Over twenty years teaching, developing lessons and conducting professional development - coupled with fiction and film writing - is who I am. Family, education and writing define what I love.
Over twenty years teaching, developing lessons and conducting professional development - coupled with fiction and film writing - is who I am. Family, education and writing define what I love.
This 116-page workbook, plus teaching PowerPoint, contains teacher instructions and student templates to helps students use addition and subtractions to step up to solving multi-step expressions. Templates are included for math writing as well.
“Solving Math Expressions – 4th Grade” includes a 20‐slide PowerPoint on solving expressions and accompanies the activities in this unit. Plus Sentence Sorting Writing Activities for early finishers or center activities are also included. This entire lesson template is available for preview – so take a look!!
“Solving Math Expressions – 4th Grade” is aligned with the Common Core State Standards and includes math writing activities and instructions for differentiation.
Page 4 ‐ 5: Solving Expressions Students Study Pages
Page 6: Four-Step Expression Solving Template and Practice
Page 7: Math Writing Activity: Pre‐Writing: Sentence Sorting Instructions
Page 8: Sentence Sorting: Solving Expressions – handout for students to practice
Page 9: Sentence Sorting: Solving Expressions – Teacher Template with answer
Page 10: Math Writing Activity Instructions: Instructions for Math Paragraph Writing with
Template
Page 11: From Sentence Sorting to Math Essay Writing Sample Template – Completed
Page 12: Blank Sentence Sorting Template
Page 13: From Sentence Sorting to Math Paragraph Writing Template – Blank
Pages 14‐15: Four‐Step Expressing Solving – More Practice Problems in Template
Pages 16 ‐ 17: Moving into Word Problems – Four Step Solutions: Word Problems Template Filled In
Page 18: Four Step Solutions: Word Problems Template: Students to Try
Page 19‐24: All Four Blank Templates to Use for Any Math Problems
Pages 25‐70 Centers and Early Finishers – Expressions in Templates Problems for Students to Solve
Page 71‐117 Teacher Solutions for pages 25‐70 (for the Four‐Step Expression Solving Templates)
FREE 17-page Print-and-Go Reader for grades 3-5. Chapter 1 and lessons included.
This is Chapter 1 of “The Great Panda Rescue” Interactive Reader. This is a perfect STEM story with ELA and other cross-curricular activates and lessons for each chapter. Lessons include: fluency, comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, science, math and more. This particular chapter is aligned with 3, 4 and 5 CCSS for ELA.
Twelve-year-old Claire wants to be a large animal vet when she grows up, but not the typical horse and cow variety. Claire wants to doctor endangered and vulnerable animals – especially giant pandas. Claire gets the thrill of her life when her class takes a field trip to the Randolph Reserve. Not only does she get to see the giant pandas – she and Julia and their group receive the special honor of viewing a set of panda cub twins – only weeks old.
Just when she thinks the day can’t get better, Claire is asked to volunteer at the center for a month that summer. With summer only four weeks away, Claire acts fast. She loves her job; however, she soon discovers that Chenguang, the mother of the cubs, is being sent home to China. A great victory for the Randolph Reserve – as one of their pandas is going back to her natural habitat!
Claire is shocked to learn that the cubs, not only are being kept from bonding with their mother, but that they will not be going home with her. Claire knows a lot about pandas and she knows that the cubs need their Chenguang for at least eighteen months!
With this in mind, Claire solicits friends of all ages and starts a campaign to keep the panda family together. “The Great Panda Rescue” is one adventure after another as Claire battles for the pandas, faces a fire at the reserve and realizes that there are no easy answers when it comes to animal rescue, preservation and endangered and vulnerable wildlife.
Print-and-Go Readers - a series of engaging English Language Arts lessons that allows students to incorporate high interest topics with essential ELA themes and standards while learning about fun places to visit. Perfect for centers, early finishers, ESL, intervention, whole class CCSS work, SPaG and more.
High Interest Content!
Disneyland, Frontierland – contains 16-print and go pages of activities that include: fluency practice, comprehension, word play, informational text , grammar, word study and more.
Perfect for whole class, groups, pairs, intervention, centers and more. Use with the entire Journey series for a comprehensive fifth grade program. Works for summer school as well. Super for advanced fourth and to reinforce sixth grade skills as well.
• Eighteen pages in color and also in black and white for printing ease
• Great for students learning English
• Great for early finishers
• Work in pairs for intervention
Students practice reading, writing, grammar, critical thinking and 21st century skills
• Access their creativity
• Learn new words
• Learn about new places
The non-fiction Common Core aligned readings and primary source Document Pamphlet series: Discovering America is designed to help students read for information and think critically while forming their own ideas. Students and adults alike will discover history by looking at artifacts constructed by the people who shaped the United States of America.
Perfect for any classroom, from Fifth Grade to college, this series engages students and prompts them to think for themselves, question, reflect and gain a deeper understanding of history.
100s of Pages of Engaging Student Document Analysis, lessons, debates and Activities.
CCSS demands non-fiction document analysis. Additionally, college prep demands it. This resource contains the complete texts of the State of the Union Addresses of the first five presidents of the United States of America. Formative words that reflect the prosperity and growing pains of a new nation plus CCSS Document Analysis Template for differentiated - cross curricular instruction, debate and engagement.
Read and study the words of George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and James Monroe.
Our interactive readers are designed to help students read for information and think critically as they form their own thoughts and opinions about United States history. This series allows students to explore history by looking at and interpreting artifacts constructed by the people and events that made history. Primary source document analysis
Perfect for any classroom, from guided Fifth Grade through college, this series engages students and prompts them to think for themselves, question, reflect and gain a deeper understanding of the events that shaped the United States of America.
State of the Union Address
George Washington
January 8, 1790
December 8, 1790
October 25, 1791
November 6, 1792
December 3, 1793
November 19, 1794
December 8, 1795
December 7, 1796
John Adams
November 22, 1797
December 8, 1798
December 3, 1799
November 11, 1800
Thomas Jefferson
December 8, 1801
December 15, 1802
October 17, 1803
November 8, 1804
December 3, 1805
December 2, 1806
October 27, 1807
November 8, 1808
James Madison
November 29, 1809
December 5, 1810
November 5, 1811
November 4, 1812
December 7, 1813
September 20, 1814
December !3, 1816
James Monroe
December 12, 1817
November 16, 1818
December 17, 1819
November 14, 1820
December 3, 1821
December !3. 1822
December 2, 1823
December 7, 1824
These Reading Comprehension Daily Reading and Writing Warm-Ups are aligned to the Common Core State Standards and help to foster the 21st Century higher order thinking skills necessary in today's world. Not your ordinary multiple-choice bell-ringers, but learning tasks designed to engage students and get them thinking.
Fifteen (15)in all, these Daily Reading and Writing Warm-Ups are themed for any day of the school year and are written at reading levels from 3rd through 5th grades.
Dorothy Vaughn page 2
Frederick Douglass page 4
Frederick Douglass Life as a Slave page 5
Thurgood Marshall page 6
Carter G. Woodson page 7
Vonetta Flowers page 8
Mary Jane Patterson page 9
Halle Berry page 10
Frances Perkins page 11
Dolores Huerta page 12
Nelson Mandela page 13
Queen Elizabeth II page 14
Walt Disney page 15
Cleopatra VII page 16
Babe Ruth page 17
Great for whole class, early finishers, interventions, buddy work and more...
This bundle includes :
40 Words 160 Card Deck for Pre-K
52 Words – 240 Card Deck for K
41 Words – 204 Card Deck for 1st
46 Words: 184 Card Deck for 2nd Grade
41 Words: 164 Card Deck for 3rd Grade
51 Dolch Noun List 1: 204 Card Deck
42 Dolch Noun List 2: 204 Card Deck
Plus: "Word Family Flowers: Phonics - 45 word families in all.
Sight Word “Go Fish” and Concentration
These are engaging versions of Go Fish! and Concentration that use Dolch Sight Words rather than numbers for these fun and engaging games. The decks of cards are Dolch lists.
This packet includes:
2nd Grade Dolch Card Deck: 46 Words 184 Cards
3rd Grade Dolch Card Deck: 41 Words 164 Cards
Dolch Noun List 1: 51 Words 201 Cards
Dolch Noun List 2: 42 Words 160 Cards
Go Fish First! This is an engaging version of Go Fish! that uses Sight Words rather than numbers rather than numbers. The decks of cards are Dolch lists.
Copy cards on cardstock. (Avery 5271 Business Card template also works and makes cutting easier!)
Laminate for durability.
Each player gets five cards.
If you are dealt four of a kind, or get four of a kind during game play, those cards are removed from your hand, and you get a point.
Moving clockwise, players take turns asking a specific player for a given word card: “Do you have any “the”s?
The person with the most packs of four at the end of the game wins.
*Option: If you want to put backs on the cards – the last page can be used to copy the backside of each set.
*Note: Mix and match the cards any way you wish. Some of the sets are large – break them up but be mindful of needing to keep “packs” of four together.
The font is KG Behind These Hazel Eyes. I have paid for a license; however, since you are using this resource for your class and are printing the Word version – you may download the font for free. I chose this particular font because the “a”s are: a and easier for students to read.
Concentration
Rules:
Use the same cards as for Go Fish!
Game Set Up:
1. Shuffle, or mix up, the cards well
2. Place each card face down in rows and columns
Game Play
1. Each player takes a turn by turning two cards over.
2. If the cards match, then the player picks up the cards and keeps them
3. If they don't match, the player turns the cards back over
Included:
2nd Grade Dolch Card Deck: 46 Words 184 Cards
3rd Grade Dolch Card Deck: 41 Words 164 Cards
Dolch Noun List 1: 51 Words 201 Cards
Dolch Noun List 2: 42 Words 160 Cards
Sight Word “Go Fish” and Concentration
These are engaging versions of Go Fish! and Concentration that use Dolch Sight Words rather than numbers for these fun and engaging games. The decks of cards are Dolch lists.
This packet includes:
Pre-K -40 words – 160 card deck
K – 52 words -204 card deck
1st Grade – 41 words 204 card deck
Go Fish First! This is an engaging version of Go Fish! that uses Sight Words rather than numbers rather than numbers. The decks of cards are Dolch lists.
Copy cards on cardstock. (Avery 5271 Business Card template also works and makes cutting easier!)
Laminate for durability.
Each player gets five cards.
If you are dealt four of a kind, or get four of a kind during game play, those cards are removed from your hand, and you get a point.
Moving clockwise, players take turns asking a specific player for a given word card: “Do you have any “the”s?
The person with the most packs of four at the end of the game wins.
*Option: If you want to put backs on the cards – the last page can be used to copy the backside of each set.
*Note: Mix and match the cards any way you wish. Some of the sets are large – break them up but be mindful of needing to keep “packs” of four together.
The font is KG Behind These Hazel Eyes. I have paid for a license; however, since you are using this resource for your class and are printing the Word version – you may download the font for free. I chose this particular font because the “a”s are: a and easier for students to read.
Concentration Rules
Use the same cards as for Go Fish!
Game Set Up:
1. Shuffle, or mix up, the cards well
2. Place each card face down in rows and columns
Game Play
1. Each player takes a turn by turning two cards over.
2. If the cards match, then the player picks up the cards and keeps them
3. If they don't match, the player turns the cards back over
Included:
Pre-K Dolch Word Card Deck: 40 words – 160 cards
K Dolch Word Card Deck: 52 words – 204 cards
1st Dolch Word Card Deck: 41 Words - 164 cards
This is a template for students to outline, storyboard and write their own Novella or Novel. This is a differentiated unit that is engaging and LOVED by all students.
Included is a CCSS matrix for grades 4 through 12 – as it is fully adaptable.
Also included is a completed template so you can walk you students through the process!
41-pages in all.
This is great for whole class Common Core writing work, for early finishers or broken down into centers.
This is a template-based lesson designed for students to either work through independently or be guided through, depending upon the grade level you teach and the particular levels of your students. The end product will be an outline for a novel, novella or long short story.
The project can result in actual written novels or may be used as the end product. Over the years, my students have enjoyed publishing their work in real book form. This is easily done by students and is Common Core Standards based!!
Students create a pdf of their work and we use the pdf to publish them. The resulting books are professional looking, there are no set up costs and students can purchase their work for only a few dollars.
My students love this! I have even compiled shorter work into one document and published anthologies. If you are working with a group of students at varying levels, it is helpful to begin the lesson in guided fashion and then let students fade off to write when they are individually comfortable doing so. After the templates are completed, have student write their masterpieces!!
The Elements and Before You Begin sections should be discussed/taught using active participation techniques. I find it helpful to walk through the entire template with struggling learners and create a group novel together.
Another way to use the template: This is a wonderful, standards-based project for individuals, Gifted or advanced, who finish their work quickly and like to be challenged.
These are 41 sentence task cards perfect for centers, buddy work, whole class practice – even bell ringers. Also included are the 41 answer task cards for student checks.
Included:
Full page task cards in color
Full page task cards in black and white
Smaller task cards in color – six to a page
Smaller task cards black and white – six to a page
PowerPoint of all of the task cards to use as bell ringers.
CCSS 1.RF.3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
Print-n-Go STEM Readers – Upper Elementary: “Giant Pandas”. STEM Readers is series of STEM lessons that are cross curricular with ELA lessons that allows students to incorporate engaging and essential STEM and ELA themes and standards while learning about engaging subjects – like Giant Pandas. Perfect for centers, early finishers, whole class assignments and more. ALL NGSS-based.
Giant Panda STEM Reader - Next Generation Science Standards:
3-LS1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
LS1.B: Growth and Development of Organisms
5-PS3 Energy and 5-LS1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
S1.C: Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms
Differentiated PLUS cross curricular – ELA embedded assignments – SPaG and standards based. STEM activities – including two video links (3 minutes and 5 minutes) with activities. Students can complete these items alone or as a class – depending on technology available and student aptitude.
Page 2 Fluency practice: “Life Cycle of a Giant Panda
Page 3: Comprehension Quiz
Page 4: Fluency practice: “Transfer of Matter in Ecosystems”
Page 5: Transfer of Matter in Ecosystems of Giant Panda Worksheet
Page 6: Giant Panda Fact Contraction Check Adjective and Alliteration Practice
Page 7: Giant Pandas – Shrinking Refuge Comprehension and Vocabulary
Page 8: STEM Vocabulary
Page 9: Sentence Structure and Perfect Panda Personification (see what I did there?)
Page 10: WoLong’s Pandas (3-minute video link and comprehension questions
Page 11: Bamboo Mountain: China’s Pandas (5:32) and comprehension questions with summary practice
Page 12: Describe Each Picture: Topic Lifecycle of a Giant Panda
Print-and-Go Readers – Grades 5-8 – is a series of English Language Arts lessons that allows students to incorporate engaging and essential ELA themes and standards while learning about fun places to visit. Perfect for centers, early finishers, ESL, intervention, whole class, SPaG and more.
High interest, engaging content.
Disneyland Resort Pirates, Pirates, Pirates– contains 14 print and go pages of activities that include: fluency practice, comprehension, word play, informational text, grammar, study and more.
Perfect for whole class, groups, pairs, intervention, centers and more. Use with the entire Journey series for a comprehensive fifth grade program. Works for summer school as well.
• Fourteen pages in color and also in black and white for printing ease
• Great for students learning English
• Great for early finishers
• Work in pairs for intervention
Students practice reading, writing, grammar, critical thinking and 21st century skills
• Access their creativity
• Learn new words
• Learn about new places
Table of Contents
2. Fluency
3. Comprehension Assessment
4. Grammar: Contraction Practice and Adjective and Alliteration Practice
5. Pronouns
6. Words, Words, Words
7 and 8. Vocabulary practice
9. Figurative Language: Metaphors
10. Grammar: Proof reading practice
11. Sentences and Personification
12 -13. Sentence Writing Practice
14. Answers
Print-and-Go Readers ! A series of engaging English Language Arts lessons that allows students to incorporate engaging and essential ELA themes and standards while learning about fun places to visit. Perfect for centers, early finishers, ESL, intervention, whole class, SPaG and more.
High Interest Content!
Disneyland Resort Parades – contains 12-print and go pages of activities that include: fluency practice, comprehension, word play, informational text , grammar, study and more.
Perfect for whole class, groups, pairs, intervention, centers and more. Use with the entire Journey series for a comprehensive fifth grade program. Works for summer school as well.
• Twelve pages in color and also in black and white for printing ease
• Great for students learning English
• Great for early finishers
• Work in pairs for intervention
Students practice reading, writing, grammar, critical thinking and 21st century skills
• Access their creativity
• Learn new words
• Learn about new places
Table of Contents
2. Fluency
3. Comprehension Assessment
4. Grammar: Contraction Practice and Adjective and Alliteration Practice
5. Pronouns
6. Words, Words, Words
7. Vocabulary practice
8. Figurative Language: Metaphors
9. Grammar: Proof reading practice
10. Sentences and Personification
11 -12. Sentence Writing Practice
13. Answers
Print-and-Go Readers - a series of engaging English Language Arts lessons that allows students to incorporate engaging and essential ELA themes and standards while learning about fun places to visit. Perfect for centers, early finishers, ESL, intervention, whole class , SPaG and more.
High Interest Content!
Disney’s California Adventures: California Screamin’ – contains 12-print and go pages of activities that include: fluency practice, comprehension, word play, informational text , grammar, study and more.
Perfect for whole class, groups, pairs, intervention, centers and more. Use with the entire Journey series for a comprehensive fifth grade program. Works for summer school as well.
• Twelve pages in color and also in black and white for printing ease
• Great for students learning English
• Great for early finishers
• Work in pairs for intervention
Students practice reading, writing, grammar, critical thinking and 21st century skills
• Access their creativity
• Learn new words
• Learn about new places
This is a print-and-go learning center or whole class set for the “an” word family. It includes:
• -an phonics read and color booklet – “Stan and Dan Tan in a Pan”
• A set of “an” cards for Phonics Go Fish!
• Two separate Readers Theater scripts – at two levels
• Cards may also be used for “an” Concentration
Learning word families (also known as phonograms) helps students read in “chunks”. Reading in “chucks” allows students to recognize different word patterns – or sections of a word, such as “an”, rather than having to sound out each letter. For example, the –an family includes play, say, stay, etc.
Why are word families important?
1. When children begin to read, they sound out every letter. This breaks up the flow of the words, is extremely slow, and makes it difficult for them to transcend to reading comprehension. By learning families of words, children are able to read familiar patterns of letters quickly and fluently.
2. As children progress from simple to more complex words, the patterns, or chunks – continue to help them to decipher longer words.
3. Word families also help with spelling – as students are able to recognize spelling patterns and apply these to other words of the same family.
This is a print-and-go learning center or whole class set for the “ay” word family. It includes:
• -ay phonics read and color booklet – “Ray and Kay Play”
• A 136 set of “ay” cards for Phonics Go Fish!
• Two separate Readers Theater scripts – at two levels
Learning word families (also known as phonograms) helps students read in “chunks”. Reading in “chucks” allows students to recognize different word patterns – or sections of a word, such as “ay”, rather than having to sound out each letter. For example, the –ay family includes play, say, stay, etc.
Why are word families important?
1. When children begin to read, they sound out every letter. This breaks up the flow of the words, is extremely slow, and makes it difficult for them to transcend to reading comprehension. By learning families of words, children are able to read familiar patterns of letters quickly and fluently.
2. As children progress from simple to more complex words, the patterns, or chunks – continue to help them to decipher longer words.
3. Word families also help with spelling – as students are able to recognize spelling patterns and apply these to other words of the same family.
This is a well-rounded poetry lesson including a PPT on Types of Poems and one on Literary Devices and other important aspects of poetry.
This is standards-aligned and comes with 15 poem templates for students to write poetry and create their own chapbooks.
Includes:
Literary Device Quiz
Synonym Poem template
List Poems template
Three Word Forms template
I Don't Understand template
Autobiographical
Autobiographical 2
Diamonte
Formula Poem
Sense Poem
Bull Durham Credo
Limericks
Simile Poem
Free Verse
These are Word Family – Short Vowel Flowers. I’ve been using them to teach students to read for years. They’re perfect for using at home or in a classroom learning center!
What are word families?
Word families are groups of words that share the same ending. For example, the words cat, fat, and mat all belong to the “-at” word family. The worlds ball, fall and tall belong to the "-all" word family.
Why teach reading with word families?
1) The English language is complicated. Word families help beginning readers find patterns within words.
2) Knowing word families makes sounding out words easier because instead of laboriously sounding out each letter, the reader reads the first sound and attaches it to the familiar word family name. When reading the word cat -- rather than reading /k/ /a/ /t/, the child learns to read /k/ /at/.