Linking Words in Writing - FREEBIE

Just a quick post about using linking words in writing.

We've worked on introductions, reasons and closings.

We added some linking words to our writing journals,

but my kids weren't using the words.

So, I created this sentence matching activity for them.

I put the kids into groups of three.

Each group was given six sentences.

Three of the sentences were reasons

and the other three were sentences with linking words.

All six sentences were about the same topic,

 so my kids had to make sure the linking word sentence

matched the reason.

It's a short activity that can be completed

independently or with partners.

You can grab the cards for free by clicking here!

Have a great weekend!

Sports Themed Printables...and A Chance to Win Them!

I wanted to share my newest product.

 

There are two main reasons why this was created.

#1 - Some of the boys in my class asked me if

they could have some football practice sheets.

I gave them this and they loved it.

You should have seen the smiles on their faces

and how excited they were to tell the other students

I created these just for them.

 

#2 - I am putting together my emergency substitute plans

and some of these activities will be added.

They can be used any time of the year.

I can just copy and have them ready to go.

 

Here are close up shots of a few pages.

I'm so thankful for all the friends I have made

on this blogging adventure.

Therefore, let's have a little giveaway.

 

One follower can win a free copy of

SCORE! - ELA and Math printables.

 

What is your favorite sport?

Comment below and I'll pick a winner at the end of the week.

Don't forget to leave an email address!

 

My favorite sport is gymnastics!

 



Monday Made It - Wooden Matching Game and Freebie

It's Monday and so it's time to link up with Tara for...

As you may have read in my other posts,

our family is taking a road trip in July.

So I have been spending a lot of time planning for the big day.

 

One activity I found on Etsy was a wooden memory game.

Handmade by Bright Lift Toys

Are they super cute?

Yes!

They also cost $20.

So cheap me decided to make my own.

 

I'm warning you now,

you will probably laugh at how mine look compared to these.

 

 

I started with these wooden pieces. 

I couldn't find just circles and didn't feel like shopping around.

 

 

 Next, my daughter and I stamped the pieces.

We made sure the same stamp was on two pieces.

 

 

We put the pieces in a cute little bag

that was a leftover from her sister's birthday party.

 

 

We played the game.

I think I see a match!

 

Of course as we were making these,

my head starting coming up with ways to use these in the classroom.

 

I was thinking it would be fun to put math facts on each piece.

Contraction on one and two words that make the contraction on the other.

Let's keep going..... what else?

 

This project inspired me to make a little freebie for you. 

  

 

You can cut out the words and match up the synonyms.

 

 

You can match up the words as a noun, verb or adjective.

 

 

If you want to go with the wooden game idea,

you can glue the words onto a craft stick.

You can even write directly on the stick.

 

 

So there you have it,

my Monday Made It project.

 

How else could we use this idea?

 

Throwback Thursday Linky - Common Core Reading Foldables

Today was the first day it actually felt like summer.

It was hot, sunny and we even set up our little pool.

My older daughter loved playing in the water

with her little cousin. 

The one year old has a cold and was not interested.

Maybe next time.

 

Anyway, I'm linking up today with The First Grade Parade.

 

 

I've only been blogging since February,

but I love looking back at my previous posts.

It gives me a chance to self reflect and

brainstorm ways to improve my teaching.

But I also like to reflect on my blogging style.

 

Here is one of my favorite posts.

I love the picture of my daughter, the cupcakes

and it has one of my favorite products featured.

I really wanted to change some parts of the post,

but I decided to keep it the same

since that is the point of this linky.

Original Post Date - 3/22/13

 

 

This week I was busy, but I didn't mind because.....

It's Spring Break!

 

Tonight I am linking up with Amanda from Teaching Maddeness for

 

  

And the last part of my post is for this Wednesday Workshop.

1.  The one thing that took most of my time was my little girl.  She's only 11 months old and she has a terrible cold.  It's so hard with little ones because they can't tell you what is wrong.  I'm so glad it is spring break so she can rest and get better.  I stayed home with her on Monday and Thursday.  I love surprise days at home with my girls.

 

Here she is on a better day.

2.  Emergency Sub Plans - I was so glad that this was the first year I put together emergency sub plans.  It was an entire days worth of work for the sub and I didn't even have to go into school.  Of course, now I have to change them, but I don't mind.

 

3.  Last Saturday we had the family birthday party for my now four year old daughter.  Her gift was a night with just mom and dad at a hotel with a pool.  It was a busy but fun weekend.  These are some of the awesome cupcakes that my husband made for her. 

 

4.  I finally finished making my informational text and literature foldables.  I loved using them this week with my students for reading.  We added them to our reading journals.  It gives the kids a great way to organize their thinking and they are all aligned to the common core. 

 

 

 

I'm really looking forward to this week with my girls.  We don't really have any plans and I am fine with that. 

 

Who else just started spring break?  Do you have any plans?

 

Take Me Out To The Ballgame

I 'll admit it.  I'm a Cubs fan.

 

 

I know it has been forever since they won a World Series, but each year I

keep thinking that this will be the year. 

 It never is and so I wait for next year. 

Well, next year starts on Monday. 

In honor of the start of the baseball season,

I've created some baseball themed grammar activities for my kids. 

 

We are going to work on comparative and superlative adjectives and adverbs.

Such big words for the kids, but I think they will understand the skill. 

I've got two different sorts for them along with task cards. 

They loved the basketball theme, so I know baseball will also be a "hit." 

 

Have you taught this skill yet?

What team are you cheering on this year?

 

Making Inferences

Making inferences is always a skill that can be difficult for students.  The answer isn't stated in their reading and they actually have to do some deeper thinking.  I enjoy teaching this topic because there are so many fun activities to use and the answer isn't right in the book.  Last week I tried a new making inferences activity with my kids.

Before the lesson started, I cut out a bunch of magazine pictures.  I cut the pictures so that very little background was showing.  To start the lesson, I showed one of the pictures.  It was a picture of two girls playing soccer.  I asked the kids where they thought the girls were playing soccer.  Of course, they all thought it was a soccer field and we discussed why that was the choice.  We were making inferences based on what was shown in the picture and what we knew about soccer.  Then I asked them, where would the girls not be playing soccer.  I heard a swimming pool, Mars, the desert and many more.  The kids thought it was so funny.  I repeated the activity using a picture of a man running.  I saw many hands being raised during this activity.

Once I knew the kids understood the activity, I sent them to work on their own picture.  First they chose one of the magazine pictures that I had cut out and placed it on a piece of white paper.  Then several students were given an opportunity to share their inference about where the picture was taking place.  Once they shared, the students then had to think where the activity was not happening.  That became the background of their picture.  I saw some volcanoes, swimming pools, train tracks and clouds.  The one change I would make is to not allow the students to share their ideas with other students.  I saw about 4 with volcanoes and 3 with swimming pools.  I'd love to see everyone's own creations.  Either way, the kids loved it and some even asked for a second picture.  The kids in the gifted reading program came back from their class and they wanted to join in on the fun.

Here are some pictures of the kids at work.

A kid eating macaroni and cheese in the desert.

A truck in the water.

A fish on train tracks.

What are some fun activities you have used with making inferences? 

Spelling and Grammar Practice

I'll admit it...I'm not a big fan of the weekly spelling lists. We all know how it goes. The kids study the words, ace the test and then forget how to spell the words the next week. I wish I could teach spelling patterns/rules throughout the year and not have a weekly test. My district's report card has a space for grading spelling tests, so I have to do them.

Last year, my team and I changed our spelling program and I think it makes it a little better. Some of our units last for two weeks so that we have more time to work on the patterns. Also, each student has their own high frequency words during the unit. My students are supposed to practice their words at home every night. I usually send home some activities for them to use, but I don't collect the work. I really am not looking for more papers to be turned in to me. During the week, I do like to have a few lessons about the spelling pattern. We do lots of sorts, work on whiteboards and even task cards.  I'm always looking for new and meaningful ways to work on spelling.

A colleague of mine introduced me to a spelling activity last year. The activities incorporate grammar with spelling.  Each week the students work on two grammar skills using their spelling words. For example, this week my students were working on singular/plural and past tense.

I love these activities because my kids are learning to spell their words, but working on grammar skills with the words.  They are great little assessments as well.  After the kids turned in their work, I realized that many of them didn't understand the concept of singular/plural.  They simple wrote their spelling words and then added an "s."

Singular: unusual  Plural: unusuals

Guess what we are working on next week?

Another reason these activities are great is because each skill is only practiced four or five times each.  When we work on nouns, they write five of their spelling words that are nouns.  The practice and quick and meaningful.  I can tell if they get it from those five examples.  Some of the skills we practice are: synonyms, antonyms, rhymes, abc order, endings, nouns, adjectives, verbs, prefixes, suffixes and syllables.

Last year, my students did all their work on lined paper.  They needed to learn to label and number the paper.  To save time labeling, erasing, forgetting how to number the paper, I decided to just make the sheets on the computer.  Now I can pull a sheet, copy it and work on those skills for the week.  Now I feel a bit better about the weekly spelling lists because they students have a purpose for using their words.  If you're interested, feel free to check out the whole package on Tpt.

It has been wonderful seeing so many visitors from 4th Grade Frolics.  My way of thanking you for coming over is to put these on SALE! 

I'd love to hear your thoughts about practicing spelling words.

Enjoy your weekend!