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A Teaching Blog by Jodi Southard

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Comprehension Notebooks

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Comprehension can be such a difficult task to teach, but these Comprehension Notebooks have been a life-saver over the past couple of years.  They allow me to give a quick daily dose of comprehension, and we can really dig deep into each story.  I personally use these in small groups, but they can also be used in a whole group setting.  I prefer to use them in small groups because I can use a variety of grade levels in order to differentiate for my students.

Comprehension Notebooks provide your students with rigorous and focused daily comprehension practice. Each week includes an original text for students to read or have read to them. Each day, the students will practice a comprehension skill related to the text for the week.

Daily Comprehension Practice

These Comprehension Notebooks are set up on a 5-day schedule using the same story each day.  In all honesty, I usually do these over a 2-3 day time frame.  My schedule does not allow me to meet with each small reading group every day, so I usually do Day 1 and Day 2 together.  Then, the next time, we reread and do Days 3-5.  You can use these however you feel works best in your own classroom.

Differentiating with Comprehension Notebooks

I have 4 different grade levels of Comprehension Notebooks available (Kindergarten-3rd grade).  I personally like to use each of the grade levels in my classroom depending on each student’s reading level.  While the majority of my students do well with the Kindergarten, 1st or 2nd grade notebooks, I definitely have students that are capable of using the 3rd grade notebooks as well.

Comprehension Notebooks provide your students with rigorous and focused daily comprehension practice. Each week includes an original text for students to read or have read to them. Each day, the students will practice a comprehension skill related to the text for the week.

Comprehension Notebooks provide your students with rigorous and focused daily comprehension practice. Each week includes an original text for students to read or have read to them. Each day, the students will practice a comprehension skill related to the text for the week.

Comprehension Notebooks provide your students with rigorous and focused daily comprehension practice. Each week includes an original text for students to read or have read to them. Each day, the students will practice a comprehension skill related to the text for the week.

Comprehension Notebooks provide your students with rigorous and focused daily comprehension practice. Each week includes an original text for students to read or have read to them. Each day, the students will practice a comprehension skill related to the text for the week.

What does each Comprehension Notebook include?

Each notebook includes 30 weeks worth of comprehension practice using both fiction and nonfiction text.  The comprehension skills are appropriate for each grade level and include a variety of skills.  (cause and effect, main idea and details, compare and contrast, visualizing, theme, inferences, etc.)  Every week includes a Write About It section that allows students to respond to the text and make text-to-self connections.  In order to help you with differentiation, I also have two different bundles available for you.  My K-2nd grade bundle is a great way to differentiate for a 1st grade classroom.  I also have a K-3rd grade bundle that includes ALL of my Comprehension Notebooks.

What are teacher’s saying about Comprehension Notebooks?

“True brilliance…that is all I can say about this resource. I am going into my first year of teaching and have viewed thousands of resources and this is by far my favorite. The excitement I have for this is a little silly, I must say! (I even called my mom). I always struggled with comprehension as a child so seeing a clever way to implement reading comprehension activities aside from curriculum is brilliant!” -In the Shade

“This book is probably one of the best purchases I have made on TPT. I have used it daily. It is used as a must do for my students during centers. It took about six weeks of working with the students , but now they are working in a group of about 5 students and getting a lot out of the daily practice pieces. It goes along well with Journeys. I just have to tell the students what page to work on to match up with the comprehension skill of the week. Often they will ask if they can finish the page which is exciting to hearing. I sent it away to be bound into a book as shown and the students know to pull out their books when we have centers. If you are wondering if it is worth it… It is!” -Primary at Heart

“Absolutely a GAME CHANGER in teaching comprehension! Thank you for making a product full of practicality for my kiddos! Your hard work is beyond appreciated! Thank you for making my job easier!” -Krystina

Check out all of my Comprehension Notebooks.

Kindergarten Comprehension Notebook

1st Grade Comprehension Notebook

2nd Grade Comprehension Notebook

3rd Grade Comprehension Notebook

Kindergarten-3rd Grade Bundle

The Christmas Challenge

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Do you need a fun activity for your class during the hectic weeks before Winter Break? The Christmas Challenge is perfect. Your class will compete in small groups to complete 10 academic challenges. After each challenge, the class will open a Challenge Ticket envelope and solve the code word. The first team to solve all 10 code words is the winning team.

The Christmas Challenge is the perfect way to keep your students engaged before the holidays. Students will compete in teams to solve 10 academic challenges. After they solve a challenge, the team will earn a Challenge Ticket to solve a mystery word. The first team to solve all 10 mystery words, is the winning team.

What is the Christmas Challenge?

The Christmas Challenge is a fun, cooperative learning activity where students work together to complete 10 academic based challenges.  Once a team completes the challenge, they open the corresponding Challenge Ticket envelope and solve the mystery word.  You can decide if you would like for your class to complete all 10 challenges or only pick and choose some of the challenges.

The Christmas Challenge is the perfect way to keep your students engaged before the holidays. Students will compete in teams to solve 10 academic challenges. After they solve a challenge, the team will earn a Challenge Ticket to solve a mystery word. The first team to solve all 10 mystery words, is the winning team.

Each Challenge activity, Challenge Ticket, and Code Word has coordinating pictures, so the project is easy to organize.  After a group completes the challenge, they will receive the Challenge Ticket with the same picture.  Inside the envelope, they will solve the mystery word with that same picture again.

The Christmas Challenge is the perfect way to keep your students engaged before the holidays. Students will compete in teams to solve 10 academic challenges. After they solve a challenge, the team will earn a Challenge Ticket to solve a mystery word. The first team to solve all 10 mystery words, is the winning team.

I know that the weeks leading up to Winter Break are hectic, and activities that take a ton of time to prep are almost always impossible to squeeze into your plans.  I love this challenge because the students can work together, it’s academic based, and easy to prepare.  This low prep activity only involves printing and getting the envelopes ready for each team.

What is included in the challenge?

★Directions for the Challenge
★10 academic challenges (math and language arts based)
★10 Challenge Tickets
★10 Corresponding Envelope Labels
★Christmas Challenge Code
★Answer Key

Check out The Christmas Challenge by clicking on the picture below.

The Christmas Challenge is the perfect way to keep your students engaged before the holidays. Students will compete in teams to solve 10 academic challenges. After they solve a challenge, the team will earn a Challenge Ticket to solve a mystery word. The first team to solve all 10 mystery words, is the winning team.

Look for more Challenges coming soon!

5 Ways to Keep Your Students Engaged During the Holiday Season

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Keeping your students engaged in your classroom during the busy holiday season can be tough.  I put together a list of 5 Ways to Keep Your Students Engaged During the Holiday Season that I hope will help relieve some of the “craziness” that can occur in even the best students during the month of December.

5 Ways to Keep Your Students Engaged During the Holiday Season

5 Ways to Keep Your Students Engaged During the Holiday Season

  1. Stick to your normal schedule as much as possible.  I know, I know…December is CRAZY!  Parties, programs, presents, etc.  However, when you can, follow the same format that you would during a normal week of school.  Children like routine.  They know what to expect, and what is expected of them when they are following your normal schedule.  However, you can definitely change it up a little to include some holiday themed activities.  Throw in some holiday reading passages during reading time, holiday fact practice during math, and holiday themed science and social studies activities.  Check out some of my favorite educational holiday themed activities for each subject area here:
  2. Pick a few things to try, but DO NOT try to do it all.  It is not humanly possible to do every single holiday themed activity that you find on Pinterest.  I pin WAY TOO MANY ideas, get overwhelmed, and don’t do ANY of them.  It’s a vicious cycle 😉  Pick out 2-3 new things that you want to incorporate into your classroom this holiday season, and then stop looking.  If you get overwhelmed, your students will get overwhelmed.
  3. Reward Positive Behavior.  This is important anytime of the year, but especially when you know that students will have an even more challenging time staying focused.  Here are some ideas for rewarding positive behavior:
    • Earning Snowballs – Students can earn a snowball (cotton ball) for positive behavior.  I like to use this as a “whole class” reward system.  When the students are doing what they should be doing, they earn a snowball into a jar.  Once the jar is full, they earn some type of reward.  (A hot chocolate party would be perfect!)
    • Christmas Book Raffle – Order some extra Christmas books from your Scholastic Book Order.  Place the books out with a bucket in front of each one.  Students earn tickets for positive behavior.  Once they earn a ticket, they write their name on the back and place it in the bucket in front of the book that they would like a chance to win.  You can draw a name at the end of the week or right before Winter Break.
    • Positive Notes and Phone Calls -Positive notes and phone calls are great anytime of the year, but during the busy holiday season, they become even more beneficial.
    • Classroom Management Christmas Ornaments – I love this idea from Maria at Kindercraze.  Her kindergarteners earned jewels to decorate their ornaments for good behavior.
  4. Get Your Students Moving.  We know that students need to get up move.  We really cannot expect primary students to sit still all day.  I love using GoNoodle for brain breaks.  I also like to incorporate movement into our learning.  My students like using these Christmas Reading on the Move Passages.  I also make sure to get them moving around the classroom more often.  We do more partner work, small group work, and flexible seating if my students can handle it.  A good game of Santa Says (Simon Says) is always a great brain break as well.
  5. Play Games.  Who doesn’t love a good game?  My students are obsessed with games.  If I can teach or review a skill with a game, I’ll do it.  Some of my favorites include:
    • Pick a Spot – I do this throughout the year with a variety of skills.  One that we have been doing a lot lately is short vowel sounds.  I write each vowel on a Post-It note and hang them in different places around my classroom.  Every student picks a vowel to stand next to.  Then, I pull a short vowel word out of a cup.  Anyone standing by the vowel that is in that word has to go and sit down.  The students left get to choose a new vowel or stay where they are.  This continues until only one student is left standing.
    • Holiday Word Scramble – Write letters to spell out holiday words on index cards.  Put each scrambled word in a bag.  Pass out the bags to groups of students and have them race to unscramble their words.  You could even give groups a couple of words.  Ideas for words include: Christmas, Hanukkah, candy cane, snowman, ornament, stocking, gingerbread, etc.
    • No Prep Printable Games – My Games Galore packs are a monthly must have in my classroom.  I like to print these games to have on hand when we need to review a skill or we just need a change of pace.
    • Spin and Color – This simple no prep game is perfect for students to do individually or with a partner.

This FREE Santa Spin and Color is perfect for reviewing phonics skills in December.

What are some of your favorite ways to keep students engaged during the holiday season?

December Interactive Fact Folders

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Interactive Fact Folders have been a game changer in my classroom during social studies and science time.  I am always looking for good ways to integrate these areas with reading and writing, and these Fact Folders have done just that.

These December Interactive Fact Folders are a hands-on way to integrate science and social studies with reading and writing.

These Interactive Fact Folder can be made on file folders or a 12×18 piece of folded construction paper.  To save money, I always use construction paper with my students.  24 pieces of construction paper is more cost-effective than 24 file folders.  Each folder comes with a cover page, graphic organizers, 4 fact sheets, a color section, vocabulary words, and writing pages.

These December Interactive Fact Folders are a hands-on way to integrate science and social studies with reading and writing.

Step-by-Step Guide to Using Interactive Fact Folders

Many people want to know exactly how I use these in my classroom.  There is no right or wrong way, but this is what has worked best for me.  I spread these out and complete a little portion each day of the week.  Here is an example week:

Day 1: Pass out the cover page and 12×18 folded piece of construction paper.  Students color the front page, cut out along the black line and glue to the front of their folders.

Day 2: Pass out the Fact Sheet Pocket and their folders.  Students cut and glue their pocket together.  Then, they glue it into the inside of their Fact Folder.  Pass out the Fact Sheet Graphic Organizer.  Students cut it out, fold it in half, and glue it under their Fact Sheet Pocket.  Then, they take their scissors and cut up along the dotted lines.  Pass out the first fact sheet to read.  I read this to the class first.  Then, I have them highlight any vocabulary words or important facts that I would like for them to remember.  Next, the students flip up the first portion of the graphic organizer and write something they learned from the Fact Sheet.

Day 3: Pass out the folders and another Fact Sheet.  Follow the same procedure as yesterday.  Pass out the Color Page and Words to Know pocket.  Have the students cut out the items and add them to their fact folders.

Day 4: Pass out the folders and the last two Fact Sheets.  Follow the same procedure as the days before.  Pass out the final graphic organizer for the top of the inside.  Have students complete the graphic organizer and glue it into their Fact Folders.  Pass out the vocabulary words.  Go over these together.  Have students cut them out and place them in their Words to Know Pocket.

Day 5: Review all of the information they learned throughout the week about the topic.  Pass out the Writing Page.  Students use their resources from the Fact Folder to write about the topic.  Then, they cut it out and glue it onto the back of the folder.

When I created these, I knew that they would be a great resource for my students.  However, I’m always pleasantly surprised in how much ownership they take in these and how excited they are each time to take them home and share with their families.

December Interactive Fact Folder Topics

I have created a Winter Holidays, Christmas Around the World, and Reindeer Interactive Fact Folder.  They are all included in the December Bundle.  Each of these can be purchased separately, or you can save money by purchasing the bundle of all three topics.

These December Interactive Fact Folders are a hands-on way to integrate science and social studies with reading and writing.

Which is your favorite December theme to teach?

 

Interactive Task Folder

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“I’m done.  What do I do now?”  I know you’ve heard this.  My go-to answer is almost always “Go read a book.”  This is always a great choice, but I also wanted to come up with a way for my students to have some other options.  This Interactive Task Folder was the perfect answer.

Interactive Task Folders are great for early finishers and when you have a couple extra minutes in your day. Your students will take ownership in their work after making these.

After creating a Solar Eclipse Lapbook to use with my students, I knew that I needed to make something else like this that we could use on a regular basis.  My students took so much ownership in their work and commented over and over again how much fun they had while making it.

This Interactive Task Folder is great for my early finishers.  They can pull out their folders and work on sight words, phonics skills, vocabulary words, math facts, and more.  These are also great for students to use when you find yourself with a couple of extra minutes before lunch or at the end of the day.

Interactive Task Folders are great for early finishers and when you have a couple extra minutes in your day. Your students will take ownership in their work after making these.

You will need a file folder for each student.  Open up each folder and fold the two sides in towards the middle of the folder.  Then, print off the pages needed to create the folder.  I used Astrobrights colored paper, but you could definitely use white paper and have your students color their pages if they’d like.  The front of the task folder includes a cover sheet, a 120’s chart, and a writing idea list.

Interactive Task Folders are great for early finishers and when you have a couple extra minutes in your day. Your students will take ownership in their work after making these.

For the inside, I have included a BOGGLE board that can be edited.  This way, you can change out the letters when needed and just have the students glue the new board right on top of the old one.  I also had someone give me the idea to put this on with velcro to make it easy to change out.

Students will also be able to practice their math facts and sight words.  These pockets are sized to fit a 3×5 index card, or I have included editable math fact and sight word cards.  The Reading Response sheets are perfect comprehension practice for students if they read a book in their spare time.  I have included 4 different response sheets in this file.

Interactive Task Folders are great for early finishers and when you have a couple extra minutes in your day. Your students will take ownership in their work after making these.

The Making Words activity is a great way to practice spelling and phonics skills.  I have included templates to create your own Making Words cards.  I have also included a template for you to make your own vocabulary word strips.  These can be changed out each week to keep the items fresh.  I like to include the vocabulary words from our reading selections for the week.

Interactive Task Folders are great for early finishers and when you have a couple extra minutes in your day. Your students will take ownership in their work after making these.

On the back, I have included a Word List that is helpful for students when they are writing.  It makes a great resource for them to use throughout the day.

These folders can take a bit of time to make, but once they are done, they are such a helpful resource.  I highly recommend having your students make these instead of you or a parent volunteer.  The students really take ownership in their work and are much more likely to use these if they are the ones making them.

What are teachers saying about this product? 
“Very helpful; It’s nice to have everything a student needs in one place.” 
“A great way to review basics on a daily basis! I love that I can edit parts of it, and can differentiate for all my students!” – Jennifer
“I think this is my favorite lap book ever! Such a useful tool and easy to individualize in my resource room.”

You can check these Interactive Task Folders out by clicking on any of the pictures in this post.

 

Interactive Task Folders are great for early finishers and when you have a couple extra minutes in your day. Your students will take ownership in their work after making these.

Design Your Perfect Classroom – A Project Based Learning Activity

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As teachers, we constantly think about how our classroom is set up.  We may move furniture every year or even mid-year to change things around and try something new.  But, have you ever tried to ask your students how THEY would like to have their classroom set up?  What would their perfect classroom look like?  What type of environment would they learn best in?  What types of seating would they love to have?  I decided to create a Project Based Learning project centered around this idea.

This Project Based Learning activity allows your students to critically think about what would be the best learning environment for them and their classmates. Students will work together through 10 steps to complete a model of a their perfect classroom.

What is Project Based Learning?

Project Based Learning (PBL) is a way of teaching that allows students to work together to investigate, create, and solve problems in a deeper and more meaningful way.  PBL addresses learning standards in a more complex way because students are actively involved in the learning process.

Every PBL activity has a question or problem to solve.  Then, students work collaboratively together to brainstorm, research, and create a solution to the question or problem.

Just handing instructions to your students to complete a project is NOT Project Based Learning.  In PBL, students will use critical thinking skills to brainstorm, research, plan, and execute their project.  Then, students will reflect on their project and the entire process of completing the project.

Design Your Perfect Classroom – The Project

This Project Based Learning activity allows your students to critically think about what would be the best learning environment for them and their classmates. Students will work together through 10 steps to complete a model of a their perfect classroom.You will begin by presenting the students with the Essential Question.  You can decide if you would like to do this project with “realistic” or “fantasy” type classrooms.  They could even be separate PBL activities.

This Project Based Learning activity allows your students to critically think about what would be the best learning environment for them and their classmates. Students will work together through 10 steps to complete a model of a their perfect classroom.

Students will have individual brainstorming and group brainstorming time built into this project.  All of the steps to the project are laid out for you.

This Project Based Learning activity allows your students to critically think about what would be the best learning environment for them and their classmates. Students will work together through 10 steps to complete a model of a their perfect classroom.

I have also included “Think About It” Question cards to really get their minds thinking critically about what would truly make the perfect classroom.

This Project Based Learning activity allows your students to critically think about what would be the best learning environment for them and their classmates. Students will work together through 10 steps to complete a model of a their perfect classroom.

With this Project Based Learning Activity, I really wanted to put a huge focus on cooperative learning.  This includes teaching the students to be active listeners.  Each student should have the opportunity to be heard throughout the project.

This Project Based Learning activity allows your students to critically think about what would be the best learning environment for them and their classmates. Students will work together through 10 steps to complete a model of a their perfect classroom.

An important stage in the PBL process is research.  I have included some resource sheets to help students think about their research when designing their classrooms.

This Project Based Learning activity allows your students to critically think about what would be the best learning environment for them and their classmates. Students will work together through 10 steps to complete a model of a their perfect classroom.

Every step of this project is broken down into manageable portions for your primary students.  For the materials, you can provide the materials for your class or you can have them decide as a group which materials to bring from home.

This Project Based Learning activity allows your students to critically think about what would be the best learning environment for them and their classmates. Students will work together through 10 steps to complete a model of a their perfect classroom.

I have provided a variety of recording sheets to fit the diverse needs of your students.  Kindergarten students and early 1st grade students will be successful with the drawing reflection sheets and brainstorming pages, where 2nd graders and some 1st graders can use the writing reflection sheets and brainstorming pages.

What are teachers saying about this project?

“This is such a fantastic resource! This will be a perfect way to introduce working in groups right at the beginning of the year while also receiving insight on what students would like to see in our classroom! It will make for a great back to school activity! I really appreciate the step-by-step implementation directions, as well as the resources to even help with expectations. Thanks for a great resource!”

You can check out this Project Based Learning Project by clicking HERE or on any of the pictures.

This Project Based Learning activity allows your students to critically think about what would be the best learning environment for them and their classmates. Students will work together through 10 steps to complete a model of a their perfect classroom.