Meaning of Memorial Day

PBS Learning Media has selected some videos to help us learn the true meaning of Memorial Day, highlighting ones on soldiers, veterans, and war. These would be perfect to use in the classroom and have students in groups to share what they have learned with other classmates. I know many  teachers at this time of year are trying to focus on the end of school and keep students engaged and busy. What a meaningful activity to focus on those who have sacrificed their lives so that we can have our freedom (at a cost). Take the time to check out their "Stories of Service".Note the grade level under each video! This is only appropriate for Grades 4 - 12.

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Posted in end of school, holiday, memorial day, PBS, PBS media, soldier, veterans, video, war

Interactive Easter Fun

Earlier this week, I shared a site to use with an interactive whiteboard, specifically, Smart Notebook files in the Easter theme.

Today, I have located another one for those parents or teachers who will need some educational fun while they are off for this glorious holiday. This site is one that all interactive whiteboard (IWB) owners will want to bookmark. It has been organized by subjects and has "holidays" as a category. That is where you will visit, the Interactive Easter board that has 21 different games!

Happy Easter and enjoy your family as you celebrate Christ's resurrection on Good Friday, Saturday, Sunday and every day.

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Posted in Christ, Easter, holiday, interactive, IWB, notebook, resurrection, SMART, whiteboard

SMART Notebook Files in Easter Theme

Wow, what a find today when I ran across this awesome resource just in time for the Easter holiday. If you want to engage your students (we know how their little minds wander when it's so pretty outside) with some fun activities, check out Shannon Long's (@SweetBlessShan) Smart Notebook files for Easter. While you are browsing through them, think  about how she has organized these in a LiveBinder. It beats going through your old school files flipping through pages & pages of materials. Does anyone do that anymore? I know I spent many years in team meetings choosing the activities that everyone brought to the table for our unit. I think that they dreaded me coming with my large stack to cull through. It was so time consuming and now with digital technology, everything can be saved and organized online with a SEARCH feature to boot. That in itself is worth all the time saved. I hope you will agree that these resources will be a hit in your classroom. You don't have to bookmark them all. In LiveBinder, they allow you to add other binders to your shelf. It is free to join, and does not require you to create one. You can just go and add all the ones that others have curated! Now, go and enjoy this spring weather since you now have so many activities ready for your students next week!

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Posted in Easter, holiday, LiveBinder, resources, Smart Board, SMART Notebook, teaching

Christmas Tree Holiday Card

Well if you are one who has been so busy that you have little time to send out Christmas cards, how about going here to this site and creating your own Christmas Tree Holiday card? You get to decorate the tree any way you want and then print or email your card to your special friend of choice.

Here is mine, and let me take this opportunity to wish all my cyber friends a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year. Wow, I am not ready for 2014, how about you? They are coming and going way too fast for me.



Ok, I was amazed when I saw this photo transform with Google's Auto Awesome photo effects! Here is what happened to it:


Here is a link to information on the Auto Awesome Photo effects.

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Posted in abcya, Christmas, Decorate, ecard, holiday, merry, New Year, Tree

Seasonal Break

Well, I apologize for being away for a spell, but you can say I truly enjoyed my break for the holiday and look forward to the next one. I have so much to be thankful for and love this season. Maybe that's why God chose this season for my birthday LOL. I was blessed with a new grandson (number 6 grandchild) born on November 29th, which had us traveling to Austin for his birth. There's just nothing like snuggling with a newborn baby. I miss him already, but do have to get back to work.

This week in all my thankfulness, I thought I would share this heartfelt poem to educators from +Peter Reynolds. He and his brother have the company Fablevision and have now created a new one called TLC: Teaching, Learning, & Creativity I like the sound of that because isn't that's what we are all about in education? Check out their Mission Statement on the site. I just know that this will be yet another great project from Peter and Paul Reynolds. Please go here to fill out the form on the Keepers of the Flame and tell your own story of how you inspired a student. You never know if it will be chosen and published!
Thank you educators for all you do:

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Posted in birth, birthday, blessing, break, Fablevision, God, holiday, Keepers of the Flame, Peter Reynolds, season, TLC, video