.
Don't let snow days throw your ELA curriculum off course. Discover five adaptive planning strategies to maintain student engagement and lesson momentum through winter's unpredictable weather. From quick shifts to emergency kits, this guide offers practical tips for upper elementary teachers to keep the pages turning and the learning consistent, even when the weather outside is frightful.
Make achieving your first week of school goals - building community, establishing routines, and getting to know your students - easier with five ready-to-go resources.
Close reading lessons are more effective when teachers use resources specifically designed for close reading practice. Learn how non-fiction seasonal close reading resources allow students to celebrate school holidays while practicing important reading skills.
This growing collection of posts will teach you how to lesson plan quickly, how to create an effective lesson planning system, important factors to consider when planning your lessons, and strategies for daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly lesson planning.
It’s simply not possible to truly affect change without being consistent. Consistency is just as important when it comes to planning. If you want to lessen your stress, improve the effectiveness of your lessons, and help your students meet standards and goals, consistent planning is a must.
Bring rigor to your Valentine’s Day lessons with a mini-unit on the history of chocolate. Incorporate meaningful and engaging teaching resources during school holidays through thematic nonfiction units that teach important reading skills while students learn about the history of a holiday.
Here are 24 self care resources that include tips for getting started with self care, self care strategies for the classroom, and mindfulness books for teachers.
With the start of the school year, it’s difficult to let go of the carefree days of summer for the busyness that going back to school brings. While finding a balance between work and life is difficult for many, it’s particularly difficult for teachers, whose work is not over when the final bell rings. Here are just a few tips to begin mastering home and school life balance.
Taking time to protect your own well-being benefits not only you, but everyone around you. That includes your students. This year, make it a goal to prioritize self care. Here are seven simple ways to get started.
This free tool is the perfect resource for boosting positivity and is one of the easiest classroom management strategies I’ve used. It’s easy to implement and super effective in turning students’ attention to others during the holidays.
Let me help take some of the overwhelm out of the holiday season in your classroom. I have organization tips, writing activities, and holiday activities perfect for your upper elementary students.
Read on as I take you through five teaching resources that will help save your sanity and keep your students engaged this holiday season.
How can you survive teaching in December with your sanity intact?
I have five FREE resources, tips, and strategies to share with you that will help you get organized and keep things running smoothly during the month of December.
There is a better way to lesson planning. A way that streamlines the process, saves you time, while also boosting rigor. I’m talking about planning backward. This idea might be new to you. If it is, I ask you to keep an open mind, continue reading, and trust me.
Popular seasonal planning posts:
This growing collection of posts will teach you how to lesson plan quickly, how to create an effective lesson planning system, important factors to consider when planning your lessons, and strategies for daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly lesson planning.