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.
Owls - Fun Facts About Owls PowerPoint. All about owls! Facts about the life of an owl; covers various species. Use in science to discuss owl pellets and owl behaviors. Informational text for reading practice. Build background knowledge for reading books with owls, like "Owl Moon" by Jane Yolen or "Hoot" by Carl Hiassen. Use to introduce an owl unit of study to engage students. Good for any owl theme. 17 slides. - 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.
Use these library signs to make a great back to school display. Signs are places you will go when you read a book. 40 signs to choose from to make your own special display, or you can change them out as the year progresses.
Choose which signs you wish to use
Print out on card stock
Cut out
Laminate for durability
Attach to a pole for a fun display!
- HappyEdugator
Polar Bears - Fun Facts About Polar Bears PowerPoint. Polar bear facts including information on polar bear size, adaptations, what polar bears eat, cubs, global warming, the environment, etc. Informational text for reading practice. Animated clips make it more engaging to young readers.
Includes three activities!
Activity 1 - Read Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What do You Hear? By Eric Carle. Click on the sound icons and identify the everyday sound. Name the sound and draw a picture.
Activity 2 - Discuss camouflage. Find multicolored toothpicks thrown in the grass...why is it harder to find the green ones? Activity 3 - True False facts about the polar bear.
The last slide has book suggestions for further reading for literacy and math development, such as Polar Bears Past Bedtime. Fun to use around the Christmas season or during the winter months!
- HappyEdugator
Cask of Amontillado - Short Story Unit and Teaching Activities. Teaching resources to go with the short story by Edgar Allan Poe. Includes a short bio of Edgar Allan Poe, Pre-Reading Questions, Overview of the story, Vocabulary to Watch for with graphics, 10 Question Multiple Choice Quiz with key, Essay Questions, Discussion Questions, Character Analysis T Chart, Irony Handout, and a list of web resources with links to a great YouTube video and Online slideshow. - HappyEdugator
Figurative Language PowerPoint game. A fun interactive way to practice identifying types of sound devices and figurative language used in poetry and writing. One slide reviews definitions of similes, metaphors, idioms, personification, hyperbole, alliteration, and onomatopoeia before the start of the game. Students are given two sentences and have thirty seconds (fifteen seconds each) to decide what type of figurative language or sound device the underlined words function as in a sentence. (Time's up when the lines under the greyhound vanish) They can work with a partner and use wipe-off white boards or write the answers down on paper. After time is up, the sentences will disappear. Click again to check answers. Advance slide and click to start with a new set of sentences. 36 sentences in all. Updated and revised! (Please note - some people have expected that there is sound and a countdown timer. There is no sound or countdown timer...I cannot add that without removing the animation. Students just watch the racing dog and the two lines - when the first line disappears, they have to hurry up before the second line goes and time is up.)
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
September 11 PowerPoint. Patriot Day, September 11th. PowerPoint on September 11, 2001 has over a hundred slides with photos of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the Pennsylvania crash site of Flight 93. I like to play it with the music of Paul McCartney's "Freedom" and Neil Young's "Let's Roll." (Music must be purchased separately due to copyright laws) The anniversary of that tragic day is coming up. This will help your students understand the immensity and seriousness of the attacks on 9/11. Most middle schoolers were not even born when it happened, and although some of them have heard about it, most of them think this is ancient history. Have your Language Arts students write about what they feel after watching the photo slide show. This is good for Social Studies or History teachers as well. Slides advance automatically, but you can pause if needed. Quick review questions near the end. EDITABLE...some images may be distrubing for little ones, so I have put it in an editable format so that you can remove slides as desired. - HappyEdugator
The narrative poem The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes is a classic ghost story romance that students love. Middle school and high school students enjoy reading "The Highwayman" especially around Halloween. Includes slides on plot, characters, vocabulary, and literary elements. The poem is presented in verses, slide by slide. Students can take turns reading it. After reading, there is a writing response and a link to a ten minute video of this ballad poem set to music. Enjoy! - HappyEdugator
EDITABLE Teacher Binder Covers - 63 Different Ready Made Binder Covers and Spines. Choose which ones you wish to use, print out and slip into your binder front and spine. Also includes an editable cover and an editable spine, so you can add your own words if you need to! These can also be used as dividers in a larger teacher binder (cover for that included) and the spines can double as page tabs. Just print out the pages you need and put in page protectors. Print out the tabs on card stock and attach with clear packing tape to protect and make durable. Gray textured background. Enjoy! - HappyEdugator
With the EDITABLE BLANK covers and spines, you can create your own binders for anything you wish. Also includes ready made covers for:
504's
Art
Assessments
Benchmarks
Calendar
Class Rosters
Common Core Standards
Conferences
Curriculum Maps
Cursive
Data
Department
Duties
ELL
English Language Arts
Evaluations
Extracurricular Activities
Field Trip Information
Foreign Language
Geography
Gradebook
HIstory
IEP's
Lesson Plans
Mathematics
Meeting Notes
Modifications
Music
Newsletters
Parent Guardian Contacts
Passwords/Tech Information
Professional Development
Reading
Schedule
Science
Social Studies
Spelling
Standards
STEM
STEAM
Student Information
Substitute
Syllabus
Teacher Binder
Transportation
Website Information
Work Samples
Writing
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
HOLIDAYS
TESTING
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
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
Vocabulary - Mood Tone Words. Vocabulary Improvement Strategy Charts. Twelve vocabulary improvement strategy charts of commonly tested mood and tone words. Each chart has the student complete the synonym/antonym for the word, root, picture clue, definition, and sentence. Can be used as a weekly vocabulary assignment, which would cover twelve weeks. - HappyEdugator
Thomas Jefferson - PowerPoint Presentation. A biography Thomas Jefferson, our nation's 3rd President and author of the Declaration of Independence. From his early years to his passing, follow the impressive accomplishments and achievements of a great founding father. Learn about his influence in American history and his relationships with other founding fathers, his role in the Revolutionary War and the Louisiana Purchase, and examine some of his inventions. Great for building background for President's Day activities. Updated February 2015 - HappyEdugator
Literary Terms in Context 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
Halloween Vocabulary PowerPoint. This Halloween PowerPoint presentation has fifteen spooky vocabulary words, including their part of speech and pronunciation. Challenging and unique words; some have etymologies and interesting facts, along with animations and sounds that make things interesting! When you start the slide show, the words will fly in around the pumpkin. You could play spooky music with this is you want. The last 2 slides set up a writing assignment for students, with additional familiar words to use as story starters for a Halloween story! 18 slides of educational fun.
Elephants - Fun Facts About Elephants PowerPoint. Learn about elephants! 21 slides of fun facts about elephants, which can be used to introduce a jungle theme unit of study. Informational text for reading practice. Learn the differences between African elephants and Asian elephants. What do elephants eat? Where do elephants live? Engage students and grab their attention, or build background knowledge for reading books with elephants, like Babar the Elephant or The Magician's Elephant. Updated August 2014.
- HappyEdugator
Apples! Apples! PowerPoint. Fall fun! All about apples and Johnny Appleseed. common types of apples, fun facts, the role of apples in our culture, health benefits of eating apples. Includes the story of Johnny Appleseed, and separates legend from fact. Fun fall activity for back to school. Enjoy! - HappyEdugator
Punctuation Using Commas PowerPoint. Supports Common Core! PowerPoint presentation on comma rules and using comma punctuation correctly in writing elements and sentence structure. The presentation covers using commas with lists, dates, addresses, titles, joining independent and subordinate clauses in compound and complex sentences, nonessential clauses, phrases and words, introductory clauses, and separating adjectives. Animated clips. There is a short 10 question multiple choice quiz at the end, with questions similar to what students would see on a standardized test. Recently revised and updated. - HappyEdugator
Common Core Language Standards L 4.2b, L4.2c,,L.5.2c