LITERACY
Science of Reading Small Group Lessons: A 20-Minute Model for K-2
If you’ve been teaching for a while, you’ve probably noticed that small group reading instruction has changed. The old Guided Reading model—where kids read leveled books and used picture clues to figure out words—is no longer considered best practice. Research tells...
11 Ways to Use Lucky Little Decodable Readers in Kindergarten
Have you tried using decodable readers in kindergarten? These amazing tools help young learners practice phonics skills in a way that builds confidence and keeps reading simple and fun. They’re especially helpful for struggling readers, making them feel successful and...
Student Book Clubs: Book Recommendations
Are you constantly searching for the perfect chapter book read for your student book clubs? Whether your students are just diving into the world of chapter books, or are seasoned readers, there are sure to be books that are a perfect fit. Let us end the search with...
Phoneme-Grapheme Mapping Guide
This week we will put on our Science of Reading hats, and dig into the importance of phoneme-graphing mapping in early literacy. If these terms are unfamiliar, phoneme-grapheme mapping is a game-changer for helping early readers connect sounds to symbols & this...
How to Identify Gaps in Phonics Using a Phonics Screener
Phonics is a big part of helping young readers become strong readers by teaching them how letters and sounds work together. A phonics screener can be a great way to spot any gaps in a child's phonetic understanding, so you know exactly where to focus instruction....
Small Groups: Guided Reading is Out; Science of Reading is In
For a long time, guided reading, where students work in small groups on books matched to their independent reading level, was a staple in many classrooms, mine included. However, research on the Science of Reading has started to cast doubt on its effectiveness,...
How to Set Up a Writing Stamina Station
Do your students struggle to keep writing beyond a few sentences, losing focus or energy too quickly? This easy-to-set-up station encourages students to gradually increase their writing time in a fun, engaging way, without overwhelming them. In this post, we’ll...
Writing Support for English Language Learners
Writing is such a great way to help students grow their language skills! Lucky to Learn Writing makes it easier for English Language Learners (ELLs) by offering fun, structured activities that support their writing development every step of the way. Now let's dive...
Writing Curriculum for 2nd Grade: Lucky to Learn Writing
Struggling to teach writing effectively while keeping your students engaged? Or, are you seeing a lack of writing skill growth? If you answered yes to either of these questions, our easy to follow, Science of Reading aligned curriculum, Lucky to Learn Writing, covers...
From Mundane to Magical! A Case Study of the Lucky to Learn Phonics Curriculum
Through our interaction with teachers and students, we have identified a common issue when it comes to teaching phonics...finding engaging instruction materials that are effective and research based. To solve this problem, our team of master teachers, set to work on...
Kid Favorite Books for Summer Reading
As summer approaches, the dreaded summer slide might pop into mind. The best way to combat academic loss over the summer is to keep reading. Explore our list of teacher-approved, kid-loved book series for 1st grade & 2nd grade to keep the love of reading alive...
Black History Books for Children
Including classroom books that represent and celebrate Black history is essential for fostering inclusivity, understanding, and respect among students. If you're looking to expand your collection, be sure to explore our top picks for black history books for children,...
Children's Books for Celebrating Hispanic Culture
Hola, teachers! Are you looking to add diversity to your classroom library and read aloud collections? Today, we want to embrace and honor the rich and vibrant Hispanic American culture. Here's a list of our favorite children's books on Hispanic culture, perfect for...
Children's Books for Celebrating Asian American Culture
Bring diversity to your classroom library and read alouds by highlighting the rich traditions, histories, and contributions of Asian Americans. Here's a list of our favorite Asian American read aloud books for celebrating this culture in primary classrooms. 1- I Am...
1st & 2nd Grade Friendly Reader's Theater Scripts
Are you or your students feeling restless or bored of the same old phonics routine, but you fear skills will be lost if you try something new? We've got good news for you! There is a new phonics routine that practices phonics, decoding, fluency and even comprehension!...
The b and d Dilemma: A Teacher's Guide to Letter Reversals
Have you noticed some of your students turning their letters into acrobatic champions, flipping and reversing all over the page? Well, guess what? Until about the ripe old age of 8 or 9, kids can basically be letter gymnasts, and that's totally normal! And nope, it...
Celebrate the Extra Day: Leap Year Classroom Activities
The gift of an extra day is coming your way! Yep, that's right – every four years, we get a bonus day on February 29th. Why let this special day pass by without some classroom fun and learning? In this blog post, we've got the whole day planned, from morning work to...
Beyond Flashcards: 9 Creative Ways to Use Phonics Cards
Do you use phonics cards to teach spelling patterns? If so, great news! You're aligning with the latest research on effective phonics instruction. SOR-aligned instruction uses phonics cards to help students establish connections between letters and the specific sounds...
9 Principles for Syllable Division
By now you have surely heard about the importance of teaching syllables to your young learners. If not, read why right here. However, keeping students engaged in the process of syllable division can be difficult. Teaching syllable breaks is vital to students being...
Dive into Native American Heritage Month: Resources for Primary Teachers
November is Native American Heritage Month, and while we know we are not experts on the subject, we're excited to help you bring the rich cultures and histories of Native American communities into your classrooms. We're all about amplifying Native American voices,...
Fresh Ideas to Teach Similes and Metaphors
Teaching is like a roller coaster. Some days you're up, some days you're down. But when it comes to teaching figurative language like similes and metaphors, there's no need to spiral out! When you use these ideas to teach similes and metaphors in your classroom, your...
Homophone How-To for 2nd Grade
Have you found yourself in a homophones teaching funk? Are your students just not understanding this important grammar skill? If so, keep reading this post set up as a "homophone how to for 2nd grade", to learn tips, tricks and strategies to launch you and your...
Teaching Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases
Enhance Literacy with Embedded Grammar Lessons Research on the Science of Reading (SOR) dating back to the 1970s shows that teaching grammar as isolated rules doesn't effectively transfer to writing and speaking. What works better is embedding grammar within the...
Differentiate in Seconds With This Create Your Own Spelling Lists Tool!
Do the curriculum provided spelling lists just not meet the needs of your diverse learners? Or do you wish to have more than one week per phonics sound? All of this is possible with our new tool that allows you to create your own spelling lists, customized...
Verb Tenses
By now, your learners have mastered the basic parts of a sentence. As their writing skills continue to grow, they will need to know how to write stories, and reports that tell what happened in the past, present, or future. Let's dive into verb tenses! Enhance Literacy...
15 Fall Read Alouds for 1st & 2nd Graders
Gather around, grab a warm blanket, and bring the wonders of the most colorful season into your1st or 2nd grade classroom! We've got all the autumn themes covered with these 15 kid and teacher-favorite fall read alouds. Jump to your favorite fall theme Fall Leaves...
4 Things You'll Always See in True Science of Reading Classrooms
Do you know how the experts easily distinguish a genuine Science of Reading classroom from those that are still finding their way? They look for four specific practices that are the cornerstone of Science of Reading in primary classrooms. If you want to stand out as a...
The Great 1st Grade Grammar Review!
Enhance Literacy with Embedded Grammar Lessons Research on the Science of Reading (SOR) dating back to the 1970s shows that teaching grammar as isolated rules doesn't effectively transfer to writing and speaking. What works better is embedding grammar within the...
Teaching Shades of Meaning
Enhance Literacy with Embedded Grammar Lessons Research on the Science of Reading (SOR) dating back to the 1970s shows that teaching grammar as isolated rules doesn't effectively transfer to writing and speaking. What works better is embedding grammar within the...
Beginning Consonants Review for 1st Grade
POV: Summer is done, and a new group of students walks through your classroom door. You are excited to start fresh and get these lucky little learners as far as you can this year. However, when you begin your phonics lessons, you see that not all of your students...
Last Day of School Read Aloud Ideas
Believe it or not, the last day of school is approaching. Last day of school chaos is a real thing, and it can be hard to keep students engaged. Here's an idea: try a picture book with a corresponding activity to keep your little learners from running around the room...
Teach Adverbs!
Enhance Literacy with Embedded Grammar Lessons Research on the Science of Reading (SOR) dating back to the 1970s shows that teaching grammar as isolated rules doesn't effectively transfer to writing and speaking. What works better is embedding grammar within the...
Classroom Easter Egg Hunt: Science of Reading Style!
Teachers - are you on the hunt for engaging, yet purposeful Easter-themed activities? How about activities that not only bring the fun, but also tackle a standard or two? Exciting news! Our team has created an Easter themed activity that checks off all of these boxes....
Let's Teach Kids About Nouns!
Nouns are everywhere! Nouns are one of the easiest (and most fun!) grammar concepts to teach. Because nouns are so concrete, students can really get hands-on with grammar in this unit. Keep reading to find out how to teach nouns in your elementary classroom. Enhance...
Fun Activities for Punctuation Practice
Hello there! Take a look around, and you'll see that punctuation is everywhere. Why is punctuation important? Without it, the reader will not know when to stop, pause, or give emphasis to certain parts of the text. Keep reading to find out how to teach punctuation to...
Science of Reading Quick Wins for the Classroom
By now you have heard the words, "Science of Reading" (SoR) uttered a time or two. If you have ever asked yourself, "Just what is SoR, and what are some quick and easy ways to get it into practice in my classroom?", then you are in the right spot! Check out our top...
Fun Ways to Teach the 4 Types of Sentences
Are you teaching types of sentences? Look no further than Lucky Little Learners! We have the resources you need to teach the four different sentence types to your first and second grade students. Keep reading for anchor charts, hands-on activities and centers to teach...
How to Teach Short Vowel Digraphs
Short vowel digraphs are a phonics skill that takes practice and exposure for students to master. Surely your students have come up with the question, "What's the difference between the words read and read? " The words look the same, but sound different given the...
Teaching Long Vowels
Your students are growing as readers and writers. Introducing long vowel rules and spelling patterns is a natural next step in their reading journey. Keep reading for lessons, activities, and tips to teach long vowels in the second grade classroom. What are long...
Tips for Teaching Inflectional Endings
Inflectional endings may sound like a complex concept, but it's as easy as adding a few letters to the end of the word. When inflectional endings are added to the end of a word, they change the meaning or quality of the word. Let's take a look at how to teach...
Teaching Kids About Consonant Blends and Digraphs
For young readers, blends and digraphs can trip them up while reading. What's up with that jumble of letters at the beginning of a word, anyway? In this post, we will take a closer look at consonant blends and digraphs, and how to teach them to second grade learners....
Tips and Tricks for Teaching Short Vowels
Teaching short vowels is a fundamental early literacy skill that students will continue to build on in second grade. Keep reading for lessons, activities, and tips to teach short vowels in the second grade classroom. What are short vowels? The short vowel sound of...
Busy Binders For the Classroom
Have you heard the buzz about "busy binders"? Even though most people may think of binders full of activities to keep little ones busy in the car, did you know busy binders are an amazing resource for the classroom as well? This post will take a look at ideas for what...
Science of Reading: Easy At Home Phonics Practice
The Science of Reading (SoR) is THE hot topic in literacy. SoR is not another one of those educational fads that will come in and out. It is years of extensive research that proves which pedagogical methods and practices are effective in teaching students to read. Now...
How to Teach Silent Letters
Do your students know how to read and write silent letter words? There's no doubt that your students will master this fascinating fact of the English Language with these silent letter teaching tips and highlights! This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. What is a...
Teaching Commas in 2nd Grade
I always get a chuckle out of the "Punctuation saves lives" memes and signs. They usually go something like this: Let's eat, Grandpa! Let's eat Grandpa. It may seem silly, but it is a great example of why proper use of commas in a sentence can make all the difference!...
How to Teach an Explicit Phonics Lesson
New and experienced teachers alike are diving deep into explicit phonics instruction. According to one of our Lucky 2nd grade teachers, "I am learning that explicit phonics instruction is important but it's SO much - it's going to take me hours to plan and prepare -...
5 Creative Ways to Teach Diphthongs
There are few phonics words that will elicit more giggles in the classroom than diphthongs. But what exactly is a diphthong, and why is it important for students to learn? Keep reading for resources and strategies to teach this essential phonics skill. What are...
Using Phonics Ladders in the Classroom
Looking for a new way to introduce or reinforce phonics skills in the classroom? Look no further than our Phonics Ladders. This activity will have students climbing their way to phonics success! What are Phonics Ladders? Also known as word chains or word ladders, they...
Graphic Organizers to Support Students With Reading Comprehension
2nd grade is a mixed bag when it comes to student reading fluency and comprehension skills. On one hand, you may have students reading and comprehending at or above grade level. On the other hand, there are students that need that extra push to read and comprehend on...
