The Teacher Think Tank

Snowflake Making Words

teacherthinktank — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:08:00 +0000

Students will enjoy making words with consonant blends using this Snowflake Making Words Power Point.

Tacky the Penguin

teacherthinktank — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 21:35:43 +0000

Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester
January is a great month to continue our character study of Tacky, the adorable penguin who walks to the beat of a different drummer. On the last day before our winter holiday, I read Tacky’s Christmas. The students then created their own image of Tacky using black bulletin board paper. They created decorated shirts and bow ties. We posted the penguins under the caption, “What’s Happening in 2012?”. Upon our return in January, we will read all of the books about Tacky. Students will then choose from task cards based on questioning verbs from the updated version of Bloom’s Taxonomy. Worksheets for Task Cards 1,2,3, and 5 are included.
Task Card 1 Task Card 2 Task Card 3 Task Card 5 Task Cards 4 and 6 include technology activities using Kidspiration and two online activities from Read Write Think.

You Are My Miracle

teacherthinktank — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 02:40:57 +0000

You Are My Miracle by Maryann Cusimano
This heart warming story is a good mentor text for the writing trait of organization. The young reader and writer will enjoy the rhyme and the see saw pattern for writing.
Reading and writing lesson plans are included.

10 Gobbling Turkeys

teacherthinktank — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 21:30:16 +0000

10 Fat Turkeys by Tony Johnston
Students will enjoy this silly and fun way to count backwards and learn to subtract.
Read this book and then use the 10 Gobbling Turkeys activity to reinforce learning how to subtract.
The Power Point can be converted to a Smartboard activity.

Author’s Message and Author’s Purpose

teacherthinktank — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 21:49:29 +0000

Students need to know that they are the audience for an author. They are the “reader”, and the author has a message for the reader.
The message is the “big idea” or what the author is trying to tell the reader.
The author has also has a purpose for his/her writing. The purpose can be to entertain, inform, or persuade.
The visuals in this Power Point may help the student to determine the difference between the author’s message and the author’s purpose.

Making Words-Bat Theme

teacherthinktank — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 19:57:09 +0000

Have fun making words integrating Word Wall Words, Word Families, and bats! If you have access to a Smartboard, this Power Point can be converted to a Smartboard activity.

Making Words-Pumpkins and Scarecrow

teacherthinktank — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 01:55:07 +0000

Making Words is an activity that helps students with the decoding process. It is a word building activity that can be fun.
Click on Pumpkin Making Words activity.
Click on scarecrow Making Words1 activity.
Click on Scarecrow Making Words2 activity.
These Power Points can be changed into Smartboard activities. They will require some adjustments when the change is made.

Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes

teacherthinktank — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 22:57:37 +0000

Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes by Eric Litwin
Pete is a cool cat who thinks school is “all good”. The readers will enjoy following Pete around his school day. Lesson plans provide reading strategies for before, during, and after reading. There is a link to activities and the story and song to download. The song has a catchy tune that will have the children singing all day. The song will also help the reader improve fluency and make connections to the character and the story.
Writing lesson plans include teaching the craft of giving more details about the character by studying the illustrator who uses details in the background.

Dino Pets Go To School

teacherthinktank — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 23:11:45 +0000

Dino Pets Go To School by Lynn Plourde

Dinosaurs are a sure bet for getting students engaged in discussing, reading, and writing. The author provides simple, yet bouncy text that will keep the reader connected. Lesson plans include reading strategies, writing strategies, a Word Bank, story starters, and a lined writing paper template. Place some toy dinosaurs in the writing station to increase engagement.

We Love Our School! : A Read-Together Rebus Story

teacherthinktank — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 13:51:08 +0000

We Love Our School! : A Read-Together Rebus Story by Judy Sierra

Frog and his friends love their first day of school. So will the students, as they find success in reading this story. The lesson plan includes before, during, and after reading strategies. A suggestion for a reading response activity is provided. The school and two other themed rebus stories were completed in Powerpoint. They can be converted into Smartboard activities, but there may be some adjustments necessary.