Day 12 of The Twelve Days of Christmas with Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah Designs

Oh my word! This has been the most amazing 12 days of giveaways hosted by my dear friend Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah Designs! 

I am so excited and super proud to be joining all the amazing bloggers that have shared in this giveaway. Today, I am partnered up with three other fabulous bloggers to give you a great giveaway for day 12! 

These amazing bloggers have awesome resources and all you have to do is follow them on TpT to find out about their resources! My good friend Zippy has fabulous clip art and if you haven't checked out her store...you will love it! 

Want to see more? Come check out our little shops:

1. Curls and a Smile - http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Lynda-Morgart
2. Teaching With Grace - http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Teaching-With-Grace
3. Creating Teaching Inspiring - http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/…/Creating-Teaching-Insp…
4. Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah Designs - http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/…/Zip-a-dee-doo-dah-Desi…

So do you want to join our giveaway? All you have to do is check out the raffle copter below: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanksgiving Thankfulness with Blog Hoppin....A for Apps

Two posts in one day? Can you say inspired! I am having so much fun with Blog Hoppin's Thanksgiving linky and am really loving having a few extra moments to blog away!

A is for APPS!

I love my iPhone, iPad and all things Apple. There are so many cool apps out there and I wanted to share some of the coolest ones that I have found this year!

Plickers 

Plickers is an awesome app that allows you to use your iDevice to get instant feedback from your students! Once you have created a class, download the unique qr code for each student. Each card is coded with 4 different responses and all the students have to do is turn their qr code to show their answer (A-D). You take a picture with your iDevice and BAM! Instant feedback! It is pretty cool and amazingly useful during lessons and as exit tickets.

ZipGrade 

Don't have time to grade papers? ZipGrade allows you to simply scan your students answer sheet...it's that simple. You will need to create a class on their website and choose which scan tron you will use and print for your assignment. Then have the kids bubble their responses, take a picture of your key....and start grading! 

Remind 

I love this app and have used it for two years. It is one of the most effective and best forms of communication that I have with my student's parents.  It is perfect for reminders, sharing class pictures and getting important information to them quickly. The best part is that now you can schedule texts and even send a voice message!  Many of the parents really appreciate this app because they are more likely to see a text than and email or a note from me. 

I just love apps and when I find one that is really helpful....there is nothing better than to share it! Try them out and hopefully  you will love them as much as I do!

Thanksgiving Thankfulness with Blog Hoppin...H is for Homemade How To

I am joining my sweet friends at Blog Hoppin for a wekk of giving thanks! 

Thanksgiving is definitely upon us and I can't wait to start cooking and baking! I absolutely love to be in the kitchen, creating and trying new recipes! This year, I am going to try something new....desserts! I have to admit that I can cook tons of yummy meals but I have never been able to make sweet treats!

So here is a recipe that I am trying this year. It simple enough....it involves a microwave....LOL! I love fudge and when this recipe came along on my Facebook feed, I couldn't help myself!! It was time to make some FUDGE!!

The best part is...there is a video tutorial! I was so excited that I can'e even stand it!

(Source: SFG)

It's super fast and very easy, which makes it absolutely perfect for this novice dessert creator! Hope you enjoy the absolute yumminess!!

Thanksgiving Thankfulness with Blog Hoppin- Traditions

Today is the first day of a week full of thanks with Blog Hoppin'! Thanksgiving begins one of my absolute favorite times of the year! The cool weather, warm coffee and thoughts of all the wonderful holidays that will soon fill our calendars but more importantly our hearts and homes...

One of my Thanksgiving traditions is watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. I remember as a little girl waking up and running to the tv to see all my favorite characters, larger than life, float down the avenue that was decorated with tinsel and lights. I would sit in anticipation of The Radio City Rockettes, waiting to see their glamorous costumes and amazing dancing to popular Christmas music. I would sing along with the Broadway performers and pretending to be on the big stage...

But my favorite, my absolute favorite, is when Santa finally appears at the end of the parade! It was what I desperately waited for as a little girl, the man in the red suit, ushering in the holiday season. Now, as an adult, I still watch with the same anticipation...except now, I watch my daughter and get a small lump in my throat when I think about how truly blessed I am to share this with her...and to have her in my life. 

Thanksgiving and the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade are moments in the year that I always look forward to and can't wait to enjoy with family and friends, This is the time of year that we all truly turn to what is most important to us and for that I am truly thankful.

What are you thankful for? Join us at Blog Hoppin' and share your stories with us! 

Bright Ideas Year in Review

Welcome to the November edition of the Bright Ideas Link- Up! This one is a special one! Over the past 10 months, we have shared thousands of great ideas through our monthly Bright Ideas blog posts. This month, we’re re-capping all of those great ideas, just in case you missed any! Below you will find some of my bright ideas from the past several months:

As I moved to fourth grade, I had to rework how I organized my students work. My kiddos really loved it and it really helped me to keep track of who had turned in their paper and who had not! 

I really loved everything about our Camp Write Along and these activities were perfect for soothing the testing season anxiety that kids have as they approach their standardized testing!

I think this Bright Idea may just be my favorite! I always look for ways to incorporate interactive notebooks and this post definitely will help you set up your notebooks too! 

I prepared this post as I was planning for my Meet the Teacher at the beginning of the year! It worked out so well, I used it again this week for my Parent Orientation this week!

I was totally motivated by the documentary, TEACH, and my own Donors Choose project for this post on how to use contact paper in your classroom to provide more work space for your students!

I truly hope that you have enjoyed these ideas and that you found an idea that would works for you! 

It is so much fun to share these ideas with you!  Be sure to check out the link up below for tons more bright ideas from my friends! 

An InLinkz Link-up

Bright Ideas Hop - Table Top Trash Cans

Here I am again! I am so excited that I am able to participate again in the amazing Bright Ideas Blog Hop! It is definitely one of my favorite hops and love to see all the AWESOME ideas! This month has been CRAZY! Seriously...it has been a whirlwind.

For my Bright Idea this month, I am sharing my solution to all the scraps that are left behind after my lessons. We love to make foldables but as we all know, they can be super messy! I love the plastic table top trash cans but those can get expensive and with the begin of the school year, it just wasn't in the budget. 

So I decide to take a look around the room and I came up with an idea! Tissue paper boxes. Yes...the same ones that seem to be completely empty as soon as you out them out for the kiddos! I had three boxes and to my surprise, they were perfect! 

My kiddos just put them in the middle of their table, and just like those cute little trash cans, they  placed all their scraps in the box. It was perfect...and didn't cost me a dime! The kiddos can easily dump them into our recycling bin and they stack neatly in my closets. I couldn't be more happy about this super simple solution to a messy situation!

If you enjoyed this bright idea, please consider joining me on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest for more great ideas.

For more bright ideas from a variety of other bloggers, please browse through the link-up below and choose a topic/grade level that interests you. Thanks for visiting!

An InLinkz Link-up

October Remind Me of....{a little freebie}

It has been a very busy beginning of the school year and things are still a little CRAZY! It has been  a fast and furious first nine weeks but now it is time to slow down a bit and enjoy one of my favorite times of the year.,,,

Here is a little something that I like to do with my kiddos. I started doing this with my little ones when I taught first and second grade but it is something that even my big kids love to do!

          

(Click to Download)

Stop by Blog Hoppin' to read more about how I use these little cuties with my kiddos! 

Bright Ideas Blog Hop - Meet the Teacher Communication Booksmarks

It's that time again! I love the Bright Ideas Linky and this idea is just in time for Meet the Teacher! School here starts for me on Monday and the kiddos will come to school on Friday for one of the BIGGEST events of the year... Meet the Teacher!

It is such an important day... and you know what they say about a first impression...make it good! It's your first meeting with parents and students and sets the tone for a great year!

One of the most important things that I want my parents to know is that I truly want to be there for their children...and for them. Communication is critical and it starts on day one!


When parents and students arrive, they begin to look around and become familiar with our classroom.  On my boards, I create posters for the parents with all the ways to communicate with me and be involved in our classroom. Each of these have QR Codes for quick and easy access to tons and tons of websites and resources that are used to communicate. From my Teacher Wish List to my phone number/email, all parents have to do is scan and save! It's that easy!

 

Now, some parents may need to leave or may not be able to make the event so this is a little trick that I think will make a great resource, not only for Meet the Teacher, but all year long!

Those same little QR Codes that I created (I use the website qrstuff.com) can be saved. Once made, they can be used as part of your teacher signature in your emails or posted to your social media. My favorite are these little guys.....

These bookmarks make a WONDERFUL way to get the information to all parents, can be out on a frig at home after Meet the Teacher and can also be handed out throughout the year (parent conferences, new students, the possibilities are endless!)

If you enjoyed this bright idea, please consider joining me on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest for more great ideas.

For more bright ideas more than 100 different bloggers, please browse through the link-up below and choose a topic/grade level that interests you. Thanks for visiting!

An InLinkz Link-up

What's Under Your Cape- Conclusion to a FABULOUS book study!

Have you been following the amazing posts on What's Under Your Cape? I am so amazed by the reflective and beautifully written post that each blogger has dedicated to this book study! The ideas and chapter thoughts have definitely brought light to the importance of character education and Barbara's book is a wealth of knowledge that will encourage students to think about and contribute to the world around them in meaningful and thoughtful ways.

As the school year begins, the first thought that comes to my mind is "how do I put this all together?" Barbara suggests the power of visibility. What we put on our walls and in our classrooms influence our students so why not start there?

Creating space in your classroom where students can see and reflect on those valuable character traits will be a gentle reminder of what the expectation and environment in your classroom are and how to achieve it. 

We all love an inspirational quote (I seriously love a good quote!)  It motivates us, calms us, direct us....so why not provide that to your students? One of the thoughts that came to my mind as I was thinking about how to implement this into my classroom is to allow students to associate a quote that is meaningful to them that will speak to each of the characteristics. Making it personal and allowing students to reflect on the quotes will add to there understanding of the trait and make it their own. Ownership is essential. 

Another thought I had was how would I spread the word? My students will be the leaders. My principal is amazing (and listens when I say..."I have an idea..."...which happens often...LOL) and is working with me and my class to share the thoughts behind Barbara's book with our student body. They will be able to share their thoughts on the announcements each morning and we will be writing a small piece each week for the school newsletter. Hopefully getting out the word will help in keeping the importance of the qualities of a strong, loving character on the forefront of our students (and parents) minds.

Here are a few other ways you can share the message:

• Hallway Bulletin Boards
• Being a Bucket Filler classroom or campus
• Use your school marquee 
• Blog about with your student's parents 
• Have students write small notes asking "What are you doing to be a Superhero?" and have students share with teachers or other students. Have them leave the notes in a special box that can be used for an interactive bulletin board 

Start slow and steady. Do not allow yourself to become overwhelmed and start small. More importantly, always remember that you are the small pebble that can cause ripples in the pond. What you do, no matter how big or small, will make an impact. It only takes one person....and that one person could be you.

It has been my absolute pleasure and honor to have hosted this book study along with all the amazing ladies that shared their thoughts about What's Under Your Cape? The ideas that have been shared to compliment and support the essential qualities that are discussed in What's Under Your Cape? have been fabulous! If you missed the book study or individual posts, just follow the links below and bookmark this page for your reference:

Want to continue the journey with Barbara and What's Under Your Cape? Make sure to follow her Facebook page where she shares awesome posts about the qualities of a SUPERHERO!

Bright Ideas Blog Hop- A Little Trick for Duck Tape

It's that time again!!! It's time for the monthly Bright Ideas Blog Hop and I have a fun little trick for you!

I don't know about you but I just love duct tape! It's comes in about a gazillion different colors and patterns and it can be used for so many different purposes! Long ago are the days of that yucky plain gray tape!

One of the many ways that I use it in class is to prepare my interactive notebooks for my students. 

Duct tape can be used on the binding to help organize the subjects by color/pattern and are perfect for creating pockets in the back of your notebooks for all those little loose ends. 

But here are two little tricks that I use when cutting duct tape:

1. Save your place! I can't tell you how many times I can't find the end of the tape. 

So what I do is place a paperclip to mark the start! Simple....but it works like a charm!

Don't you love it?!?

2. Use wax paper to cut your duct tape. It won't stick to your scissors or to itself and 

you can actually cut it in a straight line! It's awesome and so simple!

Hopefully you will find these just as useful as I did! 

If you would like to know more about my interactive notebooks 

just click here!

If you enjoyed this bright idea, please consider joining me on 

Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest or Twitter for more great ideas.

Thanks for stopping by! Make sure to check out the rest of the Bright Ideas!

An InLinkz Link-up

What's Under Your Cape Chapter 2- Chapter 2

I am so happy to be joining Amy of The Resourceful Room to share my thoughts on 

chapter 2 in the What's Under Your Cape Book Study!

Unconditional love.  Affection shown to someone without limits or conditions. Complete love.  

As a teacher, this is so important. Students, every single one of them, should know how much you care for them. There should be no doubt in their minds that you are 100% committed to them and come what may, you will always be there to help and support them. All of them with no exceptions. 

I show this to my students through my actions. When I teach, I make sure that I prepare the best lesson I possibly can with activities, questions, discussions...the works! When they answer, I support and encourage them. When they work well together, I compliment their kind hearts and when they are having a difficult day, I take the time to put the lesson to the side and listen. 

It's important for students to understand the power of  unconditional love. We share it with them but that isn't enough. We want them to share it with the world around them and this isn't something that comes naturally to children. It has to be taught and I agree with Barbara when she discusses Random Acts of Kindness. 

RAKs, as they are also known, are a perfect way for anyone to put love into action. There are so many sweet, simple, thoughtful things that can be done in the classroom, community, country and even the world, that can allow students to experience being the giver of unconditional love. Here are just a few ways: 

• Smile at everyone you see today.
• Help a classmate without being asked.
• Give someone a sincere compliment.
• Leave a sweet note for your parents before they go to work.
• Hug your parents just because.
• Hold the door open for someone.

There are so many ways to bring a little love and kindness into the world and once your students are exposed to them, they will most definitely want to do more! Oh...and don't forget, they love to learn from example, so make sure that you too are participating in ways of showing kindness to those around you!

I also enjoyed and connected with Barbara's thoughts on the "Most Valuable A's Students Can Learn". This speaks to the absolute necessity of not only concentrating on the curriculum but to the aspects of a child's character that will work in unison with the the academics to create a well rounded person that will contribute to the world around them.

The values of affirmation, appreciation and apology are essential to a happy student but even more so for a happy life. Children must see this modeled everyday and see you showing what each of these virtues looks like, sounds like and feels like when done from a completely selfless place in your heart. If children learn to give sincere, heart felt compliments they will not only empower those around them but they will full their hearts with love. Affirmations can be shared with others with ideas such as becoming "bucket fillers", creating a compliment journal, or take home notes (written by the students by a classmate).

The second A is appreciation. This is the one that most students will have the most exposure to through school and home. Many of them have written thank you notes for someone that has helped the class. They love doing it and they feel great about it. I think that it is really important for children to have an opportunity to see the impact of their act of appreciation. If you can, have them deliver the notes or preform the act of appreciation themselves so that they can experience how wonderful others feel when they are appreciated.

The last A, apology is the hardest. Children, when in the heat of the moment, don't want to apologize. If they do, it is usually a quick, half-hearted sorry that had no meaning. Practice with students how to stop, take a moment to breathe and think about what the situation occurring. Talk to them. Help them work through the situation at hand, think about the other person, and craft an apology that is sincere. There is nothing more freeing than an apology that is sincere.

I am loving my journey with this book and I can't wait to hear what you have to think about chapter two! Check out the linky for more amazing reflections and thoughts!

Christmas in July...Blog Hoppin' Style!

Hey there! It's mid-July....the peak of our summer time! Let's have a little fun and have a little retail therapy as August approaches! From now through July 26th, I will be placing a product on sale for the entire day! Want to see what's on sale? 

Here are the links for each  one so that you can catch 

the fun each day! 

July 15   July 16   July 17   July 18   July 19

July 20   July 21   July 22   July 23   July 24

July 25   July 26

Now, you are probably wondering what is going on for July 25 and 26! It's a MYSTERY product (who doesn't love a surprise!) and I know that you will love them!

Make sure to follow on Facebook and Instagram 

for daily reminders of the sale! 

Want to see all the fabulous sales? Check out the 

fun at Blog Hoppin'!

What's Under Your Cape? Book Study- Chapter One

I am beyond excited to get this book study started with my new bloggy friend Melissa of Transitional Kinder with Mrs.O! It is going to be a great couple of weeks as we take an in-depth look at Barbara's book, What's Under Your Cape?

In the beautifully written book What's Under Your Cape?, Barbara begins with her experience in the 4H Club and how the values of the organization helped shape her view of character education for the children in our schools.

Source

These values, once taught, can lead every child to find the super hero in each and every one of them. Mind, heart and action will allow students to develop a character that will last them will past their years with us. 

                                     

The first step of developing their inner superhero is service. 

In your classroom environment, you can create service opportunities everyday. The focus is on filling a need, whether it being a line leader, taking the cafeteria count or sweeping at the end f the day. Investing in their classroom and their classmates will not only make them feel as thought they are stale holders in your classroom but also allow them to feel as though they are a part of something that is bigger than themselves. What they do and how that effects others is essential and when you do for others, you can't help but feel good too! 

In a school environment, creating opportunities for students to come together with a common purpose and goal can also foster the value of service. With a little guidance, students can take the reins and create a plan to help their school, community or the world around them. This is the next step. A service learning project allows students to deepen their learning experience through civic responsibility which touches and changes the community around them. It may be that it fills a need right in your community. Your students can organize a food drive for families in need, a clothes drive or even a school supply drive for students at a neighboring school. It may be that your students have a great talent that needs to be shared with the community for the common good- knitting, painting, singing. 

Children need to have chances to think like a super hero and help to contribute to fulfilling the needs of others. Once they develop that way of thinking..."How can I help?"...they will discover that not only does it touch someone else's heart but it will also fill their heart with joy, accomplishment and love.

Something that I have always wanted to do is create a service oriented club at my school. When I was in college, my very best memories are from when I was in my sorority, Kappa Delta Chi. It is a service organization and it was the first time I felt that I was truly helping the world around me. What I did mattered. We did everything from food drives to volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club. We painted house for families in need and we gave holiday parties for the senior citizens of LULAC. I gave my heart to service and try to do that every single day.

I am going to start small but here are some ideas that I have found...maybe there is one in here for you! 

• Write welcome letters to new students to your school. These can be distributed when a child registers their first day though the registrar and can help students feel part of a school family from the very first day.
• Decorate lunch bags  for children in their school. How fun would that be to see their lunch bags shared with their schoolmates. Bags can also be donated to a local Meals on Wheels organization as a way to contribute to their cause. 
• Student ambassadors can be used to help new students become oriented with new a class or grade level. Children can give of their time to play with them at recess, give them a school tour or act as a lunch buddy as they arrive to your school.
• Make cards for a local organization that has shown sincere interest in their learning. Our community is very active and it would be such an awesome experience for students to acknowledge and appreciate their contribution to their learning.

There are several websites that can also help you develop service opportunities for your students. Here are a few that you might find helpful:

• Kid World Citizen
• The Great Kindness Challenge
• The Creative Kindness Project (launches later this year- follow The Creative Chalkboard for more details)

Service to our community, our country and our world is essential. Through fostering this in your students, you are setting them on their way to discover the superhero that they truly can be and that lesson will impacting for the rest of their lives. 

Have a great idea or have been inspired to include service in your school year? I would love to see what amazing ideas you have implemented and your thoughts on What's Under Your Cape?

Would you like a signed copy of Barbara's book? Just click here to link to our giveaway, how to purchase your own copy and the schedule for our book study! 

What's Under Your Cape Book Study and Giveaway

Howdy friends! I don't know about you but I love the summer for so many reasons! The sun, the fun and the time to just relax and unwind is simply priceless. This summer (like many others), I have spent time reading a TON of books. Some for pure pleasure (my favorite so far as been The Fault in Our Stars) and a stack of professional books.

There was one book that truly inspired me. One that gets to the heart of what I hope to do in my classroom everyday. My bloggy friends and I started talking and well....we decided this book was too good to keep to ourselves! So we got together, in only the way that excited teachers can, and planned a book study to share this book with you!

Barbara Gruener is a counselor and character coach of Westwood Bales Elementary and has taught from prek through 12th grade in her 30 years of working with children. She has an amazing blog The Corner on Character  where she shares so many wonderful ideas and stories that focus on developing the heart and mind of the students that we have in our classrooms everyday. 

I have had the absolute pleasure of reading her book What's Under Your Cape? and it is a must read for every educator! In this wonderful book, Barbara writes passionately about the importance of nourishing the super hero qualities in every single student. Through the use of song, dance and pure laughter, we can use Barbara's example to develop character that will benefit our students and the world they live in for many years.

We would love for you to join us as we explore this book together! 

Here is a schedule of the chapters and all the amazing bloggers that will be part of our super fun book study:

I am very excited to be co-hosting chapter one with Melissa of Transitional Kindergarten to bring you our thoughts on chapter one! Chapter one is all about service and how creating service opportunities is a great chance to give to others while also filling your own heart....

Are you excited? Want to know how you can get your copy? Ready to join us in our book study?

We are having a little giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Want to purchase a copy of your own? 

Check out Barbara's blog The Corner on Character and order your copy today!  

See you on July 14th for Chapter one!

Bright Ideas- Writing on the Walls!

It's time for some more Bright Ideas and I have a super fun one to share with you! 

My idea was inspired by the documentary TEACH, which aired last fall. One of the teachers was teaching Algebra to 9th grade students and piloted a program to help her students to succeed. Part of what occurred was that the room was a 360 degree classroom, where students had wipe boards all around them. Every single wall. She used this to create an AMAZING collaborative environment for her students to be able to work through problems, watch others work problems and have conversations about their strategies.

I feel in love.

Then I thought....how can I do that? I couldn't very well buy giant wipe boards! My classroom has two already (one that is somewhat covered with my Promethean board) but the rest of the room is mostly large blue cabinets....and then it hit me!

WRITE AND WIPE CONTACT PAPER!

So I wrote a Donor's Choose grant for several rolls of write and wipe contact paper and expo markers! Here are the results...

 

This was the easiest project and is going to have so many rewards! The students can get out of their seats, allows for collaboration and creates an environment that fun, save and productive!  This worked beautifully with task cards from all subjects and will make a great resource for writing reading responses, editing and so much more! I hope you enjoyed this idea and are inspired to show "the writing on the wall" in your classroom! 

If you enjoyed this bright idea, please consider joining me on 

Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest or Twitter for more great ideas.

For more bright ideas more than 100 different bloggers, please browse through the link-up below and choose a topic/grade level that interests you. Thanks for visiting!

An InLinkz Link-up

Summer Reading { A little personal and a little professional}

Well, year 14 is in the books! What a wonderful whirlwind of a year! I am really enjoying teaching the older kids and can't wait to get started on my second year of fourth grade! But before I do that, I have a whole summer to do some of the things I love most...create, plan and read!

I love to read. It is my favorite past time and it's something that I don't get a chance to do when the school year begins. I try. I really do....but I am always so busy and tired that it might take me weeks to read something that would only take a couple of days during the summer. *Sigh*

During the summer, I really like to mix it up and read as much as possible and I definitely have a list of books to read! I just finished reading The Fault in Our Stars and totally fell in love with it! I am SO glad to have read this before seeing the movie (side note: I am a big fan of reading the book first when I can. There is something really amazing in the act of  creating the story in your own mind first and then comparing it to the movie. I will say, that there have been times where I have been inspired to read the book after the movie only because I wasn't even aware that it was a BOOK...but, the book always seems to win....lol).  If you are looking for a inspirational, sweet and easy read....this is your book!

I am off to the bookstore again today and am thinking about picking up Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. Many have suggested it and have said that it is really good....

Here is a list of a few other reads that I have planned...strictly personal....

1. The Silver Lining Playbook by Matthew Quick
2. Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
3. Fifty Shades of Grey  by EL James (Not a new read, but a really good one....)
4. Whatever might fall in my lap because I LOVE a good book recommendation!

As for professional books, this next school year is going to be focused building what was great this year! My school is taking a closer look at close reading (lol...) and we are continuing our work with guided math. Here are the books that I will be studying this summer to help build those skills...

1. Note and Notice: Strategies for Close Reading by Kylene Beers
2. Falling in Love with Close Reading by Christopher Lehman
3. Guided Math: A Framework for Mathematics Instruction by Laney Sammons
4. Building Mathematical Comprehension: Using Literacy Strategies to Make Meaning by Laney Sammons

Still looking for some more awesome books? Check out  Marie at The Hands-On Teacher, who has a great summer reading linky going on that will definitely help you find some awesome books for the summer!

So now it's your turn (and I can't wait to hear), what are you reading?

Bright Ideas Blog Hop- Awesome End of the Year Gift

I am so excited to be joining the Bright Ideas Blog Hop once again! I absolute love the hundreds of fun, easy and amazing ideas that all the contributing bloggers write about each month! 

We are gearing up for the end of the year and I always love giving my students a little gift from me. Usually I like giving them books to read over the summer but this year my team and I went another way....

I AM IN LOVE!

I am sure that some of you have heard of a Wordle. It is a very cool website that allows you to create a word cloud about any topic that you would like! It's a great instructional tool for students to develop main idea, summary, descriptive writing and so much more! 

This year, I am using Wordle to create a personalized gift for each of my students! Each Wordle can be printed in color or even as a photo and will create  a gift that will be treasured forever!

In class, the students wrote their name on a piece of notebook paper. Nothing to fancy....but just you wait! 

The kiddos went around the room and used adjectives to describe each of their friends in class. It really helps for the students to have a list of character traits. It gave my kiddos lots of ideas and made the variety of words used made for great wordles! 

Now that you have a list of words for each student, the fun really begins! 

All you have to do is go to Wordle.net and select  "create a wordle".

The text box will appear and you can begin typing there. The more often you write/repeat a word, the bigger the word will appear on the word cloud. Because this is going to be a gift for my sweet kiddos, I typed there name several times so that they appear larger.

 

Next click "go" right below the text box.

This will create a word cloud! Now you can definitely play with it and continue to click to get different versions of your word cloud until you find one that you want. 

Using a screen shot of the Wordle allowed me to print in color and also to use my local drug store to print as a picture!

Here is one last tip for using Wordle:

*Copy and paste your text for each student into a word document. This way you have the text, just in case you have to create a new Wordle for that student. The information you type is not saved so this could really be a life saver! 

*Don't forget to add the grade level, school names and even your name to remind students of their awesome school year! 

*I do not share my Worldes on the site. Many of the Wordles I have created for this project have private information, so I chose to not share.

Hope you enjoy making these sweet and unique gifts for your kiddos! Thanks for visiting the Bright Ideas Blog Hop!