Habitats (and the Magic Carpet)

Posted on July, 2018 by squirrelandkat

Hey Kat and Squirrel Fans! We’ve created, for your teaching pleasure, another super fun science unit. This one is about diversity in the Earth’s habitats.

First you and your class will build your background knowledge and gain a common understanding of habitat vocabulary and the diversity of life within habitats. Then you’ll go on a magic carpet ride with Kat and Squirrel to visit some of these habitats and ‘show what you know’ through dramatization. The lessons wrap up with a fun “baseball card” like design activity using common house plants as the focus of each card.

This product includes:

collaborative lesson ideas
science vocabulary work
comparing and contrasting
reciprocal teaching
a fun new interactive Kat and Squirrel story
art/design components
dramatization
rubrics for observational assessment throughout the unit with a final grading sheet

Goals of the lesson

2-LS4 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity Students who demonstrate understanding can: 2-LS4-1. Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the diversity of living things in each of a variety of different habitats.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include specific animal and plant names in specific habitats.]

This unit includes lessons ideas and materials to teach the following Next Generation Science Standard for 2nd Grade:

2-LS4-1. Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats. The following standards are not included in this unit:

2-LS2-1. Plan and conduct an investigation to determine if plants need sunlight and water to grow.

2-LS2-2. Develop a simple model that mimics the function of an animal in dispersing seeds or pollinating plants.

Writing Good Beginnings and Great Leads

Posted on August, 2016 by squirrelandkat

This product includes 11 “poster” pages for different types of writing leads. Each lead includes multiple examples from children’s literature. Also included is a page for writing teacher and student examples of each type of lead.

Bonus: 1″ binder spine label, 11 page tabs (one per lead type), and a worksheet.

Goals of the lesson:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.1 Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or name the book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply a reason for the opinion, and provide some sense of closure.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.2 Write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some sense of closure.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.3 Write narratives in which they recount two or more appropriately sequenced events, include some details regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide some sense of closure.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.1 Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g.,because, and, also) to connect opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.2 Write informative/explanatory texts in which they introduce a topic, use facts and definitions to develop points, and provide a concluding statement or section.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.3 Write narratives in which they recount a well-elaborated event or short sequence of events, include details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.1.A Introduce the topic or text they are writing about, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure that lists reasons.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.2.A Introduce a topic and group related information together; include illustrations when useful to aiding comprehension.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.3.A Establish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.1.A Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which related ideas are grouped to support the writer’s purpose.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2.A Introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3.A Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.1.A Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which ideas are logically grouped to support the writer’s purpose.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2.A Introduce a topic clearly, provide a general observation and focus, and group related information logically; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.3.A Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1.A Introduce claim(s) and organize the reasons and evidence clearly.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.2.A Introduce a topic; organize ideas, concepts, and information, using strategies such as definition, classification, comparison/contrast, and cause/effect; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.3.A Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically.

Camping Science – Sound and Light Unit for First Grade – ADD ON

Posted on August, 2016 by squirrelandkat

Happy back-to-school time! I am so grateful to my squirrely sister for creating these gorgeous (OK, cute) “I Can” statement cards (see link) for my NGSS physical science unit. I really think my first graders are going to love them and I hope yours do too.

Since my sis was doing such a great job with the “I Can” cards, I thought I’d throw a little more at her. (What are sisters for anyway. :)) Sooooooo, I whipped up (yeah, right) some rubrics to go with each of the Kat and Squirrel Go Camping chapters and asked her to include the rubrics with the “I Can” cards.

Bonus! I have been keeping my teacher materials for this unit in a binder. I use the front page as a cover. But….. the edge looked a little drab. Designer sister to the rescue! Now we can all have awesome binder edges to go with the super-cool cover. (Sorry I’m that kind of nerd that way.)

I hope you love these additions to the Kat and Squirrel Go Camping unit as much as I do!

Kat (and Squirrel)

This product is made to be used with the super fun Kat and Squirrel Go Camping – Sound and Light Unit for First Grade NGSS unit.

NGSS “I Can” Cards – This product includes “I Can” statement cards for all 4 of the Next Generation Science Standards first grade Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer and one card for the k-2 Engineering Design standard.

AND

Rubrics to assess each student on their understanding of each chapter.

Volume Levels Poster

Posted on August, 2016 by squirrelandkat

Who hasn’t struggled trying to keep student volume under control? When my school started PBIS I wondered if this was really possible. I was very happily surprised that when all of the teachers were on board, teaching specific volume levels for certain locations in and around the school, it actually worked!

Please don’t assume that your students understand appropriate volume levels – teach them, then reteach, and reteach again.

This product allows you to choose one of the 7 “Volume Levels” posters (disregard the other 6 after you make your choice) to use as your class’s or school’s guide to volume levels. Or you could write your own words in on the “blank” paper provided.

Teach students what each of your chosen volume levels sounds like. Use the scenario cards to role play the use of different volume levels. Ask your class to write their own scenarios specific to your school for each of the levels.

Post the papers with a single volume level in the areas of your room or school that you expect to hear each level. (Example: Level 0 poster in hall.)

And laminate single volume level posters to hold up in the classroom indicating which volume level you’d expect to hear at any given moment. (Example: Level 2 is displayed during collaboration time. Level 1 during a “turn and talk”.)

Give it a whirl – it’ll be music to your ears!

ABC Around the House Lesson

Posted on September, 2015 by squirrelandkat

An original Kat and Squirrel Learning Adventure in an ABC book genre. This can be printed out or viewed electronically.

After reading the story ask the class to guess what the house-sitter found. Then use pictures of household items for each letter of the alphabet.

Teachers can use them in two ways:

1. Cut out all photos and letter cards and laminate for durability. Use as a matching challenge; match item to its beginning letter.

2. Cut on dotted line only and fold on solid line. Laminate so photo is on one side and letter is on the other. Hold up a card showing the letter. Have kids guess what might have been found at Kat’s house. Then show the picture.

Also included is a key naming the items that correspond with each letter.

Goals of the lesson

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.K.1.d
Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.K.3.a
Demonstrate basic knowledge of one-to-one letter-sound correspondences by producing the primary sound or many of the most frequent sounds for each consonant.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.K.3.b
Associate the long and short sounds with the common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.2.c
Isolate and pronounce initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in spoken single-syllable words.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.1.3
Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

3!!! Bonus Items:
Responding worksheet that can be easily differentiated
Compare/contrast worksheet
and
Make-Your-Own ABC cards!

Some fun ABC books to increase interest and motivation for reading and writing:

Dr. Seuss’s ABC: An Amazing Alphabet Book!	Curious George’s ABCs	R Is for Rocket: An ABC Book
AlphaOops!: The Day Z Went First	B Is for Bulldozer: A Construction ABC	Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
LMNO Peas (The Peas Series)	Q Is for Duck: An Alphabet Guessing Game	Bad Kitty
	Poor Puppy and Bad Kitty

Mystery Stop and Jot Unit – Elementary

Posted on August, 2015 by squirrelandkat

Mystery Stop and Jot Reading Lesson from Kat and Squirrel This way-too-fun mystery unit uses the “Stop, Think, Jot” reading strategy to delve into any mystery story.

This expanded version now includes more detailed teacher ideas and an original Kat and Squirrel Mystery Learning Adventure!

Included:
Teacher plans as suggestions to ‘how to teach’ the unit
“Detective Academy Training Manual” and completion certificate
Mystery vocabulary – 8 words
Cover sheet to create a “Detective Case File” with your pronged pocket folder
“Case File” papers used to collect jotted observations
“Stop and Jot” notes (or you can use Post-its)
2 styles of book logs
Lists of easy mystery books with Lexile numbers
Link to my Mystery Pinterest page!
Poster with ‘stop and jot’ codes
Bookmarks with ‘stop and jot’ codes are available here:
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/
Product/Mystery-Stop-and-Jot-Bookmark-1195729

Goals of the Lesson:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.1
Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.2
Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.3
Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.6
Identify who is telling the story at various points in a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.7
Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.10
With prompting and support, read prose and poetry of appropriate complexity for grade 1.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.2.1
Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.2.3
Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.2.7
Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.2.10
By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories and poetry, in the grades 2-3 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.1
Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.3
Describe characters in a story and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, distinguishing literal from nonliteral language.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.5
Refer to parts of stories, dramas, and poems when writing or speaking about a text, using terms such as chapter, scene, and stanza; describe how each successive part builds on earlier sections.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.6
Distinguish their own point of view from that of the narrator or those of the characters.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.7
Explain how specific aspects of a text’s illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a story (e.g., create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting)
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.10
By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, at the high end of the grades 2-3 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.1
Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.3
Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.10
By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, in the grades 4-5 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

Early Elementary Science Related Mysteries:

Dot & Jabber and the Great Acorn Mystery

Dot & Jabber and the Big Bug Mystery

Dot & Jabber and the Mystery of the Missing Stream

Easy-Reading Mystery Classics:

The Case of the Hungry Stranger (I Can Read Book 2)

Nate the Great

Young Cam Jansen and the Missing Cookie

Cam Jansen: The Mystery of the Dinosaur Bones (Cam Jansen)

The Case of the Stolen Baseball Cards (Jigsaw Jones Mystery, No. 5)

Kat’s Favorite Series:

The High-Rise Private Eyes #1: The Case of the Missing Monkey (I Can Read Book 2)

The High-Rise Private Eyes #2: The Case of the Climbing Cat (I Can Read Book 2)

The High-Rise Private Eyes #3: The Case of the Puzzling Possum (I Can Read Book 2)

The High-Rise Private Eyes #4: The Case of the Troublesome Turtle

The High-Rise Private Eyes #5: The Case of the Sleepy Sloth (I Can Read Book 2)

The High-Rise Private Eyes #6: The Case of the Fidgety Fox (I Can Read Book 2)

The High-Rise Private Eyes #7: The Case of the Baffled Bear (I Can Read Book 2)

The High-Rise Private Eyes #8: The Case of the Desperate Duck (I Can Read Book 2)

Welcome Back to School Art (in 31 languages)

Posted on August, 2015 by squirrelandkat

Use this ‘star-themed’ product to welcome your students back to school in 31 languages.

Please contact us directly if you’d like a language that we haven’t included or if we have made an error in any language.

We strive for accuracy and want our products to fit your needs.

Enjoy!

If you like the star-filled artwork on this product, check out our classroom stars-themed art products for more sparkle!

Stars Classroom Theme Art (Part 1)

Stars Classroom Theme Art (Part 2)

Some books you can use to show how children are the same and different around the world:

Will You Fill My Bucket? Daily Acts of Love Around the World

Toy Stories: Photos of Children from Around the World and Their Favorite Things

Wake Up, World!: A Day in the Life of Children Around the World

Let’s Eat: What Children Eat Around the World

Wonderful Houses Around the World

Houses and Homes (Around the World Series)

What We Wear: Dressing Up Around the World

This Is the Way We Go to School: A Book About Children Around the World

My Librarian Is a Camel: How Books Are Brought to Children Around the World

Our World of Water: Children and Water Around the World

My School in the Rain Forest: How Children Attend School Around the World

Funky Flowers Classroom Theme Art

Posted on April, 2015 by squirrelandkat

Funky Flowers Classroom Art Part 1

This beautiful product contains what you’ll need to set up your funky flower-themed classroom:

17 pages of original artwork that you can cut out to use on bulletin boards or work stations

9 table tents each in a different color to label desk groups, work stations, or centers

9 “Happy Birthday” cards, each in a different color

9 pages of stationary with beautifully patterned backgrounds

18 pages of framed letterhead (9 landscape, in 9 colors) (9 portrait, in 9 colors) to print your own message in the middle for wall signs, anchor charts, or notes home

9 pages of smaller framed letterhead in 9 colors to print your own message in the middle

8 bookmarks with original artwork

5 classroom posters: “Bloom and Grow; Learn and Glow”, “Growing like a flower; learning by the hour.”, “Plant ideas to cultivate brilliance!”, “What’s for Lunch?”, and ” Where Do We Go After School?”

8 colors of primary desk plates to label students’ desks with their names or print on magnetic paper for a name sorting activity 8 colors of intermediate desk plates to label students’ desks with their names or print on magnetic paper for a name sorting activity

Funky Flowers Classroom Art Part 2

This beautiful product contains original funky flower artwork to give you more of what you’ll need to set up your funky flower-themed classroom:

11 pages of color-word posters that you can use to set up your color-word word wall.

11 numeral posters (#s 0-10) which each include the numeral, written word, and a visual representation of the number.

26 letters-of-the-alphabet posters with vowels in a different color.

12 months-of-the-year headers with beautifully patterned backgrounds to fit pocket-chart calendars.

7 days-of-the-week headers to fit pocket-chart calendars.

31 numbers to fit pocket-chart calendars.

21 “special class” cards to go behind the days-of-the-week cards or the number cards.

75 “special days” cards to go behind the number cards.

Kat and Squirrel on the Farm

Posted on April, 2015 by squirrelandkat

Life Science and Engineering Design Unit for First Grade NGSS

This is an interactive story with pauses after each ‘chapter’ to allow students and teachers time to research topics (video link included!), record observations (guided viewing sheet included!), discuss thoughts supported by evidence (animal parent and offspring cards included!), and design a solution to a problem (animal adaptation cards and engineering design form included!).

All lessons are introduced by a continuing story about Kat and Squirrel’s goofy adventures while on a farm. The lessons are aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards for first grade. And the lessons have been created by an experienced first-grade teacher.

The timing will depend upon how long and how often you have science class, but would most likely take 2-3 weeks. This could also be integrated into the reading/language arts curriculum very easily with a few creative teacher additions.

Goals of the Lesson

1-LS1-1. Use materials to design a solution to a human problem by mimicking how plants and/or animals use their external parts to help them survive, grow, and meet their needs.

1-LS1-2. Read texts and use media to determine patterns in behavior of parents and offspring that help offspring survive.

1-LS3-1. Make observations to construct an evidence-based account that young plants and animals are like, but not exactly like, their parents.

K-2-ETS1-1. Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool.

K-2-ETS1-2. Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object helps it function as needed to solve a given problem. Optional: If you have your students build their “solutions,” it would be a great time to complete this standard:

K-2-ETS1-3. Analyze data from tests of two objects designed to solve the same problem to compare the strengths and weaknesses of how each performs.

Optional: If you have your students build their “solutions,” it would be a great time to complete this standard: K-2-ETS1-3. Analyze data from tests of two objects designed to solve the same problem to compare the strengths and weaknesses of how each performs.