A standards based rubric for a character analysis. At the highest level of performance, student must be able to make an in-depth character analysis. He/she used textual evidence to made several statements about character traits, motivations, and emotions that were only vaguely alluded to in the text. He/she also made several general statements about character traits, motivation, and emotions and supported these statements with specific evidence from the text. - HappyEdugator

Standards Based Narrative Account or Short Story Rubric. Use this rubric for when students have to write a short story narrative. Includes engaging the reader, organization, sensory details, range of strategies including figurative language or dialogue, excludes extraneous information, provides a sense of closure, and conventions. Grading scale included. - Happyedugator

Confusing Parts of Speech Worksheet. Teaching parts of speech? Students often have trouble identifying the parts of speech. They often confuse possessive nouns and contractions, adverbs and adjectives, prepositions and prepositional phrases, and correlative and coordinating conjunctions. On this sheet, students have to practice with possessive nouns and contractions, adjectives and adverbs, prepositions, and coordinating and correlative conjunctions. -HappyEdugator

Standards based persuasive writing rubric: use to measure students ability to write an argument persuasively by engaging the reader, stating a clear position, supporting details, excluding irrelevant information or arguments, creating an organizing structure, anticipating counter-arguments, providing closure, and following writing conventions. - Happyedugator Supports common core standards for writing an argument.

Homophone Match Worksheet. This is a challenging homophone matching activity for upper grades. Have students work in individually or in groups with a dictionary to look up unknown words. Words and definitions are chunked into groups of six. - HappyEdugator

Correct Verb Form Worksheet. This test prep grammar worksheet has twenty sentences for practicing usage of irregular verbs. Students need to determine whether the past or the past participle form of the verb should be used. This could also be used as an assessment as well. Answer key is included. Supports Common Core! - HappyEdugator

PUMPKINS Writing Paper - Lined Paper - Pumpkins Theme. Eight different pumpkin designs, two different sizes of lines for writing at different ability levels. Fun paper for Thanksgiving or anytime. Students will have fun writing with some cute little pumpkins to inspire them. - Enjoy! HappyEdugator

Thanksgiving Word Search. This Thanksgiving wordsearch has 28 words related to Thanksgiving for students to find. This is a fun vocabulary building activity for students to do on days leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday. My students like to use highlighters instead of trying to circle the words with a pen or pencil. Answer key included. - HappyEdugator

Fairy Tales Story Pattern. How to write fairy tales! This is a simple story pattern that can be used to help students write their own fairy tale. They can fill in the blanks to create a story sketch, which they can then elaborate and expand on to create their own personal fairy tale. Good to use as a follow up to a unit on fairy tales, or after reading a fairy tale, like those written by Hans C. Andersen or the Brothers Grimm. Helps students avoid writer's block by scaffolding and gives them the confidence to complete their own story. Writing practice is essential to the CCSS (common core state standards ) in Language Arts. Example included.

Chromebooks Keyboard Shortcuts - Essential guide for using Chromebooks in the classroom. If your school is using Google Chromebooks in the classroom, you can use these quick keyboard shortcuts for using notebooks in the classroom to help your kids and yourself navigate on a Chromebook. Keep them handy...share this file with your students to keep as a handy reference tool, or project them on your SMARTBOARD or whiteboard and go over them with your kids before you begin. Useful for any subject, and especially helpful in computing classes. Hope you find it helpful! - HappyEdugator

Valentine's Day Crossword Puzzle. Cross word is slightly challenging for middle grades students. Made for middle grades and up. Enjoy! Solution included, of course. Examples of the types of clues and level of difficulty below: cardboard greeting = CARD often written to lovers = POEM sweet confections = CANDY the act of seeking a partner = COURTSHIP love story= ROMANCE stunningly beautiful =RAVISHING has the power of attracting = CHARM the blossoms of plants = FLOWERS like sugar = SWEET without end = FOREVER inspiring approval = ADMIRABLE boyfriend = BEAU term of endearment = DARLING symbol of love; at the center of = HEART - HappyEdugator

Alaska Study Questions Webquest. Includes an Iditarod Webquest, too. Students must answer 10 basic questions about the state of Alaska. Includes a list of safe websites for researching the questions. Questions are about location, climate, demographics, resources, etc. Iditarod webquest has 10 questions with a website to use for a guide. Students can complete as a webquest or do research to find the answers. Answer key for the teacher is included, which can be used as a guide for class discussion as well. A photo of bears fishing and the famous red lantern included to share with students. - HappyEdugator

Signal Word Posters. Set of 6 reading comprehension strategy posters to help students spot signal words or transition words in reading that show main idea, compare and contrast, cause and effect, sequencing, inferences, and fact and opinion. Hang up at the beginning of the year for back to school decorating with a purpose. Supports common core! - HappyEdugator CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.3c Use temporal words and phrases to signal event order. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.3c Use a variety of transitional words and phrases to manage the sequence of events. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.3c Use a variety of transitional words, phrases, and clauses to manage the sequence of events. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.3c Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence and signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another.

Research Skills Vocabulary Practice Sheet. This worksheet is an introduction to research vocabulary. Students will need to understand the basic vocabulary they will need when conducting research in a library or media center. This short fill-in-the-blank activity will give them practice with some of the terms they will encounter when writng a report or on state tests. - HappyEdugator

Commonly Confused Words and Practice Sentences. Good spelling help! Includes a handout of twenty commonly confused words that are often seen on state tests. Includes common homophones like there, they're and their; frequently confused words with usage errors such as its, and it's and should have vs. should of; as well as words such as sit and set and lie and lay. Also includes sentence practice to really make them think. Five sentences per page on four pages...students must fill in the blanks. Can be projected on the overhead or printed. Hand out the list on Monday, then use for a week of warm-ups, and then test on Friday.

Good Writers Will Have Success - Traits of Good Writing Posters. Success becomes an acronym for the traits of good writers. 6 Traits include Ideas and Content, Word Choice, Fluency, Voice, Organization, Conventions, and Presentation. These can be printed as a handout, made into a transparency, projected by LCD, or even blown up into a poster. Students will be reminded about what it takes to be a successful writer. Hang up at the beginning of the year to get your students thinking before they write. - HappyEdugator

The White Giraffe - Webquest Comparing South Africa and England. Students research and compare the countries of South Africa and England, and write their results in the T-chart. This activity goes along well with the book The White Giraffe by Lauren St. John. Students have to research facts about England - United Kingdom and South Africa and write them in the chart. Builds background knowledge about the setting of the story. Students get their information from a reliable source - the world factbook at cia.gov. After they complete the webquest, students will see some interesting differences between the countries that can be fun topics for discussion. Enjoy. - HappyEdugator

Storms - Wild Weather Word Scramble. This storm word scramble has words related to storms or precipitation. All the letters in the stormy words have been mixed up, and students need to figure out the correct words in the jumble. Can be used for a science unit on meteorology or weather or to go with a reading assignment. This is a fun sheet to use with any unit on weather, storms, disasters, or as a supplement to a story or book with bad weather, such as The Cay by Theodore Taylor, Stormy Weather by Carl Hiaasen, Star in the Storm by Joan Hiatt Harlow, or Anna, Grandpa, and the Big Storm by Carla Stevens. Twenty words. Key included. - HappyEdugator

Christmas adjective clause worksheet with 15 different sentences. Students have to identify the adjective clauses in the sentences related to the winter holiday. Useful in December to keep focused on the learning, even when the holidays are coming! Helps students understand sentence structure. Can be used in class or as homework practice. Common core standard in Language Arts. No prep. Print and go. Key included. - HappyEdugator

Reading Connections Chart. A useful graphic organizer which allows students to record their text connections to other texts, to self, to the world, and to school. Making connections is a reading strategy that helps students comprehend what they are reading. You can use with reading journals or as an extension activity for independent reading. - HappyEdugator