Game Board Fun

One of today's tutoring session goals was to review multiplication facts, so we played a multiplication board game! 

We ended up needing Cheerios to help us solve some of our multiplication problems. :) 

Quick Language Arts Activities

Tic-Tac-Toe Reading Comprehension

   Write a series of comprehension questions/activities on a "tic-tac-toe" board and then allow students to choose the order they want to complete them (you can also complete a Think Dot sheet - shown below- which allows students to choose the order in which they complete the questions/activities). Students can use Post-Its, note cards, or their reading journal to complete the activities. This is also good for small group work. It can become a game or an on-going project.

Think Dot Reading Comprehension

 

Reading Cubes

 Reading cubes can be bought or created. You can also use writing cubes. It allows choice and is a little more fun than the traditional discussion/worksheet. Get the template for cubes here: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Blank-Cube-Template-419002

Text Features Bingo

 Text Features Bingo 
    You can do this two ways.
 1. Have students fill in the spaces with various text features, which have already been reviewed in class.
2. Create premade text feature bingo boards using a bingo generator (like this one: http://print-bingo.com/)

As students read a nonfiction text (or as the teacher/tutor reads aloud) they mark text features they come across until they reach BINGO). It becomes a competition and students love it! The one stipulation I add, is students have to explain how the text features assist them in understanding the text. 

 

Practice spelling/word study words through word searches. They have to practice the spelling and it is a lot more fun than three time each. You can use graph paper or notebook paper. You can even have students create them for each other OR create one for homework and then solve it in class (now they have practiced their words twice). 

Nonfiction Text Features

Nonfiction text is definitely a struggle for many of my students both in and out of the classroom, so below are a few things to make it more fun! :)

Check out this free resource from Really Good Stuff: http://page.reallygoodstuff.com/pdfs/157556.pdf

It has a couple different activities, my favorite being the BINGO!

 Have students (or your child) create a nonfiction text feature booklet, using the resources around the house (magazines, newspapers, old books). Check out this resource here: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Text-Features-Booklet-Project-1313784

 

 For more nonfiction text feature resources click below!

Guided Reading or Independent Reading Activity 

Text Feature Summative Assessment

PRINT THE PICTURE BELOW :)

Ready for summer learning?

I am sure the "I'm bored" statements have already begun in thousands of households around the country. Luckily, there is always something they can learn or skills they can improve upon during summer. Let's look at a couple ways to make reading fun this summer!

Comprehension cubes!

Want to make these with your kiddos this summer?Go to my TPT store!




















Create a game board where your students can make progress by answering questions about their book! Bonus: They can move two spaces every time they finish a new book. Who will reach the finish line first?!


Click here for the FREE board game template!


Here are some questions you could make on your game cards (note: just use index cards):

Within the Text Questions
Fiction	Non-Fiction
What was the story about?	What did you learn about _________ (the topic)?
What was ____________’s problem in the story?	What are some of the important facts you read about?
What did __________ do to try and solve the problem?	What did you learn from the picture/photograph/chart/etc?
Summarize the main events in the story.	Give an example of a word from the glossary. (Located at back of book)
Tell some things the characters like to do.	What were the important points made in the text?

Beyond the Text
Fiction	Non-Fiction
Why did the character ___________?	What is so important about ____________?
How would you describe the character?	What information does the photograph/heading give you?
How did the character’s feelings change and why?	What was the most important idea in this text?
What was surprising to you in the story?	Why do you think the author wanted to tell you about ____________?
Does this story remind you of anything?	Does this text remind you of anything else?

About the Text
Fiction	Non-Fiction
Is this a good title for the piece?  Why or why not?	Is this a good title for the piece?  Why or why not?
What did the character(s) learn?	Look at the sections and read the headings.  Do you think this was a good way to organize the information?  Why/why not?
What was the most important part of the story?  Why?	How did the author make this text interesting?
How did the author start and end the story?  Why did he/she do that?	Look in the text to find some powerful descriptive words.  Explain what they mean and why the writer chose to use them.
Why did the author write this?	Why do you think the author wrote this text?

What a teacher does on a sick day . . .

What a teacher does on a sick day . . . 

1. Email page long sub plans and script to make sure students learn EXACTLY what you had planned (laugh all you want, you know you've thought about doing it too).
2. Email plans to all of your coworkers and send them a text in case they all of a sudden forgot how to use email. . . 

3. Check email twice to make sure no parents are mad that you actually get sick.
4. Go back to texting coworkers...

 5. Organize digital files on Dropbox
6. Take medicine
7. Flip around channels
8. Feel useless
9. Grade papers
10. Enter grades

. . . Let's face it teachers and mothers don't take real sick days.