Adding Fractions Games

Adding Fractions BUMP Games

Click here to get your set

This is a set of 4 different BUMP games for the addition of basic fractions. Student directions, answer keys, and place markers are included for each game. Each game focuses on adding fractions, and each game requires different skills to add fractions. With these 4 different games, you can differentiate for students who are at different readiness levels. The skills increase in difficulty from Games 1-4. The game details, including specific skills and objectives are below:

Game 1- Players add basic fractions without reducing by looking at pictures of fractional parts . This game would be great for students who are just starting to learn about the meaning of fractions, how to represent them as pictures, and how to add them without reducing. The answers are also in picture form.

Game 2-Players add basic fractions without reducing, using written fractions. This game would be great for students who are just starting to learn about adding basic fractions using the number form of fractions.

Game 3-Players add basic fractions with reducing, using written fractions. This game would be great for students who are just starting to learn about adding basic fractions and reducing fractions, using the number form of fractions.

Game 4– Players find the addends that make up sums of fractions. This game requires to break down a fractions into its parts and to understand that a fraction is a smaller set of fractions that add up to make its sum. 

These games can be used the following situations: 

Whole Group Instruction
Guided Math
Math Centers
Partner Work
Home Activity

I also have BUMP Games for Subtracting Basic Fractions and Adding and Subtracting Fractions and Mixed Numbers. 

Colonial America and American Revolution Resources

One of the things that I LOVE the most about teaching 5th grade social studies is when we get to the lessons for Colonial America (the Original Thirteen Colonies) and The Revolutionary War.  As a student, I loathed social studies because it was soooooo boring.  We'd read out of the book and answer the questions at the end of the chapter on a sheet of paper.  Then, we'd move on.  I never remembered anything.  Of course, I don't blame my teachers.  This is what they were supposed to do.

When I started teaching, I realized that I was doing the same thing to my students.  They were responding the same way that I did when I was in their shoes.  I needed to change some things up! After many years of creating, researching, and tweaking, I rarely use the text as more than a curriculum mapping tool.  I do use the pictures and some of the activities, but I usually throw in my own spin with an interactive project or a graphic novel- something to really get the kids interested.  This has transformed my teaching and the kids' interest in some really great lessons from American history.  Here are some of my resources that you can get to use in your own classroom.  Click on any of the links (titles) or images to get them.  You can also visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store here for lots of FREE and for-sale items.

If I was an Explorer... An Autobiography Writing Project

This kicks off our U.S. History studies.  We learn about the most famous people to explore the Americas, which leads into the European Colonization of North America.

The Roanoke Missing Persons Case...SOLVED!!!

This is always a big hit with my students and is one of my best-sellers.  Students learn about the missing colonists of Roanoke (Island) and use the clues that they write in their casebooks to create their own version of what really happened to the colonists.  It comes with a casebook, rubric, and more.

Jamestown Colony Newspaper Project

This is another writing project that describes important from the Jamestown Settlement, as the first successful English Settlement in America. 

Colonial America (Original Thirteen Colonies) Journal and Letter Writing Activity

This is based on the book "If I Lived in Colonial Times," but it's not necessary to use that book to complete this activity.  Students learn about life in Colonial America.  Then, they write a letter to their parents from the perspective of a Colonial child. They explain how different their life is as a Colonial kid compared to their real life.

Revolutionary War Vocabulary Activities and Games

This is what I use to introduce students to some of them most important vocabulary they will need to understand when learning About the American Revolutionary War.  The terms are general and are used across all of the resources we use for studying the revolutionary War.

My Brother Sam is Dead Vocabulary Activities and Games

This is a set of vocabulary activities and games for the novel My Brother Sam is Dead.  All 11 activities focus on the same 10 words.

Thanks so much for stopping by.  You can visit me at my Teachers Pay Teachers store to see all of my Elementary and Middle School resources.

Fractured Fairy Tales

This Fractured Fairy Tale Writing Set is one of my most popular items (with students and teachers).   This creative and narrative writing activity requires students to choose a traditional fairy tale to use as a springboard to compose a new "fractured" version of the story.  They will have to focus on one character's perspective and write the story from his/her point of view.  (So, it's really a great lesson for teacher character perspective or point of view also).  You can download it by clicking here or on any of the links or pictures.

This is very versatile, and can be used across several grade levels.  The set is easy to use.  You just print and go.  It includes:

- Teacher information
- Student directions
- Brainstorming organizers
- Student-friendly rubric
- Original teacher-created examples of brainstorming organizer and story
- Writing paper for final copies
- Pages to create a student or class book

I love creating a class book after all students are done with their final copies.  It goes in the class library for everyone to read throughout the year.  At the end of the year, I auction it off during a class celebration.  It's also fun to keep a copy from year-to-year and share those with students.

Thank you for visiting!

Simile and Metaphor Poetry Set

Simile and Metaphor Poetry Set

Studying similes and metaphors can be tricky, especially for students who have limited experience with figurative language or who are learning about it for the first time.  This resource is intended to support all students learning about figurative language.  Students will use similes and metaphors to create a poem about any topic they choose.  You can require very basic similes and metaphors or more detailed and descriptive ones.  You can get yours at my Teachers Pay Teachers Store or click on any of the links or the picture below.

  I've included the following resources in this product:

· Teacher Information and Directions

This includes a general overview, objectives, and directions.

· Posters for Simile and Metaphor

One poster for each with examples and graphics

· Writing Organizers/Idea Webs

There is a blank copy and a copy that tells what should go in each space.

· Examples of Organizer and Completed Poem

These are my examples that I use to model the process and final product.

· Student Rubric

You can use this of you want to grade the poem.  It includes areas for ideas, organization, imagery, and conventions.

· Writing Paper

 There are 5 pages of decorative paper if you want to have students write their poems on them.

Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving... Activities and More

I admit... I have been a terrible blogger the past 6 months or so.  Being back at work and being mom to a 20 month old takes up most of my time.  However, I have been able to update and squeeze in a few Thanksgiving products this year.  For that, I am thankful!  I am also thankful to have found a few spare minutes to share these products.  Click on any of the picture or links to get your own or visit me at my Teachers Pay Teachers store to see more!

A Turkey's Troubles- A Persuasive Letter from a Turkey

Thanksgiving Taboo- an oral language game

Thanksgiving Scattergories Game

Thanksgiving Sticker Charts

Holiday Writing Paper

Decimal Place Value Game

WOW... I teach 5th grade, and with the new Common Core State Standards, my district got a new math curriculum.  WOW.  It's a lot more rigorous than what I used previously.  I was expecting this, but I wasn't prepared. 

Anyway, the firs topic I teach is decimal place value.  Here's a set of Decimal Place Value I Have, Who Has Games that I created to use for math centers, extra practice, and to strengthen skills.  It's definitely not just skill and drill stuff.  It requires students to:

- identify decimal numbers through thousandths when given a specific digit
- name decimal numbers through thousandths
- tell the values of digits in decimal numbers
- apply number sense when adding and subtracting decimal amounts
- use mental math

These are great for whole class, small group, centers, or homework practice.  Teacher notes, directions, and answer keys are all included.  I hope your students enjoy it as much as mine have!

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. 

Polygon Game for Analyzing, Identifying, and Classifying Polygons

I love games, and I really love to incorporate them into my classroom.  It's tough to make them engaging and really packed with learning potential.  However, I think I have accomplished that with this newest Math Game.

Guess the Polygon PowerPoint Game

This Polygon Guessing Game is a wonderful way to get the entire class involved in math. Students take turns being Clue Givers and Guessers with each new PowerPoint slide. With students participating in two different roles, it requires them to analyze polygons (triangles, quadrilaterals, and more) in different ways. This game can flexibly be used with the whole class, in small groups, in pairs, or as a math center.

The teacher or a student can control the slides by simply clicking through the slide show. It’s very easy to use. Slides 1-9 are teacher slides (printable too), and slides 10-28 are the actual game. If you play often, you can rearrange the game slides so students don’t memorize the order.

Polygons included are:
Acute Triangle, Right Triangle, Obtuse Triangle, Isosceles Triangle, Scalene Triangle, Equilateral Triangle, Parallelogram, Trapezoid, Rectangle, Rhombus, Square, Pentagon, Hexagon, and Octagon.

Here’s what is included:
- Teacher Information with directions, suggestions for use, and more
- Student Directions
- Student Roles Explanation
- Examples for Clue Givers
- Polygon Charts to assist students
- Clue Giving Help Sheet
- One Animated Slide for each included polygon with two example of that polygon and the answer

Here are a few example slides.  Click on any of them to get your own and to see the complete product.

 

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Poetry Unit for Elementary and Middle School

April is National Poetry Month.  I now say that with a huge smile and a tingle of excitement.  If I'm going to be completely honest, and I am, I loathed having anything to do with poetry throughout my own education and teaching it my first few years.  That's because up until the past 6 years or so, the only experiences I had with poetry were:

1. having to memorize and recite Shakespeare in front of an entire class (as a teacher, I still don't see the educational value in that)

2. being forced to write poetry with minimal support or understanding of what I was doing

3. having to decode and analyze poetry

So, why the smile and tingle of excitement now?  Well, a wonderful friend and colleague turned me onto students writing their own poetry in fun and meaningful ways.  At first I was apprehensive because my students didn't want anything to do with poetry either.  They thought it was boring and confusing.  It was my job to prove them otherwise, and I was going to do it by allowing them to be the poets for a change.

It took me a lot of research and tons of time, but what I created I just have to share.  It's a complete unit that takes students through several stages.  First they learn about different poems, then practicing writing poems, and finally turn their poetry into an amazing book that includes an About the Author Page, a Table of Contents page, a Cover page, and much more.  There is even a rubric to keep your students on track and for you to grade student work.  My Poetry Do-It-Yourself Book does the following:

1. Introduces students to 9 different types of popular poetry
2. Provides my original examples of the 9 types of poetry
3. Provides directions for how to write these poems
4. Includes (printable) templates for students to write their own poems
5. Includes all of the materials for students to build their own book with Author, Cover, and Table of Contents Pages


Click here or on any of the images below to get yours.  I posted the product cover and some actual pages from the resource.  I'd love to hear your experience with this.  Happy Poetry Month!

Graduate Level Course for Teachers- Literature Circles for K-12 Classrooms

If you're a teacher who is looking for graduate level courses, MTI may be a great option for you.
Midwest Teachers Institute is national provider of inexpensive and university-accredited K-12 teacher professional development.  It was founded by teachers,who strive to provide exceptional learning opportunities at very reasonable prices.

I'm teaching an online class called Best Practice Reading Strategy: Literature Circles in the K-12 Classroom.  It begins on April 13, and there is still time to sign up.  Everything is run and turned in online, so you have the flexibility to work from home within a schedule that works for you.

Click to view the syllabus for this class-MTI 516or to view the MTI lineup of online classes.