Tag Archives : #ela


January 2022 Teacher Talk

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

 
 

It’s 2022! Time sure flies. We have some great ideas for you in our January edition of Teacher Talk. So, hurry on over to see what these creative educators are doing this month.

 
If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here…The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you decide to join, “Feel free to email me at [email protected] for any questions you might have.”
 
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I Dreaded My Third Period Class
It was cold and blustery outside, one of those days you just wanted to stay under the covers, but truth be told, I immediately thought about how I dreaded my third period class, I so wanted to turn over and forget about it for a while. I knew I had to face it, so I begrudgingly got out of bed. Alas, it was only hump day, and I had a busy schedule, so I dragged myself out of bed, had my cup of coffee and a piece of toast.
 
 
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Goals and Dreams
Ideas for going beyond “I Have a Dream” for MLK Day.

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New Year, New Focus
 


First week back after winter break. . . what a week! With our classroom numbers fluctuating due to students quarantining or testing positive, and so much uncertainty, diving right into the curriculum was not an option. We went back to the basics: what do we need to improve in?

 
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Under The Blotter: Engagement Questions
Need a way to encourage independent reading? I have kept these particular reading engagement questions under my desk blotter for many, many years—so many that I don’t even know who did the research for them, but I do know these questions are effective in improving reading motivation, in the person who responds, AND in those who listen to the answers.
 
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The Beauty of Math Patterns

Some people say mathematics is the science of patterns which I think is a pretty accurate description. Not only do patterns take on many forms, but they occur in every part of mathematics. But then again patterns occur in other disciplines as well. They can be sequential, spatial, temporal, and even linguistic. Discover more about pattern in this blog post.

 
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MLK in ELA: Ideas for Reading & Writing About Martin Luther King, Jr.
 
 
10 ideas for reading and writing about Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Essential Literature Circles Mini Lessons: What to Teach Your Students
Literature circles and mini-lessons go hand-in-hand. Discover the most important mini-lessons to teach your students and take your literature circles to new levels!
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Test Prep Tournaments That Work!
 

Get your students ready for your chapter tests, district-mandated tests, and the high-stakes state tests with test prep tournaments! They are a fun way to review for upcoming tests AND they work!

 
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October Teacher Talk 2019

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

It’s October Teacher Talk Time…..Well, the first month of school is over
and it’s BOO-tober, time for Halloween fun, Columbus Day, Stop Bullying Month and beautiful
fall weather.  
We have so many great tips and ideas for you from awesome educators. Be sure to take a look at what everyone has to say.
 
If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher
entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here….
The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative.
 If you decide to join, be sure to mention one of our names.
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Monthly Read Aloud Books for We Teach So Hard Podcasts about Bullying and how to help stop it from happening.
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Bullyproof Your Kids for Life
By Retta London of Rainbow City Learning

 Using a great read-aloud to start the conversation this month about dealing with bullies.

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Stand Up to Bullying 
By Kathie Yonemura of Tried and True Teaching Tools 

 Bullying. It has become such a buzz word that is often casually thrown
around. October is National Bullying Prevention Month and picture books
are the perfect way to elicit conversations.
 

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   The Empathy Project Update: Explorations into Empathy, Part 2
By Tracy Willis of Wild Child Designs 

 The 2nd installment in The Empathy Project, this post uses a visible thinking routine and a popular picture book to teach upper elementary students about empathy.

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 Surprise!
By Renee Heiss of All American Teacher Tools

 Surprises provide the best motivation

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 Pause…In the Neighborhood
By Gini Musmanno of Reading Spotlight 

 Pause.. for a moment in Mister Rogers neighborhood. He still has much to teach us today.

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 Independent Reading Success in the Classroom
By Marcy Howe of It’s A Teacher Thing 

 Learn tips for creating a successful independent reading program in your classroom.

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 Fall into Figurative Language
By Charlene Tess of Charlene Tess

 Fall is the perfect season to study figurative language. 

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Real World Math
By Michelle Webb of Teaching Ideas For Those Who Love Teaching

How to incorporate real world math into your daily teaching.
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Be sure to check out the rest of the blog posts in our link up. Just click the images below…

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


April Teacher Talk



Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

It’s April already, the school year is almost over.  Now it’s time to look forward toward spring vacation if it hasn’t already come and gone. Stop by our blog linky and see what great tips and advice are there just for you.

If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here….The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you decide to join, be sure to mention one of our names.

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 Spring Activities
Begin with mud and splash into fun learning this Spring.
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Music to Calm the Soul and Enhance Learning
“Music is the electrical soil in
which the spirit lives, thinks and invents.” –Ludwig van Beethoven. Why
is it that for many of us, music is an essential part of our personal
lives yet when we go to work or school we turn it off?
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 The Elephant in the Classroom
 Where is the elephant in the classroom? The recent college admissions scandal might give us a clue.
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 Scaredy Squirrel – Mentor Text
 What happens when Scaredy Squirrel visits YOUR home? This free writing activity will get your writers excited!
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 I Feel Bad for People Who Say They Feel Badly
 Do you know how to decide between the words bad and badly? Many people don’t.
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 7 Tips to Help Students Revise Their Essay
 Try out these 7 helpful tips to guide your students during the revising phase. Your writers can use these tips throughout during the writing process.
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 How to Start Book Clubs in Your Classroom
 Are you considering using book clubs in your classroom? Learn five things you should do before you introduce book clubs to your class.
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 Make Mistakes on Purpose
 When students have the opportunity to correct the teacher, it reinforces that language point, assesses the students’ understanding of that language point, gives the learner confidence, and teaches students to problem-solve.
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 Exploring Patterns With Project-Based Learning: Rotations, Reflections & Translations

Explore 4th and 5th grade geometry concepts with project-based learning. It’s always surprising who excels with this type of project, and who finds them challenging. This one doesn’t disappoint!
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Whole Body Learning
 Geometry was a daunting subject for me in high school. So when I started teaching, I was determined to think of a way to teach geometry that was fun and interactive.
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 Be sure to visit all of our teachers for some awesome ideas to use with your students.
You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


November Teacher Talk

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

It’s November Teacher Talk Time…..Can you believe that Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away. Time sure flies.  We have so many great tips and ideas for you from awesome educators. Be sure to take a look at what everyone has to say.

If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here….The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you decide to join, be sure to mention one of our names.
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Politics, Elections & Voting, Oh My!
By Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

We educators, need to have faith that students care enough about our democracy to become voices of change.
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Holiday Self Care
By Retta London of Rainbow City Learning

My message today is about some ways that you might consider in taking care of yourself during these always fast paced couple of months ahead.
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It Depends on the Angle – Complimentary and Supplementary Angles
By Vicky Rauch of Scipi

Since most students are visual learners, I try to visually help them remember definitions. This is how I visually taught them the difference between complementary and 
supplementary angles.
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Why Does U Always Follow Q in English Spelling?
By Gini Musmanno of Reading Spotlight

Have you ever wondered why the letter U always follows Q in English spelling? Here’s the answer.
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Do You Know These Top 5 Core 2-Word Phrases?
By Susan Berkowitz of Susan Berkowitz

Far too many students never make it to the symbol sequencing stage of AAC use. Whether because of presumed lack of potential or lack of knowledge about how to move students along beyond single words, we end up with many AAC users who are not communicating as competently as they could – and need.

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Avoid Comparing Adjectives That Are Absolute
By Charlene Tess of Charlene Tess

Something can be unique, but not more unique.
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Free Art DecoChristmas Tree Coloring Pages to Support St Jude’s Childrens Hospital
By Margo Gentile of Margo Gentile

Get some free “Art Deco” Christmas coloring pages with links to powerpoint tutorials showing how to make Christmas graphics using basic shapes. 
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Five Tips for Teaching Literary Analysis Writing in Grades 5-8
By Marcy Howe of It’s a Teacher Thing

Learn five practical tips for teaching one of the most challenging genres in writing.
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Preserving History
By Kathie Yonemura of Tried and True Teaching Tools

History books (& Hollywood) have often depicted Native Americans in very stereotypical and often degrading roles. Researching and creating scrapbooks of California tribes highlights the important relationship between the regions and natural resources, dependence on the land, as well as their beliefs.
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Reasoning with Evidence & Persuasive Thinking
By Tracy Willis of Wild Child Designs

 

Raise your hand if you wish your students would support their thinking with evidence! Visible thinking’s Claim-Support-Question is a great way to build your students’ capacity. This post explores how reasoning with evidence can flow across your curriculum with one BIG thinking routine!
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October TeacherTalk

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

 

It’s October Teacher Talk Time…..Well, the first month of school is over and it’s BOO-tober, time for Halloween fun, Columbus Day and beautiful fall weather.  We have so many great tips and ideas for you from awesome educators. Be sure to take a look at what everyone has to say.
 
If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here….The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you decide to join, be sure to mention one of our names.
????????????????????Bullies Not WelcomeBy Retta London of Rainbow City Learning

Some tips for creating a safe and accepting bully free zone in your classroom.
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Interactive, Mentor & Read Aloud? Oh My! Choose Your Next Read Aloud
By Tracy Willis of Wild Child Designs

Interactive read aloud? Mentor text? What are these and how do they elevate your reader’s workshop? This post explains how they “feed the beast” and take your reader’s workshop to the next level.
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Halloween Spooks

By Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

October is the perfect time to get those creative juices flowing in your students.
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Bring on FALL!
By Wendy McCarty of 1st Grade Fireworks

Bring on FALL! We are ready!
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Prefixes and Suffixes: Ready to Use Lesson Presentation
By John Dsouza of John Dsouza

A Lesson Presentation that presents Teaching Resources in Prefixes and Suffixes. This presentation presents perfect teaching resources that will help the teachers to walk into the classroom with ready to teach confidence as it covers all that a teacher and a student need for a vocabulary lesson on Prefixes and Suffixes.
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Make the Connection! Getting Parents and Speech Pathologists to Work 
Together.
By Susan Berkowitz of Susan Berkowitz

Make the Connection is my new book for bringing parents and professionals together as partners in working on teaching a nonverbal child to communicate.
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Be Lear Me. Fall is Great! Using Leaves in Science Investigations
By Vicki Rauch of Scipi

How do you save fall leaves so they can be mailed?
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One Student I Will Never Forget
By Gini Musmanno of Reading Spotlight

I will always remember her– she was the only student I ever had who wept hysterically in my class. I learned a lesson about the fragile ego of students who fail, which I knew, but failed to fully comprehend.

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     “I Spy” Collage Project
By Margo Gentile of  Margot Gentile

What’s more fun than searching for pictures in an “I Spy” type of collage? Making one yourself and then “trying it out” on your friends! You’ll find complete directions and a student’s finished product here.
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All About Spelling: Independent Product Review
By Thia Triggs of Print Path

 

One of the things I was surprised to find out when I started reading handwriting research is that handwriting is the most significant obstacle to the quality and quantity of written language composition. Now I’m finally going to get to my point: guess what the second most significant obstacle to written language composition is? You got it, spelling.
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Tips on Using Comparative and Superlative Adjectives and Adverbs
By Charlene Tess of Charlene Tess

 

Learning to compare adjectives and adverbs is easy. Here are some tips to help you get it right every time.
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Simple Ways to Build Relationships With Your Students

By Marcy Howe of It’s a Teacher Thing

Learn easy ways to build relationships with your students and create a positive classroom environment.
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Questioning Strategies
By Lisa Robles of Lisa TeachR’s Classroom

Here is a quick explanation of the DoK levels of questioning
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May Teacher Talk

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

 

It’s May and June is just around the bend. You’re probably counting the days till summer vacation. Be sure to stop by and see what these teachers are doing in their classrooms and gather some great tips and ideas. This is the last link-up for this school year. We’ll see you in September

If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here….The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you decide to join, be sure to mention one of our names.
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Pack a Super Summer Kit
Suggestions for a super summer kit, to keep them learning over their vacay.
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How to Keep Your Class Engaged Through the End of the Year
The end of the school year is just around the corner. You’re looking forward to summer vacation and so are your students, but you still have at least 3-4 or more weeks left, so what do you do to keep those kiddos turned on to learning?  Here are some tips.
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The Difference Between Giving Up & Knowing When You’ve Had Enough

Angst and thoughts about the issues that teachers face today…one teacher’s journey.

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He Can’t? I Bet He Can!

Sometimes students who are severely physically disabled are thought not to be able to learn; especially when they can’t speak or respond. We need to think outside the box.

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Summer Reading: What’s Hot? and What’s Cool?

Reading Spotlight’s May Blog Post explains how to find out “What’s Hot? and “What’s Cool?” this year for Summer Reading. Want to know “Why Kids Don’t Read,” “How to Motivate Summer Reading,” and “Why Summer Reading is So Important”? You’ll find links there, too, for this valuable information.

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Tales from a Teacher: The Light Bulb

It’s math time again! Each day this week I’ve been watching my students’ eyes glaze over while teaching. Last night, I stayed up late to plan out today’s difficult lesson. As I approach the board…
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Mad Tea Party Mother’s Day Tea
How do you honor your mothers? Plan a Mad Tea Party Mother’s Day Tea!
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Save The Insects: Having Fun With Insects and Plants

Creative teaching ideas for students to explore insects and plants with hands on activities, as well as a creative research component to keep them reading and writing about insects and plants at home.

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Why I seek volunteers for classroom book clubs and where I find them

I love having volunteers participate in my classroom book clubs. Read about why I make the effort to bring the community into my classroom and where I find willing volunteers.

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Riddling for Geometry

By Kathie Yonemura of Tried and True Teaching Tools

Although most students think of geometry as shapes, it’s so much more! Geometry riddles are the perfect opportunity to promote thinking and reasoning! 

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Please visit the posts in our link-up
 
 

 


April Teacher Talk

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

 

It’s April already, the school year is almost over. Easter and Passover have come an gone, now it’s time to look forward toward spring vacation if it hasn’t already come and gone. Stop by our blog linky and see what great tips and advice are there just for you.
 
If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here….The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you decide to join, be sure to mention one of our names.
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April Activities Just for You
By Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

Turning my thoughts to sunny days and warmer weather!!! Can’t you just smell spring in the air? Daffodils beginning to bloom, Lilac trees starting to flower, and Lilies of the Valley popping up. I just love the aroma. Not only is my birthday in April but it brings us Passover, Easter, and one that you may never have heard of, can you guess? If you said Jelly Bean Day, you’d be right.  I don’t know about you, but I looove jelly beans. They come in so many awesome flavors, no I don’t like the black ones, but I had an aunt who used to love them.
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STEAM: From Sandbox to Spectacular
By Retta London of Rainbow City Learning

How to take your STEM activities to the next level for upper elementary students.
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Tone
By Gini Musmanno of The Reading Spotlight

A message to Myself: My tone of voice has a greater influence on children than I might think. Remember the time…
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C-Stem
By Lisa Robles of LisaTeachR’s Classroom

Learn about C-Stem and tools for coding!
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The Hidden Curriculum
By Michelle Webb of Teaching Ideas for Those Who Love Teaching

Finding books to read with your class that tell more than a single story.
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The Teacher’s Role in Classroom Book Clubs
By Marcy Howe of It’s a Teacher Thing

Simplify using classroom book clubs by understanding the role of the teacher on meeting day. Learn key tips to ensure your classroom book clubs will run smoothly.
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Now that you’ve come to the bottom of the page, make sure you hop on over to read the rest of the posts in our April Teacher Talk.



November Teacher Talk

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern






It’s November Teacher Talk Time…..Can you believe that Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away. Time sure flies.  We have so many great tips and ideas for you from awesome educators. Be sure to take a look at what everyone has to say.

 If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here….The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you decide to join, be sure to mention one of our names.
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4 Ways to Balance Reading & Writing Instruction

By Tracy Willis of Wild Child Designs

 

Is your language arts instruction balanced? What’s good for reader’s workshop is good for writer’s workshop. This post outlines 4 ways to find that balance.
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Raise Your Hand
By Retta London of Rainbow City Learning

 

Inspired by the Girls Scout’s new badge encouraging girls to speak up in class, this post offers some ways to encourage reluctant participants to raide their hand and speak up in your classroom.
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Great Gifts for Children

By Gini Musmanno of Reading Spotlight

We all want to give our children their most desired gifts. Here are some inexpensive but worthwhile gifts that promote happy memories and rich relationships throughout their lives.

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Whoa, The Behaviors!
By Sally Hansen of Purposeful Plans

 

The students have become secure with you as their teacher. You’re starting to see that they are comfortable with each other as well. This combination is something you want; however, it can bring out behaviors in students that are distracting to all that you have worked for!
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3 Ways to Use Comic Strips as Writing Scaffolds

2livNlearn of 2livNlearn

 

Comic strips can be used a scaffold to make writing more accessible to learners, reduce intimidation, motivate students to share their thinking, and make writing fun!

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Thanksgiving Traditions and Fun Classroom Resources
By Greg Litton of  Learning Harbor Resources for Teachers

 

Do you enjoy special Thanksgiving Traditions? Here you will find some fun facts and two great resources.
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Bartering for Resources
By Kathie Yonemura of Tried and True Teaching Tools

 

Teaching students about the relationship of region to natural resource, and the importance of bartering amongst Native American tribes. This is a simple and effective lesson! FREEBIE
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8 Essential Handwiting Readiness Skills
By Thia Triggs of Print Path

 

This 4-minute video demonstrates what skills are needed for young children before they are ready to learn to print.
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Be sure to stop by all of the posts in our link up for Turkey Month



October Teacher Talk

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern
It’s October Teacher Talk Time…..Well, the first month of school is over and it’s BOO-tober, time for Halloween fun, Columbus Day and beautiful fall weather.  We have so many great tips and ideas for you from awesome educators. Be sure to take a look at what everyone has to say.
 
If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here….The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you decide to join, be sure to mention one of our names.
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How to Talk to Parents and Keep them on Your Side

One of the main things I realized, after years of teaching, is that parents need you to care about their child, they want you to make their learning experience interesting, challenging and fun. The best way to do this is to make sure their little one knows that you are there to listen, and support them with positive reinforcement and encouragement
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 Changing the Face of Failure
 
Facing project failures in class and changing course with a growth mindset

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Project-Based Learning: Three Things to Remember When You Count Like an Egyptian

By Tracy Willis of Wild Child Designs

Project-based learning is beneficial for so many reasons, but the reason that I love it so much is that it allows students to discover new passions that the curriculum doesn’t necessarily introduce.Project-based learning, however, is only as successful as the teacher’s pedagogy. Keep reading to hear me out!


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Math IS Fun and Games
By Kathie Yonemura of Tried and True Teaching Tools

Keeping students engaged and working independently is challenging! Math games and task cards help Math Workshop to run smoothly. Be sure to download your FREEBIE!

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Is Your Classroom NGSS Ready?

By Kari Hammerschmitt of Anchors and ABC’s

There are many questions to consider as you plan for a successful year of science learning. What initial steps will you take with NGSS? 

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Get More From Your Writing Workshop
By Sally Hansen of Purposeful Plans

 

At the beginning of the school year, most students can easily write a couple of paragraphs about their summer vacation, a previous accomplishment, or what they hope to accomplish this school year. This is a piece of cake for the students! Then the real writing assignments begins. Many teachers ask themselves, “Where do I start?”
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Cooperative Learning Doesn’t Have to Be Hell
By Rebecca Olsen of 2LivNLearn

Want to know how to implement effective cooperative learning strategies in your classroom? Frustrated trying to manage your students’ behaviors? Cooperative learning doesn’t have to be hell with these expert tips and tricks. 
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What can I do about Halloween at School?
By Greg Litton of Learning Harbor Resources for Teachers

Does your school celebrate Halloween? Do you do alternative activities? 

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A Masked Task
By Gini Musmanno of Reading Sptlight

The table was set for dinner. Plastic dishes, spoons, and cups were attached to the tablecloth that covered a large box. Read on to discover, as I did, a unique and motivating format to inspire creative writing for all ages.

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Keep The CreativityBy Michelle Webb of 

Teaching Ideas For Those Who Love Teaching

 Keep the creativity alive in your classroom.

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Wednesday Weekly 5 Under $5 – 9/13/17

Every week I put together a list of 5 great products from members of The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative (TBOTEMC) with the requirement that each product must be less than $5.  With a variety of subjects and a wide range of grades, there just might be something that you can use, so continue to read below and see!


In addition, if you’re a seller on Teachers Pay Teachers (TpT) that would like to join the Wednesday Weekly 5 Under $5 team, click here to get more information about joining TBOTEMC.  Feel free to e-mail me with any questions, as I’d be happy to help in any way possible.

By A Teacher’s Teacher 

ELA/Writing; Grades 7-10

This three-passage text set is accompanied by an informational prompt regarding the topic of skydiving. It’s a perfect assignment to engage typically apathetic students, as well as those students who are typically successful in your classroom, while still relying on the skills of using the information in the text set.  Modeled after AIR Testing, which is used in numerous states across the country, it would also fit well into a PARCC simulation. The text set, itself, is 5 pages long.

  

By Learning Harbor Resources for Teachers

Math; Grade 3

Are you looking for PowerPoint interactive activities to use with 1 to 1 computer time, blended lessons, and more? Do you need a fun and engaging way for your students to practice multiplication? This Scarecrow themed Interactive Self-Correcting PowerPoint Slide Show with sound may be just what you need. This interactive PowerPoint activity addresses CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.OA.B.5 Multiply and divide within 100.  See more details on the product’s page to learn about this great affordable item!

By 2livNlearn

Classroom Management; All Grades

Group your students quickly and easily with these cards! There are a myriad of cards to choose from which can be used in multiple ways. Group in pairs or up to eight students at a time. Included are: Groups of two 21 pairs, Opposites groups of two 18 pairs, Groups of two 10 pairs, Groups of two 14 pairs, Groups of three 6 sets, Groups of four 4 sets and Groups of eight 40 sets.  That makes a total of 320 different cards!  Never have to worry about “randomly” grouping again!

Reading/Social Studies; Grades 3-5

Have students learn about September 11th with this informational text passage while also practicing their reading comprehension skills.  Included in this product are the following: An Informational Text Passage entitled “The Attacks of September 11th,” A reading comprehension Assessment, Student Answer Sheet, Foldable for recording short response, Teacher Answer Key. and Foldable Directions (easy as could be! … no-prep required).  See the full description on the item’s page for a sample video about this terrific product!

By El Jaguar

Spanish; Not Grade Specific

This wonderful “El Grito “Cultural unit is the perfect way to celebrate Sept 16. Mexican Independence Day in your classroom.  The unit addresses the history of the Father Hidalgo in Dolores and his legendary “Grito de Dolores” that started the Mexican Revolution. The unit also describes in detail the reenactment ceremonies done on Sept 15 every year in the Zocalo of Mexico by the President of Mexico. It is a fun unit with wonderful Word Searches both in Spanish and English to reinforce the reading and cognates. Finally a fun coloring activity can be used for Elementary students. You can do it as a class reading and then little ones can just have fun coloring the Sugar Skull on a bed of Roses and doing the English Word Search.  See the item’s page for a full description of what is included for a great price!

As always, I encourage comments below and any ideas or suggestions by tweeting me @ATeachersTeach or contacting me via e-mail.

A Teacher’s Teacher

My TpT Store


Wednesday Weekly 5 Under $5 – 8/23/17

Every week I put together a list of 5 great products from members of The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative (TBOTEMC) with the requirement that each product must be less than $5.  With a variety of subjects and a wide range of grades, there just might be something that you can use, so continue to read below and see!


In addition, if you’re a seller on Teachers Pay Teachers (TpT) that would like to join the Wednesday Weekly 5 Under $5 team, click here to get more information about joining TBOTEMC.  Feel free to e-mail me with any questions, as I’d be happy to help in any way possible.

By 2livNlearn 

Back to School; All Grades

You love this Editable Welcome Back Signs Freebie item!  Enjoy these Welcome Back Signs for your classroom door, including being able to edit them to include your name and room number. There are 10 different designs to choose from.  While you’re getting these, check out the other terrific products offered by 2livNlearn!

  

By The Literacy Garden

Reading; Grades 1-3

This unit 2 item working on reading and text evidence provides students with opportunities to analyze and annotate different engaging informational texts through guided practice and text-based questions.  Reading passages cover high-interest topics, including giraffes, bats, owls, lions, and apples. If your not sure about making a purchase, look at the details for this item at the linked page, as their is a free sample to download.  However, I’m confident that you’ll find this product to be another great offering from The Literacy Garden! 

By The Teacher Down the Hall

Math; Grades 4-5

Who doesn’t love Google Interactive Slides? Your students will draw lines to match answers, write in the correct answers, and drag buttons to the correct locations!  With this product, students will: use models to identify numbers; match standard, written, and expanded form numbers; find the value of different digits; and use mental math and place value to add.  Students can then turn in their work electronically by selecting “turn in” after closing their slide presentation. Great for math centers, quiz, extra practice, and even homework!

 

Class Decor: Superhero Supply Labels – $3.00

By Teach to Tell

All Subject Areas; Grades PreK-6

Use these 85 editable labels to label all your school supplies. From stationery to book/notebook shelves, and manipulatives, these labels will do the job. Best of all, these labels come in two different sizes: 3 labels on a portrait-sized page (8.5 in x 11 in) (27 labels) OR 6 labels on a portrait-sized page (8.5 in x 11 in) (28 labels).  Also included are 30 editable labels; all you have to do is type in text box to edit content.  A must have for a heroic new year!

By Kathy Babineau

Life Skills / Speech Therapy; Grades 2-6

Encourage your students to think of logical, appropriate solutions to everyday social and safety situations! Use one or two a day as part of a whole class morning meeting discussion or use multiple cards in short discussions or in a game format!  There are no specific “right” answers to these questions. Encourage your students to think about how to solve everyday issues and justify their responses.  This set contains 40 question cards and an optional board game for optimal student engagement.

As always, I encourage comments below and any ideas or suggestions by tweeting me @ATeachersTeach or contacting me via e-mail.

A Teacher’s Teacher

My TpT Store


English/Language Arts Complete Curriculum Bundle- Grades 7-9; CCSS Aligned

This English/Language Arts Massive Curriculum Bundle includes 14 large teaching units. Many of these units are unit bundles themselves pushing the number of units up to 20 complete teaching units!

 

Every lesson is CCSS Aligned; these CCSS Standards are outlined within each of the individual units (links below).

All units are digital for applications in a 1:1 Google Drive classroom if you wish. PDF, Word, PowerPoint applications are also included for easy printing.

Each unit has detailed lesson plans to support your instruction, and a pacing guide/outline is provided as well. See the Preview for a sneak peek at a basic version of this pacing guide! Each unit is described below, and a link is provided to the original unit/lessons.

Save nearly $28.00 with this bundle!

1. Close Reading Strategies:
Teach your students how to use close reading strategies to improve reading comprehension and written analysis. This gradual release method will encourage your students to completely rethink how they view themselves as readers.
Close Reading Strategies (Text Annotation to Support Reading Comprehension)

2. Plot Elements Game!
The plot/literary elements game activity fosters a shared writing experience for students in the creation of a fun, creative, and often hilarious story.
Students then analyze this story for its flawed plot elements based on their understanding of literary elements.
Plot/Literary Elements GAME!

3. Summarizing Fiction
Teach your students how to create a concise and objective summary of a fiction text with this simple, easy, step-by-step method. Students will be able to effectively condense a complete summary into three sentences. Students will be able to identify the protagonist, the character motivation, the conflict, rising action, and the resolution in these three sentences! This step-by-step method will make this process easy for your students.
Summarizing Fiction Lesson, Guided and Collaborative Practice, and Assessment!

 

 

4. Summarizing Nonfiction
Teach your students how to create a concise summary of nonfiction texts that are free from personal judgements or opinions with this simple, easy, step-by-step method. Students will be able to effectively condense any nonfiction text into a few short sentences that fully encompass the main ideas of any nonfiction article/text. Students will also learn to how to effectively annotate the text and create marginal notes to manage the often challenging world of nonfiction reading.
Summarizing Nonfiction Lesson, Graphic Organizers, 12 Differentiated Texts, CCSS

5. In-Text Citation (Parenthetical Citation)
This unit includes a Google Slides/PowerPoint presentation to teach the MLA 8th Edition rules for in-text citation (parenthetical citation), an MLA trouble-shooting guide for students, a digital and printable interactive notebook, quality examples from real literature, Bell Ringer practice, and a unique summative assessment.
In-Text Citation Lesson, Practice, and Assessment

 

6. Suspense and “The Monkey’s Paw”
Introduce your students to suspense techniques and plot development within the ultra suspenseful story, “The Monkey’s Paw”! This iconic short story will leave your students on the edge of their seats as they read to discover what will happen with these three terrible wishes.
“The Monkey’s Paw” Complete Short Story Bundle with The Suspense Unit Bundle!

7. Literary Analysis:
Literary Analysis Made Easy!
Teach your students this easy step-by-step process for developing a rich, insightful, and well supported literary analysis. Breaking down this challenging process for students allows for further depth in each key area of a quality response!
Literary Analysis Made Easy

 

9. Tone and Mood:
This complete unit bundle will teach your students how to understand the complex topic of tone and mood in literature!
1. Lesson on Tone and Mood
2. Lesson on Connotation/Denotation
3. Tone and Mood Exploration through music, video games, film, art, literature, photography, and memes!
4. Tone and Mood Mini-Lesson
5. Tone and Mood Notes
6. Tone and Mood Project- over 8 choices for summative assessments!
7. Bell Ringer Activities- for each day of the unit!
Tone and Mood in Literature

10. “Cemetery Path” Short Story Unit Bundle
The ultimate short story bundle! “Cemetery Path” by Leonard Q. Ross is an excellent, scary, thrilling short story to engage your learners.
This complete pack meets 6 CCSS standards, and contains 9 specific lessons in reading, writing, and speaking.
Short Story Unit Bundle – “Cemetery Path” with Tone and Mood

11. Analyzing Rhetoric Unit Bundle:
Ethos, Pathos Logos Unit
Logical Fallacies Unit
Analyzing Rhetoric Unit
Rhetoric Bell Ringers
Rhetorical Analysis Unit Bundle

12. Writing the Argument Essay:
Teach your students how to write that argument essay with this complete unit bundle!
Writing the Argument Essay Complete Unit Bundle + Student Interactive Notebook

13. Grammar and Sentence Structure Complete Unit Bundle
This complete unit bundle includes everything you need to teach sentence structure and comma placement to your students. Each unit will support students in creating:
-compound sentences
-complex sentences
-a variety of introductory phrases to vary sentence beginnings
– appositives to vary sentence structure, create interest, create explanations, and a strong writer’s voice.
– bell ringer practice with all sentence structures to provide support all year long
– nine beautiful classroom posters with mentor sentences to support student understanding while creating a visual display.
– extensive mentor sentence examples pulled from quality literature sources!
Grammar- Complete Sentence Structure Unit Bundle – Understanding Commas!

14. 6 Word Memoir
Legend has it that Ernest Hemingway was challenged to write a NOVEL in 6 words.
His response?
For sale: baby shoes, never worn.
6 incredibly powerful words that seem to tell an entire story. This is the challenge I pose to my students within the last few weeks of the school year. Write your own memoir in six incredibly powerful, carefully chosen words.
6 Word Memoir Lesson and Assessment

Follow my store by clicking on the link at the top of the page for updates, announcements, and fun freebies! You can also find me on PinterestFacebook, and my blog- Teach BeTween the Lines!


Complete ELA Summer School Bundle

Complete ELA Summer School Bundle will provide you all of the lessons, materials, and activities to teach summer school- ZERO prep involved! From introduction activities and procedure slides (introduced using fun memes) to specific reading and writing strategies that have been the most beneficial to my struggling readers and writers.

 

For many years, I too taught summer school. There are so many benefits to taking on this very important role, but I will admit that I was driven by the money! I also distinctly remember not wanting to spend all of my precious summer planning and crafting curriculum! That is why I created this unit bundle! Let my experiences do the work for you! What I have done is compile lessons from my curriculum that will most benefit the struggling reader and writer. I start summer school by teaching close reading strategies (which I call “talking to the text). Then I spend the remainder of summer school continuing to practice these strategies through every unit. The first few days of this unit bundle include detailed lesson plans to help you best support your students with these close reading strategies. Then, each added unit contains its own detailed lesson plans. A unit outline will support your planning of each of these lessons! This unit bundle will give you everything you need to teach summer school in a way that dramatically improves the reading and writing skills of your students!

See the preview for a visual of each of these units or click on the links below to view each product individually!
Close Reading Strategies (Text Annotation to Support Reading Comprehension)

Teach your students how to use close reading strategies to improve reading comprehension and written analysis. This gradual release method will encourage your…
Summarizing Fiction Lesson, Guided and Collaborative Practice, and Assessment!

Teach your students how to create a concise and objective summary of a fiction text with this simple, easy, step-by-step method. Students will be able to…
Summarizing Nonfiction Lesson, Graphic Organizers, & 12 Differentiated Texts

Teach your students how to create a concise summary of nonfiction texts that are free from personal judgements or opinions with this simple, easy, step-by-step…
In-Text Citation Lesson, Practice, and Assessment, MLA 8th Edition

The MLA 8th edition lesson on incorporating textual evidence (quotations with parenthetical citations) will help your students learn: -How to create an in-text citation with and without an author’s name. -How to lead into or out of a quote with the student’s own words. -How to pepper a quote…
Plot/Literary Elements GAME!

The plot/literary elements game activity fosters a shared writing experience for students in the creation of a fun, creative, and often hilarious story…
Compound Sentences with FANBOYS Lesson, Stations, Practice, & Assessment

Teach your students how to create compound sentences with FANBOYS conjunctions! This Lesson will provide your students with explicit explanations using mentor…
Semicolons and Conjunctive Adverbs Lesson, Practice, Games, and Assessment

Teach your students how to create compound sentences with semicolons, and compound sentences with semicolons and conjunctive adverbs! This Lesson will provide…
Complete Tone and Mood in Literature Bundle + Connotation and Denotation

Teach your students how to understand the complex topic of tone and mood in literature! 1. Lesson on Tone and Mood 2. Lesson on Connotation/Denotation 3. Tone…
Short Story Unit Bundle – “Cemetery Path” with Tone and Mood

The ultimate short story bundle! “Cemetery Path” by Leonard Q. Ross is an excellent, scary, thrilling short story to engage your learners. This complete pack…
PLUS:
-30 Page Reader’s Workshop/Independent Reading Book Log
-Introductions, a get-to-know you game, and classroom procedures memes!

 

Save nearly ten dollars with this unit bundle!

Follow my store by clicking on the link at the top of the page for updates, announcements, and fun freebies! You can also find me on Pinterest, Facebook, and my blog- Teach BeTween the Lines!

 


Summarizing Fiction Made EASY!

Teach your students how to create a concise and objective summary of a fiction text with this simple, easy, step-by-step method. Students will be able to effectively condense a complete summary into three sentences. Students will be able to identify the protagonist, the character motivation, the conflict, rising action, and the resolution in these three sentences! This step-by-step method will make this process easy for your students.

Included:
Lesson and complete lesson plan

– Two fun and engaging guided practices and partner collaboration practices

– Differentiated assessment options. Four short stories will allow your students to read through an appropriately leveled text as they work to create their concise and objective summary!

– Graphic organizers to support students as they draft

 

 

 

CCSS Aligned:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.2
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.2
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.2
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.2
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.2
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.2

No Prep Plans!

Follow my store by clicking on the link at the top of the page for updates, announcements, and fun freebies! You can also find me on Pinterest, Facebook, and my blog- Teach BeTween the Lines!

Other Writing Lessons/Units You May Want to Consider!
Introductory Phrases with AAAWWUBBIS, Lesson, Stations, Games, Practice, Poster!
Compound Sentences with FANBOYS Lesson, Stations, Practice, & Assessment
Writing the Argument Essay Complete Unit Bundle + Student Interactive Notebook
Literary Analysis Made Easy (Digital and Printable!)
In-Text Citation Lesson, Practice, and Assessment, MLA 8th Edition

Free Writing Support!
Sentence Structure Posters
To Be Verb Poster Freebie
Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Literary Analysis- Digital & Printable!

Created by:

 


Ethos, Pathos, Logos- The Three Pillars of Persuasion

Begin your argument unit by teaching the three pillars of persuasion- Ethos, Pathos, and Logos!

Included with Purchase:

-Real life examples in media to analyze!

-Lesson- 36 slides of info, definitions, notes, and examples that connect to media advertising, social media, marketing tools, and human behavior. Each pillar of persuasion also provides a how-to slide for students to apply this tool to their writing!

-Student led in-depth exploration with video examples and explanations that are engaging and unique.

-Application activity that gets students moving and collaborating.

-Bell Ringer practice to reinforce skills each day and engage students in learning!

-Beautiful classroom anchor chart poster

-Google Docs & Microsoft Office documents provided

-No Prep Plans- Just print or link and go!

CCSS Aligned!

Suggested Unit Outline:
1. This Ethos, Pathos, Logos lesson
2. Logical fallacies
3. Analyzing arguments lesson
4. Student written/crafted argument!

Follow my store by clicking on the link at the top of the page for updates, announcements, and fun freebies! You can also find me on Pinterest, and Facebook!

Other Analyzing Rhetoric Lessons to Consider:
Analyzing Arguments with Dr. King’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail
Logical Fallacies made Easy!
Rhetoric- Ethos/Pathos/Logos Bell Ringer Activities!
Rhetorical Analysis-Analyzing an Author’s Argument

Save money with these UNIT BUNDLES!
Analyze Arguments: King’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail- COMPLETE UNIT BUNDLE!
Rhetorical Analysis Unit Bundle

Analyze an Author’s Argument with Atticus Finch’s Closing Arguments


Poetry Analysis for any Narrative Poem Digital or Printable Unit

from Teach BeTween the Lines

This Narrative Poetry unit is perfect for personalized, differentiated, flipped, and/or 1:1 technology classrooms!
AND

This pack also works great in teacher led and planned traditional classrooms! PDF printable options are included on EVERY activity! I have included lesson plans and unit plan for both types of instruction!

I have recently opened my teaching style to include a personalized learning platform of teaching and learning. I have relied less on prescribed texts for all students, and started offering more voice and choice in learning options, as well as assessment options. I have included both a standard set of lesson plans, as well as a personalized learning plan and week outline of teaching, coaching, and assessing options.

19 pages covering critical literary analysis skills including extended response questions, and graphic organizer to support in drafting quality responses that include textual evidence! Rubric included!

Topics Covered:
-Plot Analysis
-Tone
-Mood
-Imagery Analysis
-Elements of Poetry
-Foreshadowing
-Irony
-Allusions
-Extended Response Questions- with graphic organizers AND rubric.

CCSS Aligned!
Two week personalized teacher plan included!


Rhetorical Analysis Unit Bundle- Digital and Printable!

From Teach BeTween the Lines

________________________________________________________

Teach students how to analyze an author’s arguments with any given argument! Perfect for personalizing or differentiating learning as it provides a great deal of voice and choice for your learners!

Analyzing an author’s arguments can be challenging for students; however, this step-by-step method will make this skill clear and easy while creating an in-depth analysis! Everything to teach rhetoric, and logical fallacies is included. Show your students how to analyze the rhetoric/fallacies/message/language of any author’s argument.

Combines the following four complete units!
1. Ethos, Pathos, Logos
2. Logical Fallacies
3. Ethos, Pathos, Logos and Logical Fallacies Bell Ringer activities
4. Argument Analysis Lesson

Links to the following documents are provided for close reading analysis:
Social Justice
• Frederick Douglass Speech
• Abraham Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address”
• Abraham Lincoln “Second Inaugural Address”
• Letter to Albert G. Hodges
• Martin Luther King Jr. “The March on Washington Address”
• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Letter from a Birmingham Jail”
• William Faulkner Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech, 1949
• “The Sinews of Peace-Iron Curtain Speech”
• “Brandenburg Gate Address” Ronald Reagan
Women’s Rights
• 13 Famous Speeches by Women’s Rights Activists

Includes:
– PowerPoint and Google Presentation on rhetoric and logical fallacies
– PowerPoint Presentation & Google Presentation to introduce this step-by-step method
– Analyzing rhetoric graphic organizer
– Lesson plans for each of the three lessons
– Complete Unit plan for all four teacher packs/units.
– Lesson plans on teaching close reading strategies with these passages
– Google Apps Links to Google Presentations and Google Documents
– Word, PowerPoint, and PDF documents included.

CCSS Aligned!

Great test prep!

Follow my store by clicking on the link at the top of the page for updates, announcements, and fun freebies! You can also find me on Pinterest, and Facebook!

Other Analyzing Rhetoric Lessons to Consider:
Analyzing Arguments with Dr. King’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail
Ethos, Pathos, Logos- The Three Pillars of Persuasion
Logical Fallacies made Easy!
Rhetoric- Ethos/Pathos/Logos Bell Ringer Activities!
Rhetorical Analysis-Analyzing an Author’s Argument

Save money with these UNIT BUNDLES!
Analyze Arguments: King’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail- COMPLETE UNIT BUNDLE!

Analyze Arguments with Atticus:
Analyze an Author’s Argument with Atticus Finch’s Closing Arguments-


Semicolons and Conjunctive Adverbs Lesson, Practice, Games, and Assessment

From Teach BeTween the Lines

Teach your students how to create compound sentences with semicolons, and compound sentences with semicolons and conjunctive adverbs! This Lesson will provide your students with explicit explanations using mentor sentences, two fun games, two great practice activities, application activities, and a potential summative assessment!

The lesson consists of a PowerPoint/Google Slides to show your students how to craft these tricky compound/complex sentences. Mentor sentences foster classroom discussions, demonstrate quality writing, and model the correct use of semicolons with an adverbial conjunction. Students will be able to identify, explain and apply the most common conjunctive adverbs to craft rich and interesting sentences.

Tic-Tac-Know game asks students to practice and apply their knowledge while having a great time playing tic-tac-toe with their peers.

Conjunctive Adverb Ball Toss game will have your students racing to complete semicolon/conjunctive adverb challenges, creating complete engagement through the practice of sentence creation! My students beg to play this game anytime we have a few extra minutes!

Two Practice Word Document/Google Document will allow your students to practice crafting these compound sentences.

Finding Examples Activity will have your students searching for their own mentor sentences within their reading. Students can then work with you to create a bulletin board of compound sentence examples.

CCSS Aligned

Follow my store by clicking on the link at the top of the page for updates, announcements, and fun freebies! You can also find me on Pinterest, Facebook, and my blog- Teach BeTween the Lines!

Other Writing Lessons/Units You May Want to Consider!
Introductory Phrases with AAAWWUBBIS, Lesson, Stations, Games, Practice, Poster!
Compound Sentences with FANBOYS Lesson, Stations, Practice, & Assessment
Writing the Argument Essay Complete Unit Bundle + Student Interactive Notebook
Literary Analysis Made Easy (Digital and Printable!)
In-Text Citation Lesson, Practice, and Assessment, MLA 8th Edition

Free Writing Support!
Sentence Structure Posters
To Be Verb Poster Freebie
Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Literary Analysis- Digital & Printable!


From Teach BeTween the Lines

Everything you need to teach debate with Shakespeare’s Macbeth. This complete unit includes 5 lessons:

1. Introduction to controversial, debatable topics within Macbeth
-In-depth class discussion questions
-Mini-debate to engage learners and begin conversations on the text

2. Crafting arguments- the debate way. Introduce this step-by-step method
for crafting an argument specifically for debate.

3. Crafting counter-arguments- the debate way. Introduce this simple four
point method for crafting a counter-argument specifically for refutation in
debate.

4. Introduction to debate- introduces debate skills to students. Students learn
the why and how of debate, watch several examples, and grade those
debate examples using the assessment tools that will be applied to their
debates as well.

5. Introduction to Public Speaking- a mini-lesson to introduce the most critical
skills necessary for successful public speaking.

Your students will be able to take notes on all of these lessons inside of their Google Interactive Notebook. Students will also be able to prepare for their debate with specific graphic organizers for each step of the preparation process. They will also be able to craft their arguments and counter-arguments inside of this digital document with helpful graphic organizers. Additionally, they will be able to self-reflect on their preparation, their group’s preparation and arguments, and the quality of their own arguments. Rubric is included inside of this document for further self-assessment.

A complete debate scoring guide is included so a ‘winner’ can be determined post-debate.

A complete rubric is included for assessing the quality of each student’s debate skills.

PowerPoint, Word, and PDF versions are included for every document. This unit will be easy to print and teach as well!

41 Pages, 51 Slides.

CCSS Aligned:

Follow my store by clicking on the link at the top of the page for updates, announcements, and fun freebies! You can also find me on Pinterest, and Facebook!

On the hunt for more Macbeth Lessons? Check out these fun and engaging lessons:
Theme Analysis &Thematic Literary Response Essay in Shakespeare’s Macbeth
Literary Analysis with Shakespeare’s Macbeth
Character Analysis with Shakespeare’s Macbeth

Other lessons to consider:
Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream:
Debate with Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream- The Battle of the Sexes
Theme Analysis in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Literary Analysis with Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Character Analysis with A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Student Interactive Notebook for A Midsummer Night’s Dream- Complete Study Guide

Save money and get four additional lessons with: A Midsummer Night’s Dream Unit Bundle!!
A Midsummer Night’s Dream Complete Unit BUNDLE!

Introduction to Shakespeare:
Engaging and Collaborative Introduction to Shakespeare

 

 


Analyze an Author’s Argument with Atticus Finch’s Closing Arguments

Teach BeTween the Lines

 

Teach students how to analyze an author’s arguments with Atticus Finch’s Closing Arguments!

Analyzing an author’s arguments can be challenging for students; however, this step-by-step method will make this skill clear and easy while creating an in-depth analysis! Everything to teach rhetoric, logical fallacies is included. Show your students how to analyze the rhetoric/fallacies/message/language of any author’s arguments through this iconic passage from To Kill a Mockingbird.

Includes:
– PowerPoint and Google Presentation on rhetoric and logical fallacies
-PowerPoint Presentation and Google Presentation to introduce this step-by-step method
-Close reading passage of Atticus Finch’s closing arguments
– Analyzing rhetoric graphic organizer
– Reader response questions to further depth of analysis
– Separate logical fallacies PowerPoint and Google Presentation
– Separate Rhetoric PowerPoint and Google Presentation
– Note taking documents for both logical fallacies and rhetoric lessons
– Lesson plans
– Lesson plans on teaching close reading strategies with this closing argument
– Google Apps Links to Google Presentations and Organizer Google Documents
– Student sample analysis

CCSS Aligned!

No prep plans!

Great test prep!
CCSS Aligned

Follow my store by clicking on the link at the top of the page for updates, announcements, and fun freebies! You can also find me on Pinterest, and Facebook!

Also for teaching To Kill a Mockingbird:
20 Literary Analysis Questions for To Kill a Mockingbird!

Other Analyzing Rhetoric Lessons to Consider:
Analyzing Arguments with Dr. King’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail
Ethos, Pathos, Logos- The Three Pillars of Persuasion
Logical Fallacies made Easy!
Rhetoric- Ethos/Pathos/Logos Bell Ringer Activities!
Rhetorical Analysis-Analyzing an Author’s Argument

Save money with these UNIT BUNDLES!
Analyze Arguments: King’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail- COMPLETE UNIT BUNDLE!
Rhetorical Analysis Unit BundleRhetorical Analysis-Analyzing an Author’s Argument

 


FREE Language Arts Posters- Sentence Structure Posters

Teach BeTween the Lines

FREE!

 

Beautiful sentence structure posters are perfect for any middle or high school classroom. Use mentor sentences to show students examples of writing done well.

I reference these posters regularly throughout the day in teaching quality writing skills to my students. Simply send to your school’s printer (for poster size documents) or take the file to FedEx or Office Max to create beautiful classroom display that supports students in their learning journey.

PDF and Word versions provided!

Follow my store by clicking on the link at the top of the page for updates, announcements, and fun freebies! You can also find me on Pinterest, Facebook, and my blog!

For More Writing Activities, check out these products!
Writing the Argument Essay Complete Unit Bundle + Student Interactive Notebook

FANBOYS- teach compound sentences with these conjunctions! 


ELA Back to School MUST Have Resource

If you are a junior or intermediate ELA teacher this resource is a true must have to get your year off to a great (and easy!) start. Modelled after Founts and Pinnell and the work they have done in the primary grades, my junior and intermediate reading/writing resource has everything you need to get your workshops up and running for the year! This resource came about after working at a literacy coach for five years. This was the answer to all the questions I was getting from teachers about how to set up and start their workshops for the year.  It is also the resource I have used in my own classroom. (Click image to be taken to the resource)

Screen Shot 2016-07-24 at 11.58.53 PM

Each lesson is laid out in a non-nonsense, easy to use format.

Screen Shot 2016-08-11 at 9.53.44 PM

 

Writers’ Workshop includes:
This resources included everything you need to set up your Writers’ Workshop program.
Among the lessons included are:
Set-up
Revising/Editing
Peer Editing
Abandoning Writing
Author’s Chair
Generating Ideas
Conferencing

Reading Workshop includes:
This resource is the complete first twenty days and is meant for the junior and intermediate classes. Part Fountas and Pinnell, part collaboration, this resource will help you take your students on the next step, beyond the primary level reading workshop. This resource includes all the required lesson plans, BLMs and anchor chart ideas.
Among the lessons included are:
Accessing Reading Materials
Listening to Your Inner Voice
Reasons to Abandon Books
Leaving Tracks of Your Thinking
Different Kinds of Non-Fiction
Reading Response Journals
Creating a List of Your Reading
Book Talks

Bonus: Creating Book Trailers

82 pages of AWESOMENESS! How is that not the best way to get your year off and running.

First Twenty Days of Reading and Writing Workshop Bundle

MY TPT Share Board – new members welcome.

Mrs. Gray’s Place Instagram

Last but, and most important…by store: Mrs. Gray’s Place

Cheers,

Amanda

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April is Poetry Month

By Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

 

virginia-live-oak-440351_1920 smallI just love teaching poetry and spring is the perfect time. For me, inspiration comes from being outside, perhaps walking on the beach inhaling the salty ocean air, or just walking through the woods with my husband and beautiful husky who is no longer with us.

 

I want my classes to experience the wonderful feeling of just being outside and creating. That’s why I  teach poetry in April or May, new awakenings, flowers coming up, birds beginning to nest, and the warmth that replaces the winter cold.  So I pick a sunny day, take the class outside and have them write a nature poem using all of their senses. I tell them to breathe in the fresh air, so we take some deep yoga breaths, then sit on the grass and listen to the sounds of nature with closed eyes, making notes of what they hear, the things they see, and what they feel.

We might also hug trees, smell flowers and listen to the sounds of insects while watching them complete their instinctual activities.  One of my favorite things to do is to have the kids find a tree to lie under, to look up through the branches at the sky, or to watch the leaves fluttering in the breeze. To listen to the sound of birds and watch little insects buzzing about their business. I ask them to look at the colors and to pretend that they are the color, or the insect, or the bird, or the tree.  I want them to feel the strength of the tree and realize how secure and grounded the tree is because of it’s roots that run so deeply under the ground.

My students have created  some amazing poems from this activity and many of them have gotten published in a book entitled  Celebration of Young Poets-Creative Communication, Inc. The web address is www.poeticpower.com.

This is an example of a poem that a 6th grade student wrote after completing this activity. To tell you I was blown away by this is an understatement.

Azure Drake

Azure blossoms at my feet

Beside the road smelling sweet

To the shade of a Sycamore tree

Swaying branches over me…..Whispering

Footsteps coming down the path

An ancient one with wooden staff

Long white beard and cloak blue smeared

Electric eyes not to be feared…Scintillating

A Druid friend from long ago

The magic words sure to know

Staff held high over azure flowers

Secret words of light and power…..Conjuring

Rustling in the indigo bed

Rising up scales, tail and head

Wisdom eyes, majestic wings

Breath of lightning, Dragon sings…..Thundering

Climbing on blue scaled back

Soaring on white cloud track

Snow capped mountains, Seas of sand

Born of air Free of land….Dreaming

by Sean Hayden

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Featured Products

Thanks so much for stopping by

Deann

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Please visit Socrates Lantern’s Social Media Sites





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This is part of our Teacher Talk Blog Link-up. A great month ahead with loads

of ideas that will help get you through the rest of the year.

If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs and blogging buddies as well as our blog linky, sign up here….The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative.  If you decide to join, be sure to mention my name

April Teacher Talk Word Press


Let’s Go Fly a Kite

By Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

 

When I taught special needs kids, each month we would do something special for those who earned enough points. One of their favorite activities was to make and fly kites in March. child-flying-a-kite smallYears later, I was mainstreamed to 6th grade and the children also loved  this activity.  After they flew their kites, they wrote two papers, one explaining how to make a kite and the other about their experience.

I am going to show you how to make simple kites that your class will love doing.

Materials for a garbage bag kite:  plastic bags, two sticks, string, a ribbon and a nice windy day.

Step 1:  Take two sticks, wooden dowels, or garden stakes and put them into the shape of a cross., one horizontally and one vertically. Place the horizontal stick about a third of the way down and tie them together with a string.

Step 2: Wrap the string securely around the horizontal and vertical sticks so that they stay together.

Step 3:  Cut the bag to fit the kite frame. Secure tightly by tying the ends of the bag to the frame at the tip of each dowel or stick.

Step 4:  Tie string from one side of the horizontal stick to the other, make it loose so that it forms a triangle, see first picture in step #4. Tie a large ball of string to thebottom part of the vertical stick. Loop under the loose portion of the horizontal string and tie a knot then tie another knot where the horizontal and vertical strings meet. You’ll know you’ve done it right if you see a triangle shape. See 2nd image in step #4.

Step 5: Tie some colorful ribbons to the end of the kite to give it balance. If it seems flimsy , you can attach washers to the ribbons to add support.

Step 6: Voila, your kites are complete. All you need is a sunny and windy March day and some space for your kids to run with their kites. Have fun. By the way, you can have a contest to see which kite flies the highest or the best.

 

Another fun thing that I’ve done with the kids is to take them camping at the end of the school year, but that’s another story.

 

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Thanks so much for stopping by.

Deann

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March Teacher Talk.003

Before you leave, please take a look at the rest of the blog posts that are part of our March Teacher Talk blog hop.


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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