Elements of Drama

I am here to share a visual that I created for my students. Each genre has its own characteristics.  These are the elements of drama/plays.

Click Here to Access Poetry and Drama Task Cards

High School Genres

As students progress across the grade levels, they are expected to be able to comprehend a broad range of texts.  The types of texts that students should read in high school is very different from what is read at lower grade levels.  This chart is a reminder for my students to read a broad range of texts.

Making Common Core Text Complexity Less Scary

Many of the Common Core suggested reading texts include classic literature from the 1800s and early 1900s.  This week of daily Common Core practice contains historical fiction stories that are written using the dialects used during the 1800s and 1900s to give students exposure to this type of writing in small, manageable doses. This is a great way to cover Common Core Standard RL.10 Text Complexity and expose students to writing techniques of classic and modern authors in just five minutes a day. This week includes historical fiction and fantasy stories.

Click Here To Access Week 24

Click Here to Access Weeks 21-25

This week covers standards:
RL.1 Details
RL.1 Inferences (Part 2 of the Standard)
RL.6 Author’s Purpose
RL.6 Point of View (Part 2 of the Standard)
RL.10 Text Complexity

Tone and Mood of a Reading Passage

Tone is an author's attitude about a topic in a literary text or informational text.  Not only is it important for a reader to notice subtle clues in order to determine an author's tone, it is also important to have a wide vocabulary of tone words to draw from when describing a reading passage.

Describing the tone of a text is an area where my students have shown a great amount of growth.  It is something that students must practice in order to develop skill. 

For tone task cards Click Here

Next Generation Science Standards (Teaching Ecology)

This is a recent picture that I took with my Nikon zoom lens.  I deeply love nature and history and enjoy going behind the scenes with archaeologists, marine biologists, and other researchers to deeply understand concepts. The Next Generation Science Standards give me an extra reason to get up and close with animals, something that I already loved to do.

The Next Generation Science Standards' goal is to assist students with understanding the relationship between events that occur in nature and really probe students to think deeply.

For several months, I have been working on an ecology unit that I want to use with students.  These are the task cards that go along with the unit.  They are mostly geared for students in fifth grade all the way through high school.  Click Here To Access Them

Soon, I will be showing pictures of my science experiments that have been completed with students and will share illustrated science project ideas that can be done in the classroom.  Stay tuned!

Decimal Number Order With Blocks

All that is needed is a permanent marker and building blocks.  

The decimal value is drawn on one side.  The decimal number is drawn on the other side.

The drawn diagram makes it easier for students to understand the decimal value of numbers.

It is also great for reviewing decimal number order.

Click Here For The Decimal Task Card Bundle

Scrapbook Comprehension Activities

I think by this blog you realize that a pattern is emerging.  I LOVE HANDS-ON FUN!  Yippee!  Scrapbooking + Comprehension?  Why not?  I find that illustrating topics makes learning new concepts so much easier for students of all ages.

There are so many cute scrapbooking accessories.  They can be used to illustrate concepts.  This image teaches students to draw conclusions about what they read.  The boat and sleeping bag are clues about camping.

This image shows foods that would be eaten at a barbecue.  Students use to clues to determine the time of year and possible special occasion.

These cards can be placed in literacy centers as review cards.  Or, students can use scrapbooking pieces to illustrate reading concepts that they learn.  You can find scrapbook materials at most major craft stores.  Have fun!

Free Daily Common Core Grade 6 One Week of Daily Common Core Reading Practice

If you have not tried Daily Common Core Reading Practice, give this week a try.  It is free.  This is a free week of practice from my daily practice series.  Each week thematically covers literature or informational text.  Every document contains reading comprehension for each day of the school week. It can be completed it in just five minutes a day when students first enter the classroom.  Original realistic fiction, historical fiction, poetry, plays, and informational text are included across the weeks.  Click Here to Access This Freebie

Third Grade Common Core Reading Task Cards Bundle

These grade three Common Core Reading task cards make the transition to Common Core much easier.  This bundle of more than 150 task cards covers seven different Common Core Standards.  Colorful, printable boxes are also included to make storage of the task cards easier.  These are great as guided reading station activities and as take-home review activities.  Save $10 by purchasing them as a bundle.Click Here to Access The Task Cards

These task cards cover:

Inferences and Details RL.3.1 and RL.3.1

Describe Characters RL.3.3

Determine Word Meaning RL.3.4

Point of View RL.3.6 and RI.3.6

Compare and Contrast Themes, Settings, and Plots RL.3.9

Reading Strategy Activity: Visualizing Information

If you have ever flipped through an old family album, you have seen Polaroid pictures.  The Polaroid camera could produce a fully printed image with the snap of a button.

Small pictures that kids create in the classroom are great additions to reading journals and serve as a guide for remembering important information.

DIY Visualizing "Photographs"

As students read, they can write what they visualize or take visual notes on these pieces of construction paper.

Materials Needed Include:

white cardstock paper

black cardstock paper

scissors

a ruler

chalk markers or chalk for writing

glue sticks or double-sided tape

1.  First, cut out 3 x 3 inch squares of black paper.  

2.  Next, cut out 4 x 5 inch rectangles of white paper.

3.  Paste the black cards on top of the white cards.  Allow a half of an inch space on the left and right sides of the new "picture".

4.  The extra space at the bottom of each card enables students to write a caption about the picture.  

Possible Uses Include:
*Use the pictures to draw steps in a math or science process.

This card shows the water cycle.

*Illustrate the plot structure of a story.

*Show a visual of cause and effect in a story or informational text.

Teaching Graphs, Charts, and Tables

This is my graphs, charts, and tables anchor chart to help my students better understand these concepts.  

Ignoring the key is often the cause of student missed answers when teaching these concepts.  The wall chart is a reminder for students to identify what the symbols on the table stand for.

Click Here to Access Graphs, Charts, & Tables Task Cards

Clip Art

I absolutely love to draw and take pictures.  If you are looking for royalty-free images for your blogs, products, or scrapbooks, check out my brand new store Pics and Clips.  After you follow the link, click the follow button to get updates about freebies and new resources.Click Here