Great Finds December 31, 2007

For Christmas I recieved 3 great books to help me teach writing craft, teach the context of writing with grammar, and revision. I love books and I think these titles would be beneficial to any teacher who teaches English and writing.

Writing Whizardry: 60 Mini-lessons to Teach Elaboration and Writer’s Craft by Maity Schrecengost

This book is my favorite out of the three. It presents the lesson with examples and non-examples of elaboration or craft then gives practice. After practicing there is applying the knowlege learned. I highly recommend this book if you want help with teaching elaboration and craft.

Writing Workshop Survival Kit 2nd Edition by Gary Robert Muschla

 This book is packed with anything you need to know on creating a writing workshop to managing your writing workshop. It also includes 100 mini-lessons that focus on the types of writing, writing techniques, and the mechanics of writing.

 

 

Hot Fudge Monday:Tasty Ways to Teach Parts of Speech… by Randy Larson

This book is an unique way to teaching the parts of speech with the context of writing. This is an easy way to start teaching grammar in the context of writing. The book includes reproducibles that are not like worksheets you get with your grammar textbook. After practicing the skill, students apply the lesson with writing.

 

I can’t wait to start the new year off with my new great finds. I hope these books help you too!

Brrr…It was COLD! December 30, 2007

That’s what I was saying today while going through Ice: The Grinch Who Stole Christmas exhibit at Opryland in Nashville Tennessee.(check out the video tour) Tony’s mother took us to see the Radio City Rockettes last night and today we went into a frigid 10 degrees to see Ice, not your ordinary ice sculptures exhibit. It was so neat. The theme was the Grinch and everything was decorated like Dr. Seuss. After completing the exhibit, my body took at least 30 minutes to thaw out! Cold was an understatement!

The Grinch and Who People were made out of ICE!

Merry Christmas from Tony, Janet, Andi, Christy, & Tom!

The Nativity Scene at the end was gorgeous! A recording told the story while Joseph, Mary, & baby Jesus lit up.

Merry Christmas December 23, 2007

Love Tony and Andi!

Have a safe holiday. I’ll be back after the holidays; we’re going to my mother’s home in Kentucky!

More on Traditions

Every year Tony’s mother boils crab legs for their Christmas meal. Last night we devoured approximately 10 pounds of King Crab legs. They were scrumptious! There was an array of foods: shrimp cocktail, peanut butter blossoms, twiced baked potatoes, and salad. Boy, I was full when we were done. Tony and my brother in law kept going once everyone else stopped. Take a look at his crab tower!

Pets Enjoy Christmas Too… December 22, 2007

 

Last night my husband and I celebrated our Christmas. He did well! I got a pink camera with case and a pink MP3 player. Enough about me; my dogs love Christmas too. We have a stocking for each of them and we give them a special Christmas dinner while we eat ours. This year my babies recieved new beds, which they love, bones, beggin strips, and a cool new toy. Mimi got a Santa and Belle got a snowman. Mimi seems to like hers a lot better.  They have plastic bottles in them instead of squeekers. Mimi has almost torn her Santa to shreds. She has even tried to get Belle’s snowman. Belle doesn’t care; she likes the bones the best. It’s fun to see their faces light up when they know they are getting something new.

Traditions December 21, 2007

As a child my mom and I baked cookies: sugar cookies with homemade icing, chocolate chip cookies, jelly cookies, and so many more. Now I carry on the tradition with my husband. Each year since we’ve been together we have baked the traditional cookies from scratch. Well, this year we have scaled it down to cookie mixes, but I am not sad because the whole point of the cookie tradition is spending time with my honey bunny! Tonight we’ll make dinner together, bake cookies, and open our gifts to each other. We like to open our presents together without family and because we’re booked up with family, we’re celebrating it tonight. I can’t wait to spend time with my husband.

The Comfort of Home December 20, 2007

Being home is comforting in its self. I look forward to spending time with my family, eating baked goods, opening presents, and laughter. Home brings back so many memories. I can remember as a child the anticipation of Christmas because of all the gifts under the tree, but now it’s the anticipation of spending time with my family. Since my parents moved away 3 years ago, I don’t get to spend as much time with them as I would like to. Don’t get me wrong; I do like getting presents, but for some reason this year it’s about spending time with my loved ones and giving them a wonderful Christmas. Giving is just as comforting as being at home. Enjoy your holidays!

Inspiration Goes a Long Way… December 19, 2007

 

Today was our class’s Christmas party. Before the party stated, we created an inspirational calendar for a 12 year old girl who has cancer. One of my student’s brought me an article about her and wanted to do something special for her. Stacey gave me the idea of gifts that are written, so I came up with the idea for making her an inspirational calendar. All I did was go on microsoft publisher and create a 2008 calendar with clip art and printed it off. Then I glued the calendar onto assorted colors of construction paper. Here is where my students came in: they chose an inspirational quote that I printed out from an inspirational quote site and wrote it onto white paper then decorating it however they chose. It turned out beautifully. I bound the pages with a spiral comb with the front and back cover. I had each student sign the back cover. The student, who had the idea, is going to deliver the calendar to the young girl over the holidays. Thanks Stacey for the idea!

Writers in the Spotlight December 18, 2007

Each quarter I have my students create a writing of choice. This is where they browse through their writer’s notebooks or come up with a new topic to write about. I give them a week to create their works of writing. I provide them with self editing rubrics, peer editing rubrics, and a teacher rubric. These rubrics are to help them edit their writing. The teacher rubric looks just like the self and peer rubrics; however, they don’t write on it. I use it to grade their work. I feel that they need to know what I am expecting and that’s why the self and peer rubrics have the same criteria. This has helped greatly.

After completing their writing of choice, they turn them in and I grade them. I then decide on the best ones and display them in the hallway. I have a flashlight with a beam coming down and their writing is placed on the beam. The title says “Writers in the Spotlight.” I then award those students with an award and a pen for their creative work. By the end of the year, I will have everyone’s work on the wall and they will also be awarded. I try to look for improvements in their writing. I also send a postcard to their parents to let them know how well they are doing in class. I have gotten several complements from their parents and my students too!

Hoopla December 16, 2007

If you want some excitment in your life, play Hoopla from Cranium. Tonight, my husband and I went to a Christmas party and played Hoopla. It’s a game for adults and teens. (children could play with a little weeding out of cards) We had a blast acting out, tongue twistering, drawing, and so much more! I recommend you try it out. Have a family game night or a friendly gathering of friends to play your favorite board games!