How Cocoa Cola is Made?

Dear Parents,

Today in  class, we were discussing states of matter and the students wondered about soda. So, I found this link to show how Cocoa Cola is made.

Here’s the link to see how Cocoa Cola is made: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OGLpvbdE9k

First Books Book Giveaway!

Dear Readers,

***Here is the information for free books. The shipping fee is only $0.45 /book to ship anywhere in the U.S.***

Give the gift of books – Apply for our last book distribution of the year!

A book is the gift that keeps on giving, and First Book is doing everything we can to make sure our programs can give the gift of reading to their kids this holiday season.  So, the First Book National Book Bank is having one last book distribution this calendar year, so you can get brand new books for free that your kids will love, just in time for winter break. With activity books, Christmas stories, and tons of awesome YA titles, we’ve got something for everyone!

Distribution names:

Season’s Readings: Books for Ages 0-9

Season’s Readings: Books for Ages 10-18

Cost of books:  Free!
Shipping & handling fee: $0.45 / book to be shipped anywhere in the US.
When will I get my books?: Books will arrive by mid December

As always, we encourage you to apply for as many distributions as you want, and spread the word to any programs that serve children in need – we have plenty of books to go around!

Happy reading!

First Book

Common Signs of Dyslexia by Reading Rockets

 

Here’s a great checklist for common warning signs of dyslexia. Again, it’s a bit of a read, but worth it.

Common Signs of Dyslexia

By: International Dyslexia Association

Dyslexia is a language-based disability that affects both oral and written language. With help, children with dyslexia can become successful readers. Find out the warning signs for dyslexia that preschool and elementary school children might display.

Facts about dyslexia

Startling facts about dyslexia and related language-based learning disabilities:

• Fifteen to twenty percent of the population has a reading disability.
• Of students with specific learning disabilities who receive special education services, seventy to eighty percent have deficits in reading. Dyslexia is the most common cause of reading, writing and spelling difficulties.
• If children who are dyslexic get effective phonological training in kindergarten and first grade, they will have significantly fewer problems in learning to read at grade level than do children who are not identified or helped until third grade.
• Seventy four percent of the children who were poor readers in the third grade remained poor readers in the ninth grade. This means that they couldn’t read well when they became adults.
• Individuals inherit the genetic links for dyslexia.
• Dyslexia affects males and females nearly equally, and people from different ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds as well.

Common signs: Preschool

Getting It Together, Part Whatever!!!

Dear Readers,

I am slowly but surely getting it together. As you may know, I got a promotion (with no bump in pay) to Inclusion Specialist at my school. Once I thought about the enormity of the situation, I, of course, became overwhelmed as I sometimes do. I then stopped and thought about it. I became The Little Engine That Could. I slowly went from I Think I Can Do This to I Can Do This to I Not Only Can do This, But I Can Do It Well!

I’m aware that I’m undertaking a huge task, but I am honestly up for it. My school is very small. I only have 8 students with I.E.P.s with one upcoming in November. There’s a student who I’m going to work with in 1st grade who I’m very concerned about. I’m not sure if the issue is language or comprehension, but I will watch him to see. I’m also going to work with a couple of the Kindergarten students on behavior and becoming more independent.
I met with the Inclusion Specialist at a local school and was able to secure some very useful information. I will post at a later date all of the information she gave me. I was very happy with how giving & open she was. I hope when I doing this job for a couple of years and someone comes to me for help and advice that I’m as helpful and giving as she was.

So, I’m researching some of the sites she gave me. One, in particular, is Susan Barton, a dyslexia expert based in Northern California. Just in case you’re interested, here’s the website: www.BrightSolutions.US & http://www.dys-add.com/

I’m about to watch the videos on the second site. I’ll let you know how I liked them.

Bye for now!

Elementary Writing Rubrics

Need writing rubrics? If so, visit this website for great ones: http://www.edmondschools.net/AboutUs/Curriculum/CurriculumSpecialties/TheWritingCenter/ElementarySchoolHome/ElemWritingRubrics.aspx

Talbots Later-in-Life Scholarship

Since I’ve been a shopping fool at Talbots lately, I was emailed information regarding Talbots Charitable Foundation for women pursuing a scholarship later in life. I sure wish I would have seen this when I returned to school: www.talbotsscholarship.com (This is not the address of the link, I simply put this one because it’s easier on the eye than the actual link)

In keeping with our tradition of serving the community, the Talbots Charitable Foundation is proud to offer the 2012 Talbots Scholarship Program for women pursuing a college degree later in life.

Here’s information straight from the website:

Since its inception in 1997, the program has awarded more than $1 million dollars in scholarships. This year, the Talbots Scholarship Program will award $200,000 in scholarships for the 2012 academic year, including seventeen $10,000 scholarships. It will also present the $30,000 Nancy Talbot Scholarship Award, named in honor of the founder of Talbots and granted to one extraordinary finalist who demonstrates courage, conviction and an insatiable entrepreneurial spirit.

“The secret in education lies in respecting the student.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Education.com

Here’s the address to a great website I found. It’s a Parent’s Guide to 1st/2nd/3rd/4th/5th grade. Once you go to the website, you can look around the site for whatever grade level is needed. Check it out!

http://www.education.com

Xtra Math.com

Just the other day, I posted about the summer slide and how to avoid it. Well, I discovered a great way to help combat it. Here’s the latest website that I signing Phillise up for. It’s called Xtramath.org. I’m also requiring my students to sign up for it for the summer. That way, I can keep track of them and will know approximately where they are (academically) when they return to school. It’s a cool site and it’s free. Check it out!

**** I MADE A MISTAKE. I INCORRECTLY LISTED THE WEBSITE AS XTRAMATH.COM WHEN IT IS XTRAMATH.ORG.******

Dictionaries & So Much More!

After attending the training, I have been so inspired. The trainer, Dr. Heidi Hayes Jacob, challenged all in attendance to prepare their students for the year 2031 by becoming more computer savvy and introduce our students to an online source to replace a traditional source. I accepted her challenge by introducing my students to the Visual Thesaurus to complete their work for their Reading packet which I recently redesigned. I changed their weekly packets from Reading Response Journals to Vocabulary  & Spelling Journals.  Just as when I first introduced the Reading Response Journals, the students were having a hard time adjusting to the new packet. Here’s the schedule for the packet:

• Day 1- Define vocabulary words & their language or origin (Homework)
• Day 2- Write a sentence with the vocabulary words (Homework)
• Day 3- Define spelling words & their language of origin for classwork; Homework- Write a sentence with the spelling words
• Day 4- Write a synonym for your spelling words for classwork
• Day 5- Write an antonym for your spelling words (Homework)

Looking in the traditional dictionary was too much for them. That’s why I introduced them to the Visual Thesaurus. Tuesday in the computer lab, I will introduce them to Longman’s Dictionary (We have one in the classroom). I’ve accepted Dr. Jacobs’ challenge and  researched resources that will aid me in my quest to do that. With the limited amount of time to do so, but here’s what I’ve come up with so far.

Dictionay links:

http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/wells/lpd3.htm (Longman’s Dictionary)

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term= (online Etymology dictionary)

http://www.alphadictionary.com/index.shtml (Alpha dictionary)

http://www.visualthesaurus.com (Visual Thesaurus)

NOTE: All of these resources are free, except for Visual Thesaurus. It cost $19.95/year, but it is well worth it. My students love it.

Great Assessment Article

I was just over @ Edutopia.com and found a pretty nice article. The article, about assessment, was entitled, “What You Can Do in 5 minutes, 5 Weeks, and 5 Months”. It was pretty informative. I’m going to take a few of those suggestions and run with them. If you would like to read it, here’s the link: http://www.edutopia.org/stw-assessment-tips-get-started-replication

How to Write a Book Report/Review (Online or Otherwise)

I’m helping my students write better book reports. In the midst of my searching, I happened upon this Scholastic website with advice from Rodman Philbrick (author of The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg & others). I will have extra time in computer lab this week (since I’m test driving one of the math programs that I, and the Principal, will be deciding on), so this will be one of my assignments for my students. There’s even an option on the site to read other student’s reviews. My challenge to my students will be to find a book they’ve read, read the review, and write a better one.

I liked it, so go here and check it out and see if you like it too: http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/bookrev/read.htm

HERE’S TO 2010!

Michael’s MAKE YOUR OWN SALE Coupon!

Here’s the latest Michael’s coupon. It’s good for Sunday, February 6, 2011. Enjoy!

Michaels.com | Store Locator
©2011 Michaels Stores, Inc. All rights reserved.

Lakeshore Coupon

Here’s the newest Lakeshore coupon.

Present this coupon at time of purchase.

©Lakeshore	coupon code: 3782
Offer valid 2/1/11–2/28/11. $25, $50 or $75 minimum purchase required. Teacher’s Club members only. Valid on in-store purchases only. Limit one coupon per customer. Offer excludes sales tax & shipping charges. Valid on in-stock items only. No ship-to or special orders. Not to be used toward the purchase of gift cards or in conjunction with any other offers, prior purchases, sale items or Great Buys. No cash value. Must present coupon and Teacher’s Club card at time of purchase.

African-American Firsts!

For Black History month, I assigned my students projects on trailblazers- the first in their field. I definitely wanted them to do a project for Black History month, but was just tired of students wanting to report on Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, or some other well-known figure that’s been done to death. Don’t get me wrong. I want my current & future students to know about these people, but I also want them to know about the less well known contributors who don’t get as much credit. So, my challenge to them was to find a trailblazer who contributed to all mankind, not just Blacks. Of course they proffered up Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Mike Tyson, The Rock or Dwayne Johnson as he’s known now. My question to them was, “What have they done besides be great at their chosen profession & have brown skin or black heritage?”

They gave me blank stares, but they finally started to get it. Once they got it, they chose well. So, here is the list of people my students chose:

Jack Johnson, Marian Anderson, Shirley Chisholm, Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Carter Woodson, & a couple I can’t remember right now that I will update once I find my list. I am excited about this assignment. I am going to put on a show for the Principal complete with faces stapled to giant tongue depressors.

How’s that for putting on a show?

P.S.- I have a great link to a wikipedia for African-American firsts that take you back to the 1800s & the first known black man to publish a book by the name of Jupiter Hamon. Like to see it, here it goes: Wikipedia link- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_African-American_firsts

HERE’S TO 2011!

SUPER TEACHER WORKSHEETS

I recently added a new link onto my Teacher Resources. It’s called Super Teacher Worksheet. The owner of the website left several comments on the website and I visited it. Now, how ironic is this? I actually used this website to make my Christmas Vacation packet for my students.

I don’t know why I didn’t add it before, but I’m adding it now. It’s has a ton of worksheets from Math to Social Studies & back. So, thank you Tim for this website. I will be using it a lot more. Here’s the link:

http://www.superteacherworksheets.com

Valuable Lakeshore Coupons for Teacher’s Club Members

The next time you’re in Lakeshore Learning Store, make sure you sign up for their Teacher’s club. It’s free to join. I just received my latest mini-catalog with 3 valuable coupons on back. One is for Buy 1 @ Regular Price, Get 1 50% off, for July 5-31, 2010. (COUPON CODE=40000). There’s another for Save 15% for August 1-September 5, 2010. (COUPON CODE= 40005). Finally, the last one is for a free teacher’s plan book with any $20 purchase, valid July 5, 2010- September 5, 2010. (COUPON CODE= 44796)

LOS ANGELES BLACK BOOK EXPO 2010!

***ATTENTION***

The Los Angeles Black Book Expo has moved from the Expo Center near USC. It will now be held @ the Sheraton Gateway Hotel near L.A.X.

WHAT: The Los Angeles Black Book Expo

WHEN: Saturday, August 21, 2010

WHERE: L.A.X. Sheraton

TIME: 12:00 p.m.- 8:00 p.m.

Taken directly from the LABBX website: The Los Angeles Black Book Expo (LABBX) will be held August 21, 2010 at the Sheraton Gateway LAX Hotel. We will host a full day of activity featuring authors, storytellers, spoken word and poetry performances, musicians, exhibitors, children’s book authors, emerging writers, publishers, booksellers, panel discussions, editors, book reviewers, and others.

Dial-A-Librarian or Dial-A-Story

I love the Public Library System. They have so many services available. They have definitely stepped up their game & stepped into the 21st century. They have this great feature called Dial-A-Librarian or Dial-A-Story. Your child is able to call up the number and hear a story over the phone.

I called the libraries and you do not have to live in their area. The only thing you have to worry about is your long distance bill as some of the numbers are not local. Here are a list of numbers of the librarians that participate in the Dial-A-Librarian program:

City of Santa Clara- (408) 241-1611.  (http://library.santaclaraca.gov/index.aspx?page=1600)

Toronto Public Library- (416) 395-5400 (http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/spe_ser_dialastory.jsp)

Salina Public Library- (785) 823-3333 (http://www.salpublib.org)

Marin Public Library- (415) 499-6051   (http://www.marinlibrary.org/kids/dial-a-story/index.php)

I found another huge Dial-a-Story list (Thanks to Phone Phun), complete with pictures: (http://dialastory.highachievement.org). I called a couple of the numbers. The list is not current, but other stories are still available.

I have used the Dial-A-Librarian service. It was when Purplicious first came out & I wanted to know if the book was any good before I bought it. Sure enough, I was read the whole story and decided to buy it. So, check out this service. It’s nice!

HERE’S TO 2010!

Scholastic Warehouse Book Sale!

*** Sorry, I just read on the website that it’s only open to school & District employees. Hopefully you know a teacher you can go with. ***

It’s going on now with thousands of books marked down 50% and other books up to 80% off cover prices.

What: Scholastic’s Warehouse Book Sale

When: Tuesday, May 25, 2010- June 19, 2010 (Closed for inventory Sunday, May 30- Friday, June 19, 2010)

Where: Various locations. Anaheim is the closest location to me @ 2890 E. Whitestar, Anaheim, CA 92806 (On the corner of Whitestar & LaPalma. From the 91 Freeway, take the Kraemer Blvd. exit & go North. Turn left on E. Whitestar. The building will be on your right.)

Go to www.scholastic.com/bookfairs/warehouse to register for your FAST-CART PASS and coupons for $10 or $25 off.

I’ve never been to the big warehouse sale in Anaheim, but I’ve heard about it. The prices are already cheap @ the outlet in West L.A. So, if they’re better than that, I’m all in.

More Goodies @ Barnes & Noble bookstore

Here’s something I came upon that my husband will love this since he owns the Kindle e-reader. While browsing for free summer reading programs I happened upon this informative article. It seems as if Barnes & Noble are bringing their A-game. As well as having the physical book market cornered, they are now seeking to corner the electronic or e-book market. They are offering a free book per week for five weeks once you have the code. The catch, you have to go into a Barnes & Noble bookstore. That’s fine with me since I go there at least twice a month anyway. There’s only four more weeks left. The program started May 18, 2010 and runs through June  ,2010.

There was more information in the article. If you’d like to read it, here’s the link: Summer Reading, Electronic and Free by Roy Furchgott

Free Coloring Pages

I am receiving so much free stuff. I just received my weekly Hedgie’s Treasure Trove from Jan Brett’s website. There are 100 pages offered of:

• The Umbrella
• Honey, Honey, Lion
• On Noah’s Ark
• Hedgie Blasts Off
• The Easter Egg
• The Mitten
• Gingerbread Friends
• The Three Snow Bears

Book Club Information

I’m so excited about my Book Club. Every year, I always make up a packet. This year I’m making my packets up from a combination of sources. Here they are:

• LAPL summer reading program bag & folder,
• Borders reading club flyer for free book [pdf],
• Barnes & Noble reading club (Click on the first button- Download Passport),
• various activities from the internet.

I also printed:

• Ben 10 bookmarks
• Marvel comics bookmark
• Princess bookmarks
• Tinkerbell bookmarks 1, 2, & 3
• Coloring pages
• Mysterious Benedict Society activities which include learning Morse code, puzzles, & discussion guide (Bookmark #2 is actually the study guide, while bookmark #3 is the bookmark with the first book on one side and morse code on the opposite side)

Since I have a laminator and I like for my bookmarks to be thick, I cut the bookmarks and laminate them back to back. I place them opposite each other so, no matter what, my bookmark is never upside down. I know that it may not bother other people, but it bothers me, so I do what I need to do.

FREE BOOKS!

***WARNING*** This post is very long, but worth it.

Signing up to receive the Reading Rockets newsletter was one of the best things I’ve signed up for. According to their website, “Reading Rockets offers a wealth of reading strategies, lessons, and activities designed to help young children learn how to read and read better. Our reading resources assist parents, teachers, and other educators in helping struggling readers build fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension skills.”

It’s true. There is a wealth of information. Whenever I have a question that needs answering, the Reading Rockets website is one of my first stops. In fact, I recently found an excellent source for free books this morning. I’ve included the list right here, but if you want to see it for yourself, here’s the link.

National book giveaway programs

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, developed in 1995 for her hometown of Sevier County, Tennessee, has been replicated in communities across the United States to bring books into the homes of preschool children. Through the program, all children in a participating community are enrolled at birth or when they move into the community. Each month, from the day the child is born until their 5th birthday, a selected book arrives at the mailbox. The Dollywood Foundation has developed the delivery system, negotiated price, selected the publisher and the individual titles, and created registration and promotional materials. Local champions in the community — businesses, school districts, civic organizations, individuals, or local government — finance the cost of the books and the mailing, register the children and promote the program.

First Book

First Book is a national nonprofit that has provided more than 50 million new books to children in need. In neighborhoods across the country, First Book unites leaders from all sectors of the community to identify and support community-based literacy programs reaching children living at or below the poverty line and provide them with grants of free books and educational materials. The First Book National Book Bank, a subsidiary of First Book, provides new books to children from low-income families using generous donations from children’s book publishers. The First Book National Book Bank distributes large quantities of publisher-donated brand-new books to programs serving children from low-income families. There are 25 to 30 book distributions hosted by the First Book National Book Bank annually at a variety of sites across the United States. The books are free to programs that are able to pick them up or just $0.25 per book to have them shipped.

The Road Map To Reading!

Here’s a little Road Map to Reading. Although the road to reading is a fairly complex process fraught with much tension and much work, there is hope. At my last site, I had an awesome Literacy Coach who gave me these steps to reading. So, without further ado, here they are:

**Phonemic Awareness- Simply put, phonemic awareness is the ability to hear, identify and manipulate sounds and words. One of my favorite p.a. activities is to use word families (i.e., -an). If you place a /b/ in front of it, the word is now ban. Place a /c/ in front of it, and it’s now can. Place a /d/ in front of it and it is now Dan, etc.

Concepts About Print- Does the child understand that print goes from left to right.

Explicit, Systematic Instruction in Phonics- Letter/sound correspondence, i.e., “A” makes the Long /a/ or ah sound. For each letter, there is a sound or corresponding sounds.

Decoding- While writing is described as encoding (Putting into the secret language), reading is described as decoding (deciphering & making sense of the secret language). Just think about it, learning to read is like deciphering a secret language. In essence, children are secret agents deciphering the code. So, if you put the short /i/ sound with the /f/ sound, it will make if.

Fluency/Automaticity- Again, simply put, does the child read in a human-like way (very naturally) or like a robot, taking time to sound out and pronounce every letters.

Explicit Instruction in Comprehension- This is where many students get “tripped” up on the CSTs. Since they take so much time Decoding, that barely leaves any time for comprehension. I had much success. I’m not sure how other teachers go about doing this, but, as always, I keep it very simple. Once you work on all of the above, their fluency/automaticity will increase. This will leave more time for comprehension.
I read to my students every day. Now, come very close and I’ll share a very simple secret with you. While reading, I asked them questions, we discussed the story & I had them sum it up in their own words. Okay, you can leave now. That’s it. That’s the secret to increasing comprehension. That’s my explicit instruction in comprehension.

** Taken from UC Davis, School of Education website**

I found a nice website for Phonemic Awareness

Library Services @ LAPL

Due to budget cuts, the Los Angeles Public Library is cutting services. There a, however, still a wealth of services. They are really “into” the digital information age.
One of my favorite things available on the website (I’m not sure if this service is available in house) are the Audiobooks.
My husband has the Amazon Kindle (an e-reader). Since the Kindle is an e-reader, it’s virtually like a mini-computer. It’s great. It’s just like reading a book. The only thing is that I miss the feel & touch of a “real” book. If you don’t mind that or if you are more comfortable with a computer than a book, then you’ll really love the Kindle. Books are available for instant download. They can be purchased from Amazon for as cheap as .99 cents. No shipping & handling. Just downloading! That’s pretty cheap for a book. But I found an even better deal. At the library. They offer it for an even better price- FREE.
To check out the services available, go to Los Angeles Public Library’s (LAPL) homepage @ lapl.org. On the left hand side, there are a bunch of tabs. Click on Library Resources & check out everything there is to offer.

Reading Rockets Resources

I love the Reading Rockets site. They have a wealth of information. Yesterday I wrote a post about teaching your child to read. For you and your child’s enrichment, here’s another resource for teaching your child to read. Look to the middle right of the page. I particularly liked the articles under the headings BASICS & For Teachers.

http://www.readingrockets.org/atoz/about_reading

Teach A Child To Read

I found this fantastic website with great strategies. I was in the midst of finishing up my case study and needed some extra stuff when I stumbled upon this website. It offers many strategies on teaching your child to read. If you’d like to visit it, here’s the website: www.succeedtoread.com

Check it out!

Big Universe.com

I wish I would have known about this 2 years ago. I’d been trying to get my students to learn to read. Drawing was no problem for them as they were very creative. However, writing was a very big problem.

Well, I found this one website where you can create & publish your own book. My students would have loved this.  Maybe your students will also. Check it out!

http://www.biguniverse.com

HERE’S TO 2010!

Mission Impossible Assignment #3: School Shopping on a Budget, Part 2

My mission (which I already accepted) was to purchase school uniforms, underwear & socks, and shoes for 2 children for under $150. This was seemingly impossible, but it’s been done before and it can be done again. One of the best ways to save money is to recycle clothing from the previous year that are still in good condition.

So, I rummaged through David’s bureau drawers and found 5 shirts & 2 pairs of pants from last year that he can still fit. So, I only had to purchase 1 pair of khaki pants for $12.99, & two monogrammed shirts (1 white & 1 navy) @ $12.99 each + a pair of And 1 sneakers (Rocket mid) for $29.99 + tax @ Big 5 Sporting Goods for a grand total of ~$75. So my grand total for David & Phillise’s school shopping adds up $75.00 + $55.00= $130

Mission accomplished!

This post is a continuation from an earlier post last week.

Mission Impossible Assignment # 3: School Shopping On A Budget

Okay, all you shoppers out there. Boy, do I have an assignment for you: School Shopping on a budget. Should you choose to accept this assignment, you may encounter a store full of shoppers, some rude, some not. You may also stop and park @ several locations looking for the perfect deal. Well, lucky for you I know where to shop for uniforms, so look no further. I’ve found the perfect place; at least it’s the perfect place to get school uniforms at unheard of prices.

Listen up. Here’s how the mission began and ended in one place. During the summer I received a notice from Phillise’s school stating that uniforms are now mandatory. The only requirement, a navy blue or white shirt with any color bottom. Yeah! That means waaaaay less money I have to spend.

Since I knew I had a nearly impossible mission (less than $200 for 2 children) and funds are low, I decided to run to FALLAS PAREDES’ warehouse. I knew I’d find great deals there. I always do.

Was I right fellow shoppers? Yep, I sure was. I got the same deal as last year: a grey jumper & a burgundy jumper for $1 each. Yep, you read right- $1 for the jumpers. So, I got her 2 grey ones, 1 burgundy one, a navy blue skort (@ $6.99), and 3 white uniform shirts @ $1.99 each, for a grand total (after taxes) of $17.52.

@ Target, I bought 20 pairs of underwear, 6 camis & 20 pairs of socks for a grand total of $26.32. @ Old Navy, 2 weeks ago, I bought some white sneakers with black polka dots for $10.97.

So, for Phillise’s sneakers, uniforms, underwear & socks, I paid a grand total of:

$17.52 + $10.97 + $26.32= $54.81

Having only 2 children to buy school clothes is so much easier since they both wear uniforms. David even has some from last school year. I will recycle @ least 2 shirts and 1 pair of pants. So, fellow shoppers, did I accomplish my impossible assignment of school shopping for 2 children for $200 or less? Well, that remains to be seen since I still have to buy David’s shoes, uniform pants, and shirts. However, last year, I simply went to Big 5 for the shoes. Looks like I’ll be going there again this year. I will keep you posted.

If you’d like to visit the warehouse, here’s the information.

FALLAS PAREDES Warehouse

15001 S. Figueroa St.

Gardena, CA 92048

(310)965-0379

http://www.fallasparedes.com

Don’t believe it, check it out for yourself.

P.S.- I am seriously going to take pics of Phillise in her uniforms and I will scan my receipt from Fallas Paredes.

Classroom Discipline 101

I am very excited. I just found an excellent Classroom management blog. The author is a 20 year veteran of some of L.A.U.S.D.’s toughest schools. I have not purchased this book yet, as funds are low. But, I will purchase it as soon as I can. It looks very promising. I will let you know if it’s worth a purchase or not. Or, if you buy it before I do, let me know. Drop me a comment. For now, here’s the website: Classroom Discipline 101

Lakeshore, Buy One Get One 50% off!

Here’s a coupon for buy 1 get 1 half off @ Lakeshore. It’s valid from May 1- 31. You can also visit the website @ www.lakeshorelearning.com

Present this coupon at time of purchase.

© Lakeshore	coupon code: 1806
Offer valid 5/1/09 – 5/31/09. Limit one coupon per customer. Limit one item per coupon per transaction. Purchase one item at regular price and receive a second item of equal or lesser value at 50% off its regular price. Offer excludes sales tax & shipping charges. Valid on in-stock items only. No ship-to or special orders. Not to be used toward purchase of gift cards or in conjunction with any other offers, prior purchases or sale items. Sorry, no rain checks. No cash value.

How To Teach Spelling

While doing some research on teaching spelling, I came across this article: http://www.all-about-spelling.com/spelling-lesson.html. It was quite humbling as I have been doing some of those things that the article says not to do.

I am happy that I came across this information. Now I know what to do as well as what not to do. That’s what research is for.

If you are also looking for information about how to teach spelling, check out this site @ www.all-about-spelling.com

Thinking Maps Training!

I attended an all day training for thinking maps and am so excited about the possibilities. There are so many things that could possibly be done with these maps. Children as young as Kindergarten age could use some of them.

They are a great writing resource. I found a link in Open Court Resources explaining how to use them. I think that it explains it far better than I ever could. For more information click here:

Getting It Together!

I am finally getting it together. I asked for help from one of my teachers @ B.N.U. She showed me how to use the Open Court program. I was very happy about that because there isn’t another training until the summer. Although by then I won’t need it, the training is mandatory so I’ll still have to go.

I had almost forgotten about Open Court Resources , by Mathew Needleman, until one of the teachers that I work with mentioned it. She said that she got most of her resources from there. How could I have forgotten Mathew? His site is so full of useful teaching resources. I visited there and found almost everything that I need to finish my lesson plans. I even got homework stuff there.

If you’re struggling with your planning, or even if you’re not, do yourself a favor and visit Open Court Resources.

Thanks Mathew for all your help and advice. I don’t know if you know how many teachers use your site. It is such a nice site with great resources. Keep up the good work.

What’s In A Name?

I found this site that tells you the meaning of your name. Here’s the meaning of my name. If you would like to check it out, here is the website:
http://www.blogthings.com/whatsyournameshiddenmeaningquiz/

***What Leila Means***

You are relaxed, chill, and very likely to go with the flow.
You are light hearted and accepting. You don’t get worked up easily.
Well adjusted and incredibly happy, many people wonder what your secret to life is.

You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone.
You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together.
At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together.

You tend to be pretty tightly wound. It’s easy to get you excited… which can be a good or bad thing.
You have a lot of enthusiasm, but it fades rather quickly. You don’t stick with any one thing for very long.
You have the drive to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Your biggest problem is making sure you finish the projects you start.

You are usually the best at everything … you strive for perfection.
You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive.
You have the classic “Type A” personality.

What’s Your Name’s Hidden Meaning?
http://www.blogthings.com/whatsyournameshiddenmeaningquiz/

Educationworld.com

I found this great website as I was searching for some stuff to do with my class. If you would like to go there, here is the website: http://www.educationworld.com

Ready Made Math Worksheets!

On the hunt for ready made math worksheets, I found this site:

http://www.lessonplanspage.com/worksheets.htm

Go here if you need ready made worksheets in a pinch for elementary.

Check it out!

Science Experiments

To fulfill the science part of my teaching commitment, I have been on the hunt for science experiments for my students that will be engage them and make them think. Most of all, I want to make it fun for them. I have found about 15 science experiments that I am modifying to fit my students’ different levels. Over the weekend, I am going to bind some construction paper and blank paper to make science books for them that I will let them decorate.

If you’re in CA and would like to have a look at the standards, here are the CA standards for K-5th grade standards: www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/scmain.asp

Here is one of the websites where I found a couple of easy to do science experiments: www.reachoutmichigan.org/funexperiments/

Handwriting Worksheet Generator

When I was subbing a couple of weeks ago, one of the teachers that I was working with had these handwriting worksheets that I thought were so cute. She bought the program at Lakeshore. This, however, is better. It’s free! That’s right up my alley. If you would like to create your own custom handwriting worksheets, go to this website and print it for free instead of paying for it.

Make your own worksheets online @ http://www.atozteacherstuff.com
Name:_______________________________ Date:_____________

Practice at home.

(traditional manuscript font)

These worksheets can be printed in modern or traditional manuscript. There are also many other resources there. Check it out!

Here’s the link:

http://tools.atozteacherstuff.com/handwriting/handwriting-practice.html

Homework Help!

I found this great website to help those struggling with school work.

First choose your state and submit. Next, pick your subject. You have the choice of:

• Reading/Language Arts
• Mathematics
• Scienc
• History/Social Science
• Spelling
• Pre-K

Next, choose the grade level that you want. From there, it is a veritable smorgasbord of resources available to you. There are tutorials on the site. There are great resources available. At any rate here is the site:

www.eduplace.com

Hopefully this helps. Have at it!

R.T.I. (Response To Intervention)-BOOT CAMP RESOURCES, Part 4

**P.S.- I wanted to develop this post but just have not had the time to do so. I will do a longer post on this later because it is such good information. Be on the lookout for it next week.**

This is a great website that was among some of the resources that I received @ B.N.U.’s bootcamp. It’s called Intervention Central. It’s all about intervening and helping struggling students.

The stuff in this website make great resources. My professor just could not say enough about this website. She loves it. She thinks that the sun rises and sets on this website, and after visiting this, I can see why. She also loves Intervention expert Jim Wright.

There’s so much information on here. You could spend a whole day on this and still want to spend more time on it. It’s that good. Here is the website if you want to check it out: www.interventioncentral.com

Brushing Up On Your Grammar Skills!

When I was younger, I was a stickler for the rules; especially grammar rules. I can remember when I dotted every “i” and crossed every “t.” I didn’t forget things; other people did. My paper was never marked up like everyone else’s.

Well, gone are those days. I forget commas, or I put them in places where they’re not supposed to be. Let’s not even talk about semicolon usage; either I abuse it or under use it. The other day, I actually misspelled a word. Imagine that. Me. The one who was almost Spelling Bee champ in sixth grade (thank you very much). I found this site where you (excuse me, where one) can brush up on their grammar. If you’d like to check it out, the website is:

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar

Dolch Sight Words!

What are Dolch sight words? The Dolch Word List is a list of frequently used words compiled by Edward William Dolch, PhD. The list was originally published in his book “Problems in Reading”, The Garrard Press, 1948. Dolch compiled the list based on children’s books of his era. The list contains 220 “service words” that have to be easily recognized in order to achieve reading fluency. The compilation excludes nouns, which comprise a separate 95-word list.

Many of the 220 Dolch words can’t be “sounded out” and have to be learned by sight. Hence the alternative term “Sight Words”.

From 50-75% of all words used in school books, library books, newspapers, and magazines are in the Dolch Basic Sight Vocabulary of 220 words (preschool- 3rd grade). There is no way that some of these words can be sounded out.

I found a great resource of these on Jan Brett’s website. In case you don’t know who she is, she’s an author. She’s written many books. Some are retelling of other stories. Her stories are Berlioz the Bear, The Umbrella, and many others. This is an example of the resources that she has on her website:

Here is a list of other websites that have the Dolch word lists available for printout and use:

http://www.janbrett.com (The prettiest and most colorful)

http://www.fcboe.org/schoolhp/shes/sight_words.htm

http://www.kidzone.ws/dolch/kindergarten.htm (Kindergarten sight words list)

http://www.kidzone.ws/dolch/grade1.htm (1st grade sight words list)

http://www.kidzone.ws/dolch/grade2.htm (2nd grade sight words list)

http://www.kidzone.ws/dolch/grade3.htm (3rd grade words list)

http://www.learningbooks.net/xDolchSpanish.html (words in Spanish & English)

http://www.theschoolbell.com/Links/Dolch/Contents.html. (This site contains a wealth of information. It has a complete lesson plan that can be used, along with all the materials necessary. I highly recommend this.)

Check it out!

Free Books For College Students! (Social Bib)

Freely give. Freely receive. That’s the motto of this great website that my husband found for me. It’s called Social Bib. It’s a book swap/give away for college students in need of books. You list the books that you need and the books that you have to give. You automatically get 1 point for signing up. The next way to get points is by sending books.

If you would like to check it out, the address is: www.socialbib.com

I.R.I.S.-BOOT CAMP RESOURCES, Part 1

In my boot camp a couple of weeks ago at B.N.U., I received so many resources; many of which I will share with you. Some of them may be relevant to your situation and you may want to use them. While some may not be relevant and you may not want to use them.

I received so many resources that I am going to spread them out over a couple of days. At any rate, here is one of the resources that I received. This resource, that I received at my bootcamp @ B.N.U., was so helpful. It helped me to solve one of the biggest things that I was afraid of- behavior management. I have always been afraid of not being able to handle behavior problems. Well, that’s not a fear anymore thanks to the website run by Vanderbilt University in Tennessee.

The project is called I.R.I.S. It stands for I.D.E.A. ’04 and Research for Inclusive Settings. It takes you step by step how to create a behavior management plan. This includes classroom procedures, hallway procedure, a crisis plan, etc…

The website explains that misbehavior is due to lack of planning and preparation on the teachers’ part. This is not to say that the teacher is a bad person or anything, just unprepared.

(Taken directly from the site): The goal of IRIS-II is to serve college and university faculty who are preparing the next generation of school personnel, including special education professionals, as well as to serve professional development providers who conduct inservice training for practicing educators.

The IRIS Center for Faculty Enhancement (IRIS-I), began in 2001 and focused on incorporating the How People Learn theory into its training enhancements, to facilitate the translation of research into practice. The Center was housed at Vanderbilt University and was funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) to serve college faculty in the preservice preparation of general education teachers, school leadership personnel, school nurses, and school counselors.

The website is http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu

This is a great website. It has so many resources. If behavior management is one of your concerns, I would strongly recommend that you go to this website and complete “Who’s In Charge?’ & “You’re In Charge?” It will help so much.

Check it out!

Sale @ Lakeshore!

I just came from Lakeshore. I went in there to look for stuff for my classroom that I don’t have yet. Another part of the special “birthday” treat that I received from B.N.U. is $375 to spend in the classroom.

Needless to say, it was very crowded. Part of the reason is that it’s that time again. Time to go back to school. The other reason could have been to get out of the heat. It’s 102° out here. I know that I’m going to pay for this later (literally), but I am running the A/C all day today.

But, back to the lecture at hand, Lakeshore is having a great sale. A lot of items are 20% off. So, if you have supplies that you need to buy, go to Lakeshore and stock up now.

Here’s the website: www.lakeshorelearning.com

Check it out!

Hats Off To You, PBS!

***Just a warning. This post is really long. It’s good information, but it’s really long.***

Hats off to you PBS! It seems that you didn’t need to listen my criticisms, but you definitely listened to someone. Perhaps, it was the years of complaints from parents, grandparents and guardians because of the poor quality shows that did not promote early education like they used to years ago. At any rate, the quality is on an upward trend- it’s definitely improving.

First, there’s the upcoming WordWorld, which is an excellent program. I got a chance to preview it with my daughter and was pleasantly surprised.

Now, there is the upcoming SUPER WHY!, which debuts September 3, 2007 also. It, too, is a great show. Here’s a summary directly from the website:

Super Why…to the rescue!
Welcome to SUPER WHY, a breakthrough preschool series designed to help kids ages 3 to 6 with the critical skills that they need to learn to read (and love to read!) as recommended by the National Reading Panel (alphabet skills, word families, spelling, comprehension and vocabulary). SUPER WHY is the first original program from Out of the Blue Enterprises, an innovator in interactive children’s entertainment led by Angela C. Santomero, an Emmy-nominated co-creator of Blue’s Clues, and Samantha Freeman Alpert, a veteran in children’s entertainment. SUPER WHY makes reading an empowering adventure by using interactive literacy games that need YOU to play. In SUPER WHY reading is power!

SUPER WHY is an interactive reading adventure!
We begin each 24-minute reading adventure in Storybrook Village, a magical 3-D world hidden behind the bookshelves in a children’s library. The Storybrook Village is the home of your child’s favorite fairytale characters. Immediately, you’ll meet the four best friends who anchor each episode: Red, from Little Red Riding Hood; Pig from The Three Little Pigs, Princess from The Princess and The Pea, and Whyatt, the curious younger brother of Jack from Jack and The Beanstalk who discovers he has the power to fly inside books to find answers to his questions. Each of these characters is re-imagined as an everyday kid, not unlike your child’s own friends: Red rides roller blades; Pig drives a trike; Princess loves tea parties and dress-up; and Whyatt is the group’s natural leader.

Each episode starts with a preschool relatable problem.
In every episode, one of the friends encounters a problem with another Storybrook Village character (For instance, Jill from the Jack and Jill rhyme is not being nice). As in real life, the problems require preschool social skills to resolve. And that’s when SUPER WHY gets super-powered! Whyatt calls his fairy tale friends to their secret clubhouse, named “The Book Club,” where they transform themselves from mere mortals into literacy-powered super heroes: Alpha Pig with “Alphabet Power,” Wonder Red with “Word Power,” Princess Presto with “Spelling Power,” Super Why with the “Power to Read,” and your child-Super You, with the “Power to Help.” Using their super powers, these Super Readers literally fly inside books. The adventure begins as the Super Readers find out how famous fictional characters handled similar situations (Why is the big bad wolf so big and bad?). This adventure inside a book helps the Super Readers figure out the answers to their own problems. Be prepared to hear: Super Why and the Super Readers.to the rescue!

The Super Readers can solve any obstacle with their literacy powers!
“Inside” each book the Super Readers lead the viewer on an engaging reading adventure. They talk to fictional characters from the story, play reading games and activities to overcome obstacles, search for Super Letters, and practice such key skills as letter identification, word decoding, spelling, vocabulary and comprehension. Super Why, who has the Power to Read can even change a story ending.and save the day! (For example: He can change the big bad wolf to a small good wolf!) What’s unique about this approach is that while kids are learning and practicing the ABC’s of reading, they’re also thinking about what they’re reading, applying reasoning skills to see the story in a real-life context and experiencing books in a powerful new way.

Hip Hip Hurray! The Super Readers save the day!
As soon as the Super Readers solve the fictional problem and gather all the Super Letters they need, they fly back in their Why Flyers to the Book Club. There, they decode the Super Story Answer, or theme, on the Super Duper Computer and reveal how to realistically resolve their own problem. (The big bad wolf is acting bad because he was so sad. He has no friends.) The episode ends with the characters modeling the behavior so kids can actually see the problem being fixed. Finally, with a song you’ll find yourself singing, a dance you’ll quickly pick up, and a hip, hip, hooray! The Super Readers—and Super You—save the day!

	Super Why…with the Power to Read!Whyatt, is a curious and clever 9-year old, who invites viewers into each episode and leads them into making the connection between the real world problem and the book of the day. He also happens to be the younger brother of Jack, of Jack and the Beanstalk. Whyatt’s curiosity and active imagination lead him to constantly ask questions: who, what, where, when, how, and, of course, WHY!Whyatt transforms into Super Why, the ultimate preschool superhero with the “Power to Read!” As the leader of the Super Readers team, he flies into books to find answers to questions. Wearing his signature super hero costume and wielding his powerful Why Writer, Super Why transforms words and sentences to change the story. For example, he might use his Why Writer to zap the words “big” and “bad” to change the Big Bad Wolf into a Small Good Wolf. Super Why also carries his Super Duper Computer, which he uses to collect Super Letters after each game that form the Super Story Answer (the solution to the problem). Putting together all of the reading skills of the Super Readers, Super Why’s “power to read” helps teach literacy concepts, vocabulary, sentence structure, fluency, and word identification. Of course, whenever Super Why demonstrates his powers, he enlists the help of the kids at home every step of the way. With Super Why, kids at home get to experience the sheer power and joy of reading and help save the day!
	Alpha Pig…with Alphabet Power!Pig is a sweet, bashful and slightly timid preschooler. He’s the youngest member of The Three Little Pigs’ family, who (naturally) live in the sturdiest house on the block – right next door to the Big Bad Wolf & family. Pig is always ready to pitch in and help others, although, like many shy kids, he often needs a little encouragement.Pig transforms into the amazing super hero Alpha Pig. Wearing his signature costume and tool belt, and carrying his trusty toolbox, Alpha Pig comes in to the rescue. As a very young reader, Alpha Pig’s focus is on the alphabet, which forms the building blocks of words. He asks the home viewer to help play alphabet games such as singing his version of the ABC song to make letters appear and identifying individual letters. He relies on his Amazing Alphabet tools, including his Mega Magnifying Glass and Lucky Letter Lasso, to help fix a situation. For example, using these alphabet tools, Alpha Pig might fix a sign that tells us which way the Wolf went, lasso letters from a tree to show us the way on our adventure, or build alphabet stairs to climb a beanstalk. Whenever Alpha Pig accomplishes a task he says a celebratory, “Lickety Letters, we did it! Let’s give ourselves a big thumbs up!”
	Princess Presto…with Spelling Power!Quirky and slightly clumsy Princess Pea, the daughter of Prince Charming and Princess Priscilla of The Princess and the Pea, is a princess in training. She carries a pretend wand, travels in a rhinestone-studded coach, and takes dance classes with such royalty as Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. Although known to be a bit of a “drama queen,” Pea has a good heart and always speaks her mind. And, yes, Princess Pea loves to eat Peas!Princess Pea transforms into the spectacular Princess Presto. Dressed in her beautiful ball gown and sparkling crown, she twirls in, to the rescue! Waving her Magic Spelling wand, she helps kids write letters to spell words and make objects magically appear. For example, Princess Presto might spell “dress” to get Cinderella ready for the ball or spell the word “open” to make a drawbridge open the door to the giant’s castle. She also asks viewers to identify sounds that a letter makes before writing it. Although a bit clumsy at times, Princess Presto has a great sense of humor. And, when it comes to spelling and writing, with the assistance of the home viewer, Princess Presto can help save the day!
	Wonder Red…with Word Power!Red, from Little Red Riding Hood, developed a newfound craving for action and excitement after rescuing her grandmother from that pesky wolf. She’s clever, bold, acrobatic, and energetic – in fact she’s “ready to roll” on any adventure wearing her roller skates. Quick on her feet and with a well-stocked wicker basket in hand, Red is tough to keep up with.Red transforms into Wonder Red. Wearing her super sonic skates, signature superhero swimsuit costume and carrying her Wonder Words Basket, she uses word decoding, rhyming and blending skills to overcome obstacles. When she reads a word that needs changing, she sings her catchy rhyming song to release words from her basket. With the help of the home viewer, she uses word families to solve problems. For example, if the Super Readers are stuck behind a WALL, she might choose the word BALL so she can roll away the obstacle. Wonder Red is daring and adventurous, racing ahead to meet the wolf, climb the beanstalk, or get to the next chapter of our story adventure. With her high-energy style and sassy personality, Wonder Red keeps the story moving forward, while helping kids practice with word families…and off to Grandma’s she goes!
Super You.with the Power to Help!The home viewer transforms into a super hero too — Super You! As Super You, she can jump into classic books and go on reading adventures with the Super Readers. She can actively participate in the game play and use her alphabet, rhyming, spelling or vocabulary skills to overcome story obstacles, meet characters from her favorite stories and create new story endings! Super You also identifies Super Letters across the episode and decodes the Super Story Answer to solve the problem of the day. Reading is power. And Super Why, the Super Readers and Super You have it!Even though all the information is here, there may be more that you will want to see. Here’s the direct link: http://pbskids.org/superwhy/parentsteachers/program/characters.htmlCheck this out. It’s well worth it!

Self-Publishing Website

For the book that I’m writing on reluctant readers, I am going to self-publish it. I’ve checked out a couple of self-publishing firms and was appalled at what they were charging. Well, I hit pay dirt on one of my searches- this site called lulu.com. It is an on demand publishing site, so you aren’t charged the outrageous fees. You pay for the books that are published. No more; no less. There’s no setup fee or other nonsense miscellaneous fees. If you are looking to go the route of self-publishing, check this out. You just might like what you find.

Check it out @ www.lulu.com!

The ABC’s Of First Year Teachers

I found this on a website: www.education-world.com

THE ABCs FOR FIRST YEAR TEACHERS

• Admit your mistakes — and learn from them.
• Be firm but flexible.
• Communicate with parents.
• Develop a homework policy — and stick to it.
• Empower your students; don’t just lecture to them.
• Find time to attend after-school events.
• Get to know all the teachers in your school and make friends with the cooks, custodians, aides, and secretaries.
• Have the courage to try something else if what you’re doing isn’t working.
• Institute a clear discipline policy — and enforce it consistently.
• Just listen — both to what the kids are saying and to what they’re not saying.
• Keep a journal.
• Learn your school’s policies and procedures.
• Model desired attitudes and behavior.
• Non carborundum ignorami. (Don’t let the imbeciles wear you down.)
• Overplan.
• Prepare interesting lessons.
• Quit worrying and just do your best.
• Remember that you teach students first, then you teach whatever academic discipline you learned.
• Stay alert.
• Take pictures.
• Understand that the learning process involves everyone — teachers, students, colleagues, and parents — and get everyone involved.
• Volunteer to share projects and ideas, and don’t be afraid to ask others to share their ideas with you.
• Work within your limits.
• Xpect the unexpected — and plan for it!
• Yell if you need support.
• Zero in on your strengths, not your weaknesses. (Remember — nobody’s perfect)