Hollie Griffith Teaching

One of my favorite no-prep crafts for the first week of school!

This simple glue bottle craft is a fun way to introduce classroom expectations while helping them actually stick.

Open the glue bottle to reveal the classroom expectations students wrote inside!

It's a fun keepsake, a great classroom display, and a whole lot more memorable than reading a list of rules.

Comment "expectations" and I'll send you the link.

LinkDM *319*

One Word for Kids is one of my favorite back to school read alouds.

After reading, every student chooses one word to guide them throughout the school year.

Brave.
Joy.
Fearless.
Kind.
Patient.
Confident.

Then we print their pictures in black and white, mount them on 8x10 paper, and display them in the classroom all year long.

It's more than a bulletin board.

It's a daily reminder of the person each student is working to become.

It's amazing how one simple word can shape a classroom culture and remind students that every day is a new opportunity to become the person they want to be.

Comment "one word" and I'll send you the link.

LinkDM *328*

There are some words I think we assume kids understand… but when you really start talking about them, you realize they don't.

Perseverance.
Empathy.
Patience.
Even kindness.

They may have heard the words a hundred times, but can they explain what empathy actually looks like? Can they recognize perseverance when something gets hard? Do they know ways they can show patience at school?

That’s what I love about these passages.

Students are building reading comprehension and practicing finding text evidence, but we’re also giving them the vocabulary to talk about the kind of people we want them to become.

Read about it.
Talk about it.
Look for it in real life.
Practice it.

Reading that naturally turns into some of the best classroom conversations.

Comment "kindness" or "patience" or "perseverance" or "empathy" and I’ll send you the link!

LinkDM *331*

If you walked into my classroom during small groups…
these would already be on the table

Students would sit down and start whisper reading right away

No downtime
No “what do I do?”
Just instant, targeted practice

This is hands down my most used resource of all time

I used these every single day in both 1st and 2nd grade

Because learning to read takes a LOT of practice
and this gives students exactly that

They move from:
words
to nonsense words
to sentences
to a short story

So they’re not just recognizing patterns…
they’re actually reading with them

And while they’re working…
I get a minute to walk the room
check in with students
and make sure everything is running smoothly

It’s a total win-win

Simple
systematic
predictable
and effective

If you need something you can use every single day…
this is it

Comment "decoding drills" and I’ll send you the link.

LinkDM *212*

One of the easiest ways to get students excited about reading comprehension? Give them something they're actually excited to learn about.

These Prove It! passages are packed with high-interest nonfiction topics that students LOVE. But the best part? They're so easy to turn into memorable learning experiences.

Read about the history of pizza... then make mini pizzas with bagels, sauce, and cheese.

Read about animals that glow... then hand out glow sticks and turn off the lights.

Read about the history of ice cream... then celebrate with a sweet treat.

Read about why popcorn pops... then pop a bag and watch the science happen right in front of them.

Students are engaged because they're learning something interesting, and the text evidence questions keep them going back into the passage to prove their thinking with evidence.

It's reading comprehension practice that doesn't feel like another worksheet.

Comment "prove it" and I'll send you the link!

LinkDM *301*

Learning to read takes more than just learning a phonics pattern.

Students need opportunities to read it, write it, find it, build it, and apply it in connected text.

That's exactly what these I Can Read phonics units do.

Each unit focuses on one phonics skill and includes:

word reading
phonics sorts
decodable passages
fluency practice
comprehension
writing activities
word work

Students practice the skill in multiple ways while building confidence as readers.

Perfect for:
intervention groups
small groups
independent practice

Just print and teach.

No prep.
No planning.
Everything you need for one phonics skill in one place.

Students learn the pattern, practice the pattern, and then apply the pattern in real reading.

Comment "I can read" and I'll send you the link.

LinkDM *239*

Point of view changes everything.

When students read The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs, suddenly the “villain” has a voice.

And that is where the magic happens.

Instead of just answering questions, students step into the character’s shoes:
• What was he thinking?
• What was his perspective?
• Was it really a crime… or a misunderstanding?

This hands-on reading comprehension craft pushes students to think deeper, defend their thinking, and support their answers with evidence from the text.

Because comprehension is not just recalling events.
It is understanding perspective.

This activity is part of my Reading Comprehension Crafts bundle.

Comment “reading strategies” and I’ll send you the link.

LinkDM *208*

One lesson at the beginning of the year can save you a whole lot of headaches later...

Teaching the difference between tattling and telling.

Because if students don't learn the difference early on, tattling can quickly take over your classroom by the middle of the year.

That's why I love using A Case of Tattle Tongue.

Students learn:

when they should tell an adult
when they should try to solve the problem themselves
what situations are emergencies
and when it's time to mind their own business 😅

The discussions are always so good.

Students sort scenarios, practice real-life situations, and start building the problem-solving skills they'll use all year long.

Because a classroom runs a whole lot smoother when students know the difference between tattling and telling.

Comment "tattle tongue" and I'll send you think link

LinkDM *312*

Character education can easily turn into another thing we’re trying to squeeze into an already packed day.

But it doesn’t have to.

I love using reading time to introduce character qualities students are still learning to understand.

What does generosity actually look like?

What does it mean to have self-control when you’re frustrated, excited, or waiting your turn?

Students read about the character quality, find and prove their answers with text evidence, and then actually practice it throughout the week.

Then we come back and reflect.

Read it. Live it. Reflect on it.

Reading comprehension + text evidence + vocabulary + character building… without adding another lesson to the day.

Comment "CHARACTER" and I’ll send you the link!

LinkDM *331*

Need a center? Fast finisher? Extra practice?

Grab a BrainBox.

Prep them once.

Store them in the little boxes.

Use them all year long.

Perfect for centers.
Morning tubs.
Small groups.
Partner practice.
Fast finishers.
And intervention.

Each BrainBox is packed with hands-on phonics games that get students reading, sorting, building words, writing, and applying the skill... without another worksheet.

Less prep.
More meaningful practice.
More time teaching.

Comment "BrainBox" and I'll send you the link.

LinkDM *228*