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Happy FALL!
Fall is in the air. I love living where we have four seasons because you really do notice a difference when fall arrives. This is the first year we’re decorating for Halloween in this house, and I love it! Do you like to do fun crafts with your kids for the holidays? I always have loved any craft that involves my children’s handprints. Someone told me about the handprint bats and footprint ghosts years ago. I did it in 2010 when Jonathan was 7, Jeremy 4, Justin 1, and Joey 2 months. I then did it for Jacob when he…
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Reading in the Classroom
When it comes to reading with your students, which do you prefer: the literature anthology that your district purchases or literature novels? There’s nothing quite like delving into a fantastic novel with my students. There are so many activities to do. My students are always more engaged with a novel than with their reading book. There are some great stories from different genres in the reading books, but I feel like nothing beats investing a few weeks of class time on one story. Students really get to see character development, focus on multiply settings and their impact on the story,…
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Back to School Memory Book!
The first week of school is always so daunting, for both students and teachers. This beginning of the year memory book will help students ease back into the routine. It will also make a great keepsake for them to look back on. The pages include — Cover Page, My School, All About My First Day, All About Me, More About Me, My Teacher, My Goals, My Favorite Subjects/What I’m Looking Forward To, My Summer, Meet New Friends, Our Classroom Rules, and Our Class Birthdays. Great for elementary age students. Happy Back to School! 🙂 https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Back-to-School-Memory-Book-8118717
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Substitute Checklist for Teachers!
I first started substitute teaching in 2000. I got my own classroom in 2001, I always tried to make sure my room was set up easily for a substitute, since I had some interesting experiences myself. After almost 20 years as a teacher, I’m back to subbing. The world of teaching has changed a lot in two decades, and I’m seeing a lot as a substitute. I’ve put together this checklist for teachers. Its purpose it to make sure a teacher’s classroom is prepared for a substitute. The more prepared the teacher is, the smoother the day goes. This benefits…
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Santa Clarita-Opoly!
We have so many versions of Monopoly. When the boys were little, we always played without the houses and hotels, just so they could learn the gist of the game. Now that they’re older…..it’s game on! Jeremy got Santa Clarita-Opoly right before we moved. It was in storage for a little while, and we decided on Easter to get it out and have some fun! It was pretty fun to play a game that goes along with your hometown. Being a 3rd grade teacher, I taught Santa Clarita History for many years. I was a little surprised at some of…
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Teaching VS Subbing
Twenty-six months after stepping out of the classroom for maternity leave, I have returned. I’m not in my own classroom, though. I’m subbing. Being a substitute isn’t new to me. I did it when I was in school for my teaching credential and Master’s Degree. But, that was 22 years ago! It’s really crazy how much the classroom has changed in two decades, mostly because of technology. So, how did my first day back go? It went well. The teacher left me well written plans. The students were pretty good. It was really weird to walk out at the end…
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Taken Back in Time
Do you ever hear a song, recognize a scent, or see something and it instantly takes you back to a different time? The scent one is strange. One time I was walking and was taken back to my dorm in college. It was a plant growing nearby. It was the same as ones outside my dorm building. One inhale of a faint scent and I was walking the pavement at Cal State Long Beach. Last week we introduced our toddler to The Wiggles. I put it on and walked into the kitchen. Suddenly, there was ticking and The Wiggles needed…
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We used to play chess before we had children. Then the kids came and grew and I’d find chess pieces in with their toys. Some pieces seemed to be lost forever. Fast forward several years. Joey got this game for his birthday. It is a really good game. There are two sides to it. The easy side teaches your children how to play the game. Each player picks a card and has to move that piece. The card shows and explains how to move it. If they can’t move that piece, or that one was already captured, play moves to…
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50 Products on TpT!!
A few months ago I decided to try my hand at being a seller for Teachers Pay Teachers. Since I have so many resources I’ve created over the years, I thought it would be a breeze…..yeah, no. There’s a process for creating the resources you wish to sell. And, the fact that thousands and thousands of teachers are selling on the site, means there are SO many products for buyers to sift through. After many, many, many hours (mostly after everyone’s gone to sleep!), I just got to my 50th product that I’ve uploaded and have on my TpT store!…
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Dessert Time — Brownies!
Want your kids to be in charge of dessert? This brownie recipe is easy and delicious! 🙂