Monthly Archives: December 2023

3 Reasons You Will Love this Math Spiral Review Resource

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Math Spiral Review for 5th Grade

Update: This Math Spiral Resource was offered as a FREE Giveaway in December. Although the Giveaway has passed, you can still grab the Math Spiral Review Resource on TPT! Be sure to follow this blog, and follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Instagram and TPT so you never miss a FLASH FREEBIE again!

Today’s featured resource is a Math Spiral Review for 5th grade. It’s a standby in my classroom during testing season, and it will be in yours as well. Grab it today – you will thank yourself later!

Grab the Math Spiral Review here!

You will love this Math Spiral Review for 5th grade! It’s perfect for review right before a standardized test, or to keep skills strong all year long. The format is simple, and includes 4 different standards per page. The questions are based off released items from PARCC and SBAC, so the rigor is high and the standards are ALL covered!

This was part of my 12 Days of Giveaways in December. Want to get more freebies? Follow me so you don’t miss a single one! Just click the subscribe button on the sidebar, and the blog posts will be delivered to your inbox. Or, find Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Instagram – the daily freebies will be posted in both locations!

Do your teacher friends like free resources? Be sure to forward this to them – they deserve free resources too!

What is Included in this Math Spiral Review for 5th grade?

This Math Spiral Review gives your students practice to master fractions, multiplication, division and decimals. Every Math Standard is practiced at least twice! It is perfect for homework, morning work, bell ringers, centers or test prep, and it now includes a printable PDF and EASEL for digital!

This resource contains 6 weeks of spiral review covering every 5th grade math standard with a bonus 7th week! This resource contains 35 daily practice pages. It’s perfect for review right before the test! This also makes a great beginning of the year review for 6th grade. Another way to use this resource is to have students complete one page per week, which then keeps the review going for the entire school year! You choose how to use this to meet the needs of your students and your teaching style!

The questions are based on released items from PARCC and SBAC, so there is a high-level of rigor. Four standards are practiced each day, and each standard will be practiced at least 2 times over the course of 6 weeks. The review focuses heavily on the major work of fifth grade – decimals, multiplication, division and volume. Fractions are also practiced multiple times. In my experience, these are the standards which students need the most support to master. The bonus 7th week spirals through every decimal and fraction standard at least one more time!

3 Reasons You Will Love this Math Spiral Review!

First, what is spiral review? The idea of spiral review is a systematic revisiting of key concepts at spaced intervals. Spiral review helps students deepen their understanding, use their knowledge in new ways, and remember it! Math Spiral Review is especially effective at increasing long term mastery. 

You will love this Math Spiral Review resource because it works! This resource includes every 5th grade math standard, and some 4th grade math standards. The systematic spiral gives extra time to the content students typically struggle with – fractions, decimals and multiplication/division.

I believe that teachers and students deserve choices. You will love this Math Spiral Review because you have choices. There are 4 rigorous problems on each page. Choose to have students do one page a day for 6-7 weeks OR choose to have students complete 1 problem a day. The review can take you weeks, or months! Do what works for you and your students!

Have you ever had a student say, “I’m just not a math person?” That lack of confidence can kill a student’s ability to learn and achieve. Math Spiral Review builds confidence because the repetition makes the problem content and types feel familiar. Familiarity boosts confidence, and that boosts achievement! This Math Spiral Review will help your students find their inner mathematician.

What do Other Teachers Say About this Math Spiral Review?

“Great resource for a spiral review of skills. Prepares my kids for state testing.”

-Michelle K.

“This is great daily test prep! I’m extremely satisfied with this!”

-Rebecca B.

Love This Math Spiral Review? Check out these…

Click the images to check out theses resources, and more in my store!

Make sure you don’t miss a single FREEBIE! Follow this blog by clicking the black button to the right, and follow me on Instagram  and TPT too! While you’re at it, forward this post to your teacher friends and share the love. Everyone deserves free resources!

Click here to Grab the Math Spiral Review!

I hope this Math Spiral Review, and the 11 other free resources I’m giving away in December help you have a wonderful holiday season, and your students too. Grab it today!

Let’s Connect!

You can find Ms. Cotton’s Corner in various corners of the Internet – TPT, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube. See you there!

Check these places to ensure that you don’t miss a thing!

Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on TPT.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Instagram.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Facebook.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on YouTube.

And don’t forget to tell your teacher friends. Sharing is caring!

Happy Teaching!

Susan

This post was updated August 14, 2025.

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Reading Comprehension Unit – Snowmen at Night

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Reading Comprehension

“Snowmen at Night” is a delightful read aloud about the hijinks of snowmen while everyone else is sleeping. Your students will love the adventures and the rhyming text. This FREE resource includes phonics, comprehension and Vocabulary/Sight Words activities to go with the book, “Snowmen at Night” by Caralyn Buehner. If you love this book, be sure to check out this blog post about the companion book, “Snowmen at Christmas”!

Grab a copy of the book on Amazon here. (I may earn as an Amazon Affiliate, at no additional cost to you.)

Grab the Snowmen at Night resource here!

This read aloud unit includes activities to teach Reading Comprehension, Phonics, Sight Words and Vocabulary. The lesson includes supports for teaching the concepts, a fun Story Sticks sequencing craft, center activities and practice pages.

This is part of my 12 Days of Giveaways in December. Want to get more freebies? Follow me so you don’t miss a single one! Just click the black button to the right, and the blog posts will be delivered to your inbox. Or, find Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Instagram – the daily freebies will be posted in both locations!

Do your teacher friends like free resources? Be sure to forward this to them – they deserve free resources too!

What is Included in this Kindergarten Read Aloud Resource?

This resource features a variety of phonics and reading comprehension activities based on the delightful book “Snowmen at Night” by Caralyn Buehner. Your students will LOVE this fun story with its imaginative illustrations, and have a blast practicing phonics skills of letter names, reading sight words, and the connected text of the emergent reader. You will love these reading activities that keep students engaged and learning.

The included lesson plans give you plenty of ideas for using these reading activities to teach important literacy skills such as uppercase and lowercase letter match, sequencing and retelling the story, word families, and sight words. Students will love the Story Sticks craft that helps them reinforce the concept of sequencing. They will also love the Spin and Read circles that help them practice reading word families!

Bring together comprehension and sight words with the emergent reader – Where do Snowmen Go?. The books gives students practice with sight words, setting of a story and emergent reader skills such as left to right, concept of a word, and more! There are plenty of reading activities to keep the learning going!

How Does This Unit Fit with the Science of Reading?

I have been learning and writing a lot about Science of Reading lately. The Reading League is the driving force behind helping educators bring Science to our classrooms. They advocate for the Simple View of Reading.

The Simple View of Reading is WR x LC = RC.

The Simple View says that Word Recognition (WR) x Language Comprehension (LC) = Reading Comprehension (RC). In other words, Reading Comprehension is the goal, and students reach comprehension when they understand the language and recognize the words.

This unit fits into that formula in a number of ways.

  1. Word Recognition depends on letter recognition and the ability to use the sounds of letters to pronounce words. Those skills are supported in the Phonics section of this resource. The Sight Word practice is also key for building strong Word Recognition skills (there are two included sight words activities in this resource). The Spin and Read activity is also a fun phonics activity that helps students learn to read word families. Sound Mapping is another great phonics activity included in this resource.
  2. Language Comprehension is more complicated. Vocabulary development is one piece of that process, and the Write Around the Room activity supports vocabulary development.
  3. Literacy Knowledge is also considered part of Language Comprehension, and this unit supports Literacy Knowledge with the Text Dependent Questions, The Sequencing activities, the Story Sticks

This Reading Comprehension Unit brings Science-based components together to help students grow as readers. For more information on all that is included in the Science of Reading, be sure to check out these blog posts.

Love This Reading Comprehension Unit? Check out these…

Kindergarten Read Aloud Phonics, Comprehension, Sight Words

Click to check out these resources and more in my TPT store! 

Make sure you don’t miss a single FREEBIE this December! Follow this blog by clicking the black button to the right, and follow me on Instagram  and TPT too! While you’re at it, forward this post to your teacher friends and share the love. Everyone deserves free resources this December!

Did you grab the FREEBIE yet? Get it here!

I hope this Reading Comprehension Unit, and the 11 other free resources I’m giving away in December help you have a wonderful holiday season, and your students too. Grab it today!

Let’s Connect!

You can find Ms. Cotton’s Corner in various corners of the Internet – TPT, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube. See you there!

Check these places to ensure that you don’t miss a thing!

Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on TPT.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Instagram.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Facebook.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on YouTube.

And don’t forget to tell your teacher friends. Sharing is caring!

Happy Teaching!

Susan

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Civil Rights Activist – Easy to Teach Resource for the Intermediate Classroom

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Update: This Giveaway has passed, but you can still grab this resource on TPT. Missed the FREEBIE? Be sure to follow this blog, and follow MsCottonsCorner on Instagram and TPT so you never miss a FREEBIE again!

And if you need a similar resource, that is always FREE, be sure to check out this blog post about Thurgood Marshall and download the FREE resource today!

Today’s featured FREE Resource is a biography of John Lewis. This inspiring Civil Rights activist worked for social justice from the 1960’s until his death in 2020. This biography is simple to teach and includes everything you need to help your students grow their vocabulary and increase their comprehension of non-fiction while learning about this amazing leader.

Grab this John Lewis biography here!
Civil Rights Activist John Lewis

This one-page biography features John Lewis, a long-time Civil Rights activist. His leadership began as a Freedom Rider, and took him to the United States Congress as a Representative. Your students will be fascinated by this true life story. You will love how easy this resource is to use – just print and teach!

This is part of my 12 Days of Giveaways in December. Want to get more freebies? Follow me so you don’t miss a single one! Just click the black button to the right, and the blog posts will be delivered to your inbox. Or, find Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Instagram – the daily freebies will be posted in both locations!

Do your teacher friends like free resources? Be sure to forward this to them – they deserve free resources too!

What is Included in this Biography?

The one-page text is leveled for 5th and 6th grade, and includes comprehension and vocabulary activities. As students read, they take notes on an included notetaking sheet, and there are additional online resources for helping students do more research if they want to. The resource also includes text dependent questions and Frayer diagrams to help students learn the key vocabulary – discrimination, segregated, and nonviolent. And of course, there are answer sheets to support you!

This short biography about this amazing Civil Rights Activist won’t take much time, but it is time well spent. Students will be inspired, and you’ll love watching their eyes light up as they explore the life of this amazing civil rights leader.

Why Teach about Civil Rights activists like John Lewis?

Across the US, only an average of 10% of the day is spent on Social Studies in elementary classes. I have been an elementary teacher since the mid-1990’s, and I have seen the decrease in focus during my time in the classroom. But, one area of strong consensus across party lines is the need for more civics education in our schools. (See this article by the American Bar Association for more about that.) Integration is one strategy that can help teachers bridge the gap. This biography will help you teach your students about civil rights and leadership, and also help them grow as readers.

Not only will integrating content and literacy help students directly, it also helps them build background knowledge, which results in stronger comprehension in the long run. The Knowledge Gap by Natalie Wexler is a marvelous book that explains that the Knowledge Gap and the Achievement Gap are the same thing. If American schools spent more time teaching students about science and history content, their reading comprehension would soar. This resource gives students basic background knowledge about John Lewis, and the additional resources set them off on a journey of exploration, fueled by their curiosity!

What do Other Teachers Say About this Civil Rights Resource?

“My students loved using this resource! It was very engaging and convenient to use! I will definitely use this again in the future.”

Hollye O.

“My students enjoyed the challenge of this activity. It was engaging and allowed students to show what they know.”

Corinna H.

“I used this with our week of learning on activists and our focus on the Selma march. I was looking for a resource to support my students’ ability to read more about John Lewis on their level. This was so helpful, thank you!”

Lindsay D.

Love this Biography? Check out these Civil Rights activists, and more!

This John Lewis biography is part of a bundle of 12 biographies about Civil Rights activists. Grab it today and you will have all the resources you need to teach about leadership across American history! The leaders feature little known activists like Jeanette Rankin (A US Congresswoman BEFORE women had the right to vote!) and famouse activists like Harry Belafonte. He is well known for his music and film career, but this biography focuses on his civil rights work, something that was part of his life for over 60 years.

The bundle includes the same format for each biography, plus BONUS Student Sheets!!!

  • Double Venn Diagram
  • Word Search with the key vocabulary about civil rights
  • Triple Venn Diagram
  • Somebody Wanted But So Then Summary Sheet

The BONUS file has the ENTIRE LINKED unit in it so that you can print easily without opening multiple files. OR, get the resource from the individual files. Do what works best for you!

Grab the whole bundle here!

Click to check out these resources and more in my TPT store! 

Make sure you don’t miss a single FREEBIE this December! Follow this blog by clicking the black button to the right, and follow me on Instagram  and TPT too! While you’re at it, forward this post to your teacher friends and share the love. Everyone deserves free resources this December!

Click here to grab the John Lewis biography.

I hope this biography about this amazing Civil Rights Activist, and the 11 other free resources I’m giving away in December help you have a wonderful holiday season, and your students too. Grab it today!

Let’s Connect!

You can find Ms. Cotton’s Corner in various corners of the Internet – TPT, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube. See you there!

Check these places to ensure that you don’t miss a thing!

Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on TPT.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Instagram.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Facebook.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on YouTube.

And don’t forget to tell your teacher friends. Sharing is caring!

Happy Teaching!

Susan

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Easy to Teach Comparing Fractions Activity

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Comparing Fractions BOOM Cards

Update: This Fraction BOOM Card resource Giveaway has passed, but you can still grab this resource on TPT. Missed the FREEBIE? Be sure to follow this blog, and follow MsCottonsCorner on Instagram and TPT so you never miss a FREEBIE again!

Do you love BOOM Cards? I do! I love how easy they are to use and how much fun students have while they are learning. BOOM Cards are interactive, with fun sounds and images. You will love all the practice your students get with comparing fractions using both number lines and fraction bars. Plus, these BOOM Cards will give you great data on how your students are doing – and you don’t have to grade a thing!

Comparing Fractions

These BOOM Cards have a fun winter theme – perfect for December or January. Students will drag and drop and fill in the blank as they deepen their understanding of comparing fractions to benchmarks like 1/2 and 1 whole.

This was part of my 12 Days of Giveaways in December. Want to get more freebies? Follow me so you don’t miss a single one! Just click the black button to the right, and the blog posts will be delivered to your inbox. Or, find Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Instagram – the daily freebies will be posted in both locations!

Do your teacher friends like free resources? Be sure to forward this to them – they deserve free resources too!

What is Included in This Comparing Fractions Resource?

This resource includes a pdf with a link to access the Comparing Fractions BOOM Cards. The BOOM Cards include 17 slides. After the title slide, there is a slide with instruction and review to help students do well with the slide deck. The slides include drag and drop and fill in the blank questions comparing fractions to benchmarks with number lines and fraction bars. And everything is self-grading!

To use Boom Cards, you must be connected to the Internet. Boom Cards play on modern browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge). Apps are available for Android, iPads, iPhones, and Kindle Fires. For security and privacy, adults must have a Boom Learning account to use and assign Boom Cards. You will be able to assign the Boom Cards you are buying with “Fast Pins,” (play provides instant feedback for self-grading Boom Cards). Fast Play is always a free way for students to engage with Boom Card decks. For additional assignment options you’ll need a premium account. If you are new to Boom Learning, you will be offered a free trial of our premium account. Click here for more information.

Why Use BOOM Cards?

There are so many benefits of using BOOM Cards in your classroom. First, BOOM Cards are interactive and colorful. Students are involved in their learning, and active. You don’t have to worry about paying for color printing or color cardstock – BOOM Cards have plenty of colors and sounds. In this set, colorful fraction bars provide supports for students as they are comparing the fractions. As you can see in this sample slide, the colors of the fraction bars are eye catching, and also a support to help students learn and compare more easily!

BOOM Cards are also no prep. Once you purchase this set, all you need to do is assign them and watch your students engage and learn! Once students finish, they get immediate feedback, and you get the data. You will know what each student understands about comparing fractions and where you can support them going forward.

And BOOM Cards are versatile. You can use them for differentiation, for morning work, for homework, for extra practice or extension…. BOOM Cards are so easy to use – once you get started you will find so many ways to bring them into your classroom!

What Do Other Teachers Say About These BOOM Cards?

“I LOVE LOVE LOVE that this deck starts with guided learning! It gave my struggling students additional guidance and my stronger students a quick review! This was a perfect station for my 5th graders!”

Kathleen C

“This was a great to help with benchmark fractions, which is a difficult skill for fourth graders. Thank you!”

Heather C.

Love these BOOM Cards? Check out these….

Click to check out these resources and more in my TPT store! 

Make sure you don’t miss a single FREEBIE this December! Follow this blog by clicking the black button to the right, and follow me on Instagram  and TPT too! While you’re at it, forward this post to your teacher friends and share the love. Everyone deserves free resources this December!

Click here to grab this Comparing Fractions BOOM Card set now!

I hope this Comparing Fractions BOOM Cards resource, and the 11 other free resources I’m giving away in December help you have a wonderful holiday season, and your students too. Grab it today!

Let’s Connect!

You can find Ms. Cotton’s Corner in various corners of the Internet – TPT, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube. See you there!

Check these places to ensure that you don’t miss a thing!

Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on TPT.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Instagram.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Facebook.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on YouTube.

And don’t forget to tell your teacher friends. Sharing is caring!

Happy Teaching!

Susan

This post was updated August 14, 2025.

Christmas Kindergarten Math Activities: FREE Gingerbread Math Game
December can be a crazy time! Keep the learning going strong with …
Decoding in Kindergarten- The Science of Reading
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This blog explores the importance of foundational understanding of decimal place value …
Download Free Decimal Activities for Grades 4–5 – Teacher Giveaway!
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New Kindergarten Read Aloud Unit – Snowmen at Christmas

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Kindergarten Read Aloud

Update: This Giveaway has passed, but you can still grab this resource on TPT. Missed the FREEBIE? Be sure to follow this blog, and follow MsCottonsCorner on Instagram and TPT so you never miss a FREEBIE again!

I have loved this playful story since a friend gave it to my son when he was five, so you bet I’m excited to bring it to my kindergarten kiddos! It really is the perfect kindergarten read aloud – imaginative, quick to read, and full of rhymes! If you don’t know this series, this is a perfect time to check it out. The FREE resource includes phonics, comprehension and phonemic awareness activities to go with the book, “Snowmen at Christmas” by Caralyn Buehner. (As an Amazon affiliate I may earn from links, at no additional cost to you.”

Do you LOVE the Snowmen? Be sure to check out this blog post about the companion book, “Snowmen at Night”!

Grab the Snowmen at Christmas resource here!
Kindergarten Read Aloud Phonics, Comprehension, Sight Words

This Kindergarten Read Aloud includes activities to teach Phonics, Comprehension, Sight Words and Vocabulary. The lesson includes supports for teaching the concepts, a fun Snowman Puppet craftivity, center activities and practice pages.

This is part of my 12 Days of Giveaways in December. Want to get more freebies? Follow me so you don’t miss a single one! Just click the black button to the right, and the blog posts will be delivered to your inbox. Or, find Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Instagram – the daily freebies will be posted in both locations!

Do your teacher friends like free resources? Be sure to forward this to them – they deserve free resources too!

What is Included in this Kindergarten Read Aloud Resource?

There is so much included in this resource! Your students will love learning about characters and emotions with the Snowman Puppet craft. The charming “Ten Little Snowmen” poem/emergent reader will hook your readers with its rhymes and help them learn to count backwards.

You will love the teaching supports, including lesson plans, letter cards, sorting cards, and text dependent questions to guide a discussion of the book. The activities help students grow their letter/sound knowledge, deepen comprehension skills, improve writing and learn to read basic sight words. That’s a lot to get out of one kindergarten read aloud!

How Does This Unit Fit with the Science of Reading?

I have been learning and writing a lot about Science of Reading lately. The Reading League is the driving force behind helping educators bring Science to our classrooms. They advocate for the Simple View of Reading.

The Simple View of Reading is WR x LC = RC.

The Simple View says that Word Recognition (WR) x Language Comprehension (LC) = Reading Comprehension (RC). In other words, Comprehension is the goal, and students reach comprehension when they understand the language and recognize the words.

This unit fits into that formula in a number of ways.

  1. Word Recognition depends on letter recognition and the ability to use the sounds of letters to pronounce words. Those skills are supported in the Phonics section of this resource. The Sight Word practice is also key for building strong Word Recognition skills.
  2. Language Comprehension is more complicated. Vocabulary development is one piece of that process, and the Write Around the Room activity supports vocabulary development.
  3. Literacy Knowledge is also considered part of Language Comprehension, and this unit supports Literacy Knowledge with the Text Dependent Questions, The Setting Game, the emergent reader “Ten Little Snowmen”, and the Snowman Emotion Puppet.

This kindergarten read aloud is perfect for bringing Science based activities to your classroom in a fun way!

For more information on all that is included in the Science of Reading, be sure to check out these blog posts.

Love This Kindergarten Read Aloud? Check out these…

Click to check out these resources and more in my TPT store! 

Make sure you don’t miss a single FREEBIE this December! Follow this blog by clicking the black button to the right, and follow me on Instagram  and TPT too! While you’re at it, forward this post to your teacher friends and share the love. Everyone deserves free resources this December!

Did you grab the FREEBIE yet? Get it here!

I hope this Kindergarten Read Aloud Unit, and the 11 other free resources I’m giving away in December help you have a wonderful holiday season, and your students too. Grab it today!

Let’s Connect!

You can find Ms. Cotton’s Corner in various corners of the Internet – TPT, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube. See you there!

Check these places to ensure that you don’t miss a thing!

Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on TPT.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Instagram.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Facebook.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on YouTube.

And don’t forget to tell your teacher friends. Sharing is caring!

Happy Teaching!

Susan

Christmas Kindergarten Math Activities: FREE Gingerbread Math Game
December can be a crazy time! Keep the learning going strong with …
Decoding in Kindergarten- The Science of Reading
Recently I've been blogging about my journey of exploration into the Science …
Mastering Decimal Place Value with a FREE Game
This blog explores the importance of foundational understanding of decimal place value …
Download Free Decimal Activities for Grades 4–5 – Teacher Giveaway!
Download four free teaching resources tailored for 4th and 5th graders! This …

Vocabulary Cards for 82 Space Terms – former FLASH FREEBIE!

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Spacde Terms Solar System Vocabulary Word Wall Cards

Update: This Giveaway has passed, but you can still grab the Solar System Word Wall on TPT. Be sure to follow this blog, and Ms. Cotton’s Corner on TPT and Instagram so you never miss a FLASH FREEBIE again!

This was one of my favorite Word Wall sets to create. There were so many amazing photos and diagrams to choose from – it was hard to narrow it down to just 82 space terms! You will love these beautiful Word Wall cards – download them today fm Ms. Cotton’s Corner on TPT!

Grab the Solar System Word Wall here!

This resource includes 82 full color Word Wall cards – each with an important term related to Space and the Solar System and a kid-friendly definition.

This is part of my 12 Days of Giveaways in December. Want to get more freebies? Follow me so you don’t miss a single one! Just click the black button to the right, and the blog posts will be delivered to your inbox. Or, find Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Instagram – the daily freebies will be posted in both locations!

Do your teacher friends like free resources? Be sure to forward this to them – they deserve free resources too!

What is Included in this Space Terms Resource?

This set includes 82 Word Cards – each with a definition and a high-quality photo to teach space terms. The photos add context to the definition, and often feature diagrams and scientific situations that bring the word to life! Your students will quickly master the important Science concepts related to the Solar System/Space with the help of these vocabulary cards.

Many of these photos are from NASA – they are full resolution and eye catching! Create a beautiful bulletin board in minutes – that is also a terrific teaching tool.

This resource includes these 82 Space terms.

asteroidasteroid beltastronautastronomy
astronomeratmosphereaxisBig Bang
black holecelestial bodycometconstellation
crescent mooncometdensedwarf planet
Eartheclipseellipticalequator
equinoxfull moongalaxygas giant
gibbous moongravitational pullgravityheliocentric
high tideice giantinner planetsInternational Space Station
JupiterKuiper Beltlight yearlow tide
lunar eclipseMarsMercurymeteor
meteroitemeteoroidMilky Waymoon
NASAnebulaNeptunenew moon
observatoryorbitouter planetsphases of the moon
planetPlutoquarter moonquasar
revolutionrevolverotaterotation
satelliteSaturnseasonsolar
solar eclipseSolary Systemsolsticesphere
starsunsunspotsupernova
telescopeterrestrial planetstideuniverse
UranusVenuswaxing moonwaning moon
zenithzero gravity

To make this truly easy, display the terms in a pocket chart. This is the one that I use in my classroom – the cards fit perfectly in the pockets! Please note, the Word Wall cards shown in the image are NOT from this Word Wall set, but you can get them as part of my States and Properties of Matter Word Wall resource.

(If you click on the link and make a purchase, as an Amazon affiliate, I may earn a small amount at no extra charge to you. Win win!)

Why Teach Science Terms?

Building a strong vocabulary increases reading comprehension as well as understanding of the key Science concepts. This Word Wall will help you improve reading AND Science understanding – win win!

Teaching vocabulary explicitly can be a quick routine that pays off with big results. These Word Wall cards make it easy to teach the space terms. No prep needed, just grab a card and teach! Consistent, easy routines that you weave throughout your day, in multiple content areas, will help you explicitly teach the vocabulary your students need to know.  Want a FREE e-book with vocabulary routines? Grab this one today – it’s always FREE!

And check out these other posts for more tips and information on vocabulary instruction.

Click to check out these resources and more in my TPT store! I’m always adding more Word Walls, so check back often, and if there is a Word Wall you would like to see, let me know!

Make sure you don’t miss a single FREEBIE this December! Follow this blog by clicking the black button to the right, and follow me on Instagram  and TPT too! While you’re at it, forward this post to your teacher friends and share the love. Everyone deserves free resources this December!

Grab the Solar System Word Wall here!

I hope this Science Word Wall, and the 11 other free resources I’m giving away in December help you have a wonderful holiday season, and your students too. Grab it today!

Let’s Connect!

You can find Ms. Cotton’s Corner in various corners of the Internet – TPT, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube. See you there!

Check these places to ensure that you don’t miss a thing!

Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on TPT.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Instagram.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Facebook.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on YouTube.

And don’t forget to tell your teacher friends. Sharing is caring!

Happy Teaching!

Susan

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The Legend of the Poinsettia – Featured Resource

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The Legend of the Poinsettia Reading Comprehension Passage

Update: This Giveaway has passed, but you can still grab the Legend of the Poinsettia on TPT. Be sure to follow this blog, and Ms. Cotton’s Corner on TPT and Instagram so you never miss a FLASH FREEBIE again!

Your students will love this heartwarming story – so perfect for the magic of Christmas! You wil love an easy to use lesson that includes vocabulary and comprehension practice. Grab the Legend of the Poinsettia on TPT today!

The Legend of the Poinsettia - Christmas in Mexico

This Reading Comprehension Passage features a heartwarming story from Mexico. The Legend of the Poinsettia is a traditional tale that carries a powerful message – a gift from the heart is more important than riches. Grab this FREE resource today!

This is part of my 12 Days of Giveaways in December. Want to get more freebies? Follow me so you don’t miss a single one! Just click the black button to the right, and the blog posts will be delivered to your inbox. Or, find Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Instagram – the daily freebies will be posted in both locations!

Do your teacher friends like free resources? Be sure to forward this to them – they deserve free resources too!

What is Included in The Legend of the Poinsettia?

The Legend of the Poinsettia is a traditional tale from Mexico. In the story, a poor young girl does not have a gift to bring on Christmas Eve, so she gathers weeds and grasses along the road as she walks to church. When she lays them by the manger, all the people in the church gasp in surprise because her weeds have transformed into a beautiful flower – the poinsettia. In Spanish, the flower is called La Flor de Noche Buena, which means Flower of the Good Night. The flower is the symbol of a gift given in love, from the heart. As you can see, this story is perfect for this holiday season!

The resource includes the text, lesson plans, text dependent questions and a fun poinsettia synonym craftivity. Kids love the craftivity! They add petals to a flower stem to build a poinsettia made out of synonyms. It’s a perfect activity to keep them learning and thinking and busy during this hectic holiday season!

Extension Ideas for this Activity – Close Reading

This story is such a lovely, heartwarming tale to share during the holiday season. And, I’m not the only author to think that. Tomie dePaula retold and illustrated this legend in his charming picture book. Not a fan of his childlike drawings? I love this version by Eve Lundy Lewis as well. It’s perfect for older kids!

To use this as a close reading, plan for three or four days.

To extend this activity, I begin by having students read the passage included in the resource. For the first reading, our purpose is to enjoy the story. When we finish, I have students draw an illustration of their favorite part of the text. We save those for later. I also introduce the idea of synonyms, and we look at the synonyms included in the text.

On day 2, I read the picture book aloud to them, allowing them to see the illustrations in the text. Next, we return to the passage included in the resource, and I ask students to reread the text, this time with the purpose of thinking about their mental images. Did the images in the picture book change their mental image from the first reading? Improve it? Challenge it? We have some great conversations about how the images in a text can affect our comprehension of the text, and our love of the text.

One Day 3, I ask students to reread the included passage one more time, this time paying close attention to the text dependent questions. I remind them that the answers to the questions depend on the text they are reading, not the picture book.

Finally, on Day 4, students make their poinsettias and practice the synonyms. After reading the text three times, this is usually a fun, and easy, task for them.

What Are Teachers Saying About this Resource?

“My students loved it! Thank you. This resource saved me so much planning time.”

-Prieto

Love This Reading Comprehension Passage? Check out these!

Digital Escape Room - Winter Tales from Around the World
My best selling Digital Escape Room!
Reading Comprehension Passages about the traditions and science of the Winter Solstice.
Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary about the Winter Solstice

Click to check out these resources and more in my TPT store!

Make sure you don’t miss a single FREEBIE this December! Follow this blog by clicking the black button to the right, and follow me on Instagram  and TPT too! While you’re at it, forward this post to your teacher friends and share the love. Everyone deserves free resources this December!

Grab the Legend of the Poinsettia today!

I hope The Legend of the Poinsettia, and the 11 other free resources I’m giving away in December help you have a wonderful holiday season, and your students too. Grab it today!

Let’s Connect!

You can find MsCottonsCorner in various corners of the Internet – TPT, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube. See you there!

Check these places to ensure that you don’t miss a thing!

Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on TPT.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Instagram.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Facebook.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on YouTube.

And don’t forget to tell your teacher friends. Sharing is caring!

Happy Teaching!

Susan

Christmas Kindergarten Math Activities: FREE Gingerbread Math Game
December can be a crazy time! Keep the learning going strong with …
Decoding in Kindergarten- The Science of Reading
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This blog explores the importance of foundational understanding of decimal place value …
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Best Selling Digital Escape Room

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digital Escape Room - Holidays Around the World

Update: This Digital Escape Room giveaway has ended, but you can still grab this digital Escape Room on TPT. Be sure to follow MsCottonsCorner.com so you never miss a FLASH FREEBIE again!

This Digital Escape Room is my best seller for a reason! Students love the variety of winter tales from around the world, and teachers love how easy it is to use, and how engaged and focused the students are! In the middle of December, that’s a gift for any teacher! And it is FREE today!

Digital Escape Room - Winter Tales from Around the World

This easy to use digital escape room gives students practice with fiction and non-fiction reading comprehension. It includes stories and articles about Christmas traditions in many parts of the world, and also Hanukkah and other winter celebrations. Click here to grab it now!

This is part of my 12 Days of Giveaways in December. Want to get more freebies? Follow me so you don’t miss a single one! Just click the black button to the right, and the blog posts will be delivered to your inbox. Or, find Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Instagram – the daily freebies will be posted in both locations!

Do your teacher friends like free resources? Be sure to forward this to them – they deserve free resources too!

What is Included in this Digital Escape Room?

The adventure begins with a mysterious book – that includes this Table of Contents. Each of these stories are embedded in the Escape Room, along with non-fiction texts about Christmas in Australia and Hanukkah. Please note, the page numbers do NOT correspond to the Digital Escape Room, which includes 19 Sections of text, riddles, puzzles and comprehension questions.

The resource also includes supports to help you assign the Google Form and optional printables that can be useful as your students solve the Digital Escape Room.

This adventure allows students to make decisions. Each decision leads them down a new path, so they may not read each text – it all depends on the decisions they make! Students are generally so motivated by this type of choice that they want to go through the Escape Room more than once!

Want to know more? Check out this video preview and see for yourself!

Why Use Digital Escape Rooms?

Digital Escape Rooms can be a terrific format for exposing students to a lot of text – both fiction and non-fiction. They are highly motivated to read so that they can solve the riddles and puzzles and make it through the adventure! This Escape Room includes both fiction and non-fiction. A fictional story runs through the adventure, and students encounter the fiction stories, non-fiction texts about Hanukkah and Christmas in Australia, and plenty of riddles, puzzles and comprehension questions.

In addition to motivating students, Digital Escape Rooms are such a time-saver for teachers! There is no prep for you, and you also get data about how your students did – without grading papers! I hate grading papers, so that’s a real plus in my book! For more about why Digital Escape Rooms are awesome for intermediate students, check out this blog post.

Need help and suggestions for assigning Google Forms? Check out this blog post for tips and supports.

What are Teachers Saying about this Digital Escape Room?

“This was awesome! I had the kids working together to solve and they were completely engaged. This was challenging, but not so difficult that they couldn’t do it.”

-Becky D.

“This was the perfect way to spend time before Christmas vacation started. Students were engaged and focused, hard to do that time of year.”

-Wendy C.

“My class loved this resource! They were definitely engaged and wanted to keep reading the whole time–a feat that is not easy with a whole class!! Would definitely recommend!”

-Nicole M.
Click here to grab it now!

Love this Digital Escape Room? Check these ones out!

Click to check out these resources and more in my TPT store!

Make sure you don’t miss a single FREEBIE this December! Follow this blog by clicking the black button to the right, and follow me on Instagram  and TPT too! While you’re at it, forward this post to your teacher friends and share the love. Everyone deserves free resources this December!

I hope this Digital Escape Room, and the 11 other free resources I’m giving away in December help you have a wonderful holiday season, and your students too. Happy teaching!

Susan

FREE Reading Comprehension Passage – First Day of Winter

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FREE Reading Comprehension Passages about the Winter Solstice

Update: This awesome deal has passed. You can still grab this terrific resource on TPT. Be sure to follow MsCottonsCorner so you don’t miss future freebies!

Wouldn’t it be great to have no prep reading comprehension passages that come with vocabulary activities, text dependent questions, and more? Done! Click now and grab this one!

Reading Comprehension Passages about the traditions and science of the Winter Solstice.

This Winter Solstice Reading Comprehension Passage is a favorite with students, and you’ll love it too! Grab it FREE – today only! It includes lesson plans and five days worth of activities to teach about the traditions and science of the Winter Solstice. Make your life easy! Grab this no prep resource today!

This is part of my 12 Days of Giveaways in December. Want to get more freebies? Follow me so you don’t miss a single one! Just click the black button to the right, and the blog posts will be delivered to your inbox. Or, find Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Instagram – the daily freebies will be posted in both locations!

Do your teacher friends like free resources? Be sure to foward this to them – they deserve free resources too!

What is Included with the Winter Solstice Reading Comprehension Resource?

Reading Comprehension Passages

This resource comes with an informational article about the traditions and Science of the Winter Solstice. The article is written at three different reading levels, but all the levels look the same – so differentiation is easy! If you are trying to different your reading comprehension passages, then this is the resource for you!

My students are always fascinated by the Science and the traditions of the Winter Solstice. The article discusses the Winter Solstice traditions of the Romans, the Cree people, the people of Stonehenge and other cultures across time and geography. The information about the causes of the Winter Solstice is supported by a detailed diagram that brings the concept to life.

Vocabulary and Comprehension Activities

This resource includes 5 days of vocabulary and comprehension activities focused on the content of the passage. The vocabulary activities focus on helping students use context clues and prefixes – skills that will help them learn new wordsin other reading comprehension passages.

There are several comprehension activities, including text dependent questions and an integrating information activity that gives students an opportunity to write a longer response similar to the responses they write on standardized tests.

Teacher Supports to Make Your Life Easier!

This resource includes three formats – printable pdf, Google Slides and TPT Easel. Use what works for you! I’ve also included two suggested schedules and suggestions for each activity. There are many choices and supports to make your life easier. You deserve it!

Why Teach About the Winter Solstice?

Truthfully, the Winter Solstice has fascinated people across time and space, and it will will fascinate your students too! As the first day of winter approaches (and also all of the holiday craziness!) an interesting article is just what you need to engage your students and keep them busy! And, the information in this passage connects to essential 5th Grade Science content, so win win!

What Are Teachers Saying About this Reading Resource?

“A great activity for my small group table. My students found it very interesting.”

-Sarah G.

“Great resource – easy to use. Excellent to teach the concept.”

-Grace C.

Love This Reading Comprehension Passage? Check these out!

I love writing, so check out these other reading comprehension passages in my TPT store. And if there is something you want, reach out and let me know!

Click to check out these resources and more in my TPT store!

Make sure you don’t miss a single FREEBIE this December! Follow this blog by clicking the black button to the right, and follow me on Instagram too! While you’re at it, forward this post to your teacher friends and share the love. Everyone deserves free resources this December!

I hope this Reading Comprehension Passage, and the 11 other free resources I’m giving away in December help you have a wonderful holiday season, and your students too. Happy teaching!

Susan

Boost Vocabulary with this Number Prefixes Unit

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Update: This awesome deal has passed. You can still grab this terrific resource on TPT. Be sure to follow MsCottonsCorner so you don’t miss future freebies!

Number Prefix Unit Vocabulary Activities

This Number Prefixes Unit is one of my best sellers – and today you can grab the entire unit for FREE! This resource has a full week of lesson plans and activities to teach these Greek and Latin Number prefixes – uni, mono, bi, tri, quad, quint and penta. Click here and grab it!

This is part of my 12 Days of Giveaways in December. Want to get more freebies? Follow me so you don’t miss a single one! Just click the black button to the right, and the blog posts will be delivered to your inbox. Or, find Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Instagram – the daily freebies will be posted in both locations!

Do your teacher friends like free resources? Be sure to foward this to them – they deserve free resources too!

What is Included with this Number Prefixes Unit?

This Number Prefix Unit includes detailed lesson plans and 5 days of activities. The Lesson Plans include Background Information, Prep Steps, and clear suggestions for teaching each lesson. All you have to do is print and teach! You will love how easy this is to prep and your students will love the engaging activities.

The unit opens with a silly story that will get your students giggling as they read and discover words using prefixes in context. Activities include a sorting activity, Would you Rather Task Cards, three student printable practice sheets, one student reference sheet, a review activity called Beat the Clock and an assessment. And of course, there are Answer Keys and Lesson Plans to support you.

Want to learn more about Beat the Clock? I use this strategy all the time, and it works! Check out this blog post to learn more!

Everything you need to teach uni, mono, bi, tri, quad, quint and penta is included – just print, teach, and enjoy!

Why teach Greek and Latin Number Prefixes?

Greek and Latin has given us as much as 30% of the words in English, so learning Greek and Latin Prefixes will help unlock the meanings of many words for students. These number prefixes are especially useful because they unlock key vocabulary used in math, science, and in life. When students understand that the prefix uni means one, they not only understand why a unicorn has one horn, they also understand why we use the word unit to describe a single measurement. As students progress through this Number Prefix Unit (whoa, there is a word with the prefix uni!), they will grow to understand not only the featured words, but new words that they encounter with the same prefix.

What Do Other Teachers Say About This Resource?

“This was the perfect resource that I needed! It was very easy to use, and made my teaching life easier!”

-Turney

“Great resource to use with your class that will help them understand root words.”

Gay

Love this Number Prefix Unit? Check out these resources!

Click to check out these units, and many, many more in my TPT store.

For more blog posts on vocabulary, check these out! Vocabulary instruction is a passion of mine and a frequent blog topic!

Make sure you don’t miss a single FREEBIE this December! Follow this blog by clicking the black button to the right, and follow me on Instagram too! While you’re at it, forward this post to your teacher friends and share the love. Everyone deserves free resources this December!

I hope this Number Prefix Unit, and the 11 other free resources I’m giving away in December help you have a wonderful holiday season, and your students too. Happy teaching!

Susan

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