Expository Text Structures

Our curriculum calls for us to teach the 5 text structures found in expository texts: description, chronological, cause-effect, problem-solution, and compare-contrast.

I was surfing the web looking for some new ideas on how to teach these structures when I remembered this blog -  In My Classroom: The Forest and the Trees.

Emily has had some wonderful posts with many great resources. I thought I remembered reading something about text structures there. Sure enough, Emily had a couple of freebies posted, including a great PowerPoint to introduce the structures.

Then I followed her link to her resources at her Teachers Pay Teachers Store.

Friends, if you have to teach these text structures, go right now to Emily's store and buy her units. Buy them all. They are fabulous! They contain a PowerPoint to introduce the structure, a number of passages that demonstrate the structure, lesson plans for teaching the unit, before, during, and after activities for the unit, comprehension questions for the passages, and information to help students write summaries of texts that use these structures.

I was blown away and bought every single one. I have wishlisted almost everything else in her store. This is high quality stuff that will save you so much time!

By the way, I don't know Emily and I am not getting anything from her in exchange for this review. I just wanted to share her blog and store with all my bloggy buddies.

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Thanksgiving Recipe

I am linking up with First Grade and Fabulous for her Holiday Recipe linky.


For years and years, my family ate the cranberry sauce that came in a can every Thanksgiving meal. Nobody ever raved about it, but we ate it because it was tradition. I never thought about changing it until one of my friends shared her recipe for homemade cranberry sauce. Oh my goodness. Cranberry sauce was never so delicious!

This recipe is easy and fabulous. You can make it ahead of time and keep it in the fridge, but I have to warn you - you might want to eat the whole thing with a spoon before it ever gets to your Thanksgiving table!

Killer Cranberry Sauce

In a saucepan, combine 1bag of cranberries (washed and picked over), 1 and a half cups of sugar, the juice of 1 orange, the zest of that orange (use your cute microplane grater - works great) and 1 small knob of ginger (grate this with that microplaner, too). Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until berries pop. Refrigerate until needed.

Wishing you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving!



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Veteran's Day - Remembering Dad

One of the ways I define myself is as an Army brat, a description I am very proud to carry.

My father joined the Army right out of high school. Even though he wanted to go to college, there was no money for that. A child of the Depression, Dad worked for years to help support the family. Enlisting in the Army was his way out of a small town.

This is my dad shortly after he enlisted. He is standing with his younger brother, my Uncle Jim, who is also a veteran.


Dad was part of the Frozen Chosin in the Korean War. He also served in Vietnam.

He was my hero.

Dad passed away on November 2, 1998.

Happy Veteran's Day, Dad. I miss you like krazy.

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November Currently

I just had to link up with Farley for her November Currently linky party.


  • Something has my dog Lucy all excited. She's been barking for about 5 minutes. If she doesn't quit soon, I'll have to go out and get her back in the house. I don't want her to be THAT DOG.
  • I had a rough day yesterday and really needed to sleep in. I had my official observation and right in the middle of it, one of my kiddos threw up. A lot. All over the floor. I grabbed the trash can and held it for him for round two, patting his back, and teaching on all through it. I better get Exceeds Expectations in everything after that! And then we had the Harvest Fest after school. Enough said.
  • I start tutoring after school once a week beginning Tuesday. I guess I really should get some plans together.
  • See above on rough day. Again, enough said.
  • New shoes aren't as easy as they sound. Without going into great detail, I have terrible feet and Birkenstocks are the only shoes that I can wear all day without killing me. I sure would like some cute ones, though.
  • I don't play music in my class. If you've been reading my blog, you've heard me complain about the talking (OMG the talking!!!!) my kids do. The last thing I want is more noise! But in the past, I've played a mixture of oldies, kid favorites, and seasonal music.

Now go check out all the other Currently entries and don't forget the rule of three!




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