Breaking Down the Basics
520 Followers
Montgomery, Alabama, United States
About the store
Teaching is not a solo adventure! We need each other and have so much to learn from each other. Since I opened my TPT store in 2017, my mission has been to share the kinds of organizational and instructional resources that have worked for me and I hope they can help you too!
Since August 2012, I have taught learners at the middle school and high school level. The majority of my career has been in a self-contained special education classroom for students with severe disabilities.
Before I became a teacher, I spent a year as a paraprofessional in a preschool classroom for kids with autism. While I had always been drawn to this field, that year cemented my desire to pursue this professionally.
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Main Idea Task Cards with Real Pictures {Set 1}
This product contains: • 40 task cards to practice identifying the main idea of a picture • Bag labels for each set For more practice with finding the main idea, check out: Main Idea Task Cards with Real Pictures {Set 2}Main Idea Task Cards with Real Pictures {Set 3}Main Idea Task Cards with Real Pictures {Set 4}I hope you enjoy this product! Please leave me feedback! For more resources and ideas on breaking down the basics for your students, follow me on… BreakingDownTheBasics.wordpress.comBr
K - 4th
Reading, Reading Strategies
Also included in: Main Idea Task Cards with Real Pictures *BUNDLE*
The Boxcar Children {A Complete Novel Study Unit}
This is a HUGE resource with everything you and your students will need to enjoy EVERY CHAPTER of this classic children's book! I LOVE doing novel studies with my students! And what’s better than a great novel study? A novel study unit that is easy to use and ready to go!FOR EACH CHAPTER, YOU GET:• 3-5 Vocabulary word cards • 1 Vocabulary worksheet (targeting the definition and then applied use of each word) • 1 Cause and Effect worksheet • 1 Summarizing worksheet (with word bank) • 1 Mult
1st - 4th
Balanced Literacy, Literature, Reading Strategies
IEP and Transition Self-Evaluations, Surveys, and Input Forms **UPDATED**
**UPDATED to add a new level for each assessment area. Each of the 9 areas now has a picture-supported assessment! If you have purchased this previously, you can simply download it again (for free, obviously) so you can have the best and latest version.** Meaningful evaluations and assessments are critical for writing an effective IEP! This resource has everything you need to get valuable academic and transition information from a WIDE variety of learners! This resource contains 3 parts: PART
Not Specific
Math, Reading
The Swiss Family Robinson {A Novel Study}
Novel studies are a great way to teach several literacy skills at once. Whether your students read the novel on their own or you read it aloud, engaging with a classic novel is one of the best experiences you can give your students! For each chapter, you’ll find: a vocabulary worksheeta chapter mapa multiple-choice quiza short answer question quizeasy to use answer keysAdditionally, this resource contains: 8 graphic organizers that can be used at any point during the novel study and with any cha
2nd - 8th
English Language Arts, Literature
Main Idea Task Cards with Real Pictures {Set 2}
Teaching students how to find the main idea can be a real challenge! One of the best ways is to give your students lots of practice and opportunities to start discriminating between details and the main idea. Also, using real pictures is a great way to make sure your materials are appropriate for your age group and grade! This resource includes: 40 Main idea featuring real photos and 3 answer choicesAn answer keyFor more practice, check out: Main Idea Task Cards with Real Pictures {Set 1}Main
K - 3rd
Balanced Literacy, Literature, Reading Strategies
Also included in: Main Idea Task Cards with Real Pictures *BUNDLE*
Magic Tree House Book 1: Dinosaurs Before Dark {A No-Prep Novel Study}
This is a HUGE and ready-to-use resource! With over 140 pages of already differentiated activities, this is a must-have! The Magic Tree House series is great for readers who are ready for chapter books but still need something relatively simple. This novel study has everything you need to easily differentiate your instruction for your learners! See for yourself by downloading a FREE sample. Just click {HERE}! Novel studies are a great way to teach several literacy skills at once. Whet
1st - 4th
Balanced Literacy, Literature
Also included in: Magic Tree House Book Novel Study BUNDLE {Books 1-4}
Magic Tree House Book 4: Pirates Past Noon {A No-Prep Novel Study}
Visit a beautiful but dangerous pirate world with Jack and Annie! This novel study is a fun and efficient way to teach several literacy skills at once and has everything you need to differentiate for your learners! The Magic Tree House series is perfect for readers who are ready for chapter books but still need something relatively simple. These books are also an entertaining way to expose your learners to different cultures, time periods, and topics! Try before you buy! Click HERE for a *FRE
1st - 4th
Balanced Literacy, Literature, Reading Strategies
Also included in: Magic Tree House Book Novel Study BUNDLE {Books 1-4}
Magic Tree House Book 3: Mummies in the Morning {A No-Prep Novel Study}
Travel back in time with Jack and Annie to solve a mystery in ancient Egypt! This novel study is a fun and efficient way to teach several literacy skills at once and has everything you need to differentiate for your learners! The Magic Tree House series is perfect for readers who are ready for chapter books but still need something relatively simple. These books are also an entertaining way to expose your learners to different cultures, time periods, and topics! Try before you buy! Click HERE
1st - 4th
Balanced Literacy, Literature, Reading Strategies
Also included in: Magic Tree House Book Novel Study BUNDLE {Books 1-4}
Notebook Paper {Plain AND Graphic Organizer Templates}
Some students need A LOT of visual support. Even directions as simple as “draw a chart with two columns” might need to be modeled. So what do you do???? I made this resource because I needed to be able to show my entire class exactly what I meant when I told them to write things on their paper. And the results were awesome! They were happier and so was I! This resource contains a total of 16 templates. Each template has a “front of the page” and “back of the page” version! Blank Notebook pape
Not Specific
Literature, Reading Strategies, Writing
Magic Tree House Book 2: The Knight at Dawn {A No-Prep Novel Study}
This HUGE and ready-to-use novel study is a great way to teach several literacy skills at once. With over 160 pages, you will be able to engage students with a wide variety of abilities! Whether your students read the novel on their own or you read it aloud, engaging with The Knight at Dawn is one of the best experiences you can give your students! Try it before you buy it! Click {HERE} for a FREE sample!For each chapter, this resource includes: • Sequencing activities (3 levels) • Classi
1st - 4th
Balanced Literacy, Literature, Reading Strategies
Also included in: Magic Tree House Book Novel Study BUNDLE {Books 1-4}
Cooperative Learning Groups Roles and Rubrics
Cooperative learning groups can be a great way for students to learn. Group work can also present some challenges for classroom management. One way to help your groups run successfully is for everyone to have a well-understood role. When each student understands what his or her role is and what is expected, group work can be more focused, productive, and fun. This resource contains three parts: PART 1: Black and white group role cards for 13 roles. PART 2: Color group role cards for 13 roles
Not Specific
Main Idea Task Cards with Real Pictures *BUNDLE*
If you're teaching your learners how to find the main idea, starting with real pictures is absolutely the way to go! This bundle includes 160 total task cards! Prep them once and use them again and again and again! All of the pictures are different and can be implemented the same way - so, less mental load for you! This bundle is basically buying 3 and getting another one for free! #TeacherMath These are ideal for: morning workearly finisher workstations and centerstask boxesTEACHH station
K - 3rd
Informational Text, Reading Strategies
Jake the Fake Keeps It Real {A Complete Novel Study}
Do you need an easy to use novel study featuring a hilarious and diverse set of characters? Look no further. Novel studies are a great way to teach several literacy skills at once. Whether your students read the novel on their own or you read it aloud, engaging with this absolutely hilarious novel is one of the best experiences you can give your students! For each chapter, you’ll find: one vocabulary worksheetone chapter mapone multiple-choice quiztwo short answer question quizzes (two differ
3rd - 6th
Balanced Literacy, Literature
Place Value Task Cards - Ones, Tens, and Hundreds
Looking for a way for your students to practice place value? Look no further! These task cards can be used several ways to fit into your number sense instruction.
Download contains:
- 20 place value task cards targeting the ones and tens places only
- 20 place value task cards targeting the ones, tens, and hundreds places
- 2 forms of a worksheet so you can have a written component if you desire
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For
PreK - 12th
Numbers, Place Value
Number Sense Sorts - Representing Numbers Multiple Ways
Are you looking for a great way for your students to practice representing numbers and place value???? Number Sense is one of the most important things we can teach our students. Initially, it's pretty abstract and so having lots and lots of opportunities to practice really helps. Using these sorts, students will recognize numbers in standard form, word form, with base ten blocks, expanded form, and as quantities. This resource is divided into 6 parts: PART 1 - Representing Numbers 0-25 PA
PreK - 12th
Numbers
Magic Tree House Book 5: Night of the Ninjas {No Prep Novel Study}
Jack and Annie are off to Japan to save Morgan! This novel study is a fun and effective way to teach several literacy skills simultaneously and includes everything you need to differentiate instruction for your learners. This HUGE, ready-to-use novel study is a great way to teach several literacy skills simultaneously. With over 170 pages, you will engage students with a wide variety of abilities! Whether your students read the novel on their own or you read it aloud, engaging with Night o
1st - 4th
Novel Studies, Reading
Functional Literacy Mini-Unit: Flyers
Flyers communicate a lot of information! Knowing how to read and extract the necessary information is critical as students learn to be increasingly independent. Explicit instruction with lots of opportunities to practice may be just the thing your kids need! This resource contains 11 different kinds of flyers for different kinds of activities your students may encounter. Each of the 11 flyers has these corresponding activities: a set of task cards (in color or black and white)a short answer
Not Specific
Balanced Literacy
Also included in: Functional Literacy Mini-Units BUNDLE
Functional Literacy Mini-Unit: Schedules
Schedules make the world go 'round...but can your students actually read one? Do they understand it? Explicit instruction with lots of opportunities to practice may be just the thing your kids need to master this critical life skill! This section contains 4 different kinds of schedules, 160 task cards, 14 written response worksheets, and 13 true/false worksheets! 1. Early Childhood Class schedule 28 multiple choice task cards28 written response task cards4 written response worksheets3 T
Not Specific
Balanced Literacy, Informational Text
Also included in: Functional Literacy Mini-Units BUNDLE
Filing Alphabetically {5 Filing Work Tasks}
Filing is a perfect task for your students to learn because you can address several skills at one time including... Letter IDHigh frequency word IDOrganizationAlphabetizingCategorizationCompleting multi-step processesJob skillsSelf-Management skillsVisual discriminationTHIS RESOURCE FEATURES: • 279 TOTAL filing cards • 1 set of letter dividers • 5 tasks with varying difficulty for easy differentiation (See Description below) • 2 options for data collection • Teacher directions • Student direct
Not Specific
Functional Literacy Mini-Unit: Calendars
Calendars provide a TON of information...if you know how to read one. Do your students know how to get vital info from a calendar? Explicit instruction with lots of opportunities to practice may be just the thing your kids need to master this critical life skill! This resource contains 4 different kinds of calendars, 192 task cards, 10 written response worksheets, and 10 true/false worksheets! 1. "Mrs. Dunn’s October Classroom Calendar" 16 multiple choice task cards16 written response ta
Not Specific
Balanced Literacy, Informational Text
Also included in: Functional Literacy Mini-Units BUNDLE
Showing 1-20 of 93 results
About the store
Experience
Teaching is not a solo adventure! We need each other and have so much to learn from each other. Since I opened my TPT store in 2017, my mission has been to share the kinds of organizational and instructional resources that have worked for me and I hope they can help you too!
Since August 2012, I have taught learners at the middle school and high school level. The majority of my career has been in a self-contained special education classroom for students with severe disabilities.
Before I became a teacher, I spent a year as a paraprofessional in a preschool classroom for kids with autism. While I had always been drawn to this field, that year cemented my desire to pursue this professionally.
Teaching style
I believe in teaching functional academics. Not only do I want my students to learn basic skills, I want them to be able to take those skills and apply them in their lives as they go forward. My sincerest wish is for my learners to be as independent as possible.
Awards & shining teacher moments
May 2011 - Received a fellowship to study autism and behavioral disorders as a part of my Master's degree.
May 2017 - Received "the Extra Mile" award from Montgomery County Public Schools
December 2020 - Teacher of the Year, Pike Road High School
January 2021 - Teacher of the Year, Secondary level - Pike Road Schools
My own education history
May 2016 - Graduated from University of Alabama at Birmingham with a bachelor's degree in Theatre with a concentration in Production Stage Management
December 2012 - Graduated from Auburn University with a Master's degree in Collaborative Education with an emphasis in autism and behavioral disorders
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