8 games to practice prefixes and suffixes

So - you may have heard by now that The Classroom Game Nook is a big sister - right?  If not, head over to this post and check out all the details.

The Classroom Nook is about to celebrate her one month anniversary of going live.  In addition, you may have also noticed I changed the name of my TpT store to The Classroom Nook as well.  It just makes sense to have a unified name throughout everything.

So with that, in this past month, I've been hard at work ("like burning the candle at both ends" kinda work) trying to switch everything over to "The Classroom Nook" name - and that includes all of the products in my store.  With over 200 product (and counting) you can imagine the undertaking that this was (and still is...not done yet!).

In doing all this, I have been finding that several of my products were in need of a little TLC - so I've given many of my products a bit of a face lift.  Some of them reeeeelly needed it.

My prefix and suffix "Create-a-Word" and "Match-Up" game series were part of that sprucing up.

If you've already purchased these, then head over to you "My Products" section on TpT and download the new look.  Here's a peak at their new look!

My Create-a-Word Series is a set of 4 games (sold as a bundle or separately) where students get practice in understanding how a prefix or suffix can change the meaning of a base work.

Each game comes with a game board, a spinner, and a recording sheet.  Click on the links below to see more details about each.
Game 1: Prefix (run, un, dis)
Game 2: Prefix (pre, mis, over)
Game 3: Suffix (ly, less, ful)
Game 4: Suffix (ment, able, ion)

You can also buy the bundle and get all 4 games for less than the price of 3:

The next prefix and suffix series is a set of match-up games for the same prefixes and suffixes as mentioned above:

Each game comes with 30-40 cards (depending on the game) and a recording sheet.  Click on the links below to see more details about each.
Game 1: Prefix (run, un, dis)
Game 2: Prefix (pre, mis, over)
Game 3: Suffix (ly, less, ful)
Game 4: Suffix (ment, able, ion)

I also provide these four games as a bundle:

Here's to more spring cleaning!

One Quick Way to Spark Creativity in Your Students' Writing

You're in the middle of your writing block during the day and students are sitting at their desks (maybe on the floor or in bean bags dispersed throughout the room) writing.  Smoke is coming out of their pencils.  They are writing epic stories about dragons, or spaceships -- or something equally as epic.

This is your classroom every day, right?

(Not)

"I don't know what to write about!" (now that's more like it!)

At least that's what *I* used to hear a lot.  Well, no more.  Give even those most reluctant writers something to talk about with "Roll and Write."

You can make anything work if you turn it into a game, right?

Here's how it works.  You give each student a copy of the page below to place in their writer's folders. When they are stuck on what to write about, they simply roll a die three times.  The first roll indicates the setting of their story (so if I roll a 3, my setting is a party on Friday night).  The second roll gives them a character, and the third roll gives them a plot.

The stories can turn out pretty hilarious.  It encourages creativity and originality.  No three rolls are the same.

This freebie even includes a blank 'Roll and Write' sheet for you to swap out new combos every so often.

Even that student that hates writing can get on board with a story about a frazzled teacher at the beach last summer that breaks her ankle.

Oh shoot - did I just jinx you?  I wish you no harm, a teacher needs her summer! :)

Grab your freebie here!  I'd love to hear about the stories your students come up with!

Pin this post for later:

Have you tried THESE poetry games yet?

Do you do any mini units on poetry this time of year during National Poetry Month?  I love poetry, but I always found that I never really "got to it" in my school year.  So many other things to cover, right?  Well, I'll try to make it easy for you to fit it in this month with 3 center games that you can pop in to your weekly literacy rotations this month.  Click on any of images below to snag your FREE games!

Similes and Metaphors:

Poetry Elements:

Poetry Discussion:

This spinner is great at the end of your unit on Poetry as a way to bring it all together through small-group discussion.  You can snag this game in my literacy game archives under the poetry category (just scroll down a bit to find it).

Happy poetry reading!

Pin these free resources for later:

Introducing the Newest Member to the Family...

Drum roll please...

This is exciting stuff.  I have been planning this for quite some time and now it's official!  The Classroom Game Nook is a big sister!  On April 1st at, oh let's say, about 6am - The Classroom Nook, my new blog, officially opened its doors.

Why a new blog?
Why not?  I mean, I had sooooo much time on my hands that I needed a new hobby (lie).  No, but really, why?  Well, because as much as I love classroom games, I've known for a while now that I wanted to expand my conversation beyond the classroom games niche to include everything teacher-related.  I found that I had so much more I wanted to share, so many more tips and strategies, so many more resources for teachers, but felt like The Classroom GAME Nook wasn't the place.  So - I fixed it.  I created The Classroom Nook so that I could take it to the next level, a step further.  And boy do I have some goodies lined up for you.  But - more on that later. :)

But wait - what about the Classroom Game Nook?
What about it?  It ain't going nowhere!  (I know, terrible grammar, please excuse...) You've still got all my game resources in the archives found in the top navigation bar.  I'll still be poppin' in to share the latest and greatest in classroom games. I'm still your classroom game girl.  I'm just expanding my horizons.  And I think you're gonna like these new horizons as much as I do!  The Classroom Nook is gonna be your place for classroom conversations, talking about things that matter to you and your students.

So what should I do now?
Well, first off, if you haven't already, hop over to the new blog and check out my new turf.  Wander around and see what you find.  When you're over there, be sure to check out my new "Stop Lecturing, Start Connecting" free guide.  It's a PDF that I put together to inspire you with 3 amazing teaching strategies that I used with my students that got some pretty amazing results in their learning.

When you download it, you'll also be able to join my weekly classroom conversation via email where we'll take our chat off the blog and into your inbox for more exclusive content.  It's going to be pretty awesome.  So, without further delay - get going - the party has already started!  Check out The Classroom Nook!