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.
Business Letter Writing. How to Write a Business Letter Handout. This technical writing handout is a handy guide on how to write a business letter. Shows how a business letter is formatted, and the six main parts of a business letter: heading, inside address, salutation, body, closing, signature. Includes a blank template, a handout on writing strategies, a persuasive map, and rubric.
Myth Writing Lesson for Middle School. Fun for your mythology unit or writing lesson. Includes lesson plan details, assignment handout, and rubric. Students will learn the elements of myth, research a mythological hero, and write their own narrative on how the hero they chose can solve one of a list of problems that face middle school kids today. - HappyEdugator
Past verb tenses PowerPoint. More than 30 slides on the four past tenses students often get confused: the past, the past progressive, the past perfect, and the past perfect progressive. Grammar rules are given for each tense, with plenty of examples for positive statements, negative statements and questions. Sound and animation added to keep it lively. Best used in chunks.
Summer Reading List Grade 4 - 6. A suggested summer reading list to encourage reading. Nice handout to give to parents at the end of the year as a helpful guide to some good literature for children to read during the summer. Parents love it! Includes name of book, author, AR reading level and points value. Chosen for the text level of complexity required by the common core standards. - HappyEdugator
EDITABLE Teacher Binder Covers - 63 Different Ready Made Binder Covers and Spines. Choose which ones you wish to use, print out and slip into your binder front and spine. Also includes an editable cover and an editable spine, so you can add your own words if you need to! These can also be used as dividers in a larger teacher binder (cover for that included) and the spines can double as page tabs. Just print out the pages you need and put in page protectors. Print out the tabs on card stock and attach with clear packing tape to protect and make durable. Gray textured background. Enjoy! - HappyEdugator
With the EDITABLE BLANK covers and spines, you can create your own binders for anything you wish. Also includes ready made covers for:
504's
Art
Assessments
Benchmarks
Calendar
Class Rosters
Common Core Standards
Conferences
Curriculum Maps
Cursive
Data
Department
Duties
ELL
English Language Arts
Evaluations
Extracurricular Activities
Field Trip Information
Foreign Language
Geography
Gradebook
HIstory
IEP's
Lesson Plans
Mathematics
Meeting Notes
Modifications
Music
Newsletters
Parent Guardian Contacts
Passwords/Tech Information
Professional Development
Reading
Schedule
Science
Social Studies
Spelling
Standards
STEM
STEAM
Student Information
Substitute
Syllabus
Teacher Binder
Transportation
Website Information
Work Samples
Writing
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
HOLIDAYS
TESTING
Writing - Writing for the Real World PowerPoint. Writing PowerPoint can be used one slide at a time to engage students in meaningful writing experiences. Ten different real world writing activities students can use to write in their journals, source books, or writing folders. Each slide is a different writing prompt about a real world writing situation, and each writing prompt comes with a word list to help students develop vocabulary and spelling. Students should use five words from each list in their writing assignment. These ten writing activities can be done daily over the course of two weeks, or you can spread them out over a longer period of time.
Christmas Similes Activity. A fun printable Christmas activity handout to help your students create some simple Christmas similes. Your students, after reading the example, should be able to fill in the blanks with their own Christmas similes, and even make up a few of their own. Great winter fun. Also fun to do after watching the scene in the movie "A Christmas Carol" when the party-goers play the game "Similes." Also includes simile cards. Print out on cardstock, and cut out. Give to students to fill out and draw a representation of their simile. Punch a hole in the corner of each, tie with a ribbon, and hang on your "Simile Tree." - HappyEdugator
United States Word Search. 49 out of 50 states are hidden in this word search puzzle. Students need to find the states hidden in the puzzle and also discover which one is missing. Fun activity for a United States geography unit or patriotic holidays such as Presidents' Day, Flag Day, Memorial Day, July Fourth, and Veterans Day! Enjoy! - HappyEdugator
Presidents' Day Word Search. 38 Presidents are hidden in this President's Day word search puzzle. Students need to find the United States Presidents hidden in the puzzle. Fun activity for Presidents Day and other patriotic holidays such as Flag Day, Memorial Day, July Fourth or Independence Day, and Veterans Day! Enjoy! - HappyEdugator
Welcome students back to school with this WELCOME banner in black and white chevron. Includes the letters W-E-L-C-O-M-E-! and an editable one so you can write your own messages in your own fonts. - HappyEdugator
Poetry Bundle – Teaching Poetry - a large variety of poetry resources for Grades 4 - 8. This 140 page poetry unit is a resource that includes:
What is Poetry - an introduction to any Poetry Unit – 6 pages PDF
All About Poems Graphic Organizer and Poetry Preview Activity- 5 pages PDF
Poetry Characteristics Notes and Poetry Writing Activity – 2 pages PDF
Nursery Rhymes - Poetry You Should Know PowerPoint – 26 slides PPT
Poetry Concept Map – 1 page PDF
Poetry Image Map – 1 page JPG
Poetry Elements Graphic Organizer – 4 pages PDF
Poetry Graphic Organizer Sheet – 1 page PDF
Poetry Scavenger Hunt – 3 pages PDF
Poetry Sound Patterns – 2 pages PDF
Rhyme in Poetry Practice sheet – 2 pages PDF
Poetry – Five Senses Poem Handout – 1 page PDF
Poetry Activity for A Remarkable Adventure by J. Prelutsky – 3 pages PDF
Poetry Anthology Anchor Activity and Rubric – 3 pages PDF
Poetry Using Emotions to Create Poetry PowerPoint – 20 slides PPT
SMARTBOARD Writing Poetry is EASY Activities - 8 slides - Notebook
Adjective Poem – 3 pages PDF
Preposition Poem Worksheet – 1 page PDF
Diamante Poem – 1 page PDF
Cinquain Formula Poem PowerPoint – 10 slides PPT
Writing a Parody Poem Activity-How Doth the Little Crocodile- 3 pages PDF
Reading Poetry Process Handout – 2 pages PDF
Alliterative – Superlative Adjectives – 1 page PDF
Reading Poetry Process Handout – 2 pages PDF
Ways to Read Poetry PowerPoint – 15 slides PPT
Poetry Terms Study Guide with Key – 2 pages PDF
Poetry Multiple Choice Formative Assessment – 3 pages PDF
Poetry Types Test – 3 pages PDF
Poetry Terms Crossword– 2 pages PDF
- HappyEdugator
Vietnam Memorial Reading Comprehension Sheet. Students can read about the history of the Vietnam Memorial and where it is located in the United States. Includes a short nonfiction reading and reading comprehension questions sheet. Good activity for Veteran's Day.
Words to Avoid When You Write. This is a handout for students on formal academic and professional writing which explains the importance of avoiding certain words in order to have a credible style. Also includes a list of words and common phrases that should not be used or limited when writing. - HappyEdugator
Shades of Meaning Verb Cards - Bundle of Six Sets. Cut out and laminate these 16 different cards IN EACH SET illustrating different synonyms of the verb "LAUGH, SEE, SAID, JUMP, RUN, AND WALK." 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. Buy the bundle and save 20%!
Aligns to Common Core 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
Back to school Wanted Poster. Have fun getting to know your students by having everyone in the class make these wanted posters during the first week. They will enjoy sharing and getting to know each other, too. Makes a great back to school wall display. You can also use these posters as an additional activity to go along with a reading, writing or social studies unit relating to an old western theme. Students can choose a character from a book to put on their poster. Enjoy! - HappyEdugator
A list of 120 writing prompts that will keep your students writing for most of the year! These ideas will motivate students to write creatively and may inspire them to write more! Enjoy! - HappyEdugator
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen Vocabulary and Word Search. Engaging study guide vocabulary sheet and fun word search activity. 16 words in the wordsearch. Enjoy! -
Mystery Vocabulary PowerPoint. Common vocabulary words necessary for understanding a mystery unit. Whether reading or writing mysteries, these are the essential words every student should know and understand, such as sleuth, perpetrator, alibi, clue, evidence, deduction, plot, setting, etc. These slides include words, definitions, and a match-up assessment at the end. 20 slides. Supports common core state standards.
- HappyEdugator
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.3.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate conversational, general academic, and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal spatial and temporal relationships (e.g., After dinner that night we went looking for them).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal precise actions, emotions, or states of being (e.g., quizzed, whined, stammered) and that are basic to a particular topic (e.g., wildlife, conservation, and endangered when discussing animal preservation).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal contrast, addition, and other logical relationships (e.g., however, although, nevertheless, similarly, moreover, in addition).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.6.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.7.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.