Reading Strategy Strips - How to Think When You Read. Make active reading strategies more concrete and help students take personal ownership of using reading strategies taught in class. Students will focus on ways to approach their reading. This will empower students to become better independent readers by giving them actual tools they can use to figure out unknown words and gain comprehension of the text. Directions for the teacher: Print out strategy strips, cut out, and laminate. Use these during guided reading lessons. If possible, schedule guided reading groups for at least 25 minutes, four days a week. In small groups, introduce the text and have the students discuss the pictures, make connections and predictions. Immerse students in leveled texts that are on their instructional reading level in a variety of genres. As they read the story, choral read with the whole group or whisper read with individuals to figure out words in context. Write troublesome words on the white board and discuss which strategies will help. Discuss and elaborate on the strategy strips you wish to focus on that day. This depends on the stage of readers. Primarily, with emergent readers, Study the pictures and Read to understand work well. Early readers will be ready for Point at the words and Hear the sounds whereas, students who are already using active reading strategies may be ready for Read some more. Put these strips on white board with a magnet. If students are reading individually, troublesome words can be put on small white boards, and reading strips can be left on the table. Students can pull the strips for the strategies they used. Teacher can suggest other strategies that would be helpful. If a student makes a substitution, for instance, it is a good time to stop, write both words on the white board, and use the strategies to check the words. Use one set of strategies for the whole group. Play strategy detective and see if you can guess who is using which strategy. Students will notice that sometimes they will need to use more strategies than other times. This will help them figure out which books are just right, or if they are too easy or too difficult, so that they will be better able to select books that are appropriate for their level of development. Included here are the active reading strategy strips which you can print out and laminate, and the teacher directions, including an explanation and elaboration on what each strip really means. - HappyEdugator

Spring Vegetable Garden Signs - Fun Literacy Activity! Spring activities: Great handwriting practice! A good accompaniment to the book The Gardener by Sarah Stewart., or books about seeds. Have your students make vegetable garden signs! They can make these as a gift or just to celebrate the coming of spring. Print out the color slides on index cards (set up your printer to the desired size) or on card stock or tag board. Then students can trace the letters and name the vegetables. Students practice reading and writing; developing vocabulary, phonemic awareness, and fine motor skills. When finished, laminate and attach to craft sticks and let them take them home to put in the garden. Good to use in March, April, and May. For even more fun, plant a bean in a paper cup with potting soil and let it grow. Kids can take home their signs when their bean has sprouted. Or plant a school vegetable garden. Enjoy! - HappyEdugator

William Faulkner - As I Lay Dying - essay test or examination for the novel. Questions are based on Faulkner's life, style, including characterization and organization, themes, symbolisms and ironies. You can choose to have students answer all of the questions or let them select. This can be used as a take-home open book examination. Grading form and answer key included. You can use this for backwards design, and use the answer key to drive your class discussions. - HappyEdugator

Halloween Quiz. This simple and fun quiz about Halloween will test your students knowledge of some basic Halloween vocabulary and traditions. Students can fill in the blanks from the word bank. Pair and share, write a story with the words from the word bank, and color the Jack O Lantern afterwards. You can also cut out the word bank if you wish, and make a game for kids to "win" it! Included are word bank cards, a monster for early finishers to color, a key and a reward cut out for completing it correctly! - HappyEdugator

Drama Playbill Project. A printable activity -This assignment gives instructions to students on how to write a playbill (an advertisement for a play) that includes the following: an illustrated cover with information about the performance and a picture illustrating the play's content,a summary of the play written to promote the play, an illustration of the setting, an explanation of the the theme, and a description of the main character. A rubric for evaluation is included. - HappyEdugator

Reading a Magazine Terms and Worksheet. Magazine terms (parts of a magazine, and hands - on practice sheet) 2 page printable handout with a hands-on practice activity for reading nonfiction magazine articles. You will need to have magazines available or take students to the media center to read magazine articles. The first page is a list of journalism terms used in the magazine industry, which you can discuss and studentts can use as a reference sheet. The second page has students fill out questions about these terms using a magazine article they have read and can refer to.

Smartboard Language Fun With Alliteration and Rhyme. Alliteration game will help students practice beginning sounds. Spin the spinner to choose a letter, think of three words that begin with the same letter, and then write a sentence. Rhyme Time will generate random words and students must try to think of a rhyming word for each one and write it on the board. Room on the board for students to write words, which they love to do! Can be an engaging jump start for some poetry, too! Supports common core reading and writing standards K - 2. - HappyEdugator

I'm Done! What Will I Do Now? Editable Slide Set. PowerPoint slide poster set which can be printed or projected on your Smartboard. Five different background styles: Solid Blue, Chevron, Rainbow, Blue Sky, and White. Editable, so you can type what you want in the callouts. - HappyEdugator

Tabloid Myth Writing Assignment with Rubric. Studying mythology? Fun activity. Students will write a total of three illustrated and imaginative tabloid stories with mythological characters. The stories will have to have varied sentences and specific descriptive words. Final product will be evaluated according to the rubric included. Students will learn about tabloids and how they sensationalize stories to get attention. Assignment handout with student role and rubric included.

Thanksgiving Acrostic Poems - For Thanksgiving, Ten Thanksgiving Acrostic Poems. Students can use these festive templates to write an acrostic poem using the letters in several words that are related to Thanksgiving. Lower grades can write one word answers, upper level students can write phrases or sentences. Adjustable for your grade level. Great for differentiation. Enjoy! Happy Thanksgiving!

Main Idea in Writing PowerPoint - How can a piece of writing be strong in ideas? Ideas are the big juicy burger that is the meat of the paper. Short presentation and to the point presentation or mini-lesson that explains how students can score better on a standardized writing test with a paper that is strong in ideas, with several strategies on how to make ideas clearer and stronger. - HappyEdugator

Back to School - Welcome to Reading Class PowerPoint. Just add your information and use to welcome students to your reading class at Open House or on the first day of school. - HappyEdugator

Five Paragraph Essay PowerPoint - How to write a five paragraph essay. Information for students on the structure of a five paragraph essay. including introductory paragraph, 3 detail paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph.

ersuasive Prompts Handout. Use this as a handout to give students many different choices for writing an argument or opinion piece, or use the prompts separately for different writing assignments. There is a total of 18 persuasive writing prompts that will surely get them writing! - HappyEdugator Supports Common Core ELA Writing Standards CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1a Introduce claim(s) and organize the reasons and evidence clearly. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1b Support claim(s) with clear reasons and relevant evidence, using credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1c Use words, phrases, and clauses to clarify the relationships among claim(s) and reasons. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1d Establish and maintain a formal style. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1e Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from the argument presented. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1a Introduce claim(s), acknowledge alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1b Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1c Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), reasons, and evidence. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1d Establish and maintain a formal style. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1e Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.1a Introduce claim(s), acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.1b Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.1c Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.1d Establish and maintain a formal style. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.1e Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.

Mythology Museum Project. Make a mythology museum exhibit. A fun group project for students to use creativity and knowledge of mythology. 10 activities required, with a signature line for each part a student participated in. Includes a detailed rubric. - HappyEdugator

This cause and effect chart goes along with the short story of The Legend of Popocatepetl and Ixtaccíhuatl. Students have to fill in the blanks of either the cause or the effect of the event listed on the chart. - HappyEdugator

Idioms Matching with Color Coding. Print and go. Printable activity - students match idioms to their meanings by coloring the matching boxes the same color with either colored pencils or crayons. A fun activity that helps students develop their understanding of idioms as figurative language. You get four different worksheets and answer keys. 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

Digital Paper - Back to School. High quality digital papers for your creations. 12 different styles of Fall leaves backgrounds. Great for autumn or back to school. 12 X 12, 300 dpi. JPEG file format. Personal or commercial use. Enjoy! - HappyEdugator

Teaching expository writing? Everything you need to assign a successful how-to project and oral presentation. Includes: Parent informed consent letter with three possible topics requiring parental approval, Student Handout with list of topics they may choose, Rubric for teacher evaluation of project, Oral presentation rubric, and peer evaluation rubric. Students can complete this project at any time of the school year, but it is a good beginning of the year or end of the year activity. - HappyEdugator

Use this sheet on Veterans Day to reinforce your lessons on fact and opinion. Students have to read the eight sentences and then decide if they are facts or opinions. - HappyEdugator