Frustrations = Free stuff for YOU!!!

Happy Friday to YOU!!!!!

I'm easily frustrated with people that choose to be NOT NICE!  I really don't know how people decide to be mean and unhappy all the time?????? 

I want to change them and make them see how fun it is to be NICE and look on the bright side... etc, etc, etc. (I'm pretty sure you only use one etc) HA.

So in an attempt to turn this topsy-turvy world into a better place...Here is a free character sketch!  Made by me :)

At UNCW a student presented a really cool character analysis from a novel with a stickman note taking.... needless to say.  Over eleven years, I have tweaked it to be my own baby.  I have added and taken away so many times.  I think this is the poster I currently have up.  It is my goal as a novel evidence task they would draw their own character and add the elements they want and use this as a guide.

Success.... My students have absolutely loved this and their artwork is so unique.  They add so many different descriptions, details, and illustrations/symbols from the story.  I love this activity and I hope you do too!  You can download it on TPT @  http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Character-Sketch-Notetaking-Final-Book-Evidence-711280

Please leave a positive rating if you love it!!!!  I really appreciate it!! Or if you have suggestions on how to make it better just comment below and I can reload the document or email it to you. 


Have a great weekend. 

I would love to hear how you use any character sketches in reading/writing/ social studies...

Cheers~ Tara

Next Year Resolutions; Linky Party

Good Evening Ladies and Gents~

Hop on over to Joy in 6th for a summer linky party!

Joy in 6th Linky Party

My first resolution is to blog more.
Today was our first day of End of Grade tests.
NC passed the education lottery a few years back to HELP EDUCATION...
We currently are losing 61 teacher assistant positions...
Lifted the class size...
AND...
Wait for it....
Yes... NOW have 4 EOGs; reading, math, science and social studies.
So...
one of my resolutions is to educate our local government about teachers and kids!!!! Doidoi

~ Tara

EOG, End of Grade TESTS, OH, how I love them.......

Good Morning Everyone,

Well, here is my spin on EOG testing.  No we don't like it.  Maybe even despise it, however, society needs to make sure we are teaching and the kids are learning.

So, what is my personal spin? 

A motivational movie clip per day. 

Here are a few.  Most of these sports/ motivational clips can cross over to other areas of a students' life. 

Here is the one about not underestimating your own abilities.
This is from the movie Facing the Giants, Deathcrawl Scene
http://youtu.be/XyPkUXGq1S0

This video is about giving your best just this one time. 
Video of Miracle Pre-game speech.
Warning, it does say sucks at the end.
http://youtu.be/vwpTj_Z9v-c

This may not be relevant to your children, but this video is about working together and not arguing and fighting.  Remember, I teach fifth grade now.  Possible a little strong for younger children.  I'm not sure I would show this to third graders.
http://youtu.be/uiqdA1B3_Nc

This video is from Space Jam with Michael Jordan.  Motivational to show kids you have the talent all along, you don't need anything special besides your own greatness.
http://youtu.be/kbaKze622Kg

This video is from Pursuit of Happyness about always believe in yourself.  Don't let anyone tell you, you can't do something.
http://youtu.be/GQlzz6jGCfI

This is a hilarious video about students treating the standardized tests like the Hunger Games.  So funny and good for test taking skills.
http://youtu.be/qiuLlPs4Gh8

Perfect High School Speech, How bad do you want to be successful in life?  Great for older kids, a little hard to hear. 
http://youtu.be/_oxvLW4DxXs

Michael Jordan's Nike Commericial about how failure has lead to his successes in life. GREAT to put numbers up on the board as a visual!!!!
http://youtu.be/SlX1S8mJrIQ

This is my video for today, very powerful. Can be applied to all parts of life for success.
http://youtu.be/yX39J_YyKbs



~ Tara

Novel Vs. Movie Freebie

Now that we are moving towards common core, there has been less and less time for extra activities unless they strongly support the curriculum. 

Therefore, I wanted to create a book vs. movie chart where students could write explicitly about the differences.  I could take this as an overall informal assessment on understanding the major differences between the two.  Because... let's face it.... we all love the book more!!!

I hope you enjoy.  Happy Tuesday night!

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Novel-vs-Movie-Chart


~ Tara

Genetics FREEBIE

Hi Everyone,
 
Are you so excited it's approaching summer? I am!!!!  I'm working on getting a bunch of teaching activities out there I have been working on this past year.  It has been a busy but wonderful year in fifth grade.  I have had the best-est teachers to work with!  They have embraced my mild ADHD (LOL, extreme), grammatically challenged, and hyper, laughing, nonsensical self. 
 
Here is a hereditary sort that you could use before teaching genetics or after to help them explain what they know. 

 

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Human-Body-Heredity-Sort

First, we viewed  http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/science/human-body/heredity.htm, science, human body, then genetics or heredity.  Then the students had to discuss each of the cards and decide if they were learned behaviors or inherited traits.  Enjoy and have fun.  Just a few more weeks and all teachers will be working on rejuvenating themselves for the next year. 

I would love to hear you comments on what you like or think I should change. 

Everyone who leaves a comment and or is a new follower in the next week (before 5/11), I will give you this unit for free when I post it on teachers pay teachers.  It includes experiments, probes for introductory thinking, six human body systems, cell unit, and genetics.  Each unit also comes with a multiple choice tests with answer keys that help prepare students for Common Core assessments in fifth grade science.  Hope to hear from youz guyz soon!

Chow ~ Tara

Three Story Eco-Bottle-Terrarium

Good evening Awesome TEACHERS!!!!

Here are a few three story terrariums for our ecosystem unit we built in class.  The idea originally came from a North Carolina Science Olympiad event years ago.  I thought I would Tarrrra-fy it and put the project on steroids.  So....

Originally the project calls for:

1. Students to build a two or three liter bottle biome.

2.  Include things that represent that particular biome.

      *There used to be a score sheet that was available to score the biomes and student journals on accuracy. 

3.  Take a station test where students answer questions about biomes.

I modified this project where the students had more hands on and more things to observe.  Lessons were definitely learned on all sides.

What we did in class:
1. We collected a million two liter bottles.  Not really, but it seemed like it.
2. Students cut the first bottle just under the nose of the top.
3.  Then they put a water biome in the bottom (freshwater).
4.  Next they cut the bottom off and put that bottle in nose down inside the water biome area.  They used a coffee filter to stop the dirt and pulled the filter down so it would touch and absorb water from the bottom.  This second area became our semi-moist humid environment.
5.  Then we cut the bottom off the next bottle, inverted it nose down with a coffee filter so it would get some moisture, but not a lot.  This became our semi-humid environment.  Added a coffee filter with dirt.
6.  The top area we did the same, but capped the bottle that went into the third layer.  This became our desert environment.  We initially put some moisture, but the water cycle would take place within the bottle biome to recirculate that.
7.  Cap off the top with a nose piece from the bottom part. 

(FYI) all the extra nose pieces make great recycled funnels if you need some.
My friend had a pot overflowing with succulents and she was generous to lend me a lot of desert like plants.  Our local community donated all the plant seeds for the different environments.

The student notes were amazing on this project.  As we completed their ecosystem unit, you could see their knowledge really coming forward in response to this activity.  Loved it.  I would love to do this with three liter bottles, but DO NOT want to encourage drinking that much soda... yikes... what to do?  Recycling facility... maybe? 

Have a great 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

Helpful Mini Touch Lights... Instead of I have an idea... Assistance when you have time....

Good Evening Everyone,

Here's my Monday brainy idea.  Use these glow lights for students to notify you when they need help with group work.  They don't waste time raising their hands for help.  They simply try to work it out, when they need to move on they click the light.  As I make my rotations I can see a group that needs help and can assist them.  Meanwhile they have continued to work and they haven't lost instructional time.  Not sure if this is totally new... but I felt like it was pretty grand.  What do you think?  Do you have a 'keep working idea' for kids who love to ask for help?  I would love to hear your ideas!


~ Tara

Moving from a 2-D to a 4-D Classroom

~ Tara

Hello to all my wonderful Blog Friends and Teachers,

Let me just say I had no idea how far this whole world wide web reached.  I'm so shocked at how many people have looked over or used a little of this or that.  People have even pinned my pictures on pinterest.  Golly-gee, someone likes little ol' me. Youz guyz made my day. :)



~ Tara