Over twenty years teaching, developing lessons and conducting professional development - coupled with fiction and film writing - is who I am. Family, education and writing define what I love.
Over twenty years teaching, developing lessons and conducting professional development - coupled with fiction and film writing - is who I am. Family, education and writing define what I love.
These are Word Family – Short Vowel Flowers. I’ve been using them to teach students to read for years. They’re perfect for using at home or in a classroom learning center!
What are word families?
Word families are groups of words that share the same ending. For example, the words cat, fat, and mat all belong to the “-at” word family. The worlds ball, fall and tall belong to the "-all" word family.
Why teach reading with word families?
1) The English language is complicated. Word families help beginning readers find patterns within words.
2) Knowing word families makes sounding out words easier because instead of laboriously sounding out each letter, the reader reads the first sound and attaches it to the familiar word family name. When reading the word cat -- rather than reading /k/ /a/ /t/, the child learns to read /k/ /at/.
These daily Graces or Devotions are intended to be quick writes and help with critical thinking, comprehension -- as well as Bible study.
They are perfect for the beginning of the day, the beginning of class periods or end of the day actiities. They are aligned with the standards and 21st Century skills in that each verse touches on a standard that is required for college admission, while not sacrificing the strength of His work. Each Quick Write
begins with a Bible Verse and extends to the world in which students live today.
Each Daily Devotion takes Bible passages and requires students to think and write about things
important to them, things happening in their lives – relevant to their world. By connecting
standards, His Word and their lives – students gain a greater understanding of the teachings of
our Lord and Savior, the Holy Trinity and everything that encompasses our Bible – as they gain
valuable reading and writing skills required for college in the process.
These Devotions also present an opportunity for creativity, collaboration, cooperation and
criticalThinking – if desired. Each devotion requires students to look within themselves, reflect
on how they are living and how they can find their place in the world - with the Holy Spirit in
their heart, but they also present opportunities for teachers to have students write and share
their ideas, insights, strengths and weaknesses with partners and the whole class – in order to
maximize engagement.
A Quick Write as “a literacy strategy which can be used in any content area to develop writing fluency, to build the habit of reflection into a learning experience, and to informally assess student thinking. The strategy asks learners to respond in 2–10 minutes to an open-ended question or prompt posed by the teacher.
This workbook combines Bible study, relevant issues, fluency and infuses a habit of reflection.
"Bible Study Quick Writes" are a fast and fun way for youth to learn the Bible – while getting in some writing and word practice as they go. Ten minutes - from start to finish - is all it takes for youth to analyze, think critically, reflect and learn His word.
This devotional is designed for Sixth Grade students is designed to help students, study school learners, kids attending catechism, homeschoolers -- all children -- travel through Bible verse study while getting an understanding of the goodness and strength of the Lord. This 124-page devotional workbook for youth 11-15 is perfect for use as warm-ups, bell ringers, for whole class study, homeschool, CCD, at the beginning of Sunday School lessons and more. Both homeschool and private school students will benefit from learning the Bible in five to ten minutes per day.
Five Minutes to Fluency and Comprehension is a research-based program that easily fits into any busy school day. Five minutes, from start to finish, as students peer read, one and two minute strategically worded passages and stories, partner review and then provide instant feedback.
Five Minutes to Fluency and Comprehension offers a quick, simple and inexpensive way to increase fluency and comprehension. The program is for classroom use, but can easily be incorporated into take home or parent involvement activities.
The instructions are easy to follow, best of all, Five Minutes to Fluency and Comprehension is easy to differentiate, adapt as close readings and effortlessly incorporate Response to Intervention into a whole class or individual setting.
Imperative for understanding, critical thinking and 21st Century learning is the ability for students to analyze primary source documents.
Included in this lesson are copies of the original, handwritten versions of the Emancipation Proclamation, a typewritten "Interactive Reader" version for analysis, student instructions on analyzing primary sources and a Source Document Graphic Organizer.
Primary sources provide a window into the past—unfiltered access to the record of artistic, social, scientific and political thought and achievement during the specific period under study, produced by people who lived during that period.
Bringing young people into close contact with these unique, often profoundly personal, documents and objects can give them a very real sense of what it was like to be alive during a long-past era.
"Bible Study Quick Writes" are a fast and fun way for primary aged children to learn the Bible – while getting in some writing and word practice as they go.
This devotional is designed for Third Grade students and incorporates cursive practice as well. This version also comes without Cursive practice!
Students, homeschoolers -- all children -- travel through Bible verse study while getting an understanding of the goodness and strength of the Lord. This 122-page devotional for children 7-9 is perfect for use as warm-ups, bell ringers, for whole class study, homeschool and more.
Both homeschool and private school students will benefit from learning the Bible in five to ten minutes per day.
These daily Graces or Devotions are intended to be quick writes. They are perfect for the beginning of the day, the beginning of class periods or end of the day activities. They are aligned with the standards and 21st Century skills in that each verse touches on a standard that is required for college admission, while not sacrificing the strength of His work. Each Quick Write begins with a Bible Verse and extends to the world in which students live today.
The Daily Devotion takes Bible passages and requires students to think and write about things important to them, things happening in their lives – relevant to their world. By connecting standards, His Word and their lives – students gain a greater understanding of the teachings of our Lord and Savior – and gain valuable reading and writing skills required for college in the process.
These Devotions also present an opportunity for Creativity, Collaboration, Cooperation and Critical Thinking – if desired. Each Devotion requires students to look within themselves, reflect how they are living and how they can find their place in the world and with the Holy Spirit in their heart, but they also present opportunities for teachers to have students write and share their ideas, insights, strengths and weaknesses with partners and the whole – in order to maximize engagement.
Journeys through Reading – Grade 5 – is a series of English Language Arts lessons that allows students to incorporate engaging and essential ELA themes and standards while learning about fun places to visit. Perfect for centers, early finishers, ESL, intervention and more.
Disneyland: Fantasyland 2: Storybook Canal Boats – contain 9-print and go pages of activities that include: fluency practice, comprehension, word play, informational text study and more.
Perfect for whole class, groups, pairs, intervention, centers and more. Use with the entire Journey series for a comprehensive fifth grade program. Works for summer school as well.
• Nine pages in color and also in black and white for printing ease
• Great for students learning English
• Great for early finishers
• Work in pairs for intervention
Students practice reading, writing and speaking skills
• Access their creativity
• Learn new words
• Learn about new places
Key Ideas and Details:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.1
Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.2
Determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by key details; summarize the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.3
Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text.
Craft and Structure:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.4
Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 5 topic or subject area.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.5
Compare and contrast the overall structure (e.g., chronology, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or information in two or more texts.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.6
Analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic, noting important similarities and differences in the point of view they represent.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.7
Draw on information from multiple print or digital sources, demonstrating the ability to locate an answer to a question quickly or to solve a problem efficiently.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.8
Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which point(s).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.9
Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.
This is a well-rounded poetry lesson including a PPT on Types of Poems and one on Literary Devices and other important aspects of poetry.
This is standards-aligned and comes with 15 poem templates for students to write poetry and create their own chapbooks.
Includes:
Literary Device Quiz
Synonym Poem template
List Poems template
Three Word Forms template
I Don't Understand template
Autobiographical
Autobiographical 2
Diamonte
Formula Poem
Sense Poem
Bull Durham Credo
Limericks
Simile Poem
Free Verse
This No Prep Book Unit is a companion to “The Rough-Face Girl” an Algonquin Cinderella Story and contains pages and pages of interactive, cross-curricular and engaging activities -- all standards-aligned. This print-and-go unit contains interactive journal pages, a review of Cinderella Elements, essays, social studies assignments, quizzes and a whole lot more. Differentiated for use with the whole class.
Table of Contents
Cinderella Elements
#1: Rough-Face Girl Problem Solution Interactive Notebook Page
#2: Rough-Face Girl Character Traits RL.3
#3: Character Traits RL.3
#4: Critical Thinking Literature Questions Interactive Notebook Page
#5: Ask and Answer Questions on Illustrations RL.7
#6: Inferring RL.6
#7: Rough-Face Girl – What do you think? RL.1 and 3
#8: Problem/Solution Interactive Notebook Page RL.5
#9: Critical Thinking Questions
#10: About Rough-Face Girl RL 1 and 2
#11: Recounting Rough-Face Girl
#12: Character Motivation and Evidence RL.5
#13: Read and Illustrate The Algonquin Cinderella
#14 Rough-Face Girl : Character Conflicts RL.1 and 3
#15 Sentence Sorting RL.2 2, 4, 6, 7, 5, 3,1
#16 From Sentence Sorting to Essay Writing RL1 and 2
#17: Quick Write: Compare and Contrast RL.9
#18: Text-to-Text RL.9
#19: I Can Answer Questions About the Text RL.1
#20: Theme
#21: Moral RL.2
#22: Inferring RL.6
#23 Retell the Story through your Favorite Drawings RL.7
#24: Cause and Effect
#25: The Rough-Face Girl Report Card
#26: The Rough-Face Girl Book Review
#27: Questions Along the Way
Rubric for Constructed Response
This No Prep Book Unit is a companion to “Naya: The Inuit Cinderella” by Brittany Marceau-Chenkle and contains over thirty pages of interactive, cross-curricular and engaging activities -- all standards-aligned. This print-and-go unit contains interactive journal pages, a review of Cinderella Elements, essays, social studies assignments, quizzes and a whole lot more. Differentiated for use with the whole class.
Table of Contents
Cinderella Elements
#1: Naya The Inuit Cinderella Problem Solution Interactive Notebook Page
#2: Naya The Inuit Cinderella Character Traits RL.3
#3: Character Traits RL.3
#4: Critical Thinking Literature Questions Interactive Notebook Page
#5: Ask and Answer Questions on Illustrations RL.7
#6: Inferring RL.6
#7: Naya The Inuit Cinderella – What do you think? RL.1 and 3
#8: Problem/Solution Interactive Notebook Page RL.5
#9: Critical Thinking Questions
#10: About Naya The Inuit Cinderella RL 1 and 2
#11: Recounting Naya The Inuit Cinderella
#12: Character Motivation and Evidence RL.5
#13: Visualize the Future
#14 Naya The Inuit Cinderella: Character Conflicts RL.1 and 3
#15 Sentence Sorting RL.2 1, 7, 4, 5, 3, 6, 2
#16 From Sentence Sorting to Essay Writing RL1 and 2
#17: Quick Write: Compare and Contrast RL.9
#18: Text-to-Text RL.9
#19: I Can Answer Questions About the Text RL.1
#20: Notes to Author: Critical Thinking Activity
#21: Moral RL.2
#22: Inferring RL.6
#23 Retell the Story through your Favorite Drawings RL.7
#24: Cause and Effect
#25: The Naya The Inuit Cinderella Report Card
#26: The Naya The Inuit Cinderella Book Review
#27: Non-Fiction Quick Write – The Inuit
#28: Non-Fiction Quick Write – Abut the Author
#29: Thinking Along the Way
#30: Think, Question and Analyze
#31: Book Review
Rubric for Constructed Response
Freebie! Book Unit and link for free “The Halloween Without Pumpkins.” Common Core State Standards aligned - complete with interactive notebook pages - perfect for grades 2-3.
Includes standards printables and interactive workbook pages for 2.RL.1 through 2.RL.7 and 3.RL.1 through RL.7. The e-reader a link to both a PowerPoint of the book to project and popcorn read as well as a passed youtube book - also on teachertube.
About the story: The Halloween Without Pumpkins is about:
Elmer and Emily are friendly monsters who live in a shed in the middle of Farmer Fred’s pumpkin patch. The only time of the year they venture out during the day, is Halloween - they are monsters after all. With monsters perfectly proper as Halloween costumes - the two love to run around the patch helping families select their perfect decorations for the holiday - only it is almost October and there are no pumpkins as far as the eye can see. It’s up to these two lovable monsters to save Halloween and prove that sharing and physical differences are the best way to approach life.
FREEBIE! This file contains two formative assessments - Circle Around and What Does it Mean to Me for Roald Dahl's "Fantastic Mr. Fox."
Download and enjoy!
This is a HUGE original Unit based on my book -- Cinderella Christmas. This packet contains -- Cinderella Christmas ebook, Cinderella Christmas PowerPoint, over 30 print-and-go activities, Cinderella Elements PowerPoint, Cinderella Christmas Plot Diagram PowerPoint with student sheet, From Sentence Sorting to Essay Writing PowerPoint and student template, teaching Cinderella Powerpoint and a whole lot more!
The story is timeless -- but with a modern twist: A Christmasy twist to the timeless tale of Cinderella. Travel with Princess Charity to the North Pole and enjoy the elements of Cinderella in a whole new, modern, light!
Happy Holidays For Free From Me!