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.
Verb Tense Shifts Paragraph Revising Worksheet. This grammar worksheet has a paragraph with the verb tenses all mixed up. The story is about a summer canoe trip. The students' job is to rewrite and revise the paragraph, correcting the shifts in tense so the paragraph reads clearly. (This is a common grammar mistake, and this practice will help students recognize the problem.) Then students should also underline all the verbs they found in the paragraph. 2 per page for saving paper copies. Supports common core standards for Language Grade 5* and up. Can be used in centers and then students can self check the key. Great end of the year activity -or the beginning of the year when students are returning from summer vacations.
L.5.1.D recognize and correct inappropriate changes in verb tense
*Use verb tense to convey various times, sequences, states, and conditions.
CCSS.ELA - Literacy L.5.1d Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb tense.
Collective Nouns of Animal Groups PowerPoint. Lists the collective noun names for different animal groups. For example, a congregation of alligators, a sleuth of bears, and a murder of crows are just a few of the unusual group animal names found in the English language. Useful when introducing subject-verb agreement with collective nouns. Discuss whether they are singular or plural. Students are also challenged and encouraged to try to come up with their own collective nouns at the conclusion of the slide show. 20 Informative slides. Fun addition to a parts of speech unit. Supports common core!
Irregular Verbs Common in English PowerPoint. 41 slide presentation on the most common irregular verbs in English. Each slide gives the infinitive form of the verb and a short definition, and an example of the past tense and past participle forms of the verbs in a sentence. The slides have fun graphics, sounds, and animations. This is useful for English Language Learners as well as for regular students who want to brush up for standardized tests. Note that thumbnails do not come out accurately- free preview is available. - Happyedugator
Parts of a Book PowerPoint. Basic parts of a book from the cover, spine and pages to what is inside. Distinguishes between fiction and nonfiction books, and explains how a book is organized, from the title page, table of contents, to the index and bibliography. Animated graphics make it engaging. Supports common core standards. Revised with more content in June 2014 - HappyEdugator
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.K.1 Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.1 Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print.
Rikki Tikki Tavi Preview PowerPoint. Preview the short story Rikki-Tikki-Tavi by Rudyard Kipling with this introductory powerpoint. Has vocabulary with definitions, plot diagram, literary elements, anticipation guide, author biography and background information, and strategies for reading short stories. Cobra and mongoose facts and photos included, as well as a link to a National Geographic video clip of a mongoose encounter with a cobra. This is an engaging story for the beginning of the year, and a good one to introduce literary elements, especially plot and conflict. Readers will love Rikki Tikki Tavi! - HappyEdugator
Finding the Main Idea When Reading Non-Fiction PowerPoint. Interactive questions with immediate feedback and animated graphics. Explains main idea and how to find it when reading informational text. Common core requires more nonfiction reading! Students need to have a good understanding of what they read, and this is a key skill they need for success. Good for test prep! - HappyEdugator
The Monsters are Due on Maple Street Plot Diagram Activity. A hands-on activity for the story The Monsters are Due on Maple Street. After learning that the plot is the sequence of events, and having been introduced to a plot diagram with the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution, have your students work in small groups or individually to cut and paste this list of 11 events from the story onto their own plot diagram and label what part of the story they belong to. Blank plot diagram included, or have them create their own on a large piece of colored construction paper using the blank diagram as a guide.
You can also use the larger event cards (included) and challenge your students to do a human plot line.
1. Print out the 11 separate plot event cards. Laminate for durability.
2. Have some students hold up the cards and put themselves in the correct order in a kinesthetic activity.
3. Allow the rest of the class to help decide which is the correct sequence of events.
They will have to think critically to put the events in the correct order. I liked to do this before my students went to small groups, so that everyone could have a good understanding of the sequence of events before doing it on their own.
The story is not included...but is available free online. I have included links to the story and the video.
PowerPoint Timer! Classroom Management PowerPoint Timer. Set for any time up to 1 hour. Keep students on task with this countdown clock. The PowerPoint slides count down from 60 minutes all the way to "None." Set it for any time up to 60 minutes. It has a 2 minute warning (with a sound effect) as well to give students advance notice that time will be up soon. It can be used for timing students for many different activities including cooperative learning time, group work, independent work, timed tests, etc. A great visual aid for teaching students how to pace themselves for state tests. Just project it up on the Smartboard for all students to see. It doesn't have to be set always at 60 minutes: it can be set at any interval between 1 and 60 minutes and transitions slides each minute. Good classroom management technique to keep students on task.
Transition Words and Phrases Lists and Sorting Activities. Supports common core! Transitional words and transitional phrases are useful in writing clear and fluent paragraphs, but students need to be familiar with when to use them. Includes a Word Splash of Transition Words with a graphic organizer for sorting, several different handouts with lists of useful transition words, and a categorizing worksheet.for groups to work on and discuss. Some words may be classified in different categories, so this can lead to interesting discussions and students will have to employ higher level thinking skills.The lists will become a handy reference tool for use when writing. - HappyEdugator
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.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.2c Use appropriate transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.3c Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence, signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another, and show the relationships among experiences and events.
What’s in the Sack" by Shel Silverstein PowerPoint Beginning of the Year. Goes well with Beginning of the Year “Me” Bag Activity. Animated graphics will make this poem fun to read and engage your students. 12 slides. Revised July 2014
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.
This activity will help your students identify adjectives in text. They will search for adjectives in the story, and try to find them all. My students like to use highlighters to find them, but you can have them circle or underline them if you desire. Also includes a reference sheet and key. Great activity to do after studying adjectives with my All About Adjectives PowerPoint. Enjoy! - HappyEdugator
Sentences. Sentences Practice Worksheets. Students need to understand complete sentences. Good practice for identifying and fixing fragments, and run-ons, and review of sentence types: declarative, imperative, interrogative, and exclamatory. Includes seven different practice sheets. Keys included. Revised June 2015 with additional content.
Drama - The Emperor's New Clothes. This PowerPoint is a fun reader's theater or classroom play based on Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale that can be performed by students on short notice with limited space and props. Cast of characters, props, and stage directions make it easy and entertaining. Vocabulary can be discussed during a preview. Print the slides out as handouts (Print-Settings-Outline - to print out like a script in black and white) for your students and project the play as it is being performed.You can also just project it to save copies. I have students read their handouts silently first and look for words that are unfamiliar. Some possible words are highlighted on the slide show. Then discuss the unknown words and use them in a performance! I used this fairy tale theater as a bridge between a drama unit and a fairy tale and folk tale unit. And don't worry...no one has to get undressed! :-)
- HappyEdugator
The Cremation of Sam McGee SMARTBOARD Activities. Poetry analysis on the smart board and writing activities for the poem by Robert Service. This poem is set at Christmas time in the Arctic in the late 1800's. Includes links to background information on the Klondike Gold Rush, Vocabulary words and definitions, a Vocabulary game, a link to the full text of the poem, Figurative language examples and interactive quiz, Comprehension questions and answers, links to a reading of the poem and a video, and writing activities. Includes a final writing task that supports common core standards. Enjoy!
The White Giraffe by Lauren St. John Vocabulary List. Vocabulary list for the novel, organized by chapter. Can be given to students as a study guide or handout, and as they read the book they can research the words, and vocabulary activities can be developed using these words. Includes three pages of word lists without the definitions to use for reseaching and discovery learning, and eight pages of word lists that include the definitions. Enjoy.
Author's Purpose PowerPoint. Author's purpose- To Persuade, To Inform, To Entertain - in easy to understand and engaging slides. It's as easy as pie! Students will learn what to look for when determining author's purpose, and then practice with the last slide. 13 slides. - HappyEdugator
PowerPoint on After Twenty Years by O. Henry with before reading activities to preview the story vocabulary, highlights of the author's life, and the literary elements of foreshadowing and omniscient point of view. Includes a link to the story to read. During reading, students must look for clues to how the story ends, and after reading, check their predictions. The following slides are a mini-lesson on independent and subordinate clauses and sentence structure. Students will learn about complex sentences. A writing activity follows in which students are asked to incorporate subordinate clauses into their work. Animated graphics make it fun and interesting. Updated January 2015 -
Swimmy by Leo Lionni Retelling Activity. After reading the book, retell the story again with this “real life” underwater photo story. Project the story on your whiteboard or SMARTBoard, OR print out the slides. Your students will love to see Swimmy and his friends come to real life. Supports common core. Enjoy!