Monthly Archives: July 2015


Print and Go – 5 U.S. Regions Scavenger Hunt Bundle

Combine literacy and social studies while letting your students have fun! Your students will love these 5 scavenger hunts about the U.S. Regions.  This is a bundle of the 5 regions into one, so you can click print and have a great supplemental activity for your class. Each region contains 25 task cards for a total of 120 task cards and 120 questions for the bundle.  Your students will learn at least one fact for state and also national monuments, famous buildings, national parks and tourist attractions.

 

Slide1You can use these cards in anyway you want for your classroom, but this is how I use them in my class.

 

1.  Print the region that you are currently working on in class.

2.  Cut the task cards apart and print the student questions for students.

3.  Tape the cards around your classroom or hallway.

4.  Let the students hunt for the cards and answer the questions on their sheets.

5.  Answer keys are included for quick grading.

 

My students beg me to keep working on this activity and I really truly believe that the movement of walking around the classroom searching for cards helps them remember more facts.

You can find this resource HERE!

US Regions Scavenger Hunt – BUNDLE

Here is an example of the task cards and questions from the Northeast Region.

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Thank you for viewing this post.  I hope this helps you in your classroom!

Sara Oberheide

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Sara-Oberheide

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Back to School Bundle (and opportunity to win!)

I am so excited about this Back to School rescource!  It contains as much (or more) as you could possibly want to help get your classroom jitters out of the way, introductions made and pencils in motion!  These no-prep printables are a perfect fit for any classrom 3rd-6th!

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If you are looking for a few more Back to school products to round out your fun, check out my MEGA BUNDLE that includes:

Back to School – 40 Ice-Breakers, Brain Breaks, Get-to-Know-You & Team Builders
Back to School Print & Go MEGA BUNDLE (Printables for the Middle Grades)
Classroom Rules Posters (EDITABLE) – 50 Posters – 10 Fun Editable Themes
Back to School Task Cards
Back to School Lapbook
Back to School Opinion / Argument Writing – 15 Prompts for the Middle Grades
Incentive Coupons – 24 Coupons for Incentives, Rewards & Motivation

AND, as promised, please check out my facebook store for a chance to win my First Weeks of School printables for free!

Happy Teaching!

Watermark Color


Back to School Jitters

I love hearing about the many different ways that teachers set the tone of their class right off the bat. We all have different strengths and hobbies that help to turn our class into a place that is unique and special. Today I am linking you up to a blog post that I did on a few picture books that I think are especially good for the first week of school. Best wishes!

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Click image above or here to visit my blog post.

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Print and Go Math Bundle

Do you need help providing math MAP test prep? This bundle provides students with a daily dose of Operations & Algebraic Thinking,  Real & Complex Number Systems, Geometry, and Statistics & Probability problems for the 211 – 220 RIT Band. Visit Dr Crystal Brown TpT Store to preview and order your bundle. Bundles for other RIT Bands are available. Each bundle includes 40 weeks of practice problems.


Back to School Printables

The first week of school can be stressful and unpredictable.  I always like to have a number of simple activities prepared for my students to help break the ice and ease them into instruction.  This year I decided to plan ahead and prepare a number of activities that I knew my students would enjoy. This “First weeks of School” printable pack will provide a wide range of print & go activities that are sure to please!

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I am also offering a FREE Back 2 School Personal narrative pack, so come and check it out!

BacktoSchoolPersonalNarrativeWriting-FREEBacktoSchoolPersonalNarrativeWriting-FREE

I hope you enjoy it, happy teaching!

Watermark Color


Raising Creative Writers in the Classroom

By Deann Marin (Socrates Lantern)

 

 

Ever wonder what makes a creative writer? See what these educators are doing to inspire their students to love writing.

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Creative Writing Tips from Pixar

By Lisa Robles of Lisa TeachR’s Classroom

                              Want some writing tips from best storytellers around? I found this great info-graphic detailing the top 22 tips from Pixar. I took a few and discuss how to use them in a classroom.

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 How to Teach Creative Writing Every Day

By Marypat Mahoney of Just Add Students

Students love creative writing activities. But all too often, we have to put those fun activities on the back burner. Here is an easy way to engage students in creative writing in every class.

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Poetry Workshop

By Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

Usually when I tell my students that we are going to learn how to write poems, some of them say, “I can’t write a poem,” or “Yuck, Poetry!.” By the end of the workshop, which takes about 2-3 weeks, most of the kids realize that they can in fact write all sorts of poems and they even like it.

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By Retta London of Rainbow City Learning

By far, the best idea I have ever found to create better writers is to make sure that kids are writing every day. Good writers are people who write.

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Sharing is Caring Blogging Cooperative

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Classroom Commands- Play Simon Says in Spanish-Great ICE Breaker

BACK TO SCHOOL- SPANISH ICE BREAKER

 

ChristmasinJulyPlaySimonSaysinSpanishSimonDice-page-003ChristmasinJulyPlaySimonSaysinSpanishSimonDice-page-002ChristmasinJulyPlaySimonSaysinSpanishSimonDice-page-001

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Classroom-Commands-Play-Simon-Says-in-Spanish-Great-ICE-Breaker-1381284

 

This worksheet set is extremely useful to teach students in Middle School and High school Classroom Commands. The vocabulary list with 12 commands and a work bank will allow you to teach them 12 basic expressions that they can use easily. In addition the second worksheet will allow them to review Classroom objects. Students can use a dictionary or their word bank to fill both pages. Once the vocabulary has been introduced students will use both pages to write their own commands. They can write individually or in small groups. They can present them to the class. This interactive package will satisfy Communication standards 1.1 where students produce information in the target language and 1.22 where they understand and interpret spoken language. One student can read the commands in Spanish and have the others perform them. it is quiet an entertaining an engaging activity. The vocabulary worksheet can be used for assessments and the command performance can give you a listening comprehension assessment grade. Enjoy these entertaining and engaging package.

Visit my TpT Store ” El Jaguar” 

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/El-Jaguar

To PIN this Lesson

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/532550724664553110/

 


Print and Go Math Bundle

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Do you need help providing math practice specific to students’ needs according to the Learning Continuum? This bundle provides students with a daily dose of Operations & Algebraic Thinking,  Real & Complex Number Systems, Geometry, and Statistics & Probability problems for the 211 – 220 RIT Band. Visit Dr Crystal Brown TpT Store to preview and order your bundle. Bundles for other RIT Bands are available. Each bundle includes 40 weeks of practice problems.


Featured Seller: Chalkboard Creations

Tell us about yourself.

I will start my 8th year of teaching in the fall. All of those years have been in 4th grade. I love those kiddos! In addition to teaching, blogging, and making products for TpT, I love to cook, sew, and garden. Find out more about me on my About Me page.

 

What do you like best about teaching?

I love the look in the eyes of a kid who finally “gets it.” I also love investing in the kids and believing that they can be great, even if they don’t believe it.

 

Grading Rubrics for All OccasionsDescribe your favorite TpT product.

My favorite product is Grading Rubrics for Every Occasion (3rd-5th grade). I love this product because you can use it to grade so many different things! It is such a great tool to use, especially when you have a huge pile of grading and the end of the quarter is creeping up…

It includes 14 easy-to-use rubrics on everything from interactive notebooks, to presentations, to science projects. There are also 4 self-evaluations for students to fill out. Each rubric comes in 4 point or 5 point scales, and also in full or half sheet printables.

 

 

What advice would you give to someone who may want to become a seller at Teachers Pay Teachers?

Be patient. This is not something that happens overnight. It takes a long time, but it is so rewarding. The feeling that you get when you help a student learn–that’s the same feeling you get when you create a great product that helps other students learn all over the world! Hang in there!

 

What have you done or hope to do with your TpT earnings?

Because of TpT I am able to teach part-time. This way I am able to stay home a few more days each week with my two precious kids!

 

What do you like best about being a member of The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative?

The sellers that are a part of the cooperative are so encouraging and supportive. The cooperation between these people is amazing!

Chalkboard Creations    tpt_icon   pinterest   facebook

 


Creative Math Warm-Ups

Sharing is Caring Elite Teacher Blogging Cooperative

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Creative Warm-Up Activities for Math Class

Are you looking for creative ways to get your class ready for math class?

 You’ve come to the right place. Check out these great ideas that educators are using in their classrooms.

 

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Warm Up With a Math Song!

By Jennifer Kramer of Jenny’s Class and Edutunes

Are you looking for a great way to “warm up” for a math lesson? Songs are a great way to introduce concepts, to review concepts,and to pave the way for any lesson. Follow the link to hear 5 song samples, and discover ways they can be used to introduce important concepts!

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Math Warm-ups

By Retta London of Rainbow City Learning

My students and I have never liked jumping into math class feet first without a chance to dip our toes in the water and get used to the idea first. Math warmups, short whole group activities based on the math you’ll be studying during the lesson, are a perfect way to dip your toes.

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Creative Math Warm-Ups

By Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

 There are so many creative math warm-ups to help get your class excited about math class. Here are some that I’ve used.

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Warming Up for Math!

By Kathie Yonemura of Tried and True Teaching Tools

Math warm ups get your students thinking about math! Quick ways to get your kids thinking! Low prep!
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THREE $100 GIVEAWAYS of TpT Gift Certificates!

Follow these directions to enter to win THREE $100 GIVEAWAYS of Teachers Pay Teachers Gift Certificates.  

Directions on how to win the 

FIRST $100 TpT Gift Certificate:

Go to The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs to enter to win the FIRST $100 TpT Gift Certificate by 11:00 P.M. on July 27, 2015 Pacific Time – http://www.thebestofteacherentrepreneurs.net/2015/07/three-100-giveaways-of-tpt-gift.html. Complete the Rafflecopter Contest Application which is located at the bottom of the post under “BETTER ODDS THAN VEGAS!!! ”  (You may have to wait a minute for it to appear on your computer.)

Directions on how to win the

SECOND $100 TpT Gift Certificate:

All new members and members who have renewed their membership in The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative from June 2, 2015 – August 3, 2015 at 11:00 P.M. Pacific Time will be entered to win the SECOND $100 TpT Gift Certificate.  (The ending date has been changed to August 8, 2015 to coincide with the TpT Back to School Sitewide Sale.)

Get THOUSANDS of PAGE VIEWS for your TpT products by advertising your free products, priced products, sales, and promotions on our blogs.  Our premier blog, The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs, currently has more than 31,000 average daily viewers.

 



TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!  The time and date you become a TBOTEMC member determines if you will be posting on The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs, The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs II, The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs III, etc.  THE LINKS OF ALL OF THE POSTS FROM THE VARIOUS BLOGS WILL BE ADVERTISED AGAIN IN ALL OF THE TBOTE BLOGS…so your TpT products will still be advertised on our premier blog, The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs, which is currently ranked #34 in the May 2015 Top Referral URLs which brings in traffic to TpT.

Directions on how to win the

THIRD $100 TpT Gift Certificate:

All members of The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative will automatically be entered to win the THIRD $100 TpT Gift Certificate on August 3, 2015.  (The ending date has been changed to August 8, 2015 to coincide with the TpT Back to School Sitewide Sale.)

The three winners will be announced at our blog, The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs – http://www.thebestofteacherentrepreneurs.net.

Feel free to email me at vleon999@yahoo.com if you have any questions.

Wishing you the best,

Vicky

BETTER ODDS THAN VEGAS!!!

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Creative Warm-Ups for Math Class

By Deann Marin at The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs

 

Socrates LanternHeader Graphic small

Offering for Educators, Comprehensive Teaching Aides. If you’d like to see what else I have to offer please visit my store

 

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Math Warm Ups 2There are so many creative math warm-ups to help get your class excited about math class. Here are some that I’ve used. At least once a week, we had a math bee using flash cards for addition, subtraction, multiplication and/or division. I would hold up a card and each child would have a chance to answer. If the answer was correct, they would keep the card..  We would do this for at least 30 minutes and the student with the most cards would win.  The winner would act as the teacher and hold up the cards for the next game.

The math bee could also be done as a collaborative group activity. One child would be the leader/teacher of the group and hold up the card, and each child in the group would have their chance to answer. The winner would be the leader the next time we did the activity. Collaborative groups worked so well because each child had a turn more often. Of course they all wanted to win because they liked being the leader/teacher of the group or the class.

 

This next warm-up lasts about 5-10 minutes and you can do it at the beginning of each math class. Write 5-10 math problems on the board, have them work on them at their seats. Then call on students to come to the board and write their answer. I would ask questions such as, what operation or operations did you use to get your answer, or is this answer correct, why or why not. If we were working on math facts, I would sometimes put the problem on the board with the incorrect answer and ask them to fix it and  then have them explain why the answer was wrong. In addition to this, you could write down a problem with the correct answer and ask why it is correct. At other times, I would put a  problem on the board with the correct answer, but without a mathematical sign. They would have to tell me whether the example was addition, multiplication, addition, subtraction or a combination .

Multiplication & Division Word Problems  8x8 Cover

 

Math Warm Ups 1

Visit Socrates Lantern’s Tpt Store to view entire product

 

My partner used an awesome activity called mental math. He would come up with a math example, or word problem that the children would do in their heads, they couldn’t use paper. The first child to answer correctly would come up with a math example for the other students,/teacher and/or both to figure out. He also had them make up mental math problems for a homework assignment. They enjoyed it so much that often times I would hear them doing mental math with their friends while walking down the hall or sitting in homeroom. They especially loved it when they could stump the teacher, which didn’t happen often, but when it did, you could hearthe class cheering.

Another great activity for the beginning of each math class is called Help Me Get There. I would put a number on the board such as 150 and the class would figure out all the combinations of numbers that are equal to it.

Here are some examples:

  • 75=75=150
  • 130+20=150
  • 160-10=150
  • 30 X 5=150
  • 450 ÷3=150

Another fun activity is Guess What Number is in My Head. This game is similar to 20 questions. Draw a big head on the board with a question mark. The class will ask questions to arrive at the correct answer.  The child who guesses the answer gets to think of the next number. This can also be done in collaborative groups. I actually prefer this method because the kids get more chances. As closure for this activity, each group gets to pick a number for the teacher and classmates to guess.

Questions you might ask are:

  • Is the number odd or even?
  • Does the number end with a 0?
  • Is the number smaller than 25?
  • Is the number divisible by 2?
  • Is the number an integer?

Use your imagination and I just know that you will come up with some great ideas.

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Picture Credit:  http://neurosciencenews.com/learning-math-neurodevelopment-hippocampus-1225/

 

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Are you looking for creative ways to get your class ready for math class?  You’ve come to the right place.

Check out these great ideas that educators are using in their classrooms.

 

 

 


Using Calendars for Number Fluency and Handwriting Skills. Pre-K, K, and First Grades

Have you ever passed out a blank calendar and half of your class finishes it in two minutes and the other half are unable to complete or even crying over the frustration of not being able to understand what to do?



How would you like to easily differentiate so that you could meet the needs of all your learners and help each one learn a bit?

Read on!

Color Math Stations, 48 pages.

No-Prep, Print & Go, Black and White worksheets, 60 pages.

Free Samples, September, 2015, 9 pages.

 

 


Science Haiku

Would you like a way to blend Language Arts and Science?   Introduce / review two poetry types and integrate science topics with Science Haiku.    Your students will be able to use this product for classwork, homework or assessment.

This product contains a Science Haiku and Acrostic Poem Format for each of the following subjects:

Science Haiku

Science Haiku

– Sun
– Butterfly
– Recycling
– Chameleons
– Circuits
– Plants
– Flowers
– Frogs

 

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Science-Haiku-1882013

 

https://www.pinterest.com/qrteacher/my-tpt-products/


Writing Behavior and Learning Goals Reflections

I Met My Goal!

I Met My Goal!

Do you ever need a quick and easy graphic organizer for behavior and / or learning goals?  It is important for students of all ages to be able to reflect upon the goals that they have met, the strategies they used and their plans for the future.    This set includes variations of graphic organizers which can be used to help learners reflect upon their goals met for the year, quarter, week, etc.  Includes space for a self-portrait or to color a picture of a girl or boy.   This was useful for Marzano; however can be adapted for other teacher evaluations.

 

 

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/End-of-Year-Learning-Goals-Reflection-1822453

 

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