Partying with Pencils

When students are familiar with STAAR question stems they are likely to do better on the test. I keep a flip chart handy so that I am quickly able to pull STAAR stems into classroom discussions or activities about what we are reading. These stems can also be useful in curriculum writing for teachers that write their own tests or reading passages. These specific stems, which are aligned with the new ELAR TEKS, were put together using several different new resources that I have had the opportunity

UPDATED 9/18/20 with highlighted STAAR eligible TEKS and a few additional stems! When students are familiar with STAAR question stems they are likely to do better on the test. I keep a flip chart handy so that I am quickly able to pull STAAR stems into classroom discussions or activities about what we are reading. These stems can also be useful in curriculum writing for teachers that write their own tests or reading passages. These specific stems, which are aligned with the new ELAR TEKS, were p

When students are familiar with STAAR question stems they are likely to do better on the test. I keep a flip chart handy so that I am quickly able to pull STAAR stems into classroom discussions or activities about what we are reading. These stems can also be useful in curriculum writing for teachers that write their own tests or reading passages. These specific stems, which are aligned with the new ELAR TEKS, were put together using several different new resources that I have had the opportunity

Use this handout to analyze the character relationships and conflicts within a story. The questions on this handout can be used as guided practice with the teacher or as small group or independent practice.

Help your students understand argumentative text by having them develop their own claim with supporting facts. This product provides 12 sentence strips to be cut apart. Students will draw a strip for or against a topic, develop their stance, and then debate with the person who has their counterargument.

This rubric can be used to grade advertisements such as brochures, billboard posters or magazine ads students create while learning about media literacy.

At the beginning of each school year I like to review the various genres we will be reading in class. This activity is used after we have had an opportunity to discuss the characteristics of different genres and read examples of each. Students will be required to list characteristics, sort types of genres, and practice identifying genres based on a few short passages.

This purchase contains 34 motivational or intriguing quote posters that can be laminated and displayed in your classroom. I like to post one a week and have beginning of the week discussions about students thoughts about the quote. We make inferences about the author of the quote and its meaning. We also try to make connections between our weekly quote and our readings for the week. These quotes come from presidents, athletes, important people of history and some are familiar but the source is u

Are you pushing growth goals for your students? This poster can be used to motivate students to hit their goals on assessments. Students can write their names on lines or you can have them shade in the space to compare the number of students hitting their goal in each class. Print on regular size paper or make it larger with a poster maker and laminate to make it last!

Looking for argumentative resources to use with your students? Use these documents when teaching academic vocabulary pertaining to argumentative text and for argumentative writing practice.

Pin wheels are a fun alternative to vocabulary matching. Simply print, cut the pinwheel apart on the lines, and place in a bag. Students will practice their vocabulary words as they try to piece the pin wheel back together. Give each student their own and make it a race!

Students are intrigued by the fear landscape in the novel Divergent. This activity can be used a few different ways. Students can simply come up with their own fears and describe how they might appear to them in their fear landscape or you can have students draw a number to represent how many fears they have. They can then choose things that they are afraid of or they can draw various fears from a bowl. The process is up to you!

Pin wheels are a fun alternative to vocabulary matching. Simply print, cut the pinwheel apart on the lines, and place in a bag. Students will practice their vocabulary words as they try to piece the pin wheel back together. Give each student their own and make it a race!

This form will help organize information about students that are struggling on each test and gives you a place to plan how and when to help them, as well as a paper record of their original test and retest grades.

This handout will allow students to analyze the elements of the plot from various literary texts. Questions will guide students in identifying the different parts of the plot.

Fill in the blank for the current grade students are in. Use this handout at the end of the school year to reflect/discuss. Some students might want to even add this to their yearbook!

Print on card stock, laminate and keep in your literacy center for repeated use! This page can also be used as a fun homework assignment for students to use with their library books or in class with a book buddy system.

This book report trifold was created to be used in literacy centers in a 3rd grade reading class. Change the questions to focus on particular objectives your students need practice with or need to review.

This product was created to align with updated ELAR TEKS. This is a great resource to reinforce analyzing the author’s use of print and graphic features to achieve specific purposes. Provide students will several informational texts and watch them work!

*42 different reading terms with definitions* Great to send home or play quiz, quiz, trade with during class!