I have a total of 27 years teaching experience . After I received my M.Ed. from the University of Florida (hence the name "HappyEdugator"), I began teaching in elementary school, where I taught pull-out remedial classes for grades 2-5 and a section of K-1. Then I taught Pre-K for 5 years, before I went up to Middle School, where I have been in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade. Last year, I went back to 1st grade in a private setting. I have traveled worldwide and am also fluent in Spanish.
I have a total of 27 years teaching experience . After I received my M.Ed. from the University of Florida (hence the name "HappyEdugator"), I began teaching in elementary school, where I taught pull-out remedial classes for grades 2-5 and a section of K-1. Then I taught Pre-K for 5 years, before I went up to Middle School, where I have been in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade. Last year, I went back to 1st grade in a private setting. I have traveled worldwide and am also fluent in Spanish.
Parts of Speech. Students identify parts of speech in context in this quick print and go activity. Can be used for practice or assessment. Student identify the the part of speech of the 25 underlined words in the passages, and write the answers on their own paper. Key included. Enjoy! - HappyEdugator
Somebody Wanted But So Then. Fairy Tale Story Map - Students can use this story frame for writing a fairy tale and illustrating it. Graphic organizer for the story using Somebody Wanted But So Then pattern. Includes a box on the second page for student illustration. This can also be used as a summarizing strategy for students to summarize a story they've been reading.
- HappyEdugator
Reading Fluency - How to Assess and Develop Handout. Informational handout on reading fluency, how it is defined, measured, and developed. Includes a table of recommended reading rates and norms, and a list or websites and resources to get you started in helping your struggling readers. 4 pages. - HappyEdugator
Summer Camp Award Certificates - Three summer camp awards for Participation, Achievement, and Excellence. This is an editable PDF...you can fill in the form fields with your own information before you print. Enjoy! - HappyEdugator
Sequencing Activity Using Recipes. LF based lesson plan focuses on "How are following directions and sequencing events related?" This is an Activity Sheet with Essential Question and Activating Strategy, Activity Directions, and Exit Ticket Summarizer included, and a set of blank recipe cards for students to complete. Students will work with a partner and find recipes in a cookbook or on the internet and copy them down on their blank recipe cards. They will then complete two different activities with the cards. With the first card,they will identify directions and transition words and discuss what would happen if these got mixed up or out of order with their partner. With the second card, they will copy the directions onto sentence strips, mix them up, and give to another group to put in order. They will then write about their experience and turn in their summary. Ticket out the door included. - HappyEdugator
Reading Assessment Form. Use to keep track of what a student's strengths and weaknesses are in reading and comprehension. There is a place to record the date, text level, accuracy, self-corrections, and a way to mark strategies for decoding, fluency and comprehension. May be used with any level reader from elementary on up as an assessment of reading ability and monitor progress.
- HappyEdugator
ulletin Board Ideas and Slogans. NEW BACK TO SCHOOL IDEAS! Many ideas for the beginning of the year. 10 pages of fun and useful ideas for bulletin boards for Back To School, Language Arts and Reading. A useful list for the beginning of a school year, when you are trying to set up your room, but also useful for the rest of the year when you need to make a change and spruce up the classroom. Welcome back to school! - HappyEdugator
Shades of Meaning Verb Cards - JUMP. Cut out and laminate these 16 different cards illustrating different synonyms of the verb "jump." Helps students understand connotation. With guidance and support from adults, students acquire new vocabulary by defining word relationships and nuances in word meanings, sorting words into categories, choosing and acting out the different meanings. Aligns to Common Core state standards.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.K.5d Distinguish shades of meaning among verbs describing the same general action (e.g., walk, march, strut, prance) by acting out the meanings.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.1.5d Distinguish shades of meaning among verbs differing in manner (e.g., look, peek, glance, stare, glare, scowl) and adjectives differing in intensity (e.g., large, gigantic) by defining or choosing them or by acting out the meanings.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.2.5b Distinguish shades of meaning among closely related verbs (e.g., toss, throw, hurl) and closely related adjectives (e.g., thin, slender, skinny, scrawny).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.3.5c Distinguish shades of meaning among related words that describe states of mind or degrees of certainty (e.g., knew, believed, suspected, heard, wondered).
Additionally, words can be used for spelling practice, writing practice, and word walls. Includes definitions for the teacher. - HappyEdugator
Story Plot Map. This is a blank plot diagram or story map for use with any story or novel. Students can fill in the sequence of events after reading. Includes a separate page for notes and evidence. Supports common core! - HappyEdugator
Persuasive Writing Prompt and Task with Standards Based Rubric. Writing an argument. Practice for students in middle school or beyond. Includes writing prompt and the standards-based rubric. Suggested lesson, Give out the rubric first and discuss, so students will know what is expected and strive for excellence. Then give them the writing prompt and let them work on the writing process.
Supports common core standards. - HappyEdugator
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1a Introduce claim(s) and organize the reasons and evidence clearly.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1b Support claim(s) with clear reasons and relevant evidence, using credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1c Use words, phrases, and clauses to clarify the relationships among claim(s) and reasons.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1d Establish and maintain a formal style.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1e Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from the argument presented.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1a Introduce claim(s), acknowledge alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1b Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1c Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), reasons, and evidence.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1d Establish and maintain a formal style.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1e Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.1a Introduce claim(s), acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.1b Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.1c Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.1d Establish and maintain a formal style.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.1e Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.
eading - Author's Purpose Activity Handout. This reading activity handout explains author's purpose (to inform, to persuade, and to entertain) and gives students six different author's purpose reading selections they need to identify. Key is included. - HappyEdugator
Multiple Intelligence Tic Tac Toe Assignment Template. This is a differentiated assignment... a tic tac toe or menu activity that uses multiple intelligences for each section. Write in the theme or unit you are teaching. Teachers can customize the tic tac toe to fit what they are teaching and makes differentiation easy. There are nine boxes for different types of learners and learning styles, with choices for Verbal or Linguistic, Mathematical or Logical, Visual or Spatial,Bodily or Kinesthetic, Musical or Auditory, Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, Naturalistic, and a box for student-teacher choice. Just fill in the blanks for what you want students to learn in your unit of study. Adaptable to any subject. - HappyEdugator
Rikki Tikki Tavi Six Sentence Summary Format and Grammar Practice Sheet. Students can learn to write a brief summary, but they often need scaffolding to get started. Here is a strategy to help your reluctant writers or your students who have trouble organizing their ideas. Use the format to have students write a better summary of a fiction text. The example given is based on Rikki Tikki Tavi by Rudyard Kipling, but the format can be used with other short stories, too. Included is a grammar practice sheet on punctuation and capitalization based also on the short story Rikki Tikki Tavi Use as a quick activity or warm up to review skills.
Enjoy! - HappyEdugator
Expository Writing. Methods of Expository Writing Activity Handout. Practice identifying correct text structure. Students identify the type of writing they would use for each writing task. They can choose from process, comparison/contrast, cause and effect, or persuasion. 12 different scenarios for writing. Students can work in groups, with a partner, or individually on this assignment sheet. Based on the type of questions often given on standardized tests. Key included. - HappyEdugator
Forms of Energy - Energy KeyTerms Graphic Organizer to accompany my Forms of Energy PowerPoint. This is a vocabulary graphic organizer for students to fill in with a definition and a place for students to draw a picture or a symbol to help them remember. Revised to include pictures for students to glue if they don't wish to draw. Includes the different forms of energy, which are all covered in my PowerPoint presentation. - HappyEdugator
Spelling: Ex-Spelled Spelling GAME. This is a fun way to review a list of spelling or vocabulary words, or to use as an activity for a substitute teacher. Students have to spell words correctly or they have to sit down. Who will be the last one standing? The catch...each student only gives one letter! At the end of a word, the next student gets ex-spelled! Yikes! A fun word list is included to get things started.
Supports Common Core Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.2d Spell grade-appropriate words correctly, consulting references as needed.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.2e Spell grade-appropriate words correctly, consulting references as needed.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.6.2b Spell correctly.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.7.2b Spell correctly.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.2c Spell correctly.
Halloween Quiz. This simple and fun quiz about Halloween will test your students knowledge of some basic Halloween vocabulary and traditions. Students can fill in the blanks from the word bank. Pair and share, write a story with the words from the word bank, and color the Jack O Lantern afterwards. You can also cut out the word bank if you wish, and make a game for kids to "win" it! Included are word bank cards, a monster for early finishers to color, a key and a reward cut out for completing it correctly! - HappyEdugator
Christmas Holiday Sensory Writing Practice Worksheet. A Christmas or winter holiday writing worksheet. Ten different Christmas writing prompts for sensory writing, to create imagery with a holiday twist. Students will need to show, not tell, using words that utilize the five senses. You may use the worksheet in centers. group work, or individual instruction. You may wish to have them complete all the exercises, choose some, or assign them individually. Includes three pages of sensory words for students to use if needed. - HappyEdugator
Correlative Conjunctions Study Guide. Study guide and worksheet on correlative conjunctions. Definition, Examples, and practice using correlative conjunctions correctly in a sentence. Subject/verb agreement and pronoun/antecedent agreement using correlative conjunctions when writing sentences. Key inlcuded. Supports common core. -HappyEdugator
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.1e Use correlative conjunctions (e.g., either/or, neither/nor).
Lesson Plan Template - Standards Based. A weekly plan in MS Word with plenty of room for you to organize and keep you focused on learning. Room for Standards, Essential Questions, Activating Strategies, Acceleration, Teaching, Summarizing, and Daily Products and Homework. 2 different styles! You may modify or edit for your own specific needs. Works best for middle school, but can be used for all grades. - HappyEdugator