Nate the Great Novel Study

Nate the Great is always a favorite with second graders!

This unit is aligned to 2nd grade Common Core standards, but can be used in many grades.

All of these activities have been used in my classroom. 
First and Second graders LOVE Nate and his detective skills! 
This unit includes:
• Compare and Contrast – Venn
• Activate Schema - Writing
• Character Traits
• Vocabulary - ABC order pages
• Grammar Practice Pages
• Cause and Effect
• Comprehension Questions
• Story Map – B,M,E
• Main Idea and Details
• Story Map including Main Idea and Details
• Text to Self
• Rewrite the Letter to Nate's Mom

Bubba the Cowboy Prince and Cinderella

Bubba the Cowboy Prince is perfect for comparing two versions of Cinderella. The students love the funny way they talk. This unit is aligned to 2nd grade Common Core standards, but can be used in many grades. 

Grade level Equivalent: 2.8 Lexile Measure®: 620 

All of these activities have been used in my classroom. 
This unit includes:
• Compare and Contrast – Venn
• Character Traits
• Vocabulary - ABC order pages
• Grammar Practice
• Cause and Effect
• Story Map – B,M,E
• Main Idea and Details
• Story Map including Main Idea and Details
• Text to Self
• Summarize the book

Adding to my Page

I am so excited to add new features to my Store.  Glitter Meets Glue made this AWESOME GIF for me and I am so excited to use it!

Addition and Subtraction to 1000

We are wrapping up time this week in Math, while getting ready to jump back into strategies.  My kiddos really have sketch and number line down.  I have put together 8 different types of problems for them to practice to 1000.

I made two pages for each type of problem.  I will use the elmo/promethean to do the first several problems and then finish the page while I walk around and check their work.  The next day, I will continue with problem on the board that they will put in their math journal.  On the third day or fourth, I will use the second sheet as an assessment.  I hope this goes smoothly this year.

Here is a sample from the unit I put together.

Economics Unit

I have enjoyed the Economic Unit this week.  It is really hard teaching them about allocation.  I hope some of what we have done this week "sticks."

Several people have had a problem opening the powerpoint that I listed on the lesson plans.  I found it for free on the web, so I feel it is ok to share.

I think it will automatically download if you click below or you can try a google-search:  GA_Resources and Choices.ppt  I think you will find it.

I am sorry for the inconvenience.  :)

Telling Time With Judy and Ladybugs

Telling time may seem like a lost art with smart phones in everyone's pocket.  I always tell my kiddo;s their boss may ask them to pick up their paycheck at 4:00 PM and if they show up at 5:00 PM because they could not tell time, it would be a tragedy.

One of my favorite books to read aloud is the Grouchy Ladybug.

They take out their small Judy clocks and follow along with me as I read.  It is a great review of the hour hand.  They love the interaction and it is a great activator!

I am linking up with Math Mentor Text

Click picture to read about more Math Mentor Text!!

Must Read Monday: Stone Soup

     One of my favorite books is Stone Soup.  The students just love it, so I was super excited when I found out it was on the Common Core 2nd Grade Reading List.

Check out this freebie to use with the book!  It is a grammar practice sheet I like to use with all units.  

     I have enjoyed making common core aligned packets for the books we have read this year.  I have included many standards that my kiddos need the most - Main Idea, Cause and Effect and Grammar practice.  I hope you enjoy the freebie!  If you do, check out my Teachers Pay Teachers Store for the whole unit.

We are Celebrating Read Across America Day - Monday, March 3

We are kicking off this week with Read Across America Day, A.K.A. Dr. Seuss Day, on Monday!  We will make the precious craft about Thing 1 and Thing 2.  We will read a lot of Dr. Seuss books and possible watch a video or two!  I have several reading skills planned for each book, so it should be a full day!

This week we will kick off Afternoon on the Amazon.  I love this Magic Tree House book.  I love teaching about the Amazon Rain Forest.  The children really get into it.  I added a research project to the plans this
year and I hope they really do well at it.  We have researched dinosaurs, spiders, bats and presidents, so research should not be new to them.

Check out my Afternoon on the Amazon unit at Teachers Pay Teachers.

We will also begin working with time this week in math.  I have a student teacher this semester and she loves math, so this may be hers this week.  She is preparing for her two weeks of teaching the weeks right before Spring Break!


In Social Studies, we are starting our Economics unit.  It is hard teaching them about allocation and opportunity cost, so I made a unit a few weeks ago when we were visiting in the mountains.  I really hope they enjoy it!  I hope it will be easier to teach this year.
Here is my Economics Unit.


This is another FIVE-DAY-Work week......  I hope I can make it!  :)