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1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th - Reading, English Language Arts, Social Studies - History - TeachersPayTeachers.com

Saturday, July 28, 2012

More Figurative Language prezis

Here is a very clever Prezi with figurative language (one of the YouTubes has a broken link but it is still worthwhile.

http://prezi.com/r3yjdfhqxlqh/copy-of-figurative-language/

Prezi - Figurative Language

One of the projects I wanted to work on this year was to create several Prezis.
I am starting by finding cool Prezis that are ready to go hoping I might learn from them!
Anyways I liked this one and wanted to share it with you. What do you think?

http://prezi.com/-sgb-hlnk6mp/great-figurative-language/

Set Up in July

I always try to set up my classroom in July.  As soon as the custodians are finished and the floors can be walked on I go into school.  Going in early is a quiet, reflective time for me.

It allows me to see what I need to do to really get ready for the year, step back and regroup before the big rush.

Here is what I do when I first go into my classroom in July.
1.   Unbox everything.
2.   Take the paper down that is covering the shelves and bulletin boards.
3.   Check what bulletin boards I finished before we left in June and what needs to be done.
4.   Connect everything electric (computers, projectors, etc). Test run everything and then unplug it all        from the wall (in case there are any summer thunder/lightning storms.)
5.   Set my teacher desk up.

Notice there is nothing here about papers or kids. This is simply a set up the room day.

Jackie

Monday, July 23, 2012

Middle School Me

Middle School Me

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Back-to-School-MIDDLE-SCHOOL-ME


"Back to School - Middle School Me" is an awesome way to get to know your students at the beginning of the school year.

There are five activities in this product. Starting with a get to know you form completion, and ending with an activity that will be bring tears to your students' parents on back-to-school night. Seriously I have seen parent stand outside my room reading what the kids wrote and have tears in their eyes. I have gotten letters at the end of the year telling me how meaningful the experience was to them and their children.

You will have a chance to get to know the REAL middle school students sitting before you in the classroom early in the school year with these activities.



 Thanks for looking - 
Jackie at School

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Jackie-At-School

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Free Academic Calendar: 2 month sample

I decided to give away two months of my Monthly/Weekly Academic Calendar sample  for free.  Just go to my TeachersPayTeachers store and download your two month calendar. Enjoy



http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Free-Sample-Academic-Calendar-August-and-September2012-2013










Seating Charts and the Powers of Observation

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Jackie-At-School


To use seating charts or not use seating charts during the first week of school is always a questions. I want to learn my students names AND I like control especially in the beginning of the year. Yet, as a middle school teacher, I need to know who can handle sitting together and who can't handle it. If I make seating charts to early and my combinations don't work, then I'm left explaining all the moving around. If I don't make seating charts things can quickly get out of hand, especially in the beginning.


So the solution is to give the students the sense that there is freedom while still keeping some control. Here are some ideas for "assigning seats" without actually committing until you have figured out who can handle what.

The important thing here is to use a few different strategies and your Powers of Observation ... as you watch students seat themselves you will soon be able to figure out if your students can choose their seats, need assign seats, or need to be separated from chatty friends. Watch for who is a leader, who is shy, who is difficult.  I like to use these activities for a few days and then have a few more for some "Friday Fun".

Greet students as they enter and make them feel welcome.  
Post the directions on the board.

1.  Birthday 
When students arrive on the first day have them take and index card, write their name on it and the date of their birth, then have the students sit by the date of their birth. Collect the cards and file them so that you can post them on your calendar or blackboard each month.

2.  Height
Have students line up by height and sit shortest to tallest.  Make this a silent seating. Have your directions posted outside of the room and tell students they may ask questions before entering but not once they have entered.

3.  Alphabetical
You can do this by first name, last name, or their preferred name.  


4.  Groups
Use things your students have in common such as people who are playing a fall sport, people who are not playing a fall sport, people who prefer to be outside, people who prefer to be inside. Then have those groups split into subgroups.

Remember ... this is about observing your class! Who are your leaders, who are your followers, who is loud, who is shy. 
 
EnjoyJackie 


  





Academic Calendar Weekly Monthly 2012-2013

I recently add a weekly/monthly academic calendar.  This way you can print your own academic calendar that goes from August 2012 to August 2013.

Every August I run around like a nut trying to find an academic calendar that has both a weekly and a monthly component to it. I use the monthly calendar to keep track of meetings, fire drills, appointments, etc. I use the daily calendar for notes from meetings and to make notes of things I need to do.

The monthly calendars are a roomy two pages. The weekly calendars are also two pages each. Both the monthly and the weekly calendars provide plenty of space to write. I recommend printing the pages back-to-back starting with page 2.

The two pages that make up the monthly calendars are attractive and uncluttered. Each month is followed by weekly two page calendars that provide additional space for all the dates. Weekly calendars cover Monday through Friday and include a special area that can be used for Saturdays and Sundays or for reminder notes.

You would pay $20.00 for a monthly/weekly academic calendar in a big box store. However, I offer it for $3.50 on TpT.  Here is a quick link for you.
 

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Academic-Calendar-2012-2013-MonthlyWeekly