Back To School with Free Practice Activities

Ahoy, teaching pirates! 

By now ye and your little scallywags are settled on board for another year of sailing in the Sea of Learning! And the Pirate Queen has some teaching treasures to help keep the wind at your back.

                   Kinds of Sentences

The four categories of sentences are usually taught early in the school year. In 2nd and 3rd grades the category names are in simpler terms: Statement, Question, Command, Exclamation or Feeling. While in the upper grades, the names become more sophisticated: Declarative, Interrogative, Imperative, Exclamatory. 

One of the best ways to practice categories is a sorting activity. The free product below provides a set of ten sentences minus the ending punctuation. Students must read each sentence and use their knowledge of the definition for each type of sentence to decide which category each individual sentence belongs.

Click on the picture to preview this product.

With baseball playoffs scheduled in the fall, I chose to write sentences related to one of America's favorite pastimes. This particular set of sentences honors legend, Lou Gehrig.

Once the sentence strips are cut out, students read each sentence to determine the category and place the sentence below the category label. A recording sheet and answer key are also provided.

Story Elements

A second ELA area that is often reviewed or introduced early in the school year is story elements: Characters, Setting, Plot. This Freebie assists your instruction and provides students practice in identifying and explaining the setting of a narrative.

Click the picture to preview the Free product.

                                                  

A graphic organizer setting map and sample are included in the Freebie. Also provided are questions that can be used for class or group discussion as well as for written response. These resources can be applied to any narrative form.

                               Place Value Freebie

Many district math curriculum maps begin the year with Place Value. In keeping with the seasonal time of year, these task cards ask questions about the number of pumpkins in the pumpkin patch. Understanding that ten ones is the same one ten and that ten tens is the same as one hundred is the key to place value. Solving the riddles help students to grasp that concept.

Click on the picture to preview the product. 

Each of these Practice Freebies is part of a larger product that provides additional resources and more practice. If you like any of the above treasures, check out the ones below. "They be worth their weight in gold, me hearties!"

Kinds of Sentences Sort will provide 30 more sentences to sort.   

Novel Study Resources includes graphic organizers for all story elements, theme, vocabulary, and summaries and can be used with all narratives,     picture book stories, and chapter books.

Pumpkin Patch Place Value Riddles has 32 additional task cards giving your students the opportunity to build their understanding of multi-digit numbers.

Happy Sailing, Buckos!  See you next month!

                                                                       

Free Labor Day Activity

                             

Labor Day is approaching, and the Pirate Queen has a fun activity for your students and their parents. 

If you ask children what kind of work their parents do, they are probably able to name the job or profession of their parents. However, how much do they really know about the details of the work that their mother and father do most every day of the week? 

To teach students about the history of Labor Day, I have created a FREE product that provides background as to how and why a holiday was created to honor American workers. In the process, students also learn about the type of work their parents do by interviewing their mom or dad about her/his job.

GETTING STARTED

Before introducing Labor Day to your students, gather books from your school or local library about the history of this holiday. (A list is included in the product, Labor Day: Worker Interview Activity.) Display the books to encourage students to review, and select a few to read to the class for background. In addition, I recently added to this Labor Day resource an up-to-date list of websites dedicated to the holiday, including a few that are designed for children.

When you are ready to begin this mini unit, ask students general questions such as: What are jobs? Why are there jobs? Ask students if they have thought about what they want to do when they grow up. Discuss various careers and make a chart listing different professions and their purposes. Introduce the word, labor. Ask students if they know what it means. Then remind them that Labor Day is approaching. Ask what they and their families will do to celebrate. Be sure to ask why do we have a day for celebrating labor. At this point, show one of the websites or read one of the books to help students understand the reason for Labor Day.

PARENT INTERVIEW

After a day or so on the history of Labor Day, talk with students about their parents' jobs. Ask if any of them have been to their parents' work place. Ask students what their parents' work day is like. Some students may know quite a bit about the work their mothers and fathers do. Others will know very little. 

Page 1 of Interview Sheet

Distribute the Parent Letter/Interview Questions and go over the questions with students. Remind students that they are to choose one of their parents to interview. Make sure they understand that "Stay-at-home Moms and Dads" can be interviewed. After interviewing their parents, students will present to their classmates information regarding the type of work their parents do. Also, if possible, students will bring a "Tool of the Trade", something their parents use to do their work. For example, if a parent is a nurse or doctor, the student might be able to bring a stethoscope, a "Tool of the Trade" in the health profession. 

PRESENTATION

To help students prepare for their presentations, distribute the Oral

Presentation Scoring Checklist and go over the characteristics of a well done speaking presentation. Model for them how a speaker should stand, how to make eye contact, how to hold and present an item for viewing.  Suggest that when they practice their presentation at home, their parents can use the score sheet to evaluate the student's presentation and help the student to make improvements. Set aside three or four days for students to share what they have learned about their parents' jobs.

I recommend taking photos of students holding the "Tool of the Trade" their parents use. These photos along with pictures that students draw of their parents at work can be displayed on a wall in your classroom or in the hall outside your classroom for others to see.

If you would like to download Labor Day: Worker Interview Activity, click on the product cover which will take you to my TpT store. 

Happy Labor Day, Matey! 

Novel Study Resources and a FREEBIE

Ahoy, Bucaroos! I have been on a rather long shore leave which is why I've been out of touch. But now I'm ready to sail again into the vast Sea of Learning!

                                                                           
While on leave, I created a gem of a teaching product, Novel Study Resources for Grades 3-5.  Knowing how time consuming creating resources and printables for each chapter book read during a typical school year is, I collected various graphic organizers I had designed for specific books and edited them to work for any fictional narrative. This TIME-SAVING treasure can be used with any novel or  chapter book for Intermediate    grades.

Nine graphic organizers, which I like to think of as treasure maps, help students organize their ideas and thoughts as they read and analyze the narrative. These printable organizers for characters, setting, plot, theme, and vocabulary can be cut out and glued into reading journals. There are also organization maps to assist with writing summaries. Working samples of summaries and graphic organizers are included so teachers can show students how a finished product might look. 

 

Examples of Graphic Organizers

Story Plot Organizer

One of three Summary Flow Maps

       

In addition 40 discussion and/or written response questions are provided. Some cover story elements. Others explore various fiction genre: realistic fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, mystery, and science fiction. As a bonus, I created a mini anchor chart identifying these genres and listing their characteristics.  You may want to choose some of the questions as an assessment.

Finally, Common Core ELA Standards to which this product aligns  are listed for you, and teaching tips explain how to utilize each of the resources with your students. Click on the Novel Study Resources cover 
above to preview the product.




If you want to try out a small piece of this product, then click on the Setting Teaching Resources FREEBIE below.

I hope you find these treasures helpful, Mateys! If you do and if you have suggestions for other teaching products, please leave a comment below.

Happy Sailing!

 

Independent Reading Challenge FREEBIE!

                             
                                   Although the school year is coming to an end, you may already

be thinking about what areas of learning you might approach differently next year with your students. For me one year, it was independent reading. 

I have always been a firm believer that to practice and improve reading skills, students should read independently both in and out of school. Part of my classroom's daily routine was a twenty minute independent reading time. We called it SQUIRT, an acronym for Sustained, Quiet, Independent Reading Time. 

To help my students remember what the letters stood for, we reviewed the meanings of the words. In addition, we practiced the words with an auditory and kinetic routine described below. 

• First, making a sweeping motion from left to right with our arms, we chanted, "SUSTAINED! Over a period of time!"
• Then we placed an index finger to our lips and whispered, "QUIET!"  
• Next, we stood at attention with our arms by our sides and shouted, "INDEPENDENT! On my own and by myself!"
• When we called out "READING!", we put our hands side by side and palm up to represent an opened book.
•  Finally, we looked at our left arm and touched our pretend wristwatch and chanted, "TIME!"  

For the first couple of weeks of school, we would practice our chant at the beginning of SQUIRT time. Also, for homework students were required to perform our acronym for their parents before reading at home. Prior to SQUIRT officially starting in our classroom, my students and I brainstormed what SQUIRT should look like and came up with a set of guidelines to help us focus on our reading. Initially, I modeled those guidelines and then asked for volunteers to model. Then the entire class practiced and I observed. If I saw someone not focused, I stopped the reading and gathered the students to review the guidelines.  Eventually, the result was during SQUIRT, students grabbed their independent reading books and usually a pillow, staked a spot on the floor or remained in their seats, and silently read. 

Although this routine was a success, what I noticed over time was that some of my students were not making good reading choices. Some chose books that were too easy or too hard, and overall the literary quality and complexity of the books were wanting. I came to the realization that students needed guidance on book selection. As a result, I created the Pirate Independent Reading Challenge. 

First, I made lists of quality children's books in the following genres: realistic fiction, fantasy, and historical fiction.  Over the next few weeks, I introduced some of these books to the students. I gathered the students to our meeting area and presented a book or two each day. I shared with them the front cover, read the publisher's summary, and read a chapter usually from the middle of the book. Often there were students who were familiar with some of these books, and I would ask them to offer their opinions. I left the books out for students to examine on their own during free time or when they had finished daily assignments. By the time I was ready to begin our new policy for selecting independent reading books, the students were ready to make a selection and were excited to begin.



Fortunately, most of the books were available through our school library or were among the many books within our class library. Having provided parents with the lists, many took their children to the public library if the desired book wasn't available at school. Students read these books during SQUIRT and at home. I had already required students to read at home for at least 100 minutes within the school week. The number of reading minutes were recorded on their weekly assignment calendar which had to be signed by their parent and

turned in on Friday. With the newly introduced independent reading policy, students were provided with a reading log and recorded each day the following information: 1) date of reading 2) book title, 3) author, 4) number of pages in the book, 5) page number started on, 6) page number ended on. These logs were also turned in weekly. This allowed me to see how each student was progressing with the selected book of choice. If only a few pages were read daily, I would meet with the student to determine if the book was too difficult or just not enjoyable, and if so, we hunted for a new book. There were times that students found books they wanted to read that were not on the lists. If that was the case and I was not familiar with the book, they brought the book to me for approval. 



Once this routine of the reading log was solidly in place, I introduced the reading journal. Luckily I found a good deal on composition books with unique covers and purchased them for my students. I explained to them that it was important to practice reading skills and to show their comprehension of the books they read. Each week students were given two assignments to complete in their journals. One assignment which was a weekly requirement was to select a word from the reading that was unknown to the reader or a word that they had seen before but did not fully understand. They were required to write the sentence from the book in which the word was used and provide a definition. Also, students drew a picture to help them remember the meaning of the word.

The second assignment varied depending on the comprehension skill focus. For example, to show their understanding of the main character's traits, students made character trait maps using a graphic organizer. As seen in the above example, students were asked to determine the traits of the main character and provide proof from the book. Other skills such as identifying the setting and summarizing were also assigned.

I am happy to say that revising my independent reading program resulted in better book selections, reading skills improvement, and students' enjoyment for reading! 

If interested in utilizing the Pirate Independent Reading Challenge for the next school year, you can download a FREEBIE from my TpT store that will help you with the implementation. Click the picture below for a direct link to this product.

    Thar be treasure in books, matey!

  

Argh! U.S. Measurement...Plus a FREEBIE!

I realize my banner says: "Language Arts Treasure for the Intermediate Classroom". However, every once in a while I will offer a mathematical gem that I hope you find useful.

U.S. measurements are not easy. In many cases, they are quite frustrating for children and adults alike. I bet you have asked the question: Why don't we use the metric system here in America? I certainly have!

5,280 feet in a mile; 16 ounces in a pound; 8 pints in a gallon! How are we supposed to remember these equivalencies? Well, most of us memorize if we can, and yet the numbers don't often stay with us. Of course, if we use the information frequently or on a regular basis, it will stick with us. But how often do kids use this kind of knowledge? 

Memory techniques such as mnemonics and songs can be effective. When I took piano lessons, I learned the treble clef line notes by reciting this mnemonic-- Every Good Boy Does Fine. I also am able to remember how to spell the word, encyclopedia, after learning a song sung by Jiminy Cricket on the original Mickey Mouse Club TV show! And how many of us have fond memories of School House Rock?

                                          "Conjunction Junction what's your function?"

                                          "Hooking up words, phrases, and clauses." 

(Did you sing along as you read the lyrics?!)

So here is a math gem for you. Math Lessons by NUMBEROCK, a TpT store, has numerous songs and music videos to help you teach math concepts including measurement, both U.S. and metric.

And here's a gallon story, although not technically a mnemonic, found on Pinterest to assist students with U.S. capacity equivalencies. Together the Gallon Castle visual combined with the story of the four Queens is very useful for remembering these unit equivalencies.







Of course, memorization isn't enough. Students need to interact with the measurement equivalencies. One way is to apply those equivalencies to mathematical story problems as in the sample below.

Download this FREEBIE for more of these capacity task cards...



                                           



                                                   
                                                                   

...and here's an additional product that will provide more practice opportunities for your students.





Finally the best learning experience for U.S. measurement equivalencies is real life events. Cooking dinner or baking cookies with Mom or Dad, weighing fruits and vegetables at the grocery store, and helping measure a garden plot in the backyard--these are real experiences that will help those equivalencies stick.

So here's a final gem, No Bake White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies! Have a "no baking day" with your students or send the recipe home for a family chef night! Click on the picture below to link to the Super Healthy Kids website where you will find this recipe and others!

   

Thanks for dropping anchor! Happy Sailing! 

         

How a Box Can Inspire the Imagination--Plus a FREEBIE!

Remember imaginary play? Were you a princess or a knight, an astronaut or an alien, a pirate or a cowboy? Whatever you imagined, your day was spent in a fantasy world of so much fun. Jane Yolen’s book, WHAT TO DO WITH A BOX, demonstrates how a box can stimulate imaginary play, something I think all of us, young or old, can relate to.

When I discovered this book, it brought back memories of my family’s move to Arizona. Our daughter was seven years old at the time. We settled in an up-and-coming suburb of Phoenix. Every few weeks a new family moved in. Needless to say, cardboard boxes were abundant!

Our location on a corner in our neighborhood along with a grassy front yard was inviting to children. While parents unpacked, the kids dragged empty packing boxes from garages and gathered in our yard to play. Their imagination and those brown boxes occupied the youngsters for hours.

Once in a while, I would check on them to make sure all was well. What I witnessed were scenes of knights jousting in front of castles, Old West settlers building a new town, or  pirate ships sailing to islands in search of buried treasure. What a wonderful thing a child’s imagination is!

This book has inspired me to pass on to you some ideas to encourage the imagination in your students. So…what to do with a box? Why stimulate the imagination, of course!

Use this FREEBIE in a number of ways to inspire imagination. As a read-aloud it can trigger memories and lead to a discussion about imaginary play which can inspire imaginative writing.

          

This product will help you to make the most of your read-aloud. Four words from the book can be used for vocabulary study. Students are provided with a word list and are encouraged to draw pictures that illustrate the meaning of each word.  There are Word Wall cards to post for continuous review.  A circle map can be used after the reading to brainstorm and list imaginary ways to use a box.

There are two narrative organizers, a tree map for story elements and a flow map for narrative events. Either is a tool for students to outline their imaginative narratives for using a box. Final copy recording sheets are available as well as a Narrative Scoring Checklist that lists what is expected in the writing.

A second writing activity is to compose an additional stanza to Yolen’s poem. Again, final copy recording sheets are provided.

   

Detailed Teaching Tips help you to prepare, implement, and celebrate each of these activities. Finally, there are suggestions for how to utilize a box in your classroom.

Thanks for docking your boat for a while! Happy Sailing!

Presidents' Day FREEBIE!

Presidents' Day is coming up.  If you're looking for a fun activity that will encourage students' interest in Presidential history, read on.  

First you will need a copy of the book, What Presidents Are Made Of, by Hanoch Piven who is known for collage illustrations. In this particular picture book, the author writes about 18 of our Presidents and reveals interesting and lesser known tidbits which give us insight into the character of these former Commanders-in-Chief.  For example, on Abraham Lincoln's page, Piven says that "PRESIDENTS are made of Humble Pie."  He goes on to explain that Lincoln had a sense of humor and even poked fun at himself.  When called "two-faced", Number 16 responded, "If I had another face, do you think I would wear this one?"

But what makes this book stand out are the collage portraits of these American leaders. Take a look at the book cover below.

 In Lincoln's portrait, one eye is a button from the Civil Rights movement that says, "LET FREEDOM RING."  The other eye is represented by a canon to remind us of the Civil War. The most powerful of symbols, however, are the black chains that are breaking apart, representing the broken chains of slavery.  Clearly this portrait of Lincoln is serious and somber and reminds us of an important milestone in our nation's history.

What you don't see on the cover is Lincoln's other portrait in which he imagines himself as a very cool dude with spiked hair and wearing sunglasses, an American flag earring, and a black leather jacket! Piven has a sense of humor as well!

After sharing this book with your students, allow each to select a president to research.  My recommendation is to have students choose from presidents who are not spotlighted in Piven's book.  In my free product, I provide a list of student-friendly biographical websites and a Presidential Fact Sheet on which to record information.  

Once students know more about their President, have them brainstorm items that could be used to represent his personality.  Then have them sketch ideas for how to use these items in their Presidential Portraits.  The next step will be collecting the paraphernalia needed.  Each student could be given the responsibility of locating these things for their own portrait, or you might compile a list to be sent home to parents asking for donations.  Sturdy card stock or tag board and lots of glue will be required to support these portraits!

When students have completed their works of art, do a "museum walk" to share the Presidential portraits and information.  Have students clear their desk tops and place their portraits and Presidential Fact sheets there.  Students will rotate from desk to desk to read the fact sheets and view the portraits.  When the viewing is done, have students return to their seats and ask the class for the most interesting or unusual facts they learned as they walked through the Presidential Museum.  You might also post the students' art and research on a hallway wall. (See the photo below.)  

When I utilized this activity with my 3rd graders, it was an historical moment in that the first African American president was elected.  We chose to make portraits of President Obama.  The following items were collected: pretzels, ginger snaps, licorice, Chiclets, pom poms, and stickers of basketballs, pineapples, and stars.  Each student created her own unique portrait of our 44th President.  These were hung in the hall to share with our school mates.  I sent a picture of the Obama gallery and a class letter to the President wishing him well.  In response we received a copy of the official presidential photo which I framed and hung in the classroom to the delight of the students!

Click the Presidents' Day FREEBIE cover to download from my TpT store.  Included in this product are:

• Teaching Tips
• Presidential Fact Sheet printable
• President Book List for children
• President Biography Websites for students                      
• Vocabulary and Idiom List
• Photo Sample of previous student collages
• “What Presidents Are Made Of” Book Cover Photo
• Hail to the Chief Sign to display with students’ art work



Click the below illustration for another Presidents' Day related product you might find useful.

HAPPY PRESIDENTS' DAY!

from the Pirate Queen