Mrs Donn's Teacher Tips & Tools Back to School   No Name Papers  Substitute Teaching Textbook Scavenger Hunt   Free Online Classrooms Classroom Control Teaching 9-11 100th Day of School  After School Activities Vocabulary Drill   Teaching Tools Free for Teachers   Back to School Ideas Textbook Scavenger Hunt: This is a great activity to use during the first days of school, or anytime, and can be used with any textbook. Have your students search for various items in the Table of Contents, Index, Glossary, Chapter & Section Headings, and whatever other important items your text contains. Give prizes to fastest, last, etc. Go over answers and explain what each part of the text is used for. Activity should run 20 minutes to 1/2 hour total. Submitted by: Mr Donn 9-11: First, the teacher brings up the importance of 9-11. Have students take out a piece of paper, and number their page #1-5, leaving 2-3 lines between each #. Have students write down 5 things they know about 9-11. Have them write underneath each one where they got the information.  Have students volunteer examples.  Discuss in class the difference between fact and belief.  Submitted by: Mr Donn. Here is an excellent list of lesson ideas for teaching 9-11 from Education World   Here's another lesson: Remembering Sept 11 Remembering Sept 11th (K-5) Remembering Sept 11th (Middle/HS) Seating Charts: Welcome students and parents to "OUR" School. Welcome students to YOUR classroom. First day: If you use seating charts, put yours on the overhead. That way, you're free to greet students at the door, yet students can find their seat quickly. If their name is not on the overhead, they're in the wrong classroom. Submitted by: Mr Donn Time Capsule: First Day/Last Day: Time Capsule:  Bring boxes of envelopes (opening day set up for closing day activity.) Have students answer a list of "time capsule" questions on a piece of paper on the first day of school. Direct them to write their name on the outside of a envelope, place their list into their envelope, and seal it. Collect all envelopes, and put them away in a box marked TIME CAPSULE. On the last day of school, pull out the TIME CAPSULE box and distribute the envelopes to their creators. Submitted by: Mrs Donn Back to School Clipart, Presentations, Templates and More No-Name Papers Pound Puppies: (No-Name Papers, any subject):  I call no-name papers "Pound Puppies." I have a small section of bulletin board decorated with Pound Puppy wrapping paper, and I post them there. I explain that they are "lost" and their owners need to claim them from the pound. I also remind my kids about those MEAN 7th and 8th grade teachers who THROW OUT no name papers.  Oops, I was going to sign my name, but I forgot. I'll just close with "arf".  Submitted by Joanie Wilcox, USA Tomb of the Unknown Student: (No-Name Papers, Ancient History): I dedicate part of one bulletin board to The Tomb of the Unknown Student. The kids do the art, which changes now and then; kids help post no-name papers as needed, when, of course, some are spotted. Plus, kids spot their own work, after posting in "The Tomb".  All unclaimed no-name work is posted until the end of each unit. As the closing act of any unit, the kids, in each class, walk by, single file, & pay their respects. If any "no-names" are left by the end of the day, they're "buried".  It doesn't matter if no-names are posted for the whole unit or a day - points off are the same. The work was attempted; it just wasn't claimed. Submitted by: Mr Donn Vocabulary Drill Vocabulary Drill & Test Review:  Good for any topic where you have lots of vocab words: Generate a huge list of terms, like over 50 if possible. Write them down (probably easier to photocopy it or make an overhead) for all the kids to see. Make a grid of 25 squares (5x5), each about 1 inch, and photocopy it so that each kid gets a copy. Then tell them to pick 25 of the vocab words-- any ones they want-- and put one word in each square. Then, read definitions, one at a time (keep track of the words you are defining) out loud. Have the kids X off the box that contains the word you are defining. They'll have to know the definition to X it off, plus they may or may not have the word on their grid! First to get 5 in a row wins! You'll want to verify that their words were indeed defined before declaring a winner. Good for practice before a quiz. Submitted by: Kevin Fleury; New Hampshire; USA Fun games and free powerpoints Managing Your Classroom Speak in a soft voice when you wish to be heard. Don't point out a thing, but begin to raise your own hand when you want your kids to raise their hand before answering.  After a week or two, raise your hand only occasionally.  After a week more, simply ask your question. They will raise their hands without prompting.   What is Your Classroom Management Profile? Your Own Classroom Court D.E.A.D. (Excellent!) How to write Behavioral Objectives Beginning Teachers Handbook Rational Discipline Strategies Handling Bullies (for kids and teachers) Free Online Classrooms for Teachers to Use Teachers can post homework assignments; kids can submit homework  You must sign up but it's free WebCT TappedIn Free Teaching Tools FREE Posters FREE Venn Creator FREE Award Maker FREE Certificate Maker FREE Discovery Puzzlemaker (make and print puzzles for classroom use, with clipart!) FREE Graphic Organizers from Plymouth Schools More Free Graphic Organizers (Web Teacher) Free Printables - Award Certificates and more! (FamilyEd)  Rubistar (Create Rubics) QuizStar TrackStar Web Worksheet Wizard Electoral College Flash Cards (from CSpan) Free Membership CSpan - receive emails of free materials as available for teachers Free Teacher Tools (Mifflin Schools) Teacher Tools (The Coo, links) Social Studies Skills Tutor (Prentice Hall, free) Absolutely fabulous. Online FREE Fun Drills for: Sequencing Identifying Cause and Effect Drawing Inferences & Conclusions Making Valid Generalizations Distinguishing Fact & Opinion Comparing and Contrasting Analyzing Primary & Secondary Sources Recognizing Bias Identifying Frame of Reference and Point of View Decision Making Problem Solving   After School Activities Clubs, Parents Nights, Fund Raisers Elected as class secretary or club secretary? Here is an example of "minutes" from a meeting. Substitutes As a sub, it's always wise to have a few lessons on hand prior to entering a classroom. True, a lesson is supposedly left for you to use by the teacher, but sometimes ... you need a filler or a replacement. Here's one that will come in handy sooner or later. It works best for grades 5-10 but can be used in grades 3-12.  It was a dark and stormy night ... 55 minutes:  If the desks are not already lined up in rows, direct the kids to quickly push their desks into rows. Tell the kids to get out some paper and a pencil. Direct your students to write their name at the top of their paper. Then, write down the following - It was a dark and stormy night in (subject) when suddenly .... Tell the kids they each have 1 minute to continue this story. When time is up, they are to hand their story to the person behind them who will have 1 minute to continue the story. (The last person in the row brings their story to the first person in the row each round.) Continue this until all stories end up in their original place. Authors will then have 2 minutes to quickly read what is there and finish the story. Sound the clock, and go. When this activity is finished, ask if anyone would like to share "their" story with the class. If nobody volunteers, pick somebody. The stories are hysterical. Adjusting for a shorter period of time: If you only have 10-15 minutes, adjust like this. Do not rearrange the desks. Do not tell them to write their names at the top. They don't need them. Tell the kids to get out some paper and a pencil. Direct your students to write down the following - It was a dark and stormy night in (subject) when suddenly .... Tell the kids they have 1 minute to start this story. Then, they are to quickly hand their paper off and get one from someone else. You will help grab and distribute. Speed counts. You're on the clock. The next person has 1 minute. The last person finishes the story. This is a slightly different approach, but it works as well. Here are more tips to help make your experience a good one! Substitute Teaching Tips Tips Sub Folders   All Rights Reserved Counter start date January 2006 Have a great year!