New Clip Art and Some Freebies

I have discovered a new adventure! I am exploring the world of clip art. There are many products I want to create and I can't find the right clip art to match. So why not make your own clip art, right? I made one tiny, little caterpillar and the next thing I know I'm making a kid, a dog, a cat, a star, pencils, etc. Once I started, I couldn't stop. They turned out so cute that I had to share my creations. I ended up opening a clip art store and called it, Clip Factory. I'll be producing clip art for teachers over there and hope you stop by to grab some freebies. I'm just starting and have a ton to learn. I only have a few creations right now, but I have a few fun ideas itching to get out.  

Here are a few more of my freebies at the Clip Factory that I have completed already: 

I am also updating a few of my products by switching some of the clip art out. I've found that some of the clip art that I've purchased lacks the black and white copy for line art. I want to start supplying a black and white copy to my products so my customers have a choice on how they print them.

Here are some freebies I have already changed over using my new clip art!

 

I hope you stop by to take a peek. 

Check back later for some more freebies!
See you soon,

Base Words Lesson

This summer, I took a reading class and learned an activity to help teach students about base words. This activity will help students notice what happens when they add prefixes and suffixes (affixes) to them. The spelling of some base word will change and so will its meaning. This lesson will introduce or help struggling students with base words and adding affixes to them to make "new words". This Base Word's lesson would be ideal during small group time but can be used for whole group too. 

Some prep is needed, but very easy. You will need sentence strips or index cards to write the base words and affixes on. I would separate the prefixes, base words, and suffixes by color. For example: write the prefixes: un, re, dis, non, mis, pre on a set of "blue cards" Write: ness, less, ed, ly, ing, s, ful, able, er, and est on a set of "red cards". Write the base words on "white cards". Here is a list of 30 base words used for this lesson: agree, appear, believe, build, care, clean, color, comfort, connect, cover, forgive, happy, harm, help, hope, like, love, move, open, organize, pack, place, play, power, read, stop, test, turn, use, write, and view.  

Before you begin the activity, you should pair beginning students up with a partner. Students can help each other make words and verify with each other if the new words they are making are real words and not nonsense words. More advanced students can work independently.

To start the activity, choose a base word. Students use the prefixes and suffixes cards to move around the base word to make new words. For example: If using the base word, CARE, students can make new words like caring, careful, uncaring, and so on. They can also see how two suffixes can be added to the base word like, carelessness and carefully. Students need to be careful when adding affixes to base words. Some affixes will not make sense when added to the base word. For example; discare or carely. This is a good time to talk about nonsense words. If students are unsure of a word, encourage them to look them up in a dictionary to see which affixes can be added to the base word. I love "dictionary.com".

When student begin adding affixes to the base word, they will need to know some spelling rules as they write their new words down. This is a great time to discuss how the base word can change its spelling pattern when suffixes are added. Sometimes you have to drop the "e" and add "ing" or "ed," and sometimes you have to double the consonant to keep the short vowel sound. Either way, students will be learning or reviewing those tricky spelling rules!

Another thing this lesson helps with is how the meaning of the base word will change when adding affixes to them. For example; by adding "ing" to care this would mean you care for something at that moment. But when adding the suffix "less" to care, this would mean you are without care. This is a great opportunity to learn new vocabulary words!

Here is a FREEBIE that has a list of affixes used for this lesson. This will help students remember the meaning of each prefix and suffix as they create new words. Use the freebie for a poster to hang in the classroom or have students cut and paste the boxes into their writing journal.
Just click the picture on the left to download it right here on the blog.

As students move the prefix and suffix cards around to make new words, they should be writing their words down on a white board or in their writing journal. This would be a good time to check students understanding. Are they spelling the new words correctly? Are they making real words? Can they understand the new meaning when an affix is added? Can they recognize base words? Students will surly understand base words after this lesson.

I have created a set of worksheets that have the 30 base words that are listed above.  Each worksheet displays a base word and the affixes that can be added to the word to make new words. Instead of the students writing their words on a white board or in their journal, you can use these worksheets. The worksheets extent to separating the new words according to the spelling rule or by segmenting the new words apart by prefix, base word, and suffix. The worksheets also have students writing the definition of the new word or they write a sentence that displays the meaning on the new word. Use these worksheets for continued practice at a reading center. As students become more proficient, they will be able to work independently. You can also send these worksheets home for homework or to check understanding as an assessment. Here are some examples of the worksheets in this pack:

Here's to Base Words and students understanding them!
See you soon,

For more reading resources from Teacher's Take-Out, click the picture. 

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Would You Rather Fractions Task Cards

The next time you teach comparing fractions, try this fun activity! Before I begin my comparing fraction lesson, I write these two fractions on the board: 3/4 and 5/8. I ask the students, "Would you rather have 3/4 of a cake or 5/8 of a cake?" The students always choose 5/8 because they think that is the bigger fraction. That's when I take out the fraction pieces and remind students how to read a fraction. I show the students how to make 3 of the 4 pieces and 5 of the 8 pieces and compare them. Students soon discover that 3/4 is the bigger fraction. 

Once students have a good understanding comparing fractions I break out the "Would You Rather...Fractions" task cards. These task cards will make your class giggle and have some fun while comparing fractions. There are 48 task cards included to get students thinking about fractions and what they would rather have more or less of.

For example, task card 1 reads, “Would you rather have 2/3 of a box of cookies or would you rather have 4/5 of a box of cookies?” Students would want more of the box of cookies so they would choose the larger fraction. Another task card question reads, "Would you rather stick your arm 3/10 of the way in an alligator's mouth or would you rather stick your arm 2/5 of the way in an alligator's mouth?" Students would want less of their arm in an alligator's mouth so they would choose the smaller fraction. 

This pack comes with recording sheets if you want to place them at a math center to continue the fun. It also comes with a comparison fraction chart to help students compare fractions especially if you do not have fraction pieces for students. These task cards are perfect for 3rd - 5th graders. 

You can snag this comparing chart for FREE! Just click the picture below:


You can also find these task cards at a discounted price right here on my blog. Just click the button below.

Here is another comparing fraction resource. This one has a fun monster theme and includes 2 math centers. One center for comparing fractions and one center for ordering fractions. This resource will have your students becoming pros at comparing and ordering fractions.


Have fun comparing fractions!
See you soon,

Click here to find more fraction resources from Teacher's Take-Out.

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Free Valentine Writing Prompts

FREE Valentine Writing Prompts includes 4 pages to choose from. These writing prompts are meant to spark some interest in your students to pick up a pencil and begin writing this Valentine week. Their creative juices will be flowing when they read these cute prompts and see the Valentine pictures. These prompt are ready to go! Just print and write. 

Use these writing pages for your writing lesson, class work, early finishers, homework, or for exit tickets. 

Click the picture to be taken to the freebie! 

Happy Valentine's Day!!
See you soon,

Here is another freebie and a great way to practice writing letters in the classroom. Click the picture to be taken to the blog post that tells all about it. 

Here are some fun paid resources for Valentine's Day!

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Free Groundhog Sequencing Cut and Paste

FREEBIE! I have a fun little reading resource to use for Groundhog's Day.  Students read the passage about the groundhog. They cut the 5 sentences below the passage and arrange the strips in sequential order. This is perfect for comprehension, sequencing, and going back in the passage to look for answers.

This reading passage is labeled for 2nd graders, but 1st and 3rd graders can certainly take advantage.

Just click the picture above to be taken to the freebie! 

The Free Groundhog Sequence Cut and Paste Worksheet comes from my Holiday Passages Pack. This pack includes 20 reading passages to sequence during the holiday seasons throughout the year. Click the picture on the left to read more. The holidays include: New Year’s, MLK, Groundhog's Day, Presidents Day, Valentine’s Day, St Patrick’s Day, Spring, Easter, Earth Day, Mother’s Day, Summer, 4th of July, 1st Day of School, Fall Festival, Columbus Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Winter, and Christmas.

Here is a pack of 20 Worksheets for Sequence Cut and Paste. The 20 passages are for everyday events to use throughout the year. 





Happy Sequencing!
See you soon,

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Holiday Gifts for Students

Christmas is right around the corner which means you've been thinking about what to give your own children at home. I have 7 educational gift idea that are practical and educational for K-5th grade students.

Gift Idea #1: A watch with numbers and hands! Students need help telling time on an analog clock. Everything is digital these days which makes it hard for students to learn it. But they still have to know how to do it. A watch is a perfect gift for those students who need a boost in time telling. Plus, it's cool to wear a watch.

Gift Idea #2: Books! Find a set of books to give your child. For example, "Magic Tree House" or "Frog and Toad". Books are a great gift to give every year. As your child grows, so does their interest and topics in books. Nonfiction books like science books with pictures are always popular. You can also give the gift of reading to your child every night. It's a great gift to cherish and it's free. 

Gift Idea #3: Board Games! Any board game or card game is great. Monopoly teaches about money, Yatzee helps with multiplication and addition, Boggle teaches phonics and reading, and so on. Plus, games teach sportsmanship. Help your child be a good loser or winner. Plus, when playing a game with your child, you learn about how they are learning and thinking. It's quite amazing!

Gift Idea #4: A dictionary. Okay, it sounds boring, but some dictionaries are really cool. Especially for the little ones. And....believe it or not, they like to look at them. Dictionaries are great to have on hand. Sometimes you just need to look up a word. Thesaurus and other books like these encourage setting an example of being a good student. 

Gift Idea #5: A Diary or Journal. What a great and fun way to encourage writing. There are cool journals out there too. Spiral bound are fun and easy to use. A set of cool pencils with this would be a great addition. Let those creative juices flow. They can write about their day, make lists, draw, write a story, jot down dreams or goals. Either way, they are writing and being creative.

Gift Idea #6: Puzzle Books. A set of Sudoku or Find the Hidden Items in the Picture are great for exercising the brain. Puzzle books are great for challenging the mind and keeping it sharp. Puzzles are also great to stay entertained instead of watching TV. Also, the puzzles that come in a box with pieces are super for brain power!

Gift Idea #7: A Magazine Subscription. What a great way to encourage reading! Some fun subscriptions are Highlight Magazines or National Geographic for Kids. There are a ton out there for kids. Find their interest and see what they might like to read. Plus, it's fun to get something in the mail every month. A gift that keeps giving all year long.

If you can think of other educational gift ideas that you know would be great to add to this list, please let me know by commenting below. I'm always looking for new ideas. 

Thanks for stopping by!
Happy shopping,

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