K-2 Primary

Explore and share tips, strategies, and resources for helping students develop in elementary school grades K-2.

Social and Emotional Learning
Key Aspects of Play in Early Education
Some important considerations for integrating play in early childhood learning environments.
Creativity
4 Ways to Develop Creativity in Students
Creativity is a valuable skill, and there are common strategies teachers can use to help students develop it.
Environmental Education
Outdoor Adventures With Students
Exploring nature with elementary students can be memorable and fun with a little advance planning and preparation.
Social and Emotional Learning
Getting Ready to Learn With Mindfulness
Research shows that taking some time each day to practice mindfulness as a class helps students prepare themselves for learning.
Social and Emotional Learning
Making Connections With Greetings at the Door
Research shows that greeting students as they come into class bolsters a feeling of belonging and readiness to learn.
Social and Emotional Learning
Teaching Self-Regulation by Modeling
When teachers explicitly recognize and respond to their emotions in class, students learn to engage in these processes themselves.
Classroom Management
Demonstrating Self-Regulation With Tone of Voice
When teachers model self-regulation by using a voice that is calm, neutral, and assertive, they help students feel cared for—and ready to learn.
Mental Health
Activating the Brain With Movement Breaks
Research has shown that short movement breaks help students get focused, improving both skill-building and knowledge retention.
Mental Health
Creating a Positive Learning Environment
When students’ mental, emotional, and physical needs are met, they’re more likely to love school—and they learn more.
Project-Based Learning
A PBL Unit With Lessons for Teachers
A project-based learning unit that left students feeling unenthusiastic had valuable lessons for the teachers who prepared it.