Win a Classroom Set of Novels

        Recently, a teacher commented that they would love to use one of our Complete Novel Units, but they didn't have a classroom set of books to use with the students.        This got me, Lisa, thinking about how I would love to be like Oprah or Ellen and give away classroom sets of books.  "A classroom set for you! A classroom set for you!"

        We checked our budget and decided it would be really fun to give away one classroom set. Thanks for understanding that we lack the sponsors of the aforementioned talk-show hosts.
        With February, Black History Month, coming close, we thought we'd offer a way to win a classroom set of novels (up to 35 books) for either Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis or Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor.

        If you, or someone you know, has wanted to teach one of these novels in their class, we are providing one possible way to get the books needed to make it happen.  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

HOMESCHOOL PARENTS we haven't forgotten about you!
You can win up to 3 books.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Make sure you read the giveaway Terms and Conditions in the Rafflecopter. They include:
The winner must choose between **Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963** or **Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry**. 
The winner of the classroom book set must be a classroom teacher and provide us with their school address in order for us to mail the books to that address.  
Five (5) runner-ups will win a complete novel unit of their choice from our store.
All winners will need to be willing to communicate through email in order to receive their winnings.  
The winner is responsible for checking with their school and/or district to ensure they are allowed to use the novel choice in their classroom.
We are not responsible if the winnings get lost in the mail or any other situation beyond our control.  If you win, we will buy you the books and use the address you provide us for the mailing address.

 

Coming Out on TpT

       Are you a closet TpTer? Do people at your school know that you create and sell teaching resources on the best teaching site the Internet has to offer? Are they happy for you? Does it cause problems?

       I saw a teacher's recent post in the TeachersPayTeachers forums that was sharing her experience of teachers (and principals) at her school finding out that she bought and sold on www.teacherspayteachers.com. She was asking:

       Q: How do you keep normal relationships with people on your campus when they learn you have a 2nd job selling teaching resources?

       Our thoughts:

       The best way I've found is to give give give. I give all my stuff away at my school. I create all kinds of stuff for what we're studying/teaching and hand it out like candy.

       Some of them still end up buying some even though I tell them not to, that I'll give it to them.

       But I'm of a mind to think that this is the best way always. Give give give. It might seem weird and counter-intuitive because it's your hard worked stuff, but it's the best heart to have. And when it really is your heart, people think you're genuine and one of them...because you are.

       Our two cents.

       Your thoughts?

2-Year Birthday Bash!!! We Love You All 20% off Everything Sale

We are so super grateful to Paul Edelman and his vision many years ago to start a website like www.TeachersPayTeachers.com where teachers can share their ideas and hard work to help other teachers save time and energy. We've been blessed by the people we've met along the way and how much we've grown as teachers as we learn to hone our craft and sharpen our ideas. Sharing our ideas with you all out there has made us push the limit in our own classrooms. We've questioned our reasons for doing things and have enjoyed the sparks of great new ideas...and a bunch of that focus comes from you. You you you you you! And we thank you!

Here is a surprise for anyone reading this:
Today, October 28th, we are giving away a product from our store to anyone that leaves a comment on this blog post. Just tell us the name of an item from Created for Learning that you would love to have.  Please include your email address so we can let you know how to get your freebie. 
Enjoy!!!!!!

You can't read that! Banned Books Week Free Reading List

The contrarian in me loves this week in literature. Banned Books Week is the time of each year we celebrate the freedom to read. Society, it seems, is always trying to take away our rights to do something, including the choice to read whatever books we want. Banned Books Week celebrates the ideas in all of those books and how much we need difficult ideas to help us grow as humankind.

So I compiled this reading list for my classroom. I required my students to read one banned book during 2nd quarter and pass the Accelerated Reader (AR) quiz on it. The weird part of making this list was realizing I had to consciously leave certain books off, which in its own way felt like censorship. But alas...

So enjoy this list and your freedom to read! Download the list for free over here at our store at TeachersPayTeacher.com.

Classroom Quote Book Idea & The Best Cookies Ever Raffle

I'm linking up with I'm Lovin' Lit this week to share a way that I, Lisa, make learning more interactive when teaching quotation marks.  

I had some really witty second graders in my very first class.  Some of the things they said were hilarious.  

At the time, teaching quotation marks was a second grade standard in California.
With Common Core, it is now a 3rd and 4th grade standard. 

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.3.2.c  Use commas and quotation marks in dialogue.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.2.b  Use commas and quotation marks to mark direct speech and quotations from a text.

I love addressing as many standards naturally into the classroom whenever possible, I consider it part of my "As We Walk Along the Way" philosophy of teaching.  Then when I directly teach about the concept, some students connect it as prior knowledge.

I got an idea that would help me document the funny things students in the class say and have them practice writing quotation marks. 

I created a Class Quote Book. 

Whenever someone in the class heard another say something witty, they could write down the quotation - thus practicing using quotation marks. 

 After they submitted their quotation to me, we would review it and then we would revise it. When they had a draft with the quotation marks correct, we would find time for them to type it on the computer. 

Then the student got to chose someone to illustrate it, or they could illustrate it themselves.

The book grew as the year went on.  It was mostly student-driven, although I would encourage it along the way when students said really funny things I would comment, "That should go in the quote book," and students would run to get a piece of scrap paper to write down what the other student said.

There were some kids that really wanted to contribute to the book and would listen for statements that were quote book worthy. To treat everyone with respect, I would always ask the students being quoted if they wanted their words included in the book.

At the end of the year, I had a book of funny memories to help me remember that class and it was a great, easy display for Open House.  

And now, dear Reader, you can get interactive with this mouth-watering raffle we have for this month.

I have a friend named Zariq, that I love spending time with.  She tells memorable stories and helps me laugh when I need to most.  She is also the type of person that I can be real with and she shows me grace with my flaws.  

I met Zariq in college and she is also a teacher.  

Zariq's husband, Mike, makes the best chocolate chip cookies.  I'm not just saying this because I know them, these cookies are just really good.  You may have noticed on the side of our blog we mentioned loving cookies right after our love for Jesus. :-) Jonathan and I have actually done taste tests comparing all of our favorite chocolate chip cookies and Schott's Cookies won.

Mike has experimented with every ingredient to find the best. (I heard a funny story about the day he taste-tested multiple different vanillas to find the best vanilla for his recipe.) 

After perfecting his secret recipe, they decided to start selling them. 

Schott's Cookies was created.

A fun thing about their cookie company is they will deliver hot, fresh cookies to your door if you live within a certain radius of their hub of operation.  

If you live in the 48 continental United States, this is our lucky day!!!  
You can enter to win a dozen Schott's Cookies delivered to you.
People, this cookie is delicious! You will want to try these.
The best cookies on earth delivered to my door . . . yes, please!
These are a perfect back-to-school treat.

a Rafflecopter giveaway