Mr. Lee's Learners

As the school year winds down and summer break approaches, keeping students engaged becomes more challenging—and more important! That’s why I love using seasonal, high-interest stories to wrap up the year with both fun and purpose. One of my favorite ways to end the school year is with a  Reader’s Theater Companion for  The Night Before Summer Vacation  by Natasha Wing . It’s low prep, fun for students, and packed with learning value! What’s Included in This End-of-Year Reader’s Theater Resource? This engaging packet is a companion to the much-loved book  The Night Before Summer Vacation , a rhyming tale that captures the excitement (and chaos!) of preparing for a big summer trip. Here’s what’s included: Reader’s Theater Scripts for 2 and 3 students  – Perfect for partners or small groups. A  Summer-Themed Word Search  to reinforce vocabulary in a fun, independent activity. Answer Key  for easy grading or self-checking. 5 Summer-Themed Coloring Pa...

Reading comprehension is at the heart of literacy instruction, yet it’s often one of the most challenging skills for young learners to master. As a math interventionist who also supports reading instruction, I’ve found that guided questioning is one of the most powerful tools for helping students move beyond surface-level reading and begin thinking deeply about texts. In this post, I’ll share practical strategies for using guided questioning to scaffold comprehension and spark meaningful reading discussions—even with struggling readers. What Is Guided Questioning? Guided questioning is a teaching strategy where the teacher poses specific, intentional questions before, during, and after reading to help students engage with the text. These questions guide students toward a deeper understanding by encouraging them to: Make predictions Visualize events Infer meaning Analyze character motives Summarize key ideas Reflect on themes or personal connections Why It ...

For many of us, the words “timed test” still bring a rush of anxiety. Rows of facts, ticking clocks, and pressure to perform fast—this was the traditional approach to mastering math facts. As a teacher, I’ve seen how this method can cause unnecessary stress, especially for students who are still developing number sense. That’s why I’ve embraced a shift in my classroom: moving away from timed tests and toward strategy-based fluency. What Is Strategy-Based Fluency? Rather than memorizing isolated facts, students learn and apply strategies that help them understand how numbers work together. These strategies include: Counting on (e.g., for 3 + 2, start at 3 and count up two) Making ten (e.g., turning 8 + 5 into 10 + 3) Using doubles (e.g., knowing 6 + 6 helps with 6 + 7) Decomposing numbers (e.g., breaking apart 9 + 6 into 9 + 1 + 5) These are not just tricks—they're foundational ways to build number sense. When students understand these patterns and relation...