It's raining baseballs and another figurative language FREEBIE

Does the weekend have to be over?!!  I have to begin by telling a little story about our weekend. Having lived in the Midwest my whole life, I should be used to the spring storms.  Last year, the students at our school spent at least 30 minutes 2x per week down in our school basement riding out those spring storms ( AND it always seemed to happen during the lunch transition time.. which of course we didn't practice during our drills).  I HATE storms.  Although I may be a grown adult, I am absolutely terrified of storms especially those with high winds and balls of ice falling from the sky.  Just ask my hubs who reminds me of the fact that I  begin pacing at the sound of the storm sirens in our town. In my defense, I do put on a brave face for my students and my own children.  So.. to my little story about our weekend... my hubs and I were supposed to have a "date night" on Saturday.  There were storms in the area, but that's springtime in the Midwest.  We left late in the afternoon to drop our Sweeties off at Grandpa and Grandma's house about 35 minutes away. Lo and behold about halfway through our journey,as we were on a busy interstate, the sky begins to let loose dime sized hail.  Fortunately we were close to an overpass and like many, waited out the 30 minutes ( seemed like more than an hour) for the storm.  Of course, I was completely and utterly panicking.  I couldn't even pace ( and I HAD to put on a brave face)!!  The hail began to get larger and larger until golf balls were hitting our car.  If you have never been in a hail storm, I have to tell you the sound of the pinging of the ice off of windows is horrendous. Never mind the fact that in this situation we were PARKED on an interstate.  Seatbelt check..  Our littlest one just stared with wide eyes and said " I scared Mommy". Bless his heart!! Fortunately, the "balls of ice" came and went without any incident for all of us parked under the overpass.  Our "date night" turned into grabbing McDonald's through the drive through for all and riding out the rest of the storms that evening at Grandma and Grandpa's house.  We were so fortunate as just a few miles from our home a town was hit with baseball sized hail that destroyed cars and homes.

On to other things...Thanks for all your kind words and comments!!!  You are so fabulous!  I have been having so much fun with the 200 follower giveaway.  I have tried to stop by each of your blogs.  I have a few more to get to.  I love reading about the different things that are going on in your classrooms, and the awesome ideas that are posted.  Thanks for sharing!!!   If you haven't had a chance to enter the 200 follower giveaway.. there's still time.  It ends Monday at midnight. Just click the picture below to find out how to enter.

As the year has been winding down, I've been studying the Common Core Standards and looking at the curriculum I use in my classroom.  We've had several professional development days this spring on the Common Core and have another one on Thursday.  Our students participated in pilot tests through the NWEA on the Common Core standards earlier this spring, and I couldn't help but notice my kiddos were struggling with some of the vocabulary especially that on figurative language.  So.... I've spent several weeks working on a figurative language unit that I can use with my students. I have to admit this area is such a weakness for me,and it showed in my kiddos' struggles with these terms on the pilot test.  I have really spent this year trying to focus on areas I feel I need to improve my teaching activities and lessons to better help my students succeed.  I am so excited about this figurative language unit!   We are going to start this next week, and I can't wait to see what they think of this unit.  I posted a link to the  free posters I created for this unit on Friday.  If you would like a copy of the pirate themed figurative language posters, you can grab them HERE.  I also created a figurative language file folder game board that reviews alliteration, hyperboles, idioms, metaphors, similes, personification, and onomatopoeia.  It would be great to use at a literacy station.  I think my higher level 3rd grade students will do well with it, but I also included a "cheat sheet" to the meanings of these figurative language terms for my students who may need this reminder.  Here's a pic of this FREEBIE that is part of my Fun with Figurative Language Unit. Just click on the picture to download the free game.  Enjoy!!!  Let me know what you think.

If you would like to check out the Fun with Figurative Language unit I created to use in my classroom, click on the picture below.  It's 73 pages and $4.50 on TPT.  You can also enter my Teacher's Notebook Shop Giveaway for this item by clicking Here.  Giveaway ends on Friday.

Included in this unit are:
1. 7 figurative language posters- pirate themed
  alliteration
  hyperbole
  idiom
  metaphor
  personification
  simile
  onomatopoeia
2. Resource guide on picture books that can  be used with each type of figurative language listed above.

3.  All About Alliteration Card Station Activity
4.  Happening Hyperbole Poster Activity
5.  Idiom Activity
6.  Classroom Idiom Booklet including examples of idioms
7. Mighty metaphor poem
8. Personification Cartoon
9. Sibling Simile Picture Book
10. Onomatopoeia Bingo
11. Teaching Onomatopoeia with comics
12. Figurative Language File Folder Game that reviews all of the types of figurative language in this unit.

13.  Worksheet on each of:
     Amazing Alliteration Worksheet
     Hip with Hyperbole Worksheet
     Interesting Idiom Worksheet
     Mighty Metaphor Worksheet
     Personification Worksheet

Have a fabulous start to the work week!  We only have 16 days left of school... 16 DAYS.  I would love to hear activities you use to teach the different types of figurative language in your classroom.  Please share picture books you use also...