Back to School Game: Scattergories

If you follow this blog at all or have spent even a few minutes here,  you know that I LOVE games.  I especially love incorporating them into the classroom.  It is back to school season, and I just created a Back-to-School edition of Scattergories.  It very much resembles my holiday versions of Scattergories.  I plan on using this little gem tomorrow, even though we have been in school for a couple of weeks.  It'll be a great way to get some teamwork going, especially since we will be starting literacy centers soon.  Here's a peek.  Click here or on the photo to check it out yourself.

 

I'd love for you to visit my Teacher Pay Teachers store!  There's lots more for elementary and middle school. 

Back to School Daily Labels Set

I know it's not back-to-school time, but I just updated this product and wanted to share it.  It's not too late to start using these Daily Schedule Labels today.  Just print, cut, (laminate if you choose), and display them to keep students updated on what the schedule for the day will be.

There are 43 labels with several activities, subjects, and events (including blank ones).  There are also time labels if you want to write in times. Click on any of the links or the image to get yours.

P.S.  I'll be running a sale soon, so check back often.  :)

Thanksgiving Activities

Here are a few of my new and updated Thanksgiving resources.  Enjoy!

A Turkey's Troubles:  A Persuasive Writing Activity

 

Students write from the perspective of a turkey and try to convince a shopper to buy a different turkey for their Thanksgiving dinner.  Included are student directions, brainstorming organizer, student rubric, and Thanksgiving themed writing paper.

 

 

 

Thanksgiving Taboo and Scattergories Games

 

I LOVE games.  I created these two games based off the board games Scattergories and Taboo.  These are super for small groups, centers, or whole class.  Both provide great oral language practice and can be beneficial for students learning the English language.

 

 

 

 

 

Guided Reading and Literacy Center Schedule

Guided Reading and Center time is precious.  Keeping students informed on where to go, what to do, and when it should happen can be a huge time-sucker.  It can cut right into your sacred group time. 

I decided to create a schedule that can be displayed on my board and easily changed out every day to keep student aware of what the day's guided reading and literacy schedule would be.  After introducing how it would work, we practiced a few times, and students quickly got the hang of it.  No longer did I have to worry about interruptions during guided reading groups or while meeting with students with questions such as "Where do I go?"  and "When do I go to _____?"  To get your materials, click on any of the links or pictures below.



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Guided Reading and Literacy Center Labels

 



 

 

 

Back-to-School FREEBIE!!

Welcome School Year 2014-2015!!!  Maybe you're sharing that feeling; maybe not.  In any case, I decided to put together a set of holiday writing paper/stationary.  I thought it would be nice to offer a sample set for FREE also.  Just visit my Teachers Pay Teachers Store to grab the FREEBIE or the larger 26 page set.

    

                                   
                                 FREE Sample Set                                                 Larger Complete Set

The set features decorative writing paper for the following holidays:
Valentine's Day
St. Patrick's Day
Halloween
Thanksgiving
Christmas

Here are some samples of what you'll find in the large set:

      

You can use these for lots of activities, including:
Letter Writing
Narrative Writing
Creative Writing
Bulletin Board Writing
Writing Centers
So, so many more possibilities

First Day Activity for Students...Photo Prop Booth

I struggled with coming up with a first day activity for my students this year.  It's looking like I will have 30 students, and I really wanted to do something fun.  It finally struck me during my 2 year-old niece's birthday party.... A PHOTO BOOTH.

So, I thought that I would create a bulletin board that looks like a theater-style stage. Students will choose some props on the first day that represent who they are, and I will take their pictures.  They will do a little writing activity or create a headline for their picture, and I will hang them up.  This will be a fun way for them to introduce themselves to me and their classmates.

So, I spent a lot of time finding FREE photo booth props online (thanks Pinterest and Google).  There were tons of great ones out there.  I was able to download and print them on card stock and laminate them.  Thankfully I have an amazing husband who helped me cut them all out. 

Then, I created the bulletin board, which wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be.  I used the large rolls of paper that come on a cart.  Here is the bulletin board (pre-photos).

Before...

 

 

 

 After...

 

 

 





Back to School Student and Parent Surveys

There's so much to do this time of year if you're a teacher.  Many of you have already gone back to school, and many of us will be heading back very soon.  One thing that is important to every teacher who I've ever met is getting to know their students' interests inside and outside of school and what they like to learn about.  That's what this post will hopefully help with. 

These are back to school surveys for students and parents (separate).  Although the pictures show 5th Grade, the actual product that I created to share includes pages for 3rd-6th grades.  I also took out my name, but left it in the pictures to show you what they look like.  Click here to get the student surveys and here to get parents surveys for FREE!!!!  Please let me know what you think of them.  Happy School Year!

Student Survey

 

 

Parent Survey