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BrainyCats Learning

Our store focuses on resources for math, ELA, and US History, for students in grades 4 - 8. Many of the resources are designed for beginning-intermediate level English Language Learners. The goal is to provide resources with simplified language that still allow students to understand grade-level academics.

Our store focuses on resources for math, ELA, and US History, for students in grades 4 - 8. Many of the resources are designed for beginning-intermediate level English Language Learners. The goal is to provide resources with simplified language that still allow students to understand grade-level academics.
Amelia Earhart's Final Flight: Informational Texts and No-Prep Activities for Women's History Month
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Amelia Earhart's Final Flight: Informational Texts and No-Prep Activities for Women's History Month

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This Women's History Month resource contains activities related to Amelia Earhart and her last attempt to circumnavigate the globe. It also addresses the mystery surrounding her disappearance. The activities can be used individually, or as part of a themed unit. The comprehension questions use question stems from the 7th grade STAAR test, making the readings ideal for state testing practice. The pre-reading and idiom activities are especially helpful for English language Learners. Activities included are: Pre-Reading/Amelia Earhart’s Final Flight: Students predict the topic of the reading, and complete the first two columns of a K-W-L chart, as well as an agree-disagree anticipatory set. Pre-teach Vocabulary: Amelia Earhart’s Final Flight: Students use context clues to predict meanings of unfamiliar words, then match the words with the actual meanings. “Amelia Earhart’s Final Flight” Informational Text: A three-page reading about Earhart’s final flight with focused annotation questions in the margins. Final Flight Comprehension Questions: Based on STAAR sentence stems to help students prepare for standardized testing. “What Happened to Amelia Earhart?” In formational Text: Two page informational text with focused annotation questions in the margins. The article describes some of the most popular theories about the disappearance. “What Happened?” Comprehension Questions: Based on STAAR sentence stems to help students prepare for standardized testing. Figurative Language/Flying Idioms: Students use context clues to predict the meanings of idioms using the word “fly”, then match the idiom with the actual meaning. Idiom Task Cards: These eight task cards can be used at a literacy center, or posted around the room for a classroom activity. Two types of answer sheets are provided, one with four individual answer sheets and another complete sheet which requires the student to choose an idiom to use in a sentence and to illustrate the literal and figurative meanings of one of the idioms. Amelia Earhart’s Flight Plan: Students can use Google Earth to explore the path that Earhart took and record the distance between stops. A second sheet is included so they can mark out the path on a map. Amelia’s Accomplishments: Students read a list of Earhart’s accomplishments and write responses based on their own feelings and opinions. Final Flight Word Search: Not only are word searches fun for students, they also help develop cognitive skills, like pattern recognition. In this word search, students hunt for the cities on Amelia Earhart’s final flight plan.
Groundhog Day 2017:  Informational Text and No-Prep Activities
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Groundhog Day 2017: Informational Text and No-Prep Activities

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Groundhog Day 2017 is on February 2. Treat your students to some quick and educational activities to celebrate the day. From an informational text telling about the ancient origins of Groundhog Day to a maze requiring the students to use all four arithmetic operations on two and three- digit numbers, your students will have a chance to review skills and learn some interesting facts along the way. Activities: Informational Text: The Origins of Groundhog Day Comprehension Questions Math Maze: Help the groundhog find his shadow by finding the answers to basic two- and three-digit addition, subtraction, multiplication and division problems. Groundhog Day Word Search Make-a-Word And, don't forget that Super Bowl Sunday is right around the corner!! Super Bowl 2017: Informational Text and No-Prep Activities