Let’s talk about the CUPS Strategy for Student Editing — and no, not the kind that holds your coffee. CUPS stands for Capitalization, Usage, Punctuation, and Spelling, and it is one of those classroom tools that most know about but rarely feel confident teaching.

When I first started teaching, I would hand my students a CUPS checklist, tell them to edit, and then cross my fingers. I pretended that they knew what to do. Spoiler alert: they didn’t.

In all transparency, I didn’t really know how to teach CUPS. I knew what each letter stood for, but not how to model it, break it down, or help students understand what “check for usage” even meant. So instead of our writing/editing block being productive, we ended up wasting time circling random words and missing real errors.

Over the years, I taught myself and my students a simple way to teach the CUPS Strategy for Editing that made sense for my brain and theirs.

I created this method because I wanted my students to stop guessing and start understanding. I was tired of editing, feeling like a scavenger hunt, and seeing testing scores that reflected it. I wanted it to feel structured, clear, and more meaningful.

The routine I’m sharing in this episode is built around a simple pattern: Fix. Explain. Imitate.

When students fix a mistake, explain the rule, and imitate it in their own writing, they move beyond surface-level editing. They start noticing patterns and applying them in new contexts. It’s short, it’s structured, and it actually works.

The best part? It takes less than ten minutes a day.

• https://uniquelyupper.com/cups-strategy-for-student-editing/

• Instagram: @uniquelyupper
• Show Notes: www.uniquelyupper.com
• TpT Store: Uniquely Upper on TpT
• Email: uniquelyupper@gmail.com

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe to Commas in the Chaos wherever you listen to podcasts so you never miss an episode!

A quiet, sincere thank you from me to the teachers who support Commas in the Chaos. Your listens, messages, shares, and reviews shape this podcast and help more teachers find a steady space. Take a breath with me and know your support matters.

Let’s be honest. Teaching complex sentences can feel anything but simple. Students get tripped up on commas, mix up dependent and independent clauses, and before long, everyone is frustrated.

In this episode, I am sharing a strategy that completely changed how I taught this skill. It is a method that makes complex sentences finally click for students. The secret is two simple formulas that make a huge difference: DC, IC, and the combination ICDC.

These formulas help students see what a complex sentence actually looks like, how to label each part, and when to add that tricky comma.

This is the same method I used with my own students year after year, and it works because it gives them something visual to hold on to. Once they see the pattern, everything starts to make sense.

• How to teach complex sentences using two simple formulas
• Why visual patterns make grammar easier to understand
• A five-step process to guide students through labeling and punctuation
• The quick “Does it stand alone?” test that takes the guesswork out of commas
• Common mistakes students make and how to correct them early

• https://uniquelyupper.com/teaching-complex-sentences/

• Instagram: @uniquelyupper
• Show Notes: www.uniquelyupper.com
• TpT Store: Uniquely Upper on TpT
• Email: uniquelyupper@gmail.com

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe to Commas in the Chaos wherever you listen to podcasts so you never miss an episode!

Last week, I shared the big-picture why behind using task cards, and the real benefits that make them worth your time. This week, we’re moving from theory to practice. In this episode, I’m sharing five creative ways to use task cards in the classroom that go far beyond centers and early finishers.

These ideas are designed to get your students up, moving, collaborating, and talking about grammar in ways that are active, meaningful, and fun. Whether you’ve been using task cards for years or you’re just getting started, you’ll walk away with fresh, ready-to-try strategies that make grammar more engaging without adding more work to your plate.

And if you’re ready to go even deeper, I’ve linked my blog post in the show notes with 14 total ideas for using task cards across subjects — each one simple, effective, and tested in real classrooms.

• Five creative, low-prep ways to use task cards in the classroom
• How to build movement, collaboration, and conversation into your grammar lessons
• Simple routines that make grammar review fun and memorable
• How to make every task card pull double duty — for skill review, engagement, and retention

• https://uniquelyupper.com/use-task-cards-in-the-classroom/

• Instagram: @uniquelyupper
• Show Notes: www.uniquelyupper.com
• TpT Store: Uniquely Upper on TpT
• Email: uniquelyupper@gmail.com

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe to Commas in the Chaos wherever you listen to podcasts so you never miss an episode!

You know that moment when you open your pacing guide and immediately think, How on earth am I going to fit all of this in? Between teaching 500 standards, trying to keep your sanity, and still having a few minutes left in the day, it’s a lot.

That’s exactly why I want to talk about one of my favorite tools: task cards. In this episode, I’m breaking down the valuable benefits of using task cards not because they’re cute or trendy, but because they actually make grammar (and every subject, really) easier to teach, easier to review, and way more engaging for students.

Whether you’re brand new to using task cards or already have a few decks tucked away, you’ll walk away from this episode with practical ways to use them for spiral review, quick skill checks, and differentiation without adding more to your already full plate.

• The top three benefits of using task cards in any classroom
• How task cards help target specific skills in short, effective bursts
• Why their bite-sized format keeps students engaged and focused
• How to easily differentiate grammar practice for every learner
• Low-prep ways to make task cards a consistent part of your routine

• https://uniquelyupper.com/benefits-of-using-task-cards-in-the-classroom/

• Instagram: @uniquelyupper
• Show Notes: www.uniquelyupper.com
• TpT Store: Uniquely Upper on TpT
• Email: uniquelyupper@gmail.com

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe to Commas in the Chaos wherever you listen to podcasts so you never miss an episode!

For years, I heard the same advice you probably have — that teaching grammar in context is all we need to do. If students read good writing and write enough on their own, grammar will just click.

But if you’ve been in the classroom for more than five minutes, you know that isn’t what really happens. Students can write full pages, but when you ask them to find the subject and predicate, they freeze. That’s not because you’re doing something wrong. It’s because this “context only” approach leaves out the structure kids need to actually understand grammar.

In this episode, I’m sharing what I’ve learned the hard way: context matters, but it isn’t enough on its own. I walk through how I discovered this truth, what I see happening in classrooms everywhere, and what a balanced approach — one that combines explicit instruction with real-world writing — actually looks like.

• Why relying only on teaching grammar in context doesn’t build true understanding
• How skipping explicit instruction leaves gaps that show up year after year
• The system-wide reasons teachers and students lack confidence with grammar
• How explicit grammar lessons can exist right alongside authentic writing
• Why finding a balance between structure and creativity is what really makes grammar stick

• https://uniquelyupper.com/teaching-grammar-in-context/

• Instagram: @uniquelyupper
• Show Notes: www.uniquelyupper.com
• TpT Store: Uniquely Upper on TpT
• Email: uniquelyupper@gmail.com

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe to Commas in the Chaos wherever you listen to podcasts so you never miss an episode!

Have you ever taught a grammar lesson and felt like your students were staring at you as if you were speaking another language? You’re not alone — and it doesn’t mean you’re a bad teacher. It usually means your students are missing an earlier building block.

In this episode of Commas in the Chaos, we’re talking about grammar skills and a strategy I call skill stacking. Instead of seeing grammar as a random list of concepts, skill stacking helps you visualize how each skill connects to the next. Think of it as a staircase: if one step is missing, the next step feels impossible.

I’ll walk you through how to use grammar skill stacking as a diagnostic tool, how to spot gaps in real time, and practical ways to fill those gaps without overhauling your entire plan. By the end, you’ll feel less like you’re banging your head against the whiteboard and more like you know exactly how to support your students.

• What grammar skill stacking is (and what it isn’t)
• Why students struggle when we teach new concepts on shaky foundations
• How to use skill stacking as a quick diagnostic tool in your classroom
• Real-life examples of breaking down compound sentences, prepositional phrases, and verb tenses
• Teacher-friendly strategies for filling grammar gaps through micro reviews, color coding, and centers

Here’s the hard truth: most of the time, the problem isn’t the grammar skill you’re teaching today — it’s the one underneath.

Take compound sentences, for example. If students can’t identify the subject and predicate, joining two sentences together feels impossible. Or think about prepositional phrases. If students don’t know their nouns and verbs, that little preposition is just floating in space with nothing to connect to.

Skill stacking is the practice of asking: What’s the missing block? When you find it, you give your students the foundation they need to finally move forward.

The good news? Diagnosing doesn’t mean hours of data analysis. You can spot gaps with quick, low-prep strategies:

• Exit slips: One sentence, underline the subject, circle the verb. If they can’t do that, you know where to back up.
• Observation: Watch where they freeze during centers or practice. Do they skip verbs? Struggle with prepositions? That’s your clue.
• Work samples: Look at their mistakes. Are they struggling with the new skill, or tripping over an old one?

These quick checks take minutes but give you insight that can save weeks of reteaching.

Once you’ve spotted the missing bricks, here’s how to fill them in:

• Layer in micro reviews. Use bell ringers, warm-ups, or morning work to sneak in skills students missed. Two minutes goes a long way.
• Color coding. Give students highlighters and have them mark subjects in one color and predicates in another. Suddenly, the sentence comes alive visually.
• Sentence sorts & partner check-ins. Let students identify fragments, complete sentences, or label parts together. It feels interactive and less intimidating.
• Grammar centers. Centers give students repeated, hands-on practice with skills they need to master.
• Spiral review. Don’t just teach once and move on. Bring skills back into your weekly rhythm so they actually stick.

And here’s the key reminder: reteaching is not wasted time. It’s invested time. A strong...

When you hear the phrase classroom centers, do you tense up a little? I used to cringe too. Adding one more moving part to an already full day felt overwhelming. But once I saw how grammar centers transformed my classroom — giving students ownership, boosting engagement, and making practice stick — I was hooked.

In this episode of Commas in the Chaos, I’m sharing the four biggest benefits of grammar centers in upper elementary. Think of them as the “pillars” of successful centers: active engagement, independence building, collaboration, and meeting multiple learning styles. I’ll also give you practical setup tips so you can start small and feel confident.

If you’ve ever wondered whether grammar centers are worth it, this episode will give you both the why and the how.

• Why grammar centers are more than just a trend — they’re a powerful tool for differentiation
• The four pillars of grammar centers that make them work in real classrooms
• Best practices for starting small, modeling procedures, and using familiar activities
• Teacher-friendly tips to save time and keep centers running smoothly
• How grammar centers build confidence and engagement in students of all learning styles

Here’s what I want you to walk away with after listening:

• Grammar centers make learning active, not passive
• They give students independence and ownership of their progress
• They encourage communication, collaboration, and teamwork
• They naturally reach visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners
• Start small and keep expectations clear — you don’t need a huge overhaul to get started

When you anchor your centers to these four benefits, you’ll see the impact almost immediately: fewer groans, more engagement, and more confident writers.

• Blog Post on Grammar Centers – visuals + examples to help you get started
• Free Grammar Centers – download three ready-to-use centers for your classroom

• Instagram: @uniquelyupper
• Show Notes: www.uniquelyupper.com
• TpT Store: Uniquely Upper on TpT
• Email: uniquelyupper@gmail.com

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe to Commas in the Chaos wherever you listen to podcasts so you never miss an episode!