TPT Sale!

Sale time! To help you get ready for Back To School, all of my resources are 25% off for two days only. The sale starts August 1st and ends at midnight August 2nd.

Back To School Prepping - Freebie #4

It's Fri-YAY! Today is the fourth and last freebie offering to help you prep for Back to School!

The previous freebies, Teacher Storage Labels and Student Data Sheets, can still be downloaded!

Today, I want to offer you help with prepping your writing units.  When planning, I like to have students complete a pre-assessment or an initial writing sample so I can determine what they already know, what concepts are developing, and what needs to be addressed. I then refer to my curriculum guide to determine what needs to be taught. Through the initial writing samples and the curriculum guide, I create a pacing guide.

The pacing guide is used then to create detailed instructional sessions (lesson plans).  I think about what I want the students to be able to do, how they work towards that goal, and how will I know if they have achieved the concept.

Wow! This is quite a process. To help you think about the possibilities of what to teach, today's freebie shares session topics or lists of important things for students to notice about each mode of writing. In addition, I have supplied a list of mentor texts for each mode of writing. Mentor texts serve to show, not just tell, students how to write well. Mentor texts help learners notice things about an author’s work that is unlike anything they might have done before, and empower them to try something new.

I hope you enjoy today's freebie. To download, please click on the link, Planning Guide with Mentor Texts and Writing Concepts, or the image below. PLEASE leave a comment to let me know if the freebies have been useful!

Back To School Prepping - Freebie #3

School preparation takes a toll on a teacher's summer fun. I want to help you take back your summer.  In the last post, I showed how I organize my students' data folders and offered two freebies.

Due to requests for how I organize my materials, I have focused this post on the organization of my teaching material. Organizing my materials took a long time as I wrestled with container size, labelling, and organizing my materials within the container for quick retrieval.  

I finally settled on the Sterilite 38 L container pictured below. The container holds:

1. Binders - which are tabbed per session. Each session includes a daily overview and materials for the minilesson, individual task, and group share. Each detailed session plan is stored digitally, so I do not file a print copy.
2. Hanging File Folders - which are labelled per big curricular outcome. In each folder, I place games and other station materials related to that outcome.
3. Books - which are picture books that I use as mentor texts in sessions.

I affix a label to the outside of the container using a self-laminating photo sheet. The sheets can be purchases through Amazon, but I often find them at the local Dollar Store.

Today's freebie are the labels I affix to my containers. I have added my math labels, as well as my holiday labels. Click on the link or the image below to grab your freebie. PLEASE post your feedback regarding this freebie! Thank you!

Back to School Prepping - Freebie #1 and #2

Prepping for back to school is TIME-CONSUMING! I want to help!

During the next week, I will offer FREE things that will make back to school easier and allow more time during the summer to relax and soak up the sun.

Assessment Folder

Consider prepping your assessment data sheets prior to school opening.

I have a hanging folder for each student and then I place their data sheets in the folder using a two inch binder ring. This allows me to add data during interviews, conferences, or reports from outside agencies quickly and easily.

Each student folder has the following components:

1. Cover - which the students colour and label with their name
2. Word Work Section
   - Morrison McCall Data Sheet
   - Dolch Word Recording Sheet
3. Reading
   - Fountas and Pinnell Recording Sheet
   - Reading Snapshot - Comprehension
   - Reading Snapshot - Fluency
   - Fluency Recording Sheet
4. Writing
   - Writing Snapshot
   - Writing Checklist - Narrative
   - Writing Checklist - Informational
   - Writing Checklist - Persuasive
5. Mathematics
   - Diagnostic Testing Recording Sheet
   - Fact Fluency Data Sheet

Grab today's freebies by clicking on the link or the image - Fountas and Pinnell Recording Sheet and Morrison McCall Data Sheet.  PLEASE leave a comment about the freebies! I hope these freebies are helpful!

Personal Narrative Task Cards

Task Cards can be used in a variety of ways! Task Cards can be used as a review of ELA skills and strategies, part of literacy centres or stations, or whole group activities.

I created the Personal Narrative Task Cards will help students reflect on their writing to ensure it is rich in details, develops story structure, and provides readers with a valuable lesson or insight. The Task Cards ask the students to reflect on their narrative drafts, examine mentor texts, and incorporate peers' feedback to enrich their craft.

My students like task cards because the activity allows choice. I have outlined four ways the Task Cards can be used in the classroom:

1. Whole Group Activity - Place a task card on the document camera to facilitate discussion. Whiteboards can be used as a recording device.
2. Centres or Stations - Print and laminate the cards. Allows students to choose a card of interest.
3. Pair Work - Students work collaboratively to respond to a task card. The pairs can discuss their answers together.
4. Exit Slip - Students take a card and respond. Their response serves as an informal assessment of conceptual understandings.

My Personal Narrative Task Cards examine the following narrative elements:

• Setting and Leads - Cards 1-4
• Story Structure - Cards 5-8
• Characterization - Cards 9-12
• Theme and Endings - Cards 12 - 16

My Personal Narrative Task Cards resource also includes:

• Suggested ways to use the Task Cards in the classroom
• Tenets of narrative writing
• 16 Task Cards (which can be printed in colour or black and white)
• Student Recording Sheet