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Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Integrating Technology

I easily get caught up with all the requirements of what I have to teach. I also stress over what my class is actually capable of doing. This group is very energetic and easily distracted by well anything! Part of the reason I love my school is the 1to1 iPad integration. We have used iPads for the last five years. In this time we have had a variety of successes and areas to grow.  I am at the point in the year with my kiddos that using the technology is helping them blossom! I really feel that it took this long to get to a good point to roll these projects out. I really think it depends on the group on when you can start turning the reigns over.

One of my favorite tools to teach with is iMovie. There are several programs out there now like Prezi and PowToon but I really like using iMove and the students LOVE it. The final products that they are turning in are wonderful. They are creating iMovies with very little help from me.  I instructed how to use the technology and then made a reminder anchor chart.



The first project was simple. I said become an expert on a founding father and create an iMovie about it. It needs to be at least one minute long but no longer than five minutes. The kids did excellent and I gave a few pointers on how to improve.



Their next project is to share the information that they found in their Animal Research.  These iMovies are wonderful and creative.

Our next steps are to work on our Passion Projects utilizing technology. We will be blogging, creating presentations and 3D printing.

Thursday, December 3, 2015

Geometry Snowflakes

I will be honest teaching math is not my favorite. It was something I struggled with in school and I know several teachers that said they struggled with math so now they love teaching it. I am not one of those teachers. So if I have a chance to make math fun and engaging I do. Thats were the geometry snowflakes come in. 

You can use this lesson with your students who are learning geometric shapes, angles and perimeter! 
Students make their own snowflakes and look for components of geometry within each snowflake. 

So engage your students with this fun lesson!
 

Sunday, November 29, 2015

Broncos Won! You Win!



I am so excited that the Broncos beat the Patriots even without Peyton Manning! Now it is your chance to win! I am coming together with some other Colorado sellers to bring you this giveaway!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now make sure to stop by Teachers Pay Teachers and stock up during the sale! One great way to save during the sale is to leave feedback on all of your previous purchases!


Saturday, November 28, 2015

K5 Learning



Are you looking for a program to use with your students or maybe your own children? I suggest that you look into K5 Learning. This web-based program is interactive and targets your students level once they have taken an assessment. The assessment will give you targeted results and you can dig deeper into the results on the website.
student example
It is easy to set up the program and get started. You can even visit the website to do a free trail, assessment and view a sample lesson.


My students have used the program for a couple of weeks now and seem to enjoy it. I like the graphics, lessons and that it specifically targets their needed skills. I look forward to seeing their results as they continue to use the program.


The one thing I need to point out about this program is that it is web-based and works on computers. I hope that they develop an app to use in the future.

Friday, November 27, 2015

Reading In a Winter Wonderland



I am linking up with the Reading Crew to bring you an awesome winter themed reading linky!  Welcome to my part of Reading in a Winter Wonderland. There are so many awesome components of this linky I don't even know where to get started. First there are two linkys K-2 and 3-5 (this is part of the 3-5)  you can gain tons of new resources. These resources will only be free until next Friday. The next cool thing is you have a chance to win all of the featured books each featured book will also have a lesson to use with it in the blog post!!! Be sure to look for the blue highlighted word in each post to help you win.  You need to keep track because they will help you with the giveaway. 

Use this form to help you keep track of the blue secret words! 









My word is Holiday because my book is The Last Holiday Concert By Andrew Clements. I love using Andrew Clements' books in my classroom. I feel that they are engaging and teach a great lesson. This one is about a sixth grade student named Hart and his quest to put on the perfect holiday concert. I really enjoy this book and I think you will too. It has a great perspective for teachers and brought a tear or two to my eyes! My favorite part is Santa Elvis and I hope you get a laugh out of it too. 

My class struggles with comprehension this year so we are constantly working on building comprehension skills. One quick and easy lesson I do with every story we read is 5Ws+H. I keep a stack of post its labeled who, what, when, where, why and how on my white board.  We bring them out with every story we read and go through each part of the story. It has helped my students ask themselves these questions as they read independently. I like using the post its because they stick. It isn't fancy but it works. You could also create them on card stock, laminate them and then put a magnet on them. 

For The Last Holiday Concert  I would do the who, what, when, where, why and how activity with the first chapter of the book. 

Some other possible lessons are:

Chapter Two Main Idea and Details. Students discuss the main idea and details of the chapter. They could fill out a graphic organizer to help them organize their thoughts and to understand what they have read.

Chapter seven Predicting. Have students make a prediction about what they think will happen when Hart takes over the holiday concert. Revisit the prediction at the end. 

The final idea for The Last Holiday Concert is to have the students summarize the book. This is a longer book so it will be helpful for students to revisit the main idea and details as they write their summaries. 

I really hope you and your class enjoy this great book! 




My linky freebie is my Snowman Book Report. This is designed to have students understand the genre of biography or autobiography. Each student is asked to read a biography or autobiography and then practice some comprehension skills by summarizing and recalling facts. I love doing this project each winter and I look forward to seeing what my kids do each year. 


Parent Letter 

 Grading Checklist

Comprehension Questions

The Snowman Template

After the students turn in their finished book reports we always take time to share with the class. 


Remember my secret word is holiday! Enjoy the linky and good luck on the giveaway! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Black Friday!

I am a bargain hunter! I like to have my Christmas shopping done really early and I start saving gifts all year long. I wanted to share some great kid gifts and classroom ideas with you, so you can start your bargain hunting Christmas shopping now! There is something on this list for everyone! I think that the Suspend game would be fun to have in the classroom for indoor recess or free time. I think my nephew would love the magformers and I think these would be fun for the classroom too. I could think of about ten people to give the adult coloring books to. 


For Black Friday & Cyber Monday, everyone gets an extra 10% off already discounted educational gifts PLUS free shipping on all orders.

Educational Toys & Games | Subscriptions

Curriculum | Musical Instruments Educents Black Friday

Educational Toys & Games

Magformers

These colorful tiles click together magnetically to form shapes like sea creatures, vehicles, dinosaurs and more! While playing, kids will develop motor skills, explore geometric concepts, and get a crash course on engineering! For ages 6 to 13.
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“This toy is perfect for a birthday or Christmas gift! My 8-year-old (who has decided that this is his new favorite activity) has already asked for another set so that they can build even more amazing creations!” -Gena, I Choose Joy!
“Sometimes, when I need to get some work done, I find an educational video for the kids to watch. I didn’t need to with the Magformers! They were totally occupied all evening. I even had to tear them away at 9 p.m. to go to bed. :)” -Yvonne C.

Peel, Play & Learn - Buy one get one free!

These fabric stickers are an interactive way to learn about concepts like the solar system, geography, science, time, and money. The reusable stickers will allow you to bring your lessons to any room in the house! Even transport lessons using your the car window! For ages 5 to 10.
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"This is an extremely useful, hands-on method of learning about the human body that all kids need to learn." -Gena, I Choose Joy!

Magic School Bus Science Experiments Subscription

Give a gift that keeps on giving. Your kiddo will receive a new science experiment at his or her doorstep every month for a year! Includes experiments exploring concepts like bacteria, the human body, magnets, stars, planets, volcanos, and more! For ages 5 to 12.
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"What I like about this is we can open up a science kit, turn to a lesson page, and jump right in to that hand-ons activity. It helps me feel like a “fun mom” because we’re doing a science activity, and I didn’t have the stress or mess of pulling it all together. That’s what I call a homeschool mom win!" -Jamerrill, Free Homeschool Deals
“We recently ordered this set to be delivered to us and we love them! The science experiments are grouped in themed science activities that my kids love! I set up a curriculum to go through the scientific process with the hypothesis, tests and theories. I feel this is perfect as a hands on activity to supplement the worksheets we download from other sellers.” - Sasha B.

uKloo Riddle Edition Treasure Hunt Game

Disguised as a treasure hunt, this multi-award winning children's literacy game gets kids physically active as they read clues and search to find a hidden surprise. There's even a Picture Helper poster to look up words when kids get stuck! For ages 5 to 8.
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“This game is so much fun! My boys love scavenger hunts, and when they help them practice reading - that's even better. We've played this game several times and it never gets boring. I love letting one kid be in charge of the game and set it up for the other boys.” - Lisa Marie F.

Suspend Game

Suspend by Melissa & Doug is a hands-on game that involves the entire family. Players take turns adding rubber-tipped wire pieces to a tabletop stand. Can you add all your game pieces without making it fall? For ages 8 and up.
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“We always have trouble finding gifts that kids and grown ups can play together. This is it! Challenging for everyone, but easy enough, kids can try... and sometimes even do better.” - Marie V.

Coloring Books for All Ages

Six coloring books filled with some of the most amazing and beautiful designs! Give them all to your favorite little artist to keep them entertained all year. Or, separate into multiple gifts for kids in your family! For ages 5+ coloring_books_3_1 Buy Now  

Super Science Holiday Bundle

Give your favorite young scientist the gift of science fun and learning this holiday season with this exciting holiday Super Bundle! For ages 5 to 12. 070_1 Buy Now

Subscriptions

1-Year Magic School Bus Science Experiments Subscription

Give a gift that keeps on giving. Your kiddo will receive a new science experiment at his or her doorstep every month for a year! Includes experiments exploring concepts like bacteria, the human body, magnets, stars, planets, volcanos, and more! For ages 5 to 12.
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"What I like about this is we can open up a science kit, turn to a lesson page, and jump right in to that hand-ons activity. It helps me feel like a “fun mom” because we’re doing a science activity, and I didn’t have the stress or mess of pulling it all together. That’s what I call a homeschool mom win!" -Jamerrill, Free Homeschool Deals
“We recently ordered this set to be delivered to us and we love them! The science experiments are grouped in themed science activities that my kids love! I set up a curriculum to go through the scientific process with the hypothesis, tests and theories. I feel this is perfect as a hands on activity to supplement the worksheets we download from other sellers.” - Sasha B.

3-Month STEM Experiments Subscription

Groovy Lab in a Box is full of everything a child needs to learn about and do hands on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) experiments. Each box activates thinking, questioning, inquiring, and original creation as it guides children through the “scientific inquiry and engineering design process.” For ages 8 to 12.groovy_lab_in_a_box_collage2gl1_8a95
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1-Year Online Language Course Subscription

Choose from 12 language for your kiddo to learn over the course of 12 months. This program covers everyday topics using videos, pictures, basic words, and interactive exercises. For ages 5 to 9.
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"After each of the vocabulary videos, there are a bunch of fun games that your children can play to practice what they learned. The games really help children remember the words and are easy to do. It makes a big difference for children to have the opportunity to practice their vocabulary! ..." -Multilingual Living

Netflix for Children's eBooks

Parents and teachers love this "Netflix for Children's Books." FarFaria offers over 1000 ebooks for your children. Each story comes to your mobile device as a colorfully illustrated book that they can flip through, read on their own, or have read to them. For ages 2 to 9. educent_farfaria_slide_1_2 Buy Now "I introduced FarFaria to my kindergarten students last year and they LOVED it! In fact, they begged for reading time! During reading time on FarFaria they were focused and engaged on reading. As a teacher I love the features in FarFaria including reading levels listed for each book. My favorite feature is that the text highlights word by word as it is read. This is so helpful for budding readers. Most reading apps highlight a sentence at a time which doesn't help with specific word identification. FarFaria is the best reading app and well worth the cost!" -Amy B.

History Unboxed Subscription

History lessons should be fun! Each monthly box comes with an interactive timeline, coloring comic strip, time capsule, and instructions on the lesson. By taking part in the activities, they'll learn directly about the ancient world that they're reading about. For ages 5-19 or 10-15. History Unboxed Educents
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"History Unboxed was a lot of fun to open with my children. My older son couldn't get enough of the activities, and I love that this subscription box does such a great job at exposing my kids to history. If your kid is between ages 5-13 and they love history, you should definitely try this out." - Ariana.

Curriculum

Wars Around the World Lapbook Package

Infuse some hands-on fun into your history of war lessons, and get a HUGE discount! Among the 11 downloadable lapbooks includes materials to teach everything from the War of 1812 to the American Revolution, and both World Wars. For ages 5 to 15.knowledge_box_central_eduwars_6ce1Buy Now
"Our family fell in love with lapbooks a few years ago! I love how they engage each of my children in the material and give them a completed project at the end for future reference. Then when they are done with that unit or book they have a resource to look back on for questions later on." Kris, Book Wishes

Dr. Bonyfide Books

Dr. Bonyfide Books are colorful workbooks that make learning the names and functions of the bones easy. These stories bridge the gap between simplistic introductions to the body and dry textbooks. Young readers join Dr. Bonyfide and his friend Pinky Le Darpals on a whimsical, step-by-step journey through the bones of the hand, arm, shoulder, foot, leg, and pelvis. The workbooks include puzzles and quizzes! For ages 7 to 13.
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Ultimate K-12 Curriculum Guide


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"I have been homeschooling since 2002 and I am currently homeschooling the two youngest of six. I've tried a LOT of homeschool curriculum products over the years, and quite frankly this is the best value available in a secular curriculum package and it's easy on the parent. I'm homeschooling two kids and it's very easy to have them read the lesson and complete the assignments independently, then later the teacher's guides make it easy on me to review their work and correct it. The content is interesting and relates to the real world in a way that makes sense to the kids, especially the math problems. You also can't beat the price. I'm shocked that this curriculum isn't better known. You will pay a lot more for comparable products that won't have the quality this one has, and I've done the research and spent the money to be able to say that with authority." - Judith "I purchased Kindergarten math and language arts for my daughter and we have had a great experience with it. She is learning so much. I supplement with lots of hands-on activities so she doesn't burn out on worksheets."- Educents customer

Musical Instruments

Violin Starter Kit

Perfect for beginners, this Violin Starter Set by eMedia contains everything you need to play the violin. What’s more, it includes a great teacher, the award-winning eMedia My Violin interactive Win/Mac CD-ROM. For ages 5 and up. mvsp-lgviolinaccessories_300dpi-rgb_1_1_1_1_1 Buy Now
"Yippee!!!!! I wish I took a picture of my son's face. I'm so grateful I saw this when I did." -Tawana

Ladybug Guitar Starter Pack

This perfect all-in-one package contains everything a musician needs to start playing guitar today! After following the video lessons, your guitarist's hits will be flying up the charts. For ages 5 to 12.
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"Great guitar for my DD. She wanted to learn how to play the guitar like her father, and she is really getting into it. I would recommend this for any little boy or girl who is interested in learning to play the guitar." - Karen W.

Didn't find what you're looking for? Educents is offering an extra discount and free shipping on DOZENS of educational products on Black Friday!


I hope you were able to get some Christmas shopping done!