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.
Nonfiction Vocabulary You Should Know Test. Goes with my Nonfiction Vocabulary You Should Know PowerPoint, but can be used separately. Includes nonfiction, author's purpose, exposition, description, narration, and persuasion, types of nonfiction selections and their descriptions, nonfiction text structures, the difference between dialogue and dialect,as well as stereotype and bias. 25 fill-in the blank style questions with a word bank. Reading more nonfiction is essential to the common core standardsthat are assessed on many state tests. Prepare your students for the terminology.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.4 Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 4 topic or subject area.
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.6.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.7.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.
Earth Day Vocabulary CARDS and Activities. Print these out on cardstock, and laminate if you desire for durability.
Keep the sheets intact for this LEARNING ACTIVITY:
Print out 2 sets of EARTH SHEETS. Divide class into groups. Give each group an EARTH activity sheet. Each group will work together and find three (or you decide how many) facts for each square. Give them adequate time to do this. (Try out my PowerPoint timer!) Have the groups report back to the class. You can also assign the rows on the cards to different groups.
OR
Cut cards out for these LEARNING ACTIVITIES:
1. Pull cards out of a hat (or other container) and assign to students for research activities.
2. Attach to Popsicle sticks and have students pull one when they are finished with other work. Require them to find out five facts about the word that relates it to Earth Day.
3. Put cards inside plastic Easter eggs and have students find them. When they return, have them earn a jelly bean for every word they can define or describe what it means to the planet.
You can come up with other games to use with these, too! If you blow them up to poster size, you have Earth Day word wall words, too. Enjoy!
-HappyEdugator
Shades of Meaning Verb Cards - SEE. Cut out and laminate these 16 different cards illustrating different synonyms of the verb "SEE" 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 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
100 Points Book Report Rubric for Fiction. A detailed book report guide that is easy to grade! This rubric for a book project on fiction will help students write a book review that is well-developed and thoughtful. Each section is detailed as to what is required, and the total points possible equals 100, making it easy to grade. The rubric is divided into 9 sections: the introduction, characters, plot, setting, theme, conclusion, composition structure, and paper format. Each section defines what is required in that section of the report, including the total points possible. Promote independent reading, critical thinking and organizational skills all at once. You can print out the picture and caption on the cover page and use as a poster in your room, too.
This rubric is included in my Middle School Writing Rubrics BUNDLE
100 Points Research Paper Rubric. Writing a research paper? Use this detailed rubric for a research paper that is easy to grade! Specific standards based requirements for a research paper and will promote a high degree of performance. Based on a 100 points, It is easy to grade and students can self evaluate their work. Performance elements include: Purpose and Focus, Organization and Development of Ideas, References and Documentation, Formatting, and Conventions. Promotes independent reading, critical thinking, organizational skills, writing style, and citing sources without plagiarism. - HappyEdugator
4 Digit Addition - NO Regrouping Practice Worksheets. Includes ten worksheets with 20 problems per page, Keys included. You can print one on one side for class practice and one on the back for homework practice. Supports national curriculum. Enjoy! - HappyEdugator
2 Digit Addition - With Regrouping Practice Worksheets. Includes ten worksheets with 16 problems per page, Keys included. You can print one on one side for class practice and one on the back for homework practice. Supports National Curriculum. Enjoy! - HappyEdugator
3 Digit Addition - with Regrouping Practice Worksheets. Includes ten worksheets with 20 problems per page, Keys included. You can print one on one side for class practice and one on the back for homework practice. Supports national curriculum. Enjoy! - HappyEdugator
3 Digit Addition - no Regrouping Practice Worksheets. Includes ten worksheets with 20 problems per page, Keys included. You can print one on one side for class practice and one on the back for homework practice. Supports national curriculum. Enjoy! - HappyEdugator
3D Shapes - 3D Shape Match Game. Fun Math Center or Game! Also useful for homeschool or summer review.
Teacher Directions:
Print out all the shape cards and shape name cards.
Cut out all the cards.
Laminate if desired for durability.
Store in a large plastic zipper bag or manila envelope.
Cover can be used as a center sign.
Games may be played individually or in pairs.
For differentiation, there are two ways to play:
1. Place matching stickers (not included) of the back of cards that match. Players lay cards right side up in a 4 x 4 pattern. Then they must match the shapes to the shape words and take turns making matches. They can self check by looking on the back of the cards and seeing if the stickers match. If they are correct they keep the matching cards and go again. Player with the most matches when all the cards are matched wins.
2. Do not put stickers on the back of the cards, or remove them if they were used previously. Players lay the cards face down in a 4 x 4 pattern and take turns making matches. This will now be a memory game. They must match shapes to shape words. If they are correct they keep the matching cards and go again. Player with the most matches when all the cards are matched wins.
Enjoy! - HappyEdugator
3 Digit Subtraction - with Regrouping Practice Worksheets. Includes ten worksheets with 20 problems per page. 5 sheets with a mix of two and three digit subtrahends, and 5 sheets with all three digit subtrahends. Some problems do not require regrouping to make kids think if they need to regroup or not. Keys included. You can print one on one side for class practice and one on the back for homework practice. Supports national curriculum. Enjoy!
3 Digit Subtraction - no Regrouping Practice Worksheets. Includes ten worksheets with 20 problems per page. 3 sheets with two digit subtrahends, 3 sheets with a mix of two and three digit subtrahends, and 4 sheets with all three digit subtrahends. Keys included. You can print one on one side for class practice and one on the back for homework practice. Supports national curriculum. Enjoy! - HappyEdugator
3D Diorama Project. Use this project as a culminating activity for any unit of study in English, PSHE, history or science. I like to use it after reading a class novel, but I have also used it in PSHE after we studied a region or a country. Includes a student handout with directions and grading checklist, and detailed directions with photos. Thanks and enjoy! - Happyedugator
4 Digit Subtraction - no Regrouping Practice Worksheets. Includes ten worksheets with 20 problems per page. 5 sheets with a mix of three and four digit subtrahends, and 5 sheets with all four digit subtrahends. Keys included. You can print one on one side for class practice and one on the back for homework practice. Supports national curriculum. Enjoy! - HappyEdugator
4 Digit Addition - with Regrouping Practice Worksheets. Includes ten worksheets with 20 problems per page, Keys included. You can print one on one side for class practice and one on the back for homework practice. Supports national curriculum. Enjoy! - HappyEdugator
4 Digit Subtraction - with Regrouping Practice Worksheets. Includes ten worksheets with 20 problems per page. 5 sheets with a mix of three and four digit subtrahends, and 5 sheets with all four digit subtrahends. Some problems do not require regrouping to make kids think if they need to regroup or not. Keys included. You can print one on one side for class practice and one on the back for homework practice. Supports national curriculum. Enjoy! - HappyEdugator
A. A. Milne Biography Activity and Constructed Response. A short nonfiction text for students to read, with questions about the selection and a constructed response question. Learn how Winnie the Pooh came into being. Supports common core standards that require more intensive reading of nonfiction text and more writing about the reading, citing text evidence. - HappyEdugator
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
Suffixes for Parts of Speech Posters. These are posters ( or you may project overhead) that can be used to teach suffixes that are associated with parts of speech. In order to build a better vocabulary, students should have some sort of sense that a word that ends in MENT is a noun, whereas a word that ends IZE is a verb. Learning these suffixes will greatly expand a student's understanding of how words work in context and aid in reading comprehension as well. Includes full color version and color on white background to save ink. Enjoy! - HappyEdugator
