This post shares a collection of videos for reviewing or teaching figurative language, including metaphors, similes, hyperbole, and personification.
Hello, fellow educators! As we gear up for another exciting academic year, I’m thrilled to share some innovative and fun ideas to make learning about glaciers and fjords an unforgettable expe…
WHOLE Teacher Training and Nurturing Fill in the Blank I am a ___________ teacher. Whatever blank you filled in, you probably also have a missing piece. Do you want to be prepared whether you are teaching in the classroom or in a distance learning environment? Do you want to be a culturally responsive teacher who meets the needs of ALL your students? Do you want to be a ROCK STAR in every subject area, not just the ones you already LOVE to teach? Whole-Teacher EclecticCon to the Rescue! We often talk about educating the whole child, but what about whole teacher PD? Most PD focuses solely on academic content, but we KNOW great teaching is about so much more than that. There’s a LOT to explore and learn about the art of teaching, and now there’s one easy place to start: Whole-Teacher EclecticCon! This online conference is chock-full of trainings, free resources, and more! While the academic sessions are geared for upper elementary (grade 3-5), there are a LOT of sessions that apply to any grade level. Even if you aren’t teaching those grade levels, you’re welcome to join us if the sessions resonate with you. All The Awesome Virtual Teacher Conference Details 60+ sessions presented by a group of master educators, authors, and subject matter experts Topics include: best practices and tips & tricks for all academic content areas (grades 3-5), culturally responsive teaching, arts integration, social-emotional learning, special education, educational technology, avoiding burnout, tools to help you in the regular classroom and with distance learning, and more! Private pop-up Facebook group where you can interact with presenters, get your questions answered and win daily raffles during the conference Live panel discussions, special presentations, and interviews Revisit all the conference content as often as you’d like for a full year Bonus Bundle with teaching resources (yes, STEM activities are also included -- this conference pays for itself!) Opportunities to earn PD credits (see site FAQ for details) Check out all the details here: Whole Teacher Conference
Do you need FUN spelling activities for any list of words? These NO-PREP drag-and-drop spelling blocks are perfect for centers, individual or group practice, or homeschool. The PowerPoint alphabet building blocks work for any word list and may be used for practice or assessments. Blocks are especially helpful for students with fine motor impairments. Take a peek at these Spelling Blocks in action in the video preview above. Also available in a Google Slides version. Ways to Use Versatile Word Builder Spelling Blocks Blocks are perfect for identifying consonants and vowels. Vowel blocks are green while consonant blocks are blue. Both green and blue blocks are included for the letter "y". Use blocks for spelling quiz or pretest to identify students needing intervention. Blocks may be used in conjunction with picture cards as prompts for assigned spelling words. Alphabetical order. Consider having students “build” each spelling word on a separate slide. Then working in "slide sorter" or "grid" mode, drag and drop each word into alphabetical order. Blocks may be used as spelling assessments for students with fine motor impairments. Resource includes 25 word builder slides that may be used over and over. ✅ Designed by a Google for Education Certified Educator - Level 1 From Happy Teachers Using Our Spelling Blocks ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Kenneth M. - My students loved using these activities for daily review and practice. We used the activities as class work, center activities, and small group work. This resource was very easy to prepare. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Teresa A. - My students loved this activity. I used it as a practice activity with their weekly spelling words. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Anne M. - I used this activity with my struggling readers. They enjoyed taking turns building the words. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Melanie P. - Great addition to my center rotations! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Mary A. - This is a great resource and my students loved using this to practice sight words and phonics. Thank you for sharing! ➤ Click to follow "Mi" to be notified when new resources are posted. All resources will be 40% off the first 24 hours they are posted. It pays to follow "Mi". And, don't forget to leave feedback. You earn TpT credit when you leave feedback. Thanks for visiting our store. If you have questions, contact us through the Q&A or the email below. Auf Wiedersehen! [email protected] Note: This license gives the purchasing teacher the right to make 25 copies for use in one classroom. Students may be assigned a "fresh copy" for each assignment. Additional licenses may be purchased at a reduced rate. Related Resources Going to Music - A Free Social Story for Successful Mainstreaming Friendly Reminder Songs for Positive Classroom Management Copyright © Frau Musik USA. Permission for purchasing teacher to use with all classes and/or studio only. Please purchase additional licenses if you intend to share this product.
Learning with games is a great way to start off the new school year. Check out these ways to turn your Google Classroom into a fun interactive experience.
Introduction to Schoology: A learning management system allows you to run a virtual classroom while managing administrative tasks such as taking attendance, inputting, and recording grades. Choosing a learning management system is tough. In the past, I started out using Edmodo. It was ahead of current tech trends and allowed a constant relationship ... Read more
In the upper elementary classroom, teaching poetry should not be boring. It should be fun for you and your students!
Vast collection of FREE cell unit study resources for upper elementary through high school. Complete lesson plans, lapbooks, worksheets, virtual labs, games
In search of an app or digital option for self-checking task cards? It's not every day that I find a piece of technology that knocks me out of balance, but Boom Learning has made it really hard for me to focus on anything else lately! I can only compare it to when my district went 1-to-1 laptops i
Find recommended free digital resources for 4th and 5th grade teachers that you can integrate into your lessons while distance teaching.
Stuck assessing ELA during distance learning? This gives you clear, actionable steps to start assessing effectively and save you time.
Whether you teach ratios at the beginning of the year or the end...I THINK THEY ARE SWEET! Plus students always seem to love them and everyone could always use a review. Here are TWO activities for you that make it easy (and the perfect excuse) to STOP. DROP. and REVIEW. How stinking fun are these FRUITOMINOES (yes, that's the real name!)????? I LOVE these for ratio's because students are comparing two different things (rather than dots...even though I love regular dominos too). This is part of my FRUIT SALAD station. Every perfect fruit salad has the right amount of strawberries, not too many bananas, and lots of oranges (at least in my book)! I LOVE this station for writing ratios and having students find equivalent ratios. You can purchase FRUITOMINOS HERE. Ratios are SWEET aren't they. I'm currently smack dab in the middle of this product and this picture is a #roughdraft of it all. So if you see a spelling error, help a sister out! BUT I've posted this below so grab a copy if you are up a creek without a paddle--or ya just need a quick center! Thanks for reading my blog! I call these babies "FLIP STRIPS". Print punch and keep together with a ring or brad (like in the picture above). AND you can just keep them plain as well (no judgement here!) #dowhatyougottado. It's a quick and sweet center. Here are some handy dandy recording pages AND in case you want to throw some proportions in there too (graphs, tables, tape diagrams, pictures, you name it) I have a recording sheet with a what if column so students have to APPLY their knowledge of ratios. This is great for differentiation too--and great if you have some kiddos that just need to focus simply on ratios themselves without throwing in proportions. Save and Print with the PDF below!
This blog post contains a FREE reference materials activity! Materials are included so you can replicate this anchor chart and lesson for your own upper elementary and middle school students.
One thing that I have changed up in my classroom this year is the use of a reading log for nightly homework. While I still require my students to read for 30 minutes a night, I am not asking them to fill in a reading log anymore. I know...there was just a huge cry of "But HOW do you keep them ACCOUNTABLE???!!!" I could hear it through my computer ;) I too had a bit of that same cry. I mean, I know that just because my students fill out a reading log doesn't mean they are reading and I wanted to do something that was showing me they were actually reading, but on the other hand, what was I going to do??? So today, I thought I would share with you some things I am doing in my room right now that have helped me to keep track of the kids' reading without assigning a reading log. Reading Conferences For the first time, I have begun to hold reading conferences with the students. It sounds very complicated and overwhelming -- reading conferences -- but really, all I am doing is calling the students for a 3 minute talk about the book they are reading. Here is how it works: When I have a few minutes here or there, I call over one of my students. I ask him to tell me the title of the book he is reading and to recall some of the important parts of what was read. You should see the kids light up when I ask them to tell me about their book! They just LOVE it! I mean, I love talking about what I am reading too, so I totally get it. They just really liked telling me what was happening in the story. What was great about this is that the kids who weren't reading really stood out to me. They were hemming and hawwing over the books, had trouble naming even one they read, and just had nothing to say. But I know those are the same kids that would have filled in a reading log anyway...they just faked it. It was harder to fake when I was talking to them. I then asked the students to tell me what types of books they typically gravitate towards. Would they like to pick up a fiction book? Mystery? Nonfiction about sports? What do they like? This will help me later when recommending books for the kids. I recorded all of the information on this sheet here. It is very simple, but serves its purpose. Padlet This summer I was introduced to a new form of technology called Padlet. Basically, it is a bulletin board that the students can post on to record their thoughts on any matter of subject. So once a week, for a total of 15 minutes, I have been doing what I call "Book Brag Padlet". I give my students the Padlet link and access password, and they are faced with a blank bulletin board. At the top, I have a reading response prompt. So far, I have done three with my class. The first was a regular "brag". The students had to tell me about their book and convince me to read it. The second one asked the students to discuss the setting of their book (since we are using the Setting in 5 Days lessons right now, it fit perfectly) and the last was to tell me an "Aha Moment" in their story as well (since all of my kids, coincidentally, are reading fiction books....AND we are using the Notice & Note: Strategies for Close Reading strategies) What I love about this is that the kids are so invested in using the platform. They are just pulled in. They really like seeing each other typing at the same time and reading about each other's books. They are learning about not just their own setting, but the setting in 33 other books. I also love that I can instantly tell if someone is reading or not. They are writing "on the spot" and that is very hard to do if you have nothing to write about because you aren't reading anything. Currently Reading Book Cards Finally, in my classroom library, I have a pocket chart with laminated cards for the students to write the title of the book they are currently reading on. Using a vis-a-vie marker, the students write their reading book and display them. If they ever feel the need to talk to me about the book, they can move their card to the "Let's talk about my book" section and I will immediately call a conference with the student (of course I will also talk about books in passing with the students but this is a bit more formal of a discussion....actual time set aside.) Once the students have finished the book they are reading, they will erase the title from their card and fill in a book spine to add to our classroom "bookshelf" (which you can read about more in detail here.) So that is about it for now. So far, I am loving what is happening in my room surrounding reading. It is becoming very important to the kids and they are still being held accountable...even without a nightly homework reading log. What is one thing you have done to get away from reading logs but still hold your students accountable for their nightly reading?
It is imperative that teachers make lessons on onomatopoeia examples in a sentence engaging in order to help students overcome their hesitations.
Grab this FREE tens of friends booklet for your students to explore combinations for making ten using ten-frames.
This Bunnicula unit is a complete literacy unit ideal for whole group, small group, literacy centers, book clubs, or mystery study. It is filled with an abundance of Common Core reading comprehension questions, writing, and activities. It is now available for digital use in GOOGLE SLIDES and POWERPOINT. Everything is done for you while you and your students enjoy reading one of my favorite stories Bunnicula by Deborah and James Howe!
Have you ever tried to flip your classroom.
Help your writing sing with personification! Practice identifying the different examples of personification in this poem by Emily Dickinson.
Practice doesn't always make perfect, especially when it comes to main idea! Students need lots of scaffolding with this difficult skill. And it's hard to find resources that provide good scaffolding, so do yourself a favor and download 3 of mine for free here!
Since we're not in our physical classrooms, it's more important than ever to nurture our classroom community. Our students need support and encouragement.
Computer Fundamentals are critical for today's students. This complete 8 lesson unit will teach your upper elementary or middle school students everything they need to be successful digital device users.
Teach text structures with this nonfiction text structure anchor chart and FREE sorting activity! Ideal lesson for the upper elementary classroom that includes 8 free passages!
Try these three blended and personalized learning strategies for your classroom: choice boards, learning menus, and playlists, and learn how to implement them.
I want the technology I integrate to fit with my curriculum—not the other way around. Here are 5 ways I use Flipgrid in the classroom.
These pages are aligned to Module 1, Week 1 (The Story of You; Flora and Ulysses) for Grade 4 and will guide you through the Reader's Workshop, Vocabulary, and Spelling sections of the reading program. This supplemental pack is designed especially to meet the needs of educators teaching the new HMH Into Reading curriculum. Each lesson is specifically aligned to the Module. These supplements are in both printable and digital formats to allow for remote teaching. The interactive notebook pages (as seen on the cover) are only available in the printable form. Online Learning: The link to GOOGLE slides is on the second page of the resource. Teachers will be forced to "make a copy" into their Google Drive. From there, teachers can share their copy to their students. Each page was designed to be engaging to students, yet rigorous. The fonts are interesting but easy to read, interactive notebook pages are included, and students are given opportunities to color and cut & paste. Students must have access to the text as they work, as many pages require text evidence. Click the PREVIEW button to see FULL-SIZE pages from this pack. Students love these interactive pages! Don't worry if you do not use Interactive Notebooks in your classroom. The interactive pages in this lesson can be glued onto notebook paper or construction paper. You can even staple a "notebook" of lined paper for them to use with their Into Reading lessons! Your students will love this new way of demonstrating their learning. The reading responses and interactive notebook pages are differentiated so that you can best meet the needs of each reader in your classroom. Included in this supplement: Week 1 The Essential Question Big Idea Words (+ interactive notebook page) Central Idea Supporting the Central Idea Ask and Answer Questions (+ interactive notebook page) Author's Purpose (+ interactive notebook page) Text and Graphic Features (+ interactive notebook page) Figurative Language (personification and onomatopoeia) Figurative Language (hyperbole and onomatopoeia) Comprehension Questions Critical Vocabulary: Definition matching, using context clues, and using the words in sentences (+ interactive notebook page) Prefixes: in-, im-, un-, re- Spelling practice pages (+ interactive notebook page) Complete answer keys Looking for additional Modules? Into Reading Grade 3 supplements Into Reading Grade 4 supplements Into Reading Grade 5 supplements ⭐ Into Reading 4th Grade Module Projects Please Note: These materials were prepared Amanda Garcia and have neither been developed, reviewed, nor endorsed by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, publisher of the original Into Reading work on which this material is based. These supplements have been created with permission.
Analyzing writing curriculums, planning writing workshop and teaching writing lessons can be overwhelming. You might think, how am I going to fit everything in and produce successful writers? Where do I start? What skills do they need? This post will share the 7 BASIC WRITING LESSONS that every teacher should teach! With this basic knowledge, students will be able to perform other writing assignments more effectively. The following skills are not only effective in upper elementary, they are often needed at the middle school level for review or the primary level for differentiation. So yes, every teacher should teach them! If you start with these 7 fundamental skills, it will set the expectations for your writing lessons and assignments throughout the year! Frequently Asked Questions What are the basic skills and what order should I teach them? Sentence Structure 1. Complete Sentences Lesson for complete sentences 2. Fragments Lesson for fragments 3. Run-ons Lesson for run-ons Paragraph Writing 4. Topic Sentences Lesson for topic sentences 5. Relevant Details Lesson for relevant details 6. Transition Words Lesson for transition words 7. Closing Sentences Lesson for closing sentences How much time should I dedicate to teaching these fundamental skills? I recommend one day for each skill. If you spend a whole writing block for each skill, students will benefit from the practice. How do I teach each skill? First: Start with an anchor chart explaining the skill. (See each lesson link above for effective anchor charts.) Second: Provide examples. Students can share examples too! Next: Students should take notes. I love using Interactive Writing Notebooks to take notes. Research supports the use of interactive notebooks through studies on multiple intelligences, the brain and note taking. Here are a few videos to Set Up Interactive Writing Notebooks. Click photo for the Upper Elementary Version. A Primary Version is also available. Then: Identify the skill. Provide practice sheets and task cards for students to practice identifying the skill in sentences and paragraphs. Last: Apply the skill. Students should have the opportunity to write their own sentence or paragraph to apply the particular skill. What if I can't fit the lesson in one writing block? If you can't extend the days to complete them, there are other ways to get the whole lesson in. You can put practice sheets or task cards in a center, or you can have students apply the skill for homework or morning work the next day. What if my students, some of my students, or absent students can't do interactive notebooks? Make a small anchor chart to put in their notebooks with the same information! If you don't have a printable poster, take a picture of the anchor chart you used in class and print them off! I hope you found this post helpful and your students become successful writers this year! Connect With Me! TPT Store Facebook Pinterest My Blog
Have you ever tried to flip your classroom.
These virtual moon phase activities are the perfect way to engage upper elementary and middle school students who are learning remotely.
Teach upper elementary students about character traits by having them analyze their characters' feelings, actions, thoughts, and dialogue within the story. This blog post contains everything you need for a complete character traits lesson... for free! The reading passages on the anchor chart, the sentence strip activity, and the interactive notebook foldable are all free!
Learn how multiple intelligence theory and the research on growth mindset can empower students to take ownership of their learning!
Place value seems so simple, but becomes a stumbling block every year. Check out these 7 strategies to lock in place value learning!
FREE Virtual Math Manipulatives for Chromebook and Computer Users
