Product Description
Over 100 reproducible, interdisciplinary activities that are aligned with each chapter of The Eight Ball Club Ocean of Fire, the novel. The activities are designed for use with secondary school (ages 11 and up) and adult ESL students and developing readers. Activities and worksheets include journal writing, story sequencing, vocabulary development, cause and effect map, the writing process, chapter review questions, vowels, using fractions with multicultural cooking, and many more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Engaging, multiculturally themed adventure
"The Eight Ball Club" series installment Ocean of Fire a novel for young adults written for reading pleasure - and as an excellent reading improvement tool for intermediate language level students, and students studying English as a second language. ESL educator and author M.C. Pugin-Rodas has included key vocabulary words in bold print, deliberate repetition of key academic science words, and a "What's That Word?" glossary. In Ocean of Fire, eight high school students from different backgrounds become trapped inside the magma chamber of a volcano. They must work together and apply their different talents to navigate lava rivers, secret underground staircases, and much more to escape with their lives. A handful of black-and-white illustrations round out this engaging, multiculturally themed adventure. A teacher's reproducible activity book connected to Ocean of Fire is separately available. ... Read more

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This volume of Ready-to-Use Reading Proficiency Lessons & Activities gives classroom teachers and reading specialists a dynamic and progressive way to meet curriculum standards and competencies at the fourth-grade level.  It provides stimulating and effective ways to help students master basic reading and language content, and prepare to demonstrate their knowledge at the appropriate level. ... Read more

Product Description
This volume of Ready-to-Use Reading Proficiency Lessons & Activities gives classroom teachers and reading specialists a dynamic and progressive way to meet curriculum standards and competencies at the eighth-grade level. It provides stimulating and effective ways to help students master basic reading and language content, and prepare to demonstrate their knowledge at the appropriate level. ... Read more

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Easy, Playful Activities That Prepare for Phonics Instruction
Phonemic awareness—the understanding that words are made up of sounds—is essential to a child's early reading success. With this book, children gain this awareness through engaging, easy to teach activities. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Not enough guidance for otherwise great activities
Normally I would never deduct 2 stars for a single issue, but I felt this issue was critical. The activities themselves, with a few exceptions, are both varied and interesting, but there's no clear guidance as to sequencing, other than a chart that indicates which areas should be covered in which weeks. The problem is that the developmental levels appropriate for activities within each area are all over the map. Some activities in areas designated for early introduction are quite challenging, while some designated for later introduction are so simple as to be mind-numbing. I'm in favor of that kind of variety because all children are different, but not without some guidance - at a minimum they need to be explicitly organized by their relative challenge.

On another note, which did not affect my rating, if you purchase Wiley Blevin's Phonics from A to Z you might want to skip this book. Most of the material is duplicated in that book, including most of the best activities.

Could have been better but worth the money.
I was hoping the book would have more "cut and paste" activities but they are more ideas and you have to go from that.I have ideas too!I need more concrete activities to work with.

The book came in decent time though.

Homeschoolers
This book has helped me a lot with homeschooling.Unlike other books of prereading activities I have seen, many of the activities in this book can be done with just a parent and child, even around the dinner table (we are a weird family, I know).

I have also read Blevins other titles, and I particularly enjoyed Phonics A to Z.

An excellent resource for new teachers and tutors
I tutor kindergarten students in phonemic awareness and found this book to be an invaluable resource in preparing lessons for the children.While many books tend to emphasize phonics, the children that I tutor cannot yet recognize sounds within words, a necessary pre-requisite to phonics instruction.This book is one of a few that gives specific sound - related activities.One tool that I found to be very helpful is a scope and sequence chart that gives a suggestion as to when to introduce new concepts in phonemic awareness.The book also includes a variety of activities including songs, worksheets, and games that help keep kids actively involved in learning to hear sounds within words. The author also included extra picture cards which can be used to personalize and revise the worksheets and games to keep them fresh and interesting.I recommend this book along with Janiel Wagstaff'sIrresistible Sound-Matching Sheets and Lessons that Build Phonemic Awareness, and Jo Fitzpatrick's Phonemic Awareness: Playing with Sounds to Strengthen Beginning Reading Skills to anyone who works with children that need to focus on phonemic awareness, whether tutoring in small groups or in a classroom setting.

An Amazing Resource
This book has been so useful with my inner city first graders. I love it! ... Read more

Product Description
This second stage of the reading strand of "Letterland at Home" builds on and consolidates the skills encountered in the first books. Children learn to read words and short phrases and build up good sight vocabulary. The book includes a pull-out reading game. ... Read more

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In this text, students learn the essential strategies of comprehension, analysis, and application through the integration of reading and discussion. ... Read more

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For secondary reading specialist and English teachers, this unique resource provides over 200 ready-to-use exercises to help you introduce and reinforce basic literary and reading concepts and develop essential thinking and interpretive skills with students of varying abilities. 

The activities are organized into 12 sequential units and build naturally to higher levels of reading proficiency. Each unit also includes reproducible reading selections plus an introductory section with suggestions for teaching the skills in that unit. Heres just an overview of unit topics with sample worksheet titles: 

1. THE GOOD READER IN ACTION presents a variety of warm-up exercises, such as "Filling in Famous Quotations," to help students become more flexible in working with words.

2. ALL WORDS ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL focuses on different kinds of reading in activities such as "Reading for Proof" and "Search & Scan Exercise."

3. WHEN TO USE A DICTIONARY features activities to help students determine when to use a dictionary, for example, "Making an Educated Guess" and "Whats in a Name?"

4. A MEETING OF MINDS teaches students to look beyond the surface for the writers meaning through exercises such as "Recognizing Charged Words" and "Dealing with Doublespeak."

5. THE READER AS REPORTER provides 20 exercises focusing on a reporters five Ws and an H (how) to develop the habit of looking for answers to these things in reading.

6. WHEN COMPLICATIONS ARISE prepares students for reading literary masterpieces that might otherwise overwhelm them with activities such as "Breaking Up Busy Sentences."

7. COMING TO TERMS WITH TECHNIQUES OF LITERATURE features exercises to build students understanding of literary techniques, for example, "Seeing the Logic in an Analogy."

8. THE TRUTH IN LITERATURE develops understanding of differences and similarities between nonfiction and fiction through exercises such as "Taking Sides in a Conflict."

9. SETTING & POINT OF VIEW focuses on some of the elements readers can absorb from the first paragraph in activities like "Omniscient or Outside Observer?"

10. PLOT introduces the basics of plot and types of fiction passages in exercises such as "Plotting the Action" and "Drawing Conclusions from Dialogue."

11. CHARACTER: THE HEART OF THE STORY presents various methods by which authors achieve effective characterization through activities such as "Shades of Differences."

12. SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT feature authorial comments, elements of symbolism, and thematic references in activities such as "And the Moral is..." and "Familiar Symbols."

For easy use, all material is printed in a big lay-flat binding that folds flat for photocopying of the reproducible pages. And complete answer keys to all activities are provided at the end.

You can use individual activities in conjunction with your classroom literature assignments—to introduce a concept or reinforce specific skills-or as an integrated program to focus on your students special needs. In Reading Smarter! youll find a wealth of exercises and ideas that not only prepare students for higher level reading, but also help them approach reading as a lively art! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent High-School Resource
This is a wonderful resource for introducing or reinforcing basic literary concepts.My freshman English students have responded to the activites very well, and I would think that the material would be easily adaptable to upperclassmen of varying ability levels.Highly recommended!

High-school Level Literary Analysis
If you are required to teach higher-level literary analysis, this will be a help.The book includes excerpts from literary classics with worksheets asking standard literary analysis: inference, characterization, setting, mood, etc.This is NOT a book for the remedial reading class and standard reading skills and activities.I have used some of the activities successfully in 8th grade and 9th grade honors classes, but it is a little too advanced for regular middle school classes. ... Read more

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* Uses a wide variety of authentic reading texts from newspapers, magazines, notes, maps etc * Includes lead-in and follow-up activity ideas * Provides extra reading practice linked to communication ... Read more

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Motivate children to read a variety of books using this complete guide to planning and implementing fun, successful reading competitions. Provides forms and promotional materials and a complete set of questions/answers related to both current popular titles and classics. Useful websites offer supplementary information about the books and authors, techniques for increasing participation and suggestions on how to correlate the contests with music and art. Offers advice on recognition, cooperative programming between school and public libraries, publicizing the contests, effective use of volunteers and parents, and more.For use with grades 5-8. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Battle of The Books
This is an excellent resource for teachers, anyone who wants to encourage children to read.

Teaching reading
As a reading specialist and veteran junior high teacher I highly recommend Sybilla Cook's book to both teachers in conventional classrooms and those as simple as the teacher on one end of a log and the student on the other. One of the most difficult problems in teaching reading, especially for home schoolers, is finding appropriate material that will interest students of this age level. Ms. Cook has made that easy. But she has gone way beyond that by including questions and activities to teach critical, analytical, and interpretative reading and thinking, not to mention the most basic of reading skills, comprehension. This book belongs in every teacher's professional library.

For parochial school and home-teaching support groups
Educators and library media specialists Sybilla Cook, Frances Corcoran, and Beverly Fonnesbeck effectively collaborate in Battle Of The Books And More: Reading Activities For Middle School Students to create a comprehensive guide to planning and implementing successful reading competitions for the purpose of motivating children in grades 5 to 8 to read a variety of books, both popular and classic. Also included are compilations of useful websites offering supplementary information about the books and authors; techniques for increasing participation in the competitions; suggestions on how to correlate the contests with music and art; advice on student recognition; cooperative programming between school and public libraries; publicizing the contests; and the effective use of volunteers and parents. Battle Of The Books And More is also a very highly recommended reference and guide for parochial school and home-teaching support groups. ... Read more

Product Description
Enriching ESOL Pedagogy: Readings and Activities for Engagement, Reflection, and Inquiry is a collection of thought-provoking articles and activities designed to engage practicing and prospective ESOL teachers in an ongoing process of reflecting on, critically examining, and investigating theory and practice. Its twofold purpose is to provide a theoretical perspective and to offer ways for making the teaching of English to speakers of other languages (ESOL) meaningful for both teachers and learners. Underlying the activities and the readings themselves is the assumption that teachers need to play a role in exploring, shaping, and theorizing the work they do.

The readings included represent a range of genres. They are informed by a common philosophical perspective about language acquisition and treat language teaching and learning holistically. The book is organized into five integrated units that:
* raise questions about conventional notions of methods;
* take into account the complicated nature of real classrooms;
* provide theoretical principles for teaching that promotes language acquisition;
* include rich descriptions of actual classroom experiences; and
* question assumptions about language and literacy.

Each set of readings begin with a "Before Reading" section and is followed by "Reflecting on the Readings," "Reading for Further Reflection," and "Suggested Projects for Inquiry" sections.

This volume is a valuable resource for practicing and prospective teachers in the field of TESOL who work with diverse student populations--at all levels--in both mainstream and ESL/bilingual settings.
... Read more

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Designed to appeal both children and parents alike, these home learning books allow for lots of practice in the core subjects of Maths and English, building children's confidence in the important primary years. They are filled with simple puzzles to make learning fun. ... Read more

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This text is part of a German language course designed as preparation for GCSE and Standard Grade exam pupils of all abilities. This pupil's book offers speaking resources on 12 topics which are relevant to all areas of experience in the National Curriculum - personal identification, house and home, free time and entertainment, shops, health and illness, geographical surroundings and sightseeing, travel and transport, holidays, food and drink, education and future career, family and accommodation. The aim is to encourage pupils to understand a given situation and to respond orally to that situation. It offers varied comprehension activities, phrases and vocabulary for use in given situations (ideal for self study), role-play activities and group work, information-gap activities and stimuli for open-ended conversations. ... Read more

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This is an invaluable resource bank of reading games. It has over 140 pages of puzzles, jigsaws, race games and dominoes to cover key sight words and sounds. ... Read more

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Here are 50 engaging activities that help teach young children to read. The book developes phonemic awareness, helps kids master the alphabet, empowers kids with phonics skills, and tunes kids into the exciting world of print. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Reading, Writing Activities
This book is a pre-k teacher and pre-k mom must have.It is packed with truely great ideas.

All you need to teach reading -- while having fun!
When I picked up this book, I did not expect it to be so comprehensive in teaching reading and writing. This a small, but powerful book. I expected a few activities as a supplement to other methods. The activities use all five senses and are fun. They incorporate dancing, singing, and sometimes eating. As another reviewer wrote, this may be the only book you may ever need to teach reading!

I have a Masters Degree in Education, with focus on literacy and learning disabilities. I have read many books on whole language vs. phonics instruction, but none that incorporated both as well as this one does.

The book is divided into 7 sections, each one building on the other as they master it. Within each section, is a list of supplies needed for the activities. This is the only book that I have read that I really have all the supplies necessary to start right away. Then, the actual activities. At the edge of each activity page, there is a box that the author has given some more wonderful information. She has a Reading Zone with books to read to the child to expand on the activities. There is Teaching Time that explains the concept development that the activities focus on. The last, but very important item the author included, is State Standards Say which tells what most states expect of children to know when they are tested in reading at school.

Here are the 7 sections (just a small sample of activities included):

Let's Talk About It (prereading skills)
make a collage, make a sequence crown
teaches to identify and sort words, extend vocabulary, following directions, connect to real life experiences

Start with Sounds
rhyme time, treasure hunt, monster munch
recite and produce rhyming words, listen for phonemes in words

Print Power!
rainbow writing, autograph book, word necklace
distinguish letters from words, learn that print provide information in everyday setting

Now I Know My ABC's
eating the alphabet, milk-cap mania, alpha-pet
learning upper and lower case alphabet, sequencing letters

Phonics Fun
alphabet crowns, word puzzlers, phonics gizmos
learning consonant and vowel sounds, as words change so do sounds

Write On!
office signs, business cards, stationery, it's in the mail, spell-a-phone
identify types of everyday printed materials

Beyond the Tale
dazzling diagrams, wonder webs, teeny-tiny theater
learn to use fiction and non-fiction material, retell stories

Fun book Full of Great Activities!
This book is so cute is it filled with really fun learning activites.We use it for Kindergarten homeschool.Very fun and educational!

The perfect Early Literacy resource
As a librarian working with parents to help their preschoolers develop pre-reading skills, I have recommended this book hundreds of times.The activities in this book are fun, easy, inexpensive ways to develop all the essential skills children need to master before they can learn to read.Activities include letter knowledge, rhyming, word families, recognizing environmental print, and other important pre-reading skills.Most can be done with no special materials, or with paper plates, magazine pictures, and other materials you probably have lying around the house.Hauser is tuned in to how children learn and how they play; activities are age-appropriate and avoid the "drill & kill" approach by keeping activities fun and filled with child appeal.The first (and possibly only) resource you need to raise a child who's ready to read.

Great source for an Early Childhood Curriculum.
Great source for an Early Childhood Curriculum. This book gave me wonderful ideas on teaching little ones to read. This book helped me plan lessons for my home toddler/preschool daycare. This book is a MUST HAVE for home daycare providers and home schooling parents. ... Read more

Product Description
Children must develop both decoding skills (the ability to 'sound out' words) and comprehension to become fluent readers. The colorfully illustrated exercies and interesting reading passages in this workbook build reading skills in both these critical areas. ... Read more