I love making resources that take concepts from the curriculum, and express them in an abstract and engaging way. I have seen great improvements in the grades of the children in the classes as I teach as a result of this labour intensive (but ultimately rewarding) approach.
My big passion is reading. Whether it is a comprehension activity or something with a maths or grammar focus; you can guarantee that reading skills to develop understanding will underpin it.
Richard
Reading for Success
I love making resources that take concepts from the curriculum, and express them in an abstract and engaging way. I have seen great improvements in the grades of the children in the classes as I teach as a result of this labour intensive (but ultimately rewarding) approach.
My big passion is reading. Whether it is a comprehension activity or something with a maths or grammar focus; you can guarantee that reading skills to develop understanding will underpin it.
Richard
Reading for Success
How does Donald Trump compare to Kim Jong-Un?
Should we be worried about North Korea?
Or how about Queen Victoria and JFK?
Who exactly are Rex Tillerson and Mike Pence?
This versatile set of 32 biography cards can be used in numerous ways.
Firstly, they will test your students in their Common Core reading skills.
Secondly, they will enable them to structure and write biographies of their own.
Thirdly, they provide a platform for you as a teacher to critically evaluate your students’ writing with feedback which they will find engaging; encouraging them to write to their very best ability.
Fourthly, they provide an insight into Donald Trump’s top team; US presidents of the past; prominent world leaders of today; and influential leaders through history.
Fifthly, as a game, this will be a tremendous amount of fun! This is perfect all year round but is especially good as a Presidents Day activity.
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THE BIOGRAPHY CARDS ARE SPLIT INTO FOUR SECTIONS:
Trump’s Team Trump, Preibus, Spicer, Devos, Conway, Tillerson, Pence, Mattis.
US Presidents Obama, Bush, Clinton, Reagan, Kennedy, Nixon, Lincoln, Roosevelt.
World Leaders 2017 May, Nieto, Netanyahu, Putin, Trudeau, Merkel, Jong-un, Rouhani
World Leaders 2017 Mandela, Malala, Mother Teresa, Luther King Jr., Ghandi, Queen Victoria, Princess Diana, Peron.
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HERE ARE SOME IDEAS FOR HOW THE BIOGRAPHY CARDS CAN BE USED:
Reading skills
Each biography comes with three questions.
RETRIEVE: Students will find this answer in the text.
REVIEW: They will need to use summarising skills to answer the questions. Answers can be quoted from the text. The question will make this clear.
RESEARCH: Students can use the internet to answer a question. The information cannot be found within the text.
Compare and contrast
Students can take any two cards. Their task is to find three differences and three similarities about the characters they have chosen.
Highlight the text
Referring to the scores under each image, students can color code the text that applies to each category with a highlighter or colored crayon.
This guided reading resource includes a pair of texts about Asia with four comprehension skills sheets to complete, providing reading passages and questions that are challenging and engaging.
Using the ‘LIMS’ approach, students work through Literal, Inference, Meaning and Summary questions to ensure that in the course of a week, they have practised skills in reading right across the curriculum.
Text is differentiated and an answer scheme is provided.
Suggested itinerary:
Day 1 (30 mins) – Read both texts as a class. Highlight key parts. Discuss together. What have we learned? What do we want know more about? It is worth asking the students to write down any questions they have about the texts and putting them on display.
Day 2 (30 mins) – Literal sheet
Day 3 (30 mins) – Inference sheet (or meaning sheet if you prefer)
Day 4 (30 mins) – Meaning sheet (or inference sheet if you prefer)
Day 5 (45 mins) – Summary sheet and looking back at questions from the start of the week.
This is the first in a series of Paired text resources looking at the seven continents of the world. Keep an eye on my store.
Differentiation:
All questions are the same, which should make marking easier! However, the texts differ, with asterisks in the bottom right corner indicating the reading level.
This guided reading resource includes a pair of texts about Europe with four comprehension skills sheets to complete, providing reading passages and questions that are challenging and engaging.
Using the ‘LIMS’ approach, students work through Literal, Inference, Meaning and Summary questions to ensure that in the course of a week, they have practised skills in reading right across the Curriculum.
Text is differentiated and an answer scheme is provided.
Suggested itinerary:
Day 1 (30 mins) – Read both texts as a class. Highlight key parts. Discuss together. What have we learned? What do we want know more about? It is worth asking the students to write down any questions they have about the texts and putting them on display.
Day 2 (30 mins) – Literal sheet
Day 3 (30 mins) – Inference sheet (or meaning sheet if you prefer)
Day 4 (30 mins) – Meaning sheet (or inference sheet if you prefer)
Day 5 (45 mins) – Summary sheet and looking back at questions from the start of the week.
This is the first in a series of Paired text resources looking at the seven continents of the world. Keep an eye on my store.
Differentiation:
All questions are the same, which should make marking easier! However, the texts differ, with asterisks in the bottom right corner indicating the reading level.