I am currently a 2nd grade teacher at a public school in Arkansas, with 7 years of teaching experience. I hold a Master's Degree in Elementary Education, and am certified for P-8. I also hold a P-12 certification in ESL. I have taught 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th grade.
My teaching specialties are reading, science, and technology, although I love every subject. I am a computer programmer, and absolutely LOVE using the flipped classroom technique and new technology in my classroom.
I am currently a 2nd grade teacher at a public school in Arkansas, with 7 years of teaching experience. I hold a Master's Degree in Elementary Education, and am certified for P-8. I also hold a P-12 certification in ESL. I have taught 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th grade.
My teaching specialties are reading, science, and technology, although I love every subject. I am a computer programmer, and absolutely LOVE using the flipped classroom technique and new technology in my classroom.
Bridges: A Nonfiction Close Reading Activity is a nonfiction passage describing the four main traditional types of bridges. Beam bridges, arch bridges, trestle or truss bridges, and suspension bridges are introduced in the passage. Images are included for each bridge throughout the reading. This passage is designed in such a way that students should be able to analyze the text and respond to testing-style questions without having prior knowledge of the engineering or history of bridges. This close reading activity is perfect for both PARCC practice and the STEM or STEAM classroom.
Designed for 5th and 6th grade students, this close reading activity has students focus first on reading the technical excerpt multiple times while searching for unknown words, new concepts, and key points. Then, the students answer questions ranging from Knowledge to Synthesis on Bloom's Taxonomy.
The nature of close reading, as well as the passage and questions lend this activity to Standardized Test Practice as well. The questions and activities are designed to help students practice analyzing a difficult, technical nonfiction text and respond to a variety of questions in preparation for similar techniques used in ACT Aspire and PARCC testing. Close reading is a strategy that is encouraged through Common Core, best completed with short passages such as the one provided here.
These Halloween-theme multi-step story problem task cards are sure to please during the month of October! Each card is designed to help students practice CCSS 4.OA.A.3 "Use the four operations with whole numbers to solve problems." There are 30 cards with Halloween-themed word problems, ranging from 2-step to 4-step questions. The questions use a variety of strategies in different combinations, but all four operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) are required in order to solve all of the questions.
These task cards work well for independent or early-finisher work, small group work, assessments, and more! Students have the ability to self-check their answers by using the provided answer key.
Included:
* 30 full-color task cards with Halloween-themed story problems
* 2 full-color blank task cards
* 1 full-color recording sheet
* 1 full-color answer sheet
* All items above in grayscale
1 FULL week of August's Daily Reading Comprehension is FREE forever with this download. Enjoy 1 week of daily reading comprehension worksheets for 5th grade. Thinking of buying a full month (or more) of daily reading comprehension activities? Check this out and give it a try in your classroom before you commit!
This week-long activity is a fictional story about going back to school. Written on a 5th grade reading level, it is perfect for daily morning work or homework.
Great for standardized test prep, these passages have the feel and re-reading of a close read with more structure. Questions are grouped by type so that students focus on one main skill a day.
Monday - students read the passage and answer questions about main idea, theme, and the general form of the text.
Tuesday - students re-read the passage and answer multiple choice, standardized-test styled questions.
Wednesday - students re-read the passage and answer character or setting questions about the text.
Thursday - students re-read the passage and answer GUM (Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics) questions about the text.
Friday - students re-read the passage and answer short-answer, written response questions about the text.
Text is in American English.
Order of Operations Madness is a set of 2 worksheets that allow your students to practice Order of Operations using basketball brackets to increase their interest level. Students will enjoy using these worksheets to track numbers like their very own fantasy football teams, to find the winning number!
Included are both color and black and white copies of:
A PEMDAS reminder chart
A 16-team bracket worksheet
An 8-team bracket worksheet
Answer sheets for both
Meets Common Core State Standards:
CCSS.Math.Content.4.OA.A.3 Solve multistep word problems posed with whole numbers and having whole-number answers using the four operations.
CCSS.Math.Content.5.OA.A.1 Use parentheses, brackets, or braces in numerical expressions, and evaluate expressions with these symbols
CCSS.Math.Content.5.OA.A.2 Write simple expressions that record calculations with numbers, and interpret numerical expressions without evaluating them. For example, express the calculation “add 8 and 7, then multiply by 2” as 2 × (8 + 7). Recognize that 3 × (18932 + 921) is three times as large as 18932 + 921, without having to calculate the indicated sum or product.
30 Pirate Themed Story Word Task Cards for Ratios and Proportional Relationships. These 30 Task Cards are designed to help students practice critical thinking with ratios and proportional relationships in pseudo-real life problems. The pirate theme is fun and engaging for students, but has been kept school-friendly for a wide variety of schools. There is mention of cannons/cannonballs, but no mention of guns or alcohol have been used in these task cards.
These task cards match Common Core State Standards (CCSS) 6.RP.A.1, 6.RP.A.2, 6.lRP.A.3 and 7.lRP.A.2.
These task cards are perfect for math centers, small groups, and whole group activities such as Scoot. Their self-checking and straightforward nature make them ideal for ESL/ELL students of all ages.
Included are:
*30 full-color pirate themed task cards for ratios & proportional relationships
*1 full-color blank answer sheet for student use
*2 full-color blank task cards for your use
*1 full-color answer sheet with answers
*All of the above in grayscale for black & white printers
These Thanksgiving-themed fraction and percent story problem task cards are sure to please during the month of November! Each card is designed to help students practice Common Core standards for Numbers and Operations-Fractions for grades 4 and 5. There are 25 cards with Thanksgiving-themed word problems, ranging from 1 to 3-step questions dealing with fractions and percentages. The questions use a variety of strategies in different combinations, but all four operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) are required in order to solve all of the questions.
These task cards work well for independent or early-finisher work, small group work, assessments, and more! Students have the ability to self-check their answers by using the provided answer key.
Included:
* 25 full-color task cards with Thanksgiving-themed story problems
* 3 full-color blank task cards
* 1 full-color recording sheet
* 1 full-color answer sheet
* All items above in grayscale
These Back to School Task Cards are a perfect Common Core State Standards pretest for 4th graders, or a great review for 5th graders. Find out quickly which of the math standards your students still need work on with these cards, which cover the entire 4th grade year of CCSS Math Standards.
These task cards work well for independent or early-finisher work, small group work, assessments, and more! Students have the ability to self-check their answers by using the provided answer key.
Included:
* 28 full-color task cards
* 4 full-color blank task cards
* 1 full-color recording sheet
* 1 full-color answer sheet
* All items above in grayscale
Each question lists the standard at the bottom for your quick reference on what your students still need to work on!
Standards covered:
4.OA.A.2
4.OA.A.3
4.OA.B.4
4.NBT.A.2
4.NBT.A.3
4.NBT.B.4
4.NBT.B.5
4.NBT.B.6
4.NF.A.2
4.NF.B.3
4.NF.B.4
4.NF.C.6
4.MD.A.1
4.MD.A.2
4.MD.A.3
4.MD.C.7
4.G.A.1
4.G.A.2
(c) Elements of Elementary, 2014
This product is not sponsored by or affiliated with the national Common Core State Standards, but provides questions that can help you to assess your students' grasp of these standards.
These Back to School Task Cards are a perfect Common Core State Standards pretest for 3rd graders, or a great review for 4th graders. Find out quickly which of the math standards your students still need work on with these cards, which cover the entire 3rd grade year of CCSS Math Standards.
These task cards work well for independent or early-finisher work, small group work, assessments, and more! Students have the ability to self-check their answers by using the provided answer key.
Included:
* 25 full-color task cards
* 3 full-color blank task cards
* 1 full-color recording sheet
* 1 full-color answer sheet
* All items above in grayscale
Each question lists the standard at the bottom for your quick reference on what your students still need to work on!
Standards covered:
3.OA.A.3
3.OA.A.4
3.NBT.A.1
3.NBT.A.2
3.NBT.A.3
3.NF.A.2
3.NF.A.3
3.MD.A.1
3.MD.B.3
3.MD.C.6
3.MD.C.7
3.MD.D.8
3.G.A.2
This product is not sponsored by or affiliated with the national Common Core State Standards, but provides questions that can help you to assess your students' grasp of these standards
32 Animal-Print Task Cards designed to practice recognition and identification of nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.
**NOTE--For this activity, I have specifically not counted "a, an, & the" as adjectives. This is not taught in all schools at this level, and might become too confusing for students. If you teach "a, an, & the" as adjectives, you can simply add those to the answer sheet for your students.**
These task cards are perfect for literacy center, small groups, and whole group activities such as Scoot. Their self-checking and straightforward nature make them ideal for ESL/ELL students of all ages.
Included are:
*32 full-color animal print task cards (8 each of nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs)
*1 full-color blank answer sheet for student use
*1 full-color sheet of blank task cards for your use
*1 full-color answer sheet with answers
*All of the above in grayscale for black & white printers
These Christmas-themed multiplication story problem task cards are sure to please during the month of December! Each card is designed to help students practice Common Core standards for Operations and Algebraic Thinking for 3rd Grade. There are 28 cards with Christmas-themed word problems requiring one and two-step multiplication up to 12 x 12.
These task cards work well for independent or early-finisher work, small group work, assessments, and more! Students have the ability to self-check their answers by using the provided answer key.
Included:
* 28 full-color task cards with Christmas-themed story problems
* 4 full-color blank task cards
* 1 full-color recording sheet
* 1 full-color answer sheet
* All items above in grayscale
25 Task Cards for Unit Conversion - These 25 Task Cards are designed to help students practice critical thinking with unit conversion in pseudo real-life problems. Story problems and direct conversion questions have been included in this set. 9 cards are direct questions that student simply solve the unit conversion for. The remaining 16 cards are one and two-part story problems.
All conversions are within the same measurement system. Standard and Metric units are included, with questions for capacity, length, and weight.
These task cards match Common Core State Standards (CCSS) 4.MD.A.1, 4.MD.A.2, 5.MD.A.1
These task cards are perfect for math centers, small groups, and whole group activities such as Scoot. Their self-checking and straightforward nature make them ideal for ESL/ELL students of all ages.
Included are:
*25 full-color unit conversion task cards
*1 full-color blank answer sheet for student use
*3 full-color blank task cards for your use
*1 full-color answer sheet with answers
*All of the above in grayscale for black & white printers
Got boys that love sports but hate to read??
Here's a non-fiction passage about the history of basketball sure to get them geared up to try out the original rules at recess, while giving you an awesome assessment of their close reading skills!
"The History of Basketball: A Non-Fiction Close Read for 4th-6th Grade" is a close reading passage and questions designed to engage students in close reading, reading comprehension strategies by presenting a non-fiction sports-based passage. Students who love sports will enjoy this article on the origin of Basketball, reviewing the original rules of Basketball, and having the opportunity to create their own game and rules with a partner. The nature of close reading, as well as the passage and questions lend this activity to Standardized Test Practice as well. The reading passage is written on a beginning-of-the-year 6th grade Reading Level. This makes the passage ideal for 4th and 5th grade students, because the nature of the assignment leads them to read closely for a greater understanding of a more difficult text. It is also ideal for 6th graders who need practice focusing on reading comprehension and question-answering strategies.
Close reading is a strategy that is encouraged through Common Core, best completed with short passages such as the one provided here. The seven questions range from basic knowledge to inference.
A Face for a Pumpkin-that's what Corey wants to make when he gets home! In this close reading activity written on a middle-year 3rd grade level, Corey fails to make a jack o' lantern until his dad walks him through the steps. This is a fun fictional read that gets students to look closely at "how-to" writing. In the end, after studying the text for key words and transitions and answering questions, students are asked to write their own how-to passage.
A fun Halloween or Fall activity, this close read is all about jack-o-lanterns and "how to" writing. If you have students who do not celebrate Halloween, or if you school does not celebrate Halloween, this activity is perfect for you! The word "Halloween" is not included in the passage or questions, and other related concepts such as trick-or-treating are not mentioned as well.
Designed for students to first read independently and then again with a partner, this activity encourages students to reread text, while teaching them strategies for close reading.
The nature of close reading, as well as the passage and questions lend this activity to Standardized Test Practice. This specific close read was created with Standardized Test Prep in mind, and the questions have the look and feel of Benchmark/SAT 9 test questions. The reading passage is written on a middle of the year 3rd grade Reading Level, which makes the passage ideal for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students. They can focus on reading closely and paying attention to the text, without getting stuck by too difficult concepts and words.
Close reading is a strategy that is encouraged through Common Core, best completed with short passages such as the one provided here.
The Perfect Christmas Tree: A Winter Close Read is the fictional story of a boy who starts out with a detailed list on how to choose the perfect tree. As the story unfolds, Charles learns the importance of understanding and using lists and rules when making decisions. Designed for 4th and 5th grade students, this close reading activity has students focus first on reading the story multiple times while searching for unknown words, literary devices, and key points. Then, the students answer questions ranging from Knowledge to Synthesis on Bloom's Taxonomy.
This close reading passage has a Lexile level of 610L.
The nature of close reading, as well as the passage and questions lend this activity to Standardized Test Practice as well. Close reading is a strategy that is encouraged through Common Core, best completed with short passages such as the one provided here.
2 Close Reading Activities in one!
This set contains 2 fictional Back To School themed close reading activities for 3rd-5th grade students. The first passage is titled "Back To School", and the second is titled "How I Spent My Summer Vacation."
Back to School:
Sally and Jordan learn that there is nothing to be scared of when going back to school in this fictional short reading activity.
"Back to School: A Fictional Close Read for 3rd-5th Grade" is a close reading passage and questions designed to teach students reading comprehension and text analysis strategies. The nature of close reading, as well as the passage and questions lend this activity to Standardized Test Practice as well. The reading passage is written on an end-of-the-year 3rd grade Reading Level. This makes the passage ideal for 4th and 5th grade students at back to school time, either as review of close reading strategies, or as a first close reading activity.
James discovers that his summer vacation really wasn't that boring as he writes his classic beginning of the year essay, "How I Spent My Summer Vacation."
How I Spent My Summer Vacation:
"How I Spent My Summer Vacation: A Fictional Close Read for 3rd-5th Grade" is a close reading passage and questions designed to teach students reading comprehension and text analysis strategies. The nature of close reading, as well as the passage and questions lend this activity to Standardized Test Practice. The reading passage is written on an end-of-the-year 4th grade Reading Level. This makes the passage ideal for 4th and 5th grade students at back to school time, either as review of close reading strategies, or as a first close reading activity.
Pardon Me! A Turkey's Story is a fictional Thanksgiving-based close reading activity that tells the story of the White House turkey pardoning tradition from the eyes of Pumpkin the turkey. Designed for 4th and 5th grade students, this close reading activity has students focus first on reading the story multiple times while searching for unknown words, literary devices, and key points. Then, the students answer questions ranging from Knowledge to Synthesis on Bloom's Taxonomy.
This close reading passage has a Lexile level of 710L.
The nature of close reading, as well as the passage and questions lend this activity to Standardized Test Practice as well. Close reading is a strategy that is encouraged through Common Core, best completed with short passages such as the one provided here.
"Columbus Day: A Close Read for 4th-6th Grade" is a close reading passage and questions designed to teach students about the national holiday Columbus Day, while also teaching reading comprehension and strategies. Students will learn a little about why we celebrate Columbus Day in America, and why Columbus is an important historical figure. The nature of close reading, as well as the passage and questions lend this activity to Standardized Test Practice as well. The reading passage is written on an end-of-the-year 5th grade Reading Level. This makes the passage ideal for 4th and 5th grade students, because the nature of the assignment leads them to read closely for a greater understanding of a more difficult text. Within the passage, Columbus Day is presented in a non-fiction format.
Close reading is a strategy that is encouraged through Common Core, best completed with short passages such as the one provided here. The seven questions range from basic knowledge to inference.
Two fictional close reading activities have been combined for use in your classroom.
The Camping Trip: A Fictional Close Reading Activity contains a fictional passage about two friends who go camping and meet an unexpected creature.
The Lighthouse: A Fictional Close Reading Activity is the fictional story of a man who is struggling with the idea of his traditional lighthouse being replaced by a computerized, electric lighthouse.
Designed for 4th and 5th grade students, these close reading activities have students focus first on reading the story multiple times while searching for unknown words, literary devices, and key points. Then, the students answer questions ranging from Knowledge to Synthesis on Bloom's Taxonomy.
The nature of close reading, as well as the passage and questions lend these activities to Standardized Test Practice as well. Designed to help students with ACT Aspire and PARCC practice, I have tried to create a variety of lengths, topics, and levels of difficulty in my close reading activities. This passage is a longer fictional passage, with 4 pages of double-spaced text.
Jack is working for his father, setting up an asteroid for mining in this fictional outer space close read sure to grab the attention of boys (and girls!) and reluctant readers!
The Sky's The Limit-at least, that's what this astronaut's mother always told him! This close read is only one page long, perfect for shorter class periods or lots of class discussion or modeling. Written on a 5th grade level, the passage is written so that the questions and reading instructions have students focusing on word choice, repeated phrases, and author's meaning.
"Jack's Asteroid Adventure" and "The Sky's the Limit" are close reading passage and questions designed to teach students reading comprehension and text analysis strategies. Designed for students to first read independently and then again with a partner, these activities encourage students to reread text, while teaching them strategies for close reading. The nature of close reading, as well as the passage and questions lend this activity to Standardized Test Practice. The reading passages are written on a middle-of-the-year 4th grade Reading Level. This makes the passage ideal for 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students, as 3rd grade students can focus on reading closely with harder texts, and 5th grade students can focus on making sure to read simple texts closely.
Close reading is a strategy that is encouraged through Common Core, best completed with short passages such as the one provided here. The seven questions in each activity range from basic knowledge to inference.
This Fiction Close Reading Activities Bundle contains ALL of the fiction close reading activities from my store. As new fictional close reading activities are added to my store, they will be added to this bundle. When new items are added, the price of this bundle will increase as well, although it will always be a discount over purchasing each close read individually. If you purchase this bundle now, all new updates with new close reads will be available to you, free, with a re-download from your My Resources page.
The sooner you purchase the bundle, the better the price! Currently, the discount is at 17%.
9 close reading activities are currently included in this download, ready to print and go!
These close reading activities have students focus first on reading the passage multiple times while searching for unknown words, new concepts, and key points. Then, the students answer questions ranging from Knowledge to Synthesis on Bloom's Taxonomy.
The nature of close reading, as well as the passage and questions lend this activity to Standardized Test Practice as well. The questions and activities are designed to help students practice analyzing a difficult, technical nonfiction text and respond to a variety of questions in preparation for similar techniques used in ACT Aspire and PARCC testing, as well as on the SATs. Close reading is a strategy that is encouraged through Common Core and most state standards, and is best completed with short passages such as the ones provided here.
Files currently included (Some are in sets of 2):
* A Face for a Pumpkin
* Back To School - How I Spent My Summer Vacation & Back to School
* The Lighthouse & The Camping Trip
*Pardon Me! A Turkey's Story
*The Perfect Christmas Tree
*Space: Jack's Asteroid Adventure & The Sky's the Limit
