Writing Essays - how to write an essay starting with a graphic organizer. This PowerPoint will walk students through a graphic organizer and using it to write a rough draft of an essay, either expository or persuasive. A sample of the graphic organizer is on a slide, but I usually make two blank copies of the organizer to give to each student. A printable graphic organizer is included at the end for you to print for student copies. We do one together on the practice thesis statement, and then they have one to use when they write from a different prompt. Great test prep for state writing tests. - HappyEdugator

Drama Warm Ups - Fun role playing activities to get students moving, thinking and creating. Whether you are teaching drama in literature, a drama course, or sponsoring a drama club after school, these activities will be engaging and fun, and will lead to higher level thinking and creativity! 15 pages of different activities with examples and suggestions to get started. Enjoy! - HappyEdugator

Characterization PowerPoint - Character Development in Short Stories. Shows students how to develop characters when writing short stories by analyzing author strategies, like using sensory details, gestures, and interior monologue. Demonstrates different strategies to use in developing a character in a short story, helping students write better by making their characters come to life! Animated graphics and sound. 18 slides. Includes a handout for students to put in their writer's notebook. Supports common core state standards. - HappyEdugator CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.3a Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.3b Use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.3a Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.3b Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, description, and pacing, to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations.

Veterans Day Word Scramble and Veteran's Day Word Search. Fun word puzzles for Veterans Day. This word scramble has 16 words related to Veterans Day - such as heroes, honor, patriotic, military, veteran, etc. Like a jumble, students have to unscramble the letters to come up with the words. The Word Search has 24 words hidden in the puzzle. This is a fun activity that helps develop vocabulary, word recognition, and sorting and classification skills. Answer keys are provided. - Happy Edugator

Transitions Handout. Supports common core! Lists many specific transitions to use in writing to help develop relationships between sentences, paragraphs, and ideas, such as addition, comparison, contrast, cause and effect, etc. Helps students write better persuasive and expository essays. They can also be used for a word wall on transitions and transitional phrases. - 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.

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.

Reading Assessment Form. Use to keep track of what a student's strengths and weaknesses are in reading and comprehension. There is a place to record the date, text level, accuracy, self-corrections, and a way to mark strategies for decoding, fluency and comprehension. May be used with any level reader from elementary on up as an assessment of reading ability and monitor progress. - HappyEdugator

Martin Luther King Jr. Activities. NO PREP Activity packet includes Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Fill-in with key, Dr. Martin Luther King, I Have a Dream Graphic Organizer, Two Writing Response Sheets for I Have a Dream Speech, Three MLK themed bookmarks, a Word Scramble with key, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. biography sheet with constructed response questions, Word Problem (multiplication) sheet with key, and daily grammar practice with key. Activities you can use for MLK day or during Black History Month. 14 pages. Print and go. - HappyEdugator

Poetry Terms Study Guide. Twenty poetry terms listed for students to define on the line provided. Answer key is provided for self check. This can also be used in reverse. The answer key can be given as notes, and the study guide can be used as a test. This comes out as two pages...one without answers and one with the answers. I have added an assessment piece...students need to identify the poetry term that best describes the example given. 10 questions...two sheets to a page to save paper, and answer key. Enjoy! - HappyEdugator

Christmas Alliterations Activity. A printable handout for Christmas explaining how alliterations and tongue twisters are formed, with an area for your students to come up with ten of their own. Have your students create their own Christmas alliterations on this handout. Wonderful winter work. December is definitely delicious! Includes cards with holiday related words for students to turn into alliterations and place on a wreath. - HappyEdugator

ulletin Board Ideas and Slogans. NEW BACK TO SCHOOL IDEAS! Many ideas for the beginning of the year. 10 pages of fun and useful ideas for bulletin boards for Back To School, Language Arts and Reading. A useful list for the beginning of a school year, when you are trying to set up your room, but also useful for the rest of the year when you need to make a change and spruce up the classroom. Welcome back to school! - 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.

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

Common Core Writing Assignments For A Whole Quarter. 8 different writing activities that can be completed over the course of a 9 weeks grading period. Each handout has the standard or standards that are the focus and an assignment that goes with the standards.Each writing assignment also includes a rubric for evaluation. Writing activities include persuasive, argument, narrative, descriptive, comparison/contrast, expository, and 2 weeks of research, all based on the common core standards. Developed for grade 7, but will work for grades 6 - 8 very well. - HappyEdugator 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.7.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.2a Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information, using strategies such as definition, classification, comparison/contrast, and cause/effect; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.2b Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.2c Use appropriate transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.2d Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.2e Establish and maintain a formal style. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.2f Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.3a Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and point of view and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically.

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

Maniac Magee Game Show PowerPoint. Based on book by Jerry Spinelli. Figure out the question from the answer given. After you read the novel, review characters, plot, setting, etc. in a fun and engaging game similar to the game show where you are given the answer and guess the question. It has the following categories: Maniac Magee, Amanda Beale, Mars Bar, Two Mills, Grayson and the McNabs. All answers are worded as questions. Music and sound effects included. Game can also be used as a template, if you choose to change the questions. Enjoy! - 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.

eading - Author's Purpose Activity Handout. This reading activity handout explains author's purpose (to inform, to persuade, and to entertain) and gives students six different author's purpose reading selections they need to identify. Key is included. - HappyEdugator

Exit Slip - Cell Phone Ticket Out. Use this exit slip summarizer sheet as a summarizing activity. Have students write you a text message on the phone screen to summarize what they learned from the lesson or ask any questions they still have. Can be used as a quick informal assessment of student learning. - HappyEdugator

Diary of Anne Frank PowerPoint for teaching play by Goodrich. 23 slide presentation walks through the play The Diary of Anne Frank by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett scene by scene with essential questions, activities, vocabulary and check tests. Editable for your classroom use. - HappyEdugator