Leprechaun Chase

Tomorrow is March 1 and the leprechauns are on their way to visit to your classroom.

Watch out!  They are very sneaky and love to play tricks in your classroom. I know this is true because I have seen it happen in my own classroom.

As a matter of fact, my family and I took a vacation to Ireland one summer. We had a lovely time.  It was so interesting and so much fun.

What did you say?
Did you ask me if I saw a leprechaun?
Yes, I sure did! He gave me quite a chase but I finally caught him.

I caught it all on camera.  Please click below and watch my leprechaun adventure.


Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Kathy

P.S.
If you haven't been to my Teachers Pay Teachers store please pop on over and take a look at my Leprechaun in the Classroom product and make a little of your own leprechaun magic.

The Odd Egg

Odd isn't always bad. Odd can be beautiful and exciting.

We all have some quirkiness in us. The important thing is to learn to appreciate it instead of making fun of it. That's a wonderful lesson learned in this book, The Odd Egg, by Emily Gravett.

All the birds laid eggs. But duck could not lay an egg.  Then duck found the most beautiful egg that he had ever seen.

The other birds thought the egg was ugly. Then all the birds' eggs hatched except for duck's egg.

Duck waited and waited. Finally duck's egg hatched.

Surprise, out came a crocodile from duck's egg!

(That should teach them!  Just kidding.)
Please click on the  book picture to link to Barnes and Noble.

FREE Extending the Reading Experience

It's important to expand students' comprehension on what they have read or the story they have heard. I usually read a story 2 or more times before focusing on comprehension.

Below are 2 comprehension worksheets I use with the story, The Odd Egg, plus a decorate your own odd egg page.  I have the students cut out the eggs and then staple the eggs at the top, above their names, to make an egg mini-book.

The first page has an egg where students can use their imagination and decorate their own odd egg. The second page provides a place for students to retell the beginning, middle, and end of the story. The third page has an interpretive question based on the text and also making a connection, text to self question.

The pages can be completed in small groups, whole class instruction, or individually at a center.

Please click on the picture below to print out copies. It will link you to teachers pay teachers where you can download a free copy from Picture Book Reviews With Writing Connections.

Take Care,

Kathy

The Perfect Nest

Perfection can sometimes be more than you bargained for and even quite humorous.

That's why I really enjoy reading the book, The Perfect Nest by Catherine Friend. Kids love listening to this fun story and it's a great read aloud book. (Click on the picture to link to amazon.)

Jack the cat decides to build the perfect nest that "would attract the perfect chicken, who would lay a perfect egg, which would make a perfect omelet for a cat like Jack."

All looked good as the chicken arrived and laid an egg.  But then a duck arrived and pushed the chicken out of the nest and laid her egg. If that wasn't enough a goose happened by and saw the perfect nest. She pushed the duck out and laid her egg.

Three eggs lay in the nest. Jack's mouth was watering. But then the chicken, duck, and goose began to fight. Jack told them there was a better nest on the farm next door. So they all left to go to the farm.

Now Jack was ready to make his omelet. Suddenly the eggs hatched. Jack didn't know what to do.

He soon discovered there was no one to take care of the babies, except himself. So the nest became a perfect place for Jack and his three new babies.

FREE Extending the Reading Experience

It's important to expand students' comprehension on what they have read or the story they have heard. I usually read a story 2 or more times before focusing on comprehension.

Below are 2 comprehension worksheets I use with the story, The Perfect Nest. The first page supports retelling the beginning, middle, and end of the story through question and answers. The second page supports interpreting the text through questions and answers.

The pages can be completed in small groups, whole class instruction, or individually at a center.

Please click on the picture below to print out copies. Answer sheets are provided.
It will link you to teachers pay teachers where you can download a free copy from Picture Book Reviews With Writing Connections.

P.S.

If you get a chance please stop by my Teachers Pay Teachers store and have a look around.  Leprechaun in the Classroom is a fun language arts product with great ideas!

Take Care,

Kathy

Presidents Day

There are so many fun crafts, activities, and books available to celebrate Presidents Day.

So I am going to add a writing FREEBIE to the mix. These writing pages can be used with any George Washington or Abraham Lincoln books that are read by the students or by the teacher to the class.

After reading a book or books about Mr. Washington and Mr. Lincoln make copies of the pages below. There are two types of writing pages that have either primary or intermediate lines. Sample copies are also included. Please click on the pictures below to make copies.

In each of the large boxes have the students draw and label keyword pictures about Mr. Washington or Mr. Lincoln.  For example, for Mr. Lincoln they can draw a book, chains, log cabin, and the number 16.  Have the students number the pictures in order of occurrence in the small boxes.  Then using those keyword pictures write Mr. Lincoln's story on the bottom lines.  (A sample is included in the download.)

After completing a writing sheet on both Presidents then do the Past Presidents Venn diagram.  How are they alike and different?  (A sample is provided in the download.)

Then using the keywords from the Venn diagram complete the summary page.

My favorite books to use for learning and completing the writing pages about Mr. Washington and Mr. Lincoln are: A Picture Book of George Washington by David Adler and A Picture Book of Abraham Lincoln by David Adler.  Both are available at amazon.  Please click on the pictures for the link.

Happy Presidents Day!

Kathy