We have compiled a list of 26 remarkable individuals who have made significant contributions to various fields such as literature, civil rights, science, and sports. From iconic figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and Maya Angelou to lesser-known yet equally influential leaders such as Shirley Chisholm and Louis Armstrong, each one has left an indelible mark on our society. As we explore their stories, we also highlight the impact and legacy they have left behind for future generations to learn from and build upon.
Our Black History Month Bulletin Board Posters provide a vibrant and engaging learning tool that helps students and learners of all ages understand the lives and accomplishments of these influential figures. Each of our 26 biography posters, available in both portrait and landscape, features essential facts and insights into these leaders' lives, making history more accessible and engaging.
Our pack includes biography posters and organizers for the following influential leaders:
1. Harriet Tubman
2. Rosa Parks
3. Mae Jemison
4. Shirley Chisholm
5. Marian Anderson
6. Althea Gibson
7. Sojourner Truth
8. Ida B. Wells
9. Ella Fitzgerald
10. Mary McLeod Bethune
11. Bessie Coleman
12. Maya Angelou
13. Zora Neale Hurston
14. Benjamin Banneker
15. Booker T. Washington
16. John Lewis
17. Muhammad Ali
18. Louis Armstrong
19. Frederick Douglass
20. Barrack Obama
21. Langston Hughes
22. Thurgood Marshall
23. Jackie Robinson
24. Dr. Charles Drew
25. Martin Luther King Jr.
26. George Washington Carver
Each leader has played a vital role in shaping our history, and their stories are a testament to their courage, perseverance, and unwavering commitment to justice and equality.
The colorful posters make for an eye-catching bulletin board display. Alternatively, you can set up an interactive bulletin board, encouraging students to engage with the leaders' stories by reading the posters and filling in their biography organizers. These resources can also be used at different stations, allowing students to explore several influential leaders' lives and complete the organizers throughout the month.
Writing Assignments: Use the biographies as prompts for writing assignments. Students could write a letter to the leader, a diary entry from the leader's perspective, or a short story inspired by the leader's life.
Group Discussions: Facilitate group discussions based on the leaders' lives and their contributions, enhancing critical thinking and collaborative skills among students.
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Practicing parts of speech can be both enjoyable and educational for Grade 3 students. Here are some fun activities that align with the Common Core Standards:
Parts of Speech Bingo: Create bingo cards with different parts of speech (nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc.). Call out definitions or examples, and students cover the corresponding part of speech on their cards. This is a fun way to reinforce knowledge of parts of speech.
Word Sorting: Provide students with a mixed list of words. Have them sort the words into categories like nouns, verbs, and adjectives. This can be done individually, in pairs, or in small groups.
Parts of Speech Scavenger Hunt: Create a scavenger hunt where students find examples of nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc., around the classroom or from a text. This encourages them to apply their knowledge in identifying parts of speech in context.
"I Spy" with Parts of Speech: Play a version of "I Spy" where students have to guess an object based on its part of speech (e.g., "I spy something that is a noun").
Story Creation: Have students write short stories, but leave blanks for specific parts of speech. They can then fill these in with their own words or swap stories with a classmate to fill in the blanks.
Color Coding Sentences: Provide sentences where students must color-code words according to their parts of speech. For example, nouns could be blue, verbs red, and adjectives green.
Grammar Journals: Students keep a journal where they write sentences and then identify and label the parts of speech in each sentence. This can be a daily or weekly activity.
Mad Libs: Mad libs are a fun and educational activity that can be a great way to have kids practice the parts of speech without even realizing it.
Practicing the Parts of Speech through the use of Mad Libs benefits kids in the following ways:
Language Skills Development: These activities help students practice parts of speech like nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.
Creativity and Imagination: Filling in the blanks with creative words encourages students to use their imagination, fostering creative thinking and expression.
Contextual Learning: By creating humorous or nonsensical sentences, students learn to understand the importance of context in language.
Vocabulary Expansion: Students are exposed to new words and can explore their meanings, which helps in building their vocabulary.
Engagement and Fun: The playful nature of Mad Libs makes learning engaging and enjoyable, which can enhance motivation and participation in class.
Reading and Comprehension Skills: As students read their completed Mad Libs aloud, they practice reading fluency and comprehension.
Collaborative Learning: This activity can be done in pairs or groups, promoting collaboration, discussion, and social skills among students.
Self-Correction and Reflection: When students realize that a word they chose doesn't quite fit, it encourages them to think critically and make corrections.
Customizability for Different Learning Levels: Mad Libs can be easily adapted to suit various learning levels within the Grade 3 classroom.
In summary, Mad Libs are not just a source of entertainment; they are a multifaceted educational tool that can help students develop key language skills in a fun and interactive way.
Check out ALL of our holiday Mad Libs Here!
Be sure to check out all our different holiday packs. Kids will love these fun Mad Libs activities to celebrate the different holidays and not even realize they are reviewing the parts of speech. Each set contains several printable parts of speech fill-in the blank worksheets that are perfect for grammar review.
Happy Holidays!
]]>As the back-to-school season approaches, we know that setting up your classroom can be both thrilling and a tad overwhelming. But fear not, because we're here to help you make it a breeze!
Back-to-School Classroom Setup Tips
Plan with Purpose: Take a moment to visualize how you want your classroom to look and feel. What atmosphere do you want to create? Having a clear vision will guide your setup decisions.
Organize Strategically: Create designated spaces for different activities. Think cozy reading corners, hands-on experiment zones, and a neatly organized supply area.
Student-Centered Layout: Arrange desks or seating to encourage interaction and collaboration. An open layout can foster a sense of community among your energetic learners.
Personal Touches: Infuse your personality into the classroom. Hang up photos, quotes, or wall decor that reflect your teaching style and make the space inviting.
One of the keys to a successful and engaging classroom environment is the arrangement of desks or seating that promotes interaction, collaboration, and a sense of community among your students. This layout not only encourages teamwork but also helps your energetic learners stay focused and motivated throughout their learning journey.
Traditional Rows of Desks:
Pros:
Cons:
Flexible Group Seating: Consider arranging desks in clusters or pods to encourage small group collaboration. This setup allows students to easily engage in discussions, share ideas, and work together on projects.
Pros:
Cons:
Circle or U-Shape Arrangement: For class discussions or activities that require everyone's participation, arrange desks in a circle or U-shape. This layout promotes inclusivity and ensures that every student's voice is heard.
Pros:
Cons:
Each seating arrangement has its own set of advantages and disadvantages, and the choice of arrangement often depends on the teaching style, lesson objectives, and the needs of your students. Many educators find that a combination of seating styles can be beneficial, allowing for flexibility and adaptation based on the activities and learning goals of the day.
Collaborative Learning Stations: Create different learning stations within your classroom, each with a specific purpose. For instance, a reading nook, a research corner, and a hands-on experiment area. This setup encourages students to move around and explore different activities. Collaborative stations encourage students to explain concepts to their peers, reinforcing their understanding and deepening their knowledge. Teaching others enhances their own grasp of the material.
Student-Centered Materials: Place frequently used materials within easy reach of students. This autonomy empowers them to access resources independently, enhancing their responsibility for their own learning.
Classroom Arrangement Principles: Keep sightlines in mind to ensure that students can comfortably see and interact with each other. Remove unnecessary barriers that might hinder communication and collaboration.
Designated Group Spaces: Designate specific areas for group work and discussions. These spaces can be marked with colorful rugs, cushions, or collaborative work boards, signaling to students that it's a spot for teamwork.
Teacher's Role: As the facilitator, your position within the classroom is crucial. Consider having a mobile teaching station that allows you to move around and engage with different groups as needed.
Positive Behavior Reinforcement: Use the student-centered layout to reward positive behavior. For instance, groups that work well together could earn extra privileges or special recognition.
Reflect and Adapt: Regularly assess the effectiveness of your seating arrangement. Ask for student feedback and be open to making adjustments to better suit their needs and preferences.
By adopting a student-centered layout, you're creating an environment where collaboration, communication, and community-building are at the forefront of the learning experience. This approach not only enhances your energetic learners' academic growth but also cultivates essential life skills that they'll carry with them beyond the classroom.
]]>To show how much we appreciate teachers like you, we are having a SPECIAL BACK TO SCHOOL GIVEAWAY. Four lucky winners will receive a BOOM Learning gift card.
You must 18 years of age to enter. No purchase necessary to enter. Winner must provide proof of being a teacher or home educator with a school email address or ID card. All items will be emailed to winners after the contest ends. Not affiliated with Boom Learning, Facebook, or Instagram.
Good Luck and THANK YOU for going above and beyond every single day!
Julie :)
]]>The start of a new school year marks a fresh beginning, a chance to create a positive classroom environment, and an opportunity to establish strong teacher-student connections. A well-crafted welcome back to school letter sets the tone for the entire year. Here's how to write the best welcome letter, along with some examples to inspire you.
Begin with a friendly and warm greeting to immediately establish a positive tone. Address students by their first names for a more personal touch. See the example below for more ideas.
Welcome back to school! I hope you had an incredible summer filled with fun and adventures. I'm thrilled to be your teacher this year and can't wait to get to know each and every one of you.
Convey your excitement for the upcoming year. Let students know that you're looking forward to the learning journey you'll embark on together.
We're going to learn, explore, and grow together in our wonderful classroom.
Or
I'm thrilled to be your teacher and can't wait to embark on this learning journey together.
Share a brief personal anecdote or funny story to show students that you're approachable and relatable.
Introduce yourself briefly, especially if you're a new teacher to the students. Mention your teaching experience, passion for education, and goals for this year. Many teachers add a picture of themselves to personalize the letter.
Outline your expectations for behavior, participation, and classroom rules. Keep these positive, emphasizing the classroom community and respectful atmosphere you want to foster. Keep it brief, you'll spend more time going over these in more detail during the first week and month of the school year.
Provide a sneak peek of exciting topics, projects, and activities you have planned for the year. This builds anticipation and excitement among students. This step is very important to give students something to get excited about and look forward to the upcoming school year. See the examples below as starting points for your own letter.
This year, we'll dive into some fascinating topics like exploring outer space, discovering new animals, and even creating our own stories.
Or
This year, we'll tackle some exciting projects that will push your creativity and critical thinking skills. From designing innovative solutions to real-world problems to exploring historical mysteries, we're going to stretch our minds and expand our horizons.
Or
Some of the activities and projects you’ll be doing this year include monthly book reports, writer’s workshop, interactive notebooks, science experiments, social studies projects, math centers, reader’s theater, and much more!
Highlight the importance of open communication. Let students know how they can reach you, whether through email, notes, or other communication platforms.
Express your commitment to each student's success. Emphasize that you're there to support and guide them throughout the school year.
Ensure your letter is inclusive, acknowledging the diverse backgrounds, talents, and strengths that each student brings to the classroom.
Use our Welcome Back to School Letter Templates with examples to easily personalize your own welcome letters. With lots of different backgrounds, vibrant colors, and a variety of themes it has everything needed to craft the perfect back to school letter. And best of all it's editable in Google Slides so you can send it digitally or through regular mail to your new students.
Writing a welcome back to school letter is your chance to set the tone for a positive and engaging school year. Through your words, you can inspire curiosity, foster a sense of belonging, and ignite excitement for learning. Whether you're teaching elementary students or middle schoolers, the key is to infuse your letter with authenticity, enthusiasm, and a genuine desire to make this year unforgettable.
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Research has shown that incorporating coloring into a student's daily routine can have many benefits that can positively impact their academic and personal life. One such benefit is improved focus and concentration. By engaging in a calming and repetitive activity like coloring, students are able to enter a state of flow, where they lose track of time and become fully immersed in what they're doing. This can help them concentrate better and stay focused on their schoolwork for longer periods of time.
In fact, studies have found that coloring can be just as effective as meditation in reducing anxiety and promoting relaxation. When students are feeling stressed or overwhelmed, taking a few minutes to color can help them calm down and clear their minds. This can help them approach their schoolwork with a clearer and more focused mindset, leading to better academic performance.
By incorporating coloring into their daily routine, students can reap the benefits of improved focus and concentration, as well as reduced stress and anxiety. These benefits can translate to better academic performance, and a more positive and productive overall experience in school. So, whether you're a parent, teacher, or student yourself, consider adding a little bit of color to your daily routine and see how it can positively impact your life.
Studies have found that incorporating coloring into a daily routine can reduce stress and anxiety, making it an ideal activity for students. When feeling overwhelmed or anxious, taking a few minutes to color can have the same effect as meditation, calming the mind and allowing for clearer focus. This clear mindset can lead to better academic performance and a more positive overall experience in school.
By adding a little bit of color to their day, students can reap the benefits of improved concentration and reduced stress. This, in turn, can positively impact their academic performance and overall well-being. Furthermore, when creativity and imagination are also boosted by coloring, students can see even more benefits in their academic and personal lives.
So, please take a few minutes each day to color and see how it positively impacts your life. With improved focus, reduced stress, and greater creativity, coloring can be a valuable addition to any student's daily routine.
Coloring is not only a fun activity but also has numerous benefits for students. Besides reducing stress and improving concentration, coloring can boost creativity and imagination. When students color, they are challenged to select colors and think of creative ways to bring life to their drawings. This stimulates the imagination and encourages out-of-the-box thinking. Coloring also allows students to express themselves artistically without the pressure of being perfect or judged. It is an excellent way for students to relax and let their creative juices flow.
In addition to the mental benefits of coloring, it also positively impacts fine motor skills. As students color, they develop better control over their hands and fingers, which can translate to improved handwriting and other fine motor-related tasks. This, in turn, can positively impact their academic performance and overall well-being.
So, coloring can be a beneficial addition to any student's daily routine, whether during a break between classes or as an after-school activity. By improving focus, reducing stress, and fostering creativity, coloring can have a significant impact on a student's personal and academic life.
In addition to the many mental benefits of coloring, it's also a great way to develop fine motor skills. For students, this means they can improve control over their hands and fingers, which can translate to better handwriting and other fine motor-related tasks.
Coloring requires students to hold and manipulate pencils or crayons with precision and control. As they fill in coloring pages, they build strength and dexterity in their hands, fingers, and wrists. This can help them improve their grip and ability to manipulate small objects, benefiting many areas of their lives.
Research shows that students with strong fine motor skills often have better academic performance, particularly in math and language arts. In addition, by improving their ability to hold and control writing tools, they can improve their writing speed and legibility, which can help them excel in every subject.
Coloring can also be a relaxing and stress-reducing activity. So, it's an excellent way for students to take a break between classes or as an after-school activity. By improving their focus, reducing stress, and fostering creativity, coloring can have a significant impact on a student's academic and personal life.,
What better way to celebrate Earth Day than by educating the next generation about the importance of taking care of our planet? Use our Earth Day coloring pages for a fun and educational tool for children. This collection of 12 doodle coloring pages is a great way to teach children about environmentalism and the importance of preserving our planet. We've covered it, from the three Rs to appreciating nature.
Coloring is far more than just a simple pastime. By incorporating coloring into a student's daily routine, they can benefit from a sharper focus, reduced stress and anxiety, heightened creativity and imagination, and improved motor skills. So, consider adding a splash of color to your daily lesson plans, whether you're a parent or a teacher. As Albert Einstein once said, "Creativity is intelligence having fun," and coloring is a great way to make that happen for your students.
]]>Visiting a national park with kids can be an excellent way to provide them with a unique educational experience and foster a love of nature and the outdoors. And it's fun family time!
Visiting a national park with kids can be beneficial for many reasons:
Take a look at some of these unique National Park activity packs to get kids excited about visiting a National Park. Each unit includes information and coloring pages about famous landmarks, history, and animals they might see while visiting the park. This is a great way to introduce to information about the park in a fun and engaging way.
Visiting a national park with kids can be an enriching and rewarding experience providing numerous educational, physical, and emotional benefits.
]]>Guest post by Susan Good from Retired Educator
Nature-deficit disorder is real, and it's proving to be a real threat. It's a noticeable fact that the children of today are as far removed from nature as humans will ever be as they veer closer and closer to technology. As a result, they're missing out on nature's inherent rewards, which can lead to serious health consequences. So today, we are sharing some resources to help you understand why our connection to the outdoors matters and how to get your kids back to nature for good.
Learn about the many benefits of spending time outdoors and how being in nature can affect your children's well-being.
Visiting a national park with kids can be an excellent way to provide them with a unique educational experience and foster a love of nature and the outdoors. If you can't go in person, take a peek at our National Park Coloring Book series that feature famous landmarks and animals that call the park home.
Ultimately, going back to nature is much easier than you might expect as long as you keep it fun and engaging. In time, your kids will recognize what a true gift you're giving them by taking them away from their gadgets and getting them outside.
]]>Guest post by Susan Good from Retired Educator
As a teacher, you might have struggled through a difficult, tumultuous few years in the workforce. Right now, many people in education are facing numerous challenges at work, from tough conditions in the classroom to wages that aren’t sufficient to meet the rising costs of living. If you’re interested in starting a side hustle for extra income, Heart 2 Heart Teaching has some tips and resources to help you get started!
No matter what side hustle you choose to focus on, you might benefit from officially forming your own business. Even if you’re only working on these projects for a few hours per week, you can still gain some perks for registering with the right business structure! By filing for LLC status in your state, you can protect your personal financial assets with limited liability. Furthermore, you’ll get some tax breaks to help you save even more money!
If you don’t want to pay a lawyer to handle the filing process for you, you can either submit the documents on your own or work with an online formation service for additional support. Remember, every state has its own list of requirements for forming an LLC, but there are online formation services that can be a big help, so do some research on the best LLC services in your area before you get started.
Next, don’t forget to advertise! Infographics are a great way to spread the word, thanks to their unique combination of eye-catching pictures and linguistic brevity. If you aren’t sure where to start, there are a number of infographics templates that you can use for free! From there, you can share your new infographics via Instagram to reach a large audience of potential customers.
Lots of teachers pick up tutoring as a side hustle. If you want to maximize your earning potential as a private tutor, We Are Teachers recommends researching tutoring rates in your area and factoring your professional experience into your rates. Make sure to let families in your area know that you’re offering tutoring services, and don’t be afraid to promote yourself online and in-person!
Do you love animals? Why not offer dog walking services on the weekends? You could also walk dogs in your neighborhood before or after school hours. Walking dogs can be a great way to get some exercise, enjoy the fresh air, and de-stress!
Pet sitting can also be a fantastic side hustle for teachers. While watching your clients’ pets, you can grade papers, write up lesson plans, and tackle other tasks related to your teaching job.
You’re an expert in the world of education, and you can share your wisdom with the world through writing. If you’re interested in becoming a freelance writer, Wise recommends setting up a personal website with a few writing samples and then networking to land your first clients. Many Teacher-trepreneurs hire Virtual Assistants (VAs) to help them run their businesses.
A virtual assistant is an independent contractor who provides administrative services to clients. Virtual Assistants often specialize in specific tasks from marketing to product photography to website design. A great place to start looking at freelancing jobs is Upwork. You can also search for Ffacebook groups that are specific to your niche.
In addition to writing for websites and publications that cover education, you can sell worksheets and lesson plans that you've already created. While designing your own worksheets and templates does require some basic graphic design skills, free design apps make it easier!
What if you don’t have the time, or desire, to tutor students one-on-one? You can still bring in additional income by offering an online course that parents or older students can download at any time. Developing an online course does take time and effort, but once you’ve finished it, you can put it up for download and earn passive income. Just remember that you may have to update certain modules as time goes on - you want to make sure that the information provided in the course is always accurate and relevant.
For teachers, having part-time jobs is nothing new. Today, you have more options than ever for starting a side-hustle that doesn’t interfere with your full-time teaching position. By taking on one of these side hustles, you’ll be able to boost your income and expand your skill set.
Heart 2 Heart Teaching offers a variety of activities to use in your classrooms. Please feel free to follow us on Facebook, or browse our Pinterest boards for inspiration on everything from bulletin board displays to seasonal crafts to do with kids.
]]>Differentiated instruction is one of the most important concepts for a teacher to embrace in their classroom. It gives students the best opportunity to learn the material they are being taught. It is based on the concept that not every student learns in the same way. Here, we’ll take a closer look at the importance and benefits of differentiated instruction.
Teaching According to Learning Style
Differentiated instruction is intended to ensure that every student learns in a way that is best suited to them. Students tend to learn differently. There are three learning styles:
A visual learner will typically have a difficult time learning when they are only given an auditory lesson, while an auditory learner will have a hard time learning through a project that allows them to use their sense of touch.
Differentiated instruction helps ensure that you teach in a way that best accommodates each student’s learning style.
When you choose to embrace differentiated instruction, it means delivering the same material in different ways. This not only will help ensure that every student in the room has the chance to learn in a way that best suits their own personal learning style, but students will also go over the same material over and over again. The repetitiveness may make the material easier for them to remember.
One of the most important parts of differentiated instruction is that it allows you to reach every student, no matter where they are in the learning process or what way they learn the best. It creates a more diverse learning experience for everyone involved.
That is why many of our social studies and science units include various activities to help you meet all your student's needs.
Take advantage of the pleasant weather and get the students up and moving outdoors. Our Major Landforms Unit for Interactive Notebooks is the perfect example of how this works. Plan ahead of time of where you could set up your outdoor learning centers. Remember to review the rules ahead of time. Let students know if they don't follow the rules then you'll have to bring them back inside. That is usually enough to stop any misbehaviors.
The following 12 major landforms are included in this unit:
*Island
*Lakes
*Valley
*Volcano
*Rivers
*Peninsula
*Glaciers
*Mountains
*Canyons
*Oceans
*Swamps and Marshes
*Delta
There are twelve Landform Foldable Booklets with questions and scenes about each landform for students to read, answer questions, cut, paste, and color. These foldable booklets fit perfectly inside their interactive notebooks and provide a tool for students to come back to review at any time.
In addition, there are also twelve Landform Posters with a brief info and a real-life photo so students can visualize and connect to the information. The landform posters can be placed in at centers, a learning station, or a creative bulletin board display.
Create an outdoor learning station about each of the landforms. Be sure to put the foldable booklets and landform photo poster at each station or center. Each passage gives a definition of the landform and an example of one so students can form a connection to the information. You could have the students work in pairs or group work.
The foldable booklets have four questions for students to answer. There is also a related landform scene for students to color. They can use the posters with real-life photos to help them visualize and connect to the information.
Providing different activities like taking the students outside is just one of many ways to differentiate learning in your classroom. These are just some of the benefits of differentiated instruction and why it’s so important to implement it in your classroom.
]]>The celebration of our nation’s former leaders takes place every year on Presidents' Day, a holiday that was established in the late 1800s to honor two of our greatest presidents, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Though both presidents were born in February, this special holiday honors the life and achievements of both men and serves as a reminder of the importance of their legacies.
Do you want to learn more about our nation's most famous leaders? Take a trip to the school or public library to sign out some of the most popular books about them! Whether you're stocking your classroom library or creating a read aloud bin, these books can help you illustrate the lives and accomplishments of our nation's leaders. Explore the stories of these remarkable individuals and get an up-close look at the history that shaped America!
Use our Presidents Day Activities to jumpstart your student's learning about the most important men who have served in our country's highest office. With this educational and engaging President's Day activity pack, kids will have fun and learn about George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and the office of the President. From coloring pages, to word searches, to writing exercises, this activity pack has everything to introduce the exciting and interesting history of the United States' Presidents.
In this President's Day Activity Pack, students will learn all about
✔George Washington
✔Abraham Lincoln
✔History of Presidents' Day
✔Becoming a United States President
✔A Presidential Job
Station 1: Read the Passages and Answer Comprehension Questions
The two individuals introduced in this passage have lived remarkable lives, achieving amazing feats and making an immense impact on the world around them. Students will learn more about these incredible people and answer the comprehension questions for each passage.
Station 2: Complete the Character Mini-booklet with Timeline Dates.
Are you looking for an interactive way for your students to learn about these two famous presidents? Complete the character mini-booklets with timeline dates will provide an exciting and engaging way for students to become familiarized with the characters they are reading about. With these mini-booklets, students will be able to visualize each person's journey in a timeline, providing them with a greater understanding of their life story.
Station 3: Vocabulary Posters and Activities
Celebrate Presidents' Day by introducing six essential vocabulary words related to President's Day with real-life photo posters. Educate and engage your students while they learn the history and importance of Presidents' Day. Encourage your students to explore the photo posters, match up the vocabulary words, and use their flip flaps to define the words. These informative posters are the perfect addition to your classroom bulletin board display.
Station 4: Complete a Flipbooklet
Let your students engage in a creative and hands-on activity as they explore the historical celebration of Presidents' Day! From completing the Mystery Flaps to assembling a 6-page Flip Booklet, students will learn all about the history and importance of the holiday. With passages to refer to and the chance to color and decorate their finished product, your students will have an interactive, educational experience that highlights the importance of Presidents' Day.
Use the freebie below to learn more about the White House. Students can go to the White House Historical Society to hunt online for the answers!
Click on the picture above to download the freebie.
Hope you have a great Presidents' Day!
]]>Hooray for Summer! With summer being right around the corner, we wanted to show how much we appreciate teachers with a SPECIAL GIVEAWAY.
This month, we wanted to do something different. We decided to give away TWO $20 gift cards to Boom Learning. Students (and teachers) love Boom Cards. Enter the giveaway below to win a $20 gift card and start stocking up on Boom Card decks for next school year.
Let the games begin with this special resource! This is the perfect resource to use with your class to gear up for the big event starting in Tokyo, Japan in July 2021.
With information about:
Fun Traditions
Cycling, Swimming, Fencing, Track and Field, Gymnastics
Tokyo, Japan
Summer Events
With character studies where students will meet five stars:
Our Growth Mindset Class Awards are perfect for the end of the year! This pack includes 36 different colorful designs with and without clipart. Plus they are EDITABLE so you can personalize them too!
Wishing you a wonderful end of the year!
]]>I can't believe that Spring is right around the corner. I know this time of year can be hectic and crazy! So, to help you out, I have put together a list of some great Spring freebies from some upper elementary teacher-authors!
We all know students get a little antsy around this time of year. Here are some great freebies to use for early finishers, when you have a substitute, during stations, or for something fun to do in a Spring-is-in-the-air-kind-of-way!
I've joined with a few TpT teacher-author friends to share some awesome Spring FREEBIES just for you. These are perfect to use before or as an activity right after Spring break. Either way, there's something here for everyone!
Click on each image below to see the resource. Be sure to check out all the resources that each teacher-author has for your classroom needs.
Looking for some fun freebies to help your class celebrate reading? I have you covered with some of my favorites from my March Literacy and Math Pack!
What is in this resource?
Pg. 1 Cover
Pg. 2 March Resources
Pg. 3 One Fish, Two Fish
Pg. 4 Reading Pledge
Pg. 5 Reading Award
Pg. 6 Reading Book Marks
The Famous Women in History Scoot FREEBIE activity consists of 6 task cards. Each card features a clue, or description, of a famous woman in American history. Students can use their prior knowledge about these amazing women, or use this as an opportunity to conduct research about their contributions to US History.
With this resource, students will have the opportunity to learn about famous women that paved the way for others (Trailblazers), and about women that are making history today (Living Legends)! Don't reserve the contributions of women for the month of March. Share the achievements of these (and other) amazing women every day!
Spring is a great time to write! Your students will be able to get super CREATIVE with these Spring Acrostic Poem Templates, Spring Writing Papers and Spring Words! These will make a terrific writing center, all Spring long!
Here is where the fun starts:
2 Acrostic Poem Templates
☂ Bloom
☂Rainbow
Spring Writing Paper
5 Spring Word Cards
This FREE Leprechaun Math Game is perfect to use in your classroom for St. Patrick's Day. This game included two versions.
This is a great activity to use during the month of March to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Just print and go!
FREE, PRINT and GO and now COMPLETELY EDITABLE!! PreK and Kindergarten students and parents love these interactive calendars.
Young children need active, participatory experiences that use their senses. They need to touch, feel, and be active. These calendars use Developmentally Appropriate Practices and encourage parents to become involved with their children in specific ways.
Investigations in Science is such an important skill for upper elementary students. In this Rocks and Minerals Unit, students will learn and complete a variety of activities to help them fully understand and investigate rocks and minerals. Let's take a closer look at five activities included in this unit.
This unit is loaded with leveled reading passages to read about the different types of rocks and minerals. In this unit, you will find 10 leveled reading passages that look the same. The passages come in THREE levels of difficulty so that you can meet each student’s reading level with the same content information. Each passage has the same key ideas and essential information.
Read the leveled reading passages about rocks and minerals and complete the organizers. Each of the passages has comprehension questions to check for understanding. Watch the videos and complete the various hands-on activities in this pack to reinforce learning. These activities work well in small groups, partners, or stations.
This unit includes many interactive activities and learning opportunities for students with leveled reading passages that focus on:
This unit has 8 labs where students work as geologists to identify two mystery minerals. NOTE: Extra supplies are needed to complete the labs.
Rocks and minerals can be identified by their color, hardness, luster, magnetism, and streak test.
Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair of students TWO numbered rock samples to identify. Acting as geologists, students perform a series of tests at various stations around the room. Students record their descriptions, observations, and findings on their activity sheets. After completing the tests, students use the Mineral Identification Guide to try and identify their rocks. Ask students to identify their rocks and let them know if their identifications are correct.
Using this lab component and unit:
1. Students will explore the properties of some common minerals.
2. Write a description based on their observations of each rock sample.
3. Make educated guesses and try to identify two numbered rock samples.
Introduce the vocabulary words with the real-life photo posters included. You could post these posters around the classroom and have students travel around to match up and define the words in their flip flaps or spotlight on the vocabulary page. These inksaver posters make an excellent bulletin board display in a snap.
Students can complete the following activities:
Flip Booklet (5 pages)Students flip for flipbooks! They can build the flipbook page by page. I usually have them do one page at each center or station. They can use the articles as a reference source to help them complete the pages of the flip-up. Lastly, they cut, color, and assemble the booklet. Flip-up books can be glued or stapled inside their interactive notebooks.
Creating a brochure or tri-fold booklet is a fantastic way to wrap up the unit. Copy the two pages back to back. Have students answer the question on both sides of the tri-fold booklet. Next, they can color them. Then have the students cut along the outside rectangle border. Fold both of the flaps on the dotted lines so that it looks like a brochure.
Plus the following teacher timesavers are included:
• How are rocks changed?
• Explain the difference between erosion and weathering.
• What are the three types of rocks?
• What is sediment?
• How are rocks and minerals related?
• How is an igneous rock formed?
• Name and describe three types of igneous rock.
• How is a sedimentary rock formed?
• Name and describe three types of sedimentary rock.
• How is a metamorphic rock formed?
• Name and describe three types of metamorphic rock.
• Explain the rock cycle.
• What is a mineral?
• How are minerals helpful?
• How are crystals formed?
• What are the layers of the Earth?
• How are mountains formed?
• Name and describe three types of mountains.
• What is a volcano?
• How can a volcano affect our environment?
We all know students get a little antsy around the holiday season. Here are some great freebies to use for early finishers, when you have a substitute, during stations, or for something fun to do in a holiday-kind-of-way!
I've joined with a few TpT teacher-author friends to share some Christmas and winter FREEBIES just for you. These are perfect for before break or to use as an activity right after break. Either way, there's something here for everyone!
Click on the image to see the resource, and be sure to check out the other resources each teacher-author has for your classroom needs.
Get this fun and easy 3D tree craft to use with your students! Use to teach 3D art or to decorate your room during the holidays. There is also a writing printable.
This Happy Holidays Card is a great way for students to practice their friendly letter writing while also giving joy and happiness to others! Use this during a writing center or a kindness activity. Simply print front to back, color, write, and give to friends, family, or teachers!
This is a freebie includes three no prep worksheets: One is a cut and paste where the students put the reindeer names in alphabetical order. The next is a reindeer writing page. And the last is a fun addition page where the students use an algorithm to find the answer and color in the sum at the bottom.
Having a few engaging resources ready for your students to practice basic math is a must when you return from winter break. Here are 3 fun worksheets that your students will enjoy doing.
Who hasn't heard the classic poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas" by Clement C. Moore? This fun and interactive activity will have your students begging to play again and again as they try to beat their best time by reading fluently and more quickly each time.
The poem has been divided into 28 cards in an "I have, Who Has" fashion. Students will have to listen carefully as they only get the 3 or 4 words in the poem ahead of their lines.
Winter writing will be a breeze with this narrative writing resource! We've included these components to make this a print-and-go resource that your students will love:
Add some festivity and holiday cheer to your classroom with this multiplication freebie! The worksheets included in this download all have a fun holiday theme, right down to the questions asked! Your students will have a ball getting in some extra practice around this special time of year!
This Freebie Includes:
✓ Multiplication facts for 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9
✓ Word problems
✓ Arrays
This FREE Hanukkah Dreidel Game is perfect for your 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade students. You have a choice of 2 Dreidel patterns, instructions for how to play a Dreidel game and photos of finished Dreidels!
Happy Holidays! For a sneak peek inside our Treasure Each Month: December Activity Bundle check out this Christmas Sample Freebie! Students read about Saint Nicolas and then use this cut and sort activity to show what they know!
Are you needing a fun easy ornament for holiday season? Christmas Memories Ornaments are a great keepsake for parents and students. Memory questions stems are included.
Making Ten to Add: Holiday FREEBIE Edition gives your students three pages of practice with the math strategy “Making Ten to Add”. Students need opportunities to work with all new math skills. This particular strategy is very important for your students to master in order to understand higher level math concepts.
Happy New Year! For a sneak peek inside our Treasure Each Month: January Activity Bundle check out this Let it Snow Sample Freebie! Students read all about snow, answer questions on the organizer and complete the life cycle of a snowflake diagram to show what they know!
Please consider leave feedback after you download and use a resource that you've loved. Perhaps you'll find a new holiday favorite activity that you'll use year after year.
I hope you've enjoyed these free holiday activities for the classroom. I know the holiday season can be stressful, so any extra activities to keep the students busy is a bonus! If you are looking for more Christmas or Winter activities, be sure to check out my Teachers Pay Teachers shop!
Warmest thoughts and best wishes for a joyful holiday season. I hope you have a fabulous holiday surrounded by family and friends, and wish you all the best for the new year!
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November is a great month to practice gratitude! Starting the simple habit of reflecting on what you’re grateful for at a young age can lead to a happier life. All it takes is a few minutes each day and a gratitude journal for students to record their thoughts. Keep reading for some tips to help you start gratitude journaling with your class.
]]>November is a great month to practice gratitude! Starting the simple habit of reflecting on what you’re grateful for at a young age can lead to a happier life. All it takes is a few minutes each day and a gratitude journal for students to record their thoughts. Keep reading for some tips to help you start gratitude journaling with your class.
There are many benefits to keeping a gratitude journal. Some of the benefits are creating a daily habit of writing, instilling a sense of calm, and developing a positive mindset. With practice, students will be more mindful of all the hidden blessings in their life to be thankful for. Writing in their journals each day will help them focus on the things that bring out the happiest version of themselves.
Finding the time to write each day may seem like another thing to do each day, but if you make it part of the daily routine then it'll become much easier. For the best results, try attaching it to an existing routine. For example, add it to the end of the school day as a way to reflect on their day. Don't have time at the end of the day, then add it as a transition activity between two classes.
Set a timer for five minutes. This can help students to limit the time spent thinking. It also gives them a set period of time to focus their efforts on a small but meaningful task. The goal is to get into the routine of writing in their gratitude journal on a regular basis so it becomes a habit.
You might want to have students write down one thing they were thankful for each day. However, I like the idea of giving students a writing prompt to get them into the gratitude mindset.
One of the best parts of gratitude journaling is that there are no rules. You can try new things or ideas at any time.
Here are some other ideas:
Download this FREE gratitude journal with prompts to get started journaling today. With 28 writing prompts, you can start using the new "gratitude journals" on November 1st. There's also an extra page with 4 writing prompts just about Thanksgiving if you'd like to try it for the holiday season.
1. Print the cover page on colored paper and let students choose one for the cover.
2. Have students cut the pages on the dotted lines---into four squares and stack them together to form a booklet.
3. Staple the gratitude journals at the top to secure them in place.
4. Establish a set time daily to have students write in their journals.
Just remember it takes time to create a new habit, but the positive effects of gratitude journaling are worth the time and effort.
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This unit includes reading passages, interactive activities, vocabulary posters and much more. Each section has comprehension questions and connection activities to make learning fun! Let's take a closer look at this unit in action.
The complete unit is divided into 8 sections:
•Introduction
•People of the Middle Ages
•The Feudal System
•Medieval Castles
•Knights and Tradesmen
•Famous People: Charlemagne, Richard the Lionheart, Joan of Arc
•Important Events: Magna Carta, The Crusades, The Black Death, Hundred Years’ War
•Unit Test (Editable)
A great way to introduce a new unit is to have students complete a short activity to pique their interest and build background knowledge. There are lots of ways to do this but a favorite way to get students excited about this new unit by using an anticipatory set. An anticipatory set doesn't have to take a lot of time but it can make a big difference.
Here are some ideas:
For this Medieval unit, start off with a geography lesson. Have students label a map of Medieval Europe and discuss any special landmarks that they might know about. Take it a step further to compare Medieval Europe to present-day Europe can be a good way for students to make connections.
Start off the next section by learning about People of the Middle Ages. Students will love learning about the different social classes of that time period. There are several reading passages as well as an in-depth look at what life was like as a lord and a peasant.
Essential Questions:
After learning about the Medieval people, have students complete a match up flaps activity. This is a great way for students to show what they have learned. Some flaps have space for students to write in the correct answers.
For the second part, it's time to learn about the Feudal System. The Feudal System was the system of government in medieval Europe. Under feudalism, a noble gave a piece of land, called a fief, to others in exchange for their loyalty and service. The Feudal System was the foundation for people living in the Middle Ages.
Feudalism was a system of government in medieval Europe in which land is exchanged for loyalty and service. To help students better understand and visualize this system, I recommend doing a variety of interactive activities. First, read the passage about The Feudal System and then try one or more of the activities outlined in the unit including role-playing or a poster project.
Have students create a poster with the Feudal System Exchange Cards and Poster Project Page.
Each group of students will need a copy of the Feudal System Exchange Cards, Poster Project Pages with Titles, Gives and Receive Boxes and a large sheet of construction paper.
First, students cut out all the exchange cards, title boxes, gives and receives cards. Next, students paste The King at the top of the page with the Gives and Receive boxes underneath it. Students discuss as a group and use the Feudal System Diagram page as a source to help them figure out what the King gives and what the King receives and place those cards under the correct column. Repeat this process for each of the four groups of medieval people. Check over their posters to be sure the cards are correct before having them paste the cards to the paper.
Essential Questions:
Castles were built mainly as a defense to keep invaders out and protect the people who lived inside the castle walls. This way people could shoot at attackers while remaining safe inside the walls. There are several passages all about castles including:
There are several hands-on activities about castles included in this unit. But I'm positive that the Castle Flip-up booklet will be one of the most favorite activities for students to complete. There are five pages with different activities related to each of the articles. Then students cut out the castle-shaped booklet and assemble it to create a castle flip-up booklet.
Essential Questions:
Not just anyone could become a knight. Only boys from wealthy, noble families could afford to pay for a horse, weapons, and the armor needed. If you were one of the lucky ones, training to become a knight started when you turned seven years old. Students will enjoy learning about the steps to become a trained fighter or knight. Many people during the Middle Ages apprenticed to become other skilled tradesmen such as blacksmiths, masons, or tailors.
They can complete a trifold booklet and design their own coat of arms as culminating activities to wrap up this part of the unit.
Essential Questions:
Students will love meeting three important people who changed history: Charlemagne, Richard the Lionheart, and Joan of Arc. This unit includes reading passages, biography organizers, character mini-booklets, and a trading card project for each one.
Essential Questions:
There were many important events during this period that greatly influenced life.
Four major ones were:
Students will learn about the causes and effects that each one of these had on Medieval Europe through a variety of hands-on activities:
End the unit by having students take the unit assessment and complete the reflection. The unit test is editable so you can modify it to meet your standards.
Pin it to save it for later!
I hope your kiddos enjoy this unit as much as mine!
]]>Kids today have more to fascinate and entertain them than ever before. Gaming and virtual reality technologies provide youngsters (and adults) with endless hours of entertainment and indulgences in fantasy. Television has evolved into a device for streaming an endless array of channels and providing access to media in previously unimaginable ways. Kids communicate in real time through smartphones that are seldom far from their reach. But media in all its forms represent a tremendous distraction from the acquisition of mental disciplines that are central to a child’s education and overall development.
Parents are, to say the least, challenged to keep these distractions at bay when it comes to establishing good study habits. Discipline is important, but not as heavily in the traditional sense of compliance or punishment as might have been the case once upon a time. Today, kids need to be engaged and taught to understand that school and personal habits that will help them excel academically are resoundingly in their long-term interest. Consistency, comfort, and cooperation are the keys.
Creating a distraction-free learning space is about more than making sure children are concentrating on studying for tomorrow’s math test or working on next week’s science project. It’s part of an investment in their future. Getting good grades, getting into a good college, and performing well from year to year are a function of focused and disciplined study. You can’t impart these values if your kids are doing schoolwork while watching SpongeBob Squarepants or instant messaging with friends about the events of the school day and what they plan to wear to school tomorrow.
Establish set hours for homework and study every night. During that time, all handheld devices, gaming consoles, and television remotes should be turned off and put away until all work has been done. If internet access is necessary for homework, make sure instant messaging is turned off on the computer and that other distracting sites are inaccessible. Make it clear that if all work is completed and done thoroughly, they may have access to media until bedtime.
A productive studying and reading area should have ample space for all books, pencils, pens, calculators and other academic tools that may be necessary. It should also face away from distractions like televisions and doorways so that comings and goings to, from and within the home don’t disrupt concentration. If possible, each child should have their own individual space that is set up to help them maximize the time. Try to avoid wasting time looking for study aids and tools that should be kept within easy reach at all times. Part of developing good study habits is learning to make the most of each study session.
Ergonomic experts will tell you that where and in what position one studies has a lot to do with how much information is retained and how successful the outcome will be. Kids have a tendency to become bored after a while and switch to different locations and positions. For instance, a half hour sitting upright at a desk can quickly turn into an hour lying on the couch or sitting cross-legged on the floor, both of which are not optimal study positions. The natural tendency when lying down is to relax and get sleepy rather than actively cover material and take notes, which are essential study habits. Bean bag chairs are a great option because kids think they’re fun, and they come in a variety of sizes and shapes that make them easy to work into a variety of spaces.
Establishing a comfortable, efficient, and productive learning space is key to your child’s academic performance. It’s also essential for teaching study habits that will remain with them for life. Collaborate with your child on finding a spot that’s free of distractions and comfortable for them.
]]>Hooray for Teacher Appreciation Day! To show you how much we appreciate teachers like you, we are having a SPECIAL GIVEAWAY.
Teachers Pay Teachers is having their Teacher Appreciation Sale on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 4th and 5th. Fill up your shopping carts with some of our favorite science and social studies bundles and you can SAVE BIG! Don't forget to use code: THANKYOU21 when you check out to save 25% on everything in my store. Scroll below to go to the giveaway.
Now let's get to the Teacher Appreciation Giveaway!
Congratulations to the following 10 winners!
THANK YOU for going above and beyond for students every single day!
Julie :)
]]>One of the most important decisions you will make when setting up your classroom is what type of recognition and reward system you will use. Over the last 15 years, I have tried many different types of reward systems. But the one that I have had incredible success with is called STARS. STARS is a student recognition and reward system. It's easy to implement and cost very little to start.
]]>There are two parts to the STARS program:
STARS is a program where the whole class AND each individual student is recognized and rewarded for positive behaviors, academic improvements, and accomplishments. This program offers an excellent way for teachers to recognize, reinforce, and encourage each student individually. It also gives the teacher a way to recognize and reward the class as a whole group.
Here are some of the benefits:
When a student acts in a positive behavior or meets an academic goal, he or she is given a ticket. The student writes his or her on the ticket and places it into a bin. Each Friday, 5 (or more) names are drawn from the bin. Those students are allowed to pick one reward or item from the treasure chest. The key here is that there is no limit on the number of tickets a student can earn. That is the reason why students want to earn as many tickets as they can so that they have more chances to earn a reward at the end of the week.
Because each student is unique, he or she can earn tickets for different reasons each week. It's important to stress that ALL students are STARS!
Below are some examples of when a student might earn a ticket:
It's as simple as collecting stars on a chart! As part of the STARS system, the whole class is recognized and rewarded too! Each time that the class has done something that should be recognized, the teacher places a star in Stars Reward Chart. When the chart is full OR the class has earned a set amount of tickets then the class earns a reward.
I usually laminate the stars reward chart and then attach one velcro dot in each box and one on each star as shown below.
Set the number to win a class reward at 25 or 50. The rule of thumb here is, the bigger the prize, the more stars required to win it!
Below are a few of the many examples of when a star might be earned by the class:
Likewise, there are times when a star might be removed from the Stars Reward Chart. If the class receives a bad report from the P.E. teacher or another teacher, for example, then remove a star from the chart. It is important for students to learn that there are consequences for our actions. This builds classroom community because students do not like to let down their peers. This instills the fact that they need to think about their actions and make good choices.
The ultimate reward for filling up the Stars Reward Chart with 50 stars is a class party, a special day, or some other predetermined prize. Depending on your school's policies, you might want the reward to be in the form of extra recess time, free time, or a special snack.
At the beginning of the year, as a class, we brainstorm a list of rewards that they can earn. It's fun to see what ideas the class comes up with and values most. Sometimes, it's a simple thing like extra recess time, having an ice cream party, or eating lunch in the classroom. After we create a list together, we narrow it down to the top 10 or 15 rewards by holding a class vote. On average, your class will earn one whole group reward each month so 10-15 rewards will give you plenty of options.
I like to write the rewards on a large piece of poster paper and hang it up where the class can see it. This creates a visual representation of what the class is looking forward to earning. Each time the class has earned the 25 or 50 stars, we refer back to the reward list and vote to determine what their next reward will be. The age of your students will determine what rewards will have the greatest value to them. Younger elementary students tend to like the fun-themed days and the older students will love having a pizza party or earning extra time to socialize with their friends.
Here are some ideas that my class came up with as rewards. Having the students brainstorm a list with you, ensures that the students will buy into this system and gives them choices. This combination equals a win-win situation!
You can decide what is best to put inside the prize box for your class. I like to have a combination of special treats and other non-food prizes. I try my best NOT to include treats that are high in sugar. For healthier options, I might include granola bars, small bags of pretzels or crackers, Rice Krispy treats, or other prepackaged snacks.
Other prizes might include sugar-free gum, chocolate kisses, or even small trinkets or toys. Some years I’ve purchased or had parents donate small toys, books, bubbles, and other trinkets that were bought at the dollar store to put into the prize box.
Other rewards in the prize box that don't cost anything and students love are small laminated reward cards with the following prizes:
GRAB THE FREE PROGRAM GUIDE AND REWARD CARDS HERE!
TO GRAB THE FREE STARS PROGRAM GUIDE CLICK HERE!
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As most parents of autistic children know, making a child on the spectrum comfortable will often involve some tweaks and modifications. People on the autism spectrum often receive too much or too little stimulation from the world around them, so their environment should be designed to provide the most pleasant sensory experience. Check out these 6 simple steps to creating an awesome autism-friendly child's bedroom.
]]>As most parents of autistic children know, making a child on the spectrum comfortable will often involve some tweaks and modifications. People on the autism spectrum often receive too much or too little stimulation from the world around them, so their environment should be designed to provide the most pleasant sensory experience.
In the case of a bedroom, you need a space that makes your child feel comfortable and safe, but also one that soothes them into a state of sleepiness. This is easily achieved by focusing on the following areas.
A room’s color scheme can have a huge effect on mood, and this is especially true for children with autism. Choose colors that are soothing and promote sleep - shades of blue are often considered the best. That said, it is important to keep your child’s preferences in mind - if they love pink or yellow, go for that! Just make sure to use muted pastel tones instead of bright ones.
Sensitivity to bright lights is a common symptom of autism, so make sure to keep lighting muted. Fluorescent lights, in particular, are a no-no, with more than half of people with autism being severely sensitive to them. Incandescent light bulbs are a good idea, as are dimming switches your child can control.
The bed is, of course, the most important piece of furniture in the bedroom. There is not a “correct” type of bed for a child with special needs, but there are a few key tips for making the right choice. Avoid using beds with very light frames, as a child could easily injure themselves by moving it, and bolt it down (or against the wall) to further protect them from this.
Autism swings are also popular, as the rocking motion can be greatly calming to over- or under-stimulated children. They also give the child a place to relax that’s perfect for reading, listening to music, or watching videos.
What about desks? The Asperger/Autism Network recommends parents of children with autism always remain available for help with homework. For this reason, you should consider setting up a homework station somewhere else in the house more convenient for you and leaving the bedroom for sleep and play. However, if your child loves drawing or creating, you will want to have a child-sized desk in the room.
Visual clutter can be a source of overstimulation and stress for children with autism. The best way to prevent this is to ensure that everything in the room has its correct place and that there is ample storage for everything.
Mama in the Now has a great article on room organization for children with autism, which is worth checking out. Tips include using see-through containers so your child knows exactly what is where, and using labels and color coding to make the system clear.
Several aromatherapy oils are said to have calming and stress-busting properties, which can be beneficial for children with autism. They also make the room smell nice which is always a good thing. Do make sure to choose oils with your child so they can select which ones they like - the most relaxing smell in the world won’t do much good if it smells bad to them.
Flooring is also an important consideration. You want something that’s soft and padded, both to protect from falls and to minimize noise. Carpet is the most obvious choice, preferably made with natural fibers. Laying down rugs of various thicknesses and textures creates a fun sensory experience while helping define different “areas” in the room.
As you can see, many of the general concepts of soothing interior design apply here, from muted tones to cozy textures and relaxing smells. However, since every child with autism is different, it is crucial that parents develop the sensory bedroom in collaboration with their child. What works for one child won’t necessarily work for another, and the ideal bedroom is one designed around their specific needs and sensory preferences
]]>This year, I wanted to give my students a special treat the day before they left for spring break. The first step was creating some colorful TREAT BAG TAGS for the treat bags. I purchased some 4 x 6 clear plastic bags from Amazon and headed to Target, Trader Joes, and Michaels in search of goodies to fill the bags. I had so many ideas but take a peek below to see what I finally decided on.
The first chocolatey mix is made up Hershey's kisses, York Peppermint Patties, Reese's Mini Peanut Butter Cups and Rolo caramels.
Have you seen Annie's Organix Bunny Grahams? I found these adorable bunny crackers at Trader Joes. They come in all different flavors including chocolate, honey grahams, chocolate chip, cheddar cheese, birthday cake, lemon, and a variety pack. I added mini-marshmallows to the bags for a cottontail treat.
Keeping it simple is the name of the game. For this bag, simply combine Chex Mix, Cheez-Its, Raisins, M&M's (I used pastel colors), and mini-marshmallows. Mix all together and scoop some crunchy goodness into the bags. It's that simple.
Kids love anything gummy. I couldn't resist these colorful gummy worms for an extra special treat.
I bought a box of Skittles at Target for $1. They also have Skittles Jellybeans during the Easter season that comes in many different flavors and would be a really sweet treat too!
Other Easter-Themed Treats Ideas:
Other Non-Food Treat Ideas:
In the end, no matter what you decide to put in the treat bags, kids will love them!
Happy Easter!
How did a rabbit become a symbol of Easter? A long time ago, the Easter hare (Oschter Haws) started as a folktale. As the story goes, the Easter hare would lay colorful eggs in nests for children on Easter Sunday. This tradition dates back to the 1600s in Germany. Rabbits are small mammals with whiskers, long ears, and fluffy, white tails. Some species have ears that can grow to be up to 26 inches long, from tip to tip, giving them excellent hearing. Students will love this activity pack all about rabbits and making an adorable Easter Bunny craft project.
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How did a rabbit become a symbol of Easter? A long time ago, the Easter hare (Oschter Haws) started as a folktale. As the story goes, the Easter hare would lay colorful eggs in nests for children on Easter Sunday. This tradition dates back to the 1600s in Germany. Long ago, children would make nests for the Easter Bunny to leave colored eggs in. This has changed over the years to include chocolate and other goodies, and a decorated basket replaced the nest.
Rabbits are small mammals with whiskers, long ears, and fluffy, white tails. Some species have ears that can grow to be up to 26 inches long, from tip to tip, giving them excellent hearing. Students will love this activity pack all about rabbits and making an adorable Easter Bunny craft project.
Start by reading the passages all about rabbits and answering the comprehension questions. Students will love making this cute bunny craft and assembling the 10-page flip-up booklet. The flip booklet pages attach to the inside of the bunny's mouth. These super cute bunnies make an extra cute bulletin board display too!
Using the reading passage, students can answer the questions on the flip book pages. Lastly, they cut, color, and assemble the craft.
Print the bunny templates on colored cardstock as directed in the pack. You can choose to make your bunny white, grey, light brown, or beige. I recommend using a thicker paper like cardstock (65 lb) from Michaels, Hobby Lobby, or Amazon.
The inner ears and nose can be colored pink or printed on pink paper or cardstock. There are lots of pretty pinks available. You'll also need a piece of black construction paper to make the whiskers.
Cut out the large circle and fold in half. This will become the bunny’s face and mouth.
Glue the inner ears to the outer ears and attach them behind the bunny’s head. Cut six thin strips of black construction paper for his whiskers.
Glue the eyes, paws, nose, and whiskers in place.
Lastly, attach the flip up pages to the inside of the bunny's mouth.
Vocabulary posters are included in this unit to help students visualize and connect to the information. These colorful posters make an attractive bulletin board in a snap! A Spotlight on Vocabulary activity is included too.
Click here to see this fun unit with a bunny craft project in my shop!
Did you know that if a ladybug lands on you, it’s a sign of good luck? A ladybug is easy to identify. If you see a tiny red bug with black spots flying by, it is probably a ladybug. Students will love this ladybug unit and adorable craft project.
Q: Why did the bug cross the road?
A: Cause he wanted to see the "Ladybugs"
Start by reading the passages all about ladybugs and their life cycle and answering the comprehension questions on the tri-fold booklet. Students could work with a partner or you can use it as a learning station activity. An answer key is included.
Students will love making this cute ladybug craft and assembling the 8-page flip-up booklet. Print the ladybug templates on red, orange, or yellow paper as shown in the pack. I used this starter cardstock kit from Amazon.
Cut out each of the ladybug's body parts and flip-up pages.
The flip booklet pages attach to the inside of the ladybug's mouth.
These lucky ladybugs make an extra cute bulletin board display too!
The ladybug's head can be either red or black. For a black head, simply trace around the circle using a white colored pencil or chalk.
Vocabulary posters with real-life photos are included to help students visualize and connect to the information. I recommend printing the vocabulary posters on premium brochure and poster paper to make them come to life!
These colorful posters make an attractive bulletin board in a snap! Vocabulary activities are included to reinforce learning.
This activity pack includes all you need to teach students about ladybugs and create this creative craft project. You can find this fun unit by CLICKING HERE!
Beginning with its title question, "Are you a ladybug?", this accessible book is perfect for reading aloud and tells young readers how they would experience life if they were a ladybug.
This book opens with a short list of "good things" that each animal contributes to the ecosystem opens these books. Bats, for example, eat insects and spread pollen and seeds. The content then shifts to more general information about physical features, life cycles, and habitats. Full-page photos of mostly high quality match the simple text effectively, aided by useful labels. Interesting details are judiciously woven into the broader overviews, some within the main text and others through "fun facts" insets.
Ladybugs are a type of beetle. They live on six of the seven continents. There are believed to be about 5,000 different kinds of ladybugs around the world. Here are descriptions of their physical characteristics, their four states of development from egg to adult, and how they live. Ladybugs eat insects that damage plants and are an important part of our environment.
]]>I like to start our animal classification unit by asking the class, what do all living things have in common? Remind students that people are animals too. As a class, we brainstorm a list.
All living creatures eat, move, breathe, grow, and have babies. For scientists to learn more about animals, they put them into different groups with similar characteristics. This is called classification.
The first passage in our unit introduces students to how scientist go about classifying animals and gives a brief introduction of each of the five groups.
After the introduction to classification, we move on to talk about the vertebrates and invertebrates. To demonstrate how our backbone helps us move, I have the students do the following movements:
After reading the passage and answering the comprehension questions, we go on to do our pocket sort. This is a fun activity to reinforce their learning. Print the pockets on different colored paper.
Have students cut out the pockets and carefully paste the pockets (around the outside edges) into their notebook. Next, they can cut out the animal cards and sort them by whether they are vertebrates or invertebrates. Place the cards inside the correct pocket.
Then we dive deeper into each of the five animal groups. Each passage includes information about each group as well as examples.
The following animal groups are highlighted in this unit:
⭐Mammals
⭐Birds
⭐Fish
⭐Reptiles
⭐Amphibians
For each of the five animal groups, there are reading passages, comprehension questions, and a tri-fold booklet. Students read the passage, answer the comprehension questions, and then complete the tri-fold booklet.
I like to set up five learning stations, one for each animal group. Then students can rotate through each station.
Reading passages come in both color and black and white. You might want one copy in color to use at the learning station and then print off copies in black and white for the students to use.
One of the student activities in this pack is the tri-fold booklets. These are double-sided booklets that after they are completed, look like a brochure.
To complete the tri-fold booklets:
Animal characteristics posters with real-life photos of animals are included for each of the five groups. These posters make a colorful and attractive bulletin board display in a snap!
There are several hands-on activities included in this unit to reinforce learning. For example, there is a 6-page flip book for the five groups. Students can work on one page each day and complete it in about a week. Flipbooks fit neatly into notebooks or can be designed as a stand-alone booklet.
This is a fun and easy activity for students to complete as homework or for early finishers. Have students cut out the facts cards and paste them in a notebook. Next, they match up the flaps with the name of the correct animal group for each fact card. I like to print them on different colored papers and then students can pick a variety of colors for the different groups.
There are three different ways to play this fun sorting game.
This unit also includes vocabulary posters with real-life photos. There are flip flaps that are perfect for interactive notebooks and a spotlight on vocabulary activity to complete.
A quiz and answer keys are also included. Just print and teach!
Students will love learning all about animals with this fun and engaging resource. This unit includes reading passages, comprehension questions, tri-fold booklets, vocabulary posters, and activities for each of the five animal groups.
SEE IT IN MY SHOP BY CLICKING HERE!
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Groundhogs are such curious creatures that students will love learning about. Chances are that they have seen one at some point in their own backyard.
Take the kiddos outside to see if they can see their own shadow. Use this FREEBIE to record their own predictions about Spring.
This groundhog prediction activity is sure to be a big hit with young kids.
What's inside this freebie pack:
For 2019, the groundhog is set to come out at 7:25 am on February 2. Fans can wait for his arrival starting at 6:00 a.m., thanks to a live stream provided by Visit Pennsylvania. The live stream has been a tradition for the past several years, allowing more people than ever to watch this famous groundhog.
Follow the steps below to make your own groovy groundhog.
1. Gather supplies: glue, scissors, crayons, or colored pencils. For the groundhog, you will need brown card stock or construction paper to make the head, paws, and ears. Use white paper for the eyes and teeth. You will also need a small piece of black construction paper for the whiskers. You can purchase the Groundhog Craft Project HERE.
2. Cut out a large circle from brown card stock or construction paper and fold in half. This will become the groundhog’s mouth.
3. Cut out the eyes, ears, paws, teeth, and nose and glue them on the front to make the groundhog’s face. Cut out 6 thin strips from black paper to make the whiskers. Glue onto the groundhog’s cheeks.
In our Groundhog Day Craft Project Pack you will also find reading passages to learn all about these curious critters.
4. Read the passage and answer the questions on the organizer. Check their answers.
5. Students can use the passage to answer the questions on each page of the flip up booklet.
6. Check their answers. Then cut out each page of the flip booklet. Put them in the correct numerical order.
7. Staple the pages of the booklet at the top to attach it to the the inside of the groundhog’s mouth.
Students will love making these adorable groundhogs and assembling the 8-page flip-up booklet. The flip booklet pages are attached to the inside the groundhog's mouth. These groovy groundhogs make an extra sweet bulletin board display too! Celebrate this special holiday with a creative groundhog craft project!
Celebrate Groundhog Day with this fun and quick activity! Students will love this adorable Groundhog Day craft project. Start by reading a book about this special holiday. See our favorites below.
Groundhog's Day Off By Robb Pearlman
This is one of my favorite books for Groundhog Day! Every year, people ask Groundhog the same, boring old question. Is spring around the corner? Or are we doomed to more winter? Sure, they care about his shadow, but what about him and his interests? He's had enough! Groundhog packs his bags and sets out for a much-needed vacation. Now the town is holding auditions to find someone to fill his spot. None of the animals seem right for the job, though. Not Elephant, not Ostrich, and most certainly not Puppy. No one has Groundhog's flair for the dramatic, but is it too late to woo him back into the spotlight?
Groundhog's Dilemma by Kristen Remenar
Student's love this adorable book! After Groundhog announces six more weeks of winter, half his animal friends are disappointed, while the other half are excited. Each animal asks Groundhog to make his prediction in their favor the following year. Rather than being truthful about the fact that he just "calls it like he sees it," he leads them to believe he can control the weather, accepting their gifts of food and favor. On the next Groundhog Day, he finally admits he made promises he couldn't keep because he was trying to please everyone and makes amends.
Groundhog Day! by Gail Gibbons
This is a great book to explain how Groundhog Day started so many years ago. Every February 2, people all across America wonder about the groundhog Punxsutawney Phil. Will he see his shadow on that day or won't he? Will spring come early or late? Here is information about Groundhog Day and its origins, as well as facts about the animal at the center of this delightful annual event.
Groundhog Weather School by Joan Holub
Ever wonder where Groundhog Day first began? Want to know the reason why we have different weather seasons? Curious about how some plants and animals can help predict the weather? Learn the answers to these questions and many more at Groundhog Weather School! This clever story—starring a cast of lovable groundhog characters—is a fresh, informative, and fun look at Groundhog Day through the eyes of the animals who are the stars of it each year.
You can also download one of our activity packs that come complete with passages all about groundhogs, comprehension questions, and hands-on activities.
Happy Groundhog Day!
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]]>Let's take a closer look at 5 ways to use ClassTag in the classroom.
1. Parent-Teacher Conferences:
Meeting with parents is an important part of being a teacher. In the past, I would make copies of sign up sheets with days and times and send it home with the kiddos. Then after the sign-up sheets come back, the difficult job of coordinating everyone schedules begins. Talk about stressful! Not anymore!
With ClassTag, the sign up is all online so I can create time slots for conferences, add any details, and direct the parents where to sign up. This saves me soooo much time and is much easier! They simply sign up and the scheduling is all done!
2. Classroom Photos
With ClassTag, I can quickly upload photos of our day. Parents love this feature! They can see what we are currently working on in class, projects, homework, and presentations. Sometimes, when I'm teaching a difficult concept, I might snap a picture of a diagram from the interactive white board for parents to review with their child that evening. This has become a way for parents to feel more involved at school and quickly review and reinforce difficult concepts.
3. Class Volunteers
Parent volunteers are so welcomed (and needed) in the classroom. We use volunteers for guided reading groups, special events, and classroom parties. This feature on ClassTag is a real timesaver! You can very quickly request a certain number of volunteers for any activity, event, or even a field trip. Parents can respond instantly and before you know it, you have everyone needed for that special event!
4. Field Trips
You can access ClassTag instantly and from anywhere. Imagine you're on a field trip and you're going to be ten minutes coming back to school. What do you do? With ClassTag, you can quickly send a note to every single parent for your class to let them know. Maybe you only need to contact one parent and not the whole class, you can do that too! This is seriously one of the best things about ClassTag. Parents feel safer knowing that you can contact them right away, if needed.
5. Classroom News
When I first started teaching, I used to spend hours each week typing a newsletter for parents. I would email them to let know what we were working on in class, upcoming important dates, classroom supplies needed, and any funny stories. This took a lot of time. And I wasn't sure if parents were even reading my emails. Now, I can do all of those tasks and more in just a few minutes each day. You get notified who's read your messages. So far, parents have been amazing at responding to messages and asking questions. It's quick, easy, and best of all...simple.
After only using ClassTag for a few months, I don't know what I would do without it! It has become one of the most effective communication tools for my classroom. I highly recommend giving it a try. It's FREE for everyone!
New! ClassTag now offers a free Google Slides Presentation that you can use to present it to your parents for Open House or Meet the Teacher Night.
You can download a copy of the FREE presentation by clicking HERE!
]]>Guest Post by Jenny Wise from Special Home Educator
No one likes being stuck inside, especially kids. To keep them occupied, it’s good to have some plans in your pocket to keep them from climbing up the walls. Not being able to go outside and run around and play to burn off energy can negatively impact attention spans. Here are some ideas to help everyone enjoy staying inside during recess.
Have Fun with Science
Sometimes, science can get a bad rap with kids. They think it’s boring or dry, and may not be motivated to experiment themselves. Thankfully, there are lots of entertaining activities that you can do indoors when the weather is poor. Even something simple like playing with building blocks can teach them spatial awareness and problem-solving. You can get a set of magnets for the kids to play with and teach them about magnetism. Another fun experiment is to create geode crystals. It’s a good opportunity for them to create something and for you to teach them about igneous and sedimentary rock formations.
Make Math a Blast
Unfortunately, math is similar to science in that many kids do not want to learn it. It can seem complicated and be difficult for them to relate to their own experiences. That’s why it’s important to show them how math can be used in everyday life, and a rainy day is a perfect time to do so. Use coins to solve math problems and teach budgeting skills, or even play games online together with math apps.
Do Something Offline
There are plenty of activities that stir creativity we can do without relying on the internet. The art of oral storytelling is one that should be preserved. Storytelling can develop students’ language abilities and vocabulary, as well as get children thinking creatively to develop characters. You can start with historical figures or folklore that you’re interested in. Have students come up with a new take on fables or something similar. You could also host a scavenger hunt around the classroom. If you do, make sure that the clues are guessable for young minds, but not too easy. To make things more fun, transform your clue lists into cryptogram, word scrambles or word searches. It’s a good idea to have these prepped and ready to go so you don’t have to rush at the last moment to create them when they’re needed. If your kids are extra restless, you could play some games together. Teach them a classic card game, like Go Fish, or get a giant game of hide and seek going.
Get Active with the Internet
Many of us associate the internet with lethargy, but it can actually inspire kids to be active. If you want to help your classroom burn through some of their energy and get the wiggles out, consider putting on an exercise or dance video. Everyone can follow along together, which can encourage camaraderie between the little ones. Not only that, but it’s fun to get up and move, especially if everyone is doing so together. By following along to a video, your classroom can practice hand-eye coordination and work on following directions at the same time. If your students need to get some wildness out of their systems, you may want to simply put on some child-appropriate dance music and let them move as they feel. Classic Disney songs are always a good choice but think of other musicals for kids or movies that strongly feature music, like Shrek.
Don’t let the bad weather get you and your class down. With a bit of planning and some smart preparation in advance, you and the kids can have a blast despite the rain. It’s the perfect time to experiment with math and science, to develop language skills, and to let your class shake out their wiggles with a bit of dancing. After all, recess should be about fun, not just learning.
]]>If you haven’t visited this site yet, you’re missing out! Teachers Pay Teachers is a site created by teachers for teachers. They share their most effective ideas and make products for you to purchase (inexpensive) or download for free! If you find yourself purchasing name tags each year or even borders to decorate your bulletin board-think again. You can choose from at least twenty designs of name tags and print them out in color, in a flash! Simply click on the ones that you like, print them, laminate them, and label them! It’s that easy!
When I started teaching fourth grade for the first time, I was shocked how much time I was spending getting ready for school on the weekends. I had to learn the curriculum, create activities, grade papers, and more. I even had my husband shopping and laminating for me. After a few months of spending all my time working on school stuff, my husband and I had a discussion. He told me he was worried about me and about “us”! He confessed that he didn’t want me working all weekend every weekend and we needed to find a balance between work and home. I looked to Teachers Pay Teachers (TPT) and I’m
so glad I did. I found an Ecosystems Unit that followed the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) exactly! It was just what I was looking for! Absolutely Perfect. And it only cost $8.95 with over 50 pages and a week worth of activities for my students! I downloaded it, printed it, and showed my husband. The bottom line is I got my weekends back, precious time with my family, time to relax, time for myself, all for under $10! It's a true time saver and lifesaver!
If you are an Early Childhood Educator (K-3), don’t turn your nose up at consignment shops or Goodwill. They are the perfect place to visit if you are in need of some toys for your indoor recess
center. You can also use them as inspiration for writing prompts, or even a motivator for a lesson. You can also find cute playhouses, art tables, and even puzzles and books for an unbelievably affordable price.
The dollar stop should be a teacher’s best friend. You don’t need to go to expensive department stores to stock up on crayons, glue, and other school essentials. You can literally find everything you need to start the year off right all in one place. You can also pick up toys and candy to put in your prize box. Sometimes the store will boast a sale around back to school time so you could end up getting supplies priced two for a dollar!
For more expensive items like hand sanitizer, construction paper, pencil boxes, and tissues; consider
constructing a giving tree on your chalkboard during Meet the Teacher or Open House
night. Make a bunch of leaves and attach them to the body and branches of a tree you make out of chalk (or construction paper). Tell parents if they are interested in donating any items, they can take a leaf off of the tree and return the item the first week of school! I attach these donations to a Homework Pass that students can use for a donated item. Parents love this idea, many times, I’ve had parents hang on the homework passes until the holidays so they can use it during the busiest time of the year. What a great give back! Get the FREE "Giving Tree" template and donation idea list here!
Send a letter home the last week of school asking if parents would be interested in donating their child’s used school items for students next year. Children can leave behind their rulers, scissors, notebooks, and folders. You can even take their stray crayons and toss them in a giant art bin. Every little item counts, so take what you can get! This is a wise collection to start for when students misplace their supplies during the school year.
Being a modern-day teacher means being clever and thrifty. Consider the five tips above to ensure that you don’t break the bank when buying supplies this fall! Wishing you a great start to your school year!
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The method I have found to be extremely effective is through role playing. Role playing to teach how you expect groups to work together can be a fun yet powerful strategy. Kids loves role playing and what better way to teach such an important life skill as working together. Setting up skit cards for each role is recommended.
First and foremost, we set up structured procedures for group work. We teach the students, model it, and have them practice it over and over until they have it down.
The Task: you want groups to take turns reading an article, stopping after each paragraph to highlight the key ideas. Then using those key ideas to figure out the main idea of each paragraph and then of the entire article.
The Performance:
Prepare the scenario or skit in advance. Set up your student actors and actresses ahead of time
who you know will be charismatic as they perform this important skit. Set up the Skit Cards with what you want them to say.
Scene 1: Have the student actors come up the front of the class so you can introduce each student actor. You might want to give yourself a role (as a student) also. The class will get a kick out of the
performance and you acting as a student. Now, run through the group work scenario. For our specific task it might go something like this:
Read an article out loud, stopping after each paragraph.
Now the acting or role playing begins…
Bob:
“Ok, we read the paragraph so what do you think is the main idea of this paragraph?”
Tamara: “I don’t know.”
Braden: “What did Mrs. Smart say about finding the main idea?”
Marta: “I can’t remember do you?”
Bob: “I think she said to ask ourselves, what is the author trying to tell us?”
Braden: “Oh yeah, that’s right."
Marta: “Then we are supposed to look for key details that support that."
Tamara: “Yeah. So let’s see what do you think the author is trying to tell us in this paragraph?”
Braden: “I’m not sure.”
Tamara: “Maybe we should read it again.”
Bob: “Good idea! I’ll go first.”
Then read the article again and go through the whole process while modeling it for the class. Afterwards, ask the class “What did you notice about what our group just did?”
Have the students come up with strategies or things they noticed that made this group work effectively together. For instance, they took turns reading, they reminded each other how to complete the task, they treated each other nicely, they used their quiet inside voices, they focused on the assignment, everyone had a turn to speak and read, they listened to everyone’s thoughts and ideas, etc.
Quick Steps:
Before we start any group activity, I always tell the class that I’m going to be looking for the most productive group or the group with the best team work. As groups are working and I circulate around the classroom, I look and listen—jotting down notes about what I saw or heard from different groups.
At the end of the activity, I give feedback to all the groups and share my findings. Then I announce which group was the most productive or best working team for the day.
What are the benefits of group work?
Group projects can help students develop a host of skills that are increasingly important in the professional world (Caruso & Woolley, 2008; Mannix & Neale, 2005). Positive group experiences, moreover, have been shown to contribute to student learning, retention and overall success
(Austin, 1997; Tinto, 1998; National Survey of Student Engagement, 2006).
Properly structured, group projects can reinforce skills that are relevant to both group and individual work, including the ability to:
early and put the students on the right path. Part of effective group work is learning how to work together to solve a problem, perform a task, or create a project in collaboration with others.
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