Animated Actions for Reading Skills - Make it Fun!

So, sometimes getting students to connect with and remember various reading concepts can be difficult at times.  What are characters again?  What did she mean when she said setting?  Events???  Author?? Illustrator??  Really!!  These are new concepts for our little kiddos and they can be a lot to remember.  My kiddos are only 5!

It hit me 4 years ago when I was working with a new student.  She couldn't for the life of her remember who characters were, what events were, etc, but as soon as I did something funny with each one - WAM! - she got it.   It worked!!!  So, I made these "funnies" part of my every day lessons.  I made them real for her.

Title - "what the story is called"
Author - "writes the story"
Illustrator - "colors or paints the pictures"
Characters - "the people or animals we meet in the story"
Setting - "where they go"
Events - "things that happen in the story" (Yes, you have to shake it!)

Click on the picture below to our animated actions for these reading skills in motion.

Animated Story Gestures

Try it sometime - make it funny and real!!  I bet they remember.  :)

Whole Group Instruction & Accountability

Whole group instruction is a necessary part of a teacher's day, but I want to make sure all of my students are participating, actively engaged and held accountable for what they are learning.  To ensure this I use answer cards.  :o)

With a few questions and the correct card, I can do a quick check for topic understanding.

In this Whole Group Answer Cards set,  I have included Yes/No, Fact/Opinion, True/False and ./? cards.  I continually update this set with different cards when needed and have them printed on different colors of paper for easy classroom use.    These cards can actually be used in any setting where individual student accountability is the goal!!  :o)

Click here to find these on TpT.

Whole Group Answer Cards 

How could you use these in your classroom?  What other card combinations can you think of?

"For where two or three come together in my name, I am there with them." Matthew 18:20