tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69433168159929413962024-03-19T00:38:37.327-07:00UNDERpaid and OVERblessedUnderpaid and Overblessedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05995027115595782430noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943316815992941396.post-79132236008909273442015-05-28T12:23:00.000-07:002015-05-28T12:23:30.839-07:00May 18, 2015<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Today has been incredible. We got to see the Akatim Village School in action for he first time and it has been so inspiring. Lauren and I spent the day going from classroom to classroom to observe the students and teachers in action. </span><br />
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We started with "Stage 1," which is just first grade. The teacher was teaching the students about length, capacity, and mass, which I just finished teaching my class a couple of months ago. </div>
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In Stage 2, I was nerdishly excited to see that the kids were learning 3-digit addition using expanded form. People need to know that even in these tiny, remote African villages, students are learning all the modern-day skills we teach our children in the United States!</div>
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The Stage 3 teacher was lots of fun. He was teaching 4-letter words, which I thought was a little easy but then I remembered English is not their first language! Twi is the most commonly spoken language in Ghana, but nearly everyone speaks English and the students are taught English starting in kindergarten. </div>
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We visited a few other classes and truly enjoyed watching the teachers. They are enthusiastic, and you can tell that most of them love what they do. <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">I realized that I am of course observing these teachers from the perspective of a teacher trained in the United States, so I kept comparing the teaching to what I would be expected to do. I looked for the whole "I Do, We Do, You Do" mindset, but most teachers used a traditional lecture format. The students responded well to it, too. If I tried to teach that way in my classroom, there's no way it would work. Students in the US have gotten used to engaging, hands-on, task-based learning. This isn't a bad thing, but it's exhausting for the teacher. It was different to see students sitting there, focused on what their teachers were saying, learning whatever it is they need to be learning, all because that's their responsibility. There were no bribes or rewards involved; the kids were intrinsically motivated. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Our last class of the day was KG (kindergarten) 1. Oh my goodness. There are almost 30 kids in the class, so they get to have two teachers all the time. These teachers were phenomenal! They were so much fun to watch! They were singing and dancing and laughing the whole time. What stuck out the most was that they each had a baby with them. In Ghana, teachers bring their babies to school! They wear them on their backs so that they're close and secure, but also so that they realize that they are not mom's top priority. I love this philosophy. I love that the teachers didn't have to choose between their families and their jobs. They just wore their babies, nursed them when they needed to, put them down for naps when they needed to, and it was no big deal. The students didn't think anything of it. I think I'm going to move to Ghana. :)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">More tomorrow!</span></div>
Underpaid and Overblessedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05995027115595782430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943316815992941396.post-79597941193164923182015-05-28T11:54:00.000-07:002015-05-28T12:23:11.802-07:00May 17, 2015<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">The days are completely blending together; time kind of freezes here and you lose track of it. Yesterday we spent the day in Accra, visiting the markets. We sat and watched some guys carve different items for awhile, which was really cool. I bought a drum for Charlie and was actually brave enough to negotiate for it myself. We had red-red for lunch, which is pinto beans in a spicy sauce and fried plantains. </span><br />
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It is SO hot. Take the last time you were unbearably hot. Now multiply that times 6 trillion. It's hotter here. I've never sweat this much or smelled so bad. But--it's so amazing. It is a gorgeous country, and the people are so kind.</div>
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Last night we went to pick up Lauren from the airport, then got on an 8-hour overnight bus ride to Berekum. Yuck. We were stuck in the very back row of the bus, going down pothole-covered dirt roads. I didn't get a wink of sleep, and we arrived in Senase at 5 am. I've been awake for over 24 hours, but it was such a good day. Our hosts made us breakfast, which we ate in the courtyard of their home with chickens and puppies and kittens running around. We had bread with peanut butter, and fresh mangos right from the trees in their yard.</div>
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After that, we explored Senase and Berekum. It was so fun to see everything, and it really is beautiful. Then we packed up all our stuff and went to spend the night at the school.<br />
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To get to the school, we took a motorized tricycle. We must've looked ridiculous, with three air mattresses, way too many bags, and five passengers. But we made it! The school is in Akatim, about 20-30 minutes away from Senase. We drove up a winding, bumpy dirt road and when I finally saw the school appear, I couldn't believe it. I've seen pictures of this school a million times and just couldn't wrap my head around the idea that I was actually there, in person, in Ghana. We got set up in one of the kindergarten classrooms, then had dinner (jollof rice--my favorite!) After that, we lit some Chinese wishing lanterns that Chris had brought. We released them along with our positive thoughts and hopes and good vibes and all that hippy stuff. Tons of people from the village showed up to help us, which was awesome because it was something they hadn't seen before.<br />
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At bed time, we were all so hot that we lay on the concrete floor for awhile, just to cool off. And that was that! Day 1 in Senase/Akatim was a success.</div>
Underpaid and Overblessedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05995027115595782430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943316815992941396.post-54089594176545467842015-05-26T01:37:00.000-07:002015-05-26T01:37:29.730-07:00May 15, 2015<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Three continents in one day--it's as exhausting as it sounds. I still can't believe I'm in Africa. I got here only about 5 hours ago. I left Louisiana and my sweet baby boy about 24 hours ago and first headed to Miami. I had a short layover there, ate some pizza, and got on an 8 1/2 hour flight to London where I met up with Chris. It was so nice to see someone I knew after traveling alone for so long! We chatted for a bit then got on our 6 hour flight to Accra, Ghana. </span><br />
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And here we are! Landing in Ghana was interesting. We walked down some steps from the plane to a bus, which drove us to the terminal. Oh my gosh. The heat and humidity are atrocious; it's good that I'm familiar with this kind of weather! It took me about 5 seconds to put my hair in a bun, tuck my bangs back with a cute headband Amy made for me, and realize that I will have absolutely no use for my mom's cool foreign straightener here. Anyway, then we waited in line at the immigration desks forever. The guy who helped Chris winked at me because he thought I was his girlfriend. Haha. When we finally got through that, we went and got our bags, passed easily through customs, and headed outside to meet Oliver, our friend who was driving us to our hotel. </div>
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Holy moly. Walking out of the airport felt like we were walking onto a red carpet surrounded by paparazzi. There were soooo many people picking up passengers, and taxi drivers and luggage helper guys trying to get our business. I followed sheepishly behind Chris, totally overwhelmed and fighting the urge to grab his hand like I always do Craig's when we're in a crowd. We found Oliver and got on the road with him. </div>
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That's when I knew I was in for my next adventure. The drivers in Ghana are CRAZY!!!! I don't even know how to describe how nuts the drive to Olivia and Oliver's mom's house was! When we pulled up, Oliver asked Chris if he knew about the electricity issues they've been having the last 3 or 4 months. It turns out the whole country is having problems where the government cuts different neighborhoods' electricity off whenever they feel like it. There's no schedule or rhyme or reason; you ever know when you're going to have electricity and when you won't, nationwide. While we were standing there talking to Olivia's mom, it happened to come back on. </div>
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From there, we went to the hotel we were supposed to stay at. We had made reservations, but they suddenly had no rooms available so we finally ended up a different hotel right around the corner. Now I've never considered myself to be spoiled or a princess or whatever, but I have to admit how shocked I am at what life it's truly like in a third world country. And I know I've only scratched the surface as far as what I've seen. My hotel room is not the kind of place I'd ever have imagined myself staying at. But here I sit, grateful for the window unit AC and the dim light of the tv. </div>
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Chris took me to a little outdoor bar tonight for a drink and it was sooo nice to sit there and have grown up conversation and begin to find myself again. I haven't done anything like that in nearly two years. Even when Craig and I do go somewhere and leave Charlie with a sitter, he's always in my mind and I always know I need to hurry so I can get back to him. Tonight it was just Brittany, the most delicious beer I've ever had (and I'm so not a beer drinker!), an outdoor table with a disco ball lighting up the sidewalk, and music from 2005. And it was awesome. I came to Ghana to use my gifts as a teacher to help students and teachers here. But I think Ghana is about to do even more for me than I could even hope to do for it. I can't wait!</div>
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Tomorrow we're headed to the airport early to try to find our lost friends who never showed up, and then it's off to the village! I'll let you know what happens!</div>
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Underpaid and Overblessedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05995027115595782430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943316815992941396.post-14995138240209027012015-05-11T08:36:00.000-07:002015-05-11T08:36:10.449-07:00May 11, 2015Everything always happens at once, doesn't it?<br />
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Craig's job is really challenging for us because he misses out on lots of family time. He was gone this weekend, which stunk because #1) it was Mother's Day, and #2) it was the weekend before I leave for the next couple of weeks. It never gets any easier for me to be away from him. (I guess that means I like him, which I suppose is a good thing.)<br />
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Well for once, the team was supposed to return home at a decent time Sunday night (i.e. before midnight.) To accomplish this, they had an early evening flight and OF COURSE their game went into 15 innings before it was called at a tie. 15 innings?! Now this could have happened any other weekend, and it wouldn't have been a big deal. But their ridiculous game caused them to miss their flight, and now Craig won't be home until late tonight. We will literally have like 6 hours together before he has to take us to the airport.<br />
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On top of that, Charlie is sick. His Mother's Day present to me was a 102.6 fever. The poor guy is so fussy and tired and restless. Not exactly the best circumstances for traveling and being away from his mama.<br />
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I'm also getting this crazy anxiety about my trip, which is so unlike me, but I'm chalking it up to the fact that I'm a mom now and if things weren't to go as planned, I have lots more at stake than I have before.<br />
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Deep breaths, right? I know everything is going to work out. In four days I'll be on 14 hours worth of flights where I plan to get more hours of sleep in a row than I've gotten since before I was pregnant. I just have to make it to that point!Underpaid and Overblessedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05995027115595782430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943316815992941396.post-10745366445234292312015-05-07T12:56:00.000-07:002015-05-07T12:59:00.977-07:00May 7, 2015Craig and I were talking recently about how amazing it is how God uses people in each other's lives.<br />
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Before Craig and I met, I was looking into going to Africa to teach. I have always been drawn to the idea of working in Africa. But before I could get very far with those plans, Craig swept me off my feet and we got married, moved to Utah, and got lost in the humdrum of everyday life.<br />
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After we'd been in Utah a couple of years, Craig met a guy at work named Chris, who had "started a school in Africa." Craig would come home and talk about this guy and his work all the time, and I finally had to tell him that I didn't want to hear it because as amazing as the things this guy was accomplishing were, it depressed me to think that I wasn't doing the things I had wanted to do. Don't get me wrong, my marriage and son are the most phenomenal blessings ever in the whole wide world, but there are still other things I want to do in life. (I think moms are way too often made to feel guilty for pursuing their own dreams and agendas. But that's a whole other topic.)<br />
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Fast forward a little and I realized I was wasting my time being bitter, and I instead needed to take action. Instead of telling Craig to stop telling me about Chris and <a href="http://www.thesenaseproject.org/" target="_blank">The Senase Project</a>, I started asking more questions. I told Craig that he should tell Chris that I was happy to help him and the organization in any way, just to let me know what I could do. That lead to Chris taking a huge leap of faith in me, and allowing me to start working with the Sponsor a Student portion of the organization. This meant that I would coordinate sponsor/student contact, try to hook students up with sponsors, and so on. I was so excited to be involved, and so amazed that this guy I barely knew was trusting me.<br />
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I told Chris, though, that I would love to help the organization in my capacity as a teacher if an opportunity ever came up. Well sure enough, one did! Not too long after I started helping with The Senase Project, Chris asked if I could help write some supplemental materials to go with the curriculum the school uses. The teachers there don't have many resources, and being a small nonprofit, we don't have the budget to purchase fancy, ready-made curricular materials. That's where I come in!<br />
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Now I'm not sure I totally know what I'm doing, but I knew that I definitely couldn't help unless I met these teachers and students, and saw their school in action. I feel like I won't know what it is they need from me unless I experience it first-hand. And so I'm going to Ghana next week. I have no clue what to expect, really. I've travelled internationally before, but never to Africa or a tiny, remote village. I'm a planner, so the unknowns have been hard!<br />
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But I'm trying to focus on what I do know. God doesn't do coincidences; there's a reason he moved us to Utah, and a reason he allowed Craig and Chris to connect. There's a reason I've always felt called to serve in Africa, and a reason I'm feeling compelled to do something different with my life right now. The Lord's timing is so perfect and it is beyond comforting to know that we have a Heavenly Father who has already laid out our paths, down to the last stepping stone. I really hope that I'm on the right track, because I know that if it's where the Lord wants me to be, then it's the right place to be. I guess we'll find out!Underpaid and Overblessedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05995027115595782430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943316815992941396.post-59738041401379399622015-05-05T12:45:00.000-07:002015-05-05T13:04:09.036-07:00May 5, 2015Sooo I'm a little behind on the blog. Like 2 years behind. What can I say, I've been busy! The last time I posted, the hubs and I were about to start undergoing infertility treatments. Since then, we had a successful pregnancy and our sweet baby boy just turned 1 year old last week! Pregnancy did not agree with me in the least (really--I'm a monster when I'm pregnant), but the outcome was so beyond worth it! Hubby also finished grad school, got a grown up job, we bought a house, and I went part-time with teaching.<br />
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As for teaching, it's been a rough couple of years. Last school year was rough because of my pregnancy. This school year has just been rough. I haven't enjoyed my job this year, which makes me so sad to admit. Teaching just isn't about teaching anymore, at least in many places. When I don't allow myself to think about all the extras teachers have to do, I love my job. I love the kids, I love connecting with them, I even love the curriculum. But when I think about the 6 billion other things we're supposed to do, with a smile and a happy-go-lucky attitude, all while maintaining a balanced and fulfilling personal life, I get angry and sad and depressed.<br />
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I don't know if teaching is for me anymore.<br />
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The thing is, I'm so at peace with that. Usually I'd be a huge ball of anxiety, stressing over what I'm supposed to do with my life, how I'm supposed to help support my family, yada yada yada. But I truly feel like God is preparing my heart and mind for something bigger and better (not that teaching isn't one of the biggest and best things you can do!) I have no clue what it is, but I'm thrilled to figure it out with the Lord's guidance.<br />
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And I'm hoping that maybe, just maybe, it has to do with my trip to Ghana next week.<br />
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Stay tuned for my Ghana adventures!<br />
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Underpaid and Overblessedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05995027115595782430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943316815992941396.post-58331193460084412852013-04-10T17:11:00.000-07:002013-04-11T10:08:56.266-07:00Make-at-School Mother's Day Gift Idea!<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";">My class made
their Mother’s Day gifts this week! This is a project that I’ve done for three
years now, and it’s always such a big hit I just had to share. It takes a
little bit of effort, but the outcome is worth it, and more importantly, it’s
something different that Mom probably hasn’t gotten before. So what is it?
Grass Heads! (basically home-made Chia Pets)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNoIgSUd3X74LI9_Bh3flYHw0hTlGAMFngMpBxnTJ7oSDRkEUlkejJCMWQ46NFqueMxWCjXFm2zfNd5ChmVqGyiRXKUrw7MC-7d1tbDh6ebmDzvn9-SxhA3XboDJRGQmcrUu1X93jFaKw/s1600/Picture1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNoIgSUd3X74LI9_Bh3flYHw0hTlGAMFngMpBxnTJ7oSDRkEUlkejJCMWQ46NFqueMxWCjXFm2zfNd5ChmVqGyiRXKUrw7MC-7d1tbDh6ebmDzvn9-SxhA3XboDJRGQmcrUu1X93jFaKw/s320/Picture1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";">This may seem
daunting, but I’ve done it with 1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup>, 2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup>, and 5<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>
graders so I know kids of all ages can handle it! Obviously with the younger
ones, you just have to model very clearly and be explicit with your directions.
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<span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";">Here is all
you need to know to make these cute, springy Mother’s Day gifts:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";">The
Materials</span></u><span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxpTbNk2DAoAIMXz9HAQhZpsMaCtS0cKghdQ4dy3dIGXpQxRVrN2qtnyz7iwXy6qs3zpI3BsnbqaIiR1eKBlPjUBe06o32mmPa0djxg6mRUlnDTj927hNtjDk-xMpvLcMTdJ_ZkWg6OFA/s1600/Picture2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxpTbNk2DAoAIMXz9HAQhZpsMaCtS0cKghdQ4dy3dIGXpQxRVrN2qtnyz7iwXy6qs3zpI3BsnbqaIiR1eKBlPjUBe06o32mmPa0djxg6mRUlnDTj927hNtjDk-xMpvLcMTdJ_ZkWg6OFA/s200/Picture2.png" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">♥</span><span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";"> 1 knee-high stocking per kid </span><span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">(I get the kind that come as a pair in a plastic bubble
for 33 cents at Walmart</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">…</span><span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">that’s around 4 bucks for my whole class)</span><span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">♥ </span><span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";">grass seed<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">♥ </span><span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";">hamster bedding </span><span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">(1 bag was enough for 25 students)</span><span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">♥ </span><span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";">2 googly eyes per kid<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">♥ </span><span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";">1 rubber band per kid<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">♥ </span><span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";">1 styrofoam bowl per kid<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">♥ </span><span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";">8 ounce plastic cups for measuring and
scooping<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">♥ </span><span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";">any materials you want to accessorize
with </span><span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">(pipe cleaners, scraps of material, etc.)<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<u><span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";">The Directions</span></u><span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">*</span><span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";">The kids need to work in pairs to help
each other. One student will need to hold the stocking open while the other
stuffs it with grass seed and bedding. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">*<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNAdloXQNf_QayuWSlkkkhYn3jpZLGfzQw-_zPevkvBpBPbPyHye3H6UK69RiBwz2PBv8XqPdtb16joYFQPA6DcbVn6gtdd0upCM_duQxj74FcIc1wfrcYghBJ9_pb0EBhMklQEMjIymQ/s1600/Picture4.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNAdloXQNf_QayuWSlkkkhYn3jpZLGfzQw-_zPevkvBpBPbPyHye3H6UK69RiBwz2PBv8XqPdtb16joYFQPA6DcbVn6gtdd0upCM_duQxj74FcIc1wfrcYghBJ9_pb0EBhMklQEMjIymQ/s200/Picture4.png" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";">1)
Put about 1/8 cup of grass seed in the bottom of the stocking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKgzxeAVvxPQY4dBdSsq1FqgQ2tBgLhaPt1nmCXtIeVJuvKki-YmCwAJ_vFEd30sQ_BbOLi_JVKmj_PuNxCPPqmFmgMM1nzABuzePhuqT_y71XNbtoAaI5gpwGkW_HVWSXl3poH_ZIaS0/s1600/Picture5.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKgzxeAVvxPQY4dBdSsq1FqgQ2tBgLhaPt1nmCXtIeVJuvKki-YmCwAJ_vFEd30sQ_BbOLi_JVKmj_PuNxCPPqmFmgMM1nzABuzePhuqT_y71XNbtoAaI5gpwGkW_HVWSXl3poH_ZIaS0/s200/Picture5.png" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";"><span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";">2) Put about 4 cupfuls of bedding in the stocking</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUyRKLhJ90iewBXbN-g52-pGe-694zmnRmXZtqVWYe_-nuYVSltL6TnOEQEv_NZHaGE3v6MMilWVybp_uNuD7DHcMwXJdtpfCae-b8XvZlue6Hy_VdAump84SvoE8a-PYSYFe1apnHWqY/s1600/Picture6.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUyRKLhJ90iewBXbN-g52-pGe-694zmnRmXZtqVWYe_-nuYVSltL6TnOEQEv_NZHaGE3v6MMilWVybp_uNuD7DHcMwXJdtpfCae-b8XvZlue6Hy_VdAump84SvoE8a-PYSYFe1apnHWqY/s200/Picture6.png" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";"><span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";">3)
Smush the stocking to turn it into the shape you want. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvdBlGIwrmLVqQTrOViZqbWqcKJGADS13Y6PjhkIxDIR0hhPZaG7kCIK1u3MoySSK7k9PZOls4-8TzNPkobTS-r9hLNqGCVDZzuaJctaM_AJ3lfKdnnorEqduOtoHsk8DdHvFzoxvrWLM/s1600/Picture7.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvdBlGIwrmLVqQTrOViZqbWqcKJGADS13Y6PjhkIxDIR0hhPZaG7kCIK1u3MoySSK7k9PZOls4-8TzNPkobTS-r9hLNqGCVDZzuaJctaM_AJ3lfKdnnorEqduOtoHsk8DdHvFzoxvrWLM/s200/Picture7.png" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";">4)
Tie a knot in the bottom of the stocking and cut off the extra material. </span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihIkQ-17pxJF7jF87KED7PWPx_XUCI6k8jjUSl0omVZAnDEf58F2TqhNwAwyv6TeHx6il8Tek0fTefY3MvLhddf1sYYQ_4u7NfmfIqCs3WpIkCjHj9uSbQq0LTM-oOhCAsr2o_3Br8YdE/s1600/Picture8.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihIkQ-17pxJF7jF87KED7PWPx_XUCI6k8jjUSl0omVZAnDEf58F2TqhNwAwyv6TeHx6il8Tek0fTefY3MvLhddf1sYYQ_4u7NfmfIqCs3WpIkCjHj9uSbQq0LTM-oOhCAsr2o_3Br8YdE/s200/Picture8.png" width="200" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";">5)
Write the student’s initials on the bottom of the grass head near the knot. </span><span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";">Hot glue on the googly eyes and have the students create their grass heads’
noses by pulling a little bedding outward and wrapping a rubber band around it.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA_cPIuUF38IFXsDTYKMXQyeRR8YyQU268upxOurrWnweivoDD6c65KuZO_UT0mVeoOEvVMMLmBByCdWOqgP8cBfmgv_JqiLuY14P2fzrrKjnJb0tgSbxHVYwWOLgX9XplYVCYexT4LAQ/s1600/Picture9.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA_cPIuUF38IFXsDTYKMXQyeRR8YyQU268upxOurrWnweivoDD6c65KuZO_UT0mVeoOEvVMMLmBByCdWOqgP8cBfmgv_JqiLuY14P2fzrrKjnJb0tgSbxHVYwWOLgX9XplYVCYexT4LAQ/s200/Picture9.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiEV0ecqUfz3AbVK8pBRyVpX81Ad1ep3T4ovZBYxz1fnHN9mNCLPF2W4ctnpWmYXi3pn9B8QUQ4mHW0b7gX1-BU6MwfY_YWL54JOndRII4VBcWdfkFhqymU0Ywd815d-fPVe8jdyTskNo/s1600/Picture10.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiEV0ecqUfz3AbVK8pBRyVpX81Ad1ep3T4ovZBYxz1fnHN9mNCLPF2W4ctnpWmYXi3pn9B8QUQ4mHW0b7gX1-BU6MwfY_YWL54JOndRII4VBcWdfkFhqymU0Ywd815d-fPVe8jdyTskNo/s200/Picture10.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";">7)
Soak all the grass heads overnight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2zWt3sJJI7nlhMOVDhaDLiafMcBiKnhQBwOpX4Ehr7XzRdheVK3tvsEOi9dYBpx_ck8Ajzmybx1Mzge8nLUSgBVn7GYN_o_VTh8kT9_kFxpcW3_kUNJ3f7PzsmwSKiEVISfMDISdyO_M/s1600/Picture11.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2zWt3sJJI7nlhMOVDhaDLiafMcBiKnhQBwOpX4Ehr7XzRdheVK3tvsEOi9dYBpx_ck8Ajzmybx1Mzge8nLUSgBVn7GYN_o_VTh8kT9_kFxpcW3_kUNJ3f7PzsmwSKiEVISfMDISdyO_M/s200/Picture11.png" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";">8)
Put in a sunny spot and water regularly (spray bottles are great for this!) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";">9)
Decorate with accessories, if you so desire. (I had first graders hot glue on “dresses”
and stuff. They also like to make things out of pipe cleaners to glue on</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">…</span><span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";">ears, mouths, glasses, barrettes</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">…</span><span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";">)<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";">10)
Send home for Mother’s Day!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courtney Dorkling;">I recommend you do this outside...it gets messy!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwlDb6i7x6kC4nJwkMNT5D7_YVv2k_mn1eswgmSJo59qsSDMXdwWJuLhrNgfP2ejSX_yd2pRYaF_9SEaBCZ-4lIN29UbuaStJViFqH6zUPOgCrvj1IJtsbf6wJ_3-XYwDg_CUj4xTOdN8/s1600/Picture3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwlDb6i7x6kC4nJwkMNT5D7_YVv2k_mn1eswgmSJo59qsSDMXdwWJuLhrNgfP2ejSX_yd2pRYaF_9SEaBCZ-4lIN29UbuaStJViFqH6zUPOgCrvj1IJtsbf6wJ_3-XYwDg_CUj4xTOdN8/s320/Picture3.png" width="319" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";"><o:p>This is a great book to invest in! It has lots of great ideas. I got mine on Amazon.com for just a few dollars. </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";"><o:p>I will post update pics of the Grass Heads as the grass grows. Like I said, this is just something fun and different you can have your students take home as a gift for Mom on Mother's Day. Have fun! I know your students will! </o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOviCiamYRX0s5hBrLI2fahOpyho7Wp5Yoz8BLH1VT7avUpyFLZvUhsLsaDAnsrY67VfnlljcKzHtbOZF1JmJuArNA9oxmXBpOoLwHIcEHvrRNmQUNXWAKjFAejUolrkDjPlG6Bqi7Jlw/s1600/Signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOviCiamYRX0s5hBrLI2fahOpyho7Wp5Yoz8BLH1VT7avUpyFLZvUhsLsaDAnsrY67VfnlljcKzHtbOZF1JmJuArNA9oxmXBpOoLwHIcEHvrRNmQUNXWAKjFAejUolrkDjPlG6Bqi7Jlw/s200/Signature.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<br />Underpaid and Overblessedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05995027115595782430noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943316815992941396.post-59866844566256576552013-04-04T18:51:00.000-07:002013-04-04T18:51:17.075-07:00Spring Break SALE!<div style="text-align: left;">
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<span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";">I don’t know
about you, but I’ve been on Spring Break this week and it’s been glorious! The
weather is finally warm, I haven’t had anything to worry about</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">…</span><span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";">total bliss. Sadly, tomorrow is already Friday. </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Courtney Dorkling"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Courtney Dorkling"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">L</span></span><span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling";"> When we go back to school Monday, we’ll
be in that home stretch! Nine weeks til summer! Anyway, to brighten my mood
(and hopefully yours, too!), <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Underpaid-And-Overblessed" target="_blank">I’m throwing a sale!</a> Check it out! Thanks for
dropping by!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Underpaid-And-Overblessed" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxi4TpAoY2if9RbBpP1ghtfxwNkkbIJU7fHz83h3lIvgYw0FI_Qs0_eg_VezsdE8S7h7VGzAJB12XOx_JIVVC_Pt-3GtCnraK_fmcN2mRKwdYSciiK_UU5sWAQ65kRovD08uhQWSH2OpI/s640/Spring+Break+Sale.png" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOviCiamYRX0s5hBrLI2fahOpyho7Wp5Yoz8BLH1VT7avUpyFLZvUhsLsaDAnsrY67VfnlljcKzHtbOZF1JmJuArNA9oxmXBpOoLwHIcEHvrRNmQUNXWAKjFAejUolrkDjPlG6Bqi7Jlw/s1600/Signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOviCiamYRX0s5hBrLI2fahOpyho7Wp5Yoz8BLH1VT7avUpyFLZvUhsLsaDAnsrY67VfnlljcKzHtbOZF1JmJuArNA9oxmXBpOoLwHIcEHvrRNmQUNXWAKjFAejUolrkDjPlG6Bqi7Jlw/s200/Signature.png" width="200" /></a></div>
Underpaid and Overblessedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05995027115595782430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943316815992941396.post-80622368894560704532013-03-30T10:23:00.002-07:002013-03-30T10:49:04.860-07:00{FREE} Emergency Sub Plan Idea!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">So
I’ve seen this idea around the Internet before. It’s not mine (please let me
know if it’s yours so I can give you the credit!), but it’s so great I had to
share.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Most
elementary teachers know and love the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Miss
Nelson</i> books by Harry Allard. And most elementary teachers dread creating
plans for those days we can’t be at school and have to have a substitute. So
here is a super easy idea to add to your emergency sub plan file.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">All
you need is a copy of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Miss Nelson is Missing</i>
and a paper for each student. (Click on <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B3QkER-mkuxyekd6b2tWSmJoeEk/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">{HERE}</a> to download it for free.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Copy back to back, using whichever
versions are better for your students.) Have the sub read <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Miss Nelson is Missing</i> to your class, then discuss with them some
ideas about where you might be. Then have the sub give each student a sheet,
and have them write and draw about their ideas. Viola!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhAzGS2zR5hyphenhyphenXwot7mnfRvdAemVUlozT568SvDTimScH_N2kacOO75taaJUFATZWKYukUd-4T1u-7EIka9kEJPhlqLTTXDvC0rqUG6mPry_soig-5crKtEgkvRgsIfkO8TsMjbx_fM8jo/s1600/teacher+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhAzGS2zR5hyphenhyphenXwot7mnfRvdAemVUlozT568SvDTimScH_N2kacOO75taaJUFATZWKYukUd-4T1u-7EIka9kEJPhlqLTTXDvC0rqUG6mPry_soig-5crKtEgkvRgsIfkO8TsMjbx_fM8jo/s320/teacher+1.png" width="268" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Your
kids will absolutely LOVE doing this, no matter what grade they’re in. Mine
came up with some super creative ideas and their drawings were adorable.
Several thought I wasn’t at school because I had fallen in a volcano, been
eaten by a shark, gotten stuck in a waterfall</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">…</span><span style="font-family: "Courtney Dorkling"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">.there were a couple who thought I wasn’t there because I
was out getting a divorce. Haha. (I swear I’ve never given them a reason to
think that!) One thought I was out having a baby. (Definitely not prego.)Anyway,
it’s just a lot of fun for the kids to create, and a lot of fun for you to
read, as well! Enjoy!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwjv-Owdyku7j_Np6Zrprg041xFXr3rZU0SajXD8CO_rB6Y0BW25p3jljjnv5R8xvSurIlzb5LoVYy9_mZKRPahDaQXF4dYqd0KrsLHba4wISHFEnkD5Bnq4n-zTCwMqs2qgQZ6JO1868/s1600/Signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwjv-Owdyku7j_Np6Zrprg041xFXr3rZU0SajXD8CO_rB6Y0BW25p3jljjnv5R8xvSurIlzb5LoVYy9_mZKRPahDaQXF4dYqd0KrsLHba4wISHFEnkD5Bnq4n-zTCwMqs2qgQZ6JO1868/s200/Signature.png" width="200" /></a> </div>
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<br />Underpaid and Overblessedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05995027115595782430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943316815992941396.post-43672341683699528192013-03-24T18:45:00.000-07:002013-03-24T19:07:07.574-07:00Take Me Out to the {Verb} Ball Game!<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Baby Boston"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">So my hubby is an athletic trainer
and his life revolves around baseball. His baseball players get to see way more
of his handsome face than I do! I was sitting at a game last weekend thinking
about how it’s a darn good thing I love baseball or my life would stink. And I
was also thinking about verbs, because what else would a teacher be thinking
about on a Sunday afternoon?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Baby Boston"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"></span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdG0tvFlgmr_RE172Pl_RF3oF_Q0ysCCj9eho8dqu3DBqxpg0vMQgXYEgcq-A2Y-VG0i5eBukwN3PUUTvZG-c62FEKh-o4dnId_69MBu1UMhwwmNvuWjJatXwz8K7x_x_QxbMHT4lbRWk/s1600/Picture1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdG0tvFlgmr_RE172Pl_RF3oF_Q0ysCCj9eho8dqu3DBqxpg0vMQgXYEgcq-A2Y-VG0i5eBukwN3PUUTvZG-c62FEKh-o4dnId_69MBu1UMhwwmNvuWjJatXwz8K7x_x_QxbMHT4lbRWk/s320/Picture1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Baby Boston"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I had recently done a week’s worth
of verbs with my cute 2<sup>nd</sup> graders and the next Monday when I asked
what a verb was, they had no clue. UGH!!!! I swear I’m not that bad of a
teacher! So I knew I needed a game. Kids always learn from games</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">…</span><span style="font-family: "Baby Boston"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">baseball and verbs, baseball
and verbs</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">…</span><span style="font-family: "Baby Boston"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">.how about a <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Verb-Baseball-Game" target="_blank">Verb Baseball game</a>? What would apparently be the
best game my kids had ever played was born. </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Baby Boston"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Baby Boston"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: "Baby Boston"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Baby Boston"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The game focuses on the different
verb tenses, rather than just the idea that a verb is an action word. My kiddos
have never had so much fun with grammar. I played the game in my small group
and the kids just couldn’t wait to have their small group turn! Some of them
thought it was rigged. Haha. Anyway, you should <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Verb-Baseball-Game" target="_blank">{check it out}</a>! And if you are
one of the first three readers to leave your email address in a comment, I’ll
send it to you for free!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Baby Boston"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Baby Boston"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Five days ‘til Spring Break!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHc9O9_X2WmF_yBv6HqOrEJSIBffhDFaTxajYWM54qiqUMYuB4OhxMFnrY7inJ53an-fi2xUjmX6JOhkGzlpNNunEQWV4A5S8SAslFUVxaUYy1ODsjIb0gefIB45ud1jw9QMXt_Dnnf2E/s1600/Signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHc9O9_X2WmF_yBv6HqOrEJSIBffhDFaTxajYWM54qiqUMYuB4OhxMFnrY7inJ53an-fi2xUjmX6JOhkGzlpNNunEQWV4A5S8SAslFUVxaUYy1ODsjIb0gefIB45ud1jw9QMXt_Dnnf2E/s200/Signature.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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Underpaid and Overblessedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05995027115595782430noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943316815992941396.post-79633506024545695902013-03-10T16:57:00.000-07:002013-03-10T16:57:39.436-07:00Personal Narratives Made Easy!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Baby Boston"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I’ve been really
stressed lately about my kids’ writing and the things I should be doing and
haven’t, and all that great stuff. Where has the year gone?! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Baby Boston"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Baby Boston"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Anyway, to help
cement the things they’ve learned about personal narratives so far this year, I
put together a unit on personal narratives. It includes an introduction to personal
narratives, an example personal narrative, blank personal narrative templates,
and a personal narrative checklist. We also have Literacy Night coming up in a
little over a month, and we have to display some of our kids’ writing. I
thought it would be sweet if they each wrote a book about their families, and
then included a personal narrative about their families at the end of the book.
This is included in the <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Personal-Narratives-Made-Easy" target="_blank">Personal Narratives Made Easy</a> unit. As usual, the first
3 readers to comment and leave their email addresses will get the <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Personal-Narratives-Made-Easy" target="_blank">Personal Narratives Made Easy</a> unit with the bonus family book for FREE! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Personal-Narratives-Made-Easy" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgala7FdObgGtPkZvdoK53cqwAKtyZEKvjAfNCQjI4vd8BuUsP3er9lqEmUKrta2y1Dqo2CswZ8kQFcy-QiUxu3_d24dO-MWAsbDXJI6Gf02MHLO4KvNqVRwhGIoD6fXpLoinqBdrB8F0k/s400/Picture10.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Baby Boston"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">What advice do you
have for other teachers who are stressed about teaching writing? I’d love some
fresh ideas!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHc9O9_X2WmF_yBv6HqOrEJSIBffhDFaTxajYWM54qiqUMYuB4OhxMFnrY7inJ53an-fi2xUjmX6JOhkGzlpNNunEQWV4A5S8SAslFUVxaUYy1ODsjIb0gefIB45ud1jw9QMXt_Dnnf2E/s1600/Signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHc9O9_X2WmF_yBv6HqOrEJSIBffhDFaTxajYWM54qiqUMYuB4OhxMFnrY7inJ53an-fi2xUjmX6JOhkGzlpNNunEQWV4A5S8SAslFUVxaUYy1ODsjIb0gefIB45ud1jw9QMXt_Dnnf2E/s200/Signature.png" width="200" /></a></div>
Underpaid and Overblessedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05995027115595782430noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943316815992941396.post-1711163512589070382013-02-03T13:47:00.002-08:002013-02-03T13:47:33.802-08:00Research Reports Made Easy! {Get yours free...}<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Socially Awkward";">This week we are tackling
the oh-so-exciting research report! I threw together a unit to help teach this
concept to my kiddos. It includes planning advice, organizers, a checklist, and
templates. One thing I debated including was information on bibliographies. I
don’t want this to be too complicated for my second graders, but I still want
them to know the right way to do things. In this day and age, it is too easy to
“steal” information and not give credit where it is due. I want my students to
know the proper way to cite others from an early age, but like I said, I don’t
want it to be too complicated. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Socially Awkward";">So I included just a little on bibliographies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Research-Reports-Made-Easy" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfA5qIU0upm25InNw2CnxixooHFzZXRkkPlUpRk_f8r9iNxtM0XCJCar0XObjB96xa8cl4w9Ab2Xo7y9-4sI8Nts5WhwsydBv7JOMGMzFZOFgbXGc5C1lvnDi8i1sxg2_LepSCwuoB_bc/s640/RR+sample.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Socially Awkward";">I'’m hoping this unit will
make teaching this concept a cinch! We are getting library books on animals,
and that is what they'’ll write their reports on. You can get your copy of this
unit </span><span style="font-family: "Socially Awkward"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">{<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Research-Reports-Made-Easy" target="_blank">here</a>} </span><span style="font-family: "Socially Awkward";">and
the first 3 people to comment below, including their email addresses will get
the unit FREE! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Socially Awkward";">Let me know how it goes for you!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Socially Awkward";"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Socially Awkward";">Have a great week!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Socially Awkward";">Geaux Ravens!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOviCiamYRX0s5hBrLI2fahOpyho7Wp5Yoz8BLH1VT7avUpyFLZvUhsLsaDAnsrY67VfnlljcKzHtbOZF1JmJuArNA9oxmXBpOoLwHIcEHvrRNmQUNXWAKjFAejUolrkDjPlG6Bqi7Jlw/s1600/Signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOviCiamYRX0s5hBrLI2fahOpyho7Wp5Yoz8BLH1VT7avUpyFLZvUhsLsaDAnsrY67VfnlljcKzHtbOZF1JmJuArNA9oxmXBpOoLwHIcEHvrRNmQUNXWAKjFAejUolrkDjPlG6Bqi7Jlw/s200/Signature.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Socially Awkward";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
Underpaid and Overblessedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05995027115595782430noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943316815992941396.post-2925552762330358882013-02-01T15:36:00.001-08:002013-02-01T20:09:28.733-08:00Fight Hate With Love--in the Classroom<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I know it’s been far too long since I got on here and
blogged! Life kind of took over!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I had an experience with my students today that I just have
to share. I’m not offering any products or lesson plans, but I feel like this
is a story that needs to be told. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I am HUGE on teaching my students to work together as a
team--to respect one another--to love and take care of each other. We had
parent teacher conferences this week, and they just left me feeling kind of
defeated. So many parents brought up social concerns that I was largely unaware
of. It made me feel quite ineffective as a teacher. But I decided I would try
to nip this problem in the bud. After all, my sweet students are only second
graders! I don’t want them to think at such a young age that teasing and
bullying are acceptable. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Now I did not have any hard-core bullying going on…mostly
cliquey little girls who “don’t want to be friends with HER,” and “don’t want
to play with HER!” I have way too many bossy girls this year! Throughout the
years I’ve found various teambuilding activities that I’ve tried with other
classes, and decided to merge a couple of those to help my second graders. So
here’s what we did today:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">First, I used an activity that I read about last year in the
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.tolerance.org/?source=redirect&url=teachingtolerance" target="_blank">Teaching Tolerance</a></i> magazine {<a href="http://underpaidandoverblessed.blogspot.com/2012/11/dont-call-me-white.html" target="_blank">see this post for more info on Teaching Tolerance</a>.} I gave each student a mini-Tootsie
Roll Pop. I asked the kids to tell me some things they noticed about their
Tootsie Pops, or some things they know about Tootsie Pops from their background
experiences. I wrote their ideas on the board as they mentioned them. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuHby8cEG6XV9p3shP9ca_h8GoO6ZQXl8Y_njWl3U43J2qBZ73nNd2jKv5q4dIDQA7saL85Imj2WNAvayoNVMl6sZZzoCo6p4RAps6kN52QBN3CzgZnKcRovg9qsQvaHwt-KXHFBHajTA/s1600/2-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuHby8cEG6XV9p3shP9ca_h8GoO6ZQXl8Y_njWl3U43J2qBZ73nNd2jKv5q4dIDQA7saL85Imj2WNAvayoNVMl6sZZzoCo6p4RAps6kN52QBN3CzgZnKcRovg9qsQvaHwt-KXHFBHajTA/s320/2-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I then
directed the conversation to the idea that Tootsie Pops look different on the
outside. Even though they’re all suckers, they are different colors and
flavors. But if you keep licking and get to the center, they all have a Tootsie
Roll in the middle—they are all the same on the inside. This is like our class!
We are all people, but we all look different on the outside. However, we are
the same on the inside. We all have a heart, lungs, bones, tummies…we also all
have feelings. We all have a need to be loved. We all need friends. Just like
all Tootsie Pops are the same on the inside, all of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">us</i> are the same on the inside. We all get hurt sometimes. We all
hurt others sometimes. But no matter what our background experiences are, we
all have the same, basic emotional needs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I used this activity to segway into my next, another idea I
got online, although I don’t know its original source. (My friend posted it on Facebook
a few years back.) I gave each student half a sheet of scratch paper. I told
them to look at their paper and tell it “I hate you!” …tell it “You are ugly!” …tell
it “I don’t want to play with you,” “I don’t want to be your friend,” “You are
dumb!” Then I told them to stick their tongues out at it, crumple it up and
throw it on the floor. I had the kids stand up and stomp on the papers, grind
them into the floor, and so on. Then I had them pick the papers back up, put
them on their desks, and try to smooth them out. While they could do this to
some extent, they could not get all the wrinkles out. I told them that this is
like what happens when we are mean to people; when we tease others; when we
bully others. I shared with them a story about a boy who called me fat when I
was younger. I explained that it hurt me so badly that I can still remember it.
To me, that boy will always be known as the boy who called me fat, and nothing
more. I am sure he has grown up and doesn’t even remember that day, but it will
never leave my memory. (I think we all have a story like that.) I told my
students that when we say hurtful, mean things to others, it’s like the
wrinkles that we made in our pieces of paper; we couldn’t get all the wrinkles
out and we can’t take back the hurtful things we do and say to others. We never
know when we might be making a permanent impact on a person’s life with our
words and actions. This really hit home with my kids. The looks on their faces
made me want to cry! I told them that we have a choice in whether we want to be
a “good, positive wrinkle” in someone’s life, or a “bad, negative wrinkle.” I
asked them which they’d rather be, which they would prefer to be remembered
for. I told them that it is our job as teammates, as a class, to support and
build each other up. I told them that I know none of them want to be remembered
by others for something hurtful they said or did. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The amazing thing is, they got it. We talked a little about
apologizing and how that can help, because none of us are perfect and we are
all likely to make mistakes and hurt others from time to time. One of my sweet,
darling seven year old students raised his hand and said, “It’s like what
Martin Luther King taught us…Fight hate with love!” Yes! Yes it is! We have too
much strife to deal with in our world to tolerate having it in our own homes
and classrooms. And my darlings got that today. I know it’s not over. It will
take consistency and a lot more work, but I could see a change in their
attitudes and demeanors. It was peaceful and beautiful. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We are doing a challenge for the remainder of February. I
gave each student a checklist with all the names of our classmates on it. By
the end of February, they are to have worked one-on-one with each person on the
list. We do a lot of partner stuff during math and Daily Five, so I told them I
want to see them working with other people. Branching out. They have to work
with everyone on the list by the end of the month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were excited to meet this challenge.
When we gathered on the carpet at the end of the day, I asked them what they
had learned today. One little girl said, “I learned that I want to be a ‘good
wrinkle’ in others’ lives.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Praise the Lord. <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwjv-Owdyku7j_Np6Zrprg041xFXr3rZU0SajXD8CO_rB6Y0BW25p3jljjnv5R8xvSurIlzb5LoVYy9_mZKRPahDaQXF4dYqd0KrsLHba4wISHFEnkD5Bnq4n-zTCwMqs2qgQZ6JO1868/s1600/Signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwjv-Owdyku7j_Np6Zrprg041xFXr3rZU0SajXD8CO_rB6Y0BW25p3jljjnv5R8xvSurIlzb5LoVYy9_mZKRPahDaQXF4dYqd0KrsLHba4wISHFEnkD5Bnq4n-zTCwMqs2qgQZ6JO1868/s200/Signature.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
Underpaid and Overblessedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05995027115595782430noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943316815992941396.post-54984612395242571932013-01-02T21:23:00.002-08:002013-01-02T21:28:52.515-08:00Wedding Flowers for $30?! (A Non-Teaching Post)<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So this post is totally
unrelated to teaching, but I’ve unearthed this creative side of me that I didn’t
know existed, and I want to share. My best friend and cousin is getting married
in Disney World next week, and as I live 2,000 miles away from all our family,
I haven’t been the involved matron of honor I would have loved to be. I asked
her what I could do to help from far, far away and she asked me to attempt to
make the bouquets for her bridesmaids. I made all the flowers for my wedding
party (8 bridesmaids, 2 junior bridesmaids, 7 groomsmen, and parents) for under
$100 in total, and I was totally up for the challenge of making the flowers my
cousin wanted. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXcXsBC6P3TGyMEOTYARRS0xzy4CtgkvnrjbMpw6Wwsi20uRzdmIJdE4anG5PrBiqMdPqkTVlTuG5oUBrjm9ydfHsrnKa9jlBNE5UqeaerMDf-0BWOv_KWUxrAzdKfYlPxQ2bm2e3ceas/s1600/081BrittanyWED_EMI6515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXcXsBC6P3TGyMEOTYARRS0xzy4CtgkvnrjbMpw6Wwsi20uRzdmIJdE4anG5PrBiqMdPqkTVlTuG5oUBrjm9ydfHsrnKa9jlBNE5UqeaerMDf-0BWOv_KWUxrAzdKfYlPxQ2bm2e3ceas/s320/081BrittanyWED_EMI6515.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: white;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>~</strong>My wedding flowers<strong>~</strong></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjYWjZdYSWEBQ46vVx1CFhA9_o4nKOrhBLPSHBvU53SEBrUUvdyxsh681BaLA9bM4sOlsHJr_RhUU4aptPZ1lDLufvx-c-NazwJz94XwaJyadeLCihCREpZ8LdF43QOPb8JCzJzcEcMcU/s1600/332BrittanyWED_EMI7287.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjYWjZdYSWEBQ46vVx1CFhA9_o4nKOrhBLPSHBvU53SEBrUUvdyxsh681BaLA9bM4sOlsHJr_RhUU4aptPZ1lDLufvx-c-NazwJz94XwaJyadeLCihCREpZ8LdF43QOPb8JCzJzcEcMcU/s320/332BrittanyWED_EMI7287.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My cousin wanted roses for her wedding, so they're a little different from the ones I did for my wedding. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7AzJOxzpB6OkZPYZm0T9ghVu22r1G2zZo35UL-Ao4wIZbflwIC7WwLlmvaK7AWSj6XQ1Dcr7HBC0md73m0agptAOwZj8NMd2hpPhF8yVSEcGAVc9xPX8Gf-2O9rCPiMcyk_yKHJlEESE/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7AzJOxzpB6OkZPYZm0T9ghVu22r1G2zZo35UL-Ao4wIZbflwIC7WwLlmvaK7AWSj6XQ1Dcr7HBC0md73m0agptAOwZj8NMd2hpPhF8yVSEcGAVc9xPX8Gf-2O9rCPiMcyk_yKHJlEESE/s320/3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin: 1em 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Here they are
step-by-step:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Cut
out circles from whatever paper you’d like (my circles were about 6 inches in
diameter) Be creative! Use different papers and colors for the same bouquet if
you want.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPhaEGUdaINAC5m9iV00UKVIY16Ttw-7W74_-hA740k2B7RFHeKC0VWiSKyvYyyKLezSSLG-lojAH1lHLJ8KnxtQ_gIWbBjyu3OB-tJO-rUU1cT958xeWWowoW6hhk36k3wXVAXs4TM2k/s1600/11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPhaEGUdaINAC5m9iV00UKVIY16Ttw-7W74_-hA740k2B7RFHeKC0VWiSKyvYyyKLezSSLG-lojAH1lHLJ8KnxtQ_gIWbBjyu3OB-tJO-rUU1cT958xeWWowoW6hhk36k3wXVAXs4TM2k/s320/11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVsVEHW9_aRw_yUs-fiVJYpFRdk8kYyuaxqhd1zQVY_NjKnMYRVWchT4qfDhls3L2Qh2wr6NOB7ZFDdbockF1YMCcns-MZSDLKMJjQl2ZGq-ARUwgIeRvJOhLN5KEcqISvifOCcY6SMaw/s1600/10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVsVEHW9_aRw_yUs-fiVJYpFRdk8kYyuaxqhd1zQVY_NjKnMYRVWchT4qfDhls3L2Qh2wr6NOB7ZFDdbockF1YMCcns-MZSDLKMJjQl2ZGq-ARUwgIeRvJOhLN5KEcqISvifOCcY6SMaw/s320/10.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Cut
circles into spirals.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0_QqdcyYJTi20mrJ7gIiMFD6970ZmgQouwYHlc7yHIxDF4m5bXmSL4x1gO1kdYMwuZUuHR-Tr3znRGY-bXy1jWgNAbfPXYfkkYdpulXBzwrNHabvK8Xz7z5W9VhdkcD_6kwMyw_eWBqg/s1600/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0_QqdcyYJTi20mrJ7gIiMFD6970ZmgQouwYHlc7yHIxDF4m5bXmSL4x1gO1kdYMwuZUuHR-Tr3znRGY-bXy1jWgNAbfPXYfkkYdpulXBzwrNHabvK8Xz7z5W9VhdkcD_6kwMyw_eWBqg/s320/9.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiag05t5KnnZafWTWBBpLodKc8361Na3I42wQ1-OniJ3nsBoR1CeYYd5LWcXyWOkydb-wKSHbXVV3JGGMQ3iBVxF8TDCqekECBZWLje8sFU0_UfR8exB_ag3DCqCq83XKXyMu45FWsZOQ0/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiag05t5KnnZafWTWBBpLodKc8361Na3I42wQ1-OniJ3nsBoR1CeYYd5LWcXyWOkydb-wKSHbXVV3JGGMQ3iBVxF8TDCqekECBZWLje8sFU0_UfR8exB_ag3DCqCq83XKXyMu45FWsZOQ0/s320/8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Curl/roll
up spiral into a rose shape (rolling them around a pencil or skewer helps)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhigyiRH8fE1Ank4J-feR_pEdht0UP8ljjCQ46gv0_MZCQIPthhYZzWcwsfl1W1CkQh_WBwAQDoNX4QZL63a0kDZxJqQ8S3W_HzibzDRcniE9IpNLPNdD4ZwSp7S_93Rfy9wWNRtV8cgf4/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhigyiRH8fE1Ank4J-feR_pEdht0UP8ljjCQ46gv0_MZCQIPthhYZzWcwsfl1W1CkQh_WBwAQDoNX4QZL63a0kDZxJqQ8S3W_HzibzDRcniE9IpNLPNdD4ZwSp7S_93Rfy9wWNRtV8cgf4/s320/4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Hot
glue inside the base of the rose to hold it together.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>For
the base of the bouquet, my hubby cut a styrofoam ball in half. Then he
hollowed out the inside to fit the bouquet holder/handle thingy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNXigytsq_cmdLr9g6oEZCb3vY2BZvrX4ogKKXAb6HpGIlMdzo_nJU9Kipfo67K2T4h0rvhDpqmbheRHO5NRubi8al5U_wpYXamdSkDWRNgqF3v7HhP7CZcuiB5EuDPR6mIXKcEHwB4zk/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNXigytsq_cmdLr9g6oEZCb3vY2BZvrX4ogKKXAb6HpGIlMdzo_nJU9Kipfo67K2T4h0rvhDpqmbheRHO5NRubi8al5U_wpYXamdSkDWRNgqF3v7HhP7CZcuiB5EuDPR6mIXKcEHwB4zk/s320/7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3i-XvLlDZRuiAVE8eaRpYKahR6R3ELTd0OiyY4CNDG5mHTqVlLtYKPokDHy0tZPStw1IH2s8GuDetcT3W4vLf7BToJaXF3lQhA0qvHBfbY8LD1yUttC0ADMSO0SF2x_aoyj08Dbrps0M/s1600/12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3i-XvLlDZRuiAVE8eaRpYKahR6R3ELTd0OiyY4CNDG5mHTqVlLtYKPokDHy0tZPStw1IH2s8GuDetcT3W4vLf7BToJaXF3lQhA0qvHBfbY8LD1yUttC0ADMSO0SF2x_aoyj08Dbrps0M/s1600/12.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>This
is optional…either paint the styrofoam or glue matching paper to it so the styrofoam
isn’t super obvious in the gaps between the flowers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifK2qmeK5YO8NtyRPhzr5Rmhyphenhyphenx7JeqVJUsyYpQeOhDEHJGtxzuvrJbx9zIYSvDwuAm58pSSfpQm1WjzhrkBCwWUzOQgpR_fsOZhd76tDEQZPLc14rA6z-bP7GZwhjNbkaV7LuAGLFW0y0/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifK2qmeK5YO8NtyRPhzr5Rmhyphenhyphenx7JeqVJUsyYpQeOhDEHJGtxzuvrJbx9zIYSvDwuAm58pSSfpQm1WjzhrkBCwWUzOQgpR_fsOZhd76tDEQZPLc14rA6z-bP7GZwhjNbkaV7LuAGLFW0y0/s320/5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Hot
glue the flowers onto the styrofoam.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Wrap
ribbon around the bouquet handle. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Viola!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I was able to make 5 bridesmaid
bouquets and 6 boutonnières for $30. Amazing deal! This is such a fun way to
add a personal touch to your wedding or special occasion, and it saves you lots
of money! I love the way they turned out. I know what I’ll do if I ever stop
teaching! <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></span></div>
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Underpaid and Overblessedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05995027115595782430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943316815992941396.post-19555812730814551802013-01-01T17:04:00.001-08:002013-01-01T17:13:56.748-08:00Nouns, Nouns, Nouns<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Don’t get me wrong—I L-O-V-E my job with all my heart.
Teaching makes me so happy and I have the best students in the world. BUT I don’t
wanna go back to school tomorrow!!!!! I think I have post-holiday depression or
something. Anyway, it’s inevitable. I have to greet my Christmas-crazed darlins
with a smile tomorrow, which raises the question “What on earth should I teach
during this {silly} three-day week?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">To help answer this question I threw together a simple <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Nouns-Nouns-Nouns-Common-and-Proper-Noun-Review" target="_blank">review on nouns</a> (ideal for 2nd and 3rd grades, could be used with 1st and 4th). I tried teaching proper nouns the week before Christmas and my
kiddos just did. not. get. it. So we’re going to do a take two this week. I
made a couple of songs to try and help (I’m sure there are others out there,
but I had to do something on the drive up to the ski resort so I could pretend
we weren’t on a steep, icy road with no guardrail). I also made a review sheet
that can double as an assessment. You can get yours {<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Nouns-Nouns-Nouns-Common-and-Proper-Noun-Review" target="_blank">here</a>} and as always, the
first three friends to comment on this post with their email addresses will get
this lesson FREE! </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Nouns-Nouns-Nouns-Common-and-Proper-Noun-Review" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS2-fCpt6oQiChlbvfN33nOxxsVXIMzWTPQRRSlTfTtMZdHiil3O-9VA58XGxXl00F2w8Z1g2hnCaHpAhe-sll-hxMZI5bIHNB4LnpUPyaapIobvF1g_EgSH34W4tv78ZKyfoMGzgitOo/s320/Nouns,+Nouns,+Nouns+Image.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">How do you teach your little ones about proper nouns? Let me
know what works!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Happy New Year!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Underpaid and Overblessedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05995027115595782430noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943316815992941396.post-52993508625430643352012-12-09T14:15:00.004-08:002012-12-09T14:15:56.668-08:00Friendly Letters Made Easy<div style="text-align: center;">
Well y'all, I'm just counting down the days until Winter Break! Only two weeks to go!</div>
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This week my kiddos will be learning about how to write friendly letters. Let's be honest--who writes letters anymore?! Even though letter-writing has become a rarity, it's still an important skill to learn. I can't stand when kids use their favorite texting acronyms in school! Call me old-fashioned, but I think they need to learn that there is a time and place for LOL and IDK and so on. (I sound like I'm ancient. Haha.) </div>
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The other good thing about teaching kids how to write friendly letters is that it can translate into our modern-day world through emails. Friendly letter writing skills apply to emails and Facebook messages, too!</div>
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So I threw together a little <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Friendly-Letters-Made-Easy" target="_blank">mini-unit on friendly letter writing</a>. It includes:</div>
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~mini-anchor charts outlining the basics of friendly letters and the parts of friendly letters.<br />~two friendly letter samples<br />~planning and organization sheets<br />~a friendly letter template<br />~a friendly letter checklist<br />~directions on how to address an envelope </div>
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Friendly-Letters-Made-Easy" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg36sTTUw1ZpamHjxdGuUZ16mBjRbLOhfs5m-MpEkFLrunabTQFFsSN4bN2z5scHvLOR00ZAVJjKNHR-CmqnJcI9iqrQTYDFSHuSb_sGLIPJRJL4D61yJN4c3t2ssYg9p8NR5PvOCPrzW8/s640/FL+Sample.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Check it out <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Friendly-Letters-Made-Easy" target="_blank">{here}</a>! It'll make teaching this topic a cinch. And the first 3 people to comment on this post, including their email address, will get this unit FREE! :)</div>
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Have a great week, and don't forget to go<a href="https://www.facebook.com/UnderpaidAndOverblessed" target="_blank"> "like" UnderpaidAndOverblessed on Facebook</a> and <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Underpaid-And-Overblessed" target="_blank">follow my TpT store</a>. Thanks!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwjv-Owdyku7j_Np6Zrprg041xFXr3rZU0SajXD8CO_rB6Y0BW25p3jljjnv5R8xvSurIlzb5LoVYy9_mZKRPahDaQXF4dYqd0KrsLHba4wISHFEnkD5Bnq4n-zTCwMqs2qgQZ6JO1868/s1600/Signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwjv-Owdyku7j_Np6Zrprg041xFXr3rZU0SajXD8CO_rB6Y0BW25p3jljjnv5R8xvSurIlzb5LoVYy9_mZKRPahDaQXF4dYqd0KrsLHba4wISHFEnkD5Bnq4n-zTCwMqs2qgQZ6JO1868/s200/Signature.png" width="200" /></a></div>
Underpaid and Overblessedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05995027115595782430noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943316815992941396.post-60408329263966004602012-12-02T16:34:00.002-08:002012-12-04T08:39:17.143-08:00If I Lived in a Snow Globe...{cute winter craftivity}<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So this was totally not my idea. But I love it, and so did my kids! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">On Friday, we made our own snow globes, following the theme "If I Lived in a Snow Globe..." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This is what you'll need: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">~2 paper plates per child, one with the center cut out (I happened to have some laying around from another project. Score!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">~1 6" x 6" white paper per child</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">~1 ziploc bag per child (I think I used the quart size)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">~1 black trapezoid snow globe base per child</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">~1 "If I Lived in a Snow Globe" sheet per child (I will attach this here)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">~stapler</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">~confetti (I collected all the hole punchy papers from a bunch of hole punchers around school)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">~sequins or shiny curling ribbon, if you want to add a little sparkle</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This is how it went:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1) I gave each child a 6" x 6" piece of white paper and told them to create their winter scenes. I showed them an example, then we talked about what we could include in our pictures. I encouraged them to include themselves since we were talking about if THEY lived in the snow globe.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiui-SghRUj9aaufmzgbg6ZSbCEoCQ5Ad9B_QIoRG9eXnl9aSKY5n5zUKT6C66Ev0adm2VBqjduuonAz4AVIodjyC-Clg853sGUnEw1pxGSaBimok0z_KopNQ9hdkRzPjwj_VXxcjp_nBI/s1600/snow+globe+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiui-SghRUj9aaufmzgbg6ZSbCEoCQ5Ad9B_QIoRG9eXnl9aSKY5n5zUKT6C66Ev0adm2VBqjduuonAz4AVIodjyC-Clg853sGUnEw1pxGSaBimok0z_KopNQ9hdkRzPjwj_VXxcjp_nBI/s320/snow+globe+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2) They had to fill out the base. We've been talking about our five senses in science, and how we use our senses to make observations, so I incorporated that into the assignment. We discussed what we might see, hear, and feel if we lived in a snow globe, then they had to write their own sentences.You can get the template <a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B3QkER-mkuxyTHZZeGdRSVFkcUE" target="_blank">{here!}</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B3QkER-mkuxyTHZZeGdRSVFkcUE" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNm3mB2OY7KS4KqD6TmVWCYmeg2RLD20RvIvUmh8UW95aA3g_615HyeeQZ_fKfXpH2bPIxvZL-F_Ns74IwssYLltrDRER7tLhtnK-vxzKMbbZspht5iQ1DgMbe9GhRR-V9RyuoR5_U6sw/s320/snow+globe+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3) I gave each child a paper plate with the middle cut out, which they could decorate if they wanted to. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">4) They put their drawings inside a ziploc bag then brought them to me for assembly. If I had older students, I would have let them staple their snow globes themselves, but it was just easier to handle myself. You can also recruit a parent to help with this part. I let each kid put a pinch of confetti and a pinch of sequins in their baggie. Then I centered the baggie on a whole paper plate, put their paper plate ring on the front, and stapled it all together. Then I stapled the base to plate.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">5) Viola! Snow globe complete! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We are going to put them up on our bulletin board this week and I'll let you know how it looks. Try this project! It's a little time consuming to gather the materials, but it's worth it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Have a great week!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">PS- Don't forget to go "like" Underpaid & Overblessed on Facebook! :)</span></div>
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Underpaid and Overblessedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05995027115595782430noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943316815992941396.post-35668584830177434732012-11-24T16:09:00.000-08:002012-11-24T17:03:35.445-08:00Parent-Teacher Conferences Made EASY! {FREEBIE included!}<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So last year my mentor gave me a fantastic idea for
parent-teacher conferences…let the kids lead them themselves! I know every
district works differently, but in our district you meet with every single
family at least twice a year during parent-teacher conferences. That’s a lot of
talking for a teacher to do! (Like we don’t talk enough!) So I have my students
compile portfolios which they then present to their parents during conferences.
Here’s how it works in my classroom:</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span>The week before PTC I give each student a <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/End-of-Term-or-Year-Portfolios" target="_blank">portfolio</a>. We go through it page by page, talking about what kinds of things we
can write on each page. (I give 2<span style="font-size: small;"><sup>nd</sup> graders much more guidance than
I gave 5<sup>th</sup> graders, doing one page at a time, altogether.)<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span>I show students our “Portfolio Bin,” a standard
plastic crate with hanging folders in which they will store all of their
portfolio materials. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span>I have students go through their work from the
term and add any specials projects, papers, or tests to their portfolio folder
that they would like to share with their families. On occasion, I also require they share
certain papers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span>On Friday before PTC week, by which time they
should have their portfolios all put together, I have them pair up and practice
their portfolio presentations, just like they’ll do them for their families. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span>During PTC, I require parents to bring their
child with them. When they come in my room, I welcome them then say something
like, “I don’t know if Jane told you, but she’s in charge of her conference.
She is going to do a presentation for you, then I’ll join you and we’ll chat a
little more. Jane, where would you like your parents to sit?” I usually give
the family their space for the first 10 minutes or so, keeping my ear on what’s
going on in case the student needs any help. I think they appreciate the quiet,
private moment with their children. I join them at the end, or part way
through, to address any questions or concerns. Usually, the presentations have
answered most parents’ questions because the students’ work speaks for itself!
(Also, each kid knows to go straight to the portfolio bin and get out their
folder when they get there.)<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Bonus: An additional element I
included this year with my 2<span style="font-size: small;"><sup>nd</sup> graders was the <a href="http://www.3rdgradethoughts.com/2012/10/student-goal-setting-sheets-for-parent.html?showComment=1350351320114#c6278729289846120168" target="_blank">“My Goals for ThisYear”</a> sheet from Stephanie over in <a href="http://www.3rdgradethoughts.com/" target="_blank">3<sup>rd</sup> Grade Thoughts</a>. Stephanie’s
form is awesome and FREE, and you can create your own for older kiddos. The
parents loved this form. </span></span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.25in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Doing a year-long portfolio is
just too much for me to handle, so I love doing these portfolios each term. It’s
a great way for the students to reflect on what they’ve learned and for the
parents to have a little keepsake of their child’s year. You can get your <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/End-of-Term-or-Year-Portfolios" target="_blank">FREE portfolio templates</a> from my TpT store <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/End-of-Term-or-Year-Portfolios" target="_blank">{here.}</a> I’ve included an example from
both 2<span style="font-size: small;"><sup>nd</sup> and 5<sup>th</sup> grades. Feel free to personalize them
and change them up as much as you need to. </span></span><br />
</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl5YZP2oSmG_f8SujbKJMoOIZtrOM41cinHB3LGlOBP-nZ4H452DjodHY1lWn5VpB_XRhXOA2cevxByxwsLVfce8xrnsI1FiFkMKswmdWglpJpWTPMzn89kEPasK6R2vqfisvbXZjnOEY/s1600/portfolio+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl5YZP2oSmG_f8SujbKJMoOIZtrOM41cinHB3LGlOBP-nZ4H452DjodHY1lWn5VpB_XRhXOA2cevxByxwsLVfce8xrnsI1FiFkMKswmdWglpJpWTPMzn89kEPasK6R2vqfisvbXZjnOEY/s320/portfolio+3.png" width="241" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_dq79WLTSMVHAWCLJoC0mVwRyvmEaOmviCnEydtwW7UyvnyC99gDWp2puA9tCMiQfLlleAUHKRXhPkbIxwPnpgre37AsIXY8Bb6tItEXQz7z99isAkyzh84MPXTuyNoT4fgmRQOq_SA/s1600/portfolio+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_dq79WLTSMVHAWCLJoC0mVwRyvmEaOmviCnEydtwW7UyvnyC99gDWp2puA9tCMiQfLlleAUHKRXhPkbIxwPnpgre37AsIXY8Bb6tItEXQz7z99isAkyzh84MPXTuyNoT4fgmRQOq_SA/s1600/portfolio+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_dq79WLTSMVHAWCLJoC0mVwRyvmEaOmviCnEydtwW7UyvnyC99gDWp2puA9tCMiQfLlleAUHKRXhPkbIxwPnpgre37AsIXY8Bb6tItEXQz7z99isAkyzh84MPXTuyNoT4fgmRQOq_SA/s320/portfolio+2.png" width="243" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Happy Conferencing!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
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Underpaid and Overblessedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05995027115595782430noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943316815992941396.post-80549079809183106702012-11-23T21:11:00.000-08:002012-11-23T21:42:59.534-08:00Bloggy Awards!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #575757; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Thank you to Mrs. Young at </span><a href="http://hokieteach.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3a48af; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Young Daze in 5th Grade</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Daze in 5<span style="font-size: small;"><sup>th</sup> Grade for nominating me for
the Liebster Award. This award is given by bloggers to up and coming bloggers
who have less than 200 followers. It is to show new bloggers that they are
appreciated and to help spread the word about new blogs. I’ve been blogging
about two months now, and still can’t believe people are interested in what I
have to say. It’s awesome to get so much support from the blog world and to be
able to learn from all the other bloggers out there!</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #575757; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQtDjW9VEGWPOjK7zKYOs8MJ0ouJGMjuCh_uAhpLIDgFine5Z1-8paAWmG-g3lNn5mNj6dHf90Zxn5ziNAoHEckQB6xXBbY1W0dgzOcRQ9NQeraex_TWct44OYXw23HM_CBG5DRCQOnE/s1600/liebsters+award.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQtDjW9VEGWPOjK7zKYOs8MJ0ouJGMjuCh_uAhpLIDgFine5Z1-8paAWmG-g3lNn5mNj6dHf90Zxn5ziNAoHEckQB6xXBbY1W0dgzOcRQ9NQeraex_TWct44OYXw23HM_CBG5DRCQOnE/s1600/liebsters+award.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="color: #575757; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div>
<span style="color: #575757; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><br />
<span style="color: #575757; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So, here are <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Rules</b>:</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></span><span style="color: #575757; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> -You must post 11
random things about yourself. </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #575757; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- Answer the questions
that the nominator set for you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- Create 11 questions
for the people you nominate.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- Choose 11 blogs you
love (with less than 200 followers) and link them in your post.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- No tag back (but
please leave me a comment on this post with the URL to your Liebster post so I
can learn more about you)!</span><span style="color: #575757; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><span style="color: #575757; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong>11 Random Things About
Me:</strong></span><span style="color: #575757; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #575757; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> 1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m 4’10”
and a half. (And my hubby is 6’3”.)</span><span style="color: #575757; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
<span style="color: #575757; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I was born in
Colorado, but grew up in New Orleans. </span><span style="color: #575757; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
<span style="color: #575757; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If I could live
anywhere it would be Baton Rouge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
<span style="color: #575757; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I’m married to an
athletic trainer. </span><span style="color: #575757; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
<span style="color: #575757; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I have two black labs,
Jack and Tux.</span><span style="color: #575757; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
<span style="color: #575757; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I love to cook!</span><span style="color: #575757; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
<span style="color: #575757; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I’m determined to turn
everyone in Utah into LSU fans </span><span style="color: #575757; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.</span><span style="color: #575757; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
<span style="color: #575757; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I got my bachelors and
masters degrees from LSU. </span><span style="color: #575757; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
<span style="color: #575757; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">By this time in 10
years, I hope to have my PhD.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> <span style="color: #444444;"> 10. Halloween is my favorite holiday.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> 11. I have to have my coffee every morning and diet Dr.Pepper every afternoon. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #575757; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
<span style="color: #575757; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> <strong>Questions I had to answer from </strong></span><a href="http://hokieteach.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Mrs. Young</strong></span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>:</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Where is your favorite
place you've ever visited?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #666666;"><em>I grew
up going to the Ashville, NC area at least once a year and it will always have
a special place in my heart!<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Where is your favorite
place to shop for teacher clothes?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 5pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #666666; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><em>Ann Taylor Loft or New York & Company...I haven't found a NY&C in the Salt Lake area yet!</em></span></span><br />
<em><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia;"></span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Favorite holiday
tradition?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #666666;"><em>My
hubby and I got married a week before Christmas and collected a bunch of
ornaments on our honeymoon. I love getting out those ornaments every year and reminiscing
about our honeymoon and how life has changed since then.<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Favorite book to read
with your students?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 5pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #575757; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><em><span style="color: #666666;">My 2</span></em><span style="font-size: small;"><em><span style="color: #666666;"><sup>nd</sup>
graders are just LOVING the Wayside School books by Louis Sachar. I love
hearing them giggle while I read.</span></em> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Why do you blog?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 5pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #666666;"><em>I hope
that by blogging I’m helping other teachers in some way. I like sharing my
ideas and getting ideas from all the fabulous teacher bloggers out there!<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Favorite song?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 5pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><em><span style="color: #666666;">Anything
by Adam Levine! (Maroon 5) I could listen to his voice ALL. DAY. LONG!!!!<o:p></o:p></span></em></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> <span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Has it snowed yet
where you live?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 5pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #666666;"><em>We got
close to 2 feet a couple weeks ago! That’s more than this southern girl has
ever seen! We definitely took advantage of it!<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> <span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Favorite quote? Inspirational,
from song, or movie.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 5pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #666666;"><em>I keep
this Bible verse in my wallet…”In order to hear my voice, you must release all
your worries into my care…Accept each day just as it comes to you. Remember
that I am sovereign over your life. Rejoice in this day that I have made,
trusting that I am abundantly present in it.”<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>
</em></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 5pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><em>School-wise,
if you ask my kids my favorite quote, they’ll tell you, “Practice makes
progress!”<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> <span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Can't live without
teacher item?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 5pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> <span style="color: #666666;"><em> <span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My lesson plan book!<o:p></o:p></span></em></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Who is your childhood
superhero?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 5pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #666666;"><em>Well,
this isn’t a “super”hero, but when I was a kid, my heroes were the girls from
the Baby-Sitters Club. Haha. I wanted to be just like them!<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">11.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Favorite TV show?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 5pt 0.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <span style="color: #666666;"><em> </em></span></span><span style="color: #666666;"><em>I’m watching The Office for the third time through on Netflix…<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 5pt; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #575757; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="color: #575757; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong>Questions I’m Asking
My Nominees:</strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 5pt; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> 1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">How did you get
started with blogging?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 5pt; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="color: #575757;"> 2. <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Where did you go to
college?</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 5pt; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> <span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
W</span></span></span><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">hat is your go-to
dish for potluck parties?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 5pt; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> <span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If you weren’t a
teacher, what would you be?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> <span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What advice would you
give a new teacher?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> <span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cats or dogs?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> <span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Perfect vacation
destination?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> 8.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Guilty pleasure TV
show?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> <span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Biggest student pet
peeve?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> <span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Favorite holiday?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> <span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">11.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #575757; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Favorite sports team?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 5pt; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #575757; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong>Blogs I'm Nominating:</strong>
</span><br />
<span style="color: #575757; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(I know, it’s not quite 11…and some of them have more than 200 followers...but they're all still relatively new!)</span><span style="color: #575757; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><o:p><a href="http://dontlettheteacher.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Don't Let the Teacher Stay Up Late</span></a></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
<o:p><a href="http://soaringthroughsecond.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Soaring Through Second</a></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><o:p><a href="http://tangledwithteaching.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Tangled with Teaching</span></a></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><a href="http://alysshaswanson.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Teaching and Tapas</span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><o:p><a href="http://theartofteachingut.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The Art of Teaching</span></a></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
<o:p><a href="http://theteacherdiariesk4.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Teacher Diaries</a></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><o:p><a href="http://fourthgradeflipper.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Fourth Grade Flipper</span></a></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></o:p><br />
<o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I'm honored to be a part of this community. Thanks for dropping by!</span></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #575757;"></span><br />Underpaid and Overblessedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05995027115595782430noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943316815992941396.post-89393531670590550352012-11-14T19:31:00.001-08:002012-11-14T19:32:56.629-08:00But Mrs. C, HOW do I keep track of AR?!?<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It has been a crazy
couple of weeks. The last thing I’ve had energy for is blogging! Here are some
pics of a few exciting things that have happened lately:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Our first big
snowstorm!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirnDNHXaFJi6JQ6mpqESeeRljjyn1N_mdYx6lE1m-oLURsx9jhTpXkxGCLVZQgvsS95SUTpDFHHHa8xB-FDWKxqJ6nwxbxiBm1yzmHqUEugYAocJber9hO-cQebherlMqth3i2vIymjTE/s1600/dogs+in+the+snow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirnDNHXaFJi6JQ6mpqESeeRljjyn1N_mdYx6lE1m-oLURsx9jhTpXkxGCLVZQgvsS95SUTpDFHHHa8xB-FDWKxqJ6nwxbxiBm1yzmHqUEugYAocJber9hO-cQebherlMqth3i2vIymjTE/s200/dogs+in+the+snow.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My puppies in the snow</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Zpt79ueYVef0AsfZrMMtympSF7gqmVTAa0uHrRffHeCaZOnCbHLu28amIxqEjXMFLFSv8KlmgZjXNrMknZQ070e9fz0FEBcQkSB56BTuKKGqlfJU4CAB_MFvzCpp3WwrAxvUQzD-DVM/s1600/LSU+snowman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Zpt79ueYVef0AsfZrMMtympSF7gqmVTAa0uHrRffHeCaZOnCbHLu28amIxqEjXMFLFSv8KlmgZjXNrMknZQ070e9fz0FEBcQkSB56BTuKKGqlfJU4CAB_MFvzCpp3WwrAxvUQzD-DVM/s200/LSU+snowman.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our LSU snowman! Geaux Tigers!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2LYq7ZduH5YBPZx1i9pJPcaK95Ocie0d2sJbKD6NFuKUWOOQYtyIBwlPiHMtblvfA0tJ0Rrcd5iWxPyZ-VlhUZ5o2aqKbGj7UL-3Hphla2m8x1AJ-Hg0AggAsuslwxcxznY861SePpN4/s1600/snowstorm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2LYq7ZduH5YBPZx1i9pJPcaK95Ocie0d2sJbKD6NFuKUWOOQYtyIBwlPiHMtblvfA0tJ0Rrcd5iWxPyZ-VlhUZ5o2aqKbGj7UL-3Hphla2m8x1AJ-Hg0AggAsuslwxcxznY861SePpN4/s200/snowstorm.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I just love it (as long as I don't have to drive in it!)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">A fire during
parent-teacher conferences!</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqc3zg3GqwrnTG0WribSbvkL1JTD41G38nL7OvM7744NgmudiVZTFUdVqZuMdH2VTNSsoX3TwBtP2eBuCaZ0iA33kEU5_lHyilr33s36uwVZN3toUb8zABFlBx2FsuWN2aIxAayGl59vg/s1600/Fire+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqc3zg3GqwrnTG0WribSbvkL1JTD41G38nL7OvM7744NgmudiVZTFUdVqZuMdH2VTNSsoX3TwBtP2eBuCaZ0iA33kEU5_lHyilr33s36uwVZN3toUb8zABFlBx2FsuWN2aIxAayGl59vg/s200/Fire+1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everything turned out ok!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwCwCwHZ18112z0pm8OzYickhYNJjWo20Zb-boeAfpaY5CwTxS7Bm9zymhwdPTeOnxkD1IHepYiH5v18zvOI0D4CEOEAJKNzzqx95NIn4zfPakW2_LHgE6Ep_PeTjFhS3YNFeqJa05CuE/s1600/Fire+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwCwCwHZ18112z0pm8OzYickhYNJjWo20Zb-boeAfpaY5CwTxS7Bm9zymhwdPTeOnxkD1IHepYiH5v18zvOI0D4CEOEAJKNzzqx95NIn4zfPakW2_LHgE6Ep_PeTjFhS3YNFeqJa05CuE/s200/Fire+3.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All the teachers by the firetruck!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq9Z1Ixmpg2wufkFrVD5j0bEU9Etr4CO8FpNqx1qjfh4l42ev_yBhKmppVK1NqRf_QiMvGUuo1qX_DJPmYR19XfoTXeERqJzKuKyhC1GEWFkHIYhofT_Up6jQKuURQjUfM-LbYNhp7ulw/s1600/Fire+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq9Z1Ixmpg2wufkFrVD5j0bEU9Etr4CO8FpNqx1qjfh4l42ev_yBhKmppVK1NqRf_QiMvGUuo1qX_DJPmYR19XfoTXeERqJzKuKyhC1GEWFkHIYhofT_Up6jQKuURQjUfM-LbYNhp7ulw/s200/Fire+2.jpg" width="148" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tall firemen saved the night! <br />
(I wish this pic was better!)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Anyway, a<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">s I’ve done
conferences this week, a need for some AR help has been evident. I’m used to
big 5<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> graders who can keep track of their AR goals and points, and
what quizzes they need to take. With my sweet 2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup> graders, I’ve
figured out (along with parents’ help!) that we need some kind of running list
of titles that the kids are ready to take quizzes on. So I created this very
basic <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/I-Will-Take-a-Quiz-On-These-Booksmy-AR-list" target="_blank">“I will take a quiz on these books” checklist</a>. This list will go in the
pocket of each student’s binder and each time they finish reading a book and
are ready to take a quiz on it, they or their parents will write the title on
the list. Then when the kids come to school and have some AR quiz time, they
can take their lists out of their binders and type in the titles they need to
quiz on. Once they’ve taken the quiz on a certain book, they can check off that
title on their lists and move on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/I-Will-Take-a-Quiz-On-These-Booksmy-AR-list" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh067G-4wXaYidIJkHO_MqpWWVAo_kf-_SL2pfizXhD_4HAv4OG3Is62ZOw8fg8NpULR_aZmrQmZ73-j03GSBZQ6PKj-B2Uy5YCtuDE8YOkK-JMlIw9YfzKKluvDv2YZ7vw_AbzFNY_2Pw/s320/AR+checklist.png" width="243" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This goes great with
my <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/My-Reading-Bookmark" target="_blank">AR Bookmark</a>, which I also passed out to each student during conferences this
week. I let the kids color the bookmarks, and I filled out their names, ZPDs,
and goals. I will laminate them and send them home so parents can keep up with
their kids’ goals and levels, and so that they have a reminder of
arbookfind.com.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">You can get your <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/My-Reading-Bookmark" target="_blank">FREEbookmarks</a> and <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/I-Will-Take-a-Quiz-On-These-Booksmy-AR-list" target="_blank">checklists</a> <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Underpaid-And-Overblessed" target="_blank">{HERE!}<o:p></o:p></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Whew! One more day of
conferences and four more school days until Thanksgiving Break!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I think I can,
I think I can! <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHc9O9_X2WmF_yBv6HqOrEJSIBffhDFaTxajYWM54qiqUMYuB4OhxMFnrY7inJ53an-fi2xUjmX6JOhkGzlpNNunEQWV4A5S8SAslFUVxaUYy1ODsjIb0gefIB45ud1jw9QMXt_Dnnf2E/s1600/Signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHc9O9_X2WmF_yBv6HqOrEJSIBffhDFaTxajYWM54qiqUMYuB4OhxMFnrY7inJ53an-fi2xUjmX6JOhkGzlpNNunEQWV4A5S8SAslFUVxaUYy1ODsjIb0gefIB45ud1jw9QMXt_Dnnf2E/s200/Signature.png" width="200" /></a></div>
</div>
Underpaid and Overblessedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05995027115595782430noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943316815992941396.post-68524369251734560622012-11-01T17:47:00.000-07:002012-11-01T18:05:58.876-07:00Don't Call Me White! <div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">What a crazy week! Is
it over yet?!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We had our Halloween
Parade yesterday (pics of my fancy costume to come) AND I got a sound system
and microphone in my classroom this week. I have to admit, I was very resistant
to this sound system thing. I may be little, but I can be loud. (This girl was
in all the school plays growing up. Projection, baby!) But oh my geez. I tried
that microphone today and it’s WONDERFUL! I didn’t realize how much I was
straining my voice before. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Plus the kids think it’s the coolest thing ever and
therefore love to hear me teach. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ha. We’ll see how long that lasts. <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Anywho, I haven’t
shared any ideas in a while and I’m itching to write. You might have read that
I’ve only lived in Utah for a year, and I’m originally from Louisiana. (Big
game this weekend, folks! BEAT BAMA!!!) Well. Back down south you got lots of
diversity. We learn about slavery and the Civil Rights Movement. Here in Utah
(at least where I teach)…not so much. I have learned so much about pioneers
since I moved here, but haven’t seen much in the diversity department. I think
that cultural and ethnic diversity are what make the world go round and so I’ve
tried to incorporate these things into my classroom quite a bit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I found this website,</span> <a href="http://www.tolerance.org/" target="_blank">Teaching Tolerance</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">. It’s full of great,
FREE resources! If you click on <a href="http://www.tolerance.org/teaching-kits" target="_blank">Free Teaching Kits</a>, you can browse the things
they have available to teachers. There’s this one DVD on there called <a href="http://www.tolerance.org/kit/starting-small" target="_blank"><em>Starting Small</em></a><em> -- </em>for teachers, not kids. It talks about how to teach
diversity to the younger grades. One activity I love from the DVD (and that I’ve
done with 5<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> and 2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup> graders) is the Skin Color Paint
Activity. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here are the basics of how it works. Go to Walmart and buy several
skin-tone paints. Sit your kiddos down and read a few
diversity/differences-related books. (This year mine loved <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Little White Owl</i>.) Lead a discussion on how we are all
different, but special the way we are. This segways in to the fact that we all
have different skin colors, but none of us are actually “black” or “white.” I
tell the kids we are going to use the paint to figure out what color they <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">actually</i> are. We go through the class,
student by student, determining together what color(s) everyone is. For
example, they might be a mixture of café latte and coffee bean or “fry sauce” –it’s
a Utah thing—and French vanilla. The kids love figuring out what everyone is!
What’s great is when a “black” kid and “white” kid are the same colors. It’s
usually an “aha moment” for the kids. As we figure out what color the kids are,
they write down the colors on a sticky note. Now I will admit, my 2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup>
graders’ parents were not as into this activity as my 5<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> graders’
parents were. But I feel that teaching acceptance early is super important. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">You
can learn more about this activity in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.tolerance.org/kit/starting-small" target="_blank">StartingSmall</a></i> DVD, which you can get for FREE from tolerance.org! You can also
<a href="http://www.tolerance.org/material/orders" target="_blank">subscribe to their teacher magazine (also free).</a> Here’s a pic of some of my
kiddos.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-N8_BgbnYybI-rVYMT1RTE0FGnLbpbFjP4mIFSt9RAiWk_OH_7SffOIAn41q2vPvmxhh9Bef_MVujHqF_JCqEwd4AhbcVUwlpCDqCe6Zo2moCMxdQgsH7-c9mUMKExNrjpjjzG12uJOM/s1600/skin+color.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-N8_BgbnYybI-rVYMT1RTE0FGnLbpbFjP4mIFSt9RAiWk_OH_7SffOIAn41q2vPvmxhh9Bef_MVujHqF_JCqEwd4AhbcVUwlpCDqCe6Zo2moCMxdQgsH7-c9mUMKExNrjpjjzG12uJOM/s320/skin+color.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The kids and I really
like this activity and I highly recommend it, particularly if you’re having
acceptance issues in your class. How do you promote diversity and acceptance in your classroom?</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1xjKiTsCLUILARAF_AW1CqUG9beFTL9sGq-zmMxWXIa0HFySLB1n7FsWrw_ZvBY-ybkAc-QRThyYXzejXLcwAmRohg4K6zcmxqGKz4r5n0Ovctg1NB-CKV1EcIwMmIccwQ_3hU8xG4AQ/s1600/Signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1xjKiTsCLUILARAF_AW1CqUG9beFTL9sGq-zmMxWXIa0HFySLB1n7FsWrw_ZvBY-ybkAc-QRThyYXzejXLcwAmRohg4K6zcmxqGKz4r5n0Ovctg1NB-CKV1EcIwMmIccwQ_3hU8xG4AQ/s200/Signature.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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Underpaid and Overblessedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05995027115595782430noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943316815992941396.post-64738852856045422172012-10-29T16:43:00.002-07:002012-10-29T16:45:35.579-07:00Sale ends TOMORROW!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Click on the picture to check out the deals! One more day!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwjv-Owdyku7j_Np6Zrprg041xFXr3rZU0SajXD8CO_rB6Y0BW25p3jljjnv5R8xvSurIlzb5LoVYy9_mZKRPahDaQXF4dYqd0KrsLHba4wISHFEnkD5Bnq4n-zTCwMqs2qgQZ6JO1868/s1600/Signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwjv-Owdyku7j_Np6Zrprg041xFXr3rZU0SajXD8CO_rB6Y0BW25p3jljjnv5R8xvSurIlzb5LoVYy9_mZKRPahDaQXF4dYqd0KrsLHba4wISHFEnkD5Bnq4n-zTCwMqs2qgQZ6JO1868/s200/Signature.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<br />Underpaid and Overblessedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05995027115595782430noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943316815992941396.post-34841744189871245712012-10-27T18:57:00.000-07:002012-10-27T21:28:49.955-07:00Halloween SALE {plus some FREEBIES, too!}<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So I’m pretty new to
this blogging and TpT thing. But I’m loving it so far! While looking at other
teachers’ blogs stresses me out sometimes because I feel like I need to up my
game, overall it’s so inspiring to see all the amazing ideas that are out there!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Anyway, while I haven’t
created too much to share yet, I’m putting what I have created on SALE through
Halloween! Let’s face it…your sweet darlins are going to be CrAzY this week and
you’ll need <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">something</i> fun (and
educational, of course) to keep them busy! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Check out some of my {<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Underpaid-And-Overblessed" target="_blank">TpT</a>} items
below.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Spooktacular-Haunted-House-Glyph" target="_blank">Spooktacular Haunted House Glyph<o:p></o:p></a></span></i></div>
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Spooktacular-Haunted-House-Glyph" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimkJxKegdisHstoQkE-26Xo_aEE9JicdOyt7WzDQBTxWifG3omUYCKdNWMHJXnS0Afh212xq0rEtHgEvT0xywu71rlWxS59ISXkBbR1hCewMFc7yq1kRTzS5AsOr6qpkxytcXh8-3Ks28/s400/Slide1.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Embrace their
excitement and do this activity on Wednesday!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p></o:p><br />
<em> <span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/What-is-a-Sentence-Halloween-Style" target="_blank">What is a Sentence – Halloween Style</a></span></em><br />
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/What-is-a-Sentence-Halloween-Style" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLMFBuEeslFSvCpFc6gvOw7oQ80zYWrYd0gbg-hXm2d7h7lE6Tv4CyX_FZS9q73IBFl6N1fFx-5-62gHDL-mfs9tsq-NXbe-j1VHNTsE9mWmsdl43y1XlzaEq-dcKLRBrrIdYnxhCXplc/s400/Slide1.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Review all that
subject/predicate stuff with these fun games and anchor charts!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Halloween-Rules-FREEBIE" target="_blank"><em>Halloween Rules FREEBIE<o:p></o:p></em></a></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Halloween-Rules-FREEBIE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLZsgjC3sAcc_ZFT2XPoZy7hBcIEpZFoS7jh2COgIT3CLx4AFyHldqoj1Yi6Cf_SMeORWl5K9lhuVT3mYrT2hYUOdRbgU5E0ivvIBjP4tv4aDr0BNVOLjZvTNiDpnj4r6UoMYMup7xAJc/s400/Halloween+Rules.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span> <span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This one is way fun…and
FREE!!! Great activity for Wednesday!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<em>Vampire Mini-Jack o' Lanterns</em></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSDbpr8wtgRbwpqrWIs3EAMudGJ-8aDdp7iaO0_tEN3NAivw_3YkjdVvi2vtOz60ngriIyumFplwQmXiWNjAIgW3nX5uzZ0yvZuS0Zd8p-PU6pkP5XxJMW3dNJfTQbPEDDqeyb-mJTnIE/s1600/Vampire+Pumpkins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSDbpr8wtgRbwpqrWIs3EAMudGJ-8aDdp7iaO0_tEN3NAivw_3YkjdVvi2vtOz60ngriIyumFplwQmXiWNjAIgW3nX5uzZ0yvZuS0Zd8p-PU6pkP5XxJMW3dNJfTQbPEDDqeyb-mJTnIE/s400/Vampire+Pumpkins.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Read about how to make these cuties {<a href="http://www.underpaidandoverblessed.blogspot.com/2012/10/cutest-halloween-craft-ever-really.html" target="_blank">here</a>}.</div>
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Cough-and-Sneeze-Elbow-please-FREE-POSTER" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisGDBefLvRhJwxS5YmVOU-tJ4pmzy7kA7sndB5anxBizYHTC0LXh1IoWSvbkxCIA6vE8tlr7H_-_KlBHGhpfX0RPU0_Z9TovYzDRxCchHgJsiJYaESb88AKm4ccxr62wshdR9VPxqb9ps/s400/cough+and+sneeze.png" width="303" /></a></div>
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Great {<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Cough-and-Sneeze-Elbow-please-FREE-POSTER" target="_blank">freebie</a>} for the cold weather!</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">There are lots of other <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Underpaid-And-Overblessed" target="_blank">FREEBIES</a> in my store and other <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Underpaid-And-Overblessed" target="_blank">SALES</a>, as well. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Thanks for checking them out! Have a great week!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">(And if you haven't already, don't forget to go "like" my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/UnderpaidAndOverblessed#!/UnderpaidAndOverblessed?fref=ts" target="_blank">facebook</a> page! Thanks for the love!)</span><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/#!/UnderpaidAndOverblessed?fref=ts" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4StrxHQrtiUbDHE16TcJDOygehhVv9H6iZHY4YnOY1bBzQTWfkGusTl-7_CtuJM3DHHG8z0OJGUVit_gy1HKjuynAyAQ_AC0sI-y2T17w65WCiBqY1QLqWkWuRX4NMlX2uIK7JBQzlGM/s1600/Facebook+Button.png" /></a><br />
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Underpaid and Overblessedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05995027115595782430noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943316815992941396.post-22795795147262358822012-10-25T13:56:00.002-07:002012-10-27T19:37:58.326-07:00Cutest Halloween Craft Ever. Really.<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Hey y’all! We got our first snowfall of the year today and I just LOVE it! It made it kinda hard to concentrate (and teach) though. Being from the south where the whole world shuts down if one snowflake falls from the sky, I get easily distracted when it snows here. I definitely took my kids outside to play in it because I guess I still haven’t accepted the idea that there will be lots more to come all winter!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Anyway, we also finished the cutest Halloween craft ever today, and I just had to share. You may have seen this before. My sweet college roommate, Alex, did these last year and when I saw the picture I was like, “Aww I have to do those with my students!” Well then an awesome mom donated enough mini-pumpkins for my WHOLE class, so I knew I definitely had to do it! </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBAQ7ekc-k4zGPpsl1W05UOiXH7rt2FAl3oJvUN5MrkzWpobXKEpyuxsSMHMvogSCQ-xa8YZLAiOi-QE0DL8qijg2Dp9z-5HUfruew_fPuHEiTyYAxjT9-r78K0-IrxXMEXizZfJ7vshk/s1600/vampire+pumpkin+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" oea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBAQ7ekc-k4zGPpsl1W05UOiXH7rt2FAl3oJvUN5MrkzWpobXKEpyuxsSMHMvogSCQ-xa8YZLAiOi-QE0DL8qijg2Dp9z-5HUfruew_fPuHEiTyYAxjT9-r78K0-IrxXMEXizZfJ7vshk/s320/vampire+pumpkin+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Here’s what you’ll need:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">-1 mini pumpkin per child<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">-1 set of plastic vampire teeth per child<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">-2 small googly eyes per child<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">-a cheapo pumpkin carving kit<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">-hot glue<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">-a mom or two to help out<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">-some patience!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It’s really simple, just slightly time consuming. A mom helped me and it took the two of us about an hour to cut all 26 pumpkins for my class. I had a few kids come up at a time to choose a pumpkin and write their name on the back of it in sharpie. Then they had to pick what color vampire teeth they wanted. Then the grown ups got to cutting!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Start off by cutting a horizontal line for the mouth. Once you have that line cut, cut around it to turn it into an oval that the vampire teeth will fit in. You just kinda cut and check, then cut and check some more. (It gets easier the more you do.) I'd recommend a real carving kit, not just a knife.</span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">After we would finish cutting a pumpkin, we called the kids back to put the teeth in themselves, because while these are super cute, there’s not too much that young kids can do to be involved. After that, we glued the googly eyes on and voila! </span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Super adorable vampire pumpkins!</span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We can’t wait to put them on display during our school Halloween parade. If you have time to squeeze in this cute craft before Halloween, I’d totally recommend it. Your kids will have a blast and you’ll have some adorable decorations for your classroom!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Underpaid and Overblessedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05995027115595782430noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6943316815992941396.post-6170838398686099542012-10-22T16:36:00.000-07:002012-10-23T18:04:40.054-07:00~Word Work Bliss~<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Today I began introducing Word Work--our last component of Daily Five. I was so excited about it because, let's face it, it's FUN to practice spelling words with play-doh and wikki stix! My kids were in super sweet mode today. I guess they were feeling extra refreshed after our long weekend. (I got called mommy for the first time, to which I replied, "Honey, I love you but I am not yo mama!") </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Anway, I couldn't contain my own excitement and so I started off by showing the kids all the fun Word Work materials we have for them to choose from! I had just finished talking about magnetic letters when the kids spontaneously broke out into applause. Haha. They were just. THAT. excited!!! I felt like I had just given a great speech. But nope, just showed them how to use some magnets for spelling. How can you not love teaching and Daily Five when the kids are so enthusiastic? Sadly we ran out of time for a practice session, but I promised the kiddos I'd let them get their Work Work jitters out tomorrow with some exploration time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So I have seven Word Work options: wikki stix, play-doh, magentic letters, white boards, markers and fun paper, Look-Say-Cover-Write, and Stamp it Out (rubber letter stamps.) I have two shelves reserved for our Word Work materials and I keep all the materials in clear, plastic bins. (You can get the good kind at Walmart for 96 cents...don't waste your time with the dollar store ones.) </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF3VLlgYfUrsftPk3MPicQ57xaed-XqKfhtCgru0dkR0RXKjEJqQH9ycsYvWZ1zvaWUZHHb6HAweHs4y8Osdom_Fff3kZ-0KVQ0xmBqbgrG2xzhiPgSeQtmTDmO3spFbRiBw4SiRvhbEc/s1600/IMG_20121023_072926%5B2%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" oea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF3VLlgYfUrsftPk3MPicQ57xaed-XqKfhtCgru0dkR0RXKjEJqQH9ycsYvWZ1zvaWUZHHb6HAweHs4y8Osdom_Fff3kZ-0KVQ0xmBqbgrG2xzhiPgSeQtmTDmO3spFbRiBw4SiRvhbEc/s320/IMG_20121023_072926%5B2%5D.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Each bin is labeled, as is the shelf where each bin belongs. The labels are nothing special, but you can download yours for FREE {</span><a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B3QkER-mkuxycjlqM19RZi1UdEU" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">here!}</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">If you have a specific label you'd like me to make, just let me know. </span></div>
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B3QkER-mkuxycjlqM19RZi1UdEU" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoGspyTxseo4BpWD8IcyoBJjOO6WluPJsLy7qr6RyZJMjFq2JO-tAJDhP8XCAtRyIMlp7C9jjIlF2ddGNzNOUE4xabG2WJdoMTmX3qwoRjLszr-PipwIQHrYHEKZz3FdIhFWMP-aoUos4/s320/Word+Work+Labels+pic.png" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Even if you don't do Daily Five, you can use these Word Work options. Your kids will LOVE practicing their spelling and sight words, and working on that phonics! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">How do you do Word Work in your class?</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">PS--Underpaid and Overblessed is now on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/UnderpaidAndOverblessed?ref=ts&fref=ts" target="_blank">Facebook</a>! Click {<a href="https://www.facebook.com/UnderpaidAndOverblessed?ref=ts&fref=ts" target="_blank">here</a>} to like my page and keep up-to-date with new updates, products, and freebies. Thanks!!!!!</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">PPS - My friend over at <a href="http://theteacherwife.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Teacher Wife</a> made a great new word work suggestion today...stickers! The kids can spell out their words using letter stickers. They love it! Thanks, Linds!</span></div>
Underpaid and Overblessedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05995027115595782430noreply@blogger.com1