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Mrs. Munch's Munchkins

A blog to give teachers ideas and tools that make teaching easier

September 26, 2026

How to Create a SPECTACULAR Classroom Balloon Parade!

Teacher holding a handmade Santa balloon created for a classroom parade.

Ready for one of the most memorable weeks of the school year?! This is one of my favorite November activities, and because of that, I am walking you through exactly how to bring the magic of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade into your own classroom. From learning about the parade to balloon design, building floats, and hosting a parade of your own; this unit is one you’ll look forward to every year!

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Filed in: Holidays, Student Engagement | 8 Comments

September 22, 2026

Planning for a Substitute? This Proven Tool makes it EASY

A teacher holding up a Sub Binder with information a Substitute would use if the teacher were absent.

It’s easier just to be there than have a substitute, right? But what about when you NEED a sub? Below I’m sharing how a little preparation and an organized Sub Binder can make absences easier for you, your students, and your substitute!

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Filed in: Management | 4 Comments

May 16, 2024

End of Year Awards for Elementary Students

An elementary classroom with an Awards Ceremony Set Up. A red carpet leads to the stage and awards slide on the screen.

Hands down, my favorite Last Day of School tradition is our End of Year Awards Ceremony. I lay out the red (butcher paper) carpet, turn on the disco lights, cue the Hollywood Award Show music, and grab my microphone for announcing each student’s name. It’s a massive hit. And it just feels right as a way to end and celebrate our year together. Below I’ll tell you more about this precious tradition so you can bring it to life in your own classroom!

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Filed in: End of Year | 10 Comments

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A photo of the author of the website. Teacher expert, Melody Munch.

About me

Hi teacher friend! My name is Melody Munch. I taught 2nd grade for 8 years and am currently serving teachers through full time resource creation. Here you'll find ideas to help you create classroom memories and teach with ease. Enjoy looking around, I’m so happy you're here!

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Advice for Parent Teacher Conferences

Conferences + Teachers = Anxiety. True for you?! While preparing and hosting Parent Teacher Conferences can be very stressful, there are a few things you can do to add ease to this time and help them run smoothly. Read for my tips below!

How to Create a SPECTACULAR Classroom Balloon Parade!

Ready for one of the most memorable weeks of the school year?! This is one of my favorite November activities, and because of that, I am walking you through exactly how to bring the magic of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade into your own classroom. From learning about the parade to balloon design, building floats, […]

Planning for a Substitute? This Proven Tool makes it EASY

It’s easier just to be there than have a substitute, right? But what about when you NEED a sub? Below I’m sharing how a little preparation and an organized Sub Binder can make absences easier for you, your students, and your substitute!

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mrsmunchsmunchkins

🍎 Here to help Elementary Teachers
🫶🏼Jesus lover, wife, & mama
📓Creating for the classroom full time
⬇️ Find items from posts linked below

The Reading Centers Secret 👀📖 We don’t gatekeep ar The Reading Centers Secret 👀📖 We don’t gatekeep around here, so I’m telling you everything!

You could have THE most immaculate small group lesson, but if you’re constantly interrupted, answering questions, and putting out fires, you won’t be able to teach it effectively.

After 8 years of teaching, here’s what I learned: your small group can only run as smoothly as the stations your other students are working on.

They need activities that are meaningful, engaging, and truly independent. So how do you make that happen without adding hours to your planning?

🍂 1. Choose familiar formats.

Students don’t need a brand-new type of activity every day! Keep the format familiar, but switch up the prompts, words, skills, and seasonal themes. Familiarity helps students work more independently.

🍂 2. Make independence a priority.

Before putting out a station, ask yourself: Can my students understand what to do without asking me? Use clear directions and predictable routines, and introduce new stations before expecting students to complete them independently.

🍂 3. Make activities meaningful AND engaging.

Skip the busywork! Use stations to reinforce skills you’re already teaching, like writing, spelling, phonics, grammar, and reading comprehension.

🍂 4. Stop planning everything from scratch.

You don’t need to create every station yourself or start with a blank page every Sunday night. A collection of ready-to-use activities gives you options without all the extra prep!

And honestly? This is exactly why I created my Seasonal Reading Group Stations! 🎃

I used to plan reading centers throughout my entire lunch break, and I want better for you!

For October, I created a HUGE collection of Halloween-themed literacy activities for 1st–3rd grade, designed to help you prep independent stations without reinventing the wheel.

Comment GROUPS below, and I’ll send you all the details!🧡

#teachersofinstagram #2ndgradeteacher #elementaryteacher #literacycenters #readinggroup
Comment COSTUME for this FREE template! 🎃🕷️🕸️ You Comment COSTUME for this FREE template! 🎃🕷️🕸️ You never know what they’ll come up with!

I personally told students “no blood or weapons” to keep things light and fun. 🧡 Their creativity will never cease to amaze me! 

Shoutout to my product partner, Rachel, for these fun shots from her classroom! 

#teachersofinstagram #elementaryteacher #2ndgradeteacher #3rdgradeteacher #1stgradeteacher
Comment CONFERENCE for the resources! 📋✨ This syst Comment CONFERENCE for the resources! 📋✨ This system will make conferences a breeze.

Walk in feeling confident and prepared to share with families. Less nerves/more connection is the goal!

#teachersofinstagram #elementaryteachers #1stgradeteacher #2ndgradeteacher #3rdgradeteacher
Comment “CONFERENCE” for the links! 📋✨ This system Comment “CONFERENCE” for the links! 📋✨ This system will be so helpful for smooth conferences!

Walk into conferences feeling confident and prepared with this process. You’ll never do conferences the same again!

#teachersofinstagram #classroomideas #2ndgradeteacher #3rdgradeteacher #elementaryteacher
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