Figurative Language Lesson Plan

Click the link for the lesson:

Teachers First

Inference Presentation

Hello Everyone,

As I was looking for items to help me to teach inferencing skills, I came across this great video presentation on this topic-Inferencing.  Take a look at it by clicking on the link.  I thought it was just what I needed.


*I added a graphic organizer as a freebie for all of you!*


Inference Presentation


Making Predictions Graphic Organizer


Enjoy!

Beverly

Twitter and Giveaway

Hi All!

I have a Twitter account and am learning how to use it.  If you're interested in "following" me, just click on the link below.  Also, I just entered a "Back to School Giveaway" and I need your help to win!  What is so wonderful about this is- if I win and you join the contest via my link, you can win also. What is the prize?  An Apple iPad and mini iPad.  Follow the link for the complete rules.

Twitter

Help me win an iPad and enter yourself

Stay tuned for more sharing of activities and ideas!

Beverly

A Sign of Summer- INSECTS! UPDATED

Today is a whooping 63 degrees and cloudy! Sure doesn't feel like Summer is around the corner in my region.  I've been patienlty waiting for Spring and only had a few days of it.  This Winter was brutal and it seems like Spring just passed us by, only for a short visit.  I'm wondering if Summer is just around the corner-I mean it's June already!!!  :)

Well, a sure sign of Summer is watching insects crawl and creep around.  To celebrate the upcoming summer months-if and when it arrives-I made a couple of activities.  One is an Insect Acrostic, the other is a booklet about grasshoppers.  I hope you can use it and I'm really crossing my fingers that I'll see that sun shine really soon!  Click on the links for the activities.  Hope you all have a great,
fun-filled summer season!

Acrostic Insect

Asking 2 questions about Inscets (Scene)

Asking 2 questions about Ants (Scene)

Grasshopper Booklet

Butterfly Booklet

Butterflies Short Story and Comprehension

Ants Booklet


Enjoy!

Beverly

ODD ONE OUT

Hi Everyone,

I haven't been blogging for a bit-life can get really hectic!  I wanted to share something with all of you.  I found this cute website, which has useful templates for making nifty  power point games. Create your own games and use your own content for your students.  It's such fun!  Below is a link to the website and I have also added a game I created, on power point, utilizing one of their templates.  Hope you can use it.

Tiny TELF Teacher

 

ODD ONE OUT GAME

ODD ONE OUT GAME UPDATED (4th-6th grade)

Enjoy!

Beverly

March Freebie

Get your copy of "Leprechaun Language" by clicking the link.  The activity includes:  Sorting common nouns, proper nouns and pronouns, underline correct pronouns, wrtie the contraction, ask three questions about a picture, prefix and suffix activity, fact or opinion, sort words into nouns, verbs and adjectives, Shamrock graphic organzer.  All the tasks are themed around Leprechauns and St. Patrick's Day.  I hope your students enjoy this activity.

Clipart courtesy of:  mycutegraphics.com

Leprechaun Language


Have fun learning,

Beverly

Alphaboxes :Valentine's Day Theme

Hi Again,

Alphaboxes, created by Lynda Hoyt, is a wonderful nifty idea that may be utilized in various ways.  Alphaboxes is commonly used as a strategy to activate prior knowledge, build vocabulary, and build comprehension.  Many educators use this tool as a formative assessment. 

How I Use Alphaboxes:

I use alphaboxes to introduce a topic or category during my sessions.  I create a table with 4 columns boxes across and 6 rows of boxes,  Each box is labeled with a letter of the alphabet, from a-z. I created a space at the top of the page to include a topic.  The students generate or brainstorm words beginning with the letter in the box and are associated with the topic.  For example, if the TOPIC is TRANSPORTATION, and the first box is the letter "A" the  students have to think of transportaion items beginning with the  letter in the box- AIRPLANE.  Click the link to view an example of one.  I had my students look for pictures and paste it into the box- so it can be used in various manners and modified.

ALPHABOXES TRANSPORTATION EXAMPLE


Alphaboxes and Valentine's Day

Valentine's day is one of my favorite holidays so I created Alphaboxes with this theme in mind.  Today I'll offer you this activity as a freebie!  Just click on the link... :)

ALPHABOXES VALENTINE'S DAY THEME



I wish you all happiness and LOVE, today and always.

Beverly

Getting to Know You (Conversation Skills)

If you ever had a young student with a language delay, I'm sure you have observed that it can be difficult for that child to find the words that are necessary to initiate friendships or  to begin a simple conversation.

When I teach these students I begin by setting up a very simple story that explains how to start a conversation.  The story is 3-4 sentences and describes the steps that he/she can use to get a peer's attention.  Skills such as asking questions, choosing different topics and turn-taking are scripted and broken down into steps.  I have observed that use a guide or script or breaking down each task helps the student to internalize the skill.  With consistent repetition and using different scenarios and situations, the student can make valuable gains.

Below I have provided a link to one of the activities I use with my students that lack basic conversational skills.

Getting to Know You

Enjoy!

Beverly

How to Make a Memory Game in PowerPoint

Hi,

Wow, it's the first day of 2014!  It's time for new beginnings. Is one of your goals, this year, to learn how to use technology in your class or therapy sessions?  Well, if it is and playing memory games with your kiddos is an activity you use, then this is the post for you.
 
I know my kiddos love memory games.  Memory can be played with all sorts of topics and subjects!  Language, Math, Science...I think you understand-no need to keep listing topics.  :)   Memory games are fun and beneficial for children and adults.

Memory games:
1) improve brain power (at any age)
2)  improve positive social interactions (with adults or other children)
3) improve problem solving, comprehension and reasoning skills
4) and of course, improves memory

Since memory games can be tailored to any age group, you can make variations of the game by using a low-tech models (cards) or high-tech models (computer programs, apps).

Today, I will be focusing on a 'high-tech' model.  I'm sharing 2 video- tutorials that will teach you how to make a memory game using technology-PowerPoint.  There is a third video-which you can search for on youtube. It's all there for you to view at any time.  Enjoy making an interactive computer based memory game!  Have fun!

 

    

Exit Ticket

Exit Ticket

An 'Exit Ticket' is a strategy that helps students to summarize and reflect upon information learned during a lesson.  

 An 'Exit Ticket' helps students to:

*  review key ideas

* summarize their thinking in a few words or sentences

An 'Exit Ticket' helps educators to:

* evaluate the effectiveness of a teaching process

* create an informal tool to measure a student's understanding of a lesson or a concept

There are several templates and types of  exit tickets that are offered in the internet that you may download.  Also, there is a wonderful website that helps you to create exit tickets digitally.  Educators can register for free, plus there are videos that guide you through the process of creating exit tickets. 

This is the website, The Exit Ticket Student Response System:

www.exitticket.org

Below I have offered an 'exit ticket' I created.  It is mostly visual, due to the needs of some of my students.  Click on the link.

Exit Ticket

I hope this is useful!

Beverly

Creating your own ClipArt and Icons with Microsoft PowerPoint

Hi,

Are you ready to set some attainable goals for yourself in 2014? I sure am.  One of my professional goals is to learn how to create my own clip art.  I've been searching for software that I can learn how to use.  I've found a few options, but it is quite of an investment for me at this time.  During my 'searches' I viewed a youtube video on creating clip art and icons with Microsoft PowerPoint.  Personally, this is a wonderful option for me, as PowerPoint is accessible, affordable ( it's part of my computer programs anyway ) and best of all I know how to use it!  I am sharing the video with you!   I can't wait to try it!   :)    Enjoy!

I hope some of you find this useful and that you will be able to reach your personal and professional goals in 2014!

Happy New Year,

Beverly

A Gift from Me to You!

Hello All,

I'd just like to take this time to thank you all for your support by reading my little blog.  I love sharing and giving to others, especially during this season.  I hope you all have been able to use some of the activities and freebies.  To show my appreciation, I am sharing another activity with you.  This one is a bit more substantial as it has many more pages than what I usually post. I hope you can use it and if you can't and know someone who would benefit from this freebie, please refer the person to my blog.

Click the link for the freebie.  Merry Christmas (because this is one way that I acknowledge my savior Jesus Christ), Happy Holidays, Happy Hanukah, and Happy Kwanza.  Whichever way you celebrate this season, I wish you ALL; happiness and much love.  We all need LOVE!

A Gift for You!

Enjoy!

Beverly

Basic Concepts and Temporal Directions Activity (Pirate Theme)

Hi Everyone!

If you're looking for a basic concepts and temporal directions activity and you love pirates,  click on the link for a freebie!

A Pirate's Life for Me


Enjoy!

Beverly

Parking Lot and Landing Strip Vocabulary Activity

Hi,

I've created an activity using a parking lot and landing strip as a motivator to increase knowledge and usage of antonyms, synonyms and homophones.  I used it with my own students and they really enjoyed this one and were engaged in the activity.  Click on the link for access to the activity.

ParkingLotLandingStripVocabulary




Enjoy,

Beverly

Creating Booklets On Your MAC

Ever wonder how to create a booklet on your MAC?  I've been creating booklets for my students and it's been a 'BIG HIT'!    Here is a tutorial that can help you create booklets for your students.  If you're a MAC lover like I am, this video tutorial may be very helpful.

Enjoy!   :)

Beverly

Freebie Friday!

Here's an activity that may help your kiddos formulate and write sentences.  Click the link!

Writing and formulating sentences

Also, soon I will be hosting a linky party!  Stay tuned..



Enjoy,

Beverly

Being Compassionate

I need a little compassion in my life.  Lately, not sure why, I've experienced some very disappointing encounters with people.  The lack of empathy and compassion demonstrated have left me astonished.  It seems more prevalent today, to abstain from showing kindness, understanding, patience and benevolence towards people.  I consider how this will effect the behavior of our children.   As adults, if we lack the skill to put ourselves in another person's place/situation, we will not be able to teach and expect our children to demonstrate empathy towards others.

This experience has really made me think.  How can I teach children the concept of having compassion and empathy?

  My pathway to this journey may take a while, but I've started with a very simple graphic organizer.  I thought about various terms to use during teaching this concept, and narrowed it down to four terms that young children can grasp quickly.

Four terms to describe compassion

1) kindness

2) patience

3) understanding

4) helpful

As educators/clinicians, we have a unique opportunity to teach skills which may be lagging.  My hope is that we can all be responsible enough to begin to teach important character traits that are necessary to sustain intimate relationships and friendships.  At least, I can turn a dismal experience into a lesson to enrich the lives of children.

Click on the link to access the activity.

Being Compassionate

I hope you all can use this in your classrooms or therapeutic settings.

Beverly

Grandma Loves a Taste of Synonyms

It's Finally Here!

Looking to work on synonyms during Thanksgiving? This packet will help you to work on this skill with your students. The packet is themed around a Grandmother whom is preparing a Thanksgiving feast. Your students help Grandma choose the best words to use for her menu. In the end, your students will write the menu using the words they have learned.

The packet includes: 
Grandma's Dessert- Choose the synonyms that describes a sweet pie.
Write a sentence that describes Grandma's pie.
Tasty Turkey- Choose synonyms for the word tasty. Add wings on the turkey.
Squish Squash- Take a survey and find out who enjoys eating squishy squash. Answer questions using survey results.
Graphic Organizer and Chart
Describe the Delicious Turkey
Choose the Synonym-Read the sentences and choose a synonym for the indicated word.
Write the Menu- A template is provided for students to create a Thanksgiving Menu.

It's all in black and white so your students can be creative and use their artistic skills!

I also have a freebie available as a preview. (Booklet format)

My TpT store

Enjoy!

Grandma Loves Synonyms!

Greetings Everyone!

Today I'm sharing a preview of a Thanksgiving packet that I'll be posting on TpT very soon.  The theme is Thanksgiving and the skill to address are SYNONYMS.  If you are in search for a fun way to teach or reinforce this concept, take a look at my TpT store next week for the full packet.  In the meantime, follow the link for a preview/freebie of one of the activities this product has to offer.

Grandma Loves Synonyms Freebie


Enjoy!

Beverly

Honoring our Veterans

 

Veteran's day is near and dear to my heart.  My dad served in the Vietnam War and was also part of the national guard after the war.  He continued honoring his country most of his life.  I remember many weekends and summers that my dad would go to serve and protect our country, the United States of America. 

 

He was so very proud to be part of the US Military and took his role, of course, very seriously.  I learned to honor, and love this country because of my father.  He was and still is the epitome of what God, family and country represents.  My dad still honors this country.  Every Veteran's Day and Memorial Day, he flies the American Flag in front of his house with great pride and joy.  Others from his neighborhood took note and began to honor veteran's in the same format.  If you walk down his block, you'll see many flags displayed in front of homes.

 

 

I would like to take some time to honor all our veteran's both living and dead.  I cannot demonstrate all the appreciation and gratitude I have for all who have served our country.  I can however, do what I do best and create an activity, so the next generation can understand how important our military personnel are to this country.

 

I created a small booklet about Veteran's Day.  It's very simple and to the point.  If you will like to use it for your students or children, please feel free to download the booklet.  Just click on the link.

 

 

Veteran's Day Booklet

 

On November 11th, remember to say thank you to a veteran.  They deserve it!

 

Enjoy the activity!

 

Respectfully,

 

 

Beverly