Author Archives : Deann Marin


May 2022 Teacher Talk

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern 

 

Welcome to our MayTeacher Talk.  All of us from the Teacher Talk collaborative would like to wish you a happy and prosperous summer. We have so many fab tips this month from fun activities, ELA and reading ideas, to high interest learning. You don’t want to miss reading these blog posts from some awesome educators.

If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here…The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you decide to join, “Feel free to email me at deann.marin@gmail.com for any questions you might have.”
 
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Rejoice! It’s the End of the School Year

Rejoice, it’s the end of the school year. We’re so eager for summer that we sometimes forget about all the things we have to do for the last few weeks of school.  Hopefully, you’ll be celebrating a successful year with our students.  For those of you who didn’t have a great year, it’s time to cheer, you never have to see this group of kids again, at least not in your classroom. 

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Welcoming the Summer Slide
It’s an exhilarating time of the year! Testing should be over by now (Pleeeease tell me that’s true for you!), classrooms are getting packed up and summerized, and we’re celebrating all the learning that has happened for our students in this important piece of their childhood.
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Patriotic Karaoke

If your classes need a pick-me-up before the school year ends, consider patriotic karaoke for some rousing fun with educational value.

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Create a Focused Learning Environment using Feng Shui for the Classroom
Do you feel like your classroom needs an uplift, but you don’t have the time or money to achieve your goal? Consider making a few Feng Shui adjustments. Your classroom will go from stuffy to energized with only a few changes because the “chi” or the energy of the room, is happy to circulate.
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How to Correct Mixed Metaphor and Malapropisms

 

The use of mixed metaphors and malapropisms can be quite comical. Learn how to avoid them.
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Classroom Organization Ideas: What to Do Now to Reduce Your Workload Later

Check out these 7 great tips to learn what you can do now in your classroom to reduce your workload later.

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April 2022 Teacher Talk

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern 

Welcome to our April Teacher Talk.  All of us from the Teacher Talk collaborative would like to wish you a happy and prosperous spring.  We have so many fab tips this month from fun activities, ELA and reading ideas, to high interest learning. You don’t want to miss reading these blog posts from some awesome educators.

If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here…The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you decide to join, “Feel free to email me at deann.marin@gmail.com for any questions you might have.”
 
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April Activities Just for Your Students
Some fun and engaging activities for you to do with your students during the month of April or whenever.
 
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Read Aloud Magic
Add a little magic to your read-alouds by taking your students through a portal inside the book.
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5 Ways to Up the FUN Factor at the End of the School Year
 

The end of the school year can be difficult at best and disastrous at worst. Your students are ready for summer, and you are anxious to close the year out without incident. Here are 5 ways to up the FUN factor at the end of the year

 
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Make an Old Story New Again
 

Don’t try to reinvent the wheel. Rework a plot from a story you’ve read or a movie you’ve seen and make it your own.

 
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Junk Art
 

One of the best things about teaching reading is that you can find anything to read about any holiday and make it teachable. When April rolls around, one of my favorite Earth Day activities is making art from junk and having students write stories about their creations.

 
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Let’s Play Bingo!
 
Learn 3 ways to use BINGO in your math class.

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The Best Strategies for Keeping Students Engaged During Tough Teaching Times
 

Learn some of the best strategies for keeping students engaged during the most challenging times of the year.

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March 2022 Teacher Talk

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern 

Welcome to our March Teacher Talk.  All of us from the Teacher Talk collaborative would like to wish you a happy and prosperous spring.  We have so many fab tips this month from fun activities, ELA and reading ideas, to high interest learning. You don’t want to miss reading these blog posts from some awesome educators.

If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here…The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you decide to join, “Feel free to email me at deann.marin@gmail.com for any questions you might have.”
 
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It’s… March Let’s Go Fly a Kite
As an award for good behavior, my special needs class’s favorite activity was making & flying kites. When I taught sixth grade, my kids also loved this project.

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Starting with Scribble

Ideas for celebrating National Scribble Day!

 
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The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Study Practices
In spite of what many people think, there are some very common study practices that are not very effective. There are others that are somewhat helpful, and then there are several that research shows are very effective.
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What to Have in a Literature Circle Resource Center

By Marcy Howe of It’s a Teacher Thing

Discover the most important items to have in your literature circles resource center.

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Tips to Save Money on Groceries

Grocery prices are soaring. Here are some tips to save money on groceries.

 
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The Value of Project-based Learning -A Solid Gold Learning Nugget

The value of project-based learning goes beyond keeping your students actively involved in their own education. It teaches them cooperation, time management, and public speaking. Try this solid gold nugget in your own classroom.

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February 2022 Teacher Talk

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern 

Welcome to our February Teacher Talk.  All of us from the Teacher Talk collaborative would like to wish you a Happy February.  We have so many fab tips this month from Math, ELA and reading ideas, to High interest learning and our featured author for the month, you don’t want to miss reading these blog posts from some awesome educators.

If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here…The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you decide to join, “Feel free to email me at deann.marin@gmail.com for any questions you might have.”
 
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All You Need is Love and Kindness

 

My husband got up one gloomy morning and went to the gas station to fill his car, when he went to pay, the gas pump said, “prepaid.” A kind person, from the goodness of his/her heart, paid for his gas. Needless to say, it brought a big smile to his face.
 
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Celebrate Reading
 


Ways to celebrate March is Reading month.

 
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Discover How to Effectively Use Running Record Assessments with Primary
 Students

 

Wouldn’t it be great to get insight into what a student does when he/she reads? Learn how in this post!
 
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Bully Tales
My encounter with this student who was a school bully produced a surprising result.

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Tips to Use Whose vs.Who’s and Their vs. There, vs.They’re

Help your students learn an easy way to choose between confusing words.

 
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Palindromes in Words and Numbers
I was getting ready to pay for my meal at a buffet when I noticed the cashier’s name tag. It read “Anna” to which I replied, “Your name is a palindrome!” The cashier just stared at me in disbelief. I explained that a palindrome was letters that read the same backwards as forwards. Because you could read her name forwards and backwards, it qualified as a palindrome. In fact, February 22, 2022 will be a palindrome if written as 2-22-22!

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How to Deal with Common Problems During Literature Circles
 
Learn about 6 of the most common problems teachers face during literature circles and solutions for each problem.

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Teacher Talk’s Featured Author – Alison Monk


Alison Monk of The Literacy Garden is Teacher Talk’s Featured Author. Alison’s TpT store at https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/The-Literacy-Garden has amazing ELA resources, book companions, and morning work for your classroom. Get her free close reading lesson using nonfiction magazine-styled passages.

 
 
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January 2022 Teacher Talk

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

 
 

It’s 2022! Time sure flies. We have some great ideas for you in our January edition of Teacher Talk. So, hurry on over to see what these creative educators are doing this month.

 
If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here…The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you decide to join, “Feel free to email me at deann.marin@gmail.com for any questions you might have.”
 
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I Dreaded My Third Period Class
It was cold and blustery outside, one of those days you just wanted to stay under the covers, but truth be told, I immediately thought about how I dreaded my third period class, I so wanted to turn over and forget about it for a while. I knew I had to face it, so I begrudgingly got out of bed. Alas, it was only hump day, and I had a busy schedule, so I dragged myself out of bed, had my cup of coffee and a piece of toast.
 
 
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Goals and Dreams
Ideas for going beyond “I Have a Dream” for MLK Day.

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New Year, New Focus
 


First week back after winter break. . . what a week! With our classroom numbers fluctuating due to students quarantining or testing positive, and so much uncertainty, diving right into the curriculum was not an option. We went back to the basics: what do we need to improve in?

 
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Under The Blotter: Engagement Questions
Need a way to encourage independent reading? I have kept these particular reading engagement questions under my desk blotter for many, many years—so many that I don’t even know who did the research for them, but I do know these questions are effective in improving reading motivation, in the person who responds, AND in those who listen to the answers.
 
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The Beauty of Math Patterns

Some people say mathematics is the science of patterns which I think is a pretty accurate description. Not only do patterns take on many forms, but they occur in every part of mathematics. But then again patterns occur in other disciplines as well. They can be sequential, spatial, temporal, and even linguistic. Discover more about pattern in this blog post.

 
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MLK in ELA: Ideas for Reading & Writing About Martin Luther King, Jr.
 
 
10 ideas for reading and writing about Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Essential Literature Circles Mini Lessons: What to Teach Your Students
Literature circles and mini-lessons go hand-in-hand. Discover the most important mini-lessons to teach your students and take your literature circles to new levels!
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Test Prep Tournaments That Work!
 

Get your students ready for your chapter tests, district-mandated tests, and the high-stakes state tests with test prep tournaments! They are a fun way to review for upcoming tests AND they work!

 
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December 2021 Teacher Talk

 Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

It’s December and time for our holiday version of Teacher Talk. Getting ready for the holiday festivities or just looking for some great ideas. You don’t want to miss what these creative educators are doing this month.
 
If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here…. The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative.  If you decide to join, “Feel free to email me at deann.marin@gmail.com if you have any questions”
 
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An Amazing Holiday Values Lesson

I woke up this morning, December 19, 2021, and thought about how much things have changed since the pandemic. 

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A Celebration of Values for the Holidays

Ideas for bringing reflections and values to the celebrations of the season!

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The Best Gift of All: Connection

One of the biggest challenges I’ve noticed since being back in school in person is the need for conversational skills. In class during morning meeting, we spend time devoted to talking and interacting with one another. While I can foster this in the classroom, I know practicing communication skills need to continue at home.

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Giving Books as Gifts
Books make great gifts for everyone, but here are two keys for giving books that children, especially, will enjoy and that will motivate them to read even more.

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Measuring Snow – A Craft for the Un-Crafty
 
I am not a very crafty person; so, I am always looking for items that are easy to make that I can give to my grandchildren. One year, I gave them a snowman making kit that included buttons, a carrot, six rocks and two sticks. This year, I am giving them a Snow Measuring Tool. Not is it only fun to use, but it also helps them to practice using a ruler. Learn how you can make one!
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The Benefits of Literature Circles in the Classroom
Ever thought about using literature circles in your classroom as part of your reading program? Learn more about what literature circles are and why they are an effective addition to your classroom reading program.
 
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Good Writers Vary Their Sentence Patterns
 

Good Writers Vary Their Sentence Patterns and often place phrases and dependent clauses at the beginning of their sentences.

 
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5 Tech Tips to Keep Teacher Sanity
Technology Tips for Teachers in the Classroom.
 
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November 2021 Teacher Talk

 Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

It’s November Teacher Talk Time…..Can you believe that Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away. Time sure flies.  We have so many great tips and ideas for you from awesome educators. Be sure to take a look at what everyone has to say.

If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog link-up, sign up here….The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative.
 
 If you decide to join, feel free to email me at deann.marin@gmail.com for any questions you might have and mention me when you sign up.
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Attitude of Gratitude
Attitude of Gratitude: Things I'm Thankful For

 

I woke up in a funk the other morning so I pulled the covers over my head trying to go back to sleep.  As I began to doze, my dog stuck her head under the sheet and I felt her cold nose on my leg. I knew that trying to stay in bed was futile, so I threw on some clothes and took her outside feeling frustrated and annoyed. As we began walking, the pain in my knee and heel started to subside and the phrase, attitude of gratitude came into my head as I realized how lucky I am to be able to walk, others aren’t so fortunate. 
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Multiple Ways to Multiply
When we spend enough time early in the year on place value and number sense, teaching multiplication and division go much more smoothly. Students grasp the concept of multiplication in multiple ways, so I try to introduce more than “the only way” to solve.
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Four Easy Ways to Encourage an Attitude of Gratitude
 


Easy ways to encourage gratitude in your students this month, and keep it going all year long.

 
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Mix it up – STEM and Language Arts
When you integrate STEM and Language Arts, you prepare your students for future employment. Communication skills are just as important as STEM skills. Involve your whole class in a STEM-based creative writing activity with “STEM Stories.”
 
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A Special Thank You To All School Helpers
 
 
This post is a special Thank-You to all those helpful people we find in our schools, paid and unpaid, but particularly for one very special person.
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How to Turn a Terrible Teaching Day into a Great One


5 tips on how teachers can turn a terrible teaching day into a great one.

 
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Tips to Strengthen Your Sentences

Here are three ways to help your students strengthen their sentences.

 
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October 2021 Teacher Talk

 Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

It’s October Teacher Talk Time…..Well, the first month of school is over and it’s BOO-tober, time for Halloween fun, Columbus Day, Stop Bullying Month and beautiful fall weather.  We have so many great tips and ideas for you from awesome educators. Be sure to take a look at what everyone has to say.
If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here….The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you decide to join, “Feel free to email me at deann.marin@gmail.com for any questions you might have and mention me when you sign up.”
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It’s October…Time to Call on Your Halloween Spirit

By Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

October is the perfect time to get your students’ creative juices flowing.

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Seven Fun Candy Activities for Your Class

By Retta London of Rainbow City Learning

Fun ways to use Halloween candy while keeping the rigor in your lessons. A three page freebie is included!

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Simple Steps to Create a Story Plan

By Charlene Tess of Charlene Tess

Forming a story plan is the first step in writing fiction.

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Rachel’s Monster

By Gini Musmanno of Reading Spotlight

The first time I saw Rachel she was standing in the hall near her first-grade classroom door. Her eyes met mine, but she then turned her face to the wall. I did not know at that time she would become one of my first primary grade remedial reading students, nor did I know that she was repeating first grade–this is a story about Rachel’s monster.


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“BOO” to Fractions? Recognizing Equivalent Fractions

By Vicky Rauch of Scipi

Math requires constant practice – something most of my students dread doing. I can find many “drill and kill” activities, but they tend to do just that, drill those who don’t need it and kill those who already know how to do it. So to drill and “thrill”, I created fractional word puzzles. The one for October is Halloween Fraction Riddles.


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Cursive vs. Keyboard – an interesting debate

By Renee Heiss of All-American Teacher Tools

There have been many debates over the centuries regarding the education of our children. From integrated schools to No Child Left Behind and Common Core curricula, teachers have had to deal with a plethora of revisions to their daily lessons. However, hidden beneath the mandated revisions is a new discussion that centers around cursive writing vs. keyboard entry for student assignments. How can you teach your little learners to master a keyboard?


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Fall in ELA: 20 Ideas for Reading & Writing in Autumn

By Katie Auer of Loving Language Arts

20 ideas for reading and writing in ELA during Autumn.

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October Teaching Ideas

By Marcie Howe of It’s a Teacher Thing

Learn great ideas to help build relationships with your students and thrive as a teacher during the month of October.


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Studying Plot Structure

By Lisa Robles of Lisa TeachRs Classroom

Every story has some sort of a structure. Today we will talk about teaching two types: circular and cumulative story structures and how to use teach them to your students.


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Teaching in the New Normal 5 Tips and Tricks

By Michelle Webb of Teaching Ideas for Those Who Love Teaching

This school year we want things to be back to normal. We are not there yet. Here are 5 tips to keep you sane while teaching in the new normal.


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September 2021 Teacher Talk

  Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

It’s September Teacher Talk Time…..Hopefully everyone is off to a great school year with the best classes ever, in these strange times. We have so many great tips and ideas for you from awesome educators. Be sure to take a look at what everyone has to say.

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Behavior Problems Got You Down?

By Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern


Behavior Problems Got You Down? Have you been struggling
 with Johnny or Sally since the first day of school? Do you rack your brain trying to come up with some creative ways to turn their unacceptable behavior around?  Let’s face it, some kids will always get under your skin, but you’re the teacher, you’re tough and you can deal with it. 

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Back to Basics: 3 Tried & True Place Value Games

By Kathie Yonemura of Tried and True Teaching Tools

And we’re back! We just finished our fifth week of school(!) and it looks different. It feels different. But it is SO good to be back in person, masks and all. It’s a tricky balance of remembering “how I used to teach in person” and “what worked during distance learning” and “how do I keep the curriculum rigorous, while planning for some students to inevitably be quarantined at some point and not miss instruction”. Luckily, here are some tried & true math lessons and activities that work well for the beginning of the year.


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Open the Magic

By Retta London of Rainbow City Learning

Celebrate reading and make it a lifelong love! Open the magic with your students this week!


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How to Teach the Times Tables So ALL Students Can Succeed

By Vicky Leone of TBOTEMC

Teach the times tables with pictures so that your students will understand the concept of multiplication. Step-by-step directions on how to teach the multiplication facts are included.


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Prevent Crime

By Gini Musmanno of Reading Spotlight

Read this short essay, and learn one way to prevent crime.


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Let’s Go Fly A Kite – Using the Correct Geometry Term for Diamond!

By Vicky Rauch of Scipi

This was a comment I received from a fourth grade teacher, “Would you believe on the state 4th grade math test this year, they would not accept “diamond” as an acceptable answer for a rhombus, but they did accept “kite”!!!!! Can you believe this? Since when is kite a shape name? Crazy.”


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Underdog Stories – Books and Movies

By Renee Heiss of All-American Teacher Tools

Teacher your students about underdog stories where the kid who is less than perfect ends up succeeding at something by the end of the story. Good triumphs over evil and the weak become strong. Great lessons for today’s children.

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Simple Steps to Organize Your Workday

By Charlene Tess of CharleneTess

Push the Reset Button


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How to Teach Paragraph Writing Step By Step

By Marcy Howe of It’s a Teacher Thing

Learn easy tips to help your students learn to write quality paragraphs.


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Latino Heritage Month is here!

By Lisa Robles of LisaTeachR’s Classroom

The dates for Latino Heritage month are September 15th until October 15th. September 16th is on Mexico’s independence day. Here are some ideas to celebrate in your classroom.


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August 2021 Teacher Talk

 Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

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It’s August Teacher Talk Time…..Hopefully you have a wonderful year whether you are physically in your classroom, using a hybrid model, or distance learning.  We have so many great tips and ideas for you from awesome educators. Be sure to take a look at what everyone has to say.

If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here….The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you decide to join, If you decide to join, “Feel free to email me at deann.marin@gmail.com for any questions you might have and mention me when you sign up.”
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Is Summer Vacation Over Already?

By Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

Someone posted on Facebook that August is like Sunday for teachers! We’re elated when the weekend comes around, and love Saturday, it’s one of our fun days, but then the dreaded Sunday comes, you have to correct papers, do lesson plans, and go to bed at a reasonable hour, you know the routine. Here are some great tips for connecting with your students on the first day.

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Take the Stress Out of This year’s Teacher Evaluations

By Retta London of Rainbowcity Learning

How to get a head start on prepping for stress-free teacher evaluations this year.

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Starfish Up!

By Gini Musanno of Reading Spotlight

Hopefully, normal and safe school operations will be returning this fall, but will your students be wilting at their desks before long? This a simple reminder that a constant requirement for kids to sit in desks quietly hour after hour will be a difficult challenge for all, and actual torment for some.

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How Many Classroom Rules Do You Need?

By Vicky Rauch of Scipi

Now that most of us are getting geared up for a new school year, it’s time to think about what classroom rules need to be established. I would suggest making a few general rules that are clear and understandable since being too specific often leads to complicated, wordy rules that might cover every possible situation.   ✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿

Bingo Lingo

By Renee Heiss of  All-American Teacher Tools

Bingo Lingo gives teachers many options for creating and playing bingo with their students.

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Comparing and Contrasting Two Short Stories

by Charlene Tess of Charlene Tess

Learning to compare and contrast two short stories is a great lesson for the beginning of the fall semester.
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Back-to-School Writing Activities In-Person & Digital

By Katie Auer of Loving Language arts

10 engaging back-to-school writing activities for grades 4-8
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6 Helpful Tips for the First Day of School

By Marcy Howe of It’s a Teacher Thing

Learn 6 great tips for a successful first day of school

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First Day of School Picture Books

By Lisa Robles of LisaTeachR’s Classroom

Are you looking for diverse reads that are inclusive? A great class library has books that provide those mirrors, windows and sliding doors that are for all students!
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How to Teach Word Problems? Teach 5 Steps in Solving Word Problems on the First Day of School…

By Victoria Leone of The Best of Teacherpreneurs

If teaching word problems continues to be your math nemesis, try something different this year and start teaching the Word Problem of the Day.


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Teacher Talk March 2021

 Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern 

Welcome to our March Teacher Talk.  All of us from the Teacher Talk collaborative would like wish you a happy and prosperous spring.  We have so many fab tips this month from Math, ELA and reading ideas, to High interest learning and our featured author for the month, you don’t want to miss reading these blog posts from some awesome educators.

If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here….The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you decide to join, “Feel free to email me at deann.marin@gmail.com for any questions you might have.”
 
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Coffea for Mental Health (Restlessness)
 
 

Can you imagine coffee to be an alternative medicine that supports and improves mental health? 

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Greet Students with the Arts
 
 
Suggestions for a kinder, more gentle way to welcome students back to class this Spring.
 
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Let’s Hear it for the Women!
 
Although March is designated as Women’s History Month, we obviously learn about women who have made a difference throughout the year. This was a quick and easy group assignment: Women’s History posters.
 
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5 Renewable Energy Sources: The Pros and Cons Simplified
 
Do you want to learn more about renewable energy sources? Read about the pros and cons in a simplified way!
 
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The Gift: Cancelled By Culture
 
 

I learned that cultures are complicated, but they do have profound effects.. My small touch cannot alter very much, but, hopefully, being able to read will open doors for them when they do knock.

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How to Make Earth Day Relevant in the Classroom
 


Learn 6 easy ideas to increase the relevance of Earth Day.

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3 Tips on Using Blog Posts Correctly
 


Learn to use apostrophes correctly. Never use an apostrophe to make a noun plural.

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Attitude Really IS Everything: Encouraging Students to Own Their Attitudes
 
 
Attitude really is everything – instill this in students!
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Picture Books for Growth Mindset
 
Growth mindset is HUGE in my class and here are some of my favorites with a few tips on how to use them in your classroom.
 
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Photos into Cartoons
 
My current post is about turning photos into cartoons and using it in my blog and my Jamboard lessons when I return to work from spring break vacation.
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May 2021 Teacher Talk

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern


It’s May already, time sure flies.   Time to stop by and see what our teaching friends are doing during the school closures. This is the last link-up for this school year. We’ll see you again in August.


If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here….The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you decide to join, “Feel free to email me at deann.marin@gmail.com for any questions you might have.”

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Rejoice! It’s the End of the School Year
 
We’re so eager for summer, we sometimes forget about all the things we have to do for the last few weeks of school, one of which is celebrating a successful year with our students.  For those of you who didn’t have a great year, it’s time for you to rejoice, you never have to see this group of kids again, at least not in your classroom. So sit back, have a Margarita, or something else you love and breathe a sigh of relief.
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Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Month
 
Did you know there are 23 million Asian Americans and 1.6 million Pacific Islanders living in the United States? Did you ever learn about the contributions of Asian Americans or Pacific Islanders (AAPI) while you were in school? With Asian hate crimes on the rise and anti-Asian sentiment in the news, this was the perfect time to learn all about the many contributions of AAPI.
 
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Narrative Nonfiction Brings History to Life
 

Ideas for using archaeology as a doorway to reading and writing narrative nonfiction.

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Advance Preparation for a Substitute Is a Must
 

Emergency lesson plans are a must and give you peace of mind.
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A Summer Nightmare

 

A more devastating movie plot for education could not be imagined—student educational loss compounded exponentially in years of COVID. Plus, of course, the emotional losses. For some children, few, if any, reading skills were learned or practiced…in more than an entire year. So the setback will grow and grow and grow GIGANTC as…

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It Depends on the Angle – How to Distinguish Between Complimentary and Supplementary Angles
 

My students always have difficulty distinguishing complimentary from supplementary angles. Since most of my students are visual learners, I had to come up with something that would help them to distinguish between the two.

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Summer Fun for Everyone – 5 Ways to Make this Summer Special
 

This year, summer takes on a whole new meaning – fewer COVID restrictions and plenty of opportunity to join others for some good old fashioned fun! Check out these ways to increase family summer fun.

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Uplifting Native Literature: Picture Books by Indigenous Voices
 
Tuesday Uplifting native literature: picture books by Indigenous voices Uplifting native literature: picture books by Indigenous voices Indigenous literature matters! We need to hear the native voices and let kids see themselves represented in literature.
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Renee Heiss – Teacher Talk’s Featured Author
 
 Renee Heiss of “All-American Teacher Tools” is Teacher Talk’s Featured Author. Renee enjoys giving half of her TpT earnings to teachers who have requested much-needed materials at Donor’s Choose. Your students will have fun with her free lessons, “STEM Daily Discussion Starters, Journal Prompts, and Fillers – September.”
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How to Survive and Thrive During the Last Month of School
Learn three easy tips to help you survive and thrive during the last few weeks of school
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How Will You Remember this School Year?
Tips to remember and celebrate the 2020-21 School year with your students.
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February 2021 Teacher Talk

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern 

Welcome to our February Teacher Talk.  All of us from the Teacher Talk collaborative would like wish you a Happy February.  We have so many fab tips this month from Math, ELA and reading ideas, to High interest learning and our featured author for the month, you don’t want to miss reading these blog posts from some awesome educators.

If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here….The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you decide to join, “Feel free to email me at deann.marin@gmail.com for any questions you might have.”
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Chaos at the Capitol, How Do You Talk to Your Students About It?

You’re a middle school teacher, you and your 11 year old have just turned on the television to watch the news. What you see in front of you nearly blows you away, you rub your eyes, no, you’re not imagining it, there’s a riot at the United States Capitol.

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Small Moment Stories

Small moment stories and a Faith Ringgold author study for “March is Reading Month”.

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Tried & True Fraction Freebies

What are you teaching in math right now? We are exploring fractions but doing this virtually has needed some thinking outside the box! Here are some of my tried & true activities and websites to use.

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5 Tips to Changing the Atmosphere in your Classroom
Learn 6 easy tips to help you improve the reading skills of your most reluctant readers.

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See You Later Alligator

By Vicky A. Rauch of Scipi

How do you teach your students how to use the greater than and less than symbol without having alligators in your lesson?

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How to Unstruggle Struggling Readers

Now that the first semester is over, have you recognized your struggling readers? Teachers are very busy teaching, teaching, teaching…but is everyone learning and retaining?
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Five Capitalization Hints
Here are 5 capitalization hints that will help your students write correctly.

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Cool Google Slides Tips and Tricks

CUE Los Angeles just had their CUE Palooza today and my mind is blown ? by everything I did not know about Google slides. I’m going to give you a few of the tips and tricks I learned today.
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Easy Tips to Sneak in Test Prep Activities

Learn easy tips for sneaking engaging test prep into your upper elementary or middle school classroom.

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Michelle Webb – Teacher Talk’s Featured Author

By Victoria Leone of The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs

Michelle Webb of “Teaching Ideas For Those Who Love Teaching” is Teacher Talk’s Featured Author. Learn more about this National Board Certified Teacher. Your students will enjoy her free product, Paul Bunyan Reading Lesson on Hyperbole and Pop Up Book!
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My Rule #5 for Teaching Middle School
My rule #5 in a series of how to bring out the best behavior in middle school students. Includes ideas of high-interest topics you can use for reading and writing activities.

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January 2021 Teacher Talk

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

It’s 2021! Time sure flies. We have some great ideas for you in our January edition of Teacher Talk. So hurry on over to see what these creative educators are doing this month.


If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here….The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you decide to join, “Feel free to email me at deann.marin@gmail.com for any questions you might have.”
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Remedies for Physical and Mental Health

By Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

Now that the holidays are over and 2021 has begun, and many of you are returning to school, you need to be healthy both physically and mentally. Here are more tips to on how to take, and store homeopathic remedies.
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Bringing in the Experts

By Kathie Yonemura of Tried and True Teaching Tools

Anyone else tired of hearing your own voice? It’s time to bring in the experts with virtual field trips. Here is a round-up of some amazing programs!
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Inaugurations Past and Present

By Retta London of Rainbow City Learning

Looking forward to Inauguration Day and remembering Inaugural addresses of the past.
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STEM and History – Unlikely, But Effective, Companions

By Renee Heiss of All-American Teacher Tools

How do you add STEM to your Social Studies classes? By asking students to think about STEM accomplishments in the past!
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All We Need

By Gini Musmanno of Reading Spotlight

Besides the melodies, what made the Beatles’ songs so popular was the human truths they communicated. The bully has had control of the bully pulpit for several years, so it is imperative that we all work on kindness in our individual lives right now.
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How to Reduce Wordy Sentences

By Charlene Tess of Charlene Tess

Learning to reduce wordy sentences is a writing skill that cannot be ignored.
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6 Ways to Improve Reading Skills

By Marcy Howe of It’s a Teacher Thing

Learn 6 easy tips to help you improve the reading skills of your most reluctant readers.
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Teaching Through Changing Times

By Michelle Webb of Teaching Ideas For Those Who Love Teaching

Tips to navigate through teaching during these changing times.
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My Rule #4 for Teaching Middle School

By Katie Auer of Loving Language Arts

#4 in a series of how to bring out the best behavior in middle school students.
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December 2020 Teacher Talk

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

It’s December and time for our holiday version of Teacher Talk. Getting ready for the holiday festivities or just looking for some great ideas. You don’t want to miss what these creative educators are doing this month.
If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here….The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative.  If you decide to join, “Feel free to email me at deann.marin@gmail.com if you have any questions”
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An Amazing Holiday Values Lesson To Use Right Now!

By Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

I woke up this morning, December 20, 2020 and thought about how much things have changed since the pandemic, staying away from those we love, prejudice against those who are different, a separation of so many people in this country, bullying, and distance learning. This has been a very sad and stressful time in our lives.*********************************************

Hope is Just AheadBy Retta London of Rainbow City Learning

Adding hope to a New Years goal setting activity.
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Virtual Math Games to Engage Student Learning

By Kathie Yonemura of Tried and True Teaching Tools

One of my struggles during distance learning has been how to keep students engaged during math. Breakout rooms have been the perfect solution! I digitized a few of the games I used to print out and laminate. They are no-prep and ready to use!
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When was the last time you took time for YOU?

By Renee Heiss of All-American Teacher Tools

You’ve been creating virtual lessons, implementing virtual rewards and discipline procedures, and possibly keeping up with in-class separation shenanigans, as well. It’s overwhelming and not what you signed up for, right? Here are some ideas to help you relax and enjoy a small part of your day or week so you tell yourself that you are special (channeling Mr. Rogers here!)*********************************************

My Rule #3 for Teaching Middle School

By Katie Auer of Loving Language Arts

 #3 in a series of tips for Teaching Middle School*********************************************

Civility in the Classroom

By Charlene Tess of Charlene Tess

Teaching civility in the classroom is a must.

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The Gift of No Homework

By Gini Musmanno of Reading Spotlight

Why not try giving students the gift of NO HOMEWORK this holiday season? For a week? For a month? For EVER?

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3 Easy Tips to Increase Engagement and Learning During Grammar Lessons

By Marcy Howe of It’s a Teacher Thing

Learn easy tips for increasing engagement and learning during your grammar lessons.
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Make sure you take a look at all the tips from our extraordinary educators.

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Teacher Talk November 2020

 Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

It’s November Teacher Talk Time…..Can you believe that Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away. Time sure flies.  We have so many great tips andideas for you from awesome educators. Be sure to take a look at what everyone has to say.If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog link-up, sign up here….The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you decide to join, “Feel free to email me at deann.marin@gmail.com if you have any questions”
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Holiday Indulgence

By Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

The holidays are fast approaching and if you’re anything like me, you will indulge in the things you love to eat and drink. Of course, I’d rather eat than drink, but there are some delicious cocktails that I can’t resist. It’s tough when you have to get up the next morning feeling physically and mentally unfit to do anything.
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Telling Our Stories

By Retta London of Rainbow City Learning

Easing into personal narrative writing for catharsis as well as instruction.

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It’s Up To You!

By Gini Musmanno of Reading Spotlight

Yes, teachers, it IS up to you! The 2020 election brought different kinds of fears and tears to most, for different reasons. But one glaring term stood out: “uneducated.” I have something to say about that.
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Using FREE Milk Lid Jug Lids for Hands-On Math Activities

By Vicky Rauch of Scipi Products

Start saving milk jug lids because there are countless hands-on math activities you can do in your classroom using this free manipulative. In my latest blog post, I give you four ideas that can be used with a whole group, small groups or as math center activities.
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Help with the Active and Passive Voice of Verbs

By Charlene Tess of Charlene Tess

Using the Active Voice will make your writing more efficient and compelling.
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How to Teach Grammar Skills So Kids Remember

By Marcy Howe of It’s a Teacher Thing

Learn 3 easy tips to make your grammar lessons meaningful and fun. Increase student engagement and learning by adding simple grammar activities to enhance your grammar lessons.
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When was the last time you took time for YOU?

By Renee Heiss of All American Teacher Tools

You’ve been creating virtual lessons, implementing virtual rewards and discipline procedures, and possibly keeping up with in-class separation shenanigans, as well. It’s overwhelming and not what you signed up for, right? Here are some ideas to help you relax and enjoy a small part of your day or week so you tell yourself that you are special (channeling Mr. Rogers here!)
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October Teacher Talk 2020

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

It’s October Teacher Talk Time…..Well, the first month of school is over and it’s BOO-tober, time for Halloween fun, Columbus Day, Stop Bullying Month and beautiful fall weather. We have so many great tips and ideas for you from awesome educators. Be sure to take a look at what everyone has to say.
If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here….The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you decide to join, be sure to mention one of our names.


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Searching for Our Future Selves

By Retta London of Rainbow City Learning

Adding futuristic thinking to your reading and writing practice.


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A Peek Into Learning

By Kathie Yonemura of Tried and True Teaching Tools

For all the grumbling about distance learning (and there is a lot of grumbling!), there are also some perks! I have a love-hate relationship with classroom bulletin boards. They are such a pain to put up, then you have to change them frequently and other than during Open House, no one actually looks at them! Anyone else?


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Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

By Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

For my teacher friends who are torn about going back to school physically, or teaching using a hybrid model, these times are challenging.  If you are someone who HAS to go into your classroom, you are literally risking your life and possibly those around you. You probably stay up many nights tossing and turning over what you should do.  While those of you who teach through distance learning have to acquire new skills, and let’s face it, not all of us are tech savvy. It’s hard enough doing what you all love to do but Covid19 is making it difficult if not impossible for you. So how do you function when feeling emotionally drained and stressed out. In some of my other posts, I’ve mentioned Qigong as a way to relieve stress, there are also homeopathic remedies that may help. 

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Using Glyphs to Gather Information, Interpret Data and Follow Directions By Vicky Rauch of Scipi

A glyph is a non-standard way of graphing information to tell a story. It is a flexible data representation tool that uses symbols to represent different data. Glyphs are an innovative instrument that shows several pieces of data at once and necessitates a legend or a key to understand the glyph. They require problem solving, communication, and data organization.


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Boo! Meow! Eek!Woo! Ha-Ha- Haaaa!

http://www.readingspotlight.com/boo-meow-eek-woooha-ha-haaaa/

Reading poetry helps students improve fluency because the natural rhythm of most poems enhances ease of expression. Adding sound effects to group or individual Halloween readings incorporates pleasure into reading aloud, often a difficult task for beginning and struggling readers. Read this post to find out how to throw in even more levity.


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Tips for Knowing When to Use Who, That, and Which

By Charlene Tess of Charlene Tess

Choosing between the the relative pronouns who, that, and which is an important decision. Using the correct word will help you say what you mean and get your point across successfully.


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3-Easy Tips for Making Grammar Fun

By Marcy How of It’s a Teacher Thing

Learn 3 easy tips for adding fun to your grammar instruction and increase student learning and engagement.


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Teacher Self Care During Distance Learning

By Michelle Webb of Teaching Ideas for Those Who Love Teaching

Tips to take care of yourself during distance learning.


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Coding with the Littles

By Lisa Robles of LisaTeachR’s Classroom

Have you done coding with your littles? I’m currently doing Scratch Jr. with my Kindergartners and they are loving it. What is Scratch Jr.? It’s a programming language that lets kids ages 5-7 create stories and games. Kids use blocks to create the code.


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Be sure to check out the block posts from all of our members.

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September Teacher Talk 2020

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

It’s September Teacher Talk Time…..Hopefully everyone is off to a great school year with the best classes ever, in these strange times. We have so many great tips and ideas for you from awesome educators. Be sure to take a look at what everyone has to say

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Homeopathy, What Is It?

By Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

In addition to teaching, for a good part of my life, I have also been interested in alternative medical practices that include: homeopathy and holistic medicine, as well as exercise, yoga, qigong, meditation, aroma therapy, reflexology, massage, acupuncture, acupressure, and more. Through personal experience, I have seen that these practices can have a beneficial impact on the health and well being of those who use them. I am convinced of their effects

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Lead Like a Girl Part Two

By Retta London of Rainbow City Learning

Thoughts on the legacy Ruth Bader Ginsburg may have left for our students.
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What’s Saving My Life Right Now

By Kathie Yonemura of Tried and True Teaching Tools

Hey, friends! Okay, I know this title: “What’s Saving my Life Right Now” sounds a bit dramatic, but. . . I feel like I’ve been living in a hole for the last 5 weeks and only keeping my head above water because of what I’m about to share!
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How I Got the Textbooks I Needed

By Gini Musmanno of Reading Spotlight

This is my story about how I used ingenuity and moxie to get the textbooks that I needed.
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Be-Leaf Me! Fall is Great! Using Leaves in Science Investigations

By Vicky Rauch of Scipi

When my husband’s Aunt Sue moved to Florida, she would send home some strange requests. One year, she wanted us to send her a box of fall leaves. Since Florida lacks deciduous trees, her students were unaware of the gorgeous colors produced by the trees up north. The only problem with her request was that the leaves we sent would be dry and crumbling by the time she received them. What to do? Find out in my newest blog post

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Tips for Creating Powerful Distance Learning Instruction

By Marcy How of It’s a Teacher Thing

Create even more powerful distance learning instruction with these great tips!
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Misplaced Modifiers Often Create Strange Mental Pictures.

By Charlene Tess of Charlene Tess

Misplaced modifiers create strange mental pictures.

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Top 5: My Favorite Diverse Reads

By Lisa Robles of LisaTeachR’s Classroom

My top five picks for diverse picture book reads

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August 2020 Teacher Talk

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern


It’s August Teacher Talk Time…..Hopefully you have a wonderful year whether you are physically in your classroom, using a hybrid model, or distance learning.  We have so many great tips and ideas for you from awesome educators. Be sure to take a look at what everyone has to say.

If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here….The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you decide to join, be sure to mention one of our names.

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Qigong For Stress Relief and Well Being

By Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern 

 It’s the beginning of a new school year and boy have things changed. Some of you will be doing hybrid teaching, others will be in the classroom. If we’re to survive in this new world of ours, we need to deal with stress, discomfort, anxiety, tension, depression, fear about getting ill, anger, as well as physical and emotional pain.

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 Getting the Most of Out of Distance Learning

By Kathie Yonemura of Tried and True Teaching Tools

This begins my 34th year of teaching. I did not yet own a personal computer in 1987, let alone have a computer in the classroom! Times have changed, yet effective teaching practices have not.

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 Bitmoji Virtual Classrooms

By Retta London of Rainbow City Learning 

Some thoughts on the bitmoji virtual classroom explosion. Will it work for you? 

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  A Retired Teacher’s COVID-19 Journey

 By Renee Heiss of All American Teacher Tools

Read how I transformed from a purple ditto creating first year teacher to a retired teacher learning to create Bitmojis. It has been an interesting journey!

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A Silver Lining

By Gini Musmanno of Reading Spotlight

 Is there a silver lining for teachers, parents, and students in the midst of all our significant pandemic afflictions? Perhaps, a few…

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Five Assumptions about Distance Learning-Why it’s Not Working for Every Child!

By Vicki Rauch of Scipi

My husband and I have taught together for over 80 years. We continue to do so because we love what we do; however, we are very disturbed by the terms Virtual Learning or Distance Learning or On-Line Learning. Now don’t get the idea that because we are “old”, we don’t or can’t use technology. Technology is part of our lives, especially in our teaching, but when we hear Distance Learning, many people make assumptions that simply aren’t true.

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 Tips for Sequencing When Reading and Writing

By Charlene Tess of Charlene Tess

Tips to help students with narrative writing. 

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3-Tips for Distance Learning Classroom First Week Success

By Marcy Howe of It’s a Teacher Thing 

 Learn 3-essential tips for a successful return to your distance learning classroom. Help start your year with community building games and important tips to set a positive tone for the school year.

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 CGI Mathematics A Research based Approach 

        By Lisa Robles of LisaTeachR’s Classroom

                        Let’s learn about CGI Mathematics A Research based Approach                

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 Tips for Remote Teaching

By Michelle Webb of Teaching Ideas for Those Who Love Teaching 

7 tips to make remote teaching successful.

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 TEACHER TALK IS BACK for the 2020-21 school year! Look for new posts from some of the best bloggers around on the third Sunday of every month! August posts are below!

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May 2020 Teacher Talk

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern


It’s May already, time sure flies.   Time to stop by and see what our teaching friends are doing during the school closures. This is the last link-up for this school year. We’ll see you again in August.

If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here….The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you decide to join, be sure to mention one of our names.

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Now That School’s Out. What Will We Do for the Summer?

By Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

Summer is the time for fun, fun, fun! School is out no more hitting the books. The only problem is that much of what was learned during the school year is forgotten, “out of sight, out of mind.” Not so with these fun educational activities that will keep the children looking for more and not even realizing they’re learning.

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Tried & True Tools for Managing Distance Learning

By Kathie Yonemura of Tried & True Teaching Tools 

 I am SO thankful for the many teachers who know more than me and their willingness to share their expertise! There is no reason to reinvent the wheel! Here are some tried & true tools that have saved my time and sanity with distance learning!

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Slipping into Summer

By Retta London of Rainbow City Learning  

 
Reflections on our “new normal” ways of teaching and learning.

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 Should You Red Shirt Your Kindergartner?

By Gini Musmanno of Reading Spotlight 

Will a delayed start to kindergarten improve a child’s success in school? Many kindergartners have not experienced a full school year due to the pandemic. This re-post might help some parents and teachers in reaching what might be a more difficult than usual decision this year.

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 Integrating Sustainable Development Goals into OurTeaching

By Lisa Robles of LisaTeachR’s Classroom

Integrating sustainable development goals into teaching

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Teaching Reading in the COVID19 Restructured Classroom

By Marcy Howe of It’s a Teacher Thing

Learn practical tips for teaching reading in our COVID 19 restructured classrooms.

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April 2020 Teacher Talk

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

 It’s April already, the school year is almost over.  We hope you are all healthy and safe during this unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic and that you’ve been able to find resources and ideas for online learning with your students. Stop by our blog linky and see what great tips and advice are there just for you.

If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here….The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you decide to join, be sure to mention one of our names.

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April Activities Just for You

By Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

 Turning my thoughts to sunny days and warmer weather!!! Can’t you just smell spring in the air? Daffodils beginning to bloom, Lilac trees starting to flower, and Lilies of the Valley popping up. A vaccine for Covid-19 hopefully soon.

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Tried & True Tips for Distance Learning

By Kathie Yonemura of Tried and True Teaching Tools 

 It’s been five weeks since we’ve been quarantined and it has taken me this long to even try to organize my thoughts (& life!) Well, still working on the life part. . . How are you all doing? Despite teaching 30+ years, I feel like a brand-new teacher again, attempting to get a handle on “distance learning”, “remote learning”, whatever you want to call it: learning without physically being with my students! Here are 5 tips to help ease the transition to distance learning.

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Lemonade 2020

By Gini Musmanno of Reading Spotlight

 This Coronavirus pandemic is extremely serious and stressful, but independent reading can be part of a useful solution to children learning at home. Now is a good time to hook kids on reading because they can choose their own books according to their own interests. At the same time, they can practice previously taught reading skills and improve in many ways.

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 “My Side of the Mountain” – Making Falcon Hoods

By Vicki Rauch of Scipi 

 Each year, my husband reads the book “My Side of the Mountain” to his science students. As a culminating activity, the students make falcon hoods since Sam has a peregrine falcon for hunting. Take a look at some of the falcon hoods his 6th grade students made in my latest blog post.

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 Ideas to Keep You Safe During the Coronavirus Pandemic

By Victoria Leone of The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs 

Use these simple, yet practical, ideas to help safeguard your family during the Coronavirus pandemic. Be sure to read the comments section for other great ideas and videos shared by our readers.

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By Charlene Tess of Charlene Tess

 Teachers are helping other teachers during the COVID-19 Crisis

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 Writing During This Historic Time: My Pandemic Journal

By Lisa Robles of LisaTeachR’s Classroom

 Everyone should be writing during this historic time. Where is your pandemic journal?

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 How I’m Surviving a New Teaching Reality

By Marcy Howe of It’s a Teacher Thing 

 During this crazy teaching time, I’ve survived in part thanks to these incredible tutorials.

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March 2020 Teacher Talk

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

St. Patrick’s Day and so many more tried and true teaching ideas are here for you to check out this March.  Best yet,soon it will be spring and the end of the year will be here before you know it. 

If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here….The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you decide to join, be sure to mention one of our names.

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It’s March…Let’s Go Fly a Kite

By Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

A great activity for home and at school.

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Learning During Our New Reality: Social Distancing

By Retta London of Rainbow City Learning

Just a few tips on some activities to add to your distance learning.

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Teaching Data, Graphing and Scientific Process with Paper Airplanes

By Tracy Willis of Wild Child Designs

Read how a paper airplane project sparked students to collect data, try out different graphs, and explore the scientific process! Remote learning freebies included with this post.

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Simple Ways to Make Classroom Lessons More Engaging

By Marcy Howe of It’s a Teacher Thing

Learn simple tricks to liven up even the most unexciting topic. It’s easier than you think!

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The Best Principal I Ever Had

By Gini Musmanno of Reading Spotlight

What principles make a great principal? Read about them here.

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Easy-to-Implement Home Instruction Ideas

By Renee Heiss of All-American Teacher tools

Prepare now for the possibility of home-instruction for all of your students. Find easy ways to send them home with a packet of work until you come back together again!

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St. Patrick’s Day Myths and Fun Facts

By Vicky Rauch of Scipi

March 17th is St. Patrick’s Day. Read my latest blog post to explore some of the myths surrounding this Irish holiday as well as to discover a few fun facts.

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How to Choose Between Affect and Effect

By Charlene Tess of CharleneTess

Here’s Help with Choosing Between Affect and Effect.

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School closed: Now what?

By Lisa Robles of LisaTeachR’s Classroom

Our schools have closed. Now what? Here are some links that could be useful during this time to keep your kids learning.

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Be sure to stop by and read the posts from the rest of our awesome educators, click the images below.

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February 2020 Teacher Talk

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern


Welcome to our February Teacher Talk.  All of us from the Teacher Talk collaborative would like wish you a Happy Valentines Day.  We have so many fab things this month from Field Trips and ELA and reading ideas, to celebrating Black History Month and President’s Day, you don’t want to miss reading these blog posts from some awesome educators. 

If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here….The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you decide to join, be sure to mention one of our names.

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Teaching Effective Note-Taking

By Kathie Yonemura of Tried and True Teaching Tools

Have you ever told your students to take notes and they either highlight almost everything (sometimes even changing colors with their fancy highlighters to make it look like a rainbow pattern) or they take bullet points on everything? Mine used to write pages of bullet points, with no organization or greater understanding of patterns, themes, or bigger ideas. In comes Note-taking Stations!

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All You Need is Love & Kindness

By Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

Did you know that there is a Random Acts of Kindness Week? It runs from February 16 through the 23rd. Actually, this is the first I’ve heard of it, but what a groovy way for all of us to unite by being kind to each other. It begins with one simple act – one hello to a stranger, a simple smile, a pat on the back, a cup of coffee for someone you don’t know, or as my husband experienced, pay it forward.  This is a chance for participating individuals to make our world a better one and inspire others to follow suit. 

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Why you Need a Teacher Bestie

By Retta London of Rainbow City Learning

I have been so lucky to have a teacher bestie at every twist and turn in my teacher life, and this post is just a love letter to each of them, and to the universe for placing each of them in my life.

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Does a Circle Have Sides?

By Victoria Rauch of Scipi

Does a circle have sides? Believe it or not, this was a question asked by a primary teacher.  I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, but in retrospect, I was stunned. Therefore, I decided this topic would make a great blog post. Discover the answer on my blog.

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Learning From Students: Issac

By Gini Musmanno of Reading Spotlight

A teacher learns about disrespect, resiliency, and lack of initiative.

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Christopher Ludwick – Revolutionary Baker and Spy

By Renee Heiss of All-American Teacher tools

Celebrate Washington’s Birthday with the story of Christopher Ludwick, Baker General.

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Say What You Mean and Avoid Redundancies

By Charlene Tess of Charlene Tess

Good writers say what they mean and avoid excessive verbiage. This blog post will help you avoid redundancies in your writing.

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Help Your Student Gain Perspective and Build Gratitude

By Marcy Howe of It’s a Teacher Thing

Surviving tough teaching years by helping your students gain perspective and build gratitude.

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January 2020 Teacher Talk

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

 It’s 2020! Time sure flies. We have some great ideas for you in our January edition of Teacher Talk. So hurry on over to see what these creative educators are doing this month.

If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here….The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you decide to join, be sure to mention one of our names.

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The Proof is in the Pudding….Proof Reading that Is!

By Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

I’d like to share some effective proof-reading tips that I’ve used to help students improve their writing skills, and to make my life a bit easier.

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Speaking Up for Justice

By Kathie Yonemura of Tried and True Teaching Tools

Along with honoring Martin Luther King, Jr., this week is our union’s one year “strikeversary”. What a perfect time to reflect and teach our students to stand up for what is right.

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A Lesson for MLK Day

By Retta London of Rainbow City Learning

A lesson for Martin Luther KIng Day to try this week!

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Remember to Take Time for Yourself

By Renee Heiss of All-American Teacher Tools

Do you have enough “me time”?  A few minutes can be just as valuable as a week-long vacation!

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Fostering Creativity

By Gini Musmanno of Reading Spotlight

Sister Rosemary ruined my poem, but she fostered creativity as she did. Read about how teachers can encourage creative ability in their students.

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New Year’s Resolutions Again?

By Charlene Tess of Charlene Tess

Is it time for new year’s resolutions again?

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Using Two-Sided Colored Beans to Add and Subtract Positive and Negative Numbers

By Vicky Rauch of Scipi

“When it comes to adding and subtracting positive and negative numbers, many students have great difficulty. In reality, it is a very confusing and abstract idea; so, it is important to give the students a concrete visual to assist them in seeing the solution. Find out how I teach this concept to my remedial college math students in my newest blog post. “

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10 Test Prep Skills for ELA Performance Task Success

By Marcy Howe of It’s A Teacher Thing

Learn 10 essential test prep skills to help your students be more successful on the ELA performance tasks.

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Using specific texts to delve into  Craft and Structure with the Common Core Standards

By Lisa Robles of LisaTeachR’s Classroom

Using specific texts to delve into  Craft and Structure with the Common Core Standards.

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December 2019 Teacher Talk

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

It’s December and time for our holiday version of Teacher Talk. Getting ready for the holiday festivities or just looking for some great ideas. You don’t want to miss what these creative educators are doing this month.

If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here….The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you decide to join, be sure to mention one of our names.

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Holiday Edition: Virtual Progressive Dinner

By Kathie Yonemura of Tried and True Teaching Tools

 With all the hustle and bustle of December: school holiday shows, class holiday parties, staff holiday parties, volunteer opportunities, holiday gifts. . . All good things, but this time of year often leaves me feeling ragged and gasping for breath! But we’re almost there: Winter Break!!

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 Reducing Holiday Stress

By Retta London of Rainbow City Learning

Here I am – last one to this party! I missed our podcast session about celebrating the holidays with food, drink, friends, and books. I knew this wasn’t going to be easy.  I’m the one who always asks at the beginning, “You know what’s really hard?” and I missed one. What’s really hard is missing that special time with three treasured friends when we talk about stuff and invite all of you in!

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Cocktail, Book and Entree

 By Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern


For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a lover of science fiction, mysteries and thrillers. I must admit though, I don’t read as much as I’d like, too busy with other things I guess.#toobusy  Buuut when I do settle down on a snowy or rainy afternoon by our crackling fire, I love curling up on the couch with a great book. One of my all time favorites is the DaVinci Code by Dan Brown. It brings me back to my adventures in Italy when I was in my twenties.

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One Gift

By Gini Musmanno of Reading Spotlight 

 Make the holidays merrier for young children of poverty with this simple, free idea.

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Cherish the Holiday Memories

By Charlene Tess of Charlene Tess

 Gifts are fun, but the sights, sounds, smells, and other sensory images will remain in your memory for years to come.

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Finding Success on Challenging Teaching Days

By Marcy Howe of It’s a Teacher Thing 

 Teaching after a vacation break can be challenging. Learn five tips for finding success on those difficult teaching days.

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Teacher Talk’s Featured Author – Charlene Tess

http://www.thebestofteacherentrepreneurs.net/2019/12/teacher-talks-featured-author-charlene.html

Charlene Tess was honored to be the Secondary Teacher of the Year for Ysleta Independent School District and one of the five finalists for Region XIX Texas Teacher of the Year.  Go to http://www.thebestofteacherentrepreneurs.net/2019/12/teacher-talks-featured-author-charlene.html for the link to her favorite free product, Step One from her Simple Steps to Sentence Sense program.  

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Be sure to read the rest of the posts from our awesome teachers.

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November 2019 Teacher Talk

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

It’s November Teacher Talk Time…..Can you believe that Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away. Time sure flies.  We have so many great tips and ideas for you from awesome educators. Be sure to take a look at what everyone has to say.

If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher
entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog link-up, sign up here….
The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative.
 If you decide to join, be sure to mention one of our names.

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Empathy and Digital Citizenship
I can only speak for myself,
but I bet that many of us have not even thought about speaking with our
students concerning using good manners when commenting on that blog
post, or stating opinions on social media sites.  Not only do our
classes need to be educated about online etiquette, or netiquette
but they have to learn to be careful about what kind of information they share online.
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 For the Love of Bookmaking
November . . . the time of year when students are starting to get antsy for Winter Break, yet it’s still not close enough. Teachers are tired, parent conference time and report cards are here, the time change has made it darker earlier. . . Bookmaking is the perfect solution for reinvigorating your students’ writing in any content area!
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Enough
By Retta London of Rainbow City Learning

Our family has a reunion every year at Thanksgiving time. We are
scattered all over the country (actually all over the world) now, but
each year as many as possible try to meet up for a banquet cooked by
professional chefs (yay!) rather than by any of us.

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 The value of learning about number lines
 Number lines help your students to learn skills they will need for the rest of their lives. Use these tips all year long!
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The Superintendent’s Tears
 We made our superintendent cry. Read about how we did it .
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 Meaningful Activities to Do Before Winter Break
 Here are two free activities to use before the Winter Holidays.
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 Supporting Reluctant Writers
By Marcy Howe of It’s a Teacher Thing

Learn easy, effective tips for supporting reluctant writers in your 4th through 8th grade classroom.

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Gentle Rebellion 101: A Teaching Story
By Tracy Willis of Mossy Oak Musings

 “Once upon a time, there was a fearsome dandelion fighter. Every week, he rode a 20 horsepower mower across an immaculate lawn… a lawn manicured so carefully that when the neighborhood association whipped out its Home Depot measuring tape, no matter where they measured, his grass was exactly 1 1/2 inches tall… ” 
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 Looking deeper at craft and structure in the Common Core
By Lisa Robles of LisaTeachR

 Looking deeper at craft and structure in the Common Core

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 Five Tips for Your Native American Lessons
By Michelle Webb of Teaching Ideas For Those Who Love Teaching

 Tips to make your Native American unit a success.
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Be sure to click the links to read the blog posts from all of our FAB educators
 

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October Teacher Talk 2019

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

It’s October Teacher Talk Time…..Well, the first month of school is over
and it’s BOO-tober, time for Halloween fun, Columbus Day, Stop Bullying Month and beautiful
fall weather.  
We have so many great tips and ideas for you from awesome educators. Be sure to take a look at what everyone has to say.
 
If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher
entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here….
The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative.
 If you decide to join, be sure to mention one of our names.
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Monthly Read Aloud Books for We Teach So Hard Podcasts about Bullying and how to help stop it from happening.
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Bullyproof Your Kids for Life
By Retta London of Rainbow City Learning

 Using a great read-aloud to start the conversation this month about dealing with bullies.

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Stand Up to Bullying 
By Kathie Yonemura of Tried and True Teaching Tools 

 Bullying. It has become such a buzz word that is often casually thrown
around. October is National Bullying Prevention Month and picture books
are the perfect way to elicit conversations.
 

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   The Empathy Project Update: Explorations into Empathy, Part 2
By Tracy Willis of Wild Child Designs 

 The 2nd installment in The Empathy Project, this post uses a visible thinking routine and a popular picture book to teach upper elementary students about empathy.

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 Surprise!
By Renee Heiss of All American Teacher Tools

 Surprises provide the best motivation

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 Pause…In the Neighborhood
By Gini Musmanno of Reading Spotlight 

 Pause.. for a moment in Mister Rogers neighborhood. He still has much to teach us today.

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 Independent Reading Success in the Classroom
By Marcy Howe of It’s A Teacher Thing 

 Learn tips for creating a successful independent reading program in your classroom.

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 Fall into Figurative Language
By Charlene Tess of Charlene Tess

 Fall is the perfect season to study figurative language. 

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Real World Math
By Michelle Webb of Teaching Ideas For Those Who Love Teaching

How to incorporate real world math into your daily teaching.
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Be sure to check out the rest of the blog posts in our link up. Just click the images below…

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September Teacher Talk

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern
It’s September Teacher Talk Time…..Hopefully everyone is off to a great school year with the best classes ever.  We have so many great tips and ideas for you from awesome educators. Be sure to take a look at what everyone has to say.
 
If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher
entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here….
The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative.
 If you decide to join, be sure to mention one of our names.

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 3 Tried & True Games to Teach Place Value & Rounding
By Kathie Yonemura of Tried and True Teaching Tools

 Beginning of the year. . . I used to be so tempted to skip teaching place value because it seemed too simplistic, assuming kids knew how to read larger numbers. Plus I wanted to get on with the “real math”:multiplication and long division. WRONG! Developing number sense and place value are critical to understanding ALL math!  **************************************************
Using the Arts to Teach Perseverance
By Retta London of Rainbow City Learning 

 How adding the arts to your curriculum can teach perseverance.

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Never Give Up... Persevere!
By Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern  

 If you’ve never used read aloud picture books with your middle schoolers, you should consider it. Not only do picture books get a point across, but they’re fun, images are beautiful and they don’t take much time.. You can easily come up with ideas to reinforce what you’ve read. 
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 A Cheer For Spelling
By Gini Musamanno of Reading Spotlight 

 Spelling practice does not have to be boring! Try this cheer to add some enthusiasm to weekly spelling words.
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The Left Angle Mystery
By Vicky Rauch of Scipi

Geometry is probably my favorite part of math to teach because it is so visual; plus, the subject lends itself to doing many hands-on activities, even with my college students. When our unit on points, lines and angles is finished, it is time for the unit test. Almost every year I ask the following question: What is a left angle? Some of the responses I have received over the years are disheartening.

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5 Steps to Creative Classroom Projects
By Renee Heiss of  All-American Teacher Tools

Have you ever noticed that someone else’s class has developed much more creative writing assignments, science fair projects, or fundraising strategies? Well, either that person is extremely lucky, extremely gifted in motivating his or her students, or simply using proven methods to stimulate creativity. Chances are, that person is simply familiar with the 5-Step Creativity Process
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New Job = New Lens
By Lisa Robles of LisaTeachR’s Classroom

 The power of story…
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Teaching Perseverance: Powerful Books to Change a Student’s Mindset
By Tracy Willis of Mossy Oak Musings

 Looking for themed kidlit to jazz up your language arts block? This post shares some great books around the theme of perseverance. Links to related free resources are included!

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Classroom Routines that Create a Productive Classroom Environment
By Marcy Howe of It’s A Teacher Thing

 Classroom procedures are essential to creating a productive, welcoming classroom environment. Learn tips to increase productive learning time and maintain efficiency.
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August 2019 Teacher Talk

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

It’s August Teacher Talk Time…..Hopefully those of you who are back to school this month are off to a great beginning with the best classes
ever. 
 We have so many great tips and ideas for you from awesome educators. Be sure to take a look at what everyone has to say.

If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher
entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here….
The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative.
 If you decide to join, be sure to mention one of our names.

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 Is Summer Vacation Over Already?
Someone posted on Facebook that August is like Sunday for teachers! We’re elated when the weekend comes around, and love Saturday, it’s one of our fun days, but then the dreaded Sunday comes, you have to correct papers, do lesson plans, and go to bed at a reasonable hour, you know the routine.  Then there’s the month of August, it just seems to zooooom by and before you know it your summer vacation is like a dream gone by.  But you do Love teaching, it’s your calling. Read on for some first day teaching tips.
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How Morning Meeting Can Become a Sacred Space
By Retta London of Rainbow City Learning

 Adding new practices to make Morning Meeting a peaceful and calm transition to your teaching and learning day.

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 5 Meaningful No-Prep Activities for the First Week of School
By Kathie Yonemura of Tried and True Teaching Tools 

If you’re frantically planning for your first day or week of school, here are five tried & true activities (not busy work!) to keep your students engaged while you get to observe and learn more about them. And be sure to download all the FREEBIES!

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 Developing Powerful, Enthusiastic Readers

 Every teacher wants a classroom filled with powerful and enthusiastic readers. This is a terrific goal for the new school year…and it can be accomplished with
this design.
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 Free Video to Teach Prepositional Phrases
By Charlene Tess of Charlene Tess

 Here’s a FREE video to teach prepositional phrases.

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 Developing and Writing Effective Lesson Plans for Math
By Vicky Rauch of Scipi

 We often hear of research based strategies and how to use them in our classrooms. Having worked at two colleges in the past ten years, I have discovered that some who are doing this research have never been in a classroom or taught anyone under the age of 18! (Sad but True) 

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  Using Math Centers in the Upper Elementary Classroom
By Kris McWilliams of Mistakes Allow Things to Happen

 Thinking about adding Math Centers to your classroom math block? This article will help you take steps to implement a plan in an upper elementary school classroom.

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 Ease New School Year Teacher Anxiety
 By Michelle Webb of Teaching Ideas For Those Who Love Teaching

 Tips to ease Teachers’ back to school anxiety.

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 Math Games: Observing Your Students Makes Back-to-School a Breeze!
By Tracy Willis of Wild Child Designs 

 Want to know an easy peasy way to really get to know your kiddos at the beginning of the year? Play some math games with them and sit back and watch. This is one teacher’s approach to collecting student data.

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Recommended Reading Board
By Erik Arndt of Insights to English

Create a wall display of books (or better yet: series of books) that your students should consider reading. Make sure to have a variety of formats and genres so that there’s something for everyone!
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 This is the Time to Start Your Year Off Right With an Amazing Close Reading Lesson
By Lisa Robles of LisaTeachR’s Classroom

 This is the time to start your year off right with an amazing close reading
lesson. As the school year starts, this is the best time to start with
close reading.

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Be sure to click the links and mosey on over to all the fabulous blog posts submitted by our members. Lots of tips on back to school activities, mathematics, reading and so much more.

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May Teacher Talk

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

It’s May and June is just around the bend. You’re probably counting the days till summer vacation. Be sure to stop by and see what these teachers are doing in their classrooms and gather some great tips and ideas. This is the last link-up for this school year. We’ll see you in August.

If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs, blogging buddies and/or our blog linky, sign up here….The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you decide to join, be sure to mention one of our names.

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 Rejoice, The Last Day of School has Arrived

By Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

When that last day comes around, we’re elated, and yes, a little wistful, and the kids feel the same way….buuuut they’re also quite excited and hyper, it’s the end of the year after all. We know we have to come up with some groovy ideas to give them a great send off, all while maintaining our sanity. This post has just what the doctor ordered to help make this final day memorable for everyone, including you.

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Slide into Summer

By Retta London of Rainbow City Learning 

Create a Super Summer Kit to ease your students into summer and get them ready for the next school year!

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 Mining for Gold Gets Even Better

 By Kathie Yonemura of Tried and True Teaching Tools


Gold fever! It’s what drew thousands of men to California in 1849 and it still sparks student excitement and dreams of wealth today! Challenge your students to improve

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 Wrapping Up the School Year

By Lisa Robles of LisaTeachR’s Classroom


How do you wrap up your school year? I know it’s easy to coast to the end but I see it as a time to go out strong! Leave your kids with amazing memories and fun stuff. Since testing is over, it’s a good time to branch out and do some really fun activities.

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 America the Beautiful

By Gini Musmanno of Reading Spotlight

For your patriotic enjoyment, watch this one minute slideshow.

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 Activities for the End of the Year

By Charlene Tess of Charlene Tess 

 Here are 2 HOTS Activity for the End of the Year.

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  The “Lure” of Fish – The Benefits of Keeping an Aquarium in Your Classroom

By Vicky Rauch of Scipi Products 

 When I taught third grade in an inner city school, I knew the children needed something to love, but being a city girl, my love of animals was deficient. That is when my husband helped me to set up an aquarium. I purchased a water heater, a bubblier, chemicals, plants, fish food, and of course the fish! Little did I know what effect this would have on my students.

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 Review Activities

By Erik Arndt of Insights to English

Here are some activities that you can use with your class to review vocabulary and grammar. There are quite a few to choose from, and each is customizable; use whatever is best for your class!

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 7 Tips to Help Students Edit Their Essays

By Sally Hansen of Purposeful Plans

With technology today, it’s hard not to edit during the revision phase. But it’s important to keep the creativity flowing during the revision phase and wait to makes edits during the editing phase. Read more for some useful tips to help your students stay focused during the editing phase.

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 Preparing for Book Clubs: Tips for Success

By Marcy Howe of It’s a Teacher Thing

If you are considering using book clubs in your classroom, I’ve shared essential tips to help your book clubs be a success. You don’t want to miss these pointers for engaging all students and for reducing teacher workload.

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 Citizen Scientists ready For Summer

By Margo Gentile of Margo Gentile 

 Summer is the perfect time for kids to be outside and appreciate their natural surroundings. Wouldn’t it be nice if they could learn about nature and science as “casual learners? They can! I’d like to share some terrific citizen scientist programs that kids could participate in without even leaving their back yard.

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Be sure to read the rest of the posts in our link up….. 

 

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Click here to enter