Veteran's Day is Friday! (and Thanksgiving is just around the corner!)

We have survived the election and it's time to look into the not so far off future. Veteran's Day is Friday, November 11th. But don't worry if you forgot because I have the perfect easily printed and implemented activity. And it's only one dollar! 

It contains a mini book and comprehension questions (print the book and questions on one page double sided per student.) Your students will read the mini book and answer ten questions based on their reading. 

The front, back, and inside of the mini book. The comprehension questions are on the back of the book. Just print double sided and fold in half! 

Then your students can complete a timeline based on the events from the mini book. There are two timelines you can choose from. The "easier" timeline has the dates listed and students just cut out each box to glue in order on construction paper or the timeline paper provided. The "harder" timeline has blanks for the dates, so your students would have to go back to the mini book to find the dates and write them in, then cut out the boxes to glue them in order on construction paper or the timeline paper provided. 

An example of the timeline paper with three of the "harder" timeline boxes cut out and placed in order. 

Of course I have included an answer key for the comprehension questions and the timeline! 

You may purchase this for $1 from my store on Teachers Pay Teachers. Here is a direct link to the product: The History of Veteran's Day

And please do not forget to thank a Veteran this Friday! 

Celebrate Freedom Week

Did you know that five states- Arkansas, Florida, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas- participate in Celebrate Freedom Week? There are laws requiring teachers in those states to recognize Celebrate Freedom Week in their classrooms. This means teaching about the founding fathers and documents that created the United States of America, from memorizing part of the Declaration of Independence to understanding the Bill of Rights.

In Texas and Kansas Celebrate Freedom Week is recognized the week of September 17th, when the U.S. Constitution was signed. Oklahoma celebrates the week of Veteran's Day, and Florida and Arkansas celebrate during the last week of September.

I created some products to help teachers teach Celebrate Freedom Week. Since I'm in Texas I looked at the TEKS- Texas Essential Knowledge & Standards- which outlines the standards that need to be taught for every grade level. The products I made cover every requirement set forth by the state of Texas. You can buy each piece separate, or the bundle is at the bottom (and it's the best value!)

Celebrate Freedom: The American Revolution

 Celebrate Freedom: The Declaration of Independence 

Celebrate Freedom: The U.S. Constitution and The Bill of Rights 

Celebrate Freedom Week bundle 

Back to School We GO!

School is quickly approaching if you live in Texas. Maybe it's approaching even faster if you are out of state! In case you missed the sale on Teachers Pay Teachers I am offering my back to school packets for only $1. They are grade level specific and an easy way to keep students busy on the first day of school while you sort supplies, work on transportation passes and other paper work, etc. 

If you want to get some things made by your student hung on the wall quickly, the second page is an All About Me page- easily personalized by each student. I put each page on construction paper and then hang on the wall for Open House. 

I also have this little bundle of printables and task cards to keep students busy. I use these throughout the first week. The task cards are great to help students (especially those new to the school) to learn important things like your name, room number, the principal's name, etc. 

Texas symbols- Part 1- State Small Mammal: The Nine- Banded Armadillo

It has been awhile!!!!! TBH (to be honest) I have been out of the classroom, so it has been hard to find inspiration for new products....I was really racking my brain recently because one of my best friends is going back into the classroom this fall as a third grade ELAR teacher. We used to teach second grade together, and what I remember we had the most fun teaching about was Texas! 

Every year we took a field trip to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and that whole week we focused on all things Texas. In second grade, the TEKS require you to teach about the symbols of Texas and our students would make these cute little booklet things using paper bags. 

So I thought why not start creating a series that focuses on the Texas state symbols? The first product I have made so far focuses on the state small mammal- the nine-banded armadillo. 

It includes a non fiction reading passage giving facts about the nine-banded armadillo.  There are also ten questions about the reading passage, and if you print the two pages double sided and fold in half it make the perfect little book. When I was teaching we would make stuff like this all the time and let the students work in partners reading their little booklets and answering the questions. 

Also included in the packet is a diagram for students to label the armadillo based on what they read in the passage. 

I will be making more of these packets focusing on the other state symbols soon so be on the look out! Once I have created a packet for every symbol I will bundle them altogether! 

In the meantime I am posting this one for 50% off, so it is only .75 cents on Teachers Pay Teachers! Click on the picture above- or click here- and if you download it please look it over and leave some nice feedback :)