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!

Four Principal Parts of Verbs PowerPoint. Introduces the four principal parts of verbs, including the present tense, past tense, present participle and past particle form. Includes slides from which students can take notes, and then there are ten slides for practice in using correct sentences. Aligned with common core for 5th grade, where students are require to understand, form and use the perfect (e.g., I had walked; I have walked; I will have walked) verb tenses. - HappyEdugator (Updated January 2015)

How to Write a Research Report - 6 Steps to Writing a Research Report Poster and Handout. Desribes the basic steps of how to write a research paper. This handout introduces students to writing a research report, and is a useful reference sheet for writing notebooks. The poster can be printed out and hung in your writing center as a reminder of the writing process. The six steps to writing a research report are explained in simple terms, from prewriting to publishing. Students can apply this writing process information to writing their own research report. Also includes step by step report drafting pages, a research paper rubric, a peer review sheet, and a sample research paper for students to see how one is written. Research is a key skill in the common core state standards. Students can keep this handy in their notebooks for a quick reference. Note - some of these items may be difficult for 3 grade, but there are still some useful items in the packet which may be helpful for that level - HappyEdugator

Drama - Abbott and Costello. This is a version of the famous Abbott and Costello skit "Who's on First?" When doing a drama unit, students love to perform this skit. Some of the words have been modernized from the original. Includes directions. Have students practice in pairs, reversing roles, so that each partner gets a chance to be the straight man. Make sure you give them time to practice. They love this and will want to perform for the class. Often they will bring in their own props from home. Have them watch the actual version, too, which is available on the internet. Includes link to video, teacher directions, follow up, a shortened one page version, and ideas for a baseball themed classroom. Enjoy! - HappyEdugator

RTI or Response to Intervention Documentation forms. Includes pyramid of intervention team recommendation form, tier 2 and tier 3 strategies response form, tier 2 and tier 3 documentation of intervention strategies, reading, math and written expression referral forms. These are RTI forms teachers or intervention specialists fill out to document interventions. - HappyEdugator

Thanksgiving Play - A Joyful Harvest. A short Thanksgiving play or skit that is quick and easy to perform, and fun! Set on the first Thanksgiving. Four characters - a pilgrim boy and girl, and a native American boy and girl. A fun way to act out the preparations for the first Thanksgiving. Backdrop is forest on one side and grass on the other. The Pilgrim and Indian children talk about the upcoming harvest feast with excitement, play a game of pins, and end up naming the holiday. Based on actual history of Thanksgiving. Fun Thanksgiving activity! Print and go...can be done without props or backdrop as a reader's theater.

Christmas Figurative Language Memory Game PowerPoint. This Christmas PowerPoint game on figurative language is set up like the game Concentration. This Christmas game provides matching pairs made up of a literary term and its definition on one slide and an example from literature on another slide. For a fun December winter activity, the examples are related to Christmas. Examples come from such works as A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, Stopping By the Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost, and even The Grinch Who Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss. Some of the terms used in the game are metaphor, allusion, oxymoron, paradox, symbol, simile and irony. Click on the number on the board to reveal the card. Click on the number on the card or the arrow button to return to the board. Instructions on play are included, as well as a link to a Christmas music video to watch when the game is completed. Revised and Updated. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! -HappyEdugator

Christmas Writing Activity - Revising the lyrics of Christmas Songs. Get students engaged in some creative writing before the holidays. Fun! Students can rewrite some of their favorite Christmas songs, such as White Christmas, Jingle Bells, and The Grinch. Three writing templates to get them started. Fun practice for expanding vocabulary...finding synonyms in a thesaurus, experinmenting with words. Photographs of projects done in class. Have fun! - HappyEdugator

Solar System and Space Vocabulary PowerPoint. 29 slides with animated graphics about the solar system and vocabulary words that are needed for understanding. Vocabulary includes astronomer, telescope, observations, constellation, solar system, orbit, revolution, spin, rotation, moon phase, full moon, new moon, waxing crescent, waning crescent, waxing gibbous, waning gibbous. Also includes descriptions of the various celestial bodies of the solar system including the sun, the terrestrial planets, the asteroid belt, the gaseous giants, comets, Kuiper belt, and the Oord cloud. Enjoy! - HappyEdugator

Who Wants to Win a Million Dollars Language Arts Review PowerPoint. Interactive. Animated with themed music. A review game for Language Arts mechanics and usage set up like the game show "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" Students have to get the right answers to move up and win more money. There are questions on verb tenses, subject and predicate, sentence type and sentence structure, capitalization, etc. Good review for standardized test preparation, and the kids will have fun, too! Updated March 2014 with additional sounds and graphics! - HappyEdugator

Adjectives PowerPoint - all about adjectives with practice slides including: What is an adjective? Descriptive Adjectives Limiting Adjectives Nouns Used as Adjectives Proper Adjectives Articles - Definite and Indefinite Degrees of Adjectives - Positive, Comparative, Superlative Review of Common and Proper Adjectives Compound Adjectives Classifying Adjectives Demonstrative Adjectives Coordinate Adjectives Cumulative Adjectives 58 slides. UK version. - HappyEdugator

Figurative Language. Figurative Language Practice Sheets. This figurative language pack includes: types of figurative language, and a handout that first defines metaphors and similes, and gives an example of each. Students then have to tell whether the following ten sentences use metaphors or similes, and underline what is being compared. Secondly, the handout defines hyperbole, and personificaton, and gives examples of each of these. Students then have to tell whether the following ten sentences is an example of hyperbole or personification. Then there are three additional practice sheets with figurative examples from literature. Students have to identify and give their reason for how they know. These are good practice sheets when introducing figurative language. You can have students work in small groups or with partners to try to figure out the figurative language. No prep. Print and go. Keys included. Can be used to supplement a poetry unit, writing unit, or literature unit. Supports these Common Core Standards, which also need to be reinforced in higher grades as well: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.5 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.5a Explain the meaning of simple similes and metaphors (e.g., as pretty as a picture) in context. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.5b Recognize and explain the meaning of common idioms, adages, and proverbs. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.5 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.5a Interpret figurative language, including similes and metaphors, in context. - HappyEdugator

Halloween Spooky Synonyms PowerPoint and Writing Activity. Halloween themed PowerPoint about synonyms. Supports common core. First slides explain synonyms, give examples of synonyms, and why choosing the right words and using a thesaurus is useful when writing. Several colorful and animated slides then provide synonyms for common Halloween words such as candy, costume, scary, etc. The last slide is a writing activity where students use their new found vocabulary to write a Halloween story. A fun autumn activity to get your students writing. We had fun making this a listening and speaking activity. When a synonym slide came up, we would say the synonyms, and then I would ring a bell. They had 30 seconds to turn to their neighbor and answer the question at the bottom of the slide. After 30 seconds, I rang the bell again and they had to stop talking! Then we would repeat on the next slide. When we got to the activity slide, I let them tell their story to each other first before they had to write it. - HappyEdugator Standards: W.4.3, W.5.3d, W.6.3d, W.7.3d, W.8.3d

Idioms Search - Find the Idioms in the Story. This handout is a short story filled with 20 idioms. Students must first answer questions about idioms and figurative language, and then use a highlighter or colored pencils to find the idioms embedded in the story. The story is about a man at a job interview. Excellent for an end of the year activity. Includes a glossary and a quiz. Key included. Common Core Standard L4.5: Recognize and explain the meaning of common idioms, adages, and proverbs Common Core Standard L 5.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 5 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. Common Core Standards L 5.5 Recognize and explain the meaning of common idioms, adages, and proverbs. - HappyEdugator

Have your students learn about holidays around the world and write acrostic poems about how people celebrate Christmas around the world. Includes informational text about ten different countries around the world and how they celebrate Christmas. You may wish to have students do additional research to write their poems. These are fun and easy to use for differentiation. You can choose longer or shorter poems for students, or you can give them choice. You can also require either words, phrases, or complete sentences on the lines. You can decide to rhyme or not. They do require some critical thinking and creativity. They make a great display, too. - HappyEdugator ©2016 HappyEdugator.

Zoo by Edward Hoch Supporting Materials. Activities for the short story Zoo. Includes: Anticipation Guide 2 Column Notes or Double-Entry Response Character Chart Vocabulary Practice Quick Write with Peer Review Vocabulary Quiz with key and Partner Activity. Enjoy! - HappyEdugator

The Danger PowerPoint Game Template. Plays similar to the TV game show Jeopardy. Great for review in any subject. Just add your own content. Enjoy! HappyEdugator

The Strongest Link PowerPoint Game Template. Plays similar to the TV game show The Weakest Link. Great for review in any subject. Just add your own content. Enjoy! HappyEdugator

In this debate lesson, students will debate a variety of topics. The PowerPoint will walk you and your class through each step of the process. First, small groups will discuss terms and rules of debate. Then groups will break into pairs, and choose to be for or against their topic before it is given. Topics (included) are then given and partners will prepare their debates. Includes a chart for the terms and a table for recording assessment of the debates by peers.

Help students learn their letters with this Letter Recognition and Alphabet Order Smartboard Activity. Learn the alphabet with a Smart board! Students will have fun on the interactive SmartBoard learning to read, write and order the alphabet. Teaches letter recognition, letter formation, and alphabetical order. Listen to the sound of each letter and trace how the letter is formed on the Smartboard. Each letter of the alphabet is presented in order, with a picture of something that begins with that letter. Click on sound icon to hear it. Multisensory learning. They can touch the icon to listen to the letter, then say the letter, use a marker, pen, or creative pen to trace the letter, see a picture of an animal that represents that letter, and finally, trace the alphabet and place the letters in order using fridge magnets. Upper case and lower case letter writing practice. Students can see the letter, hear the letter, and trace the letter. They have the opportunity to trace the alphabet in upper case and lower case letters. On the last slide, they can build their own alphabet in correct alphabetical order. Fun and interactive learning for the students. Supports common core state standards. 32 pages. - HappyEdugator