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Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Balanced Literacy

I've been working on finding great classroom examples for all of the different Balanced Literacy components. This playlist on You Tube is a work in progress. Most of the examples are for the primary grades, but I will continue to find examples that apply to both elementary and secondary grade levels. Check back for updates!





Friday, October 24, 2014

Friday, September 5, 2014

My finds from this week...

I'm on a roll! Three weeks in a row!

My son experienced some extreme frustration this week when he had to draw the red items he found for his homework. The drawing proved to be the most frustrating part of the work. When I read this post from Austin Kleon, I was reminded of that moment from my week. 
Roger Ebert on the value of drawing in a sketchbook

NEW Edmodo Snapshot --Fantastic Resource that now includes the TEKS!



Corbett Harrison's September Writing Lesson

Interested in grant writing? Check out these free webinars!
Build Your Grant Writing Toolkit Part I & Part II


New Teacher Survival Guide--A collection of resources that would work for not-so-new teachers too!


That's all for this week! 


Friday, August 22, 2014

Some new resources...




Here are some of the great things I've stumbled upon over the last couple of weeks. Enjoy!

Get resources for your classroom through Chevron’s Fuel Your School Campaign 
Check out Flocabulary's newest resources. They now have videos for the primary grades! 

Did you know our brains are wired from birth to understand stories? Stories provide a familiar framework for students (and adults) to understand unfamiliar concepts. Check out the resources below for more.
Read more about the facinating science behind storytelling in Story Proof

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Summer Learning Fun!


It is not uncommon for students to experience what is sometimes called the "summer slide," and I'm not talking about a slide into a pool. Just like sports and music, reading and math require regular practice; a 2-3 month break from practice means that kids return to school with brains that are out of shape. Below you will find a variety of resources to help you help your kids keep their brains in shape! 


Ideas & Resources from the Department of Education
http://www.ed.gov/blog/2014/03/stopping-the-summer-slide/

Grade Based Activities from Jump Start
http://www.jumpstart.com/parents/activities/grade-based-activities

10 Ways to Prevent the Summer Slide
http://littlescholarsllc.wordpress.com/10-ways-to-prevent-summer-slide/

Online Story Time from Barnes & Noble
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/online-storytime-books-toys/379003588 

MWE Library Blog--Mrs. Lewis has even more ideas for Reading Fun!
http://mwelibrary.blogspot.com/

Visit the Scholastic Parents' page for awesome resources and daily tips about ways to help grow great readers.
http://www.scholastic.com/parents/

Scholastic's Summer Reading Challenge
http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/collection/more-reading-resources/keep-your-kids-reading-all-summer-long

Summer Reading Resources from Reading is Fundamental
http://www.rif.org/us/literacy-resources/summer-reading-slide.htm

Hands-on Math Games for all ages
http://motionmathgames.com/summer-fun-with-four-math-concepts/

Simple Tips for Summer Math Learning from PBS
http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/math/math-tips-for-parents/summer-math/

Math Tips for Every Grade
http://www.greatschools.org/students/academic-skills/slideshows/6350-math-tips-for-parents.gs?page=1

Cosmic Kids Yoga: Don't forget to keep bodies in shape too!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5uIZ2KOZZeQDQo_Gsi_qbQ

Download and Print a Summer Fun Packet
https://app.box.com/s/pzyd6h3biob3yabch7ou

Saturday, May 10, 2014