Monthly Archives: March 2016


LANGUAGE ARTS – “BINGO With Vowel Digraph & Diphthong Words”

Grades 1-4

by Reading on Strawberry Lane

This fun game of BINGO gives students practice differentiating between vowel digraphs and vowel diphthong syllables. A vowel digraph is a syllable that has two vowels glued together whose sound will say one of the vowel sounds. A vowel diphthong is two vowels glued together or one vowel glued to the left of the letter -w whose sound will be unique to the combination of the two letters. After playing a few times, the students will catch on to these two different syllable types and will begin to quickly identify them and their sounds. There are two different bingo cards for the students, and there are 96 word cards–48 vowel digraph words and 48 vowel diphthong words.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Bingo-with-Vowel-Digraph-Diphthong-Syllables-2182386

https://www.pinterest.com/trumpar/

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Reading-On-Strawberry-Lane

http://readingonstrawberrylane.net/


St. Patrick’s Day: LUCKY you! It’s Almost Spring Break!

I don’t know what it is about holidays and school, but students always tend to go a little coo-coo around any holiday. St. Patrick’s Day just so happens to be one of those holidays that also falls before Spring Break, so they are especially coo-coo.

So what do we do? We give them fun activities and count down the days! Everyone knows that trying to teach a new concept or review before Spring Break is nearly impossible. So, there’s nothing wrong with having a little fun a day or two before Spring Break (or on St. Patrick’s Day if your Spring Break comes a little later)!

A fun activity to try on the holiday is teaching them the art of the LIMERICK. We have all heard the naughty one about Nantucket, so let’s not share that one with them, shall we? Start off first with the structure:

A LIMERICK is a short and fun rhyming verse that is often humorous. It has a distinctive rhyming pattern, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes easier and easier to come up with your own!

Here is an example of a limerick:

“There was an Old Man of Peru

Who watched his wife making a stew.

But once, by mistake,

In a stove she did bake

That unfortunate Man of Peru.”*

(from A Book of Nonsense by Edward Lear)

If you notice in the limerick, there is a very clear rhythm and rhyme. It is five lines and has a rhyming scheme of: AABBA. The rhythm pattern is as follows:

da DUM da da DUM da da DUM (A)

da DUM da da DUM da da DUM (A)

da DUM da da DUM (B)

da da DUM da da DUM (B)

da DUM da da DUM da da DUM (A)

Next, give them a couple more examples:

St. Pattys Blog

Once they get the hang of it, have them try to create their own! If you would like the Create-a-Limerick packet, check it out at my TPT store!

Blog Limerick2

 

I also have an activity called “Wacky Words” in which students fill in parts of speech to create a silly story about hunting a leprechaun. This can be purchased separately or with the St. Patrick’s Day Activity Packet that includes these two activities AND a crossword puzzle and word search!

Happy St. Patty-ing! :)

Blog Packet

 

 

 

 


FREE LANGUAGE ARTS LESSON – “Journal Prompts FREE”

by Ruth S.

4th – 10th Grade

journal prompts

Journal Prompts FREE
* * * *

Do you have students who say they don’t like to write or those who say they don’t know what to write about? Watch pencils fly across their papers when they’re given my 260 prompts that be used for daily journal writing or to encourage class discussions. Suggestions of how to use them are included. Great for morning meetings and centers! Take a look at the comments teachers have made about my prompts and you’ll understand why they’ve been downloaded thousands of times!

IMPORTANT If you’ve downloaded my prompts previously, this is a new packet of 270 prompts! New prompts have been added and more! There is also a new cover for the packet that has “270” on it even though 260 still appears. These prompts are being used by elementary, middle and secondary teachers (up to 10th grade). Secondary teachers have mentioned that they use them with certain groups of students who just don’t like to write and or who have difficulty writing even the first sentence of a response. Whatever the case, there are many various ways to use them and now with over 130,000 downloads I’m REALLY HAPPY!! 🙂 Why?
Because I know what it’s like to have journal prompts that students don’t relate to!
Enjoy!

Feedback and Followers
If you’d like to see more of my resources, please follow me by clicking on the star near my name. You’ll receive FREE updates for any of my resources you purchase. I’ll send you a note in your Teachers Pay Teachers inbox to let you know that I’ve updated a resource so you can download it again FREE of charge. For that reason, always check your Teachers Pay Teachers inbox.

Leave me a comment about how you use these cards or tell me the grade level you teach. I LOVE comments! Comments earn YOU TpT credits!

If teammates, coworkers or a school or a school district would like to use my resources, there is a multiple user license that is available at a reduced price.

All rights reserved by author. Ruth S.
This resource has a single user license and is to be used only by the purchaser. Permission to copy, for single classroom use only.
Electronic distribution limited to single classroom use only.
Not for public display on school websites, blogs or other websites. Not to be shared at teacher workshops or conventions

Copyright © Ruth S. This product is to be used by the purchaser only. Copying for more than one teacher, classroom, department, school, or school system is prohibited. This product may not be distributed or displayed digitally for public view. Failure to comply is a copyright infringement and a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)

I’m a teacher/author and offer Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, American History, Novel Packets, Grammar, Back to School, Holidays, Writing, Poetry, Spelling, Teacher forms products and more!

Read my Teachers Pay Teachers profile if you’d like to learn more about me. Have a
question? Contact me by clicking on the Ask a Question tab. 🙂

Take a stroll over to my blog, Teacher Park, where you’ll find more teaching ideas resources, products and freebies.

Teacher Park

I’ve posted many teaching tips, resources, Common Core resources, brain breaks, teacher blogs, technology tip websites, behavior management and interesting classroom ideas, on my Pinterest boards. It’s a lot of fun sharing them with other teachers!

Pinterest

The following are just some of the resources I offer on Teachers Pay Teachers. To find more, look for CUSTOM CATEGORIES on my store pages and select a subject.

ALL TIME FAVORITES
Novel Response Cards Use with any book or story. This is one of my most popular resources!
Number the Stars 19 Page Packet This is now a 70 page packet. An informational article about World War II for pre reading, activities, was added with questions and answers. Also included are maps of Europe and Denmark with questions and answers.
Similes Metaphors and More Use with any book or story! Examples and definitions are given on each page.
Figurative Language Chart and Student Worksheets A very handy reference chart with examples of figurative language as well as other activities. Students use their copies of the chart as they work on written assignments in class. . A VERY popular resource all teachers must have!

BOOK REPORTS AND OTHER REPORTS
Book Report Trifold Use With Any Novel
Design a Game Book Report An amazing book report. Students create games based on stories they’ve read. All time favorite activity with my students and their parents! Be sure to have a game day!
Bloom Ball Reports Inspires students to “think out of the box” to create reports for any subject, book, or story. Based on the latest verbiage of Bloom’s Taxonomy. Students, teachers and parents LOVE these reports!

COMMON CORE
The following resources can be used with any book or story!
Common Core ELA Informational Text Posters
Common Core Figurative Language
Common Core Reading Themes
Common Core Reading Standards Main Idea
Common Core Setting Comparisons
Common Core Foundational Skills Task Cards Great informal assessment to determine who needs review or who has achieved mastery. Use year to year
Common Core Character Comparisons
Common Core Problems and Solutions

NONFICTION
Close Reading Informational Text Polar Bears
Nonfiction Bingo A great way for students to become very familiar with nonfiction features.
Nonfiction Detective Task Cards
Nonfiction Find It and Check It This packet helps to reinforce nonfiction text.
Common Core Informational Text Article (Cheetah) FREE!

LITERATURE GUIDES AND BOOK ACTIVITIES
Al Capone Does My Shirts
A Wrinkle in Time Literary Activities
A Wrinkle in Time Whole Book Assessment and Extension Activities
Bridge to Terabithia Student Worksheets
Brians Winter Student Worksheets Gary Paulsen’s survival books keep students on the edges of their seats!
Chasing Vermeer 65 Comprehension Activities Task cards
Chocolate Fever by Robert Kimmel Smith
Dogsong by Gary Paulsen
Fairy Tales Worksheet PacketFun! Imagine Cinderella’s glass slipper is a sneaker and she arrives to the ball in a limo. Students love these activities!
Freak the Mighty Themes
Frindle Literature Guide 87 pages. Includes an informational article about the Bill of Rights and Freedom of Speech with questions and answers. Is freedom of speech different in the classroom than what is says in the Constitution?
From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler Activities
Hatchet Student Worksheets
Holes by Louis Sachar Student Worksheets
Hoot Student Worksheets
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell
Lord of the Flies
Love that Dog,Test
Maniac Magee 32 Page Packet
Maniac Magee Task Cards
Maniac Magee Bullying
Maniac Magee Vocabulary
Maniac Magee Fortunate and Unfortunate Events If you purchased my Maniac Magee packet, please do no purchase this. It is in the packet.
Moby Dick
The Kite Runner
The Tiger Rising Activities
Where the Red Fern Grows Activities
Woodsong Packet

VOCABULARY DETECTIVES
Who doesn’t love a contest? You’ll notice that even your most reluctant readers will join in this weekly fun! See the links for more details.
Vocabulary Detectives Task Cards 4 Pronouns, Proper Nouns, Conjunctions
Vocabulary Detectives Task Cards 5 Similes, Metaphors, Personification
Vocabulary Detective Task Cards 6 Common Proper Nouns and Contractions

GRAMMAR AND SPELLING
Parts of Speech Animal Theme Posters Laminate for future use!
Subject and Predicate Activities
Irregular Past and Participle Forms of Verbs
Adjective Adverb Game Common Core Supplement
Adjective Adverb Task Cards
Common and Proper Nouns Practice for the Common Core
Spelling Activities To Use with Any Spelling List
How to Spell Plural Nouns FREE!
Common Proper Nouns Game

Scoot Games FUN!
Scoot Fun! Adjectives
Scoot Fun! Nouns
Scoot Fun! Nouns Verbs Adjectives Adverbs
Scoot Fun! Prepositions
Scoot Fun! Subjects Predicates
Scoot Fun! Verbs

READING AND WRITING
Making Connections Packet
Sequence Packet
Reading Response Cards Packet
Facts or Opinions You Decide
Idioms are Fun Packet Have a frog in your throat? Students don’t seem to know what common idioms mean. They’ll have fun discussing the literal and true meanings of them.
Writing and Journal Prompt Task Cards Topics students relate to!!
Fairy Tales Worksheet PacketFun! Imagine Cinderella’s glass slipper is a sneaker and she arrives to the ball in a limo. Students love these activities!
Literary Packet Generic Worksheets High School or College
Movie Review for StudentsKeep your students focused as they watch videos in class. Add these sheets to your sub folder!
Creative Writing 48 task Cards
Education Quotation Posters Student Activity FREE! Inspire your students to think about education and learning by displaying these 8 1/2 inch by 11 inch posters year round. A perfect monthly writing activity. Students discuss the meanings of the quotations and write their interpretations.

SOCIAL STUDIES, MATH AND SCIENCE
Color the States
United States Reports Travel Agent Edition Students role play as travel agents as they research the U.S states.
You Decide Articles of Confederation or the Constitution
Climate and Weather Match up Card Games
Geography Flash Cards
Moon Exploration Activities Students create a moon exploration time line. Math is integrated.
Isaac Newton Laws of Motion Activities students relate to!
Inventors Research Project Extensive list of inventors. accompanies this research project!
Rockin Math Addition Subtraction Multiplication Division
Cool Cells Flash Cards

HOLIDAYS AND SEASONAL PRODUCTS
St.Patricks Day Legend of Irish Leprechauns Worksheets
Ireland Mini Report for St. Patricks Day FREE!
Thanksgiving Activity Five Kernels of Corn A true story about the Pilgrims starving time when they had only fiver kernels of corn to eat each day.
Thanksgiving Word Art Poster FREE!
Valentine’s Day Fun Cards
Valentine’s Day Fun Alphabet Cards FREE!
New Year Resolutions Mine My Town My Country The World School is included in this packet. Students think “out of the box” to write the resolutions.
Autumn and Fall Writing Papers
Autumn ELA Student Worksheets
Halloween Task Cards and Writing Activities
Christmas and Holiday Language Art Activities
North Pole Headline News Students have fun writing news articles about the North Pole. Examples of headlines are: Santa Loses His Cell Phone, Santa Buys an iPad, Rudolph’s Nose Turns Blue and many more! Fun!
North Pole Prepositions FREE! Fun!! You’ll love your students’ illustrations of the sentences with prepositions!
Veterans Day An inspiring project that’s loved by students, parents and teachers!
Langston Hughes Dreams FREE! A fantastic resource to encourage your students to follow their dreams. Use during Black History Month, to celebrate Martin Luther King’s birthday or add it to your poetry unit!

SNOWBALLS
These activities can be hands on cut and paste activities or students can write their answers on the snowballs.
Snowball Antonyms
Snowball Synonyms
Snowball Math Addition Subtraction
Snowball Math Multiplication and Division

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
Behavior Reinforcing Student Responsibility
Behavior Forms for Teachers

Thanks for stopping by!

Ruth

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Journal-Prompts-FREE-129335

 

 

 

 

 

Join The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative at
http://www.thebestofteacherentrepreneursmarketingcooperative.com/2014/01/the-best-of-teacher-entrepreneurs.html
and get THOUSANDS OF PAGE VIEWS for your TpT products!

Go to http://www.pinterest.com/TheBestofTPT/ for even more free products!

 

 

 

8 Sight Word (Pre-primer) Booklets

Grades K-2

by Reading on Strawberry Lane

Preprimer Bundle CoverThese 8 interactive sight word booklet teaches all the preprimer words. Each booklet teaches 5 words. Assemble the booklet by running the copies front and back and cutting in half and then stapling. There are 14 interactive tasks in each booklet:
1. Unscramble the Words
2. ABC Order
3. Spy & Highlight
4. Count & Graph
5. Color the Words
6. Solve the Clues
7. Fill in the Missing Letters
8. Write a Sentence
9. Try Spelling
10. Connect the Dots
11. Roll & Read
12. Proofread
13. Pyramid Spelling
14. Illustrate a Sight Word (on the last page of the booklet)
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Sight-Words-Booklets-Bundle-Set-of-8-All-Preprimer-Words-2107351
https://www.pinterest.com/trumpar/
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Reading-On-Strawberry-Lane
http://readingonstrawberrylane.net/

FREE LANGUAGE ARTS LESSON – “Greek and Latin Roots: Greek Roots Visual Flash Cards-Part 1”

by Steve’s Classroom

5th – 10th Grade

 

greek roots flashcards

 

These printable flash cards work like traditional flash cards, except instead of using plain ol’ text, they use interesting and colorful photos and illustrations to teach your students the meaning of Greek roots. How does it work? You show an image to the class, and students associate that image with a Greek stem.

For example, you might show a photo of colorful crayons. Students look at the crayons and think, “Crayons, color…chrom!” They associate the colorful crayons with the Greek root chrom. A meaningful and lasting mental connection is made.

This download contains three sets of 30 or more flash cards. Each set covers 10 roots.

I’ve used these flash cards many times with middle school and high school English and Science classes. The students enjoy it and it works.

Great for Literacy Centers or pocket charts. Just print them on card stock and paste them back to back. Voila, you have big, colorful, visual flash cards. Optionally, you can keep the photo and the answer separate and have students match the root to the picture that fits the root.

This is part one of a two-part series. This part covers the following Greek roots.

1. anti – against, opposite
2. aristo – best
3. astro – star
4. auto – self
5. bi – two
6. bio – life
7. chrom – color
8. chron – time
9. cine/kine – motion
10. cosm – universe, world, order

The second part can be found here.
Greek Roots Visual Flash Cards – Part 2 (CRACY – ZOO)

This mnemonic tool works just like flash cards, but it is far more effective and fun because it uses high-quality images and illustrations to help your students build meaningful and lasting mental connections. Perfect for visual learners but suited to all types.

There are three, research-proven components to memorization, and this tool covers all three:
Teach to multiple sensory modalities, i.e. visual learners.
Information is remembered best if it is interesting or useful.
New information is easier to remember if it can be linked to something already stored in the memory bank.

In these PowerPoints, you will find two or more images to represent each root. Having more than one image allows you to use the flash cards again and again, practicing the same roots over and over, without boring the kids with the same images they have already seen before. There are enough choices that you will never show the exact same set of images twice unless you want to. Another reason I provide more than one image per root is that some roots, like cosm or phys, have more than one meaning, so it is important to teach all the meanings. Also, having three or more images allows you to tailor the PowerPoint to your students’ experience and maturity.

I have used this tool many times in the past with great success. I created it when I was teaching summer school English. Classes were long and the students’ grade levels were varied. I needed something flexible and fun, easy enough for everyone to understand, and worthwhile. I wanted to teach the students something measurable, so I could be sure they had learned something useful in their five weeks of Summer School. Students enjoyed it and it worked.

It’s flexible enough to be used for entire periods or small pockets of time. It requires few materials. Forget about spending hours in the copy room duplicating packets or handouts. All the kids need are some roots and meanings written on the board, some notebook paper, and something to write with. It can be used again and again.

There are many things I love about using this mnemonic tool in the classroom.
Cross-curricular: Greek roots are found in every subject, from Science to Math to English to Art to Phys Ed.
Very little prep time required – just decide what Greek roots you want to cover, mix up the slides, and away you go.
Little to no materials required.
Flexible – use it for an entire period or just a few minutes.

All of the images in these mnemonic flash cards were used in accordance with the terms of use set by their creators. No images were used without permission.
This product is in Microsoft Office PowerPoint Version 97-2003.

 

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Greek-and-Latin-Roots-Greek-Roots-Visual-Flash-Cards-Part-1-146911

 

 

 

 

 

 

Join The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative at
http://www.thebestofteacherentrepreneursmarketingcooperative.com/2014/01/the-best-of-teacher-entrepreneurs.html
and get THOUSANDS OF PAGE VIEWS for your TpT products!

Go to http://www.pinterest.com/TheBestofTPT/ for even more free products!