Review Games

I love healthy competition. (Ask AHS math teacher, Mr. Reeder!)  If you would like to create a few review challenges for your students, I have a some sites with templates to help you out.

PowerPoint Games

http://people.uncw.edu/ertzbergerj/ppt_games.html

http://teach.fcps.net/trt10/PowerPoint.htm

http://jc-schools.net/tutorials/PPT-games/

http://teach.fcps.net/trt4/FETC03/fun2.htm

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire was always a hit in my class.  Click here to look at my old Middle Ages/Canterbury Tales version (you must download from the Dropbox link in order for it work properly).  I would randomly select students to answer questions.  As a class, they had the three traditional lifelines (phone a friend, poll the "class", and 50/50) to help them reach the $1,000,000.  The game could be over in one question if they were not careful.  Let me know if you need more suggestions for making it work for your class.

Reading Practice Google Site

It is that time of year when people are starting to prep for end of semester/year testing!  With the addition of Common Exams, I figured more people may want some reading practice passages or videos for review since reading affects every subject.  I have put together a Google Site with exercises for a range of reading skills.  It is definitely a work in progress, so don’t be surprised if you see changes to the links or layout.  I tried to compile sites that allow for self-study.  Please preview all the links before assigning them to make sure the level is appropriate for your students; many of the practice items do not specify a target grade level.  Most examples are appropriate for middle school while the high school may have to hunt for what is challenging enough.

Here is the link:  https://sites.google.com/site/readingstudyhall/ 

Feel free to add to your class's Moodle or Edmodo sites!

Teacher Appreciation Week

I want to personally thank all the great teachers out there who are making a positive impact in world.  I have a couple of opportunities I would like to share.

I got this from nea.org:

Click here to get to the Picture This! Great Teaching opportunity from the Carnegie Corporation snipped above.

AND...
Big thanks to Melissa Curry (SAMS--7th grade ELA teacher) for sharing the Teacher Appreciation Week giveaway below from Chick Fil A!

Infographics Pt.2

Back in November I posted on the infographics project Sarah Beth Robbins (AHS, CTE Teacher) did with her class.  Meredith Wolfe (NAMS, 6th grade ELA teacher) sent me two really good sites of infographics for students to read.  This is great practice with reading nonfiction!

http://www.kidsdiscover.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=Infographic

http://dailyinfographic.com/

Carla Shinn (AHS, Media Specialist) also sent an infographic on information literacy that highlights how to get students to find credible information and cite it correctly.

Don't forget to refer back to Sarah Beth's work with creating infographics.

Text Features Chart

Several people said they were using the text features lesson I posted last week.  Below is an additional resource for you all--an informational text features chart.

It is a Google presentation so feel free to share the link with students.

Text Features

Whether you teach English/Language Arts or Health Occupations, your students need to understand informational text features.  I discovered this lesson on the web (courtesy of Milton High School in Milton, FL).  It has some great resources to teach text features.

Introduction to Text Features 
(PPT with Cornell Notes Guide)

Text Features Presentation from mrsweeks

Click here for Cornell Notes to match presentation.

"A Close-up Look at the Ol' Pigskin" Lesson

Attention Grabber
Video Clip
Review
Text Features in the Real Word PPT
Application
Text Features Team Comparison Handout
After reviewing text features with the students, give them a chance to apply their knowledge.  The handout challenges students to use the provided text features to quickly find information on the teams.
Applying to Content 
Text Feature Detective Handout
This allows students to transfer reading skills to other content areas.
Assessment
Article:  "On the Offense"
The Lexile Level is 1180 (bottom of 9-10 grade band range).  Students should read the article and then be asked to identify, explain, analyze, and determine meaning for a variety of text features.

The Power of Simple Words

Most of you are probably familiar with TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) Talks.  There is subsection of videos and lessons called TED-Ed.

Check out this really brief video lesson:  "The Power of Simple Words".  When you go to the site, click on the "Think" tab on the far right to access five multiple choice and three open answer questions.

Which language anchor standard(s) can be addressed with this mini-lesson?

~Chandra