Research and Expository Writing Formative Assessment. Multiple choice practice questions for state tests. Focused on the research process, expository and persuasive writing. Prepares students for standardized test questions. Questions are GPS standards based, but support common core standards as well. Standards are identified and correct answers are marked. Teacher and student copy included. Prepared for grade six, will work as review for 7th and 8th. - HappyEdugator

TEST PREP Reading and Language Arts Study Guide PowerPoint. 38 slide test prep presentation on standardized testing. What it is, what it measures, and includes sample questions with feedback for review and test taking strategies. This can be used to prepare for any state test, as you can modify or just skip the introductory slides and focus on the questions and answers. Designed for middle school, but may be used with upper elementary students as well. Supports common core. - HappyEdugator

St. Patrick's Day bookmarks. 6 different St. Patrick's bookmarks with pots of gold, green shamrocks, rainbows, and leprechauns that you can print out, laminate, and pass out to your students. March is a great month for spring book fever. Leprechauns remind students of the value of reading. Encourage your students to appreciate the value of books and treat them as treasure. Happiness is having a good book to read. Happy St. Patrick's Day! - HappyEdugator

Source Cards-Information Required Handout with Practice Activity. Help students organize notes and write bibliography in MLA format. This handout will help students identify what information they will need to put on their source cards when they take notes for a research paper and use to write a bibliography using MLA format. This is an important step in the research process. This will help make sure their bibliography is clear and correct. In simple terms, it lays out what is necessary to record for books, encyclopedias, magazines, newspapers, and websites. Students can put it in their binder and use it as a handy reference for when they take research notes. The last page is a practice activity they can use to correctly make source cards. - HappyEdugator

February Famous Author Birthdays PowerPoint. To engage your readers and inspire your writers, show them the slides on these famous authors who had birthdays in February such as Langston Hughes, Jerry Spinelli, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and Charles Dickens, to name a few. Each slide tells a little about the classic author and their most famous works. This winter, engage them in reading and writing! Have them choose from three writing assignments about these authors and their works on the last slide. - HappyEdugator

Spelling: Ex-Spelled Spelling GAME. This is a fun way to review a list of spelling or vocabulary words, or to use as an activity for a substitute teacher. Students have to spell words correctly or they have to sit down. Who will be the last one standing? The catch...each student only gives one letter! At the end of a word, the next student gets ex-spelled! Yikes! A fun word list is included to get things started. Supports Common Core Standards: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.2d Spell grade-appropriate words correctly, consulting references as needed. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.2e Spell grade-appropriate words correctly, consulting references as needed. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.6.2b Spell correctly. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.7.2b Spell correctly. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.2c Spell correctly.

Smartboard Create a Story. Spin a Story. This Smartboard activity helps students write a short story. This story idea generator works when students click on the spinners to generate story elements. Who What Where and When...Character, Plot, and Setting. Will create thousands of variations. Great for differentiation. Can be used to generate a whole class writing assignment or use for student journals. Graphic organizer for adding details included, which can be printed or projected on the whiteboard. When all the story elements have been generated, students write a story by adding their own details. - HappyEdugator

Joe DiMaggio - The Yankee Clipper PowerPoint. A Baseball Legend. This is a short biography of the famous Joe DiMaggio. Students will learn about this American baseball hero, who set a major league record of a 56 game hitting streak in 1941 that still stands today. Use it with books such as Becoming Joe DiMaggio by Maria Testa or Joe DiMaggio by Herb Dunn. Goes well with a baseball unit or theme. - HappyEdugator

Word Families PowerPoint. 77 slides on this Literacy PowerPoint! Introduce word families. Print out as signs for literacy centers, make into reading phonics flashcards by printing out on index cards, or show on the projector to use when introducing a word family. Each slide has the word family as the title, an example of a word in that family, and a picture to represent it. Multiple uses...you can use these signs as word wall titles, for word sorting, reading practice flash cards, etc. Enjoy! - HappyEdugator

Reading Graphic Organizer - I Saw...I Thought. Students can use this organizer when reading fiction or nonfiction text. In the first column, they should write evidence, quotes from the text, headings, subheadings, etc. that would be important to remember. In the second column students should write what they thought or understood as they read. This could include questions, predictions, vocabulary in context, etc. Graphic organizer can help students organize their thoughts to write a reading response. Younger students can draw pictures related to the text as well. - HappyEdugator

Fun Math Terms Word Search. Math terms are hidden in this word search puzzle made for upper elementary and middle grades. Have fun trying to find them all 21! Terms are hidden forwards, backwards, up and down, across, and diagonally. Key included. Also includes a bonus list of the terms with their definitions which you can use as a study guide for state testing or test prep. - HappyEdugator

Cat on the Go - by James Herriot Vocabulary Test. A short vocabulary test for the reading selection Cat on the Go by James Herriot, which is an excerpt from the book All Creatures Great and Small. The first part is a matching section, and the second part is a fill-in from the word bank. A Key is included. The test has two copies per letter size page for ease of copying. Our class read the selection, and watched the movie All Creatures Great and Small, and discussed differences between British English and American English, accents and dialects. - HappyEdugator

Characterization Handout - Making Characters Memorable. Helps students with characterization in their narrative writing. It outlines what good writers should consider in order to introduce characters and bring them to life. What do readers want to see in a character? Is the story plot driven or character driven? What are the internal and external character traits? Who is the antagonist and protagonist? Are both vital to the story? What are the conflicts, internal and external? Have students use this handout as a guide when creating a character sketch or in reading to evaluate how an author uses characterization. Includes a sheet for students to use to brainstorm internal and external character attributes for a character they want to create.

Science Fair Research Paper. How to write a research paper for a science fair. Guidelines for students to write a paper to go with their science fair project includes a steps to success graphic organizer, components of a science research paper, drafting pages, notecard templates, grading rubric, student checklists. I have also added a lesson plan outline for 4 weeks with Essential Questions (for the ELA teacher who may be collaborating with the Science teacher on this project) - HappyEdugator

Irregular Plurals - Latin and Greek Plural Forms. Irregular plural nouns. PowerPoint reviews the rules for forming plural nouns in English, and exceptions to those rules. Explains the rules for words with Latin and Greek origins and gives examples. These terms are often used in science and medicine. Practice questions are interactive. Good addition to your parts of speech unit. 19 slides. - HappyEdugator

Mickey Mantle - Baseball Legend PowerPoint. This is a short biography of the famous Mickey Mantle, the switch hitter for the NY Yankees. Students will learn about this American baseball hero, who set a major league record of the longest home-run ever hit that still stands today. Goes well with a baseball unit or theme or with books like Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli. - HappyEdugator

Dolch Sight Words Activities - Week 2. A week of Dolch sight word activities for the second set of ten words from the Dolch sight words list. Activities include: flash cards/ memory game, color the words, trace the words, match the words, cut and paste the words in alphabetical order, and write the words in letterboxes. Weeks 1 - 10 will cover the first 100 Dolch Sight Words. Enjoy! - HappyEdugator

Thanksgiving Word Wall Vocabulary Words. 30 Thanksgiving word wall words for the holiday and a blank template you can use to add your own Thanksgiving words. Promotes Thanksgiving writing! Decorated with pumpkins, apples, and fall leaves. Print out on cardstock and laminate for durability. Use them as flash cards or as discussion starters. Kids can use these words in their Thanksgiving writing, too. Some of the words included are: thanks pumpkin family Autumn cider pilgrims feast turkey Fall November cornucopia Mayflower Massachussetts and more! Happy Thanksgiving!

Literary Terms in Context 2 PowerPoint. This interactive PowerPoint has 30 questions about literary terms in context. May be used individually, with a whole group, or with teams. Students must read the quote and answer the question, then click to check. Includes terms for poetry and literature, including figurative language, rhyme scheme, story elements and point of view. Enjoy! - HappyEdugator

The Yearling by Marjorie K. Rawlings Anticipation Guide. Use this anticipation guide before you read the classic book or watch the movie about old pioneer days in Florida. Have students check off which statements they think could be a theme. Then read the book, watch the movie, and have them adjust their thinking as they proceed. Finally, at the end of the story, discuss. Have opinions changed? Have students support their choices with actual scenes from the book or movie. (Hint: they can all be themes) Enjoy! These teacher directions are included for your convenience. - HappyEdugator