tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89438618182543049642024-03-06T14:04:34.994-05:00Fun in Room 4BElizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786531176109759149noreply@blogger.comBlogger351125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943861818254304964.post-64344755800754553992017-03-26T13:23:00.000-04:002020-01-04T16:29:03.584-05:00The Jelly Donut Difference by Maria Dismondy<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "fabulous 50s normal";"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Meet
the Author</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKQ32HHmhzlj5USqw8aU8ySELF_-M3zN7yj49aVp-LyvaTR3v81rPSyQeIHViboyIpeExC2B4Rcwz-XtUx4ipCa0fqowvXSW7sOQqWNCxVc7yy9Qvm7YcR9w7Ezn_k2kb8vAu6hNnmPAQx/s1600/Maria.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKQ32HHmhzlj5USqw8aU8ySELF_-M3zN7yj49aVp-LyvaTR3v81rPSyQeIHViboyIpeExC2B4Rcwz-XtUx4ipCa0fqowvXSW7sOQqWNCxVc7yy9Qvm7YcR9w7Ezn_k2kb8vAu6hNnmPAQx/s400/Maria.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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An interview with Maria
Dismondy</div>
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<b>Q: How did you come up with your first book Spaghetti
in a Hot Dog Bun in 2008?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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A: Spaghetti in a Hot Bun was
inspired from my own experiences as a child. I had the idea to write the book when
I was teaching first grade. I wanted a book that was realistic for children to
relate to, that empowered them to have the courage to be themselves and that
really made a difference.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Q: Since your first book, we’ve been introduced to
many admirable characters. What do people love most about your stories? <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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A: Readers like the strong
moral messages, the diversity found in the books and the likeable characters. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Q: What do you hope readers will learn from your
books? Is there a message for adults in you stories too? <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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A: I hope that children
remember the characters and how they handled difficult situations when they are
in similar positions in their own lives. I believe adults can be reminded of
the importance of the power of our actions in my stories. I hope caregivers,
teachers and parents of young children will see the importance of modeling
positive character to the children in their lives and see what an important
role they have shaping the next generation!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Q: How do you and your illustrators work together on
books? <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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A: Kim Shaw and I worked in
the same room together on our books. We had face-to-face meetings. Between Kim
and P.S. Brooks, the illustrators I worked with worked solely via email. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Q: Do you have any tips for parents of young children
about raising kind and confident kids? <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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A: Put love, patience and
effort into spending quality time with your children. Do your best to model the
kind of behavior you want your children to portray. Use quality children’s
literature to teach valuable lessons to your family. Make it your parenting
goal to help equip your child with friendship, communication and
problem-solving tools they can use when they go off to school. These are
essential life skills that your children will not learn from television, digital
apps or games. They need to be modeled and taught early on. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Q: What are you future writing, speaking, and
publishing plans? <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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A: I have a project I am working on that will be
released in 2018 that is currently being written. Stay tuned to find out more! <o:p></o:p></div>
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Learn more at <a href="http://www.mariadismondy.com/">www.mariadismondy.com</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Write to the author at: <o:p></o:p></div>
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Maria Dismondy<o:p></o:p></div>
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P.O. Box 930237<o:p></o:p></div>
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Wixom, MI 48393<o:p></o:p></div>
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Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/mariadismondy">www.facebook.com\mariadismondy</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Twitter: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/mariadismondy">www.twitter.com\mariadismondy</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Instagram: <a href="http://www.instagram.com/mariadismondyibooks">www.instagram.com\mariadismondyibooks</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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You tube: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/mariadismondy">www.youtube.com\mariadismondy</a><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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I was so excited to hear that she had a new book. This book certainly didn't disappoint! Check out this adorable trailer to give you an idea about the message from this book:</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyhJ4QM4zTI_yOv7mWuahiP1w0TqxGwNYBkJgLdKRiT4sE4gK5i0G2Oz7XROrCDy8uBGBgfr2EbhZH5aLcaqQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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One of the most important messages we can teach our students is for them to show empathy and kindness. This book is perfect for spreading that message. <br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Jelly-Donut-Difference-Sharing-Kindness/dp/0997608501/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1490548926&sr=8-1&keywords=the+jelly+donut+difference" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnjMsNDHzX5RzhiHOo_V31u6ZIz1V0vXKy8rwfe8NVHxZmBWN8NGSve7q_jiMSVKqx9nftOQAB82LtOzidWEu53mn_BMjqLL0bvOIwH6mu6t62clKCrAOXytKiGawgIjGGlU8R5-yDPybE/s640/Jelly+Donut.png" width="538" /></a></div>
Click on the image above to check out her new book!<br />
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Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786531176109759149noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943861818254304964.post-76345826087434346392016-08-31T13:02:00.000-04:002017-10-17T14:42:57.798-04:00Book Clubs in the Classroom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b style="color: orange;">Do you use literature circles?</b></div>
Literature circles are a great way to get your students excited about reading. I utilized literature circles for years. Over the years, I found that I needed to adjust how I ran these literature circles based on my students' needs. I finally found a system that worked for me. I created Book Clubs.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>Book Clubs</b></span></div>
<span style="color: orange;"><b><br /></b></span>I called my literature circles <b><span style="color: orange;">"Book Clubs"</span></b> because I wanted my students to love books like I did with my own book club. At the beginning of the year, I told my students about how I belonged to a book club and I explained how book clubs work. In my own book club, we all read a book chosen by the next hostess. I told my students that they were going to be a part of their own book clubs. They were thrilled!<br />
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<b style="color: orange;">How do you run Book Clubs?</b></div>
<b style="color: orange;"><br /></b>Instead of using different "roles" or "jobs" like with literature circles, I created groups with just one person "running the show". With adult book clubs, the host or hostess usually guides the discussions. My students followed this same example and we had a "host or hostess" each time we created a new Book Club. That person became the <span style="color: magenta;"><b>Book Talk Leader</b></span>. Each week, the Book Talk Leader would be someone new. This leader was in charge of leading the discussions and posing questions when there was a lull in the conversation.<br />
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I grouped students based on their MAP testing and Lexile levels and I usually had 6 groups going at a time. Each group would consist of about 3-6 students. Once I saw the dynamics of the group (based on Lexile) I started looking for books. I would then give each group a choice between several books and they decided as a team which book to read. I explained that this is how my own book club works, too.<br />
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I had a subscription to EdHelper and it had "Literature Units" database. Just looking under the 4th grade book list alone, there are hundreds of books that have story questions (and high-level, questions, not JUST basic recall information). I didn't want to limit my book selections to JUST the books that I've read. Therefore, I used these questions and answers to help guide my students in their book talk discussions. You can also find a wealth of book study resources on Teachers Pay Teachers.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>How do you start?</b></span></div>
<span style="color: orange;"><b><br /></b></span>I made a file folder with the questions printed from EdHelper. I made one for each student. I distributed these folders at the beginning of each new Book Club session. Each student had the questions BEFORE reading that would be discussed during the Book Club's book talk. I had my students look over the questions before reading, so that they could use this to guide their thinking while reading.<br />
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I had my students get with their book clubs when I first assigned the book so that they could preview the book and decide as a group how they want to break up the reading. They knew that they would have three weeks to finish the entire book. As a group, they decided on how many chapters to read each week. It worked very nicely. Then, students read their book during their "Read to Self" time of our r<a href="http://www.funinroom4b.com/2012/03/rr-board-and-check-out-blog-friends.html" target="_blank">eading rotations</a>. They also had the option to read the book at home, during free time, etc.<br />
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We would then meet to have our "Book Talks" each Thursday. During this time, the students got together and started discussing the book first. Listening to them talk about the book was my favorite time of the week. I would walk around during this time soaking up all of the "book love". At the beginning of the year, I modeled how this should be done. I "pretended" with several student volunteers that we were sitting at my dining room table talking about a book. We practiced with the read aloud that we had just completed. We just talked.<br />
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*Did you like the book?<br />
*What did you think of _______________?<br />
*Why did this character do _________?<br />
*Can you believe that he __________________?<br />
*I was shocked when _________________.<br />
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I had also given my students "thinking stems" for their <a href="http://www.funinroom4b.com/2011/12/reading-rotation-or-reading-workshop.html" target="_blank">Read to Self letters</a> and sometimes I would have students pull these out if they were struggling with what to talk about.<br />
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When they were finished chatting, I would tell them to pull out the questions from their folders. They discussed these questions and where the answers were found in the book. Sometimes, there would be quite the debate over a particular question. That is when I remind them that they must refer to the book and "prove it" to the other person by citing the text. <br />
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I fell in love with Book Clubs and my students did, too.<br />
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Do you use book clubs? How do you make it work for you? Leave me a comment and let me know!<br />
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<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786531176109759149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943861818254304964.post-57278285805699416112016-08-30T19:33:00.001-04:002017-10-17T14:43:05.371-04:00How Do You Stay Informed?A few months ago, I was working on a team for my district to research methods and strategies that would provide rigorous, engaging and authentic instruction for our students. When completing the research, I ran across several articles published by Education Week that were relevant to the research we were doing. <br />
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Have you ever started researching an idea and fallen into the pit of the web and wondered how to get out? That is essentially how I felt when I started reading articles on their website, <a href="http://www.edweek.org/" target="_blank">edweek.org </a>and I knew that I needed to subscribe in order to stay up to date with current events and issues that we, as educators, face daily. <br />
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I turn to Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for inspirational ideas for my classroom and for teaching tips. I turn to Education Week to learn more about how we can make a difference as teachers in our profession. I also turn to Education Week to understand policies that are being implemented. <br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: orange;"><br /></span></b>
Do you know and understand the new Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) that was signed into effect by President Obama on December 10, 2015? Do you realize the implications for English Language Learners? With the passing of ESSA, English Language proficiency will now be determined at the state level by their own accountability systems. This will have a huge impact on the ELL community in our country. It could be a positive impact if we all continue speaking up for the needs of all ELLs. Now, we will focus our attention at the state level. <br />
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I didn't learn about all of the different aspects of the changes from NCLB to ESSA until finding the abundant information on edweek.org. Because it directly affected the population of students I serve as an ESOL teacher, I knew I needed to do my own investigating. In addition to the 37 issues of the printed newspaper, which I love, I have found countless articles on ESSA. However, what I love most about the website is that it also links videos that answer many questions. Below is a video I found that gave a pretty clear explanation of ESSA. <br />
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If you are interested in learning more about how ESSA will impact English Language Learners, you can also view this video that was shared by the Migration Policy Institute:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/152715151?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe>
<a href="https://vimeo.com/152715151">Taking Stock of ESSA’s Potential Impact on Immigrant and English-Learner Students</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/migrationpolicy">Migration Policy Institute</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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How do you stay informed about what is happening in the world of education? Do you have any more resources to share?<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">*This post is not sponsored by Education Week. These opinions are strictly my own. I just wanted to share with you a great resource for learning about what is happening in education. </span><br />
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<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786531176109759149noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943861818254304964.post-86267515135112654392016-08-20T20:00:00.000-04:002016-08-20T20:00:05.338-04:00Quick Tips for Back To SchoolHave you already hit the ground running this school year? I've teamed up with some of my friends to give you some wonderful tips for back to school. I hope you will hop along and check out some easy, QUICK tips that will help you save time, get inspired and ready for the Best School Year EVER! Not only that, but we are each sharing a chance for you to receive a $25 gift certificate to Teachers Pay Teachers to get your year started right! Make sure you visit each blog and enter. There will be multiple chances to win and several winners. It could be YOU!<br />
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Fun-In-Room-4b/Category/Daily-Math-Spiral-Review-258390" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1AsiaPAiMOj-czF1iICR84j9-uIO0yi4bZvriYC5_zZrlHJmaWiduArwvuFUQtSEegPnGRba-_zhZCDhTv2UkQ4KXy5o8dlKCyUKrZgc5G3Mc-DI8OxajM2K5_DY07ILttgg6hbbzXXaF/s320/back+to+school.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
The tips I am sharing with you are simple ways to help you differentiate your math instruction. Often, so much attention is placed on how to differentiate in reading, but we lack ways to help meet the individual needs of our students in math. But, there are ways to make it work!<br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">How do you differentiate math instruction?</span></b><br />
Have you read <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Guided-Math-Framework-Mathematics-Instruction/dp/1425805345" target="_blank">Guided Math by Laney Sammons</a>? After reading this book, I knew that I needed to spend time finding ways help students individually. Meeting the diverse needs of the varied ability levels in your classroom can be quite difficult- especially in math. <br />
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One way to differentiate math instruction is through a daily spiral review based on each student's individual needs. Do you have students who haven't mastered the skills from the previous school year? Perhaps you have students who lack basic computational skills that were covered 2 years prior. Allowing students an opportunity to complete math practice that is on their own instructional level not only helps them master skills they need, but it also builds self-confidence. <br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">Why should you use a spiral review?</span></b><br />
One of the most effective ways to foster mastery and retention of mathematical skills is through a daily cumulative review. A daily math review should take between 5-10 minutes and should allow students an opportunity to be exposed to skills and concepts that touch all mathematical domains every single week. Keep in mind, this is only one component of the entire math block, and not the sole method of math instruction. Students also need to be exposed to depth and complex problem solving while focusing on one skill/concept at a time, too. However, why wait until May to teach any type of geometry? In many cases, geometry isn't introduced until April or May...and we all know how busy and hectic those months can be.<br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">How do I determine which grade level spiral review to use for each student?</span></b><br />
If you are lucky enough to have access to a placement test, you could administer that assessment to determine which grade level your students need. However, an easy way to determine the level for each student is to look at your content standards vertical alignment and determine if your student has mastered a certain (grade) level. I wouldn't focus on every single standard. That would take way too long. Instead, get a general idea for a student and go with your instincts. You can always bump a student up or down based on how he or she is doing. <br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">How do I make this work in my busy classroom?</span></b><br />
One of the easiest times to have students complete their spiral review work is during your "morning" routines. Depending on which type of spiral review you use, student are only completing a few questions a day. However, you can also have students complete the questions during stations, for homework, or as they complete other assignments during the day. <br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">How do I use the information from their daily work?</span></b><br />
Use the information that you gather from your students' spiral review work to build your lessons for guided math. Are a few students not understanding how to find equivalent fractions? That group gets pulled during Guided Math/ Math Workshop. <br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>If you are interested in reading more about Guided Math/ Math Workshop visit the links below:</b></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.funinroom4b.com/2015/07/math-workshop-building-routines-that.html" target="_blank">Math Workshop: Building Routines That Last a Year</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.funinroom4b.com/2012/04/math-stationsmaking-it-work.html" target="_blank">Math Stations...Making It Work</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.funinroom4b.com/2012/04/more-on-math-stations.html" target="_blank">More on Math Stations</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.funinroom4b.com/2013/08/math-workshop-mondaya-new-weekly-blog.html" target="_blank">Math Workshop Monday</a><br />
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Or, you can simply type in "math" to the search feature on the sidebar of my blog to find more posts about Guided Math or Math Workshop.<br />
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If you are interested in checking out my spiral review resources, click on the images within this blog post to find them in my <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Fun-In-Room-4b" target="_blank">Teachers Pay Teachers store</a>. Each one has one free week as a FREEBIE for you to try out. Just download the preview for the free week!<br />
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</b>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786531176109759149noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943861818254304964.post-31308826092516171242016-02-03T06:00:00.000-05:002016-08-20T14:02:09.783-04:00February Pinterest Pick 3<div style="background: white; line-height: 21.95pt; margin-bottom: 21.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For the last two weeks, I have
been working on learning more about <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/esupan/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>.
I found a great course offered by <a href="http://www.blogclarity.com/" target="_blank">Melissa at Blog Clarity</a> called Pinning
Perfect. <a href="http://mylifeandkids.com/" target="_blank">Anna from My Life and Kids</a> has
been moderating the course. I’ve learned
so much already! If you are a blogger and want to learn more about Pinterest and how to use it
more effectively, I suggest you give the course a try. Even if you aren't a blogger, did you know that more and more teachers are
using Pinterest as a search engine to find activities for their
classrooms? Just the other day, <a href="http://www.ladybugsteacherfiles.com/" target="_blank">Kristen(Ladybug’s Teacher Files)</a> and I were discussing how it is the first place we go
when we want to learn more about a strategy or method to try in our classrooms.
I know there are better ways to use Pinterest, and this course is helping me
learn the beauty that is <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/esupan/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> ;) <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">While taking this course, I “met” <a href="http://justreedblog.com/" target="_blank">Ashley from Just Reed</a> I have enjoyed learning from her, too. I decided to join Ashley and her friends in this month’s
Pinterest Pick 3 Party to tie in what I’ve learned and share some of my
favorite February pins with you!</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNxniHUqxVnGcefjuZm6w0wvU-o-QzlyXPwlUEQq32hdpL_iLeyvhj9iOyhcydjjqbn2QZYn6hMY1rOjKpWPqWWtux8B288lTeHiLdiOgsPiTi-XgIA4xxhWZ6tpbpI9QKuycB4ovLTAx/s1600/Slide1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNxniHUqxVnGcefjuZm6w0wvU-o-QzlyXPwlUEQq32hdpL_iLeyvhj9iOyhcydjjqbn2QZYn6hMY1rOjKpWPqWWtux8B288lTeHiLdiOgsPiTi-XgIA4xxhWZ6tpbpI9QKuycB4ovLTAx/s400/Slide1.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.95pt;">Ah, Valentine’s Day! There are so many ways to incorporate
Valentine’s activities into your classroom.
What I love about all three of the pins I’m sharing is that they take
the holiday and use it to make learning fun.
Who doesn’t love learning when it's </span><b style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.95pt;">fun</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.95pt;">?</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7XRv449pOb2Qzvnd5A9lpS9nEpqi2jIEf5fwinW8ZUQzFdXb0-A70gt40SfUXqquSSrtvR45yLbldmtyfeGWoJWTCn530Mj1f8IaJm6k76zciLwWftpiBPW8nRRMhShASTN0z4mt50FVY/s1600/Slide2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7XRv449pOb2Qzvnd5A9lpS9nEpqi2jIEf5fwinW8ZUQzFdXb0-A70gt40SfUXqquSSrtvR45yLbldmtyfeGWoJWTCn530Mj1f8IaJm6k76zciLwWftpiBPW8nRRMhShASTN0z4mt50FVY/s320/Slide2.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I absolutely love this building polygons activity. The lesson teaches about polygons in a hands-on way. The "Valentine's Day" connection is by using Valentine's Day colored straws. You could really complete the activity any time of the year. This is yet another reason why I love this pin! </div>
<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://www.pinterest.com/pin/222787512795158016/" target="_blank"><img alt="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/222787512795158016/" height="400" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/ca/5a/fb/ca5afb081d423be33c1a59d5922a055c.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lemonlimeadventures.com/valentines-day-polygon-shapes-building/#_a5y_p=3199464" target="_blank">Pinned from Lemon Lime Adventures</a></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ9_PAiVF8IbiFEpo2V6_DkLbrMRgpjIOA9Gb4KzedOUANG9O-fqaybtYU_H3fLi9RPDu3vp_uL-ONLlSNC0rF5whfk_X_v7uzmAqLYqR1XA1D0goIsWfgGGY8x1Qul3C6atNtDkY7Jzwr/s1600/Slide3.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ9_PAiVF8IbiFEpo2V6_DkLbrMRgpjIOA9Gb4KzedOUANG9O-fqaybtYU_H3fLi9RPDu3vp_uL-ONLlSNC0rF5whfk_X_v7uzmAqLYqR1XA1D0goIsWfgGGY8x1Qul3C6atNtDkY7Jzwr/s320/Slide3.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Are you looking for some fun ways to incorporate Science activities into your Valentine's Day activities? You must check out this pin! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/222787512795158043/" target="_blank"><img alt="" height="400" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/1b/d9/2e/1bd92e93e7047234890b2bc8d37fac99.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="" width="215" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/222787512795158043/" target="_blank">Pinned from Little Bins for Little Hands</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDRumdIMxYRI5aJXC6cGsJncCeSMUbpJkWxbx2zH9z4E7S4O9GM9-wTmBhiliSkKOg9I271F2zZfExXjCAcArRmRM6X-gIEvoOrFw6pTujtrgdKV66L1iNYyvPSBAFsuUIerOQlTZOcmd-/s1600/Slide4.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDRumdIMxYRI5aJXC6cGsJncCeSMUbpJkWxbx2zH9z4E7S4O9GM9-wTmBhiliSkKOg9I271F2zZfExXjCAcArRmRM6X-gIEvoOrFw6pTujtrgdKV66L1iNYyvPSBAFsuUIerOQlTZOcmd-/s320/Slide4.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Or, check out this one, too!</span></span><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;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/222787512795158035/" target="_blank"><img alt="" height="400" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/bf/66/fc/bf66fcf5cd786abdca943fa57519adb8.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="" width="288" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/222787512795158035/" target="_blank">Pinned from Raising Lifelong Learners</a></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">PIN with us! We love
PINSPIRATION!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here’s how to join in on the fun!!!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1. Save the Pick 3 images to your desktop.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 21.95pt; text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2. Create a blog post using these images to share your 3
Pinterest Picks for the month.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 21.95pt; text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3. Share a link to your full Pinterest page if you would
like.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 21.95pt; text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">4. Link up by clicking the add your link button below.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 21.95pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">5. Be sure to check out the other Pinterest finds that have
been shared and leave a comments on the ones you love!</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Be sure to check out my board "Fun in the Classroom" for even more <b>FUN</b> :)</span><br />
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<br /><a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/18198805/?claim=utpya4r9kec">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786531176109759149noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943861818254304964.post-65812183701376875862016-01-28T18:00:00.000-05:002016-01-31T20:07:14.622-05:007 Strategies to Create an Interactive Classroom<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">How do you differentiate
for your English Language Learners? Read on to learn 7 Strategies
that will encourage even your more reluctant English Language Learners to
participate! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH4rzryr1o3fBk1VWmZtOzz_ne12ndMP2pVv4Cj0NwLmN5YMxnQZgUxSUr6JvptA7dcWLrdpcYLrYsslZ8SNO0VNibdbJuTGlWB5O-Vs2-pkm1p5TFMcHViuMEp_BHfxw7n-5IuAVAVuLQ/s1600/7+Strategies+to+create+an+Interactive+Classroom.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Need to find some ways to create a more interactive classroom for your English Language Learners? Use these 7 easy strategies to help you discover how you can build your students language while promoting a warm, inviting classroom. (Check out strategy #6, it’s a favorite!) Education matters! " border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH4rzryr1o3fBk1VWmZtOzz_ne12ndMP2pVv4Cj0NwLmN5YMxnQZgUxSUr6JvptA7dcWLrdpcYLrYsslZ8SNO0VNibdbJuTGlWB5O-Vs2-pkm1p5TFMcHViuMEp_BHfxw7n-5IuAVAVuLQ/s400/7+Strategies+to+create+an+Interactive+Classroom.png" title="Need to find some ways to create a more interactive classroom for your English Language Learners? Use these 7 easy strategies to help you discover how you can build your students language while promoting a warm, inviting classroom. (Check out strategy #6, it’s a favorite!) Education matters! " width="280" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There are many ways to
include active interaction within your classrooms. Not only does this help your ELL students, it
provides opportunities for all of your learners to explore oral language. The Common Core Standards for Speaking and
Listening ask for students at multiple grade levels to be able to express their
thoughts and ideas. Students must be
able to explain and defend their own learning.
When you provide an opportunity for your students to interact with one
another in collaborative settings, everyone wins!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, what is
“Interaction” anyway?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It
is simply the opportunity that you give your students to interact in social and
academic situations. Learning is more effective when students have an
opportunity to discuss ideas and information.
Most people learn best by
doing. Even more learn best when
teaching others. Interaction is essentially
“teaching” others your thoughts and ideas about a given topic. When students defend their thinking, they teach
others about their thinking. Therefore
they internalize the concepts at a deeper level. There are many ways that you can
encourage interaction among your students.
When you do, it encourages even your more reluctant English Language
Learners to participate and it also creates a positive classroom environment. Interaction
stages include Teacher-Student Interaction, Paired Interaction and Group
Interaction. All three levels of
interaction are beneficial and are easy to implement in your classroom. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"><b>Try
these 7 Simple Strategies to Create an Interactive and Active Classroom</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>1.
</b>Set up a classroom that is conducive to interaction. Do you have your classroom set up in
cooperative groups? And when I mean
cooperative groups, is it truly cooperative and not simply seats pushed together
to form a group? Cooperative grouping encourages
discussion and interaction. When asking
questions and presenting material, give your students the opportunity to
“think, pair and share”.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>2. </b> Allow your students to use hand signals to
indicate their level of understanding.
Check for understanding by allowing students to give a thumbs up or a
thumbs down. This non-verbal way of communication encourages reluctant ELL (or
any student) to speak up. I always told
my class to hold their signals close to their hearts. This was our private way of “talking”. Another variation is to use red and green
cards on the corner of desks.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>3. </b> Move more!
Use hand and body gestures to enhance speech. Teach your students different hand gestures
for certain phrases that are used often in the classroom. Hand gestures enhance speech by providing a
visual connection to the vocabulary or content material. Use music with hand gestures for even more
language support. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>4. </b> Increase engagement by using a simple “Find
Your Match” interactive game. When
reviewing vocabulary, pass out cards using terms, definitions, and pictures and
ask students to “find his/her match”.
Strategically pass out the cards by your students’ comfort/ability. Non-English Speakers can join in this
activity easily when you provide them with visual card. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><b>5.
</b>Monitor group work activities by having students share responsibilities on the
assignment. In groups of four, students
read an article and answer questions related to that text. However, they complete the work on each
other’s paper. Starting with their own
paper, students answer question number one.
Then they pass their paper to the right, and begin working on the next
question on the paper passed to them.
Students pass the papers until all questions are answered and the
article is returned to the original owner.
Once completed, give the groups an opportunity to discuss and defend
their answers. This discussion time
provides the oral language support that is essential for ELL students.</span><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>6.</b>
Utilize Reader’s Theater to improve fluency and comprehension. Group high and low proficiency level students
together so that students needing oral fluency modeling have the support they
need. Allow students opportunities to
rehearse, read and perform in class. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>7. </b>When reviewing a topic, use Circle Chat. Number students off by 2. The number 1 students form a circle facing
out. The number 2 students encircle this
center group facing in. This way, you
have two groups of students in a circle facing each other. Give the students questions to discuss. Partners have the opportunity to discuss the
answers to the questions. Then, the
outer circle rotates one person to the right and the questions continue.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Classroom
Interaction is essential for English Language Learners, but it is also a tool
that will benefit the oral language and development of all students. Can you see yourself
implementing any of the strategies? </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"> <span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786531176109759149noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943861818254304964.post-72431300237304083082015-10-06T14:35:00.000-04:002015-10-06T14:35:38.783-04:00Prayers for South CarolinaHaving lived most of my life in South Carolina, I am having a hard time lately with the devastation and tragedies that have taken place in my beloved state over the last year. From the ice storms of the winter of 2014, to the tragedy in Charleston in June, to the devastating flooding that is occurring in and around our capital city this week, we are all heartbroken. However, what I am most proud of is the fact that the great people of this state all seem to rally together during these difficult times to help out our fellow man. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbFV-8rUw-G30ahrVTEEfp2g_NIXlur1pS7MzyBJ9lIGIk-VEp698V7BPTjp5N9KAPEiIInt5JpeA9eqH52xvkwIsN81Bwr7iQ_zv4bfXcsgAW9r_g9Z19ir2Z2fcxEiWFJWbw1as6_CLd/s1600/sc+prayers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbFV-8rUw-G30ahrVTEEfp2g_NIXlur1pS7MzyBJ9lIGIk-VEp698V7BPTjp5N9KAPEiIInt5JpeA9eqH52xvkwIsN81Bwr7iQ_zv4bfXcsgAW9r_g9Z19ir2Z2fcxEiWFJWbw1as6_CLd/s400/sc+prayers.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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My daughter came home on Friday for a family weekend. I'm so thankful that we had this weekend planned and that she made it home safely from Columbia. She's a student at the University of South Carolina and I just received notice that they have canceled classes through Friday of this week due to the unsafe conditions in the area. I'm so grateful that she attends a university that puts the safety of its students first. <br />
<br />
Although the city where I teach is safe and the conditions are fine, my county is not completely unaffected. Because of this, I have been home from school for two days because the buses are unable to travel down roads safely in the outlying areas of the county. I am grateful for my district leaders. They made the decision to cancel school because many road closures and hazardous conditions make it unsafe for our students to travel to school.<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"> </span> Although it will be difficult to make these days up when the time comes, the safety of our students is more important than later inconveniences. <br />
<br />
My Facebook newsfeed is full of unbelievable images of the flooding. It's heartbreaking.<br />
<br />
But, you know what else is flooding my newsfeed? Images and messages of support. Bottled water and other supplies are being gathered and distributed to relief efforts. People across my great state are reaching out to help those less fortunate. <br /><br />Please keep South Carolina in your thoughts and prayers as we rally to return to a new normal.<br />
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<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786531176109759149noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943861818254304964.post-50405351615431153322015-08-27T17:05:00.000-04:002016-02-07T14:59:38.610-05:00Is Handwriting a Lost Art?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicK5zaZE7irwy55680XaztXyZoItSwSbHJzyeqNBoFNhkoBH6Nqf86pww5j-J-HMFHDsizR1o9RsnMwxj-vUVi-RH3kT63baWMuoy5XM6KbuFrhoxkaoFi8H0K_q9b1XcycYgb7q2Le7zT/s1600/lost+art.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicK5zaZE7irwy55680XaztXyZoItSwSbHJzyeqNBoFNhkoBH6Nqf86pww5j-J-HMFHDsizR1o9RsnMwxj-vUVi-RH3kT63baWMuoy5XM6KbuFrhoxkaoFi8H0K_q9b1XcycYgb7q2Le7zT/s400/lost+art.png" width="400" /></a></div>
How do you feel about teaching handwriting? For years, it was removed from our curriculum and it's almost become a lost art. That saddens me. Recently, I started following some beautiful Instagram accounts that have sparked my interest in the art of penmanship. I've never been in love with my own handwriting, but I think it's because I'm always in a hurry to get down my thoughts. I think it's about time to slow down and enjoy the art of hand lettering.<br />
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Did you know that BIC is on a mission to save handwriting through its Fight For Your Write initiative? The mission is aimed to educate everyone about the importance of writing by hand, and providing parents and educators with information and activities that encourage and inspire writing. By taking the pledge at <a href="http://www.bicfightforyourwrite.com/">www.BICFightForYourWrite.com</a>, you can help join the crusade as well - for every signature collected, BIC will donate a pen or pencil to students in need across the country through their partnership with <a href="http://adoptaclassroom.org/">AdoptAClassroom.org</a>.<br />
<br />
I'm happy to partner with BIC to share this information with you! Writing is a critical learning tool for children, and BIC is committed to making sure that schools (and students) are given the tools that they need! <br />
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<br />
I received this fabulous box full of BIC supplies to check out and I have to say that I LOVE everything. <br />
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· BIC® Xtra-Fun pencil, the only #2 pencil with two-toned color barrels. <br />
· BIC® Xtra-Craze™ Mechanical Pencil<br />
· BIC® Brite Liner® Erasable Highlighter<br />
· BIC® Cristal® Stylus<br />
· BIC Atlantis® Ultra Comfort pen. <br />
<br />
I love everything included, but I think I'm most in love with the erasable highlighter! Check it out:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAPXK8SVY4WWJpGxYBEAU4Vipm5Ue0OICU0Vs-Fz41JkYR0o6jK_9gxIQ-lNI0S4si8uFxspBazMbyO1j99p3G7tZUJljWp6CYOf-Z7SLvbzHWj_ruBMofeC2hZ136XS_rGkHg8516nhCO/s1600/highlighter1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAPXK8SVY4WWJpGxYBEAU4Vipm5Ue0OICU0Vs-Fz41JkYR0o6jK_9gxIQ-lNI0S4si8uFxspBazMbyO1j99p3G7tZUJljWp6CYOf-Z7SLvbzHWj_ruBMofeC2hZ136XS_rGkHg8516nhCO/s400/highlighter1.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />
How cool is that? I know this will come in handy when I'm trying to teach my English Language Learners how to highlight key concepts. Often students get "highlighter happy" and now we have a way to fix that! Yay!<br />
<br />
Do you have a favorite BIC® product?<br />
<br />
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Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786531176109759149noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943861818254304964.post-2115508673477087072015-08-26T18:03:00.000-04:002015-08-26T18:03:16.859-04:00Make Back to School Special<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Just the phrase itself, "Back to School", sends shivers. Doesn’t it? Do you still get so nervous and excited on the night before the first day back that you have a hard time sleeping? I think the reason most of us are a bundle of nerves is because we want to make sure that we cover every detail that first day. Will you remember to go over fire drill procedures before they ring the fire drill? Will you remember to turn in attendance on time? And the most dreaded question…will you send every child home the correct way on that first day of school? Will they get home safely?<br /><br />Sometimes we, as teachers, are so excited, nervous and filled with anticipation that everything goes “just right” that sometimes we lose what I feel is the most important goal for day one: Does every single student feel loved and appreciated enough to want to come back the next day?<br /><br />Years ago, I made this my number one priority for day one. What about lesson plans? I didn't keep any for that first day. I simply created a list of the essential items that need to be discussed or completed.<br /><ul>
<li>Fire drill procedures</li>
<li>Transportation details</li>
<li>Bathroom procedures</li>
</ul>
Really, those are the only three things that <b>have</b> to happen. I used to fill the day going over every single procedure: properly writing in agendas, how to have homework on desks in the morning, how to line up for lunch, how to ask to sharpen a pencil, etc. You get the idea, right? BORING. I know that we want to set these procedures in place, but it can wait for another day. Not every little detail needs to be covered on day one. It took years for me to realize this.<br /><br />I found a way to make my life a little easier by doing a few simple things. First, I found that each student came in with a million school supplies. Some students have their supplies labeled, but most do not. My solution was to grab gigantic, sealable plastic bags (already labeled with each student’s name) and dump all supplies into them. Then I gather them all and put to the side for another day. I allowed my students to use my supplies on day one.<br /><br />Most students have stories they want to tell you. Let them. This is how you are going to be able to achieve the goal of having them want to come back the next day. So, how are you going to have time for this? Have students create an “All about Me” poster. I had my students partner up for this activity. Once they created the poster, they would share with their partner, and then, if they wanted to, they could share it with the class. Not all students want to share aloud. So, keeping my number one goal in mind, I didn't make them. I did, however, take the time to ask each student questions about his/her poster.<br /><br />Finally, the first day should be fun. Fun? Yes, fun. One of the fun activities that I loved was our snowball fight. Students filled out a simple questionnaire and then crumpled up the paper to make a snowball. They were always puzzled and confused about why they had to crumple up their paper. I would them tell them that I had a big secret. We are going to have a little fun, but that they had to keep that a secret or other people might get jealous! Then, I would throw the first snowball high into the air and yell “Snowball fight!” It was pandemonium, but so fun. Then, I would blow a whistle and the students had to race to pick up the nearest snowball and read the questionnaire aloud to the class. We would have a blast learning a little bit about each other.<br /><br />Enjoy the first day of school and remember to make sure your students are happy enough to want to return for day two. Then, you can hit them with all of the rules and procedures. :)<br />
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<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786531176109759149noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943861818254304964.post-27546113487375135472015-07-26T09:00:00.000-04:002016-02-07T14:58:19.579-05:00Math Workshop: Building Routines That Last a YearHello friends! I'm so excited to be joining some of my favorite upper elementary blog buddies for a huge link up to share some great Back to School Survival Tips. Hop on through each of our blogs and check out the collection of tips that should get your new year started right!<br />
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Have you considered starting a Math Workshop model in your classroom, but just don't know where to start? I'm going to share some tips to help you start the year off using the workshop model and give you ideas and suggestions about how you can build those routines that will last all year long.<br />
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Years ago when I first implemented the workshop model, I was anxious about how to make it work. Often, teachers feel comfortable implementing Reading Workshop and even Writing Workshop, but just don't know how to make this method work for math. I took the opposite approach. I tackled Math Workshop head-on FIRST before attempting Reading or Writing Workshop and I never looked back!<br />
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Tip #1: How is it organized?<br />
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For me, this meant having my student rotate through a series of 4 stations. Those 4 stations used the acronym M.A.T.H. to make it simple for students to rotate through each of the letters every day.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>M</u>ath Facts</b></span>- This is where I had my students work our daily math spiral review. They were usually able to complete this part quickly, so when they were finished, they had the opportunity to start their At Your Seat Work.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>A</u>t Your Seat</b></span>- This is where my students completed the Independent Practice from the math book. However, this time could be spent completing any number of activities that need to be completed independently. I've even used this time to have my students complete Math Menus. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>T</u>eacher Time</b></span>- This was my small group instruction time. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><u>H</u>ands On</span></b>- This is what most think of as real "Stations" or "Centers". During Hands-On time, students can work on a number of skills (all differentiated) using flashcards, task cards, different technology, math manipulatives, etc. <br />
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Tip #2: How do you start?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx1GFq_jjUO2Rt3CiTznfTVufh3SfkXuDWbwt5BR7A66QHCPpiRJJQ0cgMNsw_KROZN_Wc0zvq3EQO5N_djrBRzAhVNjBSLvMgVtFtuTVN2K3gsEbODDic3Ft94U51fB1BWMNa6ragIcG-/s1600/Tip+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx1GFq_jjUO2Rt3CiTznfTVufh3SfkXuDWbwt5BR7A66QHCPpiRJJQ0cgMNsw_KROZN_Wc0zvq3EQO5N_djrBRzAhVNjBSLvMgVtFtuTVN2K3gsEbODDic3Ft94U51fB1BWMNa6ragIcG-/s640/Tip+2.png" width="640" /></a>You have to establish expectations about how to use math materials properly. I've used a lesson that I called "Math Tools vs. Math Toys". For this lesson, I began by placing tubs of math tools (electronic flashcards (like Math Sharks), flashcards, dice, center packets, task cards, etc.) on the group tables. Before opening the boxes of math tools, we discussed the difference between a math tool and a toy. I would ask a series of questions including:</div>
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<li>What do you do with math tools? </li>
<li>How is that different than a toy? </li>
<li>Can I "play" with math tools if I wanted to? (Yes) </li>
<li>Should I "play" with my math tools? (No) </li>
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I had students write what they see as the difference between the two on a sticky note and bring it to a chart labeled "Math Tools vs. Math Toys". We discussed the students answers. Then, we began working with math tools "correctly" and then I modeled in an over-the-top silly way using the tools inappropriately. I usually picked a student who can really "ham it up" with me. We tossed the dice at each other pretending to have a war. We took the flash cards and dealt them out like we are playing a game of cards and threw them in the air a bit. You get the idea. By taking the time to complete this activity, your students will have a reference whenever you have to revisit the expectations. <br />
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Tip #3: How do you organize groups?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik8jwjumhB1hOeElLgjzWnVPiC2v52D5fOn6z9t54cCeZyu6iI6cVpZ-FE6Euf-XLqpC7Yj-wGGl0aOjG1WCVclKUl_WhX_iN-V_EYps_Jih-7G2h9LRds0ykJrZqqrQfY0yLKg84kRNBF/s1600/Tip+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik8jwjumhB1hOeElLgjzWnVPiC2v52D5fOn6z9t54cCeZyu6iI6cVpZ-FE6Euf-XLqpC7Yj-wGGl0aOjG1WCVclKUl_WhX_iN-V_EYps_Jih-7G2h9LRds0ykJrZqqrQfY0yLKg84kRNBF/s640/Tip+3.png" width="640" /></a>This is perhaps one of the most difficult aspects of any classroom workshop model. I tried many different methods for grouping my students. However, what I found to be the most effective way to group my students was based on their mathematical needs. If I had established routines and procedures, then I didn't have to worry about grouping students primarily based on student behavior. I found that the best way to determine what skills needed to be addressed during small group instruction was by using my Daily Spiral Math Review. </div>
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Math-Moves-Stepping-Up-Our-Math-Game-4th-Grade-CCSS-Daily-Spiral-Review-804638" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPLdw3G4d8MZDgdY7LauloLa5QNG_JrV6pmH0sOGGOAj3GCsNq_yGU6Z0sf4g7AEe-TmNztEWTMmBZRu08A-Zb-HzNvtAceNpO5_ealv30nDsVfTTM8Miqi93QuIkEyWLVGfHx8VD2dD3/s320/Slide1.PNG" width="247" /></a><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Math-Moves-Stepping-Up-Our-Math-Game-Grade-5-Common-Core-Daily-Spiral-Review-1364173" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdSD3fIH4nQmDEVOhh_S6ZPB0_z_r3doRzn7v6luqqQ_twJaExpO1TMUyMa6YLV8k_XNzYB4xKlCeJQDMkk9bjRzfR9x1tO3juZsm9QelIDF61CWcWgeaDzQYdzvxe4GiWHQO35JVhnS6I/s320/Slide1.PNG" width="247" /></a></div>
Since the skills included in this pack are spiraled, and each domain is covered every single week, I was able to narrow down which skills my students needed to review. By using the weekly assessment included, I could track areas of concern for each of my students and then I would group "like" students together based on the skills that they needed to review. <br />
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You can try out the <b><u>first week for free</u></b> by downloading the product preview for each resource. You can check them both out by heading {<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Fun-In-Room-4b/Search:math%20moves" target="_blank">here</a>} or by clicking on the images above. <br />
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I hope that you found some tips that can help you get started with Math Workshop in your classroom! The tips can also easily be adapted to any workshop model. <br />
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For more tips to add to your survival guide for Back to School, head on over to my friends' blogs to read more!<br />
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Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786531176109759149noreply@blogger.com224tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943861818254304964.post-17361429779615504992015-07-25T10:24:00.001-04:002015-07-25T10:29:24.509-04:00Have You Tried Nearpod in the Classroom?<div>
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Are you trying to incorporate more technology in your classroom? Do you want your lessons to be more interactive? Then, <a href="https://www.nearpod.com/" target="_blank">Nearpod</a> is for you! </div>
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Check out this video from Nearpod to learn more:</div>
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Last spring, I shared this with some teachers at my school and they were excited about how it can be used in their classrooms. I am excited to use Nearpod in my small group instruction. Since I have the use of 5 iPads, my students can work with me on a skill and can answer questions in their individual iPads. I'll be able to track their answers and use this to help plan instruction the following week. </div>
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There are many different free "premade" Nearpod lessons that are ready to use! I've already been saving many different lessons to use with my students this year! </div>
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Why not give Nearpod a try? </div>
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<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786531176109759149noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943861818254304964.post-9339267624614716532015-06-29T06:05:00.000-04:002015-06-29T06:05:51.790-04:00Monday Made It {6/29/15}Hey friends! I'm off to my daughter's Freshman Orientation for the University of South Carolina today and we are super excited about what is in store. I just can't believe the time has come for this major event in her life. #wheredidthetimego? If you follow me on <a href="https://instagram.com/elizabethsupan/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, you have probably seen that hashtag a lot this year. Before we take off, I'm linking up with one of my VEGAS roommates, <a href="http://4thgradefrolics.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Tara</a>! Are you headed to Vegas this year? This will be my first time and I can't wait!<br />
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<a href="http://4thgradefrolics.blogspot.com/2015/01/monday-made-it-january.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuMK54rqWnvYprV_Qhpv2Wmamhf9uCOArZArhqASAgm9jAeauQMfPtvVs6qgEbUvrObdc34AnWunwKx1tult6H3KApZCqXzHADYPM2tbJ68duqLNhiRVwcHqbm9COjFe9WKcllwT5d3Esr/s1600/Monday+Made+It+1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Last week, I posted a ton of pictures from Sarah's graduation party and promised to share one of the coolest features of her party this week. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG5tdzzRuwu0I0knE6nqglw4m3aheS-9iRL0lW6Vp5lKYL5csY4CHpvqolwzef0gbpZEc_W7qdJ5EHpIezf8ONH_dClS1o0BqUgdVKjAs_On_1OGEulRJIGgoYxgNEWlcbUVuebLgdHtMi/s1600/Button+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG5tdzzRuwu0I0knE6nqglw4m3aheS-9iRL0lW6Vp5lKYL5csY4CHpvqolwzef0gbpZEc_W7qdJ5EHpIezf8ONH_dClS1o0BqUgdVKjAs_On_1OGEulRJIGgoYxgNEWlcbUVuebLgdHtMi/s1600/Button+1.png" /></a></div>
We had a photo booth set up in the back yard and it was a hit! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP7Hnd2pyC-qWh62FWEqYAHW1zdmTsQZA-lpDFoR98-DnIhGkjfJq3g739pP1669dzhvONCNl1Q3AE7xUeedSBvAzsJDVFq6mBa6scsloWSC6_xXFHLyoFHn4N_VjCPpYMnIh_kSQD1wJH/s1600/frame+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP7Hnd2pyC-qWh62FWEqYAHW1zdmTsQZA-lpDFoR98-DnIhGkjfJq3g739pP1669dzhvONCNl1Q3AE7xUeedSBvAzsJDVFq6mBa6scsloWSC6_xXFHLyoFHn4N_VjCPpYMnIh_kSQD1wJH/s640/frame+1.png" width="640" /></a></div>
This is my friend, Stacy, who is going to be starting her own teaching blog soon! Isn't she adorable?<br />
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I made the frame. It's made out of foam board from the Dollar Tree. Below is a little tutorial of how I created it. <br />
Buy two cheap foam boards from the Dollar Tree. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbVq4Fbp7wYhglZ7mERKcKXvTJBTXXpGIXANIzlpZy5tOSMUqWGiiWaJLyslLbtpUGzK5L7lVKzfIAdfDUjCx8TvLq4eyZPiA-V6XOG8X9KBhxBoAb1qxpH-ZFqtDVlxND8XObqasHcE5/s1600/Frame+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbVq4Fbp7wYhglZ7mERKcKXvTJBTXXpGIXANIzlpZy5tOSMUqWGiiWaJLyslLbtpUGzK5L7lVKzfIAdfDUjCx8TvLq4eyZPiA-V6XOG8X9KBhxBoAb1qxpH-ZFqtDVlxND8XObqasHcE5/s640/Frame+3.png" width="478" /></a></div>
I wanted the rounded edges, so I just found something round to create the curves.<br />
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I had to make several attempts until I found the curve that made me happy. :)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgBzF_83Xv0eYtOPZEuV7O4LvNy_uLmnL4KiupF2nuSD3Ac2LB6yRzQwxKbK-oxLSBEKbzFsU5mv09XWEh666isoCk9NuOXyTqy579Q-LZrlEmeWpm3eYAKs38V9Waig5nBw323YWchh0_/s1600/Frame+5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgBzF_83Xv0eYtOPZEuV7O4LvNy_uLmnL4KiupF2nuSD3Ac2LB6yRzQwxKbK-oxLSBEKbzFsU5mv09XWEh666isoCk9NuOXyTqy579Q-LZrlEmeWpm3eYAKs38V9Waig5nBw323YWchh0_/s640/Frame+5.png" width="640" /></a></div>
Then, the fun began. I bought and FELL IN LOVE WITH a <a href="http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/5-in-1-woodburningtool-kit-with-case-411769/" target="_blank">Hot Knife from Hobby Lobby</a>! Where in the world has this awesome crafting tool been all of my life? So, let me break this down for you. That tip gets like super, dooper hot. Once it does, it cuts through this foam board like butta (you know, butter, but pronounced "butta").<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJQjq6LhRg5jeCGoeFnh1I_VfmJctn-ftYvqKr-q2kpyS2ng3GgV-Vk7DIXc93OTPwU9NhBURDy2UoPSipy2tkQ5peCdWG85P-vvtd-PdMda0jrs5Nhzf2yeb08Qb3GLn_BByn6hds-u-M/s1600/Frame+6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJQjq6LhRg5jeCGoeFnh1I_VfmJctn-ftYvqKr-q2kpyS2ng3GgV-Vk7DIXc93OTPwU9NhBURDy2UoPSipy2tkQ5peCdWG85P-vvtd-PdMda0jrs5Nhzf2yeb08Qb3GLn_BByn6hds-u-M/s640/Frame+6.png" width="640" /></a></div>
Once all of the corners were cut, I used the first board to line up the second board to create the curve to match the larger board. You can see in the picture below that I had to make several traced lines to get what I wanted...but that's OK. You'll see later why it's fine...<br />
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Once the two boards are cut, the center has to be removed. We actually used the center pieces for a display on the front porch. <br />
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Ta-Da! But, do you see that white? Yuck. Have no fear, spray paint is always near!!<br />
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Once spray painted, it was perfect! <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDVxCiTu3JEwEO-qdBcwBWxwFn-SqD9geLnF_Ei_eTHRGaNOHAVdDQEn1ijBhYExyMcOGoo1jvfDJrdljH4giqbqE_O44k9Os08cfo17cxzqewfOKtYdKxkggVe0YfhzJYr9MH5gC7c_QX/s1600/Frame+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDVxCiTu3JEwEO-qdBcwBWxwFn-SqD9geLnF_Ei_eTHRGaNOHAVdDQEn1ijBhYExyMcOGoo1jvfDJrdljH4giqbqE_O44k9Os08cfo17cxzqewfOKtYdKxkggVe0YfhzJYr9MH5gC7c_QX/s640/Frame+2.png" width="640" /></a><br />
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Originally, I had planned on hanging it from the tree, but because it was foam board, it swayed quite a bit in the breeze. I think it worked out just fine to have people hold it. </div>
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Now, run...I mean RUN to your nearest craft store and get yourself a Hot Knife! </div>
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<a href="http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/5-in-1-woodburningtool-kit-with-case-411769/" target="_blank"><img alt="Creative Versa-Tool Woodburning Tool Kit with Case" src="http://shop.hobbylobby.com/assets/1/14/DimRegular/411769_1.jpg" /></a></div>
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You will be glad you did!</div>
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My daughter's birthday was this week and we baked this beautiful cake together. My husband laughed because she helped bake her own cake. That's what happens when you are a grown up. She wanted a strawberry cake. And not one of those "fake" strawberry cakes that uses strawberry Jello. She would have no part of that!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBJ3KJE4-pdW_t5MZ4hGY-C5tKhHCyKeuTC18TG4Sd50pVgktlIFuEdNyEWZkWV7t6Vpa9xbYVIZZiKVEY9MifTDJI7hYsWAbn8-aFSAGixBYiFkDmo0nfjZCeGX-S3jy8D3EM3ksP6bYo/s1600/Cake+7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBJ3KJE4-pdW_t5MZ4hGY-C5tKhHCyKeuTC18TG4Sd50pVgktlIFuEdNyEWZkWV7t6Vpa9xbYVIZZiKVEY9MifTDJI7hYsWAbn8-aFSAGixBYiFkDmo0nfjZCeGX-S3jy8D3EM3ksP6bYo/s640/Cake+7.png" width="638" /></a></div>
We started with some fresh strawberries.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl6OpU6rowNJ4t6HYiEkrrLroaQVn0mgWPibhdqbvCGElnMn7N25n7vgrP5Hp9HbJ8iBUfixoxJ4wDr9Xj_72btm53jTqBZmOB_YhbAfmJvIJyO0ys_ZZs6UCZwedXrfzcJDmusnj_Vu5g/s1600/Cake+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl6OpU6rowNJ4t6HYiEkrrLroaQVn0mgWPibhdqbvCGElnMn7N25n7vgrP5Hp9HbJ8iBUfixoxJ4wDr9Xj_72btm53jTqBZmOB_YhbAfmJvIJyO0ys_ZZs6UCZwedXrfzcJDmusnj_Vu5g/s640/Cake+1.png" width="640" /></a></div>
Then pureed them. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbjRLIz4bAjX2nCbxk1hEN-N0cPPoZhMg2oSxcjWF7QqKAWxhv0c09H_iWUowVsf7MD0fuiEWXdjnU9TGvXKyGgiPaqRAu2hdWenY1Shyphenhyphenp-4UhhFpqpolMAhWIxXV8pJN2etDuEw23ahia/s1600/Cake+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbjRLIz4bAjX2nCbxk1hEN-N0cPPoZhMg2oSxcjWF7QqKAWxhv0c09H_iWUowVsf7MD0fuiEWXdjnU9TGvXKyGgiPaqRAu2hdWenY1Shyphenhyphenp-4UhhFpqpolMAhWIxXV8pJN2etDuEw23ahia/s640/Cake+2.png" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-A_EGwgE2ht5H3GNvWRwKLkBexzfoqcJVmVwzhCpHceDnd_tQSaH5HtXRhfCRn8QD5b5PH_LOfW4NkGqVOzj4i154zYoYeqK4z9s4DtWAC5A9L-r3yINUXcoYHJVIdLPBHQJeq0VKrcH/s1600/Cake+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-A_EGwgE2ht5H3GNvWRwKLkBexzfoqcJVmVwzhCpHceDnd_tQSaH5HtXRhfCRn8QD5b5PH_LOfW4NkGqVOzj4i154zYoYeqK4z9s4DtWAC5A9L-r3yINUXcoYHJVIdLPBHQJeq0VKrcH/s640/Cake+3.png" width="480" /></a></div>
We added the puree to both the cake mix and the frosting. <br />
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It was delicious!<br />
Want to make one of your own? Here's a recipe:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO_XWMZC-aVOTRov9jrfKZTWgzQ7ut6Ou1urW_XaqQCE27vVUCaFYeBBCrcthrDi6t-gdipNFqTCN0hKwJ5PfDy731dTD321DaCNjhj_u4DCAPZWBxWtn1ucZNq1q_Mdl1954541ZAM1wH/s1600/Recipe.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="516" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO_XWMZC-aVOTRov9jrfKZTWgzQ7ut6Ou1urW_XaqQCE27vVUCaFYeBBCrcthrDi6t-gdipNFqTCN0hKwJ5PfDy731dTD321DaCNjhj_u4DCAPZWBxWtn1ucZNq1q_Mdl1954541ZAM1wH/s640/Recipe.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Sadly, only two Made It's this week. Next week should be a little better, I hope :)<br />
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Have you checked out this week's Monday Made It posts yet? </div>
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Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786531176109759149noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943861818254304964.post-21743070403703605692015-06-23T22:05:00.000-04:002015-06-23T22:05:00.048-04:00Monday Made It {6/23/15}Hello from my poor, neglected blog! It's been over a month since I've posted. You might say I've been busy...but you could also say that I've been enjoying my summer. It's a little of both, really. I'm here to share some of the fun things that I created for my daughter's graduation party for Tara's Monday Made It!<br />
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<a href="http://4thgradefrolics.blogspot.com/2015/01/monday-made-it-january.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuMK54rqWnvYprV_Qhpv2Wmamhf9uCOArZArhqASAgm9jAeauQMfPtvVs6qgEbUvrObdc34AnWunwKx1tult6H3KApZCqXzHADYPM2tbJ68duqLNhiRVwcHqbm9COjFe9WKcllwT5d3Esr/s1600/Monday+Made+It+1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Sarah's theme was "Oh, the Places You'll Go!" and we had maps hanging around the house. We created them using embroidery hoops and old maps. I love the way they turned out. You can see them in these two pictures:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_7XSIr6bJCBhyphenhyphena6zSvt9IMd7YBj3KuFQoVzKOEH2BC1gEf8_PLNsXgrD3NJLkM_JXpbeWiu7JTR9Iz5KDvNenb1VXuXgjyfLHy-uUCa2BlpCQgW5p9oRDwHr7fVxb4KcZRtuj-1H2C4TE/s1600/Grad.2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_7XSIr6bJCBhyphenhyphena6zSvt9IMd7YBj3KuFQoVzKOEH2BC1gEf8_PLNsXgrD3NJLkM_JXpbeWiu7JTR9Iz5KDvNenb1VXuXgjyfLHy-uUCa2BlpCQgW5p9oRDwHr7fVxb4KcZRtuj-1H2C4TE/s640/Grad.2.png" width="428" /></a></div>
We also took those drink dispensers above and attached them to some wooden logs. I love the rustic look. The drink dispensers and tags came from Crate and Barrel and I love them! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPyxB3HXd05krGiI68JqGDYp-l2Dc8zpAyyyBuv63Fc-FD8q2js1QcOOu_e0OHIgesaLGW2itzo9eSHBFs58cePwwBNw558YPpBuc7Iprm3SOKuiVBzYe6KOipyybmvLYgjr44IaNL0KpG/s1600/Grad.3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPyxB3HXd05krGiI68JqGDYp-l2Dc8zpAyyyBuv63Fc-FD8q2js1QcOOu_e0OHIgesaLGW2itzo9eSHBFs58cePwwBNw558YPpBuc7Iprm3SOKuiVBzYe6KOipyybmvLYgjr44IaNL0KpG/s640/Grad.3.png" width="640" /></a></div>
Here are some more of the maps near the cake table. That gorgeous cake was made by a teacher friend (thanks, Julie!) who used to make Sarah's birthday cakes when she was little. Life is truly full circle sometimes. Here is a closer look at that cake:<br />
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One of my favorite decorations (which is actually still hanging) was the feature wall.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdyLS5AFqDjupKzBp7txGqfnMw5eca6NlMSClYHJ6rpNHbzqKd-x9n1MJeA9eF_4EUq-z0RFxvPg45XwesqaYRQL-wkM6n686RR4XsaGFMgUBqrpWCF3I6eZpMLpoidCk11czt8kT2rjuJ/s1600/Grad.4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdyLS5AFqDjupKzBp7txGqfnMw5eca6NlMSClYHJ6rpNHbzqKd-x9n1MJeA9eF_4EUq-z0RFxvPg45XwesqaYRQL-wkM6n686RR4XsaGFMgUBqrpWCF3I6eZpMLpoidCk11czt8kT2rjuJ/s640/Grad.4.png" width="640" /></a></div>
Did you know that you can print black and white pictures from Staples Copy for CHEAP using the Blueprint paper? You need to print the "<a href="http://www.staples.com/sbd/content/copyandprint/engineering-prints.html" target="_blank">Engineering Prints</a>" and you can get an 18"x24" print for around $1.99. With a few discounts, I got this whole wall printed for about $30. You can't get a banner printed for that cost and this had such a stronger impact than a much smaller banner would have gotten.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyy_ghR6hT51o-9PbRtqMaKASsPNY7YJ4vj9HpMlsin1a6kNF_fu8Y0Z6Wl0b6aqkRZO_qFA1U35kbjO34BIwjv_Zw7_xHRoRTTXRISNDF9syTVfD_A3shkQswYayHSS4gjoFvqhBvy9qx/s1600/Button+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyy_ghR6hT51o-9PbRtqMaKASsPNY7YJ4vj9HpMlsin1a6kNF_fu8Y0Z6Wl0b6aqkRZO_qFA1U35kbjO34BIwjv_Zw7_xHRoRTTXRISNDF9syTVfD_A3shkQswYayHSS4gjoFvqhBvy9qx/s1600/Button+3.png" /></a></div>
One more decoration was the "Polaroid Picture" banner. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHI8qDw5s1eX1gx96AqNC7JWchGUfM7owN3jME3Kn2C3uv9w5BFhUCTlfAjlOCUa-7sNyfmpUCuiMMglfCbccc-m2kmYjCHlqsRQ8MEocgLgA9kEh0BjnZI5p2qZmTSAvMiA1Lgx2OeVzw/s1600/Grad.6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHI8qDw5s1eX1gx96AqNC7JWchGUfM7owN3jME3Kn2C3uv9w5BFhUCTlfAjlOCUa-7sNyfmpUCuiMMglfCbccc-m2kmYjCHlqsRQ8MEocgLgA9kEh0BjnZI5p2qZmTSAvMiA1Lgx2OeVzw/s640/Grad.6.png" width="640" /></a></div>
I just printed those on my printer to make them look like Polaroid pictures. Simple. Cheap.<br />
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Finally, this display was in the foyer. </div>
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I spray painted an old suitcase my mother-in-law found at the Habitat Thrift shop. We decorated it and guests dropped cards in it. The display on the right was full of treats for our guests to take away. I bought chocolates that looked like globes. </div>
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Next week, I'll show you our photo booth. Stay tuned!</div>
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Have you checked out this week's Monday Made It posts yet? </div>
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<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786531176109759149noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943861818254304964.post-81077588056762815962015-05-03T18:00:00.000-04:002015-05-03T21:00:11.216-04:00Teacher Appreciation Giveaway!<div class="MsoNormal">
Two, four, six, eight…who do we appreciate?</div>
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YOU! Teachers! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<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/AVvXsEg9Cjk9mFMlJMkly-slsGTYNZIw-iifUEqNiNiZg9vZrDhRwxecHvQ5wJbkHLh40YNpI9guQ9ZAdL8YZbdHH6RF24en8qWrMnGJ-oPOuJ1WTplVMMfAhfGX4y4Z4E99YP_1zZXszAb6NjFF/s1600/You+are+apprectiated.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Cjk9mFMlJMkly-slsGTYNZIw-iifUEqNiNiZg9vZrDhRwxecHvQ5wJbkHLh40YNpI9guQ9ZAdL8YZbdHH6RF24en8qWrMnGJ-oPOuJ1WTplVMMfAhfGX4y4Z4E99YP_1zZXszAb6NjFF/s1600/You+are+apprectiated.jpg" height="313" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks to Joey @ <a href="http://www.createteachandshare.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Creating, Teaching and Sharing with Joey</a> for the adorable image!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It’s Teacher Appreciation <b><span style="color: purple;">MONTH</span></b> (because we deserve a <u><b>whole
month</b></u>, don’t we?) and I've teamed up with some of my favorite bloggers to bring
an awesome giveaway your way!</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Each of us has created a fun basket of goodies and will add to
it a $25 gift certificate to Teachers Pay Teachers. I’m sure you want to win! When creating my basket, I actually bought
double of a few items... because I wanted the items myself! <br />
<br />
Check out my basket:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhLQguobhkxcWaSmTu_MSPIKmlabRqaCwbAupZ3TRwK_OKPrOf7wD3h0cncGy0uEn0prYkMaPaEv1SphSCOLvjt4Uf3riC9zW798Jkp7DzoE23woBnTUDbP5qCsp1R4CMJ4dIekZ4rVBDR/s1600/picture+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhLQguobhkxcWaSmTu_MSPIKmlabRqaCwbAupZ3TRwK_OKPrOf7wD3h0cncGy0uEn0prYkMaPaEv1SphSCOLvjt4Uf3riC9zW798Jkp7DzoE23woBnTUDbP5qCsp1R4CMJ4dIekZ4rVBDR/s1600/picture+1.png" height="640" width="531" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
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What’s included?<o:p></o:p></div>
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*$25 Gift Certificate to Teachers Pay Teachers {Winner will be emailed the code.}<br />
*Cute clipboard<o:p></o:p></div>
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*Notepads and sticky notes (You can never have too many!)</div>
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*Adorable pencils<o:p></o:p></div>
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*Lemon-scented candle<o:p></o:p></div>
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*Reuseable water bottle that looks like a water bottle--too stinkin' cute<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuaM-BbFjnp4pnCbKsGC79rXi4hi5OgdCvPPhCcVJ6R8Adu8ft4hLrxD4p9gdcZ89bHNgR9ovu-k__HqIXz5eAwHun_l0a0QnxbBOWbRzBT3S9vZxlCrNe4ol-HsDzVYj4A_8tbTI4BYqv/s1600/Picture2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuaM-BbFjnp4pnCbKsGC79rXi4hi5OgdCvPPhCcVJ6R8Adu8ft4hLrxD4p9gdcZ89bHNgR9ovu-k__HqIXz5eAwHun_l0a0QnxbBOWbRzBT3S9vZxlCrNe4ol-HsDzVYj4A_8tbTI4BYqv/s1600/Picture2.png" height="348" width="640" /></a></div>
*Winner's Choice of either my 4th or 5th grade Math Moves: Spiral Math Review {Winner will be emailed the file.}</div>
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Math-Moves-Stepping-Up-Our-Math-Game-4th-Grade-CCSS-Daily-Spiral-Review-804638" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_5kVTRsdtNe4DN-_BqeSu6YIZlwFLuMkcbWMCJWoBlmXuu2jrRIk7bTAYKY32gQtfu2BJs4I7w-SgHARRY2J6ENZfyaPoa9cs-jZOejw5CX1p2iLGmNlYIOIjH17qTId6RmkVx8F96tr/s1600/Slide2.PNG" height="154" width="200" /></a><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Math-Moves-Stepping-Up-Our-Math-Game-Grade-5-Common-Core-Daily-Spiral-Review-1364173" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUBA_GDw5qevzoiOMazXu2Be739SBdABjJ3py5fiHtinRQAf1YSIek-7JH7OAMvLB-ck-Db2TOK8vWUT6TwmT7A6-tbn-gLyAbYLkD5I2ej5afH9LEC9b0u8Q-ecoc75iNwq6f3rMvyUJJ/s1600/Slide3.PNG" height="154" width="200" /></a></div>
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</div>
Enter to win soon! This giveaway ends on Tuesday night at midnight just in time for you to spend that Teachers Pay Teachers gift card during the second day of the sale! Make sure you check out all of the other fabulous baskets and enter to win those, too!<br />
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</a>
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Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786531176109759149noreply@blogger.com266tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943861818254304964.post-3252505487008492372015-04-21T15:56:00.000-04:002015-04-21T16:01:57.373-04:00Tips to Stay Stress Free---Great Giveaway! <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJCK5uB5OwRGMTXJDVaV7IKm9Hwuv9TC4FlvJAsM3xmqOmGAzN3YbCSv75mh7V1PqKiwfEP0NuXSb_tOuR_hCJctVJICvyPYln8gf4Ua_C9HUszlrdcbx4kgNTBbs4_C-pOonIO-6bF8yR/s1600/stress+free+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJCK5uB5OwRGMTXJDVaV7IKm9Hwuv9TC4FlvJAsM3xmqOmGAzN3YbCSv75mh7V1PqKiwfEP0NuXSb_tOuR_hCJctVJICvyPYln8gf4Ua_C9HUszlrdcbx4kgNTBbs4_C-pOonIO-6bF8yR/s1600/stress+free+pic.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I’m linking up with
some of my 3, 4, 5 blogging buddies for a terrific giveaway! Huge prizes!
We wanted to help alleviate some of the stress that happens this time of
year by sharing some tips to stay stress-free and by offering up 4 great
prizes!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It’s that time of the
year! Testing time! How many of you are gearing up for testing
week? Our testing begins in two weeks,
but I know that several states are already testing (or have already
tested). So, how can we make this as
stress-free as possible? Not only for us, but for our students? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I’m going to be
sharing this acronym with my students in grades 3-5 as we get closer to
testing. I shared it with my fourth
graders for the last few years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/RELAX-Testing-Stratgies-Poster-230490" target="_blank"><img alt="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/RELAX-Testing-Stratgies-Poster-230490" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm_CPjVed3s0ek4zY4R1HmrBzepwXfvEh0CzwlNhHgST6d9qGgO_TMxactHjTLFTCxpY7yGVc9qrnxFtS-HPmox6dxqmpNixoDgw6LEYPy4rxnXnYhneQ-qr5W-CPZc4CsjW7HpLniaoHe/s1600/Relax+poster.jpg" height="400" width="308" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We must help our
students to RELAX. Testing is hard, but
if you use these 5 simple strategies during <b>THE </b>test (or any test), you will be able to relax and focus on the
test. Often, our students get so
stressed out looking at the questions that they panic. Just using the word, “relax” will help them
to refocus and use the strategies included:
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">R- Read the question carefully and then reread the passage or
problem to find the right answer. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">E- Examine every answer choice before you choose your answer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">L- Label your answer
in the passage or in the problem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A- Always check your
work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">X- X-out answers that
cannot possibly be correct.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Testing is inevitable;
why not give our students some strategies to help. You can grab that poster by clicking on the
picture or by clicking {<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/RELAX-Testing-Stratgies-Poster-230490" target="_blank">here</a>}. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So, do you want a
chance to win?</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;"> There are 4 prizes and 4 winners! You will need to scroll through the
Rafflecopter to see all 4 prizes. Make
sure you enter for each prize! </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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Check out some of the other great Stress Free Ideas!<script src="//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>
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Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786531176109759149noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943861818254304964.post-90275724170684768692015-04-07T06:00:00.000-04:002015-04-07T06:00:03.463-04:00Chocolate Milk, Por Favor! {Book Launch and Giveaway}I can not even begin to tell you how extremely happy I am to be writing this post! Last summer, Maria Dismondy contacted me to see if I could help her out. Um, of course! I've loved her books and have used them in my classroom for the last few years. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgabHYOnNwNrdICHd8ucY2IG12ZP38_bU_MGFS5qwtAkmDyhXU67day3j8bvhAhPEcFQLUFhoFv7ELHIMLr-9XQN_cEOabYJZx-jN7aivtWh0gw7mnvcH0b17ZRhxB4-HifWHhlIjtOkn83/s1600/A+Virtual+Blog+Tour.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgabHYOnNwNrdICHd8ucY2IG12ZP38_bU_MGFS5qwtAkmDyhXU67day3j8bvhAhPEcFQLUFhoFv7ELHIMLr-9XQN_cEOabYJZx-jN7aivtWh0gw7mnvcH0b17ZRhxB4-HifWHhlIjtOkn83/s1600/A+Virtual+Blog+Tour.png" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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She asked for me to write a brief teacher-friendly page for her new book, <u>Chocolate Milk, Por Favor! Celebrating Diversity with Empathy</u>, about how to assist English Language Learners in the classroom. I am truly honored to have had this opportunity!<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Chocolate-Milk-Por-Favor-Celebrating/dp/0984855831/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1425555546&sr=1-1&keywords=chocolate+milk+por+favor" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFaTvNI-ep9YvM_RDJ2m8JswQsv33swfshlbbu74KifiNM3vSYeA-4UYU9M-iBroAgz2ILHOLLXAP6W5w0l54gDCmacUm9UL4qM5SzX2fdiS0NgX0F15lBrqrkRYyBEvcgCAySDcofYbwD/s1600/Por+Favor+Book+Image.jpg" height="320" width="284" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Book Summary: Johnny is a big fan of school but that all changes when the new kid, Gabe arrives. Gabe doesn't speak any English, and that doesn't stop Johnny from going out of his way to be unkind. <span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">But what will Johnny do when Gabe starts to make new friends? Will he join the fun of making a new friend or turn the other way? Johnny realizes a powerful message in this store where student differences are celebrated. Read to find out how chocolate milk plays a major role in the discovery of the real universal language. </span></span></span><br />
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Check out the book trailer. You will love it!<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Chocolate-Milk-Por-Favor-Celebrating/dp/0984855831/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1425555546&sr=1-1&keywords=chocolate+milk+por+favor" target="_blank"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy4G4cmJlabMg0TGKTeXChwllKXbXRu9LXRnaui6b9SN5s3V6k1ReLaTKMzq7XPdec1aOZLXrk2Pyzjcg8DRA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Chocolate-Milk-Por-Favor-Celebrating/dp/0984855831/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1425555546&sr=1-1&keywords=chocolate+milk+por+favor" target="_blank">Check out the book on Amazon</a>.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Maria is not only an award-winning author, but she was a classroom teacher for many years. She brings that experience to her books. <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">She specializes in </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">books about challenges children face. A topic close to her heart, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Maria’s own childhood experience inspired her first book, Spaghetti </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">in a Hot Dog Bun. Maria’s dedication to empowering children with </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">courage and confidence has reached new heights, touching the </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">hearts and hands of children the world over. Grounded in her belief </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">that all children deserve a voice, Maria’s latest book, Chocolate </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Milk, Por Favor, drives home the important message of celebrating </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">diversity with kindness, inclusion and empathy. As a sought-after </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">speaker, Maria spreads her message by presenting at schools and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">conferences across the country. She holds degrees in education </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">and child development. Maria lives in southeastern Michigan with </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">her husband, Dave, and their three book-loving children.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;">Would you like to win an autographed copy of her newest book? We'd love to share one with you! Please enter to win! </span></span><br />
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<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786531176109759149noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943861818254304964.post-17459067734845226762015-04-02T06:00:00.000-04:002015-04-02T06:00:02.543-04:00Educents Launch!A few years ago, I was introduced Educents and I've loved it ever since. Now, Educents is opening their Marketplace! This means that in addition to their already AMAZING deals, they will now offer store fronts on a daily basis. That means, that teacher-authors can now sell and create stores in the Educents Marketplace. There are over 500 sellers already signed up and you can find some awesome deals anytime you need them!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWhC01OoIje_NtnWkoVAD4x0qA4ThqBcmlttnOU-Uel_G0e3hCo0niTn20VlOgePMM3OtV0f2HX96uK6SOVGdYJSYHLFw2ehvNAvkzu7fnw6jD5iI3Eq71tjjEeuRjxY7gMp0i_CQZwXPG/s1600/launch+pic4b.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWhC01OoIje_NtnWkoVAD4x0qA4ThqBcmlttnOU-Uel_G0e3hCo0niTn20VlOgePMM3OtV0f2HX96uK6SOVGdYJSYHLFw2ehvNAvkzu7fnw6jD5iI3Eq71tjjEeuRjxY7gMp0i_CQZwXPG/s1600/launch+pic4b.png" height="422" width="640" /></a></div>
To LAUNCH the new storefront, several of the sellers are joining in to bring you a little peek into a freebie offered in their new store. In addition to that, we are hosting a giveaway for $50 worth of Educents credits! <br />
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Below is a preview of my FREEBIE!<br />
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This freebie is perfect to help review decimals concepts! <br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 26.5625px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">Check out my freebie over at Eductents {<a href="http://www.educents.com/understanding-decimals-flipbook.html" target="_blank">here</a>}, or the whole storefront {<a href="http://www.educents.com/fun-in-room-4b" target="_blank">here</a>}. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">After you check out my store, be sure to check out some of the other stores listed below, too. Make sure you enter for your chance to win the $50 in Educents credits!!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">Leave me a comment below for a chance to win an item from my store for FREE! Let me know what you would buy with the $50 in Educents credits! </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
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<a class="e-widget no-button" href="https://gleam.io/khjOJ/educents-marketplace-50-in-edubucks-giveaway-8-3rd-4th-grade-stores" rel="nofollow">Educents Marketplace $50 in Edubucks Giveaway #8 - 3rd & 4th Grade Stores</a>
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<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786531176109759149noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943861818254304964.post-34665829006588445692015-03-07T10:12:00.001-05:002015-03-07T20:56:28.868-05:00Can't Live Without It Linky--Come Join the Fun!Hey everybody,<br />
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I think I'm ready to get this linky in full swing again. Life happened. Things got busy, and I put this on the back burner.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGd1u5iUJYNnWlcYHnxTahGoO6qJHi7CzI7GSWkSTUerLdRti6F4jXLJxtgtbbwvQfjlkvPCxwHiF2wnLxWVTJzMbrJ3jOn1C9ziBx0z7hPuOWFbHUfZjuyr_FfASbSE6fEolRlRfck7bB/s1600/CLWI+Button.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGd1u5iUJYNnWlcYHnxTahGoO6qJHi7CzI7GSWkSTUerLdRti6F4jXLJxtgtbbwvQfjlkvPCxwHiF2wnLxWVTJzMbrJ3jOn1C9ziBx0z7hPuOWFbHUfZjuyr_FfASbSE6fEolRlRfck7bB/s1600/CLWI+Button.png" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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By the way, if you want to know more about my reasons behind this linky, head to my original post {<a href="http://funin4b.blogspot.com/2014/11/new-series-coming-soon.html" target="_blank">here</a>}. If you'd like to join me, grab this button:<br />
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For this Can't Live Without It post, I'd like to share with you an e-mail service that I can't live without each weekend morning.<br />
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Have you heard of <a href="http://www.theskimm.com/?r=4DM85" target="_blank">theSkimm</a>?<br />
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<a href="http://www.theskimm.com/?r=4DM85" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0V5tKooY0qxkbi6KwSR86j-kvqUe28NvULELCXj6U7_vvNpBbnn9IT7B_i5rvZbLmHBi8sOVlptPdEu_9iprZE82h0IZ7rJ-P1PBiV5t-rY1qfX-oZINZ9IDhukPeCvSa4mFAk_fTXqrJ/s1600/the_skimm_001.png" height="127" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here's what they say about the service: "<a href="http://www.theskimm.com/?r=4DM85" target="_blank">theSkimm</a> is the daily e-mail newsletter that gives you everything you need to start your day. We do the reading for you- across subject lines and party lines- and break it down with fresh editorial content."<br />
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Basically, I can stay current with what is happening in the world and not have to watch the news to do it. I don't know about you, but I just can't watch the news anymore. <br />
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Plus, these gals are witty and entertaining. Often, I laugh out loud. Not a bad way to start the day, right?<br />
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I'd love for you to link up your ideas and things that you can't live without. It can be something you can't live without to make your life easier, something you can't live without at home or at school. Really, anything that qualifies for something you can't live without is fine! For more instructions on ideas about what you can add, please read the original post {<a href="http://funin4b.blogspot.com/2014/11/new-series-coming-soon.html" target="_blank">here</a>}.<br />
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<div class="InLinkzContainer" id="503902">
<a href="http://new.inlinkz.com/luwpview.php?id=503902" rel="nofollow" title="click to view in an external page.">An InLinkz Link-up</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibf__RvjL6P3RLdIF_DXAT6KHCIgH13yUDIusBnpruPksyFjPyx2TSWaYRoC_2VjlSHbbuhP3bkH84ohqF2BL6PRvMp2nxlkezIFDO_YF1oIg5Tyurp6fvBIQxQYxF3MJ3g_rJuf_RhvU2/s1600/Sidebar.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibf__RvjL6P3RLdIF_DXAT6KHCIgH13yUDIusBnpruPksyFjPyx2TSWaYRoC_2VjlSHbbuhP3bkH84ohqF2BL6PRvMp2nxlkezIFDO_YF1oIg5Tyurp6fvBIQxQYxF3MJ3g_rJuf_RhvU2/s1600/Sidebar.png" /></a></div>
<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786531176109759149noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943861818254304964.post-38850881706361854762015-03-01T21:31:00.003-05:002015-03-01T21:31:59.906-05:00Currently March 2015What have you been up to lately?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEior2IXRxFYr72xtzzQlrcP20Kn5cdYhQVMOBRGoQ9MMNennRiui-YJjFa_CRWATrkj0zwvTY5-J6v1M82LG7Sz8b-YJ7DwrFIsS5zWBGa2DNiTAtggTt1wDAMHOmNi5Mp9gb57siXDNzxX/s1600/currently.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEior2IXRxFYr72xtzzQlrcP20Kn5cdYhQVMOBRGoQ9MMNennRiui-YJjFa_CRWATrkj0zwvTY5-J6v1M82LG7Sz8b-YJ7DwrFIsS5zWBGa2DNiTAtggTt1wDAMHOmNi5Mp9gb57siXDNzxX/s1600/currently.png" height="320" width="265" /></a></div>
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<b>Listening: </b>Currently listening to my son clean up his mess in the kitchen. I think he knew better because I spent the whole.day.cleaning. Like the.whole.day. <br />
<b>Loving:</b> Donors Choose! I just got a special professional development project funded and I'm soooo excited! I'll share more about it soon once the details are finalized and I know more about how it all works.<br />
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<b>Thinking:</b> I should really be working on my classwork for the Cultural Diversity class that I'm taking right now. I'm currently taking one of the classes to get my ESOL endorsement. This is my first of 5 classes. Long road ahead...<br />
<b>Wanting:</b> I am going to do another round of Whole30. Have you heard of it? Although my husband and I started eating healthy (mainly vegan) in 2014, we started to slip as the school year began. Last fall, I saw posts by Rachelle (<a href="http://whattheteacherwants.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">What the Teacher Wants </a>and <a href="http://www.forblognesssake.com/" target="_blank">For Blogness' Sake</a>) about <a href="http://whole30.com/" target="_blank">Whole30</a>. I read the book, <u><a href="http://whole30.com/" target="_blank">It Starts with Food</a></u> and completed one round of Whole 30. Now, I'm ready to complete another one to get me ready for my spring break plans....<br />
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<img alt="keep-calm-ig" src="http://whole30.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/keep-calm-ig-300x300.jpg" /></div>
<b>Needing: </b>I'm not feeling all that great. I need to get some Zicam to knock out whatever is making me feel cruddy. (Could also have something to do with the fact that I've been eating poorly.)<br />
<b>Spring Break Plans:</b> NYC! I'm taking my daughter to New York City for Spring Break! We are super excited! Do you have some must-do ideas for us?<br />
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And...you know you're 1) a teacher when and<br />
2) excited when...<br />
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You create a binder for your trip:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4e5zaVRDaS0vpm54kES_pguLPJr65Qxqtkup7xTYDgssklTKrZTkJqbbf1PBtShknJQKr7NrR69RHYWxcJk4bTXhhYWwOGkg8YENygs8PXhiFEClPBVqJBsOO0xTPKpErrJIgQ0LvH2cj/s1600/NYC+pic.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4e5zaVRDaS0vpm54kES_pguLPJr65Qxqtkup7xTYDgssklTKrZTkJqbbf1PBtShknJQKr7NrR69RHYWxcJk4bTXhhYWwOGkg8YENygs8PXhiFEClPBVqJBsOO0xTPKpErrJIgQ0LvH2cj/s1600/NYC+pic.png" height="318" width="320" /></a></div>
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So what have you been up to Currently?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibf__RvjL6P3RLdIF_DXAT6KHCIgH13yUDIusBnpruPksyFjPyx2TSWaYRoC_2VjlSHbbuhP3bkH84ohqF2BL6PRvMp2nxlkezIFDO_YF1oIg5Tyurp6fvBIQxQYxF3MJ3g_rJuf_RhvU2/s1600/Sidebar.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibf__RvjL6P3RLdIF_DXAT6KHCIgH13yUDIusBnpruPksyFjPyx2TSWaYRoC_2VjlSHbbuhP3bkH84ohqF2BL6PRvMp2nxlkezIFDO_YF1oIg5Tyurp6fvBIQxQYxF3MJ3g_rJuf_RhvU2/s1600/Sidebar.png" /></a></div>
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<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786531176109759149noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943861818254304964.post-85980853680204990492015-02-24T06:30:00.000-05:002015-02-24T06:49:44.619-05:00What To Do When They Are New (Giveaway!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigD8DH7Ucl6M-_ns6bGUjm4FfnPqIrH1CifQ-nPYwqbhS0b5pV-lwBSVdUikZg1mX9GlEQMHJzK5N0l-JIFT7-2CUqu3r0KfIp7CbwR0lHE2bJgG7rTKxXpv6TtBKuW7Mxo-wQMNpaihbE/s1600/newcomers.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigD8DH7Ucl6M-_ns6bGUjm4FfnPqIrH1CifQ-nPYwqbhS0b5pV-lwBSVdUikZg1mX9GlEQMHJzK5N0l-JIFT7-2CUqu3r0KfIp7CbwR0lHE2bJgG7rTKxXpv6TtBKuW7Mxo-wQMNpaihbE/s1600/newcomers.png" height="400" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;">I am thoroughly enjoying my new job as an ESOL teacher and have had the opportunity to learn so much this year! </span><br />
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;">My great friend, <a href="http://www.ladybugsteacherfiles.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><b>Kristen</b></span> </a>from </span><a href="http://www.ladybugsteacherfiles.com/" style="text-align: -webkit-center;" target="_blank">Ladybug's Teacher Files</a><span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"> has been such a wonderful resource for me this year. She's given me so much advice and guidance along my new journey. We both know that i</span>t can be challenging work though…especially when new students come midyear and are not speaking English yet. Luckily, there are many things you can do to help your newcomer English Language Learners. And we would like to share what works for our newcomers…and to learn what works well in your class too!<br />
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Here are some of my tried-and-true tips for newcomer English Language Learners:</div>
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<b>Understand That It Takes Time</b></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: center;">Did you know that it takes between 1-2 years for ELL students to acquire social language, but between 7-9 years to acquire academic language? For this reason, it is important to give all ELL students support in the mainstream classroom. Even though an ELL student may carry on a conversation with you, he still may be struggling with academic language. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWWYJF3-9PCLd0_f4oLTQPFpJsC3VEh7V72mVgLBRkRXiaqVnxOwd8WXevgTaz_Fxm2jNBZ-t0lxOCfwrI0zbV0Dd16mRaR1Jly8mWGzKYiI9U3Ljzi-C6wfvfXkqXGmEIXXGuBHkYzZAl/s1600/wall-clock_z1Fqav_u.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWWYJF3-9PCLd0_f4oLTQPFpJsC3VEh7V72mVgLBRkRXiaqVnxOwd8WXevgTaz_Fxm2jNBZ-t0lxOCfwrI0zbV0Dd16mRaR1Jly8mWGzKYiI9U3Ljzi-C6wfvfXkqXGmEIXXGuBHkYzZAl/s1600/wall-clock_z1Fqav_u.jpg" height="305" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Wait Time</b></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Speaking of time, provide as much wait time as possible. ELL students may need considerably more wait time. </span><span style="text-align: -webkit-center;">Pay attention to how quickly you speak. Too often teachers are in a hurry to say everything they need to say to finish a lesson. Remember that less is sometimes more when it comes to speaking. Slow down and speak clearly. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcy-_aI7BHMQXL8t_BH_lkvx-65kuIEq2qW-zstgfeb07rYEVVr6eS6P2pHbasJdsd-K6lfAGZb-iokD6W0TXIL0sGGoGOSuNOIYbgnUbS7olvfCuU2cnyIqT5lblJZo7J2Wx2H-DwIjpa/s1600/answers-word-on-clock-representing-solution-knowledge-and-wiki_zkiOKXDd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcy-_aI7BHMQXL8t_BH_lkvx-65kuIEq2qW-zstgfeb07rYEVVr6eS6P2pHbasJdsd-K6lfAGZb-iokD6W0TXIL0sGGoGOSuNOIYbgnUbS7olvfCuU2cnyIqT5lblJZo7J2Wx2H-DwIjpa/s1600/answers-word-on-clock-representing-solution-knowledge-and-wiki_zkiOKXDd.jpg" height="303" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Using Visuals</b></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;">Provide as much visual support as possible to ELL students. Visual support comes in various forms. Have a print-rich environment. Label your classroom. Provide pictures with word walls. Model what you expect. Show, don't tell. Simply telling and talking will be too challenging for an English Language Learner. ELL students will need the most support with content vocabulary. Consider using <span style="color: blue;"><b><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Common-Core-Aligned-Math-Word-Wall-Pennant-Headers-Editable-284805" target="_blank">Math</a></b></span> or other content vocabulary word walls. By keeping the vocabulary grouped by content, ELL students will be able to access the vocabulary easily.</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Common-Core-Aligned-Math-Word-Wall-Pennant-Headers-Editable-284805" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjPK8YXUdAxaXMmgj0sF1VvbVqxPkrdS3TZ5NpX_rEwTUZlF364xgmwWBmYjftZixdXMj0tw88rcAqoa19C_wWQdrwDOqJVlyNuUOxKk7tth_pJN8tgNSBfDcb_QytmskBAkzF_5_w2ahh/s1600/preview1.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Differentiate Instruction</b></div>
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I have found that within a classroom, there may be a wide range of reading levels. Planning for that can be difficult. I recently started a new series to help! Below is the newest in the series:</div>
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Close-Reading-Leveled-Passages-and-Vocabulary-Its-Spring-1727455" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhPASc2jYc1t_XVwDsALhYOUB-0W2_FRPW1ef7_SnmOV36lTUJSOKNC3tnk_uYTfq1g90B3P2ctI7VSVSv4FLzoEbqCc_VFPMETX8XWsYMI9JxJW9mPULoDnbUhcdraRTLHbKrZGCyba90/s1600/Slide1.PNG" height="320" width="246" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="text-align: justify;">These set of close reading passages all use the same vocabulary for each of the levels. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; line-height: 14.5481815338135px;">These passages can be used in a variety of ways. These passages are written so that there are nine different levels for the same story. These passages are designed to be used in small groups, however they can be used with a whole class when the vocabulary is introduced to the whole class and students read the level of text needed.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; line-height: 14.5481815338135px;"> This set was created to provide visual support for ELL students. </span><span style="text-align: justify;">More to come in this series!</span></span></div>
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<b>Value a Student's Home Language</b></div>
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Value a student's home language. Take the time to get to know the cultural background of your ELL student. Ask him about his home language and cultural. If he knows that you value his background, he will be more likely to feel comfortable enough to participate more in your classroom.</div>
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Those are some of my favorite tips…but Kristen and I would love to hear YOUR tips for working with ELL newcomers! And, as a thank you for your readership, we'd love to have a giveaway. </div>
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We are each giving away a $25 gift certificate to Teachers Pay Teachers…just in time for the site wide sale this week!</div>
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Ladybugs-Teacher-Files"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5vYK4Y9yQ6IBB_H8ATTcFy_fqiZ313ufMqC_qtOz1Je1nyAKhOTOuqqZeVKdkwnjAY2wHrdnCdblSaz_3Qncu6Yy6URQhuL7VedbacTd_g0eqV8TApFmsfQZlg5W7bXFzfWt_bIwe7Gkv/s1600/hero+button+25.png" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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We'd also like to give a product of choice from each of our stores…please check out the Rafflecopter below for more details on how to win these prizes! And be sure to visit Kristen's blog if you haven't, for more chances to win!</div>
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<script src="//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786531176109759149noreply@blogger.com53tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943861818254304964.post-15354326040544313042015-02-21T08:00:00.000-05:002015-02-23T20:41:38.390-05:00ELLs in the Classroom {A Bright Idea}<div>
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How are you meeting the needs of the English Language Learners in your classroom? </div>
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There so many ways to assist your English Language Learners in your classroom. Let's focus on a few Dos and Don'ts that will help the most.</div>
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Did you know that it takes between 1-2 years for ELL students to acquire social language, but between 7-9 years to acquire academic language? For this reason, it is important to give all ELL students support in the mainstream classroom. Even though an ELL student may carry on a conversation with you, he still may be struggling with academic language. But, there are many strategies that you can use to help your ELL students become successful.</center>
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First, build a classroom community that fosters kindness and acceptance. Foster a love of all languages and always value a student's diversity.</center>
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<b>Do </b>provide visual support to ELL students. Visual support comes in various forms. Have a print-rich environment. Label your classroom. Provide pictures with word walls. Model what you expect. Show, don't tell. Simply telling and talking will be too challenging for an English Language Learner.</center>
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<b>Do </b>provide plenty of wait time. Pay attention to how quickly you speak. Too often teachers are in a hurry to say everything they need to say to finish a lesson. Remember that less is sometimes more when it comes to speaking. Slow down and speak clearly. </center>
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<b>Do </b>value a student's home language. Take the time to get to know the cultural background of your ELL student. Ask him about his home language and cultural. If he knows that you value his background, he will be more likely to feel comfortable enough to participate more in your classroom.</center>
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<b>Do </b>promote activities that allow your ELL students to participate in group work. When English Language Learners are given a chance to work in groups, they can practice language with their peers in a more relaxed and lower-risk setting. </center>
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These are just a few suggestions for assisting English Language Learners in the mainstream classroom. Want to learn more? If you are new to my blog, please consider joining me on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FuninRoom4B" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="http://instagram.com/elizabethsupan" target="_blank">Instagram</a> or at <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Fun-In-Room-4b" target="_blank">Teachers Pay Teachers </a>for more great ideas for working with ELL students. <br />
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For more bright ideas from tons of different bloggers, please browse through the link-up below and choose a topic/grade level that interests you. Thanks for visiting! </div>
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What are you waiting for? Have a great time checking out the links to find more<br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">B</span><span style="color: orange; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">R</span><span style="color: yellow; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">I</span><span style="color: lime; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">G</span><span style="color: cyan; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">H</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">T</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">I</span><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">D</span><span style="color: orange; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">E</span><span style="color: yellow; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">A</span><span style="color: lime; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">S</span><span style="color: cyan; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">!</span></div>
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<!-- end InLinkz script -->Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786531176109759149noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943861818254304964.post-37719489955210822482015-02-18T17:57:00.003-05:002015-02-22T13:10:13.650-05:00Two New Math Menus---Giveaway(s)!! I've been working on a few more Math Menus and *think* I'm almost finished with all 4th grade skills. I'm planning on creating 5th grade menus next. Here are the two newest Math Menus:<br />
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Decimals</div>
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Math-Menus-Decimals-1698653" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDxSF-iYK1DC0YY6fwIGOG0AxKB-gXhiAnN2hbF9bAJNFOZHAiykfYhtwAaTEaoEay1g1MBTR4keYC2cpeXUYiVeAPd1nnm9IPaxf4KXwJtojH8xc-Mt26CcB1WDgVqyXX6AjjPLmJGY_R/s1600/Slide1.PNG" height="400" width="306" /></a></div>
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and </div>
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Area and Perimeter</div>
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Math-Menus-Area-and-Perimeter-1715286" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijVNP9dLkQZw_AuI37LYmLcE0ZMImN4iYya1I68zpXe9Geh-ylT3WM0mrdkazRNL4ExN-BxPJwpUfOVJ0h1YKUjShwvYDPqcYQu_qWfoJxVFk0ZMy_ENz-IP592EY-F9GNmyKRyrqXgfew/s1600/Slide1.PNG" height="400" width="306" /></a></div>
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Both are editable files so that you can adjust them to meet the needs in your classroom. However, they are also ready to print and go!<br />
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I've bundled all of the menus and you can get the bundle and save over 20% off. Check that out {<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Math-Menus-The-Bundle-1387275" target="_blank">here</a>}. <br />
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I'd love to give you a chance to win one of the newest menus. Pin either menu and leave the URL of the pin in the comments below. You can either pin to this blog post or directly from TpT by clicking on the pictures of the covers and heading over there.<br />
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I'll pick 5 winners on Saturday night! If you can't wait until Saturday to see if you win, I have both sets at 1/2 price until then :)<br />
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***Winners have been Contacted!***</div>
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Speaking of Saturday....I messed up planning my next installment of my "Can't Live Without It" linky because I forgot that this is coming up on Saturday:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ2oDhnWjVdLT9OH5kXwBFq92KBTwVsrc19YIiuJeKjk1b7cKiPViVHzh47CE4GHOQJJAI7GiGjMqu1NcWvEf1Zxm8zLMNrwF-02BxMHrOl8lu2VasTbeZwWjBYewT7TglgtEuc5aahreI/s1600/Bright+Ideas+Hop+teaser-06.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ2oDhnWjVdLT9OH5kXwBFq92KBTwVsrc19YIiuJeKjk1b7cKiPViVHzh47CE4GHOQJJAI7GiGjMqu1NcWvEf1Zxm8zLMNrwF-02BxMHrOl8lu2VasTbeZwWjBYewT7TglgtEuc5aahreI/s1600/Bright+Ideas+Hop+teaser-06.png" height="400" width="232" /></a></div>
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I guess you could say that the Bright Ideas Blog Hops are something I can't live without! I will be back on Saturday to share my latest Bright Idea and hope you will come back for that! I'll try to figure out a better time on the calendar for the "Can't Live Without It" posts. Any suggestions? A Sunday, perhaps?<br />
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<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786531176109759149noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943861818254304964.post-19986312181448850012015-02-08T09:09:00.001-05:002015-02-17T18:48:51.140-05:00Valentine's Week IdeasHappy Valentine's Day {Week}! This is going to be a big week!<br />
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It is my last full week with my students before I stop to start administering the ACCESS test (the test for all ELL students to test their language proficiency in reading, writing, listening and speaking). It will take me about 5 weeks to test all of my students. So, I'm going to make this last week count!<br />
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We are going to be using this new leveled reading passages and vocabulary activities pack.<br />
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Leveled-Passages-and-Vocabulary-Valentines-Day-1695344" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXaFWRWqV9tyusjnvQfS6HrDgnCWR4GXm1MAQDkmXqJ6bgr0cSRj86khS16ZHTgI591Ek0K_L7MaPC_0LTHxoH7Sd6pGfEX_w5fxbUU7Avj5MbKWSRdX0nQxmrGEkPEuHpo-YY33c-3G76/s1600/Slide1.PNG" height="400" width="306" /></a></div>
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Included in this pack are nine different passages of the same story ranging from F & P levels A-L (or Lexile Levels BR-500L), Reader Response Sheets, 3 different vocabulary card options (I will use the picture and word cards for my ELL students), and Vocabulary Games! There are also black and white printing options. <br />
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Leveled-Passages-and-Vocabulary-Valentines-Day-1695344" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1O9wvwninRvleaZvZOonGdnrEIYcQtWXxZHmaouRKtiTLjye7VfZY1CzGE1qnWh6GofLJ9k2Wk-LQrSMfEMFnMHMt5GTjZfspcqM3NQgY8gLbmN5LBAf2aR0xKvGVpKCTrHfdWd8u5l8T/s1600/preview+for+blog.png" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
Right now, my students' reading levels vary from C-L so this will work for all of my students. Yay for one pack for all of my students! I'm going to continue to make these types of packs for my students and would love for you to check them out, too.<br />
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I'm going to run a little giveaway for this item. Can you pin it for me? I'll pick 5 winners on Tuesday night! If you can't wait and would like to purchase it, it's marked 1/2 off at only $2 until the giveaway ends.<br />
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And, as a thank you for pinning, I have some Valentine's Day Freebies for you!<br />
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Valentines-Day-Freebies-Bundled-526684"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSfvsQUivr01_62pDnSejY2R7jMsD4BI1koCKe0Q-mQhBilJEpqAXMdajIAGp7vNvHNBUyAcVF2Kkyg5P0gtF-tyMmhSFTU_xGrKtBLgCmHCVep6OeEBzdIa-ngtFbbthS3TOx4eWlJUDB/s1600/Slide1.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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In this FREEBIE download, you can find a class list sheet, homework passes and Valentine's Day cards for adding the heart-shaped crayons. Just click on the picture above to go and download them!<br />
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<a href="http://funin4b.blogspot.com/2013/01/valentines-day-freebies.html"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjc6bYOojJBs94sU_AW8zt7S-MZYtE44wMjhXEg01nKI4RW1ooyNBsVJ10QrW9ZgpQoHTZuQP4bX6sh2ErHJghH6Lj9yA9UgIHFJGos963Vnh4xMYJ6vXkXrW29K6Y1tHeQ2cgSfih09ya/s320/crayon.jpg" /></a></div>
Check out the post where I made those two years ago {<a href="http://funin4b.blogspot.com/2013/01/valentines-day-freebies.html">here</a>}.<br />
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Thanks, in advance, for pinning!<br />
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***Update: Winners have been notified! Thanks for playing along!***</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibf__RvjL6P3RLdIF_DXAT6KHCIgH13yUDIusBnpruPksyFjPyx2TSWaYRoC_2VjlSHbbuhP3bkH84ohqF2BL6PRvMp2nxlkezIFDO_YF1oIg5Tyurp6fvBIQxQYxF3MJ3g_rJuf_RhvU2/s1600/Sidebar.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibf__RvjL6P3RLdIF_DXAT6KHCIgH13yUDIusBnpruPksyFjPyx2TSWaYRoC_2VjlSHbbuhP3bkH84ohqF2BL6PRvMp2nxlkezIFDO_YF1oIg5Tyurp6fvBIQxQYxF3MJ3g_rJuf_RhvU2/s1600/Sidebar.png" /></a></div>
<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786531176109759149noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943861818254304964.post-11676612174564253982015-02-04T16:48:00.001-05:002015-02-04T16:48:51.623-05:00Can't Live WIthout It Linky Returning Soon!I tried to start this up last November and <strike>kinda</strike> failed at keeping up with it.<br />
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During my first full summer of blogging, I started a series called "<a href="http://funin4b.blogspot.com/2012/06/best-pencil-sharpener-giveaway.html" target="_blank">Fabulous Find Friday</a>" where bloggers would showcase some of the great things we were finding while shopping for our classrooms. It was a way to share (before most people started using Instagram) where the good deals were for the week.<br />
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I found a lot of great ideas through this series and I'd like to bring back this same concept as a montly linky.<br />
For this linky, we will showcase one thing that has made our lives as a teacher easier. If you link up, think of something that you've found that you seriously can't live without any more.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAE5NoQveT80IF2D8AHLUD8KyUBqFCILcgAc-XwPA49qh_fHF7KtRcJWgkufxhsv2G9q3eL-BF4YdO6RcYYSWuFrIgPjo7IuO2xekVlnNsGJnCS40qGSOc1YvBGTY5f-TK5dSYVVjuHZMG/s1600/CLWI+Button.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAE5NoQveT80IF2D8AHLUD8KyUBqFCILcgAc-XwPA49qh_fHF7KtRcJWgkufxhsv2G9q3eL-BF4YdO6RcYYSWuFrIgPjo7IuO2xekVlnNsGJnCS40qGSOc1YvBGTY5f-TK5dSYVVjuHZMG/s1600/CLWI+Button.png" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here are some ideas about what to blog about:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXAawH27Xf4ZpjHsH4Exa_2djFF9JgJD4e8iDcbwtyhg0l0rZektRUFQvT0e74Tl5aOuWn6e_lAIswL_1oTyQAfNTCcoQa4koPQaaFWpC2v8KKWbyPRmORpmZy4_pdCDn-8yuROL-kykV3/s1600/Slide1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXAawH27Xf4ZpjHsH4Exa_2djFF9JgJD4e8iDcbwtyhg0l0rZektRUFQvT0e74Tl5aOuWn6e_lAIswL_1oTyQAfNTCcoQa4koPQaaFWpC2v8KKWbyPRmORpmZy4_pdCDn-8yuROL-kykV3/s1600/Slide1.PNG" height="400" width="355" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;"><b>1) Teaching supplies you can't live without</b></span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-size: x-large;"><b>2) Subscription services you can't live without</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;"><b>3) Organizational ideas/ products you can't live without</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #e06666; font-size: x-large;"><b>4) Home/Cooking/Clothing products you can't live without (because, let's face it, if you can't get all of your life in place, we can't be effective teachers, right?)</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #93c47d; font-size: x-large;"><b>5) Teaching products you can't live without</b></span><br />
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Check out the <a href="http://funin4b.blogspot.com/2014/11/cant-live-without-it-linky-november-2014.html" target="_blank">very first link up (from November</a>) for some more ideas!<br />
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I'm going to run this linky the THIRD Saturday of every month. I don't want to interfere with the fabulous linkys that are already in place: <a href="http://4thgradefrolics.blogspot.com/2014/10/monday-made-it-october.html" target="_blank">Monday Made It</a>, <a href="http://ohboy3rdgrade.blogspot.com/2014/11/currently-november.html" target="_blank">Currently</a>, <a href="http://www.teachingintheearlyyears.com/2014/08/storylineonline.html" target="_blank">Bright Ideas</a>, <a href="http://doodlebugsteaching.blogspot.com/2014/11/five-for-friday-linky-party-november-7.html" target="_blank">Five for Friday</a>, etc.<br />
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Look for the next link up on February 21st. <br />
Hope to see you back on the 21st!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibf__RvjL6P3RLdIF_DXAT6KHCIgH13yUDIusBnpruPksyFjPyx2TSWaYRoC_2VjlSHbbuhP3bkH84ohqF2BL6PRvMp2nxlkezIFDO_YF1oIg5Tyurp6fvBIQxQYxF3MJ3g_rJuf_RhvU2/s1600/Sidebar.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibf__RvjL6P3RLdIF_DXAT6KHCIgH13yUDIusBnpruPksyFjPyx2TSWaYRoC_2VjlSHbbuhP3bkH84ohqF2BL6PRvMp2nxlkezIFDO_YF1oIg5Tyurp6fvBIQxQYxF3MJ3g_rJuf_RhvU2/s1600/Sidebar.png" /></a></div>
<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786531176109759149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943861818254304964.post-50733833689603424012015-02-01T12:27:00.000-05:002015-02-01T12:27:53.460-05:00Currently-February 2015I always love checking out everyone's Currently posts to check in with what all of my bloggy friends are up to lately.<br />
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Here's what I have going on right now:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7uTP5Y6aVvv4-Qui_p_PTC58xpcIpu2fvTsvvGDTOmirr_-cwsMA_niDMdbRVmF7sN98tVt-O3ReDXFVfX1-iXHf5TAjqyzHuuAeuF62D36Ro33gMH0R5GGLJnISLV294sRcQDA0Q6IbY/s1600/currently.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7uTP5Y6aVvv4-Qui_p_PTC58xpcIpu2fvTsvvGDTOmirr_-cwsMA_niDMdbRVmF7sN98tVt-O3ReDXFVfX1-iXHf5TAjqyzHuuAeuF62D36Ro33gMH0R5GGLJnISLV294sRcQDA0Q6IbY/s1600/currently.png" height="640" width="490" /></a></div>
Listening: My husband is busy making gumbo for our Super Bowl Party. He LOVES making gumbo (mainly for all of the compliments he receives) and tomorrow is his birthday. So, this is becoming a yearly tradition for us. My kids are working on papers (daughter) or being silly and bugging us (son).<br />
Loving: Even though he may be bugging her right now, they are precious together. We are really trying to soak up every moment before she goes off to college next year. Just check out this cute picture of the two of them from dinner last night. They were having a deep sibling conversation to which we were not to be privy. They have the best relationship. I am truly blessed. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv7bAbDQCLWCSpX0bLFxsGwZNEFao7I9LjRIy0ep5Ofv0tlb66rCeQHWC0hPMAiG9hNB4BqYNg4IlxZxipLaVvgEC3Pf_xC_a86iGdzfv7BYG3AskXQ4nbUB0nrR7fLSC6iDpPEOiIyHbe/s1600/Picture1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv7bAbDQCLWCSpX0bLFxsGwZNEFao7I9LjRIy0ep5Ofv0tlb66rCeQHWC0hPMAiG9hNB4BqYNg4IlxZxipLaVvgEC3Pf_xC_a86iGdzfv7BYG3AskXQ4nbUB0nrR7fLSC6iDpPEOiIyHbe/s1600/Picture1.png" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
Thinking: I should really be working on my paper which is due on Tuesday. I'm currently taking one of the classes to get my ESOL endorsement. This is my first of 5 classes. Long road ahead...<br />
Wanting: I am going to do another round of Whole30. Have you heard of it? Although my husband and I started eating healthy (mainly vegan) in 2014, we started to slip as the school year began. Last fall, I saw posts by Rachelle (<a href="http://whattheteacherwants.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">What the Teacher Wants </a>and <a href="http://www.forblognesssake.com/" target="_blank">For Blogness' Sake</a>) about <a href="http://whole30.com/" target="_blank">Whole30</a>. I read the book, <u><a href="http://whole30.com/" target="_blank">It Starts with Food</a></u> over the winter break and completed the first round. If I'm being completely honest, I didn't really complete it because I cheated three times. When you cheat, you are supposed to start over again. So, guess that's what I'm doing starting tomorrow. I will say, though, that although I did cheat, I was able to curb my cravings for sugar. I actually prefer my coffee black now (gasp!).<br />
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<img alt="keep-calm-ig" src="http://whole30.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/keep-calm-ig-300x300.jpg" /></div>
Needing: I have several lists that I need to start and stick with over the next few months. Here are the needed lists:<br />
1) NYC! I'm taking my daughter to New York City for Spring Break! We are super excited! Do you have some must-do ideas for us?<br />
2) Project Graduation---so much to do, and so little time<br />
3) College Ready<br />
4) Project Dining Room- I'm slowly renovating my living room. I bought this BEA-U-TI-FUL buffet on Friday that I am going to refinish:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGOWtX4tTaNGj8TT8Ex3tfBkfCKrjXUo-U4_9tVituKjbU3nfeos__Xqx6jBFeekkgS_pWjdBJ5gaC1Hx3mae1P5zDFYq3U7Vg6chAOEiqWeDzC5kx1lHZChtt_XNLCHPJWxxVyLOrG2eq/s1600/Picture2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGOWtX4tTaNGj8TT8Ex3tfBkfCKrjXUo-U4_9tVituKjbU3nfeos__Xqx6jBFeekkgS_pWjdBJ5gaC1Hx3mae1P5zDFYq3U7Vg6chAOEiqWeDzC5kx1lHZChtt_XNLCHPJWxxVyLOrG2eq/s1600/Picture2.png" height="315" width="400" /></a></div>
I'm going to use <a href="http://www.anniesloan.com/" target="_blank">Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint</a> to hopefully get a look similar to this one found over at <a href="http://www.perfectlyimperfectblog.com/2011/06/elegant-buffet-dining-room-scoop.html" target="_blank">Perfectly Imperfect</a>:<br />
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<a href="http://www.perfectlyimperfectblog.com/2011/06/elegant-buffet-dining-room-scoop.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" height="265" src="http://i1231.photobucket.com/albums/ee503/Shaunna-PerfectlyImperfect/Furniture%20Reveals/buffet_after_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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So what have you been up to Currently?<br />
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<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07786531176109759149noreply@blogger.com7