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.
Figurative Language in A Christmas Carol Worksheet. Using quotes from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, students have to identify types of figurative language such as metaphor, simile, personification, hyperbole, and allusion. Also includes a handout on types of figurative language. No prep. Print and go. Key included. - HappyEdugator
Standards
RL.6.4, RL.7.4, RL.8.4, CCRA.L.5
Parts of Speech: The Eight Parts of Speech quiz. Three different parts. Part A - This is a short fill in the blank quiz on the eight parts of speech. Students have to write the part of speech that matches the definition. Part B - Students have to identify nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs in sentences. Part C - Students have to identify pronouns, prepositions, conjunctions and interjections in sentences. Use one, or all three. Simple and easy to grade. - HappyEdugator
Desert Adaptations PowerPoint. Strategies that plants and animals use to survive in the desert, including examples of some specific animal and plant adaptations. 18 slides. - HappyEdugator
Easter acrostic poem. Do you need a quick fun activity for Easter? This is a short 9 slide PowerPoint explaining how to write an acronym poem, also called an acrostic poem. This would be a good warm-up activity to use around Easter holidays. Included is a definition of an acronym or acrostic poem, two example poems using egg and Easter, an Easter vocabulary slide, and a slide prompting students to write their own poem. You could also print this last slide for students to fill in. - HappyEdugator
Drama - Introduction to Drama PowerPoint. PowerPoint presentation with animations, sounds, and graphics that will engage your student when starting a drama unit. Defines drama, drama terms like playwright, stage directions, set, props, script and much more! Includes staging, dramatization, how plays are produced, the role of the audience and theater etiquette. Also, now includes information on Greek theater, Shakespearian theater, and Modern theater. Enjoy! . - HappyEdugator
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.7 Compare and contrast the experience of reading a story, drama, or poem to listening to or viewing an audio, video, or live version of the text, including contrasting what they “see” and “hear” when reading the text to what they perceive when they listen or watch.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.7.7
Compare and contrast a written story, drama, or poem to its audio, filmed, staged, or multimedia version, analyzing the effects of techniques unique to each medium (e.g., lighting, sound, color, or camera focus and angles in a film).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.7
Analyze the extent to which a filmed or live production of a story or drama stays faithful to or departs from the text or script, evaluating the choices made by the director or actors.
Cumulative Test of Greek and Latin Word Roots or Stems. Greek and Latin Roots test to assess students on their general knowledge of word stems after we have studied basic Greek and Latin roots. It includes multiple choice, matching and fill-in type questions. A key is provided. The basic Greek and Latin word root lists, which include affixes, prefixes, and suffixes, are also available separately. 35 questions in all. Left editable for your specific needs, so you may customize for your class. Supports common core. - HappyEdugator
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.4b Use common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., telegraph, photograph, autograph).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.4b Use common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., photograph, photosynthesis)
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.6.4b Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., audience, auditory, audible).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.7.4b Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., belligerent, bellicose, rebel).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.4b Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., precede, recede, secede).
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.
A Geologic Time Scale PowerPoint. A summary of the eras in Earth’s geologic history. Includes slides on Azoic, Proterozoic, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Cenzoic, and Neozoic eras. Slides cover from the origin of the planet to the rise of humans. Timeline included. Quiz included with key at the end. - HappyEdugator
Ten activities to do with building brick blocks. Use the games individually on separate occasions, or make stations with them and have an event. Print out the cards and use to mark each station. Students go from station to station to complete the activities on the card. You can also break them into teams and see which team completes the activities first.
Enjoy! - HappyEdugator
The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant Short Story Unit. What you need to teach The Necklace: Vocabulary, Comprehension Questions, Cause and Effect, Observing Details, Making Inferences, Dialogue, Word Scramble and Fill-in, Essay Questions. Answer key included. -
ADHD tips, observation sheet, and reward tickets. If you have an ADHD child in your class this year, I hope this list of tips will be helpful. Use the observation sheet to write down and record problem areas. This will be helpful for parent conferences and for seeing what works and what doesn't. Use the reward tickets as an incentive for your student to stay on task. You can offer your student a choice of different activities to choose from (such as 10 minutes of computer time) if they complete a task you give them. This worked very well for my autistic students as well. I have included tickets for a boy or girl to give them if they cannot do the activity right away.
Back to school Wanted Poster. Have fun getting to know your students by having everyone in the class make these wanted posters during the first week. They will enjoy sharing and getting to know each other, too. Makes a great back to school wall display. You can also use these posters as an additional activity to go along with a reading, writing or social studies unit relating to an old western theme. Students can choose a character from a book to put on their poster. Enjoy! - HappyEdugator
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
This Indefinite Articles PowerPoint has 15 practice slides Help your students know when to use the articles "a" and "an." Includes answers after each slide. - HappyEdugator
Editing Activity - What I Did on Spring Break! Great test prep! Find the mistakes in the sentences and make corrections in spelling, punctuation, and grammar. 25 sentences with common errors. Students have to become the "teacher" and correct the poorly written sentences they have found in their students' writing about their Spring Break vacation. These came from actual student mistakes. Enjoy! - HappyEdugator