Teaching about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: Upper Elementary to Middle School Resources

Every year the return to school in January is C-R-A-Z-Y!  Despite state testing not taking place until May, it seems like it is a time where we go into uber TEST PREP mode.  In addition to lots of test prep work, I begin a writing piece, start a novel unit, administer DRAs, students are DIBELed, and the list of goes on and on.

One thing I have struggled to focus on minus a You Tube video snippet or a showing of My Friend, Martin, is a true sharing with my students about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  My lack of focus is unintentional, and with some writing time, this year I vowed to not ever let that happen with my instruction.  Because I don't want to slight my students from learning about a significant individual in our American history, I created two separate resources.

The first is a set of 20-informational text task cards spanning his life.  The task cards are common core aligned and cover grades 4-6 RI. 1 and RI 3.  They can be used in a literacy center, as a class scoot, or in small groups.  These are an ideal tool to share with students to learn more about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. while helping students navigate informational text effectively.  Click the image to grab them from my TpT store!

Another resource I created is this reader's theater script.  The text focuses on a group of students doing research in order to present information to the class about the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Your upper elementary to middle school students will love performing this script and will be able to complete reader response questions, context clue word work, journal writing, and an interactive notebook page based on information shared in the selection.  This resource is also common core aligned and covers both reading literature and writing standards-RL.1-4 and W.4 and L.5 for grades 4-8.  Click the image to grab it!

Both of these resources are on sale for $1 each!  I would love for you to incorporate them into your instruction.  Your students will LOVE them!

Keep me posted on any great resources you use when teaching about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

and here's how it went! Unwrap a Party Ball!

What fun did you have with your students this week?  I am a Pinterest fanatic!  I find that any type of inspiration, event, recipe, paint color, birthday idea, house design, bathroom remodel, etc...can be found on this wonderland of a site.  It didn't fail me this week as I was looking for a really fun game to share at my son, Brennan's, holiday classroom party.

I had pinned this a while back, but was waiting to implement it in my classroom or in one of my own kiddo's.  This past weekend, I purchased all of the goodies and put it together.  Because I was shopping with an almost two-year old and five-year old, I was just throwing the materials in my basket.  You can likely save lots of money if you plan ahead and grab the goodies when they are on sale.  Just a tip, Walgreens does not have the cheapest candy or office supplies!

Here is what I used:
4-bags of treats (I chose Laffy Taffy, Smarties, Nerds and candy canes because they are nut-free)
1-bag of bouncy balls
1-bag of holiday erasers
1-box of Saran Wrap
2-rolls of mailing tape (it is sturdy)
-invisible tape to hold treats in place
1-Ring Pop for the center

I started with the Ring Pop and then just kept layering on the Saran Wrap and goodies.  My son claimed that I made it too hard with so much tape, but those kiddos had a blast tearing and pulling.  I stopped when it was about the size of a soccer ball. It took me about 30-minutes from start to finish!

How To Play:

1. Put the kids in a circle on the floor.
2. I used 3-dice as I wanted it to be pretty fast-paced so I kept their attention for the 10-minute game time.
3. I gave the ball to the person with the closest birthday to Christmas.
4. Then the person to their right had the dice.
5. The person with the ball got to tear at it until the dice roller rolled a double.  As soon as a double was rolled, it was passed to the roller.  
6. The dice kept moving and the ball kept passing.
7. I had them roll in a little plastic container so the dice stayed contained.
8. With three dice the chance of rolling doubles was higher, so the game moved quickly keeping everyone's interest.
9. Students got to keep the candy they pulled out and eat at a later time.

Let the fun begin!

Fun was definitely had by all and I would totally do this again!  High-interest and fast-paced.  Perfect for keeping enthusiastic kiddos' attention.

I would love to hear about fun party games in your classroom!  Keep me posted!

Christmas Sales Linky: Day 3! SUPER HOLIDAY FUN!

On the third day of Christmas, I don't want to get up because I know my students are going to be wild and crazy! 

It is going to be an exciting week, for sure!  Grab this Holiday Bundle for $3 and make the week engaging and fun for your students...my holiday season mantra is, "If you can't beat'em, join'em!"  With three reader's theater scripts and fun packs, plus word work, reader response questions, and journaling/writing, your students will be so engaged with learning they might even forget that Christmas is next week!

Here are some other $3 goodies to make your week fly by, sort of!

An InLinkz Link-up

Classroom Party Game! "UNWRAP A PARTY" BALL...

Holiday parties are events that students really look forward to at EVERY age. Even my 6th graders LOVE celebrating holidays with one another throughout the course of the year.  I am one of those teachers that loves to have fun, too!  It can be a bit pricey and time-consuming to coordinate it all, however!

I am ALWAYS on the hunt for new ideas...I have seen this "UNWRAP A PARTY" BALL idea on Pinterest and decided that I HAVE to give this a try.  Because I have the fun task of planning, organizing, and implementing a game at my son's third grade classroom holiday party, I thought this was the perfect time.  So here is a very simple "how-to create" this and I will keep you posted on how it all goes down...

I bought the following items:

• Saran Wrap-200 sq ft.
• Clear Mailing Tape
• clear tape 
• 1-Ring Pop 
• 2-bags of candy (Smarties and Laffy Taffy) due to peanut allergies
• 1-box of candy canes
• 3-bags of holiday erasers and bouncy balls

To CREATE:

1. use Ring Pop for the center/core
2. wrap a layer of Saran Wrap and tape 
3. tape candy or trinkets to the Saran Wrap
4. layer over the candy/trinkets with more Saran Wrap
5. tape over that with the Mailing Tape
6. repeat until you run out of goodies or until your ball is the size of a soccer or basketball

Supplies for creating!

Almost complete!

How to PLAY:

1. Students will sit in a small group.  The student with the birthday closest to Christmas goes first.  Then the game goes in a clock-wise order.
2. The first student will roll a pair of dice.  In order to begin trying to unwrap the ball, the player with the dice must roll doubles.  Once the player with the dice rolls any doubles, he may begin unwrapping the ball.
3. The player may continue trying to unwrap the ball until the next player rolls doubles.  Each treat that is acquired can be kept by the student that unwrapped it.  
4. The ball continues to be passed around and the dice are rolled until the teacher calls time.

I wrapped this things up REALLY well, so it will be pretty challenging to get to each and every layer.  I will keep you posted on how this goes!  Please share any games you love to play with your middle grades to upper elementary students.

Christmas Sales Linky: Day 2!

On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, the best two dollar close reads.

If you are planning on doing test prep after the holidays or could use some resources to spruce up student reading homework, grab this today at $2.

 

Get your students thinking, problem-solving, and writing!

This bundle is ideal for a classroom scoot, independent or small group work, or in a literacy center.

These resources are also perfect gifts for colleagues that teach ELA. Also be sure to check out my holiday reader's theater for just $1.  A great resource to share with rambunctious students that are excited for the holidays.  Keep them working, focused. and engaged this week.

12 Days of Christmas Sales Linky

For the next 12 days I will be featuring different products each day at DEEPLY discounted prices to get you even more in the holiday spirit, or so you can have fantastic resources ready to go when your holiday break is over.  Nothing says, I love you like a good deal, right?!

So stay tuned for the next 12 days to find some AMAZING deals. Day 12 starts with $1 deals, Day 11 will feature $2 deals, Day 10 will feature $3 deals, and so on until Christmas Eve. 

Without further adieu, here goes...On the 1st day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...ALL OF THESE ONE DOLLAR DEALS!

Make planning for the next week SIMPLE!  Click on the image to grab it for $1:

 

Be sure to check back tomorrow to find out what you can snag for just $2.

Click The Primary Gal's image to find more great $1 deals...

Unwrap a Gift Linky Party

I am one who is always in search of the perfect tools to enhance my students' writing skills.  It doesn't get any more fun or easy than this perfect DRAW, WRITE, and SHARE resource.

Draw, Write and Share is writing made EASY...Simply share the prompt, students create an illustration based on the prompt, students write about their illustration following the prompt, and then they share what they have drawn and written to enhance speaking skills.

Here is my Gift to YOU...

Inspiration…
Writing can be a challenge for students no matter what grade. When I did a Photo of the Day prompt for my 6th graders, many of my students thrived. They had an entire story to tell about the image displayed before them. However, with my intervention crew I found that this seemingly “fun” way of writing, was not fun because my very literal thinkers struggled to infer and tell a narrative about the displayed image. This is the RTI resource I created to help my students write based on the image they create FIRST, and then write about when they are finished their illustration. This writing source can be used for Daily 5 writing, in a writing center, as a morning starter, as enrichment/intervention, or as an “I’m finished, now what should I do?” activity.

Materials…
1. Writing Notebook or Writing Binder
2. Draw, write, and share prompt either displayed or printed
3. Loose-leaf paper and copy paper for student work if the Draw, Write, Share is not printed out for students.
4. Colored pencils, markers, or crayons
5. A partner or small group for “Read to Someone” or share time when the Draw, Write, Share is completed.

Directions…
1. Model with your students how to draw, write, and then share.
2. Select the Draw, Write, Share and copy or display for student use.
3. Give students enough time to work~20-40 minutes to complete their writing. Modify time as needed.
4. Evaluate how you see fit. Sample rubrics are shared.

Working on the Flyer for Holiday Prompt #1

Whole Product Contents Include:
Draw, Write, and Share Problem Based Journal product includes:
- (20)-Print and Go Journal Prompts
-(4) Rubrics to evaluate student writing
-A sample prompt to model the process for students
-(42)-pages of journal prompts with drawing space and a journaling paper for quick printing and student use

This product can be utilized in multiple ways...

1. Simply copy the prompt pages and have students cut and glue them to the top of notebook paper. Students can then respond with their illustrations and writing.

2. Print the entire ink-friendly product, hole punch, and place in a three-ring binder or folder for students to utilize as a journal.

3. Use as a whole class, small group, or literacy center writing activity.

4. Use how you see most fit with your students.

Holiday FREEBIE: Two prompts with drawing and journaling pages.

Simply print out the pages for students to read the prompt, create their problem based illustration, and then respond to the prompt.  Or for a page-saver, print out the prompts, and have students tape them to loose-leaf paper.

Copy saving option...

If you are having trouble getting your students to connect with their writing, this is the ideal tool for you to share.

Grab the whole product here...

 

Happy Holidays from my family to yours! 

Click the Primary Gal's image to check out some other AMAZING gifts to make your life easier this December...

What are your children hoping and praying for this Christmas? Black Friday Wish List and Giveaway

So the flyer madness has begun in my household.  Before the mail carrier can even get the toy flyers into our mail slot, he is almost ruffed up and tackled to the ground by my five year old daughter.  OK, I exaggerate a bit, but the girl is nuts for these things.  She gets the booklet from the mailman, races to the kitchen table, busts out her tub of markers, and becomes elated with each toy she circles.  She is almost out of marker ink at this rate!  I have already informed her that there is NO way Santa will be bringing her everything on her FROZEN wishlist.  Baby Jesus didn't need a life-size Elsa doll...

The wishlist for my oldest son is an iPad Air and Beats headphones, holy Moses at 8, the expensive items already get added.   My littlest son has no clue and is very delighted with any Matchbox car he has in his hand and loves the new bell he acquired because he got to put a dollar in the Salvation Army bucket.  My daughter simply needs to relocate to Disney World so she can live with Elsa and Anna, the Frozen sisters. 

Teacher Friends,
I know that this is an especially crazy time of year for you!  You are busy creating the best working environment in your classroom with engaging lessons.  The holidays are coming, so you are doing all you can to get everything in that you have planned to teach before the winter holiday break.  Your students are starting to get just as excited with the anticipation of everything!  In addition, I know you have 60 bazillion things going on outside of school to prepare for...family gifts, travels, meal planning and making, etc.  Your list is endless!  I feel your joy and pain!

I am not one to make a list, but shopping through teacher stores, I have a few things I can't wait to purchase for my classroom as soon as these items go on sale...I am obsessed with all KG Fonts and Tracee Orman knows her Hunger Games Trilogy stuff.  Her units are amazing!  I am not tackling the mailman or furiously circling.  Instead I am just crossing my fingers for a sale!

If you are not into fonts and middle to high school novel units, here are some items that I am thinking you might like.  I will be giving all 4 of these away and will also be planning a sale in the coming days (wink wink)!  As a special gift, I would like to give away this bundle of products...enter the giveaway below.  The giveaway runs from November 24-November 28th!  Enter the Rafflecopter and good luck to you!  Enjoy your Thanksgiving!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I would love for you to share any awesome gift ideas or teacher things that are on your list.  Comment below to share because I may need to update my wishlist!

Head to the Primary Pack and enter to win more goodies...