Theme Graphic Organizer for Any Novel or Short Story. Helps students understand how to identify theme in a novel or a short story by looking at dialogue, conflict, and endings. Includes examples of each from literature, and uses a mnemonic device to remember what theme is. (THEME = THE MEssage) Supports Common Core Standard for reading Literature #2, Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text Includes a blank copy for students. - HappyEdugator

Poetry Characteristics - Notes and Poetry Writing Activity. Poetry notes can be projected or printed as a handout. Several different characteristics of poetry writing are explained. Students will then write a poem using the form for a poem sheet. Students practice their writing skills and review parts of speech as well. - 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

Adjective and Adverb Clauses Test or Worksheet. This grammar test has 20 questions on identifying adverb and adjective clauses in sentences. There are four parts to each question. Students will underline the clause, identify it as adjective or adverb, identify the relative pronoun or subordinating conjunction, and show the word that is modified. This can also be used as a worksheet for practice and test prep. Key included. - HappyEdugator Common Core Standards L.7.1a, L.7.1c

Earth Day Crossword Puzzle. 21 Vocabulary word cross word for Earth Day. Includes conserve, reduce, reuse, recycle, Earth, ecology, environment, ozone, pollution, etc. Good activity for Earth Day, spring, or for a filler before and after state testing.

Fairy Tale Homophones. Fun practice sheet identifying homophones in famous fairy tales. Sheet includes ten sentence that have incorrect homophones for students to find and fix. Supports common core. - 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

Alliterative Superlative Adjectives. This is a fun activity where students not only practice making superlative adjectives, but they can play with words to make alliterations as well. Promotes critical thinking. A quick activity that complements a lesson on comparative and superlative adjectives or alliterations in poetry. © HappyEdugator.

Poetry Graphic Organizer. This poetry graphic organizer helps students understand the difference between sensory language and figurative language when used in poetry. Figurative language includes Metaphor,Simile, Personification, Hyperbole, and Idioms. Sensory language or poetic devices include Alliteration, Onomatopoeia, Assonance, Consonance, and Rhyme. Print out or project. - HappyEdugator

Have your students write a children's book with PowerPoint, using this rubric as their guide. Help them incorporate literary elements, and make it easy for yourself to grade! This rubric considers the writing process, introduction, organization, problem/conflict, characters, solution/resolution, setting, spelling and punctuation, and specific requirements

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

Earth Day Word Search Puzzle. Earth Day Word Search has 19 vocabulary words, including earth, April, conservation, biodegradable, ecology, environment, reduce, reuse, and recycle, and more. A fun spring activity and a useful time filler for use after state testing. - HappyEdugator

Poetry - Types of Poetry TEST. There are eight different poems on this test, and students need to match them to their type. Diamante Haiku Limerick Sonnet Ballad Concrete Lyric and Free Verse You can have students write the type of the poem next to the poem on the test, or to save paper, students can number 1-8 on a separate piece of paper and match the poems to the word bank at the bottom. Updated 2016 - HappyEdugator

Critical Thinking - Brain Teaser Sheet. Words That Go Together. A challenging word game for gifted and talented students, or anyone who wants to think! Find another word that starts with the same two letters as the given word. The right answer will create a familiar compound word or two-word phrase. Key included.

Animal Farm Matching Test. Reading Animal Farm by George Orwell? A short test or quiz (with answer key) that has 15 matching questions about characters and places in the novel. Designed to be a quick assessment of comprehension. There are two copies per letter-size page, to save paper when making copies. Print and go.

Writing a Bibliography. Bat theme. Writing a bibliography for a report. Includes handout on how to write a bibliography with correct format for entries, and activity writing a bibliography from notecards. Goes very well with writing a report about bats, but can be used with other report writing as well. Use around Halloween or anytime. Key included.

The Westing Game Word Search Puzzle. A fun Wordsearch puzzle based on words from the book The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. 26 words hidden in the word find horizontally, vertically, and diagonally, forwards and backwards. Key included. One page with color border, and optional black and white page without border to save your ink. Enjoy! - HappyEdugator

Ribbons by Laurence Yep Vocabulary Practice. This file includes a vocabulary list for the short story "Ribbons" by Laurence Yep, and three different vocabulary practice sheets. One matching worksheet, one fill-in, and one word scramble. Keys included. -HappyEdugator

Sentence Structure Activity. Simple sentences and compound sentences. Students will answer questions about phrases, clauses, and sentences, fill out a kwl chart, write a plot diagram and a story, making compound sentences sheet and complete a graffiti poster. Fun practice for simple and compound sentences! - HappyEdugator