What is Poetry - an introduction to any Poetry Unit. Start off your poetry unit by asking What is Poetry? and What is a Poet? On the handout provided, students will read what T.S. Eliot had to say about it, and then come up with their own answers. Also included in this file are several pages of introductory materials a teacher can use to start students thinking about poetry. - HappyEdugator

Persuasive Writing Prompt and Task with Standards Based Rubric. Writing an argument. Practice for students in middle school or beyond. Includes writing prompt and the standards-based rubric. Suggested lesson, Give out the rubric first and discuss, so students will know what is expected and strive for excellence. Then give them the writing prompt and let them work on the writing process. Supports common core standards. - HappyEdugator CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1a Introduce claim(s) and organize the reasons and evidence clearly. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1b Support claim(s) with clear reasons and relevant evidence, using credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1c Use words, phrases, and clauses to clarify the relationships among claim(s) and reasons. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1d Establish and maintain a formal style. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1e Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from the argument presented. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1a Introduce claim(s), acknowledge alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1b Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1c Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), reasons, and evidence. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1d Establish and maintain a formal style. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1e Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.1a Introduce claim(s), acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.1b Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.1c Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.1d Establish and maintain a formal style. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.1e Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.

eading - Author's Purpose Activity Handout. This reading activity handout explains author's purpose (to inform, to persuade, and to entertain) and gives students six different author's purpose reading selections they need to identify. Key is included. - HappyEdugator

Parts of Speech: The Eight Parts of Speech quiz. Three different parts. Part A - This is a short fill in the blank quiz on the eight parts of speech. Students have to write the part of speech that matches the definition. Part B - Students have to identify nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs in sentences. Part C - Students have to identify pronouns, prepositions, conjunctions and interjections in sentences. Use one, or all three. Simple and easy to grade. - HappyEdugator

Human Body Systems Study Guide. A set of seven handouts for the study of different human body systems. Includes handouts on the nervous system, the digestive system, the circulatory system, the respiratory system, muscular and skeletal system, the integumentary system, and the immune system. Use this resource as a supplemental study guide for your unit. - HappyEdugator

Poetry - Five Senses Poem. Handout, brainstorming pages, and final poem publishing page. Help students get started using sensory language and begin writing poetry using vivid imagery. Guides students with a format for writing a poem using their senses. Examples will get them thinking. You will be amazed at some of the original and creative poems you can get students to write using this format. - HappyEdugator

Character Project and Adjectives List. Students create a fiction character for a new story. They must use 10+ adjectives from the provided list to create traits and an interesting personality for their character, and write detailed sentences to describe. Students will also make a drawing to describe what their character looks like. Included is the project handout with directions, an adjective list, and a writing checklist. The adjective list and writing checklist are also useful for any creative writing activity. Great to help students develop a character which they later introduce in a narrative. Supports common core! - HappyEdugator

Writing an Advice Column - Writing Assignment and Rubric. This is a writing assignment where the student has to pretend to be a newspaper advice columnist and respond to a reader's question. A word bank of suggested words will help the writer get started on offering ideas and advice to the reader to help solve their problem. You will get two pages. The first is the student assignment sheet and the second is a rubric for grading guidelines. - HappyEdugator

Strategies for Teaching Different Learning Styles PowerPoint. Useful strategies and activities for different learning styles. Animated and colorful slides. There are several theories related to learning styles and multiple intelligences. Effective teachers consider their students' learning styles and use strategies adapted to their students' individual needs. Here are many different strategies to use for the different learning styles and multiple intelligences. For example, includes specific strategies and a list of activities for visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners.

Biography Research Project using We Didn't Start the Fire by Billy Joel. Students choose from people in the lyrics to research and then write a biography. Includes instructions for the teacher with a link to the video on teachertube, lyrics, handout on late 20th century peacemakers or controversial figures, assignment handout and rubric. This really got my students using the writing process, research skills, and writing without plagiarism. I was very happy with the results I got this year from my average students! They were very motivated. - HappyEdugator

Reading Test Prep. Reading comprehension practice using an excerpt from the short story The Corrector of Destinies by Edward Wellen. Includes excerpt of story, vocabulary fill-in the blank activity, graphic organizer for story elements, and 12 multiple choice questions about the story setting, characters, plot, author's purpose, theme, and figurative language. Questions support standards tested on standardized tests. Supports the rigor required of common core. Can be done independently or as guided practice. Good for a substitute activity as well. Key included. Grades 7 - 12. - HappyEdugator

Margaret Thatcher - The Iron Lady PowerPoint. A biography of some of the highlights of the life of Margaret Thatcher, her childhood, her schooling, her rise to leadership, and her accomplishments as the first woman to become British Prime Minister, her family, her friendship with Ronald Reagan, the Falklands War, and famous quotes. Good for Women's History Month. 27 slides. Print out the slides with quotes to also make nice posters for your room! - HappyEdugator

Characterization Handout - Making Characters Memorable. Helps students with characterization in their narrative writing. It outlines what good writers should consider in order to introduce characters and bring them to life. What do readers want to see in a character? Is the story plot driven or character driven? What are the internal and external character traits? Who is the antagonist and protagonist? Are both vital to the story? What are the conflicts, internal and external? Have students use this handout as a guide when creating a character sketch or in reading to evaluate how an author uses characterization. Includes a sheet for students to use to brainstorm internal and external character attributes for a character they want to create.

Allergies: Anaphylaxis PowerPoint describes a severe allergic reaction which is life threatening, causes, symptoms, and emergency treatment, including how to use and administer an epi-pen. When going back to school, teachers should know this in case of an emergency with a student who has a severe allergy. A good tool for a health class. Includes a sign that can be used to place on a peanut safe table in the cafeteria.

Noun Clauses PowerPoint. What is a noun clause? What is the differentce between a phrase and a clause? This is a short 8 slide practice Powerpoint on noun clauses. Students will learn how noun clauses are dependent or subordinate clauses, and signal words to look for when identifying noun clauses. Explains how noun clauses can act as a subject in a sentence, or as a direct object. Practice sentences for students to work with. Key is on the last slide. Updated July 2015. - HappyEdugator

Past verb tenses PowerPoint. More than 30 slides on the four past tenses students often get confused: the past, the past progressive, the past perfect, and the past perfect progressive. Grammar rules are given for each tense, with plenty of examples for positive statements, negative statements and questions. Sound and animation added to keep it lively. Best used in chunks.

Halloween Quiz. This simple and fun quiz about Halloween will test your students knowledge of some basic Halloween vocabulary and traditions. Students can fill in the blanks from the word bank. Pair and share, write a story with the words from the word bank, and color the Jack O Lantern afterwards. You can also cut out the word bank if you wish, and make a game for kids to "win" it! Included are word bank cards, a monster for early finishers to color, a key and a reward cut out for completing it correctly! - HappyEdugator

Halloween Spooky Songs - Twelve Fun and Easy Songs to Sing. Halloween collection of fun little songs sung to familiar tunes like Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Kids love to sing these Halloween tunes and sometimes get creative adding new verses. Have fun and don't let them scare you. Happy Halloween! BOO! - HappyEdugator

Vocabulary Builder - Pump Up Your Vocabulary in Ten Easy Steps PowerPoint. Going back to school? Give students vocabulary strategies that will help them build a strong vocabulary for reading and writing. Interactive PowerPoint lesson. Ten vocabulary builders. The ten steps for building vocabulary include: Pronounce words correctly Use a dictionary Use a thesaurus Make word cards Use mnemonics Use context clues Distinguish between multiple-meaning words Learn word origins Study word parts and Distinguish connotation and denotation 33 slides with activities for practice and answers. Materials required: a dictionary for each student or group of students, and 4 index cards for each student.

Grammar Task Cards - Language Detective. Includes 4 sets of 12 task cards. Each card has a sentence with an error. Students must figure out what is wrong with the sentence, and mark it on their answer sheet. Answer keys for each set. Skills covered: Capitalization, Usage, Punctuation, and Spelling. Fun way to practice for standardized tests. Teacher Directions and Set Up: Cut out and print the four card sets on cardstock.. You may wish to laminate for durability. Print out the answer strips so that you have enough for each student. You may wish to make them double-sided to save paper. Print out at least one copy each of the answer keys. Cards sets may be used in a variety of ways. You may wish to put them in centers, and switch out the sets for four different days. They can also be distributed to four different groups as a group activity. Answer keys can be used for self- checking. Sets can be rotated to different groups. You can also use these cards for whole class games like Scoot, or Around the World.