Special Student Services

Thematic Unit Links

Here is a link that has some good ideas and resources for Thematic Units.  Integrated Unit Instruction is a research based approach to learning that allows teachers to integrate instructional standards, functional skills, and IEP goals/objectives into meaningful units of instruction instead of isolated skill activities.

http://www.4gaslps.com/ThemeUnit_page.html

 More information on integrated unit instruction can be found at these archived pages:

http://pickettsmill.typepad.com/pritchard/2009/02/feb-16th-inservice-materials-integrating-at-into-unit-instruction.html

http://pickettsmill.typepad.com/pritchard/2008/11/forms-for-unit.html

http://pickettsmill.typepad.com/pritchard/2009/04/unit-plans-continued.html

http://pickettsmill.typepad.com/pritchard/2009/04/unit-plans-from-february-inservice-part-1.html

Materials for Teaching Time Skills

Here are some ideas and the related links to activities for teaching time.   Enjoy.

Download Sites and ideas for teaching time

Thanksgiving Activites 2011

Here is a fun recipe for Thanksgiving PopTarts - thank to Diana Aviles at Sedalia Park

Download Pop-Tart Turkey

And thanks to Claire Farmer for this Thanksgiving errorless writing activity:

Download Thanksgiving story

Here is a reminder of Thanksgiving activities posted previously:

http://pickettsmill.typepad.com/pritchard/2008/11/thanksgiving-fu.html

 http://pickettsmill.typepad.com/pritchard/2009/11/thanksgiving-social-stories.html

 http://pickettsmill.typepad.com/pritchard/2009/11/thankful-cookie-bars-recipe.html

 http://pickettsmill.typepad.com/pritchard/2008/10/thanksgiving--.html

Great Books for Habitats and Biomes

The Publisher Sylvan Dell has awesome  books for almost any animal and/or biome you wish to pursue in addition to some that deal with planets, counting, seasons, etc.  Check out the options from this company - most are around $10. Click on the books.

Link to Blog for Elementary concepts

This is a really fun blog for elementary teachers -
click on the icon

teachers of older students can get some good ideas here but the materials themselves are designed for younger students.

Here are some things you will find -

Math ideas to go with The Mitten -        

Character development in How The Grinch Stole Christmas

Data collection with marshmallows in hot chocolate:

There's also some addition with bowling and a lot more activities.

 

Place Value

Teaching place value to students who don't even know their numbers can be quite a challenge.  But those teacher participating in elementary alignment to the standards and GAA know that it can happen.  Here are some really creative ways to teach place value that you may want to check out on a share site called Pinterest

Just a few screen shots of some of the fun ideas - check it out and enjoy!!

                   

Biomes and Habitats

Arctic habitat

Many grade levels have standards that align to biomes and habitats in the Cobb County Curriculum Guide.  Here are some fun links to the Crayola.com website of activities related to this topic.  Unfortunately, our school system blocks this site so you'll have to check them out at home - but I think they are worth it.  If you have any materials to share on habitats, please send them to me via my Cobb email and we can post them.

http://www.crayola.com/lesson-plans/detail/across-the-landscape-lesson-plan/

12 sided paper globe activity:  http://www.crayola.com/lesson-plans/detail/all-about-antarctica-lesson-plan/

ecosystem in danger: rainforest   http://www.crayola.com/lesson-plans/detail/ecosystem-in-danger:-brazilian-rainforest-lesson-plan/

Coral reefs in danger (could go with Australia Units)  http://www.crayola.com/lesson-plans/detail/fragile-reefs-lesson-plan/