Ahh, April. The beautiful flowers in bloom, birds singing, shorts weather, and sun is back.
Working in April can be a bit of a push. The kids really (and I do mean REALLY) want to be outside instead of cramming their heads full of Westward Expansion. So close to the ending yet so far away. Plus there's testing to get through this month.
If that is already about to make you crazy then I've got an idea to help you through your struggles.
The last read aloud I like to share with my students is Dan Gutman's The Homework Machine. It's a fun read. The Homework Machine is a unique book because it is written in 'perspective' from varying characters. The tale of four children who band together to keep a secret of a machine that does their homework. It is rife with turmoil as things get out of hand. They end up giving their statements in the Grand Canyon Police Office.
My students always get a kick out of it and want to build their own machines.
Click on the Image below to see the links provided.
Here is a little freebie of a novel study I put together to help you out.
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During our Social Studies lessons in April we always dig into the fun that was the Oregon Trail. Last summer I put together a packet that you could use to really immerse them into understanding what it was like during that time.
One of my favorite parts of that packet is the Choose Your Own Adventure tale that takes the kids on a journey where they are the main character. Along the way they have to make critical choices that could cause some of their travel companions to lose their life!
I also used a resource my grade level put together as a daily writing exercise that results in each student having a travel journal. I start off giving them some brown construction paper for 'leather' cover and white computer paper to put inside. Each day we do something different to our journal to make them more authentic. We might step on it, throw some water on it, tear it, or even crumple it a bit to make it look like it's gone through the very same trials and tribulations as those on the Oregon Trail.
Click on the Image below to see the links that will take you to that packet.
Head back to the Primary Peach for MORE April fun and freebies.
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