Olympic Learning Activities

Olympic Learning Centers and Activities

The Winter Olympics are right around the corner. An exciting time to root for our country's finest! Bring that enthusiasm into the classroom in five great ways. Using The Olympics as a theme, I have put together a bundle of exciting activities to keep your students learning.





Olympic Writing Activity

Olympic Trading Card

The first activity is making a Trading Card. Just like the pro athletes, students can make a trading card. This enjoyable template can be used in many ways and can be customized through Power Point to suite your unique needs. Use it for book, biography, and research reports, bulletin boards, writing assignments or a technology activity. Students can write about themselves, an athlete or a sport. Many uses from this versatile resource.




Olympic Center for
 Mean Median Mode Range

There are three centers to keep your students learning.  The first one is Olympistats. Students use different charts and graphs to find the mean, median, mode and range of the data. Students will enjoy reading the Olympic fact found on each card.

Olympic Graph Making Center

Another great center is Graph It. This involved center gets students thinking. Students are given Olympic data, such as scores, to design a different graph. Each card asks for a different type of graph. Each card has a matching answer card with the correct graph so students can see if they are accurate. You can even give students just the graph answer card and ask them questions about the graph as well.




Olympic Compare & Contrast Center

As students learn more about the Olympics, the center Winter or Summer will have students sorting facts as true for the Winter Olympics, Summer Olympics or Both Olympics. A reading is included as well as well as a Venn Diagram. 

Olympic Worksheets

Students can practice math skills of computation, data analysis, comprehension and more with 11 themed worksheets in the Olympic Math. Students will complete charts of missing information to total scores to find the winners of Olympic medals. Logic puzzles will have your students thinking and learning while enjoying being part of Olympic magic.

You can get all these resources separate or bundled together for a 40% savings at my Teachers Notebook store. Stop by today and see the great resources we have to offer.

Thanksgiving Sale at Teachers Notebook

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! Teachers Notebook is running a great sale through bundles. I have three items in the bundle offering 50% off. Sale starts November 30 through December 2nd. Help my store be entered in a drawing by clicking my link here: http://www.teachersnotebook.com/tg2013/259508
Come take advantage of the great sales!
Thank you!
Audrey

Perimeter Presents

Perimeter Presents Word Problems Holiday

Perimeter Presents Word Problems Party

Here is a quick center for the HOLIDAYS~ 10 word problems providing practice with perimeter and drawing shapes from a description. No rulers are needed. This center is matching in theme to Perimeter Presents Center, sold separately, where students practice calculating perimeter from shapes. Both centers are offered in this holiday theme or everyday party. Stock up now! 

For an added bonus, purchase the holiday theme center or party theme center and get the other theme free! 

(Item will be included in initial purchase download.)

Perimeter Presents Holiday

Perimeter Presents Party

Here is an another center for the HOLIDAYS~ 30 decorative shapes to compute perimeter. Varying skill levels allow for quick differentiation and multi-grade level use. Anther option is the use the harder shapes and allow students to work in groups. This center is matching in theme to Perimeter Presents Word Problem Center, where students practice with perimeter and draw shapes from a description, sold separately. Both centers are offered in this holiday theme or everyday party. Stock up now!

For an added bonus, purchase the holiday theme center or party theme center and get the other theme free!
(Item will be included in initial purchase download.)

Gift Book Report

Just in time for the holidays. This quick graphic organizer will help students develop an understanding of character. Students describe the character and come up with a gift to give the character. Students then must give a reason as to why that gift is a good choice for the character. The responses range from thoughtful to just plain sweet. Allow students to add color and its an instant bulletin board that everyone will want to read! Head over to my store at Teachers Notebook and get your free copy today!

 

 



Book Report



Book Report Finished

 

 

Thanksgiving Sale for Followers

Happy Thanksgiving!
I would love to hear your thoughts on my resources! You can review products at Teachers Notebook or send me an email! I have recently published a Fraction Resource which is included in my Thanksgiving Sale that begins tomorrow. 10% off all resources through the Thanksgiving Weekend! Follow my shop, my blog,  my Pinterest page or my Facebook page to take advantage of the savings.

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Blessings--
Audrey

Thanksgiving Craft Activity Display

Autumn is my favorite season. I love the warm color palette and the cooler air. It brings with it a special happy feeling. As we move into the holidays, I always find the school days get long. One of my favorite activities that I do every year is Turkey for Times Tables. I don't like my students to always use a pattern but this turns out so cute. I love making a bulletin board for it! I give them the template for the turkey printed on brown construction paper. They then have to design and cut out their own feathers from multicolored paper. We would talk about symmetry and how we wanted our turkeys to look. I have even used wiggle eyes instead of the eyes on the turkey cut out. My students love it.

I use the turkey by having students choose a math fact set to work on. Sometimes I assigned them the fact set to use. Students then write the number on the turkey. Then on each feather, they would write the problem multiplied by that number for 1 through 9. It was that simple but oh so adorable. Get yours today at my Teacher's Notebook Store today!

Turkey for Times Tables

Turkey Clip Art

This versatile craftivity will become a favorite in November. Program the turkey belly with a category, such as nouns. Each feather is then programmed with an answer such as ball (noun). The bulletin board above shows a multiplication fact for the number on the belly. Allow students to make own feathers without a pattern to create a beautiful display! Use for a center, file folder game or bulletin board. Color and line art included. Uses are endless!  Get yours today at my Teacher's Notebook Store today!

Equivalent Reduce Fractions- Christmas- Trim the Fractions

Fun worksheet to reinforce reducing fractions. Color the lights according to lowest terms. Seasonal. Equivalent Reduce Fractions- Christmas- Trim the Fractions. Get your own FREE copy at Teachers Notebook! 

Equivalent Reduce Fractions- Christmas- Trim the Fractions

Fractions- Study Guide- Visual Aid- Lapbook

Shiver Me Fractions is your answer to fraction instruction. This resource a great way to put the information in the hands of the students. Each part is independent and can be used alone or together. Each visual aid lends itself to incorporation into interactive math journals, bulletin boards, work folders, homework agendas and more. Students of all ages will find value in these reference aids. On sale now at Teachers Notebook!

Shiver Me Fractions Lapbook

Thanksgiving Crossword Puzzle

Here is a fun and challenging holiday crossword puzzle. A great activity to have students build vocabulary and learn about the Thanksgiving holiday. One suggestion for use in elementary classes would be to have students complete as many as they can on their own and then work together or allow the use of reference materials. Younger students may find the word bank helpful. Get yoursFREE at Teachers Notebook.

Thanksgiving Crossword Puzzle

Fall Fractions

Helping students understand fractions can be no fun. By incorporating fun into learning fractions is the key to success. I have a quick and FREE matching game for equivalent fractions or reducing fractions. Get your copy free at Teachers Notebook.

Autumn Fraction Sort

I’m also working on a pirate theme Fraction Management Folder that is similar to the Multiplication Management Folder. This Fraction Management folder will be able to be customized for age, content and function. There will be guides for adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing fractions. Fraction charts and strips. Vocabulary windows and a flow chart for checking for reducing fractions. Follow this blog to be the first to to know when it is available at Teachers Notebook!

Fraction Management Folder

Where does the time go?

I have been busy putting together 720 clip art analog clocks. These clocks show every minute of every hour. This make putting together activities for telling time easy. I am currently offering these clip art clocks for an introductory price. Click the clock to get your own set!

I have made a set of matching analog clocks to digital times. Its makes two separate games. Classic concentration and matching dominoes. You can purchase this at my store. Click the picture to get your own set!



M & M Review

The M & M review is a staple in my classroom. My students ask for it year after year. I have used other small treats that have worked just as well such as Skittles, Candy Corn and even Goldfish!

The day before a content test such as science or social studies, I always did a verbal review. I asked each student a question. Problem was they only paid attention to their question. By offering a small prize for a correct response and the chance of another prize, I had students very excited to answer. Here is the procedure.

I would ask one review question and then call on a student at random. I would not repeat the question so the students had to be listening. If the student answers the question correctly, then they earn the prize. If not, no prize is awarded and I go to the next question and student. To keep students interested, I allowed the student to call on a lifeline. They could ask one student to answer the question for them, even if they already had a turn. If the question was answered correct, both students received the prize. If incorrect, no prize was awarded. Rules were simple. You had to stay seated and if you knew the answer you would raise your hand and hope to be called on. I can not tell you how excited my students would become!

I could not believe how much my students enjoyed this. I was even able to move the prize over into other areas such as cleaning up after art projects. I would announce, anyone who brings me five pieces of trash (cut and paste always made a mess!) would get ONE M & M or prize. It was amazing what I could get my students to do for just one M & M or Skittle. Sometimes, just the suggestion that it would be awarded would get my students motivated.

Parents did not seem to mind that the students received these small prizes. They knew it was only one or two a day and never every day. I had parents sending in the small favors and my students and I reaped the benefits.

Weekly Book Reports

One successful activity I started a few years ago was a weekly book report. Each Tuesday students were assigned a new book report to be completed by the following Tuesday. I chose Tuesday as this was the day we went as a class to the media center. I had many reasons for giving this assignment. I wanted students to interact more with the independent reading they were doing. I wanted to hear about what was being read. I wanted an independent assignment that students could practice time management and organization.

 

I only set aside time to explain the assignment, usually right before we left for the media center. Students were not to take the assignment home, as I did not want parent involvement. I also did not accept them late. I would remind students for the first couple of weeks to work on it during independent times. I posted a sample on the board illustrating what was expected along with the due date and extra copies.

 

My requirements were the same every week. To receive full credit on the assignment, students were given the following criteria:

• Correct capitalization, punctuation, and spelling of the title and author information.
• Correct capitalization, punctuation, and spelling of "known" words used in sentences.
• Paper should be relatively free of unnecessary wrinkles and creases.
• Some color must be added to the graphic but the content should still be able to be read. (This was important, as I wanted students to take pride in making a finished product. Even if all they colored were the eyes on the animal graphic, they received credit, as some students do not enjoy coloring.)
• Content​. Student responses should be on level, make sense and be aligned to the assignment objective.

I had great success with these. I spent a lot of time on my sample and would show students how I cared about the assignment. After a few weeks, I would only had to remind them on Tuesday that if it were not done, they had until the end of the day to turn it in. My students were independent with the assignment before too long and I saw tremendous growth in their writing skills.

Get a free copy of Celebrate A Great Book by clicking here!


Book Report

Monster Multiplication Management

Providing students a foundation to memorize multiplication facts can be challenging. It seems some students learn them easy where others need constant help. I find the more things I put in their hands, have them touch, see, read, recite and do, the stronger the quick recall becomes. I have made a multiplication lapbook that can be used as a reference and management system. Students can track which facts they have mastered, review key vocabulary and keep papers together. They can refer to the chart or flash cards that can be stored if they are stuck on a fact. Check out these pictures below.

Front Lap Book

Inside Lap Book

Back Lap Book

I have also made some practice worksheets available which are included with the lapbook in my Multiplication Management Kit available at Teachers Pay Teachers. Click here to purchase.

Science Fair Management

Getting elementary students to independently participate in a science fair project can be a daunting task. I have found that for my students to be able to independently complete a project, they must have a clear grasp of what is expected of them and clear guidelines to help them along the way. In addition to small group and whole group experiments, I developed a management system that has worked for years. I start with breaking the project down into smaller tasks and require them to work on it every week. This prevents that last minute rush of getting it done the weekend before. I give my students a timeline of when assignments are due and I have something due every week. I color code the forms, staple them in reverse order of use to the timeline sheet and students have an easier time remembering what is due this way. I have put together a science fair booklet that includes an experiment from the beginning to end, showing all the parts explained. There is a slide show that goes along with the booklet so you can review with the students the entire process. I also have included a tracking sheet for grading as well as a form that can be used for judging or grading. I have found giving the students due dates of individual parts has really helped them stay on track. I have been able to conference with my students each week with their log book and guide them along. I know which students are getting help and which are not. Even though the students are allowed to seek parental guidance, some do not have the same guidance available. This has been so successful in my third grade class that my principal had all the teachers in grades three through five use the booklet, timeline and forms. I have put everything together in a pack for sale at 
Teachers Pay Teachers. 

Click here to purchase Science Fair Management Kit!

Science Fair Management

Science Fair Handbook

More Calendars!

I love calendars for organization! I plan in terms of full school weeks and months. I have pretty much a calendar for everything! One of the tasks that I always struggled with was attendance. I was fine with
writing down who was absent and letting the office know but recording it in those little boxes for some reason every day was just difficult for me. Well, since I used a calendar to track everything else, I used one for attendance and behavior. I then only had to write down who was absent on the calendar. I also wrote down the behavior violators for the day. I could turn the calendar page over and document why the student was absent and behavior violations. I could then update the book on my planning and cross off the students name once that was done. This was a saver for me. It fit my teaching personality much better. I no longer stressed over tracking attendance. These calendars are full week calendars and only have Monday through Friday.

Come get your own FREE copies here at my TPT store. 

Weekday Calendars

Superstar Spelling

Let's be truthful. Spelling is not an exciting subject to teach. Often, we give a list of words on Monday and test the students on their memory of them on Friday. It does not have to be that way. I have found that what I ever I spend time and energy on, my students will too. There are many activities than can provide fun spelling practice. Designating a literacy or learning center to spelling will provide your students with drill and practice that students will want to do. I have put together the best activities for implementing spelling fun in the classroom. It is easily adaptable to any level. There is even a homework idea that gives students a choice in how to practice those words. This great resource can be found at Teachers Pay Teachers. Get yours today! 

Click here to purchase Superstar Spelling!

Read Aloud Worksheet

Often times, I would read a story aloud to my students and require them to take the reading quiz online. I came up with this short worksheet for the students to document the activity, reflect on the story, and allow a little time to get the testing done on the computer. Since I usually scored this activity and used it to document progress, I liked that I had something to send home at the end of the week.

You can get your own copy at Teachers Pay Teachers by clicking here. 

Read Aloud Worksheet

Weekly Folder Management

Years ago, I had decided that the format I had for Friday Folders was not working. I had 35 students, no assistant and students were not allowed to see each other's graded work. I could no longer keep up with the weekly behavior awards and Accelerated Reader progress notation, not to mention the behavior reporting. What I came up with was a simple form. This form easily attaches to the inside of a regular folder. I could easily give a grade for the behavior for the week, document AR points, include a note to the parents, and send all the papers for the week home. Parents also had a spot to sign or comment if they felt the need. This made for quick and easy documentation. I only had to file one paper at the end of each quarter for each student.

Over the years, I added pre-printed reminders. I also had my students do the reporting. Students had to write their AR points, behavior and write in their own comment on their progress. This made for quick and easy conferences with each student at the end of the week. I keep a list of points and behavior. I would mark each student off the list when I had read his or her folder. The rule was if behavior was less than an S, you had to say why. It was always interesting to hear why my students thought the grade was below S. Some of them needed reminders but it put the responsibility back on the students. They used "I" statements. It was also interesting to see the positive praise they gave themselves. It turned out to be a wonderful way to connect with my students in a different way. I have posted a word document that you can edit if you are interested in a copy.

Weekly Folder Communication

Click here to go to Teachers Pay Teachers for your FREE copy!

Here is a freebie! I have created a one page full color calendar for 2013 -2014. You can download your own copy at TPT. Click here to get your own 2013-2014 Calendar!

2013-2014 Colorful Calendar