tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58599551157573369862024-03-13T21:02:34.933-05:00To the 2nd PowerThis is about teaching (and being a mom of boys)!Wendy Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08007350631399993272noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859955115757336986.post-69110445722812896072015-08-04T20:48:00.000-05:002015-08-04T20:48:40.364-05:00It's been awhile...<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So.... I'm back!!! Who what a ride it has been both professionally and personally since I've been on a hiatus. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Personally my husband and I became foster parents and have had the pleasure of being mom and dad to several boys. Each one touches our heart in a different way. What amazing children they are. We continue to foster hoping to find the one that we can adopt!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Professionally!!!! I have become part of a group called the Tech Squad. It consists of two of my friends and we travel the great state of Texas (and will be making an appearance in Florida in November) talking about integrating technology and teaching beyond those lesson plans - teaching 21st century style! We hold a meet and TWEET on Tuesdays at 9pm. So if you aren't on TWITTER join!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The second amazing thing I have become a part of is PBL! My team and I wrote a grant this spring and asked our Education Foundation to pay for the Buck Institute to come and teach our staff all about PBL!! Well, they did and it was an amazing 3 days at the end of July. We will be talking more about that later!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Finally, I became a google certified educator!! Wow my knowledge doubled and I can't wait to share my tidbits of new knowledge. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While this post is short I promise to be back!!! I have lots to share and school starts in 3 weeks - well kids start in 3 weeks. We are back sooner. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Wendy</span>Wendy Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08007350631399993272noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859955115757336986.post-78736504023179102322014-01-01T19:45:00.000-06:002014-01-02T14:48:24.157-06:00New Year - new goal settingSo....it's January 1st that means it's goal setting time!!! I thought about setting one of the typical goals; lose weight (when don't I need to do this?!?!), exercise, blog more, leave school earlier, cook more (other than hamburger helper and mac and cheese), be that crafty mom.... but then this morning on one of those good morning shows I don't get to see during the school year I head a guy say that instead of setting a goal - choose a word!! CHOOSE A WORD?!? WOW, I thought. He explained it this way: choose a word that you want to focus on this year and then apply it to all areas of your life. So instead of picking an activity you choose a word and then make sure all you do is in line with that word. Fill your world with that world - write it everywhere so that it is ever present and reminding you of what you want to accomplish.<br />
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Examples:<br />
Word: OPEN<br />
Being open to new ideas, new foods (diet?!?), new activities for yourself and your family, trying new things, new relationships and experiences.<br />
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Word: GROW<br />
Grow in knowledge (about food, exercise, a topic....), grow in relationships, experiences and life<br />
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I love it!! I love how I can't fail at this (or so I feel I can't) there is no scale telling me that cutting out my precious soda isn't working anymore, or an alarm that I once again hit snooze on instead of working out. No guilt when I look at the clock and realize that I once again I'm staying late. Instead I am just striving to incorporate an word into my life and making sure my actions line up to that. While I may not have new clothes to show off next year for all the weight I lost or can count more hours I spent at home instead of school or a dozen crafts to show off I will have something better. I will have more happiness, experiences to share, memories to hold on to and an internal peace. I love it!!<br />
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So I bet you are wondering what my word for the new year is. I know the suspense is killing you :) My word of the year is:<br />
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<span style="color: #3366ff; font-family: Elise; font-size: 125.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">FAITH<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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FAITH that I am a wonderful mother, great wife, amazing teacher - FAITH in myself. FAITH in my students, peers, and family. FAITH that things will work out the way that are suppose to. FAITH in life. FAITH that I will lose the weight, that I will start to exercise, even a little and FAITH that everything I strive for will work out in some sort of way. I think that many times I get side tracked and lose the FAITH. I start to question. I get frustrated with my imperfections and at times the imperfections in others. While I understand that I am not perfect I often find myself demanding that of myself and feeling frustrated and even angry when I fall short. If I work on having the FAITH that even my failed efforts are wonderful, great and amazing and that I have given all I have. Then I will see more of the great things happening around me as a result of my efforts instead of always seeing what else I could have or should have done. So the word, the focus, the goal of the year is:<br />
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<span style="color: #3366ff; font-family: Elise; font-size: 125.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">FAITH<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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What's your word for the year?<br />
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P.S.<br />
My family picked a word today: patience. At our family meeting we came up with a word that we thought everyone could work on and patient was the winner. We looked up what it means, and each week in our family meeting we will talk about how we are doing it, compliment each other on a job well done and either play a game that requires patience or read a scenario that requires someone to be patient and talk about it. We might chance our word half way through the year but we will see! I've already found a million ideas on the web and pintrest!! I'll keep you posted on all of our progress.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q8Cx-PH38oI/UsXQfP1t3EI/AAAAAAAAAlg/AhVrfJdwJVE/s1600/IMG_9400.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q8Cx-PH38oI/UsXQfP1t3EI/AAAAAAAAAlg/AhVrfJdwJVE/s320/IMG_9400.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Wendy Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08007350631399993272noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859955115757336986.post-17237762641049379292013-12-17T20:42:00.000-06:002014-01-01T21:31:31.096-06:00Awards From School!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So far this year I have received some awards from students, colleagues and my principal. I feel so humbled by them. I know that everyone I work with is so deserving as well. I am so blessed to work along side such amazing people that inspire me, encourage me and support me. I am equally blessed to teach and guide such dedicated students. That make my job fun and inspire and encourage me as well.<br />
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The first award I received was from the student council in October. They chose 2 staff members to receive a star for each of the 6 pillars during our kick off week. (We do character counts at our school. If you don't know about it check it out. It is amazing!!) I was chosen to received one of the stars for Fairness. Below are pictures of my star and what they wrote about me.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2GlVMuZvD8A/UsTRzipSP9I/AAAAAAAAAkg/r8NChsgIrJ4/s1600/IMG_8236.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2GlVMuZvD8A/UsTRzipSP9I/AAAAAAAAAkg/r8NChsgIrJ4/s200/IMG_8236.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-69ZtuDBdpPA/UsTRx7uub4I/AAAAAAAAAkY/rcgDkzIDz90/s1600/IMG_8237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="109" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-69ZtuDBdpPA/UsTRx7uub4I/AAAAAAAAAkY/rcgDkzIDz90/s200/IMG_8237.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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My second award came the same week!! Our theme for our staff this year is huddle together. Our role model being the penguin (yes we are Rooster Springs Elem. and the teachers have penguins as a mascot!) If you know anything about penguins they huddle together during the coldest part of the winter to survive. They take their turn in the middle and being warm as well as in the outer circle bearing the brunt of the wind, snow and cold. At each faculty meeting we pass on a penguin to someone. We have about 5 penguins that pare passed around. I received one for all my work being the UIL coordinator!! Here is my penguin:<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JxKqu97VBfs/UsTRZ89YmeI/AAAAAAAAAjw/npj1uC0mQqY/s1600/IMG_8238.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JxKqu97VBfs/UsTRZ89YmeI/AAAAAAAAAjw/npj1uC0mQqY/s200/IMG_8238.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
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My final award came yesterday from my principal. I was given the Above and Beyond Award for my campus. I was presented the award at the school board meeting. I love doing what I do and I love that I have been blessed with a principal that allows me to be creative and try new things. I never dreamed that I would then get an award for that. Here is me receiving my award by a school board member:<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Aba-8yBQ62k/UsTRhAO7nbI/AAAAAAAAAkE/Obfpwai1ros/s1600/me+award+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Aba-8yBQ62k/UsTRhAO7nbI/AAAAAAAAAkE/Obfpwai1ros/s200/me+award+1.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<br />Wendy Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08007350631399993272noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859955115757336986.post-28712933367477069782013-10-25T21:07:00.000-05:002014-01-01T21:31:13.682-06:00Flipping continued....So I am loving the flipped classroom and so are my parents! After talking with my parents at parent night and finishing all the beginning of year testing I started with LA. Right now this is how it works: every Monday night they watch a video for homework and fill out this page:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oaEoY_hc--k/UsTYryHSpmI/AAAAAAAAAlE/q8uAtsvTe3w/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-01-01+at+9.10.19+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oaEoY_hc--k/UsTYryHSpmI/AAAAAAAAAlE/q8uAtsvTe3w/s320/Screen+Shot+2014-01-01+at+9.10.19+PM.png" width="262" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByJ9Vp9GWO-LMTBMYW8wSy1qaTQ/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Here is your copy</a>!</td></tr>
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If for some reason they don't watch it at home and their parents let me know they can watch it Tuesday morning and fill it out. I call this the WSQ (whisk). I got the idea from Todd Nelsoney. It is amazing to see how much better their complete sentences have gotten. <br />
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So they are doing this for language arts and they watch the video on Monday night. What am I doing in class? Well...that's the best part. Language Arts is all small group now. I don't have a whole group teaching time because the whole group part happens at home. Here is how my small groups look:<br />
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<u><b>Monday:</b></u> go over vocabulary that will be in book, predictions based on cover, picture walk.....<br />
<u><b>Tuesday:</b></u> go over concept briefly (like 3-4 minutes discuss video look at WSQ page) and talk about how that might look with the book we are going to read. Answer any questions about the concept and depending on time start reading.<br />
<u><b>Wednesday</b></u>: read story and apply concept (if we don't finish the story apply concept to what we have read)<br />
<u><b>Thursday:</b></u> do an activity with our book and concept (make something, something we would have done whole group with a book I would have read but now they do with what they have read) and read book at home for homework.<br />
<u><b>Friday:</b></u> share, do a writing page with book (to work on written response) and reread with partners.<br />
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Right now this is working fabulously. I know that I will have to make changes next semester when we move to chapter books but I will ponder that in a month or so :)<br />
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<b>Where do I get the videos?</b><br />
I get my videos from youtube right now. I usually find 4-8 that work and pick my favorite for the one they have to watch and then also give them the link to watch the others through out the week. Some students watch them all, some watch all several times and some watch just the one. I'm okay with all of that. Here is what my webpage looks like for the parents:<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hIFjMpPLnS4/UsTcAe7u1_I/AAAAAAAAAlQ/ac-P4wEJ88w/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-01-01+at+9.24.36+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="371" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hIFjMpPLnS4/UsTcAe7u1_I/AAAAAAAAAlQ/ac-P4wEJ88w/s640/Screen+Shot+2014-01-01+at+9.24.36+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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As you can see the weeks we did the language concept for more than one week I threw in a math, science or social studies video. I also attached the video page in case they need an extra one (like it doesn't make it home!!)<br />
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I think that next semester we are going to start doing lots more science and social studies videos. I always feel so pinched for time in those subjects and it helped so much when they watched one!!<br />
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Please feel free to share what you are doing and what is working with your flipped classroom or do you have any questions so you can start flipping your class?Wendy Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08007350631399993272noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859955115757336986.post-53327952336351016342013-09-06T21:32:00.000-05:002014-01-01T21:45:03.299-06:00Parent NightAt parent night I shared this video with my parents about the flipped classroom:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/iQWvc6qhTds?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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There are really so many good ones but I settled on this one. I also sent parents this link with some other videos about why we are a BYOD district and why technology is so important:<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLj-dr0rm9cJ-U2YwEzxz2Yi0ZSJ3VnS25" target="_blank">Parent Night Videos</a><br />
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Please, please check out these videos they are so great! Not only to share but to inspire you and motivate you!<br />
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<br />Wendy Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08007350631399993272noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859955115757336986.post-25725874422492013362013-08-19T12:56:00.000-05:002013-08-19T20:12:47.105-05:00August InserviceWe all have teacher inservice when we go back to school in August. This year our district is implementing BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) and is hoping to move to 1:1 in the future. I love technology and I love using it and having my students use it. It is amazing what students can do when give the option to be creative - with technology AND without. Back to the topic at hand - inservice. Well this year I was asked to present at our technology fair so here is my presentation:<br />
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: x-large;">App Smashing</span></div>
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App Smashing is....<br />
the process of using multiple apps in conjunction with one another to complete a final task or project.<br />
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We constantly hear, "There's an app for that!"and there is but finding one app that does EVERYTHING that you need to create a project is almost impossible especially since every project requires different aspects and final product. App smashing allows you to use different apps to get what you want. Many of us do this without even thinking about it but being aware of the process allows us to teach it more effectively to our students and be more efficient with the process. Most apps fall into level 1 or level 2. Level 1 are easy apps to use that create products that can be "smashed" into a level 2 app.<br />
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Here is an example:<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GfUVzkMyCxs/UgOxaa5J1DI/AAAAAAAAAho/mwEqtzoqSjU/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-08-08+at+9.54.39+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="305" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GfUVzkMyCxs/UgOxaa5J1DI/AAAAAAAAAho/mwEqtzoqSjU/s400/Screen+Shot+2013-08-08+at+9.54.39+AM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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In my classroom I have app Monday. I take a about 20-30 minutes every Monday to introduce new apps. <u>Most</u> of these apps are ones that they later can and will use to create projects <u>some</u>, are games to be used in a center. Here are some examples of what I mean:<br />
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Apps to be introduced (the order will depend on what we are doing and what I need them to know)<br />
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songify sock puppets edmodo</div>
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tellagami puppet pals sushi monster</div>
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animator skitch google earth</div>
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write about educreations </div>
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books on ipad tinytap</div>
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pixntell paperport notes</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
scribble my story dropbox</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
book creator animoto</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
funny movie maker imovie</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
toontastic prezi</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
There are many more that we use but these are the ones that I want everyone in class to know how to use. I introduce the app and then give them time to play with (alone or with a partner) and then we conclude by talking about it - what they can do with it, what they liked, what they want to figure out, it leads to some great converstations!!!<br />
<br />
<br />
Here is the prezi I created and used:<br />
<a href="http://prezi.com/ly4ufe8qxbr2/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0share">http://prezi.com/ly4ufe8qxbr2/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0share</a><br />
<br />
Video of how it works:<br />
<a href="https://vimeo.com/71366694">https://vimeo.com/71366694</a><br />
<br />
Great guide:<br />
<a href="https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/5732877/Ebooks/The%20Definitive%20App%20Smasher's%20Guide.pdf">https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/5732877/Ebooks/The%20Definitive%20App%20Smasher's%20Guide.pdf</a><br />
<br />
<br />
Related articles:<br />
<a href="http://www.mguhlin.org/2013/06/app-smashing-digital-poetry-ec3ta13.html?spref=bl">http://www.mguhlin.org/2013/06/app-smashing-digital-poetry-ec3ta13.html?spref=bl</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.ipadcreative.com/blog/2013/8/1/what-is-app-smashing.html">http://www.ipadcreative.com/blog/2013/8/1/what-is-app-smashing.html</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://edtechteacher.org/blog/2013/02/app-smashing-from-greg/">http://edtechteacher.org/blog/2013/02/app-smashing-from-greg/</a>Wendy Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08007350631399993272noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859955115757336986.post-75512578664038881062013-08-16T20:19:00.000-05:002014-01-01T20:37:59.981-06:00Fresh Starts!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
It's that time of year again!!! We get the email that lets us know when we can get into our classrooms and change this:<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4HAXI5HK-0g/UsTNNRL9hOI/AAAAAAAAAh8/t_gY78snNMM/s1600/IMG_7027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GHMXPT3rZP8/UsTNPxcnnQI/AAAAAAAAAiM/7qdWyWC6Ats/s1600/IMG_7028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GHMXPT3rZP8/UsTNPxcnnQI/AAAAAAAAAiM/7qdWyWC6Ats/s200/IMG_7028.JPG" width="200" /></a><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4HAXI5HK-0g/UsTNNRL9hOI/AAAAAAAAAh8/t_gY78snNMM/s200/IMG_7027.JPG" width="200" /> </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YFHD1oCCEK0/UsTNObxMlyI/AAAAAAAAAiA/EGpVlvXRgLE/s1600/IMG_7029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YFHD1oCCEK0/UsTNObxMlyI/AAAAAAAAAiA/EGpVlvXRgLE/s200/IMG_7029.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
Into something like this:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xqpVv7QyHwc/UsTN-RRHARI/AAAAAAAAAic/Al_VnZMQDnU/s200/IMG_7351.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">from the door</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5JVIfVgDJI8/UsTORVLiGPI/AAAAAAAAAjI/Eh3werTMyjc/s1600/IMG_7356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5JVIfVgDJI8/UsTORVLiGPI/AAAAAAAAAjI/Eh3werTMyjc/s200/IMG_7356.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">reading center</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xqpVv7QyHwc/UsTN-RRHARI/AAAAAAAAAic/Al_VnZMQDnU/s1600/IMG_7351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Here are some of my favorite things:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TzmRVgfPrEs/UsTOBFAZXlI/AAAAAAAAAis/EOVqjhUlbk0/s1600/IMG_7352.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TzmRVgfPrEs/UsTOBFAZXlI/AAAAAAAAAis/EOVqjhUlbk0/s320/IMG_7352.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Each week I will share a new fun fact. My students can also "pay" to share their own favorite fun fact!<br /><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a6sclz4Eni0/UsTOJrtuwCI/AAAAAAAAAi4/UGkn4xxE42E/s1600/IMG_7354.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a6sclz4Eni0/UsTOJrtuwCI/AAAAAAAAAi4/UGkn4xxE42E/s320/IMG_7354.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wall of Knowledge: after we finish a topic or unit I will add a smaller anchor chart to our wall of knowledge so they can refer back to it as needed. It looks empty now but by the end of the year it is over flowing!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2s2jE1RiSrk/UsTOZjwt4tI/AAAAAAAAAjg/BFNzZQ7fFlQ/s1600/IMG_7359.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2s2jE1RiSrk/UsTOZjwt4tI/AAAAAAAAAjg/BFNzZQ7fFlQ/s320/IMG_7359.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Above my horseshoe/reading table I have reading goals posted. They are the ones found in Cafe. I do a version of Cafe and so I hang all the goals up there so that as we meet and talk they, and I, can refer to them and pick one!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rR_fG4bd4VE/UsTOUEG223I/AAAAAAAAAjQ/XwV54F2MUd4/s1600/IMG_7357.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rR_fG4bd4VE/UsTOUEG223I/AAAAAAAAAjQ/XwV54F2MUd4/s320/IMG_7357.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My technology center. A computer on each side and a stack of 2 ipads in the middle. I also have laminated bookmarks they can use to access website with usernames and passwords. I have earbuds in small Velcro pouches and styluses. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Wendy Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08007350631399993272noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859955115757336986.post-83251311944991401242013-08-07T08:39:00.002-05:002013-08-08T11:44:55.792-05:00High needs children<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">I know that my blog has always been about teaching and my classroom. In the beginning I planned that it would be both teaching and about my boys. That hasn't happened but this summer as I have worked </span>tirelessly<span style="font-family: inherit;"> and endlessly with and for my son who has </span>ADHD<span style="font-family: inherit;">, sensory processing disorder and severe anxiety I felt called to share some things but didn't know what</span></b><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">. This week I came across a blog in which a mother listed 10 things she wished people knew about parenting a special needs child. While I don't have a special needs child I do have what they call a high needs child and I related to much of what she said. So, I took what she wrote, changed, added, deleted and adapted it to the 5 things I wish others knew when it comes to parenting a high needs child. I thought I would share because a classroom where there isn't a ADHD child is rare. Here is me not being a teacher but a parent, like the parents you have and meet with, sharing what it's like raising a child with needs. </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>If you only knew: </b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>1. We don’t have any extra energy or more patience or understanding
than anyone else.</b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It feels dismissive when people say,
‘God will only give you what you can handle, He must have known you could
handle it.’ Yes, we’re handling it, and we understand that you can’t imagine
yourself in our shoes, but it doesn’t mean that it’s any easier for us than it
would be for you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>2. The emotional
enormity of it is exhausting.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Emotionally every developmental
change, grade change, choosing treatments (alternative, medicine.....), supervising actions, words and activities and
making medical decisions (doctors, therapy...) are exhausting year after year. Every decision that is made has been talked about - A LOT, tears shed about it and well thought out. Please respect it even if you don't understand it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>3. The services available are difficult to navigate and expensive.</b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Many assume that if you had a high
needs child you just sign up for services, and someone told you
exactly what to do, what you qualified for, and always acted in your child’s
best interest. In most cases the parents have to really network with
other parents to see what’s available, apply and re-apply for a correct
diagnosis, and fight through red tape to get the child to be placed in the
appropriate setting. And then do it all over again in 12 months when their
developmental needs change. For expenses- there is so much out there, but
it costs so much! Speech
therapy $60 twice a week, $70 for sensory integration once a week, $200 a counseling
session, $300 a month for meds…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>4. Our priorities change based
on the entire family.</b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sometimes we are focusing on limiting
screen time, sometimes we’re focused on a behavior issue, sometimes it’s
academic, sometimes it’s just maintaining the progress we’ve made so far
because the family is going through some other transition. It’s impossible for all of us (child and parents) to focus
100% on everything at once, so it may look like we’re changing our mind and
jumping around a lot. But, I promise we’re not doing this for fun or because we’re bored-
we’re trying to find what works best for our family.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>5. My child’s behavior issues
are not from poor parenting.</b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yes, consistency and routine usually help, but
the way my child’s brain is wired and the issues he deals with make him
not respond to regular parenting techniques the way a typically
developing child would. I wish I
could avoid the glares when we are out for what seems like an age-inappropriate meltdown. But,
we still have to go buy groceries, go to the bank, and get our car fixed just
like everyone else – and sometimes plans can’t work around our child’s issues, so they may be fussing in the store. It’s just how it is.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">adapted from: <a href="http://www.healthhomeh/">http://www.healthhomeh</a></span><!--EndFragment-->
Wendy Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08007350631399993272noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859955115757336986.post-66250675048541473802013-07-24T20:58:00.000-05:002014-01-01T21:06:51.528-06:00Flipped Classroom!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
So....during my first week of summer vacation I attended the ipad palooza at West Lake High School. There I went to a seesion by <a href="http://www.the3techninjas.org/" target="_blank">Todd Nelsoney</a>. He talked about the flipped classroom. This was an idea that I had looked into and was very interested in so this was perfect!! He is amazing so if you want to learn more click on his name and check out his website. One of the things I learned was that <a href="http://sophia.org/">Sophia.org</a> is a great place to start. That very night I headed to the site and sign up to take their online classroom flipping class. I earned my certificate (and a shirt!!)</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I0Yam09XC4Y/UsTXLwic8OI/AAAAAAAAAk8/dm8rhJYfLNw/s1600/IMG_6743.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I0Yam09XC4Y/UsTXLwic8OI/AAAAAAAAAk8/dm8rhJYfLNw/s320/IMG_6743.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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So flipping: there are so many great places out there to find good information and support. I hear that flipping math is a great place to start but we are in a transition year with math TEKS so I am planning on starting with language arts. I'll keep you posted!!</div>
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<br />Wendy Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08007350631399993272noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859955115757336986.post-90204542478718331962013-06-27T10:51:00.002-05:002013-06-27T10:51:51.359-05:00One RuleThis year we are only going to have one rule in my class. I have thought about this and thought about this. Before I tell you my rule, let me explain how I got here. I have done the typical rules, let them suggest rules, I have even done the 5 rules from Whole Brain Teaching (a copy is in an earlier post). I was just never satisfied. They kept breaking them. So I focused on that - why were they breaking the rules? I observed them, talked with them, and then observed some more. I thought about why do we have rules. When we don't have rules our actions can cause problems for others and sometimes ourselves but more often others. I wanted to teach my students to be considerate of others. I wanted to teach them about how their actions impact others. SO...... now I only have one rule. Ready?????<br />
<br />
You can do anything you want as long as it doesn't cause a problem for anyone else.<br />
<br />
Love it? I do. For a trial run I talked about this my class at the end of the year. So this is how I think I will set it up. First we will have our "rule talk". They will brainstorm a list of rules that they think we should have (just like in years past) but then I am going to reveal my one rule. We will then talk about how their rules fit into this one. Example: old rule: raise your hand to speak, relation to new rule: if you are shouting out answers you are not allowing others to think for themselves or answer, shouting can hurt other's ears, you are being distrecptful to the speaker. Wow!! If they learn this hopefully they can take this with them through out their life and instead of just being a rule follewer be kinder and thoughtful of others.<br />
<br />
Since my theme is pirates my rule is in a speech bubble to I can make a priate "saying" the rule. Here it is:<br />
<br />
<br />
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<img border="0" height="248" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ejvqx_BQa9Y/UcxfRRD3dSI/AAAAAAAAAYk/QkKLMKyn8QA/s320/Screen+Shot+2013-06-27+at+10.48.56+AM.png" width="320" /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0ByJ9Vp9GWO-Lb0FOcDlvbE9KTjA/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">here is your copy :) </a></div>
<br />Wendy Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08007350631399993272noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859955115757336986.post-22836642934087226152013-05-11T20:05:00.000-05:002013-07-30T20:27:19.258-05:00Cinco de MayoIt's was field day - at my school it is only a half day event. This left me a whole afternoon with tired, smelly kids and some standards that needed to be covered. Here in Texas in Social Studies we have to cover Cinco de Mayo. Here is how it went....<br />
<br />
They are lounging on the carpet, ipads near by. I am in my chair.<br />
"Who knows why we celebrated Cinco de Mayo on Sunday?"<br />
Silence<br />
"So how can you find out why, when we live in Texas, would we celebrate a Mexican holiday?"<br />
"You could tell us"<br />
"Try again" (said with a smile - I know they are tired.)<br />
"We could look it up."<br />
"Get going then"<br />
They grab ipads/ipod/kindles and partners where needed and get started. Discussion is happening then -<br />
"That's when Mexico won it's independence from Spain"<br />
"So..we are Texans, part of the US. Why do we celebrate?"<br />
"That's when we got our 3rd flag!"<br />
"Explain"<br />
"Well, when we learned about the 6 flags of Texas we learned we were a part of France, Spain, Mexico, Texas, Confederate and the US. So that war is how we got our third flag and that is important to our history."<br />
"Right on!! Okay...since we celebrate Cinco de Mayo because of our history who can think of a Texas symbol that also relates to our history?"<br />
"Chips and Salsa - our state snack!"<br />
"Great! Now find me a recipe to make salsa."<br />
Lots of ingredients start being shouted at me and I make a list of on the board putting check marks next to ones that are mentioned more than once. After a good list I get their attention and continue.<br />
"I have here two types of Salsa, one made in Texas, one not made in Texas. I need Nate to read the class the ingredients on this one and Gracie please use a blue marker to circle the ingredients he names on the board."<br />
When he is done I call on two other students to do the same thing with the other bottle and we compare the ingredients. We then make a prediction of which one we will like better and my favorite part....<br />
TASTE TEST!!!!!!<br />
"Before we vote on the best salsa you need to take a class list page and ask everyone what they liked and then create a graph using whatever you want and show me. When you are done you may have more chips and salsa."<br />
<br />
I was amazed (as always) by my kiddos. I had 3D graphs, hand drawn graphs, graphs drawn on drawing apps on the ipad, and one boy video taped him drawing his graph and talked about what he did.<br />
<br />
Success!!!!!<br />
<br />Wendy Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08007350631399993272noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859955115757336986.post-66405663010007686832013-04-16T20:28:00.000-05:002013-08-07T18:25:45.092-05:00Favorite things.....One of the things I love doing at the end of a nine weeks and something my students love doing is writing one thing - their favorite thing - they learned that nine weeks. It has to be something they didn't know about or how to do before the nine weeks started. They write them on sentence stripes and I hang them around the door so they and anyone else that comes in and out can see everything they have accomplished. Here is an end of year picture:<br />
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At the beginning of the year I do hate all the empty space so I do fill it with our charts they fill out on meet the teacher afternoon. You can see one at the bottom left corner that I leave up all year and then we go over the last week of school and see if they learned everything they hoped to learn.Wendy Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08007350631399993272noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859955115757336986.post-25556341222881825632012-11-12T13:16:00.000-06:002013-05-20T13:18:53.758-05:00Suburban, Rural, Urban <span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love social studies and science because there are so many great hands on projects that go with it!! In reading and math there are great things as well but S.S. and science just seem so hands on and project based!! So what we did for communities was so much fun!! Of course we started with building background knowledge, watching brainpop jr. and then we jump into research! We LOVE research! There got into groups of 3 and then researched suburban, urban and rural communities and then each group made an example of each. Here's how they turned out:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How To: Take a square piece of paper - the larger the square the larger the triangle will be - Fold the paper diagonally, both ways and then cut on one fold to the middle of the paper - then glue one triangle over the other so you have a flat bottom and two triangle sides. The kids loved this and it is so easy they can do it!! </span>Wendy Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08007350631399993272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859955115757336986.post-73526076151731999842012-09-21T13:37:00.000-05:002014-01-01T21:45:25.058-06:00Morning Song!!!!I love mornings with my class!! They come in get started on their morning work (which is Math For Today and Daily Language Review) after announcements we check it then come to the carpet for our meeting! As we transition and to get them motivated for the day I play this song on the screen:<br />
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My students love it and so do I!! They are singing with it as loud as they can. It's great and puts us all in a great mood to continue the day no matter how our mornings started!! Here is another one I throw in there sometimes!</div>
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Both songs help put everyone in a great mood. They know that they have to be on the carpet ready to go when the song ends. AND just in case you're interested after that we talk about our night, do some sort of silly game or greeting with each other. On Friday's we have a suggestion box where all the kids can give a suggestions about things in the class or things they would like see through out the week and then on Friday I go over a couple of them (that I have pre read and decided what I was going to say or do). Then we are ready for Language Arts and the day!</div>
Wendy Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08007350631399993272noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859955115757336986.post-81511807927958000982012-09-03T13:29:00.001-05:002012-09-03T13:29:30.567-05:00Pirate Stuff for the roomHere are some free things that I have redone/made to fit with my Pirate Theme!!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0ByJ9Vp9GWO-LRXVZVEZ6eFlMcVE" target="_blank">Click here</a><br />
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Class Rules - a take off of Whole Brain Teaching! Awesome, Awesome classroom management.<br />
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0ByJ9Vp9GWO-LVWdBcHVSYXRnbWs" target="_blank">Click here</a> for for your copy :) </div>
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Wendy Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08007350631399993272noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859955115757336986.post-9997810047165972342012-08-25T23:25:00.000-05:002012-09-01T23:26:54.297-05:00My roomHere it is!!! Disclaimer: I always feel like my room is a work in progress. I am adding to the walls, and taking down. The desks get moved around depending on the kids, projects and other stuff.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">My reading center! All my books are leveled according to AR. I also have all my listening center items in white baskets on the bottom shelf. I use individual CD players in my center so there is no arguing over sharing, turns....</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My back wall/cabinets is my Wall Of Knowledge: which is where <br />I hang anchor charts and posters after we are done with them!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wall of Knowledge with a couple of things up to start the year!</td></tr>
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Wendy Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08007350631399993272noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859955115757336986.post-30433760003794607152012-08-14T20:54:00.003-05:002012-08-14T20:54:49.289-05:00It's that time of year again!!!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's August and so I am back in my room. This is what I came into this morning:<br />
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Stay tuned to see how I transform these piles into a real classroom!!!!Wendy Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08007350631399993272noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859955115757336986.post-82399691541886257612012-08-13T19:11:00.000-05:002012-08-13T19:11:07.007-05:00Word WorkSo I have spent some time creating games for my word work center. I had lots but then the Language Arts committee (I"m on that!!) for the district got together and made some sight word changes. Sooooo.... we now use the first 300 words from the Fry's list for second grade. My sight word games now needed to be changed to match the new list. Then I thought I might as well share some of my game ideas for games but also organization. Here it goes:<br />
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For starters, our sight words are divided into groups by 9 weeks. So I assigned each 9 weeks a different color. The words in the first 9 weeks are black, 2nd are red, 3rd are blue, and the 4th are green. This way at the end of the year or 9 weeks I know what 9 week tub to put them back in. Some games I add to each 9 weeks and others I put away at the end of the 9 weeks. The color coding helps so that at then end of the year even the kids can help me sort and put all back where it belongs!!<br />
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The Games:<br />
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An old favorite <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">BANG!</span> All 300 sight words are written on popsicle sticks and in a jar. (Each 9 weeks I add the new sight words to the jar.) A student pulls out a stick and if they can read the word they keep it, if they can't they put it back and if they pull out a stick with BANG on it they put all their's back. The person with the most sticks wins! Easy enough. This is an easy game to even have a parent make or help make!<br />
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I have <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">sight word puzzles</span> that I made using <a href="http://wordle.net/">wordle.net</a> and <a href="http://tagxedo.com/">tagxedo.com</a>. I type the words for the 9 weeks in and print it off and then laminate, cut into pieces and put in a baggie! It's great. The kids love them and one student can do it or a group can work on it. I typically make 3 or 4 for a nine week period.<br />
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I made the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">power tower</span> game from <a href="http://lewislearninglibrary.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Mrs. Lewis' Learning Library </a>. The kids love it and this is a game I have for each 9 weeks. At the beginning of each nine weeks I put the previous one away but towards the end of each 9 weeks I pull out the old games for review! The labels on the cups and the containers match the color for the 9 weeks!<br />
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Sight word <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Candy Land</span> is by far the most favorite game in the room! It is great for parent to play with a group when I have parent helps or in small group time. I first saw the idea on the <a href="http://firstgraderatlast.blogspot.com/2010/11/candy-land-sight-word-edition.html" target="_blank">first grader at last</a> blog. My mom found it (she teaches first) and shared!!<br />
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I also have lots of ways for them to spell the words: toothpicks, legos,<br />
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Finally they can play <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">memory</span> and <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">go fish</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;"> </span>with flash cards I made.Wendy Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08007350631399993272noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859955115757336986.post-4122065141471105912012-06-25T22:19:00.001-05:002012-06-25T22:19:58.030-05:00Award!!! This is Awesome!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I was so excited that I received an award!!! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">It is the "One Lovely Blog Award"!!!!</span></div>
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I received the award from <a href="http://www.sweetlifeofsecondgrade.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Sweet Life of Second Grade</a>!</div>
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Please go check her out - she's awesome!</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">Once you receive the award, you must follow 3 rules:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">1. Follow the person that gave you the award</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">2. Link back to the person that gave you the award</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">3.Pass the award on to 15 new bloggers </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">(I'll keep adding to my list as I find them 15 is a lot!!! But I'm happy to do it!)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">The recipents that I am choosing are</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px; line-height: 18px;">:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://mrsmccumbeesclass.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Mrs. McCumbee's Class</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.livelovelaughin2ndgrade.com/2012/02/welcome-to-my-2nd-grade-blog.html" target="_blank">Live, Love, Laugh in 2nd Grade</a></div>
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<a href="http://flamingofabulous.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Flamingo Fabulous in Second Grade</a></div>
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<a href="http://missthorntons2ndgrade.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Miss Thornton's 2nd Grade</a></div>
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<a href="http://debrammcdaniel.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Mrs. McDaniel's 2nd Grade</a></div>Wendy Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08007350631399993272noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859955115757336986.post-42304171199062489682012-06-13T10:05:00.001-05:002014-01-01T21:45:46.801-06:00I love this experiment Diet Coke + Mentos!!!I do this experiment every year - with my kinder kids and now my second graders. It wasn't until this summer when I was doing my science camp week that I came across this video! I love it!! I can't wait to share it with my class this coming year!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hKoB0MHVBvM?fs=1" width="459"></iframe>Wendy Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08007350631399993272noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859955115757336986.post-70179369348797172742012-03-10T19:45:00.000-06:002012-08-13T20:03:37.872-05:00MoNeY!!!!Classroom management. It's a never ending search. It seems like every year I try something new or renew the old. Something. Well, last year my amazing and wonderful teammate, Katie, showed me how she uses money in her room. I LOVED it!!! The kids loved it. It was the first time that everyone in the room loved the management system. But there are added benefits. When it was time to teach money - my kids had it. We hardly had to spend any time on it which was nice. Second, I took my class to the movies last year. (We are the pirates and when the Pirate movie came out we went it watched it - a complete blast!!!) So we were at the movies and one of my students went to buy popcorn. When he came back he said, "I can do that because we do money everyday in class." YES!!!!!!<br />
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Okay, so it's easy I think. For the first 9 weeks to the whole semester everything is with quarters and dollars. It makes it easy and the kids get a good understanding of it. They earn money, spend money, and lose money. My rational: I get paid to do my job and being a student is their job so they get paid too.<br />
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I hang these posters in my room for them to refer to (at times I have to as well!!)<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qfYXYNFsg4E/UCmbZrHKN_I/AAAAAAAAAQo/x_dQVhn_gtM/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-08-13+at+7.26.08+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qfYXYNFsg4E/UCmbZrHKN_I/AAAAAAAAAQo/x_dQVhn_gtM/s200/Screen+shot+2012-08-13+at+7.26.08+PM.png" width="148" /></a></div>
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I have the<a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0ByJ9Vp9GWO-La2hDUmJnd1ZGaG8/edit" target="_blank"> rules</a>:<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UW74YFynIL4/UCmbXWJ5WhI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/Qhry21flHUM/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-08-13+at+7.25.23+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="158" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UW74YFynIL4/UCmbXWJ5WhI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/Qhry21flHUM/s200/Screen+shot+2012-08-13+at+7.25.23+PM.png" width="200" /></a></div>
Here is how they can <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0ByJ9Vp9GWO-La3dlaWVSVi1XSTQ/edit" target="_blank">earn money</a>:<br />
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Here is how they can <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0ByJ9Vp9GWO-La3dlaWVSVi1XSTQ/edit" target="_blank">spend their money</a>: <br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="clear: left; color: black; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Finally, here is how they can <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0ByJ9Vp9GWO-La3dlaWVSVi1XSTQ/edit" target="_blank">lose their money</a>: </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T-22MPpFuzI/UCmbY4E48II/AAAAAAAAAQg/UipXdRm_MKE/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-08-13+at+7.25.44+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T-22MPpFuzI/UCmbY4E48II/AAAAAAAAAQg/UipXdRm_MKE/s200/Screen+shot+2012-08-13+at+7.25.44+PM.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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Like I said my students really love this. After the second nine weeks or semester, depending on how well the class is doing with it. I change it up and add nickels and dimes. So it takes more to earn money but they learn all the ways to make a quarter. I wear an apron so my money is with me all the time and handy. That way when I am walking around I can just put give a student money whenever and where ever (hallway, another teachers' class....)</div>
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Here's me in my Home Depot apron. Although there are many, many, many cute aprons on <a href="http://www.etsy.com/search?q=teacher%20aprons&order=most_relevant&view_type=gallery&ship_to=ZZ&min=0&max=0" target="_blank">etsy</a> :) </div>
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Wendy Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08007350631399993272noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859955115757336986.post-25319494077915502002012-02-17T15:30:00.000-06:002012-02-17T15:30:02.045-06:00Guided Reading Idea #2<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Okay so I slacked a little on my resolution - posting at least once a week. HOWEVER, I have good reason. My husband has been working out of town for three weeks so I have been doing the single mom thing - I so appreciate it when he is home to lend a hand. I also had the flu last week - thank goodness for Tamiflu and my parents living close by to lend a hand with the boys. But, now I am back!!!! Okay so again, it's an idea I found and then tweaked and changed a bit for my class and now I am sharing. I went to this workshop and the presenter called it harvesting ideas!! So, the last week of every month we do a brown bag book club. We read a book, work with it all week and then on Friday they sit with their group, a partner, or someone from a different group - I change it up - and they eat popcorn and discuss their book. Through out the week they have been filling out the page they have glued to the front of the bag. This helps them remember the story - then they have questions. Each person draws a question and answers it for the group. Depending on time they trade and answer their new question. Here are the questions:</span><br />
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1O9nBytxkT7ey9WINsOiZY8FU1WQfxV0BLsqohQpWCO4/edit%20https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KLEcxZdo_Hp49-fTOxIu6ZLapba2Pe_UQqDM9pAvcLM/edit%20https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JTxbHhvaAvkES0ssDpl56jJ4sAwMtM4fA7HfdEYmXYQ/edit%20https://docs.google.com/document/d/13zSRbu8qG3pD82aTh0R9KgbwMYOADDJgGbx_m_pWXJk/edit%20https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KCqOjE0wg8mvkWnlEyrl3VXUxDTO_rJE0IpE1MRUVL0/edit" target="_blank">Here is what we glued on the bags:</a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CckKR99YxE0/Tz6ozQimGVI/AAAAAAAAAOA/h-BFhwkTHms/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-02-17+at+1.19.56+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CckKR99YxE0/Tz6ozQimGVI/AAAAAAAAAOA/h-BFhwkTHms/s200/Screen+shot+2012-02-17+at+1.19.56+PM.png" width="133" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uLpc0fC9l-I/Tz6oznNgdQI/AAAAAAAAAOI/o2sWpvs4vQo/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-02-17+at+1.20.18+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uLpc0fC9l-I/Tz6oznNgdQI/AAAAAAAAAOI/o2sWpvs4vQo/s200/Screen+shot+2012-02-17+at+1.20.18+PM.png" style="cursor: move;" width="140" /></a><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jeXk9fvzrdU/Tz6oyOsoc-I/AAAAAAAAANw/B3diaP9nA3o/s200/Screen+shot+2012-02-17+at+1.19.11+PM.png" style="cursor: move;" width="139" /><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ore3gkz-c4s/Tz6oy70QiII/AAAAAAAAAN4/6FYEhgD-fg0/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-02-17+at+1.19.36+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ore3gkz-c4s/Tz6oy70QiII/AAAAAAAAAN4/6FYEhgD-fg0/s200/Screen+shot+2012-02-17+at+1.19.36+PM.png" width="133" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></a> <img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6fA2uoSxY-M/Tz6o0KgZv3I/AAAAAAAAAOQ/18OT-dU1XZU/s200/Screen+shot+2012-02-17+at+1.20.49+PM.png" width="131" /><br />
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I want to give a special thanks to the first grade parade for this awesome idea!!<br />
Visit them to see the original at:<br />
<a href="http://thefirstgradeparade.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2011-01-13T17%3A38%3A00-08%3A00&amp;max-results=9">http://thefirstgradeparade.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2011-01-13T17%3A38%3A00-08%3A00&amp;max-results=9</a></div>Wendy Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08007350631399993272noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859955115757336986.post-91427670191500639622012-02-04T11:31:00.000-06:002012-07-24T11:20:47.583-05:00Valentine - Writing Center IdeaIn my endless search to add fun things to my Daily 5 centers AND that are season related at times I had an idea!!! When I taught kinder I would have my kiddos copy what was on those conversation hearts. It was fun for them and then they turned it into a book. Well I needed something different for second but I wanted to use the conversation hearts. Sooooo..... what if they used what was on the heart and put it in a sentence!?! Here is what I mean:<br />
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<br />Wendy Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08007350631399993272noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859955115757336986.post-50327797081705213012012-01-21T20:37:00.001-06:002012-01-21T20:39:43.068-06:00Guided Reading Idea #1<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Last Monday when I presented at our in service I had a blast!!! I was so nervous - I had even made my mom, who is a 1st grade teacher, come to my school on Sunday so I could practice on her. Turns out I liked presenting and they liked what I had to say!! So I am really fired up about my blog and sharing my stuff. A lot of what I do, make and share is something I get from someone else and then tweak it to fit what I need. I will always do my best to share the original source/idea so you can have both and make it fit what you need! So....here is one of those ideas I loved and then made it fit what I needed. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Awhile back I was looking for something for my high groups. They are reading chapter books and I had them filling out chapter summary pages. It was a lot of copies and well, I just didn't like it. Then I came across bookmarks at<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span><a href="http://loryevanspage.blogspot.com/search/label/Comprehension" target="_blank">loryevanspage.blogspot.com</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #8c7e7e; font-family: 'helvetica neue', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"> </span>and I loved it!!! But then I had trouble with the books. They are awesome but I needed something a little more generic so I could pull it out for anything - even when they choose their own. So here is my version:<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mK6PzaoN6rk/TxtzjnnCrcI/AAAAAAAAAMc/gJKiZF9gO70/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-01-21+at+8.24.33+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mK6PzaoN6rk/TxtzjnnCrcI/AAAAAAAAAMc/gJKiZF9gO70/s320/Screen+shot+2012-01-21+at+8.24.33+PM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0ByJ9Vp9GWO-LMTY3MTcyZGQtYWNlNi00NzI3LWJhYmQtNzRmZjg2MGZlMWNm" target="_blank">Click here to download</a></div>
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My groups love this and so do parents. I have gotten that now they can read and write in the car on the way to a practice and that it's easy to keep up with. Plus when we get together to discuss what we have been reading it gives us a starting point. I love seeing what they write and it leads to great discussions. Let me know what you think!!</div>Wendy Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08007350631399993272noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859955115757336986.post-82316796927472368772012-01-15T20:13:00.000-06:002012-01-15T20:23:53.926-06:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Yeah for me I am keeping my resolution!! So I have been busy this week preparing for our inservice tomorrow! I am presenting to about 50 people "Ideas for Grouping: a better understanding of what to do during guided reading." I am so nervous. So... while I was getting ready for that I thought I need to share a couple of my favorite ideas on my blog!! So here they are:</span></div>
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At the beginning of the year our staff what given a ring with orange cardstock and the Bloom's questions for guided reading on it. It was great! I didn't have to think of questions and wonder what level anymore but it wasn't really user friendly and I felt odd using it - reading questions to them. I also had come across tissue dice on pinterest from <a href="http://thefirstgradeparade.blogspot.com/">thefirstgradeparade.blogspot.com</a>. I loved it. SO... I decided to combine the two and make a Bloom's dice. My first round was great but, then I couldn't remember which dice had what level questions on them. So then I made round two. Knowledge questions are in red and then we proceed in rainbow color and finally evaluation questions are in purple. I also made a dice with a question from every level. I love it. The kids love it. It makes it more fun to ask and answer questions about the stories we read. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My dice with questions from all levels. </td></tr>
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Well, if you want to make one or all here are the questions ready to print, cut and tape on a tissue box!</div>
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0ByJ9Vp9GWO-LNDkyMGRlMmUtNjE4Ny00MzZjLTk0MWItODk2NTc3YzlmMTIx" target="_blank">Dice for all levels of questions</a></div>
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0ByJ9Vp9GWO-LNDMyYTA2MjUtMzg5OC00ZjY2LWE1MzQtMGI5OWQyM2Q1YzQx" target="_blank">Knowledge Dice</a> <a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0ByJ9Vp9GWO-LY2M2ZWFhYTUtNTM2YS00M2YyLWI2ODctYTI0NGQ2NjE4MzY0" target="_blank">Comprehension Dice </a> <a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0ByJ9Vp9GWO-LMjIyYTQ3OTMtYzcyNi00ZmI3LWIwNDMtYTBhNTFhMWFlODRj" target="_blank">Application Dice </a> </div>
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0ByJ9Vp9GWO-LYjQ5ZWQwMzEtMzkwNi00NjUzLWI1NWMtNWNlZGZiOGE3ZTZk" target="_blank">Analysis Dice</a> <a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0ByJ9Vp9GWO-LOTRmZWQ0NTYtY2JmZi00ZjhmLTgyZTUtZjM3Y2E3YzlkZmY4" target="_blank">Synthesis Dice </a> <a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0ByJ9Vp9GWO-LYTYxMThhMWMtNTcyNC00MGY3LWE3NWUtMTdmZjhiZWYxNDkz" target="_blank">Evaluation Dice</a></div>
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(click to download)</div>
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I hope you enjoy and please let me know how it works for you!</div>
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</div>Wendy Powershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08007350631399993272noreply@blogger.com5