Looking for esl task cards to use with your english language learners? Try these picture cards that are perfect for quick and effective language practice!
Using sentence frames to get ell students writing. Click here for more:
If you are looking for some high-interest activities, try using animated shorts to teach inference. Free handouts focus on student learning.
As students head back to school, ELA teachers everywhere are considering how they are going to begin the school year, so I wanted to walk you through one of my favorite lesson plans entitled, “Why do we read?” As an educator, there are few things as exciting and rewarding as introducing a young person to […]
Some days you just need a break from the monotony! Preparing for exams, transitioning to a new unit, days when half your students are gone for a basketball tour
How to teach ELL students to read challenging, on-grade level texts through Visible Reading, a differentiated, process-driven reading strategy.
This Annotating Text-Teach, Model, & Apply activity will encourage your students to learn how to annotate properly and efficiently.
Do you struggle with finding interesting ways to teach ESL listening skills? Maybe you have an activity or two already but you want to be able to mix it up and keep things interesting. By the end of…
If you are doing Montessori at home, this free Montessori curriculum download will be a God-send! Come and take a look!
This post explains how teachers can use an academic version of the highly engaging Spoons game to review concepts. Free games included!
Effective ELL teaching strategies with our top 10 tips to support Level 1 students. Includes a free resource to help newcomers...
Here is a list of very easy at home activities that you can practice throughout the day to strengthen and improve auditory processing in your child.
The start to the school year for newcomer ELLs can be overwhelming and nerve-wracking. It is our job to set them up with tools to help them feel comfortable exploring a new language in a
ELL, ESOL, LEP, ELD. We all have experienced English Language Learners at some point during our teaching careers. Learn some strategies to help both you and them be successful!
In this post, I'll teach you how to host a figurative language tasting activity--a lesson that gets kids writing explosive images every time!
This is a visual for how students work their way up the Reading Ladder. Kindergarten is working within the levels 1 and 2 throughout the year. When working with your child, please focus on these skills so that they have a solid reading foundation. Success is earned and needs to be worked for. Thank you to Katelyn's Learning Studio for this amazing resource.
Studying morphology (affixes, bases, and roots) is a great way to connect decoding, vocabulary, and comprehension. Using these morphology warmups is a great way to implement morphology into your instruction in small group, whole group, or even reading centers. Note: If your 5th graders have received morphology instruction in 3rd and 4th grade and are ready for more advanced roots and affixes, this may be too easy for them. What is Morphology and Why is it Important? Morphology is the study of meaningful word parts in a language. It is the “building blocks” of words. These include roots, bases, prefixes, and suffixes. When students understand how words are built, they can use that knowledge to figure out the meaning of unfamiliar words, make connections between words, and support their reading comprehension. Morphology instruction can also help students with decoding and encoding skills (spelling). ***THIS GROWING BUNDLE IS NOW COMPLETE. IF YOU PURCHASED BEFORE ALL SETS WERE INCLUDED, PLEASE DOWNLOAD NOW TO ACCESS ALL WARMUPS.*** About the Morphology Warmups This includes 10 sets of Morphology Warmups. To learn more about a warmup or to see examples, click on the title. 1. Morphology Warmups Set 1: Reading Base Word Families - This set of reading warmups has the students reading base word families. The purpose of this morphology warmup set is to: Practice reading fluency with similar word families Potentially expose students to new words with similar bases as familiar words Allow students to see how affixes can be added to create new words 2. Morphology Warmups Set 2: Base Word Creations - This set of reading warmups presents a base word to the students. The students must use the base word and different affixes to create words based on given meanings. The purpose of these morphology warmups is to: Provide students practice with creating new words with given bases Review affixes and how they impact the meaning of words 3. Morphology Warmups Set 3: Adding Affixes - This set of reading warmups has the students reading a base word and three sentences with blanks. In each sentence, the missing word is the base word with an affix added. The purpose of this morphology warmup set is to: Allow students to see how affixes can be added to create new words Familiarize students with the process of adding affixes to change the meaning and function of words Have students determine which affix is needed to make a word that best completes each sentence 4. Morphology Warmups Set 4: Match the Meanings - Focus on Affixes - This set of reading warmups has the students reading a base word, three sentences, and three definitions. Each of the three sentences includes a word containing the base word with additional affixes added. The students read the sentences, underline the word in each sentence, and then match the meaning that best defines the underlined word in each sentence. The purpose of these morphology activities is to: Allow students to see how affixes can be added to create new words Familiarize students with the process of adding affixes to change the meaning and function of words Help students uncover the meaning of words by analyzing affixes 5. Morphology Warmups Set 5: Prefix Warmups - Introduce your students to a variety of prefixes in bite-sized instructional timeframes using these morphology warmups that focus on prefixes. The purpose of these morphology warmups is to: introduce and explicitly teach a variety of prefixes expose students to grade-level words that use a variety of prefixes provide practice opportunities for using and reading words that contain prefixes 6. Morphology Warmups Set 6: Suffix Warmups - Are you looking for way to introduce your students to a variety of grade-level suffixes in small, manageable chunks of time? These morphology warmups that focus on suffixes are perfect for that! The purpose of these morphology warmups is to: introduce and explicitly teach a variety of suffixes expose students to grade-level words that use a variety of suffixes provide practice opportunities for using and reading words that contain suffixes 7. Morphology Warmups Set 7: Root Word Families - This set of root word warmups has the students reading a root word and its meaning, words and definitions, and sentences with blanks. The students read the words and their meanings and then pick the word that best completes the sentence. The purpose of these morphology warmups is to: Familiarize students with common root words and their meanings Model for students how the meaning of a word can be connected back to the root word it contains Allow students to see how knowing common root words can help determine the meaning of unfamiliar words AND help them decode unknown words 8. Morphology Warmups Set 8: Using Roots, Affixes, and Context to Define Words - This set of reading warmups has the students reading a word, a sentence containing the word, and some information about what we already know about the word. Then the students provide their own definitions of words in their own words. The purpose of these morphology activities is to: Allow students to see how knowing the meaning of roots can help them determine the meaning of unknown words Allow students to see how roots and affixes work together to create the meaning of words. Give students practice with breaking unknown words into morphemes (roots and affixes) to uncover the meaning of those words 9. Morphology Warmups Set 9: Two Truths in a Lie - This set of morphology warmups has students reading and analyzing a given word. Then they will read three statements about the word. They will determine which statements are true and which one is false (the lie). Finally, they will prove their answer by correcting the false statement. The purpose of these morphology warmups is to: Continue reviewing affixes and bases/roots with your students Give students practice with analyzing words and the morphemes that make up those words 10. Morphology Warmups Set 10: Spelling with Suffixes - This set of 55 morphology warmups reviews the three basic suffix spelling rules: 1-1-1 Doubling Rule Silent E Rule The Y Rule. ***THIS GROWING BUNDLE IS NOW COMPLETE. IF YOU PURCHASED BEFORE ALL SETS WERE INCLUDED, PLEASE DOWNLOAD NOW TO ACCESS ALL WARMUPS.*** Using the Morphology Warmups Use the printable morphology warmups to start your small group reading instruction. Use the digital morphology warmups for whole group lessons and activities. Use the digital OR printable morphology warmups for independent practice, reading centers/stations, or word study activities. About the Digital Versions Digital versions of EVERY warmup are included. The content is exactly the same as the printable warmups, but the activities have been redesigned to work in Google Slides. Students will need to be in "edit mode" in order to manipulate moveable pieces or type in editable text boxes on each slide. More details about the digital versions are included in each PDF. Looking for more reading warmups aligned with the Science of Reading? Morphology Warmups BUNDLE Morphology Warmups Set 1: Reading Base Word Families Morphology Warmups Set 2: Base Word Creations Morphology Warmups Set 3: Add an Affix Morphology Warmups Set 4: Match the Meanings - Focus on Affixes Morphology Warmups Set 5: Prefix Warmups Morphology Warmups Set 6: Suffix Warmups Morphology Warmups Set 7: Root Word Families Morphology Warmups Set 8: Using Roots, Affixes, and Context to Define Words Morphology Warmups Set 9: Two Truths and a Lie Click here for ALL of my SOR-aligned resources!
Worksheets for 1st grade math, first grade math worksheets for free for the basic math topics taught in grade 1.
Supercharge your morning work with I Heart Literacy! Each page features a fun theme so your students will not only be practicing reading and ELA skills, but will also be learning about a curriculum-based topic. A wide variety of Common Core skills are addressed. Try these five free pages for free! Happy Teaching! Rachel Lynette ... Read More about Morning Work ELA and Reading Freebie!
Learn three simple things you need to teach your ESL beginners right away. These include variations of introductions, classroom surroundings and basic needs
3rd grade teacher Deanna shares how she saves time and works more efficiently.
Adding some fun games for reading in the classroom schedule will instantly get your kids excited to read! These 5 fun reading games are...
Learn why one-pagers are one of my go-to activities for breaking down complex topics and texts. Understand what they are, why you and your students will love them, and how to implement them in your ELA classroom. I even have the advice to help you tackle the biggest obstacle you’ll encounter with this activity.
Free Mad Libs for kids to enjoy. Mad Libs for kids to download and enjoy. Grab your free printable Mad Libs PDFs and get ready to laugh!
Creating adapted books is a lot of work. I found this wonderful website with over 400 free printable adapted books you can download. Read more...
Voici un document sur la Préhistoire destiné à mes CE1 et CE2. Pour les CE1, il s’agit surtout de retracer les grandes périodes historiques,…
Independent reading is a great way to help students build a love of reading! These 5 strategies help hold students accountable!
Use station activities to improve reading comprehension! Get your students
FREE printable Sequencing worksheets for preschool and kindergarten kids. Includes 15 activities featuring seasonal themes, hygiene such as brushing teeth, washing hands, and fire safety. Great for language and literacy development!
Top online learning sties for upper elementary classrooms for in school or home or distant or remote learning. Websites for reading, language arts, math, science and art included.
Free reading comprehension passages for grades 2 - 3
Top 10 Pixar Short Films for teaching middles school literary elements: theme, plot, inference, setting, dialogue, conflict, and more.
Teaching growth mindset can be done with read-alouds! Rosie's Glasses is a great book for this. Get ideas for using this book to teach being positive.
Past, present, and future.
How to plan for, modify, and implement successful Guided Reading in SPED. TIps and tricks with full lesson plan ideas at Mrs. D's Corner.
Teaching theme is not an easy task! Not only do students need to have a strong comprehension of the story's elements (like plot, setting, and characters), but they also have to be able to make inferences to find the author's message, since most themes are not overtly stated by the author. So, what are some of my favorite activities for helping kids understand theme? I'll list a number of them here. 1. Make an Anchor Chart Anchor charts are a great way to make learning visual and to have a record that kids can refer to when they need a bit of extra support. Theme may be defined in a number of ways. To me, the theme is the author's message or what he/she wants the reader to take away/learn from the story. It is a BIG idea, with a real-world or universal concern and can be applied to anyone. Besides talking about what a theme is, you'll also want to go over what it isn't. For example, some kids confuse the main idea of the story with its theme. To help students understand the difference, it's helpful to use stories that everyone in the class knows, like previous read alouds or classic stories like The Three Little Pigs. You can take each story and discuss the main idea (what the story was mostly about - specific to the story) vs. the theme (the lesson the author wants the reader to know - not specific to the story), to contrast the two ideas. The second area of confusion for some kids is that the theme is not specific to the characters in the story. In the book Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes, for example. The theme would not be that...A little mouse named Chrysanthemum learned to accept the uniqueness of her name. The theme would be larger than the book and would be something like...It's important to accept oneself. Also, you'll want to explain to your students that often times, a book has multiple themes and there are several answers which work equally well to describe a book's theme. Since theme is very subjective, I tell students that I will accept any answer, as long as they have the text evidence to prove it. For example, in the book, Wonder, by R.J. Palacio, one might argue that the theme is about friendship, another might say family, or even courage, or kindness. Any one of these themes would be right, and counted as such, since they each fit the story and could be supported by text evidence. 2. Use Pixar Shorts to Practice Theme Besides the sheer enjoyment which comes from watching these mini-films, your students can learn a lot about reading concepts from these. They're great for ELL students or for struggling readers, and for all readers really since the text complexity piece is removed. You can find these clips on YouTube, but you'll want to make sure to preview them first, so you're more familiar with the plot and are able to focus on theme questions. Here are some of my favorite Pixar Shorts for teaching theme: Piper Partly Cloudy Lava Boundin' 3. Use Mentor Texts Mentor texts are one of my go-to teaching tools as picture books are able to portray examples of just about any reading concept you need to teach. One thing I like to do when using mentor texts for theme, is to vary the types of questions I ask. Rather than always saying What is the theme?, I might ask... What is the deeper meaning of this story? After reading this book, what do you think matters to this author? Which idea from the story do you think might stay with you? What did the author want people to learn from this story?... Once kids answer, you might say, Ah...so that's the theme! Some of my current mentor text favorites for theme include the following: Ish by Peter H. Reynolds I Wish I Were a Butterfly by James Howe Journey by Aaron Becker (a wordless book) Beautiful Oops by Barry Saltzberg The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires Spoon by Amy Krouse Rosenthal Pete and Pickles by Berkeley Breathed If you're looking for more titles, I have a FREE Mentor Text List for Literature which includes a page on theme which you can download from my TpT store. 4. Use Posters with Themes to Chart Book Themes I like to choose 8 - 10 common themes and place posters of them in the classroom. These are included in my Theme unit but you could easily make them yourself if you'd like. After we finish a class novel, a read aloud, or a mentor text as part of a mini-lesson, I like to have the kids discuss the theme of the book. Once we decide on the theme, I place a miniaturized copy of the book's cover (about 3 x 3 inches or so) under the correct theme poster. You can also make the posters more interactive by allowing kids to write titles of books they have recently read on sticky notes, under the posters as well. 5. Use Songs to Practice Finding the Theme I love to add music to the classroom whenever possible. Not only does it add instant motivation for some kids, but it is also just good for them in so many ways. There are lots of songs you can use to teach theme, from current pop songs to oldies, rap songs, and country songs. While all of these work well, I especially enjoy using Disney songs. Disney songs are easily recognized for some kids, have catchy, fun tunes, and have lyrics that need no censoring (yay!). You can easily find the lyrics online to project on a smartboard or document projector, and the song clips may be found on YouTube, Here are some of my favorite Disney songs which work well for theme: Hakuna Matata from Lion King Just Keep Swimming from Finding Dory Reflection from Mulan Let it Go from Frozen Something There from Beauty and the Beast A Whole New World from Aladdin 6. Introduce Short Texts Using Task Cards Using task cards for theme gives your students a great deal of practice in a short period of time, which makes them a perfect way to begin to practice finding the theme using text. I love the fact that students can read multiple task card stories and practice finding the theme 20 - 30 times, in the time it might take to read a story and find the theme once. You can do task cards as a center activity, to play Scoot, or as a whole class scavenger hunt. One thing I like to do for the scavenger hunt is to make sure everyone has a partner and to pair stronger readers with struggling readers. 7. Add Some Writing After students have worked on theme for a week or two, I like to have students create their own short stories which show a strong theme, without directly stating it. This changes each student's role from a theme finder, to a theme creator and gives students insight into how authors create a situation that allows a theme to unfold. When I introduce this project, we refer back to the task cards we just completed, as an example of story length and rich content. In a matter of 2 - 3 paragraphs, students learn that they can include enough information to let our readers know our message. After students are finished creating these short stories, it's fun to share them in some way, to give more theme practice. Sometimes I have students meet in small groups to share out, with group members guessing the theme. Other years, I leave a stack on my desk and grab several if we have a few minutes. Either the students or I read the short story out loud, and the class discusses the theme. 8. Move to Passages, Short Stories, and Novels. Once we have scaffolded a great foundation for the understanding of theme, there comes a point where kids have to move on to text which is more challenging. I like to use page-long passages which I have created, before using short stories, and ultimately novels. If you're looking for some ready made materials to help you teach theme, here's a packet I love to use which works well for 4th and 5th Graders. Click here to read more about the Theme unit. Want some more teaching ideas and activities to teach theme? Click here to read Teaching Themes in Literature. If you like this post, make sure to share it with a teacher friend! Thanks so much for stopping by! For more ideas and strategies focused on upper elementary, be sure to sign up for The Teacher Next Door's free email newsletter! Bonus, you'll also gain access to my FREE Resource Library which contains exclusive upper elementary freebies that you won't find anywhere else! I'd love to connect with you! The Teacher Next Door's Website Pinterest Facebook Instagram TpT Store
INFER: What's in the BAG will help your students make inferences! This inference activity is a hands-on reading comprehension resource designed for students to practice their inferring skills while having FUN simultaneously! These interactive lessons are perfect for getting families involved in learning. The Inferring resource also makes a great RTI or intervention activity. Using this reading comprehension resource in your classroom will provide your students with meaningful practice in the following areas: Use inference strategies to gather information Ask questions and think independently Think beyond literal comprehension Implement, practice and use inferring and metacognition strategies Improve overall comprehension skills Orally present information and ask questions This resource can be used with any grade level and easily adjusted to the level of differentiation needed in the classroom or homeschool. You will find EVERYTHING you need to make this FUN and useful classroom activity a huge success in your classroom. Included in this 24-page kit: Bag label in color & black and white Possible Questions poster / anchor chart Letter to family (overview and individual assignment) Student checklist Teacher's list used for organizing and keeping track the assignment Handouts: THINK SHEETS (#1, INFER, Questions, Q & A, and Wonderings) Below are additional COMPREHENSION and METACOGNITION lessons, strategies, and assessments: Metacognition Reading Partners - BRAIN BUDDIES! Metacognition 1 Real Reading Salad Kit Reading is THINKING! Making Connections with Text Inference Lessons and Organizers for Comprehension Genre Posters Social Skills Stories for Behavior Management Customer Tips: How to get TPT credit to use on future purchases: Please go to your My Purchases page (you may need to login). Beside each purchase you'll see a Provide Feedback button. Simply click it and you will be taken to a page where you can give a quick rating and leave a short comment for the product. I value your feedback greatly as it helps me determine which products are most valuable for your classroom so I can create more for you. ☺ Be the first to know about my new discounts, freebies and product launches: Look for the red star near the top of any page within my store and click it to become a follower. You will now receive customized email updates about this store. ☺ Thank you for visiting Teacher Karma. If you have any questions or concerns about a product, please message me. For additional learning strategies, please visit my educational blog, Teacher Karma Best wishes! Jen Bradshaw
Assessing ESOL students & Changes to WIDA scoring Throughout the school year I constantly assess my ESOL students. I use short formative assessments that I integrated into activities we were already doing. Using Rubrics for quick assessments To get a sense of their speaking level I will sometimes take out the WIDA speaking rubric and
This post shares a collection of videos for reviewing or teaching figurative language, including metaphors, similes, hyperbole, and personification.
