September 2014 | Crafting Connections
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Prefixes and Suffixes Anchor Chart {plus FREE task cards!}

Monday, September 29, 2014
I love to teach the topic of prefixes and suffixes! I have watched my ELLs' vocabulary grow by leaps and bounds after learning the meaning of various prefixes and suffixes.

I begin our unit by playing Hangman on the board. (Have you ever done that? The kids LOVE it, and it gets them engaged right away! It's definitely one of my favorite ways to open a lesson, but I try not to overuse it.) Anyway, the board looks like this at the beginning of the game:
_     _ _ _ _ _       _ _ _       _ _ _ _ _ _       _ _       _ _ _      _ _ _ _.

They take turns guessing letters until someone finally decodes the entire sentence:
I FIXED THE POSTER TO THE WALL.

Then I underline the word fix, and say something like "What?!?!? I fixed the poster to the wall???  That doesn't make sense, does it? Fix means to repair something that is broken, right?" Someone usually brings up the fact that the word fix could mean something different in this sentence. Eventually, we deduce (and verify by looking it up in the dictionary) that fix can also mean to attach two things together.

Then I introduce the words prefix and suffix and ask my students, "Now that we know fix can mean "to attach", how can we use this knowledge to understand prefixes and suffixes?" They now seem to clearly understand that prefixes are attached, or fixed before a base word, and suffixes are attached, or fixed to the end of the base word. I tell my students that it helps me to visualize a person hammering a prefix and/or suffix to a base word, much like a person fixes a poster to a wall by using a hammer.  This discussion seems to assist students in their understanding of prefixes and suffixes.

After this opening discussion, I like to use the construction theme to further teach my students about prefixes and suffixes.
Prefixes and Suffixes Anchor Chart! This anchor chart features the most common affixes! A FREE set of task cards is also included in this blog post!
These are the prefixes and suffixes that we covered with our third graders.
Clip art by A Sketchy Guy

My other construction-themed prefix and suffix resources include these four PowerPoints:

This prefixes PowerPoint is a perfect way to introduce basic prefixes to students. It includes many practice slides.

Teach your students about suffixes with this introductory PowerPoint that focuses on the most common suffixes. It includes many practice slides.

I created the two PowerPoints shown above for my third-grade students. 

I created the two PowerPoints shown below for my fifth-grade students.

Teach students about prefixes with this prefixes PowerPoint. It includes many practice slides.


Advanced Suffixes PowerPoint... reviewing 6 basic suffixes and introducing 13 additional suffixes!


Finally, I created a matching resource FREEBIE for you!  Please download it if you think you might be able to use these 16 task cards (with recording sheet) with your students!
FREE prefix and suffix task cards!
This freebie contains 8 prefix cards and 8 suffix cards.

~Deb

Main Idea Anchor Chart (FREE worksheet included!)

Sunday, September 21, 2014
There was a time when I dreaded teaching the topic of main idea and supporting details. Trying to teach students how to read a passage and pick out the main idea and key details was both challenging and boring. One year, the time came, and I knew that I needed to "spice things up"... or maybe I should say "cool it down"  :) for my own sanity.  I've always had a sweet tooth, so I decided to create materials that reflected  the following ice cream cone analogy.
Learning about main idea and supporting details is FUN when you use the ice cream cone analogy! This blog post contains a main idea anchor chart activity and a FREE main idea worksheet. Everything you need for one main idea lesson is available here.

As I reflected upon the entire unit when it came to a conclusion, I realized that for the first time in my teaching career, I actually enjoyed teaching main idea! Furthermore, my students seemed to enjoy it, too! Best of all, though, was that my students seemed to truly grasp the concept. I witnessed success like never before- probably because we all had fun. Needless to say, I have continued to teach main idea using the ice cream cone analogy, and I really don't ever see myself not using this analogy. 

On Day 2 of my main idea unit, I create the following anchor chart that will remain in my classroom throughout the unit. (In case you are dying to know, Day 1 is reserved for my introduction PowerPoint.)
Learning about main idea and supporting details is FUN when you use the ice cream cone analogy! This blog post contains a main idea anchor chart activity and a FREE main idea worksheet. Everything you need for one main idea lesson is available here.

When I introduce this anchor chart, I read the paragraph with my students, and I ask them what the paragraph was mainly about.  A student often replies "bees", and then I remind everyone that "bees" is the topic of the paragraph, but to state the main idea, we have to dig a little deeper. I assist by asking "What about bees? Is this passage mainly about how to protect yourself from a bee that's flying around your head?" This seems to really click with some of the students. After they finish giggling, I tell them to turn to a partner and discuss what the passage is mainly about concerning bees.

Immediately, I hear most students discussing the main idea... the passage is mainly about the jobs of each type of bee. I write that statement beside the cone. (I once heard a student incorrectly tell his partner that the first sentence was the main idea. It gave me the opportunity to remind students that the main idea can be the first sentence of a passage, but that it doesn't have to be. In this case, the first sentence was more of a "hook" used to try to get the reader interested in the paragraph.)

Learning about main idea and supporting details is FUN when you use the ice cream cone analogy! This blog post contains a main idea anchor chart activity and a FREE main idea worksheet. Everything you need for one main idea lesson is available here.

Once we determine the main idea, it is pretty simple for the students to pick out the three most important details. As you can see, we underline the detail sentences in the paragraph. We also talk about how some of the statements were interesting facts, but they didn't necessarily support the main idea sentence.

We also talk about how main idea questions are commonly found on standardized tests. I have found that many students do not understand that "What would be the best title of the passage?" questions are actually main idea questions. Once they understand this concept, they are better equipped to answer test questions. They know to determine the main idea rather than just make a subjective decision about which title is best.

If you wish to use this anchor chart lesson in your classroom and you want students to be able to follow along on a mini anchor chart, click HERE to download my student version.
Learning about main idea and supporting details is FUN when you use the ice cream cone analogy! This blog post contains a main idea anchor chart activity and a FREE main idea worksheet. Everything you need for one main idea lesson is available here.

Finally, I have created a freebie passage for you to use with your students. After filling out the class main idea anchor chart, students can tackle a passage independently with this worksheet! (I use this passage as an exit ticket!)
Learning about main idea and supporting details is FUN when you use the ice cream cone analogy! This blog post contains a main idea anchor chart activity and a FREE main idea worksheet. Everything you need for one main idea lesson is available here.

If you would like to take a look at the main idea resources available in my store, click HERE. This listing also has links to the individual resources that are shown.

This bundle is designed for 4th-6th grade students.


Main Idea Bundle of Activities: Everything you need for a 2nd-3rd grade main idea unit! Main idea worksheets, craftivities, games, lesson plans, and more!
This bundle is designed for 2nd-3rd grade students.
I also wrote a follow-up post explaining how I use a reusable main idea anchor chart across subject areas. Click HERE to read that post.

Pin this to remember later:
Learning about main idea and supporting details is FUN when you use the ice cream cone analogy! This blog post contains a main idea anchor chart activity and a FREE main idea worksheet. Everything you need for one main idea lesson is available here.

A First for Me... A Math Craftivity!

Friday, September 19, 2014
A number of people have asked me when I was going to start creating math craftivities.  Well, it took me awhile, but I finally created my first one this past week!  I know that place value is a topic that many teachers focus on in the fall, so I decided to create a Place Value Pumpkin Patch craftivity.
Place Value Pumpkins: A math craftivity- this includes five versions for multiple grade levels!


When I posted it on Tuesday morning, I thought I was finished with it.  At that time it contained three versions- the most basic version addressed place value to the hundreds place, the intermediate version included place value to the thousands place, and the final version contained place value to the millions place.  Each version included three worksheets:

Students are given a number in standard form, and then they write it in expanded form and word form.
(This is the decimal version.)


Students read a number in word form and write the standard form of the number on the line.  Then, they order the four numbers from least (top pumpkin) to greatest (bottom pumpkin).  This version contains numbers less that 1000.

Students compare two numbers. (This is from the hundred million version.)

A few hours after I posted it, my friend Kelly who teaches fourth grade in Florida, asked me if I had a version that covered place value to the hundred millions to meet 4th grade Common Core requirements.  That became version #4.

The next day Paige, a fifth grade teacher, asked me to consider creating a version that included decimals for her fifth graders.  That one was probably the most difficult one for me to create.  I've never worked in the area of fifth grade math before and my oldest daughter is only a fourth grader, so I had to do a bit of research.  Luckily for me, though, Paige agreed to give me her feedback on my fifth grade attempt.  Paige gave me a couple of ideas for improvement... and the fifth version was added to the bundle a short while later.  I THINK I am done now!!

I surprised even myself when I decided to begin another math craftivity on the very next day, this time focusing on rounding numbers.  At the moment, this one has four versions.
Version 1- Rounding tens and hundreds with numbers less than 1000
Version 2- Rounding tens and hundreds with numbers greater than 1000
Version 3- Rounding numbers greater than one million
Version 4- Rounding with decimals


Focus on Fluency using Partner Plays {Multiple FREEBIES!}

Wednesday, September 17, 2014
It's time for me to make a confession. I know fluency is super-important, but I rarely made time to truly focus on this critical reading skill. I didn't blatantly choose to ignore the skill (fluency activities are usually FUN, after all!)... I simply ran out of time.  So many of my upper elementary readers were still needing help with vocabulary development, decoding, and comprehension that my time would tick away focusing on those skills.  Has this ever happened in your classroom?

One day last spring, my then-first grade daughter came home with a partner play. Her teacher implemented Daily Five, and Brooke was telling me about how she and Morgan read it during "Read to Someone".  Brooke and I read it together, and I was surprised by how fluently Brooke read the script.  She was full of expression!  Plus, it was fun.

That got me thinking... maybe I should create a partner play pack for upper elementary students!  I started with a 2nd-3rd grade bundle, and I had so much fun writing them that I went ahead and created a 4th-5th grade bundle over the summer, as well!  My daughters, Kayla (now a fourth grader) and Brooke (now a second grader) actually looked forward to reading the scripts with me!!  It was a win-win situation!  They were having fun getting some summer-reading in, and I was able to check the readability of my partner plays.  Believe me, they both had plenty of feedback for me, too!  Once Kayla told me, "Mom, fourth graders don't use that word."  Here are the finished bundles, although I also have mini sets of 5 available in my store, also.

Partner Play Bundle of 90 scripts for 2nd and 3rd graders! These are a perfect reading activity that builds fluency! Ideal for classroom implementing the Daily 5 routine!

(Set 2 for grades 2 and 3- focusing on more reading skills like context clues and inferences- can be found HERE.)


Partner Play Bundle of 90 scripts for upper elementary grades! These are a perfect reading activity that builds fluency! Ideal for classroom implementing the Daily 5 routine!

(Set 2 for grades 4 and 5- focusing on more reading skills like character traits and figurative language- can be found HERE.
Set 3- focusing on more science themes- can be found HERE.)



Feel free to try out these FREE PARTNER PLAY SCRIPTS:
FREE partner play for 2nd and 3rd graders! This is a perfect fluency-building activity to add to your Daily 5 reading centers!

FREE partner play for 4th and 5th graders! This is a perfect fluency-building activity to add to your Daily 5 reading centers!

FREE partner play for 4th and 5th graders! This is a perfect fluency-building activity to add to your Daily 5 reading centers! (This blog post contains many more fluency freebies!)


One of the things I like most about partner plays is that they need very little teacher support!  Busy teachers who need to spend time working with students on comprehension, decoding, and vocabulary can continue to do just that without feeling guilty that they are missing fluency.  

My classroom vision is that teachers could introduce partner plays by conducting two minilessons with the entire class at the beginning of reading over two consecutive days.  During Minilesson #1, I would introduce the partner plays by showing a script using the document camera.  Then I would invite a student to model with me how to read the script.  When we had finished reading the script, I would ask students to create an anchor chart with me of what Partner Reading should look like and sound like, asking them to keep in mind that I will be working with small groups like normal.  If necessary, I would help them come up with phrases for our anchor chart like "two kids sitting side-by-side", "quiet voices",  "giving strategy suggestions to help classmates read a difficult word", etc.  During minilessons #2 and #3, I would tell my students that the reason we are reading these partner plays is to focus on fluency.  Then I would show them these fluency posters (freebie!) and discuss each component of fluency individually, modeling examples and non-examples.
FREE Fluency Posters (plus MORE free fluency activities like bookmarks and an interactive notebook entry!)
Click on this image to access the 7 posters, PLUS bookmarks and an interactive notebook entry!

I hope you will give the free partner plays a try in your classroom!  If you do, please leave feedback and let me know how it went!



Quotation Marks Anchor Chart (with FREEBIE)

Monday, September 15, 2014
Have you read a student's attempt at writing dialogue, and it looked similar to this?

...your grandma is sick Mom said.  We need to visit her.  Is she going to be okay.  I don't know said Mom.  When are we going to leave? I said.  Mom said Saturday morning.

Last spring we were writing personal narratives in third grade, and we noticed that our students were beginning to experiment with dialogue. Therefore, we teachers knew that we had to teach them two important skills when using dialogue in personal narratives:

1.  It is great to use some dialogue, but be careful not to overuse it. Personal narratives should not include entire conversations. Describing thoughts, feelings, and events are much more important! (We've all seen those student stories where the only action taking place is two people talking. It reminds me of a ping pong match.)

2.  If you include dialogue, use punctuation and tags to help your reader know who is talking. This is where the following anchor chart comes in handy. There are so many contrasting rules students must remember when adding dialogue to their writing. I created this anchor chart last year for my third graders, and I was delighted when I spotted many of my students referring to it throughout writing time.
Dialogue Anchor Chart: Teaching students to write dialogue can be tricky. Use this quotation marks anchor chart and worksheet freebie to introduce the concept to your students!
Clip art by Krista Wallden and From the Pond.

This is how we approached the topic. First, we knew we had to teach our students what a tag was. They understood this term very quickly. During this tag conversation, we reminded students that "said" is a tired, overused word, and that we should all try to replace "said" in our writing with more interesting words. The third graders really got into this and began to notice (and report) all of the tags in their reading books. After a few days, we decided to hang a large sheet of paper in the classroom to record all of the interesting tags we encountered. If a student found a tag that wasn't already on our list while they were reading, they wrote it on a sticky note and placed it on the paper... they LOVED this! Our paper was soon filled with words like "interrupted", "whined", and "exclaimed".  

The next thing we had to do was to teach them the three forms- when the author writes the tag before the dialogue, in the middle of the dialogue, and at the end of the dialogue. This anchor chart and the PowerPoint I created helped a lot with this goal.  

Teach students all about how to use quotation marks in their writing with this Dialogue PowerPoint.


Students were given an opportunity to practice on this page before they tried to write dialogue independently in their writing pieces. Feel free to download this FREEBIE!

Teaching students to write dialogue can be tricky. Use this quotation marks anchor chart and worksheet freebie to introduce the concept to your students!


Feel free to take a look at any of the Dialogue materials I have created. The following bundle is available in my TpT store, or you can purchase most of the items individually:
Is it time to teach your students about how to write with quotation marks? Check out these helpful resources!

After these minilessons, our third graders were ready to tackle using quotation marks in their writing. And tackle it, they did! It was so rewarding to read their personal narratives and see them using quotation marks and tags (without the word "said") correctly!

UPDATE: I recently wrote a related blog post for my collaborative blog, Upper Elementary Snapshots. Click HERE to check it out!








Save for future reference:
Teaching students to write dialogue can be tricky. Use this quotation marks anchor chart and worksheet freebie to introduce the concept to your students!

Guided Reading Lesson Plans... Two More FREEBIES!

Friday, September 12, 2014
A couple of Fridays ago, I posted a set of Because of Winn-Dixie lesson plans I had written (go here to read that post and download the plans), and I asked readers to comment if they thought they might be able to use more lesson plans like this.  A few people responded that they would like to see more!  So this week, I am posting a couple more.  They aren't fancy- they are simply real-teaching Word-document lesson plans that I wrote for my students.  They will likely need to be tweaked to meet the needs of your students and your school district's expectations, but at least they might give you a starting point in terms of questions and vocabulary words to highlight for each chapter!  Feel free to download them if you can use them!

This week I chose an upper level book and a lower level book.  The The Get Rich Quick Club  is a fun, quick read by Dan Gutman.  According to the Scholastic website, it is a Level U book.  I read this multiple times with fourth and fifth grade groups, and I enjoyed it every time!  It was a quick read (128 pages) and the chapters are short, which is a treat for students at this reading level- most U books are quite long!  If your reading teachers are looking for upper level books to order for your school, I highly recommend this one! (Amazon affiliate links follow.)
Click HERE to read a summary.
FREE guided reading lesson plans written for the book The Get Rich Quick Club!
Clip art by Graphics Factory.
Click HERE for the WORD version.
Click HERE for the PDF version.

The other lesson plans I am posting are for the book I, Amber Brown by Paula Danzinger.  According to Scholastic, this book is a Guided Reading Level N book.  I read this last year with a fifth grade ELL student whom I worked with 1-on-1.  My plans were written for us to read 1 chapter a day.  If you are reading this book with a typical reading group, you might be able to progress through the book more quickly, but I had to spend a fairly significant amount of time discussing cultural things in the book, introducing vocabulary, and checking for understanding.
Click HERE to read a summary.
FREE guided reading lesson plans written for the book I, Amber Brown!
Clip art by From the Pond.
Click HERE for the WORD version.
Click HERE for the PDF version.
Feel free to ask about a particular book title in the comments section or email me.  (If you think you might be a no reply blogger, either check back to see my reply or provide your email address.)  I know it's probably a long shot that I have the plans you need, but if I do have lesson plans written for that particular book, I would be happy to send them to you!  Like I said in my previous post, these plans are just sitting on my computer "gathering dust"!  

(If you'd like to see the other free guided reading lesson plans I have available, click on the links below.)
Shiloh (Level R)
Flat Stanley (Level M)

Context Clues Anchor Chart (FREEBIE included!)

Monday, September 8, 2014
I have always enjoyed teaching context clues.  I believe it is vitally important for all students to be able to use context clues to determine the definition of an unknown word.  As an ELL teacher, I spent a great deal of time over the years helping my English language learners develop this skill.  It can be difficult for them, especially when there are multiple words in a sentence that are unfamiliar to them. A few years ago, I started to use the "detective" analogy, and I found that they benefit from this concrete image.  I often tell my students to "get out your magnifying glasses and look for clues in the sentence to help you solve the mystery" of the given word.

I have also found that students are far more successful when I have taught them the five types of clues: definition, synonym (restatement), antonym (contrast), example, and inference clues. Therefore, this anchor chart is a staple in my classroom. 
This context clues anchor chart is a staple in my classroom!  A FREE context clues exit ticket is also included in this blog post!
Clip art by A Sketchy Guy.

We refer to this anchor chart often as we encounter unfamiliar words. After labeling the types of context clues given in numerous sentences, they seem to have a better understanding of how to use this skill when they are reading independently. They know some strategies and clues to look for.          

I created an exit slip FREEBIE for you.  Please download it if you think you will be able to use it with your students!

This context clues exit ticket is FREE! Being able to use context clues is an essential skill for students!  A context clues anchor chart is also included in this blog post!

If you are interested, I have a number of resources in my TPT store that I use when teaching students to identify context clues. You can purchase these items individually, or within the large bundle.

Context Clues Activities! Multiple activities created for the upper elementary classroom!

Context Clues Activities! Multiple activities created for the second and third grade classroom!



Context Clues Craftivity: 2 versions for differentiation!
This context clues craftivity is a favorite among my students!



This context clues anchor chart is a staple in my classroom!  A FREE context clues exit ticket is also included in this blog post!


Thank you for stopping by!

~Deb




Pin this context clues post for future reference:
This context clues anchor chart is a staple in my classroom!  A FREE context clues exit ticket is also included in this blog post!

Spotlight on My Proofreader

Thursday, September 4, 2014
Dawn and me... my twin sis and BFF!
I'm taking a "brain break" this week and typing a post about a topic super-easy to talk about - my twin sister!  She is actually an important part of my TpT "business".  She is my #1 proof-reader! For the past 18 months, anything that I post goes through Dawn first.  She checks for typos and revises for me. Not only that, but most of my products also land on Dawn's computer "coverless", and she designs them for me.  (I know, I am so lucky!)  She even sends ideas my way!  After talking to her one Sunday last year about my desire to create some activities that focus on theme, she emailed me the suggestion "How about a theme-filled cupcake craftivity?"

Unfortunately for me, she lives in West Des Moines (which is about three hours from where I reside).  I wish she lived across the street from me!  She works for Meredith Corporation, which produces Better Homes and Gardens, Parents, and Family Circle magazines (among others).  She works in the newsstand division - so many of the magazines that you see in the racks the grocery store checkouts, Dawn had a hand in getting them there!

She has learned a lot about education by proofreading for me.  She can spot off educational lingo like "inferences" and "author's purpose" with ease now.  But then she asks a question like "So...what's this Common Core all about?" and I remember that she has a lot to learn about the teaching profession.  :)

She has always been my best friend.  We've never gone through a phase where that wasn't the case.  (However, we still joke about the infamous "Barbie Fight of 1986" that involved some hair-pulling.)  Thank you, Dawn, for your friendship and support!

Oh, one more thing!  Dawn was definitely the one blessed with the ability to design.  I remember when we were teenagers, she'd say, "Ummm.... Debbie, those colors don't really go together.  You might want to wear something else."  Anyway, she is the one who can be credited with creating this adorable little image promoting the giveaway I am going to be hosting this weekend!  Please come back on Saturday to enter!  There will be some great prizes including gift cards to TpT, Amazon, Target, and Starbucks, along with some incredible TpT resources from several friends!
Banner by the 3am Teacher, and fireworks by The Learning Site

An Anchor Chart: A Bucket Filling Classroom

Monday, September 1, 2014
Do you have a favorite beginning-of-the-year activity to start your school year? Or a favorite read-aloud book that sets the tone for the new year? I certainly do. In fact, this lesson includes a tried-and-true activity and a favorite read-aloud! I like to start the school year by discussing with my students how I want our classroom to be a bucket-filling classroom. (An affiliate link follows.)

I assume you've all heard of "bucket-filling" and "bucket-dipping", and are aware of this popular book by Carol McCloud. It teaches kids to imagine that everyone carries an invisible emotional bucket, and it's our actions that determine how full or empty another person's bucket is. Kind actions and positive behavior results in bucket-filling, while hurtful actions and negative behavior results in bucket-dipping.
Have You Filled A Bucket Today? is a perfect read aloud for the beginning of the school year!  This blog post contains a FREE followup anchor chart activity idea to maximize the power of this book. This anchor chart can be displayed throughout the school year!


After reading the book with my students, I unveil my anchor chart. When we begin our discussion, I only have the title, the drawing, and the three empty columns drawn on the anchor chart. I have my students brainstorm descriptive phrases that we can put on our anchor chart that will remind us throughout the year what a bucket-filling classroom looks like, sounds like, and feels like. 
A Bucket Filling Classroom by Crafting Connections! If you didn't start out your year (all grade levels) discussing Bucket Filling, go back... it's not too late! For great anchor chart activity to go with the book: Have You Filled a Bucket Today? Teach your students compassion and empathy.

If you are looking for a follow-up activity for this anchor chart lesson, you might want to check out these fabulous freebies that I ran across! 

Creating a Bucket Filling Classroom! Check out this anchor chart lesson and related bucket filling freebies!
by Owl-Ways Be Inspired

Creating a Bucket Filling Classroom! Check out this anchor chart lesson and related bucket filling freebies!
by Elementary Chalkboard

Creating a Bucket Filling Classroom! Check out this anchor chart lesson and related bucket filling freebies!
by A Year of Many Firsts
Creating a Bucket Filling Classroom! Check out this anchor chart lesson and related bucket filling freebies!
by Teaching MrsT
Creating a Bucket Filling Classroom! Check out this anchor chart lesson and related bucket filling freebies!
5 free posters by First Grade Fever by Christie
Thanks for stopping by!


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