Grab these states of matter worksheets to learn about solids, liquids, and gases with no-prep printables. Perfect science for kids!
Need to help your students get more hands on practice for their vocabulary words? I've got 5 fun vocabulary games you can use right away!
When I started at my new school last year, I came into a new reading program. I was used to doing almost all of my reading instruction WHOLE CLASS, but my school uses a guided reading model all the way up to 5th grade. I definitely had to rethink my reading block! I had done centers in the past, but wanted a really clear way to maximize the time and make the transitions clear for the students. Here's how I do my guided reading block! ROTATIONS We have Guided Reading/Centers Monday-Thursday from about 1:10-2:00 and I rotate through four groups. This means each center is 12 minutes long, with about 30 seconds for a transition. 12 minutes can fly by, so the students have to work on getting those transitions DOWN. I found a FANTASTIC resource by my friend Kristen of Chalk & Apples, and it has made centers SO easy. There are tons of different icons that can be easily swapped out on different days or weeks. I change mine up all the time! In a typical week, I do guided reading with leveled passages on Monday and Wednesday, and we do literature circles on Tuesdays and Thursdays. GROUPS My students are grouped according to DRA levels, because that is what my school uses. You might use AR, Lexile, or another measure. I have four groups: Low, Low-Mid, High-Mid, and High. Each group has a number, but I assign the number randomly so it doesn't match up to skill level in any way. I have 24 students in my class this year, so there will be 6 kids in each group. If you have a larger class, you can still make it work by having your higher groups work on their own while you work with a lower group and just check in! GUIDED READING I LOVE this close reading resource from Fifth in the Middle. I bought the entire bundle so I have TONS of options. Each reading comes in four reading levels, but they are on the same topic and look the same so students don't notice. There is also a paired text that I try to use for morning work toward the end of the week. There are several pages of activities for each passage, and I often have the students start these at the table with me after we've read the passage out loud. When it is their turn for guided reading, the students come to me at our back table with a pencil and a highlighter. I give them their sheets for that day and discuss what we will be looking for while we read (unfamiliar words usually) and we begin reading. I like to make sure each child reads, so however I have to break it up to make that happen. After reading through, I ask them to scan through again to find specific information. This changes week to week, so one time it might be looking for transition phrases, and another it might be looking for dates to create a timeline. Then, we talk about what everyone found and work on putting together the information on the worksheet. I, of course, provide a lot more scaffolding and support to my lower readers, while my high readers are able to do the activity on their own. LIT CIRCLES On the days that we have literature circles, the students still come to the back table with me, but this time they bring their lit circle book (which varies) and their lit circle binder. In their binder, they keep all of their jobs and their reading schedule. I have used about a GAZILLION resources for lit circles (including online blogs), but this one from Pocketful of Primary is my absolute FAVORITE: It is SOO easy to adapt to groups of different sizes and I found it very user-friendly for both the kiddos and for myself! I organize the jobs using a hanging file I found on Amazon. You can find it here: THE OTHER CENTERS So what do the kiddos do during their other blocks of time? Here's some options I cycle through: STAPLES: Partner Reading Each student has a partner from their reading group that they meet up with for this activity. I typically use "I Survived" books or similar short chapter books. I stock up through Scholastic! I have 6 shared books for the entire class, and I place a sheet inside the front cover so the students can write their names and where they ended each day they read. I always have new books ready to go for the students who finish. I do this strictly for fluency, so I don't do quizzes or worksheets. Silent Reading (KBAR) In my class, we call silent reading KBAR- Kick Back and Read. When we do a whole class KBAR, I sometimes take it outside. Spelling (Spelling City) I typically use Spelling City for centers, but sometimes do a worksheet instead. Vocabulary (Quizlet)Quizlet is AMAZING. I love using this for vocabulary! The students really enjoy it as well. Keyboarding (KWT) This is a tough one since monitoring the students' finger placement is so important. I don't do this OFTEN as a center, but throw it in now and again. Writing If we are working on a longer project (such as the state report), I have the students use this chunk of time for that. Otherwise, I sometimes provide a prompt or allow them to free write. Here's one of the resources I use: NoRedInk If you've never used this site, CHECK IT OUT! It's one of the best ways to get some extra grammar practice into your day! Be aware that the initial set up takes a bit of time because the students have to select a bunch of their favorites from different categories: books, tv shows, movies. What's neat is the site uses their preferences and their name + their friends' names when building the practice sentences. The kids get a kick out of it! Task Cards (small group) Students work with their reading group and record their answers on individual answer sheets. I have a huge selection of task cards that I keep in one of these bad boys from Michael's: Cursive (Can Do) I love that my school teaches cursive, but in fifth grade, we don't have a lot of specific time for it. To keep the kid's practicing, I assign pages from our cursive book during centers. Reading Comprehension (Reading Plus) We use Reading Plus, but there are many online reading comprehension sites. Use whatever your district provides or what works for your class! Games I will occasionally throw in a review game for the kids to play with their small group. The key is they have to be short and not too loud! Comment below if you have other questions or want to add some advice on running smooth ELA centers with Guided Reading!
Analyzing character traits is a key fiction reading skill that is needed for successful comprehension. In most cases, authors do not just come out and tell readers the traits that a character possesses. By teaching
Learn how to teach quadrilaterals conceptually rather than having your students memorize the names of shapes. Tips for teaching quadrilaterals are included! Implement in your 4th grade or 5th grade math class today!
With Laurianna reading like a fiend, keeping up with all of the books that she is devouring can be a bit exhausting. Usually she will tell me {in
what are effective reading comprehension strategies to help readers and struggling readers in your upper elementary classroom? this reading strategies list will help guide your reading instruction
Okay teacher friend. It’s finally here. And I’m so excited! I’ve had this resource collecting dust on my computer for years now. I’ve been using this strategy in my classroom for the last few years, but haven’t had the energy or time (teacher life + mom life is exhausting, am I right?) to put it all together so that it’s ready to go for busy teachers like you! Well, it’s finally finished and I finally get to unveil it to you! Did you know I have a FREE downloadable reading response menu board that you can print now and use in your
I have to share with you something that I absolutely love: The WOW board! This beautiful piece of poster board was introduced to me by my friend and colleague. I used it throughout the year but found it especially helpful near the end of the school year.
Kids will have fun learning about the European country GERMANY with these free printable coloring pages that teach and are fun.
Read about six fun activities to help teach the scientific method in your upper elementary classroom.
Free Printable Daily Work For 9/8/2015 4th and 5th Grade I haven’t thought about sharing our daily work with you all but decided someone out there might find use for it as well. These are a f…
When teaching the scientific method, it's important that you also teach the scientific process skills. Check out these science activities to help you get started and grab a freebie!
Have fun learning about France with these printable coloring pages for kids of all ages to learn about this amazing country known for the Eiffel Tower.
Printable back to school crossword puzzles for elementary students of grade 2, 3 & 4. A fun way for kids to work on vocabulary & spelling. Downloadable pdf includes answers.
Are you looking for a way to scaffold math vocabulary and concepts and make math more visual? In this post are photos of math word walls for elementary, middle and high school math along with photos of math classroom word walls that teachers have sent to me of their math classroom set up. Included in this post are links to free math word wall cards and discounted printable math word wall bundles for a variety of math topics. I am updating each math word wall to include a virtual option. Now in the files will be color, black and white and interactive digital math word wall options.
This time-saving resource is an amazing set of tasks for learning about physical and chemical changes! Add interactive templates to the fun activities.
Analyzing character traits is a key fiction reading skill that is needed for successful comprehension. In most cases, authors do not just come out and tell readers the traits that a character possesses. By teaching
Go down under as you learn about Australia for Kids with these free printable books filled with information to read, color, andl learn!
Students will make inferences about the various scenes included in this reading exercise.
These all about me, back to school art activities for kids are engaging icebreakers. Encourage creativity and build community during the first week back
2nd grade students filled their background with positive/nice words. Then by rubbing the side of different crayons, students gave their co...
I have been using interactive math notebooks in my classroom for as long as I can remember. Math notebooks are a great place for students to take notes, record definitions and sample problems, and practice new skills. They are perfect to use for direct instruction and guided practice, in small groups or as a whole class.…
Teaching students story elements is crucial to their reading comprehension of fiction texts. These reading crafts are fresh, hands on and unique fiction activities for supporting students in understanding the story elements. It is an alternative to reading response that will help you to reach all learners in your classroom. These story elements activities require little to no prep, and the only materials needed are scissors and glue. WHAT’S INCLUDED: 7 Story Elements Crafts: Character Accordion Book: Students describe characters in the story on blank people that fold back and forth to create an accordion. Students can include descriptions of 4 or more characters in their accordion book. Settings Direction Sign: This settings flip book allows students to describe up to 4 settings in a story. A large (4 pages) or small (2 pages) settings sign option are included depending on how much space your students will need. Setting Visualization Photo Frame Pocket: Students find and record text evidence describing a particular setting onto cameras. They illustrate the setting on the front of their photo frame pocket, and place the cameras into the pocket. Plot Rollercoaster: This lift the flap craft has space for students to describe the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution on the back page of where they lie on the plot rollercoaster. Plot Mountain: Students describe the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution on the back page of where they lie on a plot mountain. Problem & Solution Ladder: In this craft, students describe the problem, steps the characters took to solve the problem, and finally, the solution. Problem & Solution Puzzle: Students open puzzle flaps for 3 problems in the story that open up to reveal 3 solutions.
With so many types and formats of writing that we ask of students, it can be overwhelming for them to know where to start, what kinds of language to use, and what the structure of
These classroom art activities inspired by artist Romero Britto are a great art project to help students join the Happy Art Movement.
Students need to get their wiggles out after sitting even for a short period of time! These 12 FREE Brain Breaks will give you some fun ideas to try in your 1st - 5th grade classroom.
These all about me, back to school art activities for kids are engaging icebreakers. Encourage creativity and build community during the first week back
These all about me, back to school art activities for kids are engaging icebreakers. Encourage creativity and build community during the first week back
I have had the BEST first week! It was jam packed and the days went by in the blink of an eye. I've been use to have 18 kids for the whole day in first grade. Since I'm just teaching reading, I have three different classes and 72 kids! That is definitely going to take
Make the most of your morning meeting by utilizing all of the important components: greeting, sharing, calendar, message, activity & more.
When I looked at my last post and realized it was Christmas themed, I realized I was long overdo for a blog post. This new year has brought...
Bright Ideas Blog Hop Essential Upper Elementary Classroom Jobs
You're teaching social studies, yay! If you need ideas on how to start the year in 5th grade social studies, you've come to the right place! The first week of social studies class sets the
These all about me, back to school art activities for kids are engaging icebreakers. Encourage creativity and build community during the first week back
Podcasts in the classroom are so fun and engaging! Have you jumped on the podcast train yet?! I have a great system for using podcasts in the classroom...
This post breaks down how I teach math in 5th grade and how my weekly instruction is structured, including the math resources needed.
These all about me, back to school art activities for kids are engaging icebreakers. Encourage creativity and build community during the first week back
These all about me, back to school art activities for kids are engaging icebreakers. Encourage creativity and build community during the first week back
Wall space in your upper elementary classroom is valuable real estate! Get the most bang for your buck by choosing word walls that address your students' specific vocabulary or decoding needs. Here are 7 word walls that are worth the investment!
