The Teacher Bag

To whom much is given, much is expected.

 

 

Perhaps more appropriately for this post - In which much must be stuffed, much is expected.

 

 

We all have one - that bag that we trust to cart all our most prized teacherly possessions back and forth on a daily basis. Some like wheeled bags. Others prefer stiff cases. Me? I have a love obsession with Vera Bradley. Here's a peek at what I keep in my teacher bag (minus all those lesson plans!):

1. The Tote  //  2. Make-up  // 3. Paper Clips  // 4. Post-its // 5. Agenda

 

 

1. The Tote: I already admitted my love of Vera Bradley. Those colorful bags are soft and flexible. I love how comfortable they feel on my shoulder as I'm walking on campus. The totes hold all my essentials and the bright colors are the perfect pick-me-up for those early mornings and late nights!

 

2. Make-up: I always keep a compact in my bag to freshen up in the middle of the day. Busy classes and fun activities may make me tired by the middle of the day, but a quick freshening up with some light powder makes me feel (and look) refreshed for my afternoon classes.

 

3. Paper Clips: If you're like me, you're carrying papers back and forth on a daily basis. Paper clips keep everything organized!

 

4. Post-its: So. Many. Post-its. This is a good thing because I LOVE those little colorful squares! I have them in all sorts of shapes and sizes. They help organize notebooks and remind me of important dates and assignments.

 

5. Agenda: I'm a bit old-fashioned in that I love writing my important dates on paper! Again, buying that colorful, cute agenda isn't necessary - but it makes looking at that busy schedule a little more fun. Lilly Pulitzer agendas are a bit pricey at $28 but it does last the whole year! (That's what I tell myself anyway! I LOVE Lilly Pulitzer...but my wallet always says "No!")

 

 

OH! Before you leave, don't forget to enter the GIVEAWAY for a free resource from The Teacher's Prep - you, too, can have your students create their own documentaries!

 

Happy Teaching!

Create a Class Documentary and a GIVEAWAY!

 

Ok guys...this post is full of ALL KINDS OF AWESOME! 

 

 

{Two reasons}

 

1. There's a new Create a Class Documentary resource available on TpT

 

2. TWO PEOPLE CAN WIN THE RESOURCE THIS WEEK!

 

Ok...here are the details:

 

My kiddos love being creative in the classroom. I was in search of an idea that would inspire my kids to tackle a subject in a new way and allow them to demonstrate that they really understood the material. I decided I wanted to have my kids work in groups to create documentaries! When they heard the idea they were ecstatic! (Best teaching day ever.)

 

So my kids set off on an 8 day adventure to create documentaries on Ancient Egypt. They used Microsoft PowerPoint (although other programs could be used as well), smartphone videos, pictures, and research to create documentaries on a variety of topics - from the pharaohs to the pyramids! They recorded narration and set up the PowerPoints to play the slides automatically.

 

This resource could work with any subject! It encouraged my kids to delve into those higher-order thinking skills and work collaboratively to complete a task.

 

The Create a Class Documentary Resource is currently available on The Teacher's Prep store. It includes everything you'll need to set-up and run this multi-day class activity.

 

 

Included:

1. How to use this resource
2. A note on technology
3. How to add video and narration to Microsoft PowerPoint
4. A step-by-step guide for teachers
5. A rubric for the documentary (point values left blank for classroom customization)
6. Teacher observation form
7. Documentary Directions
8. Step-by-step directions for students
9. Know Your Audience – activity
10. Storyboard activity
11. Project calendar
12. Job Cards (six total)
13. Movie Poster directions
14. Movie Poster point sheet (point values left blank for classroom customization)

 

Best of all: I'm hosting my first ever giveaway on The Teacher's Prep blog! Use the Rafflecopter Widget below for your chance to enter! I'll select TWO winners and email the resource to you!

 

The giveaway is open today (Saturday) until next Sunday, January 18, 2015

 

Happy Teaching!

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 



Currently January

Happy New Year!

Farley over at Oh' Boy 4th Grade has generously provided another CURRENTLY post...so you know I had to start the year off right and join in!

 

Listening: Have you checked out the new TV series The Librarians on TNT? Guilt pleasure alert! It's a great show that combines a sprinkle of magic, a dash of intrigue, and a heaping helping of fun.

 

Loving: My new JBL Portable Speaker. I can easily blast tunes from my iPhone or iPad with the press of a button. Fact: I need to listen to music while washing dishes. Otherwise it is completely and utterly boring.

 

Thinking: I need to set some resolutions this year! Of course there'll be the staples: eating healthy, a little more exercise...but this year I'm adding some TpT goals to the list as well!

 

Wanting: An extra week of vacation! I love, love, love my school...but I'm not ready to wake up early!

 

Needing: I desperately need a new weekly planner. Any advice of where I can find one?

 

To all those near and far...HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope this new year is filled with adventures, blessings, and health for you and your friends and family.



Secondary Half Way Sale! Dec. 31 - Jan. 1

 

Wow! December has been crazy busy!

If you're like me, your mind is slowly starting to think about returning to the classroom. Luckily for both of us, Mel and Gerdy (Getting Nerdy with Mel and Gerdy) are hosting a Secondary Half Way Sale...and they've invited secondary sellers to join in on the fun!

There are a TON of sellers on Teachers Pay Teachers who have decided to link up and host sales. On December 31st to January 1st, you'll find sellers on THIS LIST who have decided to offer 20% off items in their stores! WOO!

And finally...if you're on the hunt for new interactive notebook activities, I've JUST uploaded the Origins of Judaism Interactive Notebook...so grab one and start your year off organized!

 

Visit The Teacher's Prep store for great deals and some new activities (and freebies!) to add to your lesson plan book.

Happy Teaching!

Currently December

November...where art thou? I swear I blinked and it was gone!

 

The holiday season is SO busy - in the best possible way. Decorating, baking, spending time with family, having fun and learning in the classroom...I want to savor every amazing moment of the most wonderful time of the year! First up, another Currently hosted by Oh Boy 4th Grade:

Listening: I can't get over holiday music. I'm listening to it every chance I get! It makes me feel so happy and relaxed to listen to the sounds of the season.

Loving: Get ready for a holiday pattern...I'm loving decorations! The holiday season is my FAVORITE time of year so you better believe I'm in the midst of decorating mode. The mission this week: buy a tree!

Thinking: I need to get started on my gift list. Fingers crossed I get it done early in the season!

Wanting: Family time! My favorite part of the holiday season is the time I get to spend with my family. Everyone comes together to celebrate our blessings and I wouldn't have it any other way!

Needing: To plan my lessons for the next three weeks and beyond. I will feel so relaxed once I have my plans ready!

Giving: I know how crazy it can be for teachers during the holiday season (see "Needing" above!) To lend a helping hand, I created a Holiday Writing Prompts FREEBIE! It contains 5 black and white holiday writing prompts. Cute clip art abounds and all you need to do is print and go!

 

OH! P.S. - don't forget to check out the TpT sale and save up to 28% on teaching resources!! It ends on December 2nd at 11:59 pm. Happy Teaching!

 

 

Super Cyber Savings - A TpT Sale!

Bring on the holiday cheer! The TpT sale is here!

What an amazing way to kick off the holiday season! My little cart full of goodies has been waiting for this moment for far too long. On December 1st and 2nd, TpT is hosting a Super Cyber Savings sale! Buyers will save up to 28% off their on-sale resources! These sales only happen a few times a year, people, so you better bet your bottom dollar there will be teachers everywhere taking advantage of the amazing prices!

When you check out, use the promo code TPTCYBER to receive the extra discount.

OH - and don't forget to dash over and leave feedback for your past purchases. You'll earn CREDIT towards future purchases. It's like FREE MONEY from TpT as a thank you for being you! How awesome is that?!

Jump in your one horse open sleigh and dash thru the snow to Teachers Pay Teachers and start prepping for one of the best sales of the year!

Happy Teaching (and shopping!)

Historical Thinking Skills - My Classroom Must-Have!

Wow! This month is flying by!

Exciting news for this little blog: the lovely Teaching With Smiles nominated me for a Liebster Award! I'm so thankful to be able to connect with other bloggers and I can't wait to share my own nominations for the Liebster Award soon!

First up, though, a much overdue post on a new resource that's close to my heart -

Historical Thinking Skills Activities.

 

Historical thinking is a process students use when analyzing primary and secondary sources. It's not enough to simply read a document or examine an historical image and move on. Students need to return to the text multiple times during their examination. Often, however, I've found that these skills are mainly being utilized by older students in high school and middle school. In reality, the process needs to start at the elementary level. In an effort to bring historical thinking into the elementary classroom, I developed a set of activities that are easy to incorporate into the Language Arts or Social Studies content in the classroom.

The basis of the historical thinking activities is Think and Link.

There are 5 components of Think and Link:

The Source

Students will identify the author(s) of the document. Students will also identify the type of document being analyzed.

 

The Description

Students will describe what they see or read in the document. If it is a picture, they'll describe the image. If it is a document or chart, students can describe the main ideas.

 

The Background

Students will use their background knowledge of the time period to describe the events surrounding the creation of the document.

 

The Purpose

Using their background knowledge, students will form a hypothesis as to why the document was created by using evidence. Depending upon the grade level/complexity needed, the teacher can prompt students to decide whether the source is biased or neutral.

 

The Reaction

Students will describe how people may have reacted to the creation of the document. Essentially - how did this document influence/impact history?

The resource, intended for grades 2 - 5, includes posters, word wall templates, and plenty of activities to both introduce students to the concept of historical thinking and continue the study throughout the year.

Check out the list of resources included:

 

I'm so excited to share these resources with other teachers because I truly believe they will help students make connections between historical events, become confident readers, and deep thinkers. Plus, they were made with Common Core (and similar) standards in mind to boot!

 

Visit The Teacher's Prep store for more information!

 

Happy Teaching!