Testing Strategy Anchor Charts & Storage

First, here's the two testing strategies poster I"m going to use this year:

 
I love how simple & easy to remember this strategy is!

No, short answer questions are not on our state test. But we have common assessments throughout the year and they are. I'm glad that they have the short answer questions because our students will be assessed by multiple choice as well as short answer questions in high school & college. Part of our job is to prepare our middle schoolers for high school! 

I store them on hangers with clips. I've learned to put the clip on the ends and put the top in-between the wire. It helps hold the clips still when you're trying to put the anchor chart in.

I hang my anchor charts on a nail in my closet. I put a clothespin at the end of the nail so they don't fall off when I open the door (I learned that one the hard way!) 

The good thing about the clothes pins is that you can put more than one chart per hanger. I've organized mine by unit and write the unit on the back. Super easy!! 

Paris, Our First Night

Back in December we went to Paris! Since it was Christmas day when we arrived, the atmosphere was just enchanting! 

OBSESSED with these views!! 

Whoa, traffic!!

Hao taking it all in.

Our first restaurant. So cozy and sweet!

The Eiffel tower at night, so gorgeous!

Outside of our restaurant... with the Eiffel tower behind us!

We really enjoyed the nighttime views of Paris! What a fantastic city! Paris, part 2 coming next Saturday!

Literature Anchor Charts

Last Monday, I posted Informational text anchor charts. Today's post is all about literature anchor charts. Some are from Pinterest, some are from my textbook, & some are a combo.

Excuse all the wrinkles! The laminator did not like my chart paper!! 

This was taken from our textbook.

My students really struggle with theme. I'm hoping these charts may help! 

This information is from the book, except for the PNTO beans acronym. I knew the kids needed some way to remember these 4 items, so I kept saying the first 4 letters aloud... and pinto came out. PNTO beans was born. If anything, maybe it'll bring a little laughter! 

This is another tough concept for students. I'm looking forward to introducing these questions; I think they'll help! 

oh, man. I am not an artist. I laughed a lot making this, especially when I was making the duck. It started out as a rabbit... 

Again... not an artist ;) 

I use these with Whole Brain Teaching (putting motions to the words, aka mirrors & words), and it's really helped! 

Testing strategy anchor charts & how I store my charts coming next Monday, 9/7! Hope these have given you some ideas! Happy chart making :)

Informational Text Anchor Charts

Over the past few years of teaching, I have seen how having a visual of what you're teaching can really impact the student's understanding. So this summer I decided to make anchor charts that follow my curriculum. I also made an anchor chart wall in my classroom. Here are the informational text anchor charts I made based off the Common Core & my Holt Mcdougall curriculum: 

This is multiple charts I found on Pinterest put together.

To make this one, I took the information from our textbook and added its from another chart I found on Pinterest. That's something I love about teaching- you can find great resources & combine it to make what's perfect for your classroom! 

I wanted them to be simple & clean yet intriguing. 

This strand (strand 3) can be very difficult for students to understand. Hopefully this chart will help them understand how event/ideas/people can effect each other. 

Literature charts coming 8/31!

Four Skinny Trees

"They are the only ones who understand me. I am the only one who understands them. Four skinny trees with skinny necks and pointy elbows like mine. Four who do not belong here but are here. Four raggedy excuses planted by the city. From our room we can hear them, but Nenny just sleeps and doesn’t appreciate these things.

Their strength is their secret. They send ferocious roots beneath the ground. They grow up and they grow down and grab the earth between their hairy toes and bite the sky with violent teeth and never quit their anger. This is how they keep.

Let one forget his reason for being, they’d all droop like tulips in a glass, each with their arms around the other. Keep, keep, keep, trees say when I sleep. They teach.

When I am too sad and too skinny to keep keeping, when I am a tiny thing against so many bricks, then it is I look at trees. When there is nothing left to look at on this street. Four who grew despite concrete. Four who reach and do not forget to reach. Four whose only reason is to be and be."

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros 

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I was reading this poem with my class last year and just about starting crying in front of them. Goodness, I'm getting emotional as I type now. I was so moved by the author's description of the strength of the trees and how she gets her strength from them. How the author says when she is "too sad to keep keeping" that's when she draws her strength from the trees who have grown despite tough circumstances. 

It was so wonderful to see some of my students moved emotionally as well. I asked them how they could apply this poem and got some really great answers. We discussed how we can overcome our circumstances and how we can make it, even if things seem tough. As a teacher, it was a touching moment. To see my students realize that they can overcome the obstacles in front of them, big or small. 

This also reminds me so much of Jesus. How He went through every temptation possible- through all that concrete- even death, and came out victorious! Because of that victory, I can rely on Jesus' strength. When times get tough, and we don't think we can "keep keeping"; when we feel like we are just one small human against this awful world, we have a glorious savior to rely on. He can be our trees. 

"Do you not know?

Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God,

the creator of the ends of the earth.

He will not grow tired and weary,

and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary,

and young men stumble and fall;

but those who hope in the Lord

will renew their strength. 

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not get weary,

they will walk and not be faint."

Isaiah 40: 28-31

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What I've Been Wearing Lately: Take 3

 Top & shorts: Francesca's

Dress: Forever 21

Cardigan: H&M

Necklace: Etsy

Shoes: Aldo

Dress: H&M

Necklace: Lia Sophia

Shoes: Jack Rogers

Top: Ralph Lauren

Necklace: Wal-Mart (I was surprised, too!)

Jeans: Forever 21

Flats: Francesca's 

Watch: Hand Picked Jewelry 

Top: Boden (Thrifted)

Cardigan & necklace: H&M

Jeans: Gap

Dress: Francesca's

Necklace: Etsy

Lipstick: Revlon Colorstay Ultimate Suede in Muse

Want more outfit ideas? Follow me on instagram or pinterest!! Also, check back next Wednesday for more What I've been wearing lately! 

I don't like change. At all.

I really don't. Since May, I've had one of my best friends move away & multiple people that I love at work either move positions within the school or transfer schools. I am also starting grad school. Did I mention I don't like change?

It throws me for a loop.

Recently, there was a major change at my job- one that came last minute & I knew might happen, but when it did, oh my, I was so surprised!! I am so thankful for Hao who let me have my moment then helped me process the situation.

We came to conclude that this is an opportunity for growth in my life. I tend to try to control things at work to make them go smoothly. This can be a good thing, and this can be a bad thing. I tend to overcompensate to make sure things go the way I think they should go instead of stepping back and  letting things go they way the need to. It's good to want things to go smoothly (especially when you teach hormone-ladden middle schoolers), but if I try to control everything, I am going to be super stressed and the people around me feel like I am controlling, bossy, & judgmental. Guilty.

If you haven't guessed by now, I really dislike the unknown. And this change really caused a lot of unknowns. But this is giving me so many new opportunities. A fresh start. I can either take this opportunity and be upset about it, which does no good, or choose to view it as an opportunity for growth & grace, which will bring God glory.

And that's out ultimate goal. Bringing God glory. I am praying that in this situation instead of gossiping or judging, I will rely on God's power to to respond in a positive light & bring Him glory!!

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