Holiday Fun!

Check out these fun Holiday websites/Activities!

Grinch-Mas (Grow Your Heart!)
Gingerbread Fun!
Interactive Sites- Christmas Games
Winter Mad-Libs
Holiday Thinking Games
Holiday Party Games
Math Facts Game- Christmas Lights
Christmas Countdown
Visit the North Pole

Winter Magnetic Poetry via Shake Up Learning. Check out the "Winter Around the World Project"!

Listening Center/Read Aloud QR Codes (Free on Teachers Pay Teachers!)

Dear Santa/Parents Letter with Needs vs. Wants via Coach Fikac (Assign in Google Classroom)

Decorate a Gingerbread House

Jan Brett Gingerbread Baby House 

Create a Snowman

New Year's Resolution Slide Show
#OneWord Project: Students choose one word that will guide them in 2016. Samples from Ms. Boddie's class at Leon Springs Elementary (created in Google Drawings).

K-5: NISD Digital Badges!

Academic Technology has recently started a new Digital Badge recognition program! We know that teachers and administrators like you are making big differences everyday for our NISD students when it comes to 21st century teaching and learning. We wanted a way to recognize those difference-makers.  When you earn a digital badge, I will send you and your admin. an email recognizing you.  You will be able to add the digital badges to your email signature line.

I do my best to acknowledge teachers as I see them demonstrating these tools in their classrooms and instruction. This is sometimes a difficult task being at 6 campuses. I don't always see all of the great things that you are doing in your classroom. Please feel free to send me an email and include pictures, if you'd like, letting me know how you are utilizing these tools. You can also send me an email and nominate a coworker for the great things they are doing as well.   Click the image to see all of the badges currently available. 

2nd: Urban, Suburban & Rural Communities

This activity can be assigned in Google Classroom or used as a whole group lesson. The Google Slides presentation has several locations with links to Google Maps. Students should be able to see from the map whether the location is urban, suburban, or rural. Google Maps also provides the population.  

Click on the image and then click File, Make a copy to use this activity!  The copy will save to your Google Drive.

3-5: Fake Book Page for Historical Figures

After researching a historical figure, students can complete this Fakebook page Slideshow to share what they have learned. 

Click on the image, then click File, Make a Copy the use this activity.

K-5 Thanksgiving Activities

Here are some fun techie Thanksgiving activities!

The First Thanksgiving Webquest

Scholastic Magazine Article- will read aloud to students

Thanksgiving Interactive- Click "Begin Your Adventure"

History of Thanksgiving Video

Thanksgiving Fun Facts

Thanksgiving Myths and Truths

Wompanoag Webquest

Thanksgiving Mad-Lib

Let's Talk Turkey Webinar

Technology Rocks. Seriously! & Cybrary Man's Educational Web Sites- These sites have tons of additional Thanksgiving resources! 

Thanksgiving Boggle (making words)- assign this Google Slides activity in Google Classroom (or use as a whole group activity).  Students will make as many word as they can using the letters T-H-A-N-K-S-G-I-V-I-N-G.  Click on the image and then click File, Make a Copy to use.

K-2: Kidspiration "I am thankful" turkey! I have already added the template to the "Projects--Work" folder for your campus.  Students will just open the file from the work folder and then add text or click and drag pictures to the work space.  This is what the template looks like:

K-1: Letter Sound Activities

Here is a lesson created by another coach focusing on letter sounds.  Print and cut out the letter sound QR codes, students will scan the QR codes, listen for the sound and record the letter on their recording sheet.  The letter sounds were recorded using Vocaroo- you can use this program to quickly record your voice and create QR codes.

Click File, Make a Copy to save to your Drive

QR Codes

Recording Sheet

Augmented Reality Flashcards Animals is an engaging app for students to use to practice letter sounds. Print the Flashcards from the website (cardstock works best!), download the app on the ipads/ipods, students open the app and hover the device over the flashcard, the animal will "come to life" and if you tap the screen, it will say the letter sound for the animal.  The kiddos LOVE it!  It's even great for Pre-K.

Check out the student engagement in Mrs. Warden's class (Reading Specialist) at Ellison Elementary. https://youtu.be/RVSGqlBZFes

K-5: Veterans Day Activities

Pebble Go has a great Veterans Day article.  

Email me or ask your librarian for the username/password!

Brainstorm a list of key attributes a soldier must have and then have students complete the following Google Slides activity in Google Classroom (or complete as a whole class).  Click File, Make a Copy to use this activity. 

Have students create biographical poems about a soldier using this outline:

Students can complete this Veterans Day web scavenger hut using the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs website.

Here are some free Thank You, Hero printables from A Cupcake For the Teacher on TPT.  A friend of mine is currently deployed, so let me know if you need a "Hero" to write to!  

Tools for Formative Assessment

In his newsletter to the staff this week, NISD Superintendent Brian Woods mentions using formative assessment to guide instruction.  Here are some tools you can use in your classroom to quickly assess your students and check for understanding!

Plickers is a tool you can use to gather data with just ONE teacher device (even your iphone or android phone will work!).  You simply print the Plickers cards from the website, create questions in your Plickers account and display on your projector, have students hold up the Plickers cards to answer, and the teacher scans the room!  

Print on Card Stock

Check out Mrs. Bunn & Mrs. Hardin using Plickers with their class at Beard Elementary!   

Kahoot! is another formative assessment tool you can use with your class.  Create quizzes on the website (there are also thousands of already created quizzes you can choose from), then students answer on their device (computer, ipad, phone, etc).  This tool is great for review and is really motivating for students because it shows a leaderboard.  The students love it!

Here is counselor Mrs. Van Allen at Beard Elem. using Kahoot with her 2nd grade class!

Formative is a tool that will show student work/results in real time. It is very easy to use, check out the website for more information.

Mrs. Spiekerman's 5th grade class at Beard Elementary using Formative!

1st-5th: Fiction & Non-Fiction Graphic Organizers

You can assign these Graphic Organizers in Google Classroom or use as a whole group lesson.

Click on the image, then click File, Make a Copy in order to save to your Drive.

                                       Compare & Contrast            Cause & Effect            Problem & Solution

 

                    Main Idea & Details                      Fact & Opinion                              Sequence

  

1st: Living & Non-living

Show the Sesame Street "What's Alive" video as a whole class (students will not be able to view this video from a student computer).  Then you can assign this Google Slides activity for students to complete in Google Classroom or complete the slides activity as a whole group.

Sesame Street Video

4th: Coastal Plains & Tribes of Texas

Here are a couple of resources for you to use with your Coastal Plains unit including a Symbaloo of the Native American tribes of Texas.
                                                

Native American Tribes

Gulf Coast

3rd-5th: Dead & Overused Words

Tired of your students using the same old, tired, worn-out words in their writing?  Spice it up a little with this "Overused and Dead Words" lesson including free resources from TPT.
Begin by showing students this "R.I.P. Overused Dead Words" slideshow:

Click on the Image, then click File, Make a Copy to save to your drive! 

After going over the slides show, students can work with a partner to complete this Google Slides Presentation (open the link then click File, Make a Copy in order to use this resource).  Students will choose worn-out words and find alternative choices using a Thesauraus!  Here are a couple of resources you can show your students:

Thesauraus.com

http://www.kidthesaurus.com/ 

K-2: Online Books!

These online books are really great!  I love the read aloud feature.  You can ask your TSS add the link to your campus shortcuts folder or add the link to your google site.

Click on the image

1st-5th: Strip Diagrams in Math Playground

MathPlayground.com is an excellent math website that you can use as a whole class lesson or assign to students.  

I LOVE the problem solving with strip diagrams section!  Check out the following video I created to help you get started with using the strip diagrams!  

More Games:
Addition & Subtraction Games
Multiplication & Division Games
Fractions & Decimals Games
Geometry Games

3rd: Wetland Activities

Here are some fun Wetland QR code activities focused on Frog Prey/Predator:

Click the QR Code and click File, Make a Copy in order to save this activity to your Google Drive!  

Metamorphosis Activity (to print (Docs) or use with Google Classroom (Slides)):

Google Docs- Just print and use iPads/QR Codes

Google Slides- Assign in Google Classroom

Students color the Pukeko bird (wetland bird) then use the Quiver 3D app to make the bird come to life!  

Check out this fun Wetlands Interactive shared with me by a third grade teacher.  You could add this link to your Google Classroom or ask your TSS to add the link to your campuses Lab Shortcuts folder.  
Click on the following link:
Wetland Interactive

2nd-5th: POETRY!

I thought these poetry links from Read, Write, Think were pretty neat!  Third grade is in the middle of their poetry genre study, 2nd grade will start at the end of November, 4th grade will begin their poetry unit in January, and 5th grade will start in mid-November.

Theme Poems / Diamonte Poems/Acrostic Poems  

Check out this blog for more ideas: EdTeacher- Poetry
Poetry Games

3-5th: Halloween Magnetic Poetry

Your students will love this Halloween Magnetic Poetry activity!  You can assign this template in Google Classroom OR you could complete this as a whole class activity! 

http://www.shakeuplearning.com/blog/halloween-magnetic-poetry-with-google-drawings

Click on the template, then click File, Make a Copy.  The copy will save to your Google Drive.

Here is a sample poem from two students:

K-3 Nat Geo E-Books!

These National Geographic E-Books are so awesome!  This is a Symbaloo created by blogger Matt B. Gomez who is a teacher in Texas.  These nonfiction books are perfect for science/social studies and guided reading.  The books can be read aloud to the students! The "Bats", "Web Weavers", & "Creepy Creatures" books are perfect for this time of year.  You can ask your TSS to add this link to your Lab Shortcuts folder or to your campuses webpage.

3rd-5th: Story Maps/Book Report

Below you will find two Story Map templates and a Book Report template you could assign in Google Classroom or complete as a whole class.

Click on the image and then click File, Make a Copy.  The copy will save in your Google Drive!

K-3rd: Life Cycle of a Pumpkin

Check out the following videos about the life cycle of a pumpkin:

Students can then complete the following activity.  This is in Google Slides.  You can assign this template in Google Classroom or complete the activity as a whole class.

Click on the image, then click File, Make a Copy to save to your Google Drive.

K-1: Rhyming Practice

This rhyming practice activity is in Google Slides.  If you are use Google Classroom, you can add this template as an assignment. You could also use this activity as a whole group lesson in the classroom or using the Smartboard in the lab.

In order to use this template, click on the image and then click File, Make a Copy.  The copy will save to your Google Drive.

K- Fire Safety Ideas!

Kinder Teachers- your students will love learning about Firefighters using PebbleGo!  

Username: nisd1

Password: research

Students can then complete this click and drag activity in Google Classroom or with the teacher as a whole class activity.

Click on the image, then click File, Make a copy. The editable copy will save to your Google Drive.

K-4: PebbleGo

This is a great website for Science, Social Studies, and Reading (especially Biographies!).  There is even a great Veteran's Day article!
Email me or ask your librarian for username/password!
Click the button for PebbleGo.com                                               Click the image below for the Veteran's Day article.

 

K-3: Read-Aloud Poetry

Check out this website for some fun poems!  I love that the students can listen to poems read aloud to them!

Click on the image