Best Writing Video Ever!

Here is my mini Tuesday fun!  Check out this amazing writing video...  Love it!



~ Tara

Cursive Lessons

Hi Everybody (and a small apology I have disappeared for a bit)

Still in the swamp stage of back to school.  On a positive note... I just wanted to share some cursive video lessons I have put together for all students.  As a review, for home, or monitoring kids while they learn/ practice cursive. 

They are not public, because you never know what's going to show up on the side bar on youtube.  They are private and educational linked.  I'm giving you my school webpage and they are all linked there.  I hope you have a great year. 

I would love to know if you use the videos and how I can improve.  Hopefully, I will get better as we go along, we shall see?!?!

Here's the link:

http://www.bcswan.net/education/components/whatsnew/default.php?sectiondetailid=36344&

Have a great night!!!! XO
~ Tara

American Revolution Common Core Lesson Freebie, Maniac Monday Linky

I'm so happy! Another Manic Monday Classroom Freebie with Charity Preston!  I'm so thankful for everyone that has time to host these parties!!

I am also happy that these Linky Parties keep me working on making free things for my classroom for me and for YOU!  I would love to hear your feedback on what you like or what I can improve.  I love to make things better.  ALSO, thanks to everyone who links up awesome things, I really appreciate it!

So here is my AMERICAN REVOLUTION COMMON CORE LESSON!!!! 
I love it and can't wait to use it!  I also can't wait to see what you think!!

So here's my freebie.  If you need a more clear copy, you can download it at my TPT store for free!
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/American-Revolution-Common-Core-Report-with-Rubric-750804


Remember, I would love if you follow my blog or TPT store, I make freebies all the time for my awesome followers!!!! Muah! Have a great night!!!

~ Tara

Bio Poem Must Have- Freebie Till August!!!

 

I hope you LOVE< LOVE< LOVE this FREEBIE and I HOPE you FOLLOW< FOLLOW< FOLLOW ME!

Well, I don't have a linky to post this ... yet.  Until then, only my amazing followers will have the chance to snatch this freebie up! 

I love doing bio poems each year.  They are so much fun and easy once they get the formula down.  But, don't let that word formula think it's not creative writing.  They have to think of plenty of adjectives, places, spaces, infer character wishes and desires before writing a bio poem.

Here's what the unit includes and I'll make it a freebie until August. 

(I have to say honestly, I thought I would always post free stuff on my blog, however, North Carolina is not a fan of Public School Teachers and it continues to get worse each year.  Now they are discussing taking master pay off FOREVER!  Of course if you have it you will be grandfathered in.  Me- well...
I decided to take a load of Environmental Education Courses (no pay raise)
and.... wait for it....

Yes, worked on my National Boards for three years (maximum time allowed before starting over)
And I will tell the world, came within 5... FIVE POINTs of pass, which is all you need for a 12% pay raise.  Hind sight is 20/20, I should have worked on my masters first... oh well.  But I have let all that go... I love what I do and have a blast doing it.  I can't understand why our state cannot invest more in children.  The result is seeing amazing teachers leave the classroom for higher paying jobs or leave the profession altogether.  Frown face :( I have confidence things will turn around for NC! I just hope it doesn't come at a greater cost of seeing it hit rock bottom first.  )  I say all that, to say this.  I try to sell my stuff super cheap so teachers can have what they want.  I know personally, as much as I love those $20 packets, I can't afford to buy them all the time.  Yes, this is my late night ramblings.

I'm sorry you had to read all that..... BACK TO THE FREEBIE!!!!

Here is an all inclusive unit for creating those amazing bio poems.  It includes lesson cards where you can guide your students through a lesson on the prefix bio and other prefixes and suffixes. 
Also includes three different form styles you can choose from. 
A sheet to guide your students through making a bio poem
Activities for how to incorporate bio poems in reading, writing, or social studies stations.
And YES a rubric for those difficult writing grades, it also helps students see what they are accountable for.
15 Great pages to use with your class
Four form choices
Lesson cards
Activity Cards
Examples from the NOVEL: Number the Stars (a protagonist and antagonist perspective)
I hope you enjoy and if you need any forms created to go with this set, please let me know and I will create them and add them to the bundle for YOU! 


Here's the link again: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Bio-Poem-Unit-Must-have-for-reading-and-writing-745669

I really hope you love this as much as I love teaching this unit.  Students can also use it all year with book projects or history figures. 
Nighty Night!
~ Tara

Writer's Workshop Phase 1

Create New Writer's Offices

Check AND here's a freebie for you!  (PS... Please-oh-please-oh-please follow me!  I have great stuff to share all the time!) 

I love MONDAY LINKY party with 4th Grade Frolics!!!!!

The first page has three options: Two different background colors and a blank...
WHY blank you ask...
I will tell you!
Because I like to buy beautiful stationary paper for a dollar or two and not burn up my color printer. 

But YOU might have a color ink cartridge to burn up,
so print on baby,
print on!!!

Here's what they look like and the plan that ultimately goes on the back of the folder.  I laminate the writer's offices and allow the students to work their plans with a wipe off marker.  Also, I will include a picture of how they can work this plan into a regular sheet of notebook paper.  And wah-lah!  An instant writing plan for any paper!

Oh, and how could I forget.... Common core goals at the bottom of the page!!  Yah-baby, you know you like that!!!! 

So here's the link and don't forget to follow my TPT store as well for freebies!

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Writers-Workshop-Freebie-742967

Nighty- night!!!

~ Tara

Reader's Notebook Phase I

Good Evening Reader's... again,

I'm going to attempt to share with you how I have grown as a teacher using reader's notebooks.  The idea originally stemmed from an amazing teacher showing me how to use writer's workshop effectively in class (thanks a million AMY).  Since then, I have poured over that knowledge into a reader's notebook (marble composition) for many reasons.

Personal reasons to use a marbled notebook:
1. Very inexpensive if purchased on sale in August.
2.  Pages are not tempting to tear out, like other notebooks.
3.  Assembly is not required, similar to three hole punch binders.
4.  Durable
5. Smaller framed.
6. Cute covers now, if you don't want to decorate.
7. Easy to integrate reading and writing.

First, I'm going to show you where I started with my third graders last year.  Here are some pictures of the covers they designed.  They chose to use pictures or illustrations that showed their character.

 

Um... don't ask me why I can't rotate the second? 

 

My first goal using Reader's Notebook was to completely use a composition notebook.  I have used a composition notebook every year and NEVER, EVER filled it up.  Not even half way.  So...

 

 So, we began our homework from the back in a traditional style.  If you are looking to save paper, here is a perfect way.  No more copying reading homework logs.  It also allows flexibility if you have different students completing different styles of homework. 

For example, if you have a child reading nonfiction and poetry.  They may have different style to fill out for their reading. 

Students traditionally had homework Monday through Thursday, however, they love finishing the last grid.  For the older classes, you can expand your summaries or response by a couple lines if you want to do away with the Friday grid. 

On the far left they wrote the day of week abbreviation, month abbreviation and day and left room for a stamp.  On the far right they put the pages read ##-## and parent signature.  In the middle they recorded the title of the book (correctly capatilized and underlined) and a summary or chosen reflection for our menu. 

Happy teaching!

~ Tara

Jobs for Writing Workshop

Writer's Workshop

JOBS

There are a few more jobs on the word document.  I have not saved all my documents into PDF files to preserve the fonts, however, you may change the jobs as you need.  I love, love, love writer's workshop and cannot wait to work more with my kids and their writing. 

~ Tara