I just learned that for today only, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will match donations made to my classroom project on DonorsChoose.org. I’m so excited!

Before tonight (midnight West Coast time, if we’re being specific), please make a donation of any size to my project, Technology for the History Class and enter the code JUMPSTART at checkout. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will double up to $1,000 per donor - every bit helps!

Thank you so much!!!!!

This week I went back to work unofficially.  I went into my classroom a couple of times to start organizing, copying, and planning for the beginning of the school year.  For a couple of hours each day, I don't mind giving up the last few days of summer.  I love back to school.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE summer, but it is time to go back.  I start to know it is time when I begin having back to school nightmares.  You know what I am talking about.  These are the dreams that you have in the days or weeks before school starts that involve  60 or more wild unruly students in one class, overwhelming paperwork and correcting and the principal walking into your room just as you freak out on the students and "loose it." 

Well, I have had two dreams thus far that I can recall, so Hi Ho Hi Ho It's Off to Work I Go!

So this morning, I got up out of bed, worked out and mopped my kitchen floor before heading off to school. Somewhere in there I managed to eat breakfast and lunch too.  I was able to spend almost 3 hours in my class today.  I felt a sense of accomplishment and was going to stay  a little longer despite the suffocating heat in my room.  That is until I saw a spider.  I am not talking about the itsy bitsy spider either.  This thing was HUGE.  I am talking the size of a Volkswagon Bug.  Ok, that might be a slight exaggeration, but I wigged out when I saw it.  I still have the heebie jeebies just thinking about it.  It is going to be him or me, but I have to muster up the courage to go and find someone who can take care of it for me.  I don't think my husband will come down to school, or I will never hear the end of it if I ask him.  


Enough about the giant spider.


I have been contemplating some new techniques that I want to try to help engage students and manage behavior.  I have been looking at Whole Brain Teaching.  I am not sure if it is too young for my middle school students, but I figure there are a few concepts I can try.  As I get more proficient at implementing the techniques I will decide if it is right for me and my classes.  For more information on whole brain teaching visit http://ashleytipton.weebly.com/whole-brain-teaching.html .  


Another technique, I want to develop more is using an interactive notebook in my Social Studies Classes.  I used to do this a long time ago when I taught fourth grade.  When I switched back to middle school, I dropped this from my bag of tricks.  It is time to bring it back.  Back when I did interactive notebooks before I had kids create foldables to put in their notebooks, but I did not have them reflect, and that is an important step in interactive notebooks.  Trolling the internet and pinterest there are thousands and thousands of ideas for interactive notebooks.  After reading and researching some more I believe that this will become an effective strategy to teach and engage the students. 


I have also been thinking about using a point system for rewards.  I am not sure how I will manage this yet, especially with for classes of 30 or so.  I do know that I want to give each small group a check list and point system for each class procedure, homework, warm-up activity, class participation etc.  I want to tie this in to my Decide Now app, but I have too still work out the logistics of it all.  On pinterest the other day, I saw a great idea for scratch cards to be used as rewards.  The excitement is in the surprise, the trouble is the labor intensive process to make them.  Maybe I can make that one of the options on Decide Now.  I am still thinking about it.


My mind is a whirlwind of ideas for the new school year.  You probably noticed this when you read this post about whacky dreams, giant spiders and new teaching strategies.  Maybe my scattered and random thoughts are because of the excitement of the new year.  Maybe it is because of my ADD ( Self diagnosed!) , or maybe it is because summer is coming to an end.  What ever the reason my teacher brain will calm down in September and I will be more focused.  Once that happens, I can write a whole post on one topic.  Now for that spider...

Here it is August 17, 2015, and summer is quickly ebbing away.  The first day of school for some children and teachers has already happened, and a good many more will be starting in the next few weeks.  With the first day of school quickly approaching for me, thoughts of first day activities keep running through my mind.

Yesterday I was trolling Pinterest and looking for some ideas. ( My new favorite techie site for teaching ideas.  I even created a new board! ...I may need a 12 step program for this, but that is another story for another time!) 

I found some awesome links for Ice Breaker Activities.  I am not sure what I am going to try yet.  These foam noodle activities look like a lot of fun.  I bet foam noodles will be significantly marked down at this time of year too!

This activity is courtesy of http://schoolcounselorscrapbook.blogspot.com/2012/04/small-group-activites.html

Basically, small groups of students (4-6) line up.  Lines can be shortest to tallest, oldest to youngest etc.  Using Duct tape you box them in.  Their task is is to reverse the line without stepping outside of the box.  You can make it more challenging by taking away verbal communication.

Gingersnaptreatsforteachers.blogspot.com has some great first day of school ideas for younger kiddies.

This looks like fun.  I am trying to figure out how to build it without too much cost or too much difficulty!

Both of these activities can be found at http://hative.com/team-building-activities-for-adults-and-kids/ or on my pinterest board Team Building.

A few years ago, I created a freebie for my teacherspayteachers page.  It is a list of simple and engaging icebreaker activities with easy to follow directions.

I still have a few days to figure out what I will do on the first day of school.  Which ever activity or ice breaker I choose I am sure the students will have fun!

Hi Friends, 
I want to make sure my students have the materials they need to succeed, so I just created a request for my classroom at DonorsChoose.org: 

Technology for the History Class 

Give to my classroom by August 17, 2015 and your donation will be doubled thanks to DonorsChoose.org. Just enter the code SPARK on the payment page and you'll be matched dollar for dollar (up to $100). 

If you chip in to help my students, you'll get awesome photos and our heartfelt thanks. 
Thanks so much, 
Kathy




P.S. If you know anyone who may want to help my classroom, please pass this along! 

Once again, I spent a week immersed in Revolutionary War History.  This time I was at Fort Ticonderoga in upstate, NY.  I want to begin by giving a big shout out to the staff , Rich, Tim and Judy, as well as the many, many others at Fort Ticonderoga.  These people went above and beyond making us teachers feel welcome.  They made sure that every detail of our week was taken care of, so thank you very much.  Next I want to send a shout out to the National Endowment for Humanities.  For without them this program and many others would not be possible.  I am very grateful for the opportunity to improve my knowledge of history, tour important historical sites, develop new strategies and teaching skills and meet exceptional teachers with whom I can connect and share ideas.

My journey to Fort Ticonderoga began this past Sunday when I hopped in my car and drove 3 1/2 hours.  When I arrived at the hotel, I checked in and had the chance to meet this incredible group of teachers at what was a welcome dinner and orientation of the week.  It was a travel day for most of us, so it was an early night; at least for me.

Monday, July 27th began with a hike up Mount Defiance.  Despite the fog, the view was incredible as we looked over on the fort and Lake Champlain.

Throughout the week we had phenomenal speakers who shared their knowledge of Fort Ticonderoga, the French and Indian War as well as the American Revolution.  We learned about slavery, women, Benedict Arnold, and so much more. 

Here is a quick video I found today about Benedict Arnold.  This video focuses more on him being a traitor.  We mostly talked about all of the great things he did before committing treason to the United States.

We also had an amazing opportunity to examine artifacts, primary source documents and tour the fort and some other important Revolutionary War sites such as Saratoga.

This truly was an amazing week to top off the amazing month of July.  Once again I am grateful for the opportunity provided by NEH and Fort Ticonderoga.  I met some incredible teachers from around the country.  I have so many new ideas that I want to put in place in the classroom.  I am looking forward to August as I can relax by the pool with my family and begin to process all of the knowledge I have gained in preparation for the 2015-2016 school year.  Hopefully I will have some time to shut down my teacher brain , turn on my summer brain and truly enjoy the remaining month of August!


                  UPDATE
I just found an article about the NEH program I attended.  The article is from the Saratogian News.  It highlights a couple from the area who attended  two different NEH programs in upstate NY.  One of them attended the same program I did just on a different week.  It was a nice press release for the NEH.  Check it out.