Adding Spice to Mapping Skills!

In all the years I've taught, 1st-5th grade students are required to create a map of some kind...usually starting with mapping your classroom (whole group) and then having students map their home or their own room. In my quest to find a way to spice up this lesson, I stumbled upon the Floor Planner website! It is incredibly cool and allowed my homeschooler to create a 2D model of our home....not only that, with just one click, we were able to make the 2D layout we created into a 3D model! I have to say, that this was as much fun for me to learn as it was for my 2nd grader!
If you haven't checked out their website, click here:

2nd Grade Spelling Bundle!



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2^nd Grade Spelling Bundle

This download contains a BUNDLE of 2^nd grade spelling menus. Each menu has a weekly spelling list and activities students can choose from. The lists target the following word studies:

Sight word review (2)

short a/I words

short u/e

words with “th”

words with “ch”

words with “sh”

words with “ck”

long “i” words (vce) (2)

long “a” words (vce)

long “a” words (including ai/ay)

long “e” words (including ee/ea)

long “u” words (vce)

contractions

words with ue/ui

long “o” words (vce)

words with oy/oi

words with ou/ow

adding “ing”

words with “ar”

words with “or”

words with “ir”

words with “c” making the “s” sound

words with “g” making the “j” sound

Also included is a blank menu/list to help you differentiate for your diverse learners, pretest slip sheets & a generic parent letter (which I’m happy to customize for you:)!

This is a great set for homeschooling teachers and for educators that need a variety of spelling resources!

Erin Mills
The Organized Chaos of Instruction :)

Scrabble Resources

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I've spent years incorporating the game of Scrabble into classrooms and after-school programs. This game is great for practicing spelling, vocabulary and math skills!
This download contains the resources you will need to start Scrabble in the classroom.
*Please note that I will be continually adding more resources (especially vocabulary/spelling lessons), so please take a moment to "follow me" in order to get updates on even great activities!
Enjoy!
~Erin

Counting On...Counting Backwards-Activity Mats

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This simple, yet effective 1-20 number mat will provide students with a visual while counting forwards and backwards.
Enjoy!
~Erin
The Organized Chaos of Instruction

UPDATED: Reading Response Choice Board

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Here you will find a variety of activities your students can choose from for reading response. Technology integration is included and there are 12 different activities to allow your students to find something they enjoy and what matches their interest level!
Enjoy!
~Erin
The Organized Chaos of Instruction           

1st Grade Spelling Bundle!



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1^st Grade Spelling Bundle

This download contains a BUNDLE of 1^st grade spelling menus. Each menu has a weekly spelling list and activities students can choose from. The lists target the following word studies:
·       est/eck
·       it/in
·       ip/ick
·       ug/ub
·       un/ut
·       ump/uck
·       ing/ong
·       double “ee”
·       Long “E” (ea words)
·       Long i/a (vce)
·       Long o/u (vce)
·       ay/ai
·       ie
·       tch/dge
·       igh
·       Double “oo”
Also included is a blank menu/list to help you differentiate for your diverse learners, pretest slip sheets & a generic parent letter (which I’m happy to customize for you:)!

This is a great set for homeschooling teachers and for educators that need a variety of spelling resources!

~Erin Mills
The Organized Chaos of Instruction

Words Ending in "atch"

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For Kristi B. and the rest of her awesome 1st grade team :)
This download contain word ending cards for "atch." Included are color-coded and blackline masters, as well as a recording sheet that provides room for the incorporation of applying what they've learned in a writing section.
Enjoy!
~Erin
The Organized Chaos of Instruction

Fact Family Houses-Add, Subtract, Multiply, Divide (9 per page!)

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This download contains activity pages for students to practice making fact families; they include addition/subtraction as well as multiplication/division.
Some pages have 9 houses per page; while others have just one....which could be made into a poster.
Hope you enjoy!
~Erin
The Organized Chaos of Instruction

Counting By 2's With Skip-Bo-Like Cards

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If you've ever played the game Skip-Bo, you know that it is a fun game sequencing numbers from 1-12 and 12-1. This download contains Skip-Bo-Like cards that target the skill of counting by 2's from 2-24 and 24-2.
Directions and a game layout example are provided. This is such a great game for students to practice skip counting!
Enjoy!
~Erin
The Organized Chaos of Instruction

K-4 Drop Down Math Activities-Add, Subtract, Multiply & Divide!

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This download contains a variety of differentiated activities for students to practice addition, subtraction, multiplication and even division!
You can use activity pages in workstations/centers and independent practice. Any way you use them, I hope you and your students enjoy!
~Erin
The Organized Chaos of Instruction

Domino Addition-Activity Mats

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This download contains simple and effective student activity mats for practicing addition skills. You can print a poster and place it in a workstation. I usually printed mine as "mini-pages" (print them 2 per page/front-to-back) and kept them in a workstation with my dominoes.
I hope your students enjoy these as much as mine have!
~Erin
The Organized Chaos of Instruction

Coin Combinations-Student Activity Pages

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This simple, yet effective graphic organizer can be printed a handouts, posters or center activities. These activity mats provide room for students to show different combinations for a given monetary amount. Students can use stamps, stickers and/or illustrations to show what they know! Enjoy! ~Erin

Domino Addition and Multiplication Game

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This is a great activity for practicing addition and multiplication. There are student activity pages for both addition and multiplication, as well as directions you can print up for workstations if you'd like.
Dominoes from 1-15 are included....that way you can differentiate for your diverse learners.
Enjoy!
~Erin

Domino Fact Families-Activity Mats

Click on the picture to download the domino fact families-activity mats!

 This download contains dominoes from 1-15, as well as fact family mats you can use for teaching/re-teach/centers or even printable posters!
I like to print the dominoes out and then laminate them (for centers). If you put magnetic dots/tape on the back, they are great for manipulatives too.
The fact family activity mats can be printed front-to-back on 8.5X11 OR you can make mini-mats by printing them 2 per page (front-to-back).
I hope your students enjoy them as much as mine have!
~Erin
The Organized Chaos of Instruction

Memoirs of a Goldfish-Reading Response UPDATED!!!

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This download contains 25 pages of reading response activities that go along with the book, "Memoirs of a Goldfish." Skills focus on:

-Characterization
-Character Feelings-how they change over time (cause/effect)
-Sequencing of events
-Vocabulary enrichment
**Updated 10-28-13: This download now contains a variety of making words (word study) activities.
I hope your students have as much fun completing the activities as I did creating them!
Enjoy!
~Erin 

Foldable-Picture Frame Booklet

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This simple and effective foldable can be used for ANY subject and provides you with opportunities to differentiate for your diverse learners. Just print, cut out the first page, create a cover for your booklet, fold and you are done!

Enjoy!
Erin
The Organized Chaos of Instruction

Foldable-1-6 Flap Booklets

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These simple and effective foldables can be used for ANY subject and provides you with opportunities to differentiate for your diverse learners. Just print, cut along the dotted lines, fold and you are done! This download contains many versions of flip booklets that have anywhere from 1 to 6 flaps.
Enjoy!
~Erin
The Organized Chaos of Instruction 

Reading Response Booklet-Square Cat

This download contains an 8-page mini-booklet that correlates to the story “Square Cat” by Elizabeth Schoonmaker. The activities below are included in this booklet and may be completed independently, with a partner, whole group, or in literacy workstations.

·         Author’s Purpose

·         Identify Problem/Solution

·         Pinpoint key events and their importance

·         Change in Character Feelings Throughout Story

·         Cause/Effect of Character Actions

·         Characteristics of a Good Friend

·         Create a timeline of key events

·         Vocabulary Enrichment-apply use of dictionary skills

·         Synonym Practice

·         Text Connections

·         Theme of Story

·         Book Review

This mini-booklet should be printed double-sided, folded, and stapled.
Enjoy!
~Erin

Foldable-Venn Diagram Flip Booklet

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This simple and effective foldable can be used for ANY subject and provides you with opportunities to differentiate for your diverse learners. Just print, cut along the dotted lines, fold and you are done!
 Enjoy!
~Erin
The Organized Chaos of Instruction

Matchbox Flip Booklet Foldable

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This simple and effective foldable can be used for ANY subject and provides you with opportunities to differentiate for your diverse learners. Just print, cut along the dotted lines, fold and you are done!
This download contains matchbox flip booklets with 1-6 tabs to choose from.
Enjoy!
~Erin
The Organized Chaos of Instruction

Circulatory, Respiratory & Nervous System Flip Booklet



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This download contains flipbooks that provide students with the opportunity to show what they have learned about the circulatory, respiratory & nervous systems. There are 3 versions of the flip booklet to allow for differentiation for your diverse learners, as well as color & black/white printables.

Each flip booklet requires the students to illustrate (or cut/paste the picture provided) and label each body system. Next, students will identify the organ(s) that make up each body system. Finally, students will identify the function of each body system.
The differentiated versions of each flip booklet have been shown in the sample.

Version 1-This is a simple and effective outline to help students that need more concise directions.
Version 2-This version provides students with a more open-ended form of writing response.
Version 3-This version requires students to label each tab and provides students with a more open-ended form of writing response.

Hope you enjoy!
~Erin Mills
The Organized Chaos of Instruction

Character Traits (EMOTIONS) Flip Booklet

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This download contains 21 pages of activities for students to explore character traits/emotions. Each tab in this flip booklet has:

·         Students will illustrate this character trait/emotion and/or example from the story

·         SW identify synonyms & antonyms for the emotion

·         SW use the emotion in a sentence

·         SW identify text in which this emotional trait was found

·         SW distinguish which character felt this emotional trait.

·         SW show text evidence from the story to support that the character is feeling this emotion

·         SW sort the emotional traits and explain the way he/she sorted them.

Although this can be printed on regular letter paper, you could also print 2 per page. An example page has been given.

Enjoy!

~Erin

Reading Response (Fiction) Fold & Flip Booklet

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This simple little foldable is a simple printable that will provide students with this opportunity to respond to their reading. They will identify the main character (I'd also have the student describe the MC), the problem, resolution, favorite part (have them explain why it is their favorite) & a connection they made to the text.
Enjoy!
~Erin

My U.S. Presidents Facts Booklet

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This download contains a 44-page mini-booklet for students to learn about each of the U.S. Presidents. You can use this booklet for a class, group or individual project any time throughout the year. These pages can be printed on larger paper or poster-sized to create a class BIG book. Each ½ page is designated for a particular president and provides students with the opportunity to record the following information:

•        Date of Birth

•        Place of Birth

•        Political Party

•        First Lady

•        Vice President

•        Date of Death

•        Presidential Dates

•        Famous Quote

•        3 Interesting Facts

This booklet should be printed double-sided, folded & stapled.

Enjoy!

~Erin

BIG AL-Reading Response



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This download contains an 12-page mini-booklet that correlates to the story “BIG AL” by Andrew Clements & illustrated by Yoshi. The activities below are included in this booklet and may be completed independently, with a partner, whole group, or in literacy workstations.

·         Before/During Reading Predictions

·         Sticky Note Comprehension Parking Lot

·         Author’s Purpose

·         Identify Problem/Solution

·         Pinpoint key events and their importance

·         Change in Character Feelings Throughout Story

·         Characterization of Main Character

·         Create a timeline of key events

·         Vocabulary Enrichment-apply use of dictionary skills

·         Synonym Practice

·         Making Words activity-TREMENDOUS (mystery word) with letter strips

·         Theme of Story

·         Book Review

This mini-booklet should be printed double-sided, folded, and stapled.
Enjoy!
~Erin

Money Flip Booklet-Cash/Bills

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This download contains a 16-page, double-sided flip booklet that supports the introduction and/or review of cash/bills. Students will identify each bill’s value, as well as be able to describe characteristics for each.
Enjoy!
~Erin

Money Flip Booklet-Coins

This download contains a 16-page, double-sided flip booklet that supports the introduction and/or review of coins. Students will identify each coin’s value, as well as be able to describe characteristics for each.
Enjoy!
~Erin

Reading Response-"Things that are Most in the World" Booklet

This download contains a reading response booklet to the book, “Things that are the Most in the World” by Judi Barrett. Students will have the opportunity to review nouns, verbs & adjectives, as well as learn about superlatives! This booklet includes:

·         Students will identify the part of speech for a list of words.

·         Students will be given an adjective and must write the superlative for that word.

·         Students will generate a list of A-Z adjectives that they will later use to create their own “Things that are the Most in the World” page for a class book.

·         Students will create a page of their own that follows the same pattern from their book using one of the adjectives generated from the A-Z list.

Enjoy!
~Erin

Let's Make a $1.00-Using pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, & 1/2 dollars

This download contains 5 variations of dice rolling games that have students trade-in coins until they reach $1.00. They include
pennies to a $1.00
pennies/nickels=$1.00
pennies/nickels/dimes=$1.00
pennies/nickels/quarters=$1.00
pennies/nickels/quarters/half-dollars=$1.00
These FUN and educational activities show students all of the different ways we can use coins to make $1.00!
Enjoy~
Erin

Give One, Get One Game-Money (coins & cash/bills)

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This download contains 3 levels of the game “Give One, Get One” for counting Coins, Cash/Bills, and both Cash & Coins. It includes the following:
• Give One, Get One (Beginning Coin Counting)
• Give One, Get One (Challenging Coin Counting)
• Give One, Get One (Coin and Cash Counting)

Learning About Money-Bundle!



 This download contains 47 pages of activities involving the introduction and/or review of coins and cash. Students will identify both coin/cash value, as well as be able to describe characteristics for each. This download contains:

·         Coin Flip Booklet

·         Cash/Bills Flip Booklet

·         I have, Who has (Beginning Coin Counting)

·         I have, Who has (Challenging Coin Counting)

·         I have, Who has (Coin and Cash Counting)

Character Feelings-Flip Booklet

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Students will choose one character from the story and explain how that character’s feelings changed throughout the story. They should use text evidence to support their statements. On each tab, students will:

·         SW choose a word to describe how the character was feeling at the BEGINNING/MIDDLE/END of the story. They may NOT use happy or sad; instead, have them use a synonym from the thesaurus.

·         SW illustrate how the character was feeling (using text evidence) at the BEGINNING/MIDDLE/END of the story.

·         SW use text evidence from the story to explain how the character was feeling at the BEGINNING/MIDDLE/END. They will use text evidence from the story that supports their statements.

Enjoy!
~Erin

Mixed Math Activities-Independent and/or Workstation

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This download contains 40 pages of mixed math activities including:
100 chart with clue cards that go along with EVERY number
Hundred chart puzzles
Even/Odd Flip Booklet (with numbers)
Matching-Standard form, expanded form, word form & pictorial representation (base 10s)
Fill in the missing number (line)
Decomposing number webs
Tens Frames-figure out the number, write the number, and tell whether it is even or odd.
Black/white master copies are included :)
Enjoy!
~Erin

My Planets Flip Booklet

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This download contains a 9-tabbed booklet for students to record information they have learned about each of the planets. Options for the last tab are your choice...two have been created to have students either create a glossary of words OR a "Questions I Still Have" section. You can use both if you'd like.
Pictures of each of the planets are included should you choose to have students cut/paste them into their booklet.
Enjoy!
~Erin

Word Study-Short "A" Flip Booklet

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This download contains an 8-tabbed flip booklet with short "a" ending sounds. This is a great tool for word study and allows students the opportunity to practice making words with the following endings:
-an
-at
-ad
-ap
-and
-amp
-ank
-ast
Enjoy!
~Erin

Tic-Tac-Toe Addition Math Center

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This fun Tic-Tac-Toe board can be used to have student practice adding numbers 2-10. This download contains:
*One tic-tac-toe board activity to complete with a partner and/or whole group to answer the math problems.
*One tic-tac-toe board that allows students to cut up the numbers 2-10 and place them on the board to complete the math problems.
*One tic-tac-toe board that has an open board. Students will roll 2 dice, add the numbers and place those numbers in the tic-tac-toe board and answer the math problems.
*One blank black/white tic-tac-toe board for you to print or create a poster for a center.
Enjoy!
~Erin

My Day & Night Flip Booket

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This download contains a 2-tabbed flip booklet that provides students with the opportunity to record things they see during the day and night. Students will draw a picture and then write about each picture.
Enjoy!
~Erin

Word Study-Long "E" Activities





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This download contains 66 pages of LONG "E" word ending activities. Students will compare the following endings:

1. eet vs. eet
2. eal vs. eel
3. ead vs. eed
4. est vs. essed
5. ed vs. ead

Each LONG E ending set provides the following activities:

1. Make the words2. Sort the Words
3. Write the words4. Illustrate the wordsAnd finally, there is an flip book with each tab labeled with all of the LONG "E” endings used in the activities.Enjoy!~Erin

Word Study-Long "A" Activities

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This download contains 66 pages of LONG "A" word ending activities. Students will compare the following endings:

• ase vs. ace
• ail vs. ale
• ain vs. ane
• ait vs. ate

Each LONG A ending set provides the following activities:

1. Make the words

2. Sort the Words

3. Write the words

4. Illustrate the words

And finally, there is an flip book with each tab labeled with all of the LONG "A: endings used in the activities.

Enjoy!

~Erin

SMARTBOARD-Making Words Activities-Mystery Word=STOPPING



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This download contains a word study SMART BOARD lesson that corresponds to the Systematic Sequential Phonics (Prefixes & Suffixes) book by Patricia Cunningham. This lesson provides students with the opportunity to manipulate letters and create words. They will then sort the words they have made and then apply what they have learned. I explain to students that the letters they see can make MANY words, but they also form ONE BIG “Mystery Word.” This particular lesson targets the suffix “ING” and forms the word STOPPING.

Enjoy!
~Erin