Classroom Activities: Social Studies, Reading, Writing, and More!: December 2011

Persuasive Writing Lesson Activity

Writing a Persuasive Paper

I really need to go to the mall! I need a cookie!........

Kids use persuasion all the time.

H*e*Y....guess what???

I even use it quite a bit myself!

I am sitting here doing my writing lesson plans for next week and put together a chart I will project on the board to use for my mini lesson on Author's Purpose. We will actually be talking about this in reading and writing, with the main focus being on persuasive writing. I thought I would share in case you would like to use. The author's purpose chart is a FREE download below.

Before I display this chart, I will probably say something like, "Did you know authors love PIE?" and then I will probably say, "Oh yes... look... I am an author and I love PIE!", and then I will open a Little Debbie Oatmeal Pie and take a bite....HA!... something like that always gets their attention. Then of course, I will display the chart and we will discuss it, and then I will probably give them a half of a pie to reinforce that they too are authors, and so they will get some pie. (nice teacher, ah?)

Click HERE to download the Author's Purpose Pie

Looking for a fun way to introduce Persuasive Writing in particular. Try this activity below. Just click on the link.
Click HERE to see my Persuasive Writing with Oreo Cookies.

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For more fun and creative ideas, click the above picture to go to my store.

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Free Printable Teacher To-Do List

Printable To-Do List

If you are like me, then you are a list kind of girl!

I know... some people can't stand lists and they equate it to just having....

o*N*e

m*O*r*E

t*H*i*N*G

t*O

d*O.

Not me!

To-do lists help keep me straight and help me prioritize what needs to get done. My life is so extremely active. I have two teenagers and a twenty month old, so you can imagine that I have a lot on my plate. I try to look at the whole picture of what I need to accomplish, but sometimes as a teacher it can get very overwhelming. You know what I'm talking about...... things like: have this ready for the meeting on Tuesday, turn this paper in on Monday, calculate this data by Friday, gather this for the IEP on Wednesday.... it's a wonder we get anything done at all due to brain overload!

I try to make a list in the morning when I get to school of the things I have to get accomplished for that particular day. Sometimes I do it on the note section of my lesson plans and other times I just use a scratch piece of paper. To start off my 2012, I decided to throw out the scratch paper and actually put a sheet together to help me prioritize what needs to get done each day. I am including it as a freebie if you would like to use it. I plan to run one for each day. Like I said, I know that this may seem like an added chore for some people, especially rewriting a few things from day to day, but for me, writing things down each day also helps me to remember what I need to get accomplished.

If you are a list kind of girl, then feel free to download it here: FREE Printable Teacher To-Do List

Remember: Be Wise... Prioritize!

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For more fun and creative ideas, click the above picture to go to my store.

If you are a teacher and you like what you see, please visit often.

Also, please click the facebook link to 'like' us

HUGE New Year's Give Away

New Year's Contest=Free Teacher Resources

The New Year has arrived and to celebrate I am participating in a HUGE giveaway from a Ring of Elementary teacher blogs!

Twelve blogs have joined together for a MEGA New Year Giveaway! The winners of the giveaway will be able to choose any item (winter themed or not) from any of the Teacher Pay Teachers stores listed below. Nearly 100 items will be given away in this HUGE event!

Each blog will have 6 winners.

Each blog will select and post 6 winners for that blog.

Third Place: There will be THREE third prize winners that will be able to choose any (of the winner’s choice) ONE item total from any of the blogger’s Teacher Pay Teachers store listed below.

Second Place: There will be TWO second prize winners that will be able to choose any (of the winner's choice) TWO items (total) from any of the blogger's Teachers Pay Teachers stores below.

First Prize: ONE grand prize winner from EACH blog that will win any (of the winner's choice) ONE ITEM from EACH blogger's Teachers Pay Teachers stores listed below!

Here are the participating blogs/ stores:

Classroom Confections Teachers Pay Teachers Store

Down Under Teacher Teachers Pay Teachers Store

Primary Inspiration Teachers Pay Teachers Store

I Love 1st Grade Teachers Pay Teachers Store

A Teacher's Treasure Teachers Pay Teachers store

Herding Cats in Kindergarten Teachers Pay Teachers store

Third Grade Bookworm Teachers Pay Teachers store

A Special Kind of Class Teachers Pay Teachers store

Mandy's Tips for Teachers Teachers Pay Teachers store

Hojos Teachers Pay Teachers store

Teacher Tam's Teachers Pay Teachers store

Tools for Teachers by Laurah J Teachers Pay Teachers store

How do you enter? There are several possible ways to enter:

1. Follow my blog and leave a comment on this blog post saying you follow (or note that you are already a follower).

2. Follow my Teacher Pay Teachers store and leave a comment on this blog post saying you follow.

3. Blog about this contest on your own blog and leave a comment here saying you did so and a link to your post.

4. Share about the contest on facebook with a link to this blog post, and then come back here and leave a comment stating that you did so. How about giving us a 'like' on facebook while you are there.

Want to enter even more times? Visit the other blogs and stores, and enter according to their instructions.

To increase your chance of winning,follow the blogs and stores of ALL the blogs participating in the list . There are at least 24 chances to win even if you DON'T blog!!!! Remember to comment that you follow their blog and TpT store on their blog!

Make sure you leave an email address, blog, or facebook address where

you can be contacted should you win.

All winners will be chosen on January 6^th, 2012 by 8:00pm Eastern time.

Good luck! Maybe YOU will be one of the big winners!
.

For more fun and creative ideas, click the above picture to go to my store.

If you are a teacher and you like what you see, please visit often.

Also, please click the facebook link to 'like' us

FREE New Year's Resolution Writing Activity

It's a New Year's Napkin Resolution Activity

I know, call me CrAzY! I was shopping in Target when I came across one of their sale racks. You know the ones I am talking about on the end of the isles. Well, they had some of the cutest napkins marked down to .65 a pack. Can you say "BARGAIN"? Of course I had to buy some!

So, what to do with the napkins????? Hmmm.....

Actually, I was supposed to be cleaning the bathroom, but instead I put together this little paper napkin booklet that I am going to make with my kids the first day back from school. The napkin works perfectly as the cover to the mini booklet, which I cleverly titled "Coming Clean" with my New Year's Napkin Resolution. We will talk about 'coming clean' being a figure of speech, and then come clean about some improvements or goals, AKA resolutions, that they need to make. They will then do a short writing about their resolution and expand on their ideas.

If you would like to try this activity with your kids, start searching for some cute napkins. I am including the file for FREE if you would like to download it here : printable New Year's Activity.

Here is a sample:

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For more fun and creative ideas, click the above picture to go to my store.

If you are a teacher and you like what you see, please visit often.

Also, please click the facebook link to 'like' us

Responding to Literature

Responding to literature is communicating what you think and understand about what you have read. Responding to literature doesn't just have to be the same 'ole writer's notebook using readers' response letters. There are lots of ways to respond to literature. Here is a very thorough list of ways to share a book that would be considered responding to literature: Responding to Literature

And of course, for the younger elementary students, teaching them to respond to literature may first mean getting them to connect with the text. They need to learn to find things they find interesting. Here is a sheet I made to do exactly that. They will write down two things they find interesting about the text. This can be used while reading a text aloud as a whole class, or even aloud in a small group. It can also be used as a literacy center activity with the books students are reading independently.

Use however you would like. Be creative!

If you choose to download this activity, share the sweetness by liking us on facebook.

Click HERE to download this FREE Responding to Literature Activity.

For more fun and creative ideas, click the above picture to go to my store.

If you are a teacher and you like what you see, please visit often.

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Teaching Blog Addict

It's time that I come clean and admit that I'm an addict..........

a blogging addict!

It's not just any 'ole blogging addiction though, it's........

Teacher Blogging!

And this week's featured teacher blog goes right along with my addiction.

Yep, you guessed it... It's a blog for us teaching blog addicts to fess up about our little problem.
It's a place where we can take ownership of our addiction.

The Teaching Blog Addict teacher blog is officially awarded the:

If you haven't visited their blog before, take a moment to do so. You don't have to be a teacher blogger to appreciate their site. Any teacher is sure to enjoy their daily blog posts. One of my favorite pages on their blog is the list of other teacher bloggers. It can be found by clicking HERE. Subscribe to their RSS feed so you won't miss a beat when it comes to updates. Enjoy!

Oh, and just in case you were wondering...
I really am an official ADDICT! I have my membership care to prove it.

__________________________________________

For more fun and creative ideas for the classroom, click the above picture to go to my store.

If you are a teacher and you like what you see, please visit often.

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New Year's Classroom Activities

New Year's Printable Game and More

In order to celebrate the New Year, I have put together a few activities for the classroom. I have already mentioned two other activities in previous blog posts, so I will put links at the bottom of this post to those. This newest one is a New Year's game board. This is a generic game board and can be used with cards you already have in the classroom, or you can make your own game cards using the blank New Year's themed cards I have included. Make some addition cards or review math vocabulary. Practice some test review questions. Be creative!

Click HERE to purchase this New Year's Game.

Click on the below links to see other New Year's related activities:

If you download any of the FREE activities, please share the sweetness by giving us a 'like' on facebook.

For more fun and creative ideas, click the above picture to go to my store.

If you are a teacher and you like what you see, please visit often.

Also, please click the facebook link to 'like' us

Top Ten Teacher Tips for 2012

Prioritize what needs to get done. Look at the whole picture, but also keep in mind what needs to get done TODAY! It’s okay to put some things off until tomorrow.
Don’t let your grading get the best of you. Grade a little each day and it won’t pile up.
Make the day fun for you and your students. Get creative! Search for fun lessons on the Internet by visiting websites like Teachers Pay Teachers.
Collaborate with your coworkers. The best ideas might be hiding out in the room next door. Participate in a ‘get on, give one’ lesson exchange. You take a lesson and then you get a lesson in return.
Make a student feel special. Pick a child each day and tell them something positive. Put a smile on their face by leaving them an award on their desk or even just a sticker to display. Sometimes we get so caught up in the negative, we forget to focus on the positive.
Don’t stay late every day! Remember, you either have a family to get home to, or you need to have some ‘me’ time. I used to be a stay-later and then I got my priorities straight. I am a 100% teacher from 7:30-4:00 and then I have one stay-late day per week. It can make you a better teacher if you leave!! J
Don’t get caught up in what I call teacher-gripe! Some things that we teachers want to gripe about will simply not change, no matter how much we dislike it and no matter how much time goes by.
Get that room clean. As the kids come back after the start of the New Year, have them clean their desks out. I mean really clean them. I have students take the Lysol wipes to the inside of the desk. A clean desk can help clear the mind. Kids will be ready to perform in 2012.
Change something up in the classroom for the second half of the year. Whether it’s your discipline program, your bulletin board, or something else. It will add excitement to the remainder of the year. My teaching neighbor and I are going to start doing a fun Friday the last Friday of the month for good behavior.
Teach!……oh yeah, that’s the number one tip, right? Teach with your heart and everything else will fall in place.

For more fun and creative ideas, click the above picture to go to my store.

If you are a teacher and you like what you see, please visit often.

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New Year's Resolution Writing Paper

Looking for New Year's Writing Paper? How about trying this one! It's a freebie download compliments of ME. Students will fill in their name at the top. They can then write a few things they would like to improve upon on the outside of the light bulb, sort of spidering out from the shine lines, or they could write words to describe themselves on the outside of the bulb (turn it into an adjective lesson). They would then focus on one resolution/improvement for the inside of the bulb. For example, "I will shine in 2012 by studying for all of my tests. I will remember to take home all my study material." Be creative and use it however you would like. Mount on some colored paper and hang with a cute title card outside your classroom for a creative New Year's display.

If you choose to download this file, please share the sweetness by spreading the word about Classroom Confections on facebook. Thanks.

Click HERE to download this FREE New Year's Resolution Writing Paper.

For more fun and creative ideas, click the above picture to go to my store.

If you are a teacher and you like what you see, please visit often.

Also, please click the facebook link to 'like' us

What the Teacher Wants

I would like to share my newest Featured Teacher blog..... What the Teacher Wants. It's no surprise that this blog is growing like wild fire because they offer such fun and useful ideas for the classroom. The two authors, Natalie and Rachelle, are teachers in Utah. They not only feature their own ideas, but like me, they feature creative ideas by other teachers. Rachelle is making her way to the top of Teachers Pay Teachers with some of her creative themed units, so all of you k-2 teaches, do check out her store by clicking here. You can check out Natalie's store here. One example of a fun activity they recently showcased on their blog is a snow globe art project. I am looking forward to doing this activity with my fourth graders when we return after the holiday break. I will combine it with a writing activity, and they will love it. Check out their blog, as you are sure to become a follower.

For more fun and creative ideas for the classroom, click the above picture to go to my store.

If you are a teacher and you like what you see, please visit often.

Also, please click the facebook link to 'like' us

Christmas Gift Idea

This is my cute little project for the day. I saw some peppermint candy sprinkles at T.J. Maxx (one of my favorite stores), and I just had to get them. I wasn't sure what I would do with them, but then I saw these adorable peppermint wine glasses at Wal-mart and this gift idea just popped into my head. I was needing to make something for my neighbors as a small Christmas treat, and these turned out to be perfect. These would also make perfect co-worker gifts or teacher treats.

The sweet treats inside are just a little recipe I created. Take those little Scooby Doo Bone shaped graham crackers (you can't tell they are bones once dipped in chocolate) and put marshmallow cream between them. Dip them into melted chocolate, and then sprinkle them with peppermint sprinkles. I also did some with white snowflake sprinkles. They end up tasting like little peppermint smores. I then took a piece of tissue paper and scrunched it in the bottom of the glass, placed the cookie treats on top of it, and then shrink wrapped the glass. I finished it off with a bow. Turned out pretty cute!

Send some holiday love by sharing this on facebook.

For more fun and creative ideas for the classroom, click the above picture to go to my store.

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Also, please click the facebook link to 'like' us

Happy New Year Parent Signature Labels

Need tests or other papers returned when kids have a low score? Looking for a parent signature? .... I always ask my parents to sign and return papers with a low score after they have reviewed them with their child. Stickers are an easy way to do this. Just peel and stick! You can get these parent signature labels as a freebie by clicking HERE. These should print perfectly on Avery 8162 labels.

If you choose to download this file, share the love on facebook by spreading the word about Classroom Confections.

For more fun and creative ideas, click the above picture to go to my store.

If you are a teacher and you like what you see, please visit often.

Also, please click the facebook link to 'like' us

New Year's Morning Work Activity

Start saying "Happy New Year!" from the moment your students return from the Christmas break. My students will walk in to find this New Year's morning work packet on their desk. It has easy to read directions, to they will know exactly what to do. There is a different activity for each day of the week. I use this same formatted morning work packet for most holidays, so my kids pretty much know the routine. The packet includes:

Monday: New Year related pictures and students will use each one in a sentence with correct capitalization and punctuation.

Tuesday: finding words within the words Happy New Year and then also finding the value of New Years related words.

Wednesday: writing a short paragraph telling about their favorite Christmas gift. Students always LOVE sharing this. You can have them read this aloud later in the day.

Thursday: writing a paragraph about their New Year's resolution.

Friday: putting 20 New Year's related words into alphabetical order.

Click HERE to get all the information about this New Year's morning work packet.

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