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.
Following Directions TEST - A Tricky Following Directions Lesson. FREE Fun for April Fool's Day, too! Give this following directions test to your students, and try not to laugh too much when they are taking it. If they don't read the directions first and do what the directions say, they will be shocked at the end to find out they only had to do number one...write their name! Great test preparation activity to get kids ready for exams too! Enjoy! - HappyEdugator
Back to School - Kindergarten Language Arts Practice FREEBIE. Students have to connect the alphabet letters in the right order to get the children to school and back home. Upper case and lower case letters. Good back to school quick assessment. Enjoy this free product and have a great year! - HappyEdugator
CCSS K.RF.1d
Welcome students back to school with this WELCOME banner in black and white chevron. Includes the letters W-E-L-C-O-M-E-! and an editable one so you can write your own messages in your own fonts. - HappyEdugator
Fraction Hunt. This is a fun way to practice fractions. First, hide a candy bar (or any individually wrapped candy) somewhere in the room under a map, atlas, globe, or drawing of the earth. Then give students the sheet to decode the message and find the candy. They will have lots of fun trying to be the first one done to get the prize. - HappyEdugator
Back to school Editable labels will help you get organized! Three different sizes. Just insert a text box and write what you want. Great for name tags, desk plates, signs, posters, supply labels, and more. - HappyEdugator
Shades of Meaning Verb Cards - Bundle of Six Sets. Cut out and laminate these 16 different cards IN EACH SET illustrating different synonyms of the verb "LAUGH, SEE, SAID, JUMP, RUN, AND WALK." Helps students understand connotation. With guidance and support from adults, students acquire new vocabulary by defining word relationships and nuances in word meanings, sorting words into categories, choosing and acting out the different meanings. Buy the bundle and save 20%!
Aligns to Common Core Standards
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.K.5d Distinguish shades of meaning among verbs describing the same general action (e.g., walk, march, strut, prance) by acting out the meanings.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.1.5d Distinguish shades of meaning among verbs differing in manner (e.g., look, peek, glance, stare, glare, scowl) and adjectives differing in intensity (e.g., large, gigantic) by defining or choosing them or by acting out the meanings.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.2.5b Distinguish shades of meaning among closely related verbs (e.g., toss, throw, hurl) and closely related adjectives (e.g., thin, slender, skinny, scrawny).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.3.5c Distinguish shades of meaning among related words that describe states of mind or degrees of certainty (e.g., knew, believed, suspected, heard, wondered).
Additionally, words can be used for spelling practice, writing practice, and word walls. Includes definitions for the teacher.
- HappyEdugator
A list of 120 writing prompts that will keep your students writing for most of the year! These ideas will motivate students to write creatively and may inspire them to write more! Enjoy! - HappyEdugator
Walrus Facts and information all about walruses. If you are studying arctic animals, introduce your students to walruses with this PowerPoint presentation about these amazing marine mammals.
Includes slides on:
What is a walrus?
Physical features - with a link to a video on walrus sounds
Flippers
Skin
Tusks
Whiskers
Diet
Life Expectancy
Reproduction
Range
Population
Behavior
Threats - Natural Predators
Threats - Climate Change
Threats - Ship Traffic and Oil Spills
21 slides of informational text on walruses. - HappyEdugator
Chalkboard and Burlap Alphabet Posters and Bunting. Decorate your classroom this school year with these chalkboard and burlap alphabet posters and bunting. With the blue trim, they will go with a nautical theme or shabby chic, too! You can also use the letters to make welcome signs, or create other messages with the pennants.
Includes:
26 chalkboard and burlap alphabet posters
26 chalkboard and burlap alphabet bunting
Harriet Tubman - PowerPoint explains the history behind the American Heroine, and how she led slaves to freedom, fought against slavery, served in the Civil War, worked for women's rights and suffrage, and served her community with humanitarian efforts to help the needy and the elderly. Slide topics include -
Who was Harriet Tubman?
Early Life
Suffered Cruelty as a Slave
Marriage
Determined to Be Free
Escape
The Fugitive Slave Act
Rescuing the Family
Rescue Missions
Close Calls
Tough Love
Religious Faith
Rescuing Her Parents
John Brown
Harper's Ferry
Civil War
After the War
Harriet Remarries
Later Years
Queen Victoria
Final Years
Listening to Her Inner Voice
Honors - Statues, Stamps, and $20 bill
Legacy
Bell Ringers - Common Core - Sentence Structure. Thirty ways to practice identifying simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences. Quick 5-7 minutes of practice that will help students build writing skill using sentence structure. Includes a couple of slides with information on what sentence structure is and why it is important. Each slide has an activity and an answer slide so they can quickly check themselves. These can also be printed out on index cards and turned into fun task cards. Supports Common Core. - HappyEdugator
Using Reference Materials TEST - Student research skills assessment. Students must know how to be able to use reference materials (such as guide words in dictionaries), and where to look for information (such as atlas, almanac, or encyclopedia). Questions also on key words, how to find information in an index, Great test prep for state testing. 27 questions, multiple choice with key. - HappyEdugator
Dolch Sight Words Activities - Week 4. A week of Dolch sight word activities for the fourth 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
Valentine's Day. Valentine Activity Fun Pack for Primary Grades. Valentine's Day activities for math and language arts, puzzles, bookmarks, bracelets, and a Valentine story with comprehension questions. Enjoy! - HappyEdugator
Dolch Sight Words Activities - Week 10. A week of Dolch sight word activities for the tenth 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. Enjoy! Weeks 1 - 10 will cover the first 100 Dolch Sight Words. - HappyEdugator
Leap Year. Facts and fun. Animated PowerPoint on Leap Year. Answers questions many kids have about leap year.
Slides include:
What is Leap Year?
When does Leap Year Happen?
When do we add the extra day?
Why do we have Leap Year?
When was the first Leap Year?
What calendar do we use today?
How is Leap Year determined?
2016 is Leap Year - what are the next 4 leap years?
2016 is Leap Year - what year was the last leap year?
The last slide is a partner activity the kids can do that is related to leap year and February 29.
Reading Strategies - Bookmarks and PowerPoint. Use these bookmarks and PowerPoint minilesson to help your students use 7 different reading strategies when they get stuck on a word. Includes bookmarks (double-sided), teacher directions, handout, and PowerPoint slide presentation. - HappyEdugator
Analyzing Context Clues PowerPoint. Strategies help students figure out unknown words in text. Build vocabulary and reading comprehension by teaching common context clues. This PowerPoint has explains five different context clues: definition, synonym, antonym, example, and inference. Practice activity at the end with answers. 15 slides. Good for test prep! - HappyEdugator
Ending Sounds Matching Game. Teach phonemic awareness and build vocabulary. This is a Literacy Center that is fun for your emergent readers! Students match the ending sound of the picture on their game card to one of 6 pictures on their game boards.
Included materials:
Game Sign for Center (Slide 1)
Directions for Center (Slide 2)
Game boards: 8 for variation of play (Slides 4-12)
Game cards: 60 (Slides 13-23)
Manage Your Literacy Center:
Print out materials on cardstock.
Laminate materials for durability.
Materials can be stored in large gallon zip lock freezer bags.
Model the game for students and emphasize ending sounds by stretching them out.
Demonstrate how to clean up the center when the game is over.
State Standards: Supports Phoneme matching: Final sounds. Builds vocabulary and phonemic awareness.
•Game Board 1 - stop, bed, sock, shell, ear, elf
•Game Board 2 – dog, key, cave, crib, broom, bag
•Game Board 3 – penguin, bus, nose, worm, bib, tent
•Game Board 4 – lollipop, turtle, box, lemon, carrot, goose
•Game Board 5 – school, chick, knife, car, pig, hose
•Game Board 6 – shoe, sun, ram, truck, fish, giraffe
•Game Board 7 – chair, ship, eye, badge, yellow, nickel
•Game Board 8 – fruit, brush, mouth, match, cry, five
Students (non-readers) may name their pictures with similar items. ( for example, lamb = sheep)
Apple Sled Kite Deer Elephant Fan
Tire Crab Violin Watch Frog Zoo
Gum Harp Lion Jet Kitten Lamp
Map Nut Ostrich Paint Brush Rat Flag
Abacus Cake Exit Tooth Thumb Butterfly
Fox Guitar Horse Jug Fridge Mop
Pie Olive Pumpkin Rose Scarf Wolf
Umpire Magnet Vet Yard Web Avocado
Tomato Wood Piano Yogurt House Tree
Watermelon Train Drum Camel Scissors Tack
Rake Brush Bridge Ball Cash Radish