Items filtered by date: August 2012

1-2-3 Come Get Rid Of The First Day Jitters With Me!

As promised here is the Common Core packet for First Day Jitters.  As with If You Take A Mouse To School, it was requested by a lot of teachers.

If there are more Common Core Packets you'd like me to whip together, just drop me an e-mail diane@teachwithme.com, or leave a comment here. 

These packets truly are a very simple, quick, and easy way to cover the Common Core State Standards: RI.K5,RI.K6,RI.K9,RI.K10,RL.K2, RL.K3,RL.K6, L.K1d, RI.1.9, RL.1.2, RL.1.3 in a short amount of time.

Your students will enjoy them, as they are empowered by the consistency in format.  To view/download the other common core packets, click on the following links:  The Kissing Hand,  Chrysanthemum,  If You Give A Mouse A Cookie, and  If You Take A Mouse To School.

 The packet includes:

• A beginning-middle-end story map that will help students retell First Day Jitters
  
• A "favorite part" retelling "writing prompt" bookmark
• A compare and contrast Venn diagram with The Kissing Hand book
• Character, Setting and Event cards. (Laminate, put magnets on the back and put them up on your white board. Write down students' answers under the cards.)
• Question Words activity sheet, reinforcing the who, what, why, when, where, how words.
• Cover of book to label book parts + review author and illustrator
• Feelings worksheet and writing prompt
• Feelings graphing extension
• "Jitters" synonym discussion and worksheet

The "Feelings" worksheet is great for a September writing prompt, and the one covering synonyms is great for Daily 5 "Word Work". Click on the link to view/download First Day Jitters Common Core packet.

Thanks for visiting today!  I hope you're getting excited, rather than anxious for your first day!  As for me, I'm off to take a break and get some fresh air.  My brain's been on overload lately...perhaps basking a bit in the sunshine will help unclutter my mind.

"I not only use all the brains I have, but all I can borrow." - Woodrow Wilson

If You Take A Mouse To School You'll Have A Lot Of FUN!!!

The Common Core packets using kiddy lit continue to be one of our most popular downloads. I started with The Kissing Hand added Chrysanthemum, then If You Give A Mouse A Cookie, and today I bring you If You Take A Mouse To School, which was one of the most requested books that I do a packet for.  I also just finished First Day Jitters.

Like all of the others, Taking A Mouse To School, follows the same format. it nails the Common Core State Standards: RI.K5,RI.K6,RI.K9,RI.K10,RL.K2, RL.K3,RL.K6, L.K1d, RI.1.9, RL.1.2, RL.1.3

I feel following a specific format when you do things, empowers students and builds their self-esteem. 

They feel smarter, because they know right from the start, what is expected of them and they can get "down to business"right away.

Less time is wasted because you are not reinventing the wheel preparing, nor are you having to continuously explain the directions and then having to repeat them to children who aren't listening or still don't "get it."

The packet includes:

• A beginning-middle-end story map that will help students retell If You Give A Mouse A Cookie
• A "favorite part" retelling "writing prompt" bookmark
• A compare and contrast Venn diagram with If You Take A Mouse To The Movies book
• Character, Setting and Event cards. (Laminate, put magnets on the back and put them up on your white board. Write down students' answers under the cards.)
• Question Words activity sheet, reinforcing the who, what, why, when, where, how words.
• Cover of book to label book parts + review author and illustrator
• Mouse "craftivity" writing prompt. My sample says: "I brought a baby elephant to school and he used the water fountain to take a bath and squirted water everywhere!"

The mouse "craftivity" makes a cute back to school 3-D bulletin board as the doors are slit open to reveal what "thing" each student has brought to school.

Make the schoolhouse extra special by having students write the name of your school over the door and gluing their picture in one of the windows.

This is also  great for a September writing prompt or Daily 5 activity. Click on the link to view/download If You Take A Mouse To School Common Core Packet.

This is truly a quick, easy and fun way to review a lot of common core state standards, so if there are other books that you’d like me to make packets for, just shoot me an e-mail.  diane@teachwithme.com or post a comment below.

"Treat people as if they were what they ought to be, and you can help them become what they are capable of becoming." -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

1-2-3 Come Do Some Give A Mouse A Cookie Activities With Me

Since the Common Core Kissing Hand packet was such a huge hit, I decided to make a few more popular back-to-school book packets for you!  Today’s freebie revolves around the fun book If You Give A Mouse A Cookie.

Like The Kissing Hand, it nails the Common Core State Standards: RI.K5,RI.K6,RI.K9,RI.K10,RL.K2, RL.K3,RL.K6, L.K1d, RI.1.9, RL.1.2, RL.1.3

The packet includes:

• A beginning-middle-end story map that will help students retell If You Give A Mouse A Cookie
• A "favorite part" retelling "writing prompt" bookmark
• A compare and contrast Venn diagram with If You Give A Pig A Pancake book
• Character, Setting and Event cards. (Laminate, put magnets on the back and put them up on your white board. Write down students' answers under the cards.)
• Question Words activity sheet, reinforcing the who, what, why, when, where, how words.
• Cover of book to label book parts + review author and illustrator
• Mouse "craftivity" writing prompt

The mouse "craftivity" makes a cute back to school 3-D bulletin board and is great for a September writing prompt or Daily 5 activity.

Click on the link to view/download If You Give A Mouse A Cookie Common Core Packet  I hope you enjoy this packet as much as The Kissing Hand one.

This is truly a quick, easy and fun way to cover a lot of common core state standards, so if there are other books that you’d like me to make packets for, just shoot me an e-mail.  diane@teachwithme.com or post a comment below. Tomorrow I'll be posting the If You Take A Mouse To School packet.

If you'd like to make another sweet little "craftivity" for the If You Take A Mouse Books, click on the link for the pattern and directions to make his cute blue jean bibs. I've made mini sequencing cards that students can tuck into the mouse's bib cup.

Thanks for visiting today.  I'm off to open up all of my windows and enjoy the wonderful summer breeze while I craft away.  "If you put Diane in front of a computer, she's sure to design away..."

“I have tried to write the best I can; sometimes I have good luck and write better than I can.” –Ernest Hemingway