SHAKESPEARE FREEBIE! Come in and take a sneak peek!

Everyone struggles to teach Shakespeare - no matter how strong your readers are.

This year, my goal was to bring the fun back into teaching Julius Caesar.  The past few years, we've been really focused on writing rigorous, challenging rhetoric lessons for the play, and had kind of lost sight of the play itself.

In order to frame the play, I've developed a quick, free lesson for you that organizes the students into collaborative groups that they work with throughout the play.  In their "Acting Troupes", students complete reading jigsaws together, quiz one another, and compete against the other acting troupes in the room for the glorious Dollar Tree tiara that serves as our traveling trophy.

Check out my latest scope that takes you inside my classroom to see how my students are putting this into action:

|REPLAY| 💀💀. SHAKESPEARE FREEBIE - Collaborative Grouping for ANY pla... #katch #Periscope https://t.co/OZl56nBjc9 pic.twitter.com/9rdtw4MRs8

— Amanda Cardenas (@mudandink_) March 2, 2016

Come on over here to grab the lesson!  Don't forget to leave some feedback and share your Instagram pictures with me @teacherfitjourney.

In all things Shakespeare,
Amanda

#TeacherTruth - An Interview with Hannah Leib

Welcome to our weekly series of #TeacherTruth Thursdays!  Every Thursday, check back here for the latest interview with teachers from across the globe.  This Thursday, I was able to interview Hannah Leib, first grade teacher at Geff Grade School in rural, southern Illinois.  Hannah is a first year teacher (oh man, do I remember the struggle!) and she is known as Miss Leib to her kiddos, but as she says, "there’s always a day when I get 'Mom', 'Leiv, or 'Miss Leaf'".

...

Describe your teaching journey.  What major (or minor) events have led you to where you are today? 

It all started in the 4th grade when I had an amazing teacher by the name of Sue Burt.  At the first of the school year I was very hesitant to be in her classroom because she’s a very vocal and vibrant person, unlike myself at that point in my life.  I grew to realize she truly cared for me and my future while I was in her classroom.  She taught me how to be a kind and caring person while also teaching me very valuable life lessons.  One lesson I vividly remember is when I was taking a science test that I hadn’t studied for.  I decided that I could be sly and keep my study guide in my desk to look off of while “trading erasers and pencils.”  Being a fourth grader  and not very sneaky, I was busted.  Instead of Mrs. Burt taking my test away and not giving me another chance to take the test, she offered another solution.  She had me right an apology letter to my parents explaining what I had done and why I was sorry for cheating.  Not only did Mrs. Burt show me grace in that situation, she also taught me a valuable lesson that I strive to instill in my students.

Throughout my school years, I had many other wonderful teachers who taught me to love learning but more importantly to keep trying no matter how tough it may be.   Fast Forward to my Senior year of high school when I somehow received a brochure about the Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois program in the mail.  I decided to put off filling out the scholarship application until a couple days before the due date.  Never in my dreams would I have known how much of an impact the Scholars program had on my teaching career and my personal life.  During one of my four summer institutes I was placed in a classroom with a teacher  who taught me what I should NEVER do in a classroom.  This woman did some things that would make a person cringe and I would leave at lunch every day worrying about what she would do while I was gone.  During my time in that classroom I learned that a teacher has an enormous impact of how a student feels about him/herself.  From that point on, I knew I wanted to be the teacher that made every child feel like he/she was the most important child in my classroom.  It has been a long journey to get me to where I am today but I wouldn’t change it for the fact that I learned so many life lessons along the way.

What are the biggest obstacles that you’ve faced this year of teaching?

With this being my first year of teaching, there have been many different obstacles throughout this year.  One of the biggest obstacles I’ve faced is finding the balance between work and home.  It’s been difficult to take time in the evenings to just spend time doing something that I enjoy and isn’t related to school.  I truly do enjoying planning engaging and fun lessons for my students so most nights I don’t mind putting in the extra hour to plan and prepare for the next day.
Another obstacle that I’ve found challenging is how to establish a good communication avenue between myself and my students’ parents.  This is something that I’ve set as a personal goal during the second half of the school year.  I’ve tried to contact every parent at least once a month telling them a positive thing that their student has done in the classroom.  Parent communication is something that I aim to grow in every year during my teaching career.

What are the greatest joys that you’ve experienced this year of teaching?

I absolutely love going to school everyday and seeing my first graders so excited and ready to learn!  In my classroom we do a morning meeting before our calendar time.  I’ve recently started a “morning greeting” before our morning meeting in which I greet every student.  The fun part about the morning greeting is that the students get to choose how they want to be greeted whether it’s a hug, high five, or handshake.  It makes my morning much more enjoyable when I receive 8 or 9 hugs!  Another joy that I’ve experienced this year is seeing my students look out and care for each other.  At the beginning of the school year I told the students that we are a family in this class and it has truly been a joy to see them love and care for each other.  This past week the students brought in a box to decorate for our Valentine’s day party and I saw the students really bond and help each other create adorable boxes all on their own.  It was a heartwarming moment to step back and watch them work together.  Overall, I love watching kids be kids and hearing the hilarious things they say!

Why did you want to become a teacher?  Do those reasons still resonate with you?  Are you still inspired by those ideas?

As I mentioned earlier, I had a teacher who had such a large impact on my life and ultimately I wanted to do the same for my students.  Young children are so impressionable and I want to leave a positive mark on their life.  I always wanted to inspire children to be the person they never thought they could be.  Teaching is a great way to inspire kids to learn something they never knew about before.  From there, they branch out and find something that they will love for a lifetime whether it's researching new medicine, creating masterpieces, or becoming another teacher. Another reason I wanted to become a teacher was to teach kids to love learning.  I want my students to find something they love learning about and continue to grow in knowledge throughout their lifetime.  Some days I forget why I wanted to teach because every day isn’t always the best.  But there are always moments when one of my students looks at me and says they don’t want to go home because they love school.  It’s moments like those that still inspire me to teach.

What is your favorite lesson plan that you’ve taught this year? 

I did a thematic unit at Christmas time about holidays around the world and I had so much fun learning alongside my students about a variety of countries and how they celebrate Christmas or another winter holiday.  We took several trips around the world to various countries such as Italy, France, Mexico, Germany, Sweden, and England.  We learned what the children do during the holidays and how families celebrate together.  The most fun was learning what the Santa figure is in those countries and how he delivers gifts.  I had an absolute blast bringing in other cultures and learning how to say Merry Christmas in six other languages!  It really made me step back and smile when I saw my kids attempting to say “Merry Christmas” in another language and watching them tell the other classes how other people celebrate Christmas around the world.  Overall that was by far my favorite lesson from this year!

I used the Christmas Around the World Scrapbook by Sarah Cooley from Teachers Pay Teachers.

How are you handling your work/life balance?

This has by far been the most difficult part of being a first year teacher.  I have been so swamped with school stuff that most days I don’t stop working until my head hits the pillow at night.  On top of school, I’ve also been planning my wedding which is so much fun but a huge undertaking.  Most days I feel like I’m acrobat trying to balance school, wedding planning, and life.  I’ve made it a point to take a little time in the morning or at night to have some quiet time and really just spend time reading my Bible and being still.  My faith in our everloving God is the reason that keeps me going.  I know that no matter how tough and stressed I get, I know that God is always there to hear my concerns and loves me so deeply through it all.  I give him all the glory for this first year of teaching!

What advice do you have for other teachers?  

One piece of advice that I have for other teachers especially at the elementary level is to keep your kids active in the classroom.  I’ve found a website that my students and I LOVE!!! It’s called GoNoodle and it has a variety of videos to help get the wiggles out and to also have fun.  I love using the stretching in the mornings to get the kids calm and focused.  Some of the dancing videos are our favorites if we’ve been sitting for quite some time. All in all, its an awesome FREE website that I highly recommend. 

I would say to the veteran teachers to remember why you wanted to teach and keep that in the front of your thoughts when you hear about all the changes that are taking place during this day and age.  Another thing that older teachers should remember is how to step out of their comfort zone and try something new like incorporating more technology into their everyday lessons or having the students be more creative with their projects and how they present.  Technology can be such a scary thing for most veteran teachers but I know that there are plenty of teachers like myself who would be more than willing to lend a hand to teach them how to use it in the classroom. 

All in all, I would have to say to any aspiring teacher or veteran teacher is that teaching is such a rewarding and prestigious profession but we have to make the effort to find the good in the little things every day in order to see the long term outcomes in the future.

Thanks for reading!  

You can connect with Hannah on social media here:

Facebook: Hannah Leib

Pinterest: Hannah Leib

Email: hannahleib14@gmail.com

Instagram: @hleib

5 Reasons I Love Teaching

This Valentine's Day weekend has been delightful so far.  My honey sent me a DELICIOUS Edible Arrangement to school for a surprise on Friday and we celebrated at our favorite BBQ joint down in the city - Rub's Backcountry Smokehouse.  If you're ever in Chicago, trust me, this is a must-eat.  Not, it's not downtown in the hubbub of the touristy things, but it's worth a little drive north!

But today I wanted to jump on the blog to share the love I have for teaching.  Honestly, this time of year can get really tiring and downright depressing, so I'm challenging myself to reflect on why I love this job (even though seriously, it's so cold every morning I wake up, all I want to do is STAY UNDER THE COVERS FOREVER).

1.  The Kids
This one is probably obvious, but they are always the ones that make my day.  Even when they're being a huge pain!  As most of you know, I teach 10th and 12th grade and at this stage in their lives, I feel like there are so many shaping, poignant moments that they endure and I love being someone that is either there for them personally or simply providing classwork that is inspiring, engaging, and challenging them to really think about the decisions they are making day in and day out.

2.  I'm My Own Boss
Let's ignore, for a moment, our principals, division heads, and the powers that be at Common Core and other institutions - most days, I relish the autonomy of my profession.  This is something that I need to remind myself of because I can take it for granted.  I get to be creative all the time and I think I'd die without that.  In so many other jobs, employees have their days scheduled by other people.  Teachers?  We decide how our lessons run and how our days are structured.  The more I remind myself of this the more I realize how important it is to use that power positively.  With the power to structure, I also have the power to shape the tone of the day - for better or for worse.

3.  My Team
I have to give a huge shout out here to my team!  I have the most amazing group of teachers that I get to work with, and they make my job even better.  These guys are so open to my crazy ideas and we are so good at supporting one another through the tough times with kids.  Our team invents and reinvents new lessons and units every year and refuses to settle for what worked last year.  Our kids are always different and we are always trying to make our content relevant and challenging for each new group of students.

4.  Building Community
Being part of a school is like being part of a family.  I've only worked at one school, so I guess I'm not sure if this applies everywhere, but my school treats me as one of their own.  I've taught siblings and sat through parent conferences with entire families through all of their children.  I get invited to quinceaneras and baby showers.  When I go to football games, there are hundreds of students and alumni that I know.  It's amazing how small the job can feel in my living room grading papers, and then how enormous it is when I count how many lives I've been able to be a small part of.

5.  The Stuff I Teach!
Finally, I have to celebrate my content.  I love teaching English.  In a given year, I get to cover everything from creative writing (fiction, poetry, screenwriting) to dystopian literature to service learning research projects vested in social justice and even a little Shakespeare.  And the icing on the cake?  Getting to use creative problem solving to make it allllll fit together.  It's a delicious journey and I'm so glad that I found my calling.



What do you love about teaching?  I hope to hear from you!

xo,
Amanda

Blog Hop: What Secondary Teachers Learned in 2015

Good morning from snowy, icy, FREEZY Chicagoland! We've been so mild all winter (a true rarity for this area!) and then all of a sudden, we got dumped on. So, it's forced me back inside and to wrap up all of my running around and here I am blogging next to my old Christmas tree and some seriously delicious coffee.

Some other secondary bloggers and teachers have been chatting lately about what they've learned in 2015, and I think it's time to reflect on that same idea myself. After all, that's what teaching is all about! Reflect and refocus and reteach! Here are three things I learned in 2015:

One: A Life Lesson - Being Married is AWESOME!

So maybe this one was predictable for those of you that have been following my journey, but I seriously am still wrapped up in newlywed sparkles and rainbows. 2015 was "The Year of the Wedding" and as much fun as planning the most epic shindig of the century was, being married to an incredible man is even better. {Extra, over-share personal details to follow. If you'd rather not, just move to item number two!}

As a young teacher in my early twenties, I remember being so despondent about finding a good guy to date. I never met "the one" in high school or college, so I was stone-cold single starting in the teaching game. And for the first three years, it was a blessing. I was hyper-focused on my work. I established a reputation at my school for going above and beyond and for always bringing creativity and innovation into the classroom. I rewrote years worth of curriculum and volunteered for dozens of school events and led four different clubs. It as a beautiful distraction from the lack of dating in my life (who was I going to get set up with, the ONLY single guy in school? Because that wouldn't be a scandal!!). Then, I reached 25 and my friends were starting to settle down, have kiddos, you know, move on with their lives. With still no prospects in sight, I dabbled in online dating, but pretty much settled into the idea that I would be very happy as a solo artist - I adore my life's work as a teacher. I was ready for that life.

And then I met Luis.

It's funny how life works. As soon as I had embraced my singlehood, made plans (I was in the midst of applying for a Fulbright Scholarship to teach in South Africa!), an amazing person appeared in my life VIA Match.com. Now that I'm three months married, I can reflect on the last thirty years and just sigh. Marriage turned out to be just another right path for me. I wish I would have known this in my mid-twenties: there's no ONE right path. Life opens up so many that really what I need to remember is to always be open minded to what's ahead.

Two: I still depend so much on PAPER - LET IT GO!

I hate to admit it, but at the end of 2015, half way into my eighth year of teaching, I still feel like if I haven't validated learning physically (on paper or submitted online) that I haven't really evaluated it. I don't BELIEVE this is true, but my practices still demand it.

For example, I tried a new strategy this year with my kiddos called The Tableau. I had used it a long time ago, but I decided to resurrect it as I noticed my kids were doing way too much sitting. So, for the tableau to work, I basically gave six small groups six different important concepts that we were studying, and asked them to create a tableau that answered a question about that concept. For example, we were studying In the Time of the Butterflies in November. One issue that we wrestled with was the idea of machismo. Group One got the question, "What does machismo look like in the context of the lives of the Mirabal sisters?". Their job was then to create a tableau, a "freeze frame", a picture, using their bodies and/or props from around the classroom to answer the question.

It was SOOO HARD for me to not require them to ALSO write a paragraph that answered the question! The activity was amazing, so amazing in fact that I quickly put it up in my store (go check it out!), but I still felt myself aching for something to be "turned in". After I calmed myself down, I knew in my heart that what the students created with their bodies was more than sufficient. Each group had a curator, a person who explained the picture concept that the group came up with. And these pictures were creative, layered with depth and understanding, and it was clear to me which students got it and which did not.

I need to keep making my students do these kinds of activities. I can't "record the data" or align it precisely with a standard, but we teachers know in our GUTS that these kinds of small formative assessments are critical to the well being of our kiddos.

Three: Life is Bigger than Teaching Alone

I love my students. Adore them, actually. And the same can be said of the career itself (minus a few bad days here and there). But the more I look at my life, the more I realize that I haven't really found the balance quite yet. Before I got married, I worked too much. When I got engaged/ "The Year of the Wedding", I probably played a little bit too much. This year, 2016, will be the year that I finally get the balance down. I'm equipped and ready to do it and here are a few apps I'm using to help me do so:

Health: My Fitness Pal

I've experimented with this app on and off and I really enjoy it. I was really consistent with it before the holidays and getting sick, so I'm planning to start fresh on January 1 tracking all of my meals and workouts. The app is really user friendly, and, BONUS!, compatible with my new Christmas present - my FitBit Charge HR!

Finances: Acorns

Luis and I have a lot of long term financial goals.....and a lot of short term bad spending habits! I just downloaded Acorns and I'm excited to try it in the new year. Acorns will take the extra change from my debit card purchases and dump them into a savings account for me. Better yet, they'll invest it and I'll get to see my money grow! By using Acorns, working on sharing great products in my TpT store, and my other side jobs, we hope to keep saving for our first home and a few extra souvenirs on our honeymoon trip to Germany this summer.

Organization: Erin Condren!

Okay, this one actually isn't digital, AND it's not a change...it's a continuation of something great I started doing in 2015! I bought my very first Erin Condren planner in the summer and it's seriously the first planner that I've actually been using consistenly. It does a really nice job of blending school planning and life planning, so I'm going to keep using this bad boy to death! 

So that's it, folks!  Those are just some of the things I've learned and some of the ways I plan to move forward into a fresh start in 2016.  Check out these other OUTSTANDING bloggers below to see what they've learned and what they're up to!  Bye!

xoxo,

Amanda

An InLinkz Link-up

TpT Cyber Monday Sale - My Purchases & Reviews!

Cyber Monday gets me much more excited than Black Friday, that's for sure!  As I've mentioned in earlier posts, I've tried really hard over the years to not get swept up in the buying and over-consuming that these days encourage, but I do like to look for great bargains on things that I actually do need or gifts that I've actually considered purchasing for someone.  And then, enter...CYBER MONDAY!

I've done a little bit of shopping today - Photobucket has some great deals on photo products (the best gifts to give in my family...especially since I got married this year, I have more pictures that I know what to do with!) and my girl Erin Condren has some sweet deals on her products today too (an indulgence, I know, but being organized is just so addicting when the stickers are so darn CUTE!).

Of course, it wouldn't be a complete Cyber Monday with out treating myself to a few of the wishlist items that I have had on TpT for a while.  I wanted to share a sneak peek into the products that I purchased, even though I haven't used them yet.  I've read through both and I'm really excited to implement them in my classroom as soon as possible!

Product #1:  Figurative Language in Famous Fiction TASK CARDS

TpT Store:  Stacey Lloyd

My initial reactions:  This girl has got some graphic design GAME!  I love how these task cards are laid out and the response sheets that accompany them.  More importantly, I finally see how task cards can be used in a meaningful way at the high school level.  I never really understood what all of the buzz was around these cards, but after reading through Stacey's directions and looking through her handouts, I have a really clear vision of how I hope to implement these and how to make my own for some other things that I do in my class!

How I plan to implement in my classroom: I think I will be using this set in my classroom for my early finishers.  I have a class where students do a lot of independent work and they finish at a staggered rate.  I think having this as an ongoing project, it will be great to keep kids motivated and keep the class moving at a rigorous pace if this is what they're expected to do when they finish an activity early.  

Product #2:  Close Read & Annotate Bundle

TpT Store:  Julie Faulkner

My initial reactions:  I've been wooooooooooondering how TpT sellers are putting together their Close Reading assignments, and now I seeeeeeeee!!  My favorite part of this bundle so far are Julie's examples from her own classroom of annotations - LOVE seeing a teacher's own handwriting and how she and her class worked through the close reading assignment.  Everything is nicely coordinated and leveled from entry (easiest) to a challenge.

How I plan to use it in my classroom:  I've already been doing close reading similarly to how Julie has her's outlined in this bundle.  One new idea that she uses are the STEPS to close reading - they are clear, organized, and will help students get closer into any text that they need to closely read.  I think this is so clear and organized that I could actually leave this with a sub!

So there you have it - the two treats I gave myself this Cyber Monday.  Please make sure you swing on by the TpT stores of these talented teachers (linked above) and check out their blogs and what they're writing about:

Julie:  Faulkner's Fast Five

Stacey:  Stacey Lloyd Teaching

So what are you waiting for?!  Head on over to Teachers Pay Teachers and pick up something for yourself!

xoxo, 

Amanda

Tis the Season for ELA Bloggers to Unite!

Welcome to the ELA bloggers Cyber Monday blog-hop!

For those of you who have started reading my blog recently, you should know that you are watching me at the beginning of my journey - a journey that I've been picking at for years, and now, as of October, taking very seriously because I am so deeply passionate about the things that I get to write about.

Two bloggers that I follow, Julie from Faulkner’s Fast Five and Lauralee from Language Arts Classroom have decided to jingle the sleigh bells of the blogging community. In the tradition of "Top 5 Lists" I plan to join them and share my plans for wrapping up the year 2015.

To celebrate the holidays, I plan on…

ONE:  Bringing meaning to the season for STUDENTS: I already have my Pandora holiday stations ready to go for the whole month of December!  I plan to keep classes light and joyful and to help students remember the importance of family - and how much their families depend on their kids to earn a strong, deep education.

TWO:  Bringing meaning to the season for my FAMILY: I am committed to quality time with my hubby this Christmas.  It's our FIRST as husband and wife, and we are going to start our own traditions this year and I'm so excited to carve time out for that.  Life can get so busy and distracting this time of year that I've made it a focus (already!) to leave work at work and make time for home and family when I get home.  

THREE:  Adding to my TpT wishlist: I've been following Abby Gross for a while now, and I'm really excited to check out her rhetoric lessons, in particular: Rhetorical Devices in Songs.  It looks like just the right thing for my kids second semester!

FOUR:  Adding to my personal wishlist: I really want a new FitBit or Garmin health tracking device.  I've had a Jawbone before but didn't really like how it felt on my wrist, but I loved how it kept me accountable.  As a teacher looking for ways to do this CRAZY demanding job and still be healthy and active, I think a new FitBit would help me do that!

FIVE:Looking forward to this season: Warm cuddles with my hubby and my kitties, restful time off, and baking.  The one time of year that I really indulge in some crazy, unhealthy baked creations is the two weeks off in December.  Look for those on the blog coming soon! :-)

Have a very happy holiday, everyone!!

xo,

Amanda

Writing Argument: Does American culture tend to be more GREEDY or GENEROUS during the holiday season?

Today is Black Friday.  How did you spend it?  I can admit, in the past, the craze has seized me.  I've felt the pressure, the need, the desire to "stock up" on the things that I NEED SO BADLY!!  After all, the deals seemed SOOOOO remarkable!

This is the question at the center of the newest item up for grabs in my TpT store - does our society display more greed or generosity during the holiday season?

Through a series of articles and YouTube videos, students are to investigate the evidence provided to them - I've provided TEN rich, rigorous, and challenging sources for the kiddos to dig through.  Once they're read through and tracked the evidence in their sources, the students will then prepare to take a stand; do they stand with greed or with generosity?

This lesson plan can take you as little as two class periods and as long as probably nine or ten, depending on how much of the article reading and investigating you want to unpack and do together.  If you're looking for something to save you in these crazy weeks before break actually kicks off, I wanted to give my followers some something seasonal, but not cheesy - something challenging, but of high interest to teens.

For example, take a look at what I've included as Source #7:

Imagine the discussion that could surround just this one source!  Does this commercial capture greed  or generosity?  What are the rhetorical appeals?  The tropes?  The visual figurative language?  What is the argument of this advertisement, and what does it reveal about the culture surrounding the holidays?

This ten-page lesson (CCSS rubric included!) is available in my TpT Store for only $3.50!  Today through Cyber Monday, enjoy 20% off everything in the store...this is the best time to shop for your own sanity.  Save time in your classroom and make more space for time with your family and doing the fun kind of shopping that's out there waiting for you!

The Apocalypse is Approaching: A Lesson for Writer's Workshop

Download the free lesson on my Teachers Pay Teachers store!

Whenever Halloween time rolls around, I always find our Creative Writing club and classes looking for themed writing.  I, personally, cringe at the cliched themes for this time of year, but this time, I think we came across something pretty interesting...the apocalypse.

So a little bit about our club first.  My colleague Tara and I run The Ink (creative writing club).  We are a club that meets twice a month - once for a writing workshop lesson and a second time for an open mic night.  The club has been through several other formats and configurations, and we have found that this one works best for us.

LESSON SHARE TIME!
So I thought I'd share with you, my loyal, faithful readers, the lesson plan we designed for our writing workshop this coming Thursday.  I've created a nice, clean, and FREE lesson plan with all docs that you can grab on my TpT Store - Mud and Ink..

Part 1 - The Mindmap Jigsaw Apocalypse

• Divide your students into several groups.  Each group will receive a different "type" of apocalypse to brainstorm about. 
• Distribute materials to the appropriate groups.  Instruct students to skim through the images, videos, and articles looking for language and images that spark their interest and might make its way into a piece of writing.  "Types" of apocalypse scenarios we brainstormed include:
• Nuclear
• Environmental/natural disaster
• Personal (the "end" of my life as I know it - a breakup, graduating high school, etc.)
• Zombie
• Political
• Biblical
• Doomsday prophecies
• Students should record their ideas in a mindmap format (or whatever other format you like)

Part 2 - Whole Group Mindmap:  Bringing the Jigsaw together

• Bring your crew back together.
• You, or a student leader, can direct a discussion where each group shares the type of apocalypse they studied.  
• Take notes on the discussion in a giant mind map combining the ideas, language, and images presented by each group.

Part 3 - The Mentor Text

• In creative writing, Tara and I have found it fundamental to start every writing task with a writing mentor (thank you Jeff Anderson!)
• Distribute copies of a mentor text that you like.  The mentor can be thematically connected or stylistically connected to your lesson - whichever applies to what you want to teach!
• We found this super cool poem from Scott Hightower called Apocalypse Soliloquy.  
• Read and discuss the poem with your kiddos!

Part 4 - Writing Time

• Using all of the brainstorming from the mindmaps and the mentor text, turn the kids loose.  Give them about 8-10 minutes to write on an idea or image that they feel strongly about from the day's worth of discussions.  If you're working with a group or reluctant writers (my group are all in a club for writing...they're my amazing word nerds, so there's no pulling teeth here!), send me a note and we can brainstorm some more specific directions! ;-)
• SHARE!  Always ask your students to share.  We give snaps for lines we love when the students are reading.
• Keep writing.  Keep writing.  Keep writing

I hope you give it a try!  Shoot me a tweet @misscordes324 or an email at amandacordes1@gmail.com and let me know how it goes!

Keep truckin, friends!

xoxo,

Amanda

"Being Human" : A Lesson for Writer's Workshop

This weekend, the Creative Writing Club hosted the 2nd annual Regional Slammin the Sun Down competition.  Eight teams competed in a slam showdown of rhymes, passion, and courage.  We were THRILLED when we found out that our very own CHS -  THE INK took 1st place in their bout!  Julia, Maria, and Zandra performed beautifully and advanced us to the finals.  

In the finals, Ashley Anderson totally brought it with her poem "Mirror", however, the poet from Merriville, IN brought it to.  We took 2nd place - Ashley with a 29.3 out of 30, and her competitor with a 29.6.  It was a well fought battle and the audience got to experience some pretty rad poetry along the way!!

In between the first bout and the final found, Mrs. Deleon and I had the pleasure of sitting in on a writing workshop with one of our favorite Chicago poets, Adam Gottlieb.  Adam is a former LTAB competitor and, quite possibly, Deleon's long lost hippie-child :-).  He brought us a gorgeous poem from the duo Climbing Poetree called "Being Human".  My brain is spinning with ideas for using this poem in class, but below is how Adam shared it with us.

"Being Human" Writing Workshop Lesson

CCSS (provided by me, not Adam):

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.9-10.5a Interpret figures of speech (e.g., euphemism, oxymoron) in context and analyze their role in the text.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.5 Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.

Materials:

• Writing utensils
• Copies for all students of "Being Human" by Naima (below)
• Writing notebook/journal
• OPTIONAL:  projector to share the YouTube video of the duo performance

Procedure:

1. PREWRITING:  Ask students to create two columns on their page.  In the first column, students should brainstorm a massive list of things they think of when they consider nature:  elements, animals, etc.  They should write for 2-3 minutes.  Next, ask if the students remember the definition of personification.  In the next column, students should make a list of ways that the nature elements could be personified - specifically, ask students questions like, "What problems could these elements have?  What fears?  What dreams?  If these elements could feel, what feeling would they have?  What opinions?"
2. READING:  Pass out copies of the poem to the students.  In our workshop, Adam performed the poem to us as we followed along.  We briefly discussed the poem - what we noticed, what we liked, what surprised us.
3. WRITING:  Next, Adam directed us to write!  We were to take inspiration from the poem and from our lists and create something.  Adam gave great advice to the kids - he told them that the purpose of this writing time is not necessicarily to write the next great poem, but just to write.  Students might find one great line in the time provided, or maybe even a few stanzas, but what's most important is that the students write.  
4. SHARING:  At the end of the provided writing time, Adam asked students to share what they came up with.  This time is incredibly important!

BEING HUMAN 

by Naima

I wonder if the sun debates dawn
some mornings
not wanting to rise
out of bed

from under the down-feather horizon
If the sky grows tired
of being everywhere at once
adapting to the mood swings of the weather

If the clouds drift off
trying to hold themselves together
make deals with gravity
to loiter a little longer

I wonder if rain is scared
of falling
if it has trouble letting go

If snow flakes get sick
of being perfect all the time
each one trying to be one-of-a-kind

I wonder if stars wish
upon themselves before the die
if they need to teach their young to shine

I wonder if shadows long
to once feel the sun
if they get lost in the shuffle
not knowing where they’re from

I wonder if sunrise and sunset
respect each other
even though they’ve never met

If volcanoes get stressed
If storms have regrets
If compost believes in life after death

I wonder if breath ever thinks
about suicide
I wonder if the wind just wants to sit
still sometimes
and watch the world pass by

If smoke was born knowing how to rise
If rainbows get shy back stage
not sure if their colors match right

I wonder if lightning sets an alarm clock
to know when to crack
If rivers ever stop
and think of turning back

If streams meet the wrong sea
and their whole lives run off-track
I wonder if the snow wants to be black

If the soil thinks she’s too dark
If butterflies want to cover up their marks
If rocks are self-conscious of their weight
If mountains are insecure of their strength

I wonder if waves get discouraged
crawling up the sand
only to be pulled back again
to where they began

I wonder if land feels stepped upon
If sand feels insignificant
If trees need to question their lovers
to know where they stand

If branches waver in the crossroads
unsure of which way to grow
If the leaves understand they’re replaceable
and still dance when the wind blows

I wonder where the moon goes
when she is hiding
I want to find her there
and watch the ocean
spin from a distance
Listen to her
stir in her sleep

effort give way to existence

Snowball 2014 ~ Teens Making a Difference

Just got back from from an amazing weekend away with these kiddos.  If you've never heard about SNOWBALL, its a program for high school students that provides a safe space for them to get to know new friends and find alternate ways of having fun that don't involve alcohol or drug usage.  

The best part about this weekend is the time of year that it lands on the calendar...just when I'm fed up with the everyday shenanigans of my classroom, I get this weekend, out in the wilderness, out in the beauty of Loredo Taft Camp, and I get to spend time with kids as PEOPLE, not as students.  

If you've ever wondered about "today's generation" and if they're ready to take care of us when we're old...fear not.  These kids are passionate, loving, and powerful.  

Blackout Poetry

Every time I get a new group of Creative Writing students, I can pretty much divide the room in half:  students who can "go with it" and students who are "stuck".  It always amazes me that for some of the kids in my room, some of them have never simply written something that wasn't prescribed or "graphic-organized" for them.  This lesson is for the kids who feel "stuck", who feel like they don't have words of their own to contribute.  Blackout Poetry is a great way to help students get over that road block in their creative process.

I copied random pages from random novels I had sitting around my classroom.  I instructed the students to choose an abstract concept (hope, friendship, fear, revenge, etc.), title their poem "Friendship is..." or "Fear is..." and then find their poem within the text provided.  The tables were full of markers and extra pages of text.  I gave students about 12 minutes to write, we shared, and that was that!  This lesson was taught as a small workshop for our Snowball weekend, so we talked a lot about the importance of vulnerability and sharing their stories.

The lesson that I did was pretty informal.  If you're interested in seeing another formal lesson plan that I've written, please just comment below and I'll send it to you

Other great resources for Blackout poetry:

• http://austinkleon.com/category/newspaper-blackout-poems/
• http://makeblackoutpoetry.com/
• http://www.blackoutpoetry.net/

A Socratic Seminar Success

As we wrapped up our study of The Hunger Games, my sophomore team agreed to conclude the unit with a socratic seminar.  I had done a quick version of it during our poetry unit last April, but with the team's help, we crafted a truly unique, challenging, and rewarding experience for the students.

The original seminar was inspired by Esther Wu's seminar "The N-Word" on Teaching Channel.  Take a look below to be inspired yourself!

I love using Teaching Channels videos to inspire my own teaching!  I never would have thought to use a list of transitions as Esther did.  We used, tweaked, and modified her resources, and our version can be found here:

Socratic Seminar:  The Hunger Games
The Seminar Packet
The Coaching Protocol
The Listening Roles

Holding your own Socratic Seminar!
Plan two periods to prep the students, two days to conduct the seminar, and one half-period for reflection.

The speakers are seated at a central table while coaches sit behind their protege.   One student is at the front of the room taking notes in the Big Board role (as developed by Esther Wu).

On the prep days, we focused on teaching transitions and building an arsenal of textual evidence for the questions that students felt passionate about.  We took our time going through each of the questions so that the students could highlight the 3-4 that they wanted to tackle right out of the gates on their day for the seminar.

On the days of the seminar, the students were broken into two groups:  SPEAKER & LISTENER.  On the first day, they did one role, and on the second, they switched.

Students sit in the back of the room in their Evaluator roles (transition tracker, comment counter, general evaluator, etc.)  I sat next to them taking notes and grading the discussion.

On the day following the last seminar, be sure to provide time for reflection.  This day was so rich for my students!  I asked them four simple reflection questions, had them answer at their desks, and then we created a graffiti wall of responses, memories, shout-outs, and highlights from the socratic seminar experience.

Preparing for LTAB 2014

Today we had our first LTAB meeting for the 2014 season.  This is one of my favorite days of the year - it's when the returning poets reminice with us about the good times, and the newbies start to have their curiosity piqued.  We watch videos, and more videos, and talk about what makes great spoken word poetry.  For those of you who haven't heard of LTAB (Louder Than a Bomb), here is a quick history from the YCA (youngchicagoauthors.org) website:

Louder Than A Bomb (LTAB) was founded in 2001, by Kevin Coval (YCA Artistic Director) and Anna West. LTAB is the largest youth poetry festival in the world, featuring over 100 zip codes within the Chicago-land area.
LTAB was created to give youth around the city of Chicago a platform to share their stories. The festival has since become a “bridge” for young people from many different backgrounds to come together and find a common ground through their narratives.

 We are part of this movement, and eternally grateful for the opportunity to participate.  In an educational landscape of standardized testing, it's so critical for me to have this outlet for my kiddos.  I will believe, until my dying teacher's breath, that creativity is the highest form of intelligence - the one thing that we've decided is not worth a "standard",worth measuring, worth teaching.  I have the opportunity through Louder Than a Bomb to write and revise and perform some truly creative works of art.  Not only do we get to write hard, but the kids have the genuine opportunity to meet and interact with kids from all over the city.

Tryouts are the week after Thanksgiving.  Tara and I are really looking forward to hearing the pieces from our students!  For now, I'll leave you with a quiet, subtle piece from last year's team.  This is Shannon and her piece is called "We Are the Ivy":

Taking the Common Core Challenge!

   

     Every week, I take time to catch up on the latest blogs and videos at Teaching Channel.  I'm at this

website more often than any other educational website for so many reasons, but mainly I love watching other teachers teach; it inspires me and motivates me to keep trying new lessons, better understand Common Core, and connect with other educators outside of my little bubble.

     When I logged in this week, I noticed that they were hosting a Common Core Challenge.  Naturally, I accepted.  I watched several videos of teachers in action, reinvented their strategies into my own new lesson, taught it, and now have the lesson to share with you!  I actually did this for an observation with my secondary evaluator and it went pretty well (a few technology glitches with polleverywhere.com, but that was okay).  So here you go, world!  This is how I took on Common Core Challenge 2013:

1. Accept the challenge:  I registered here to officially accept the challenge
   
   (https://www.teachingchannel.org/challenge/steps)
2. Watch the videos:  I watched Sarah's videos for "Meeting our Monsters" and Sayuri's "The Omnivore's Dilemma:  Close Reading of a Non-Fiction Text".  I don't think I followed the challenge exactly, but both videos inspired my lesson for the week as I somehow combined my favorite elements of each.  I needed to do a close reading activity, and I really liked the group think strategies that Sarah used.
3. Write/Plan the lesson:  Using the CCSS Instructional Practice Guide, I crafted my lesson to use with The Hunger Games.  We did a close reading analyzing Katniss' complex characterization.  You can check out my lesson here and my handouts below:
   
   
   Dystopia KQL (my spin off of the KWL)
   Close-read notes sheet
   Close read text
   
   
4. Send feedback:  the final step in the challenge was to report back to Teaching Channel about how the Challenge went.  I send mine in today!  Overall, the lesson went really well.  I have the videos to thank for that.  There's something about watching another teacher in action that makes doing it yourself feel so much more successful.  The use of polleverywhere was a great success.  With the kiddos, it was a bit rough (they kept getting confused with which number to text, how to start the message, etc.) but they LOVED seeing their responses pop up on the screen in the front of the room.  The passages were also a really nice scaffold:   because they were long, every student could close read as much or as little as they could handle.  Then, when they turned and talked to each other, they were still able to have a shared text and help each other see it through the eyes of their annotations.

Check out the Common Core Challenge videos here:

#epicgrammarfail

Every now and again, I'm handed a little treat while grading.  Today, it's your treat too :-)  Enjoy yet another #epicgrammarfail

The Power of Choice

 Over the weekend, I had the great pleasure of attending the NSCC (National School Climate Center)'s Policy Institute in New York City.  At the institute, we focused on school case studies, possible policy, and the ways in which policy could lead to effective and consistent practice in schools.  I'm excited to bring back the energy of the Institute to our School Climate Team.
     One of the most important things I took away from the institute was to begin all school climate work by focusing on assets - not challenges.  It's overwhelming to look at an entire high school and feel the weight of administration, staff, the kids, and the community looking to "fix" our school.  As our School Climate Team Leader, I think about the struggles, the task of "getting everyone on board", about mending broken relationships, the trepidation of a contract year coming up, the inevitable exhaustion of attempting to balance rigorous curriculum development with grading with grocery shopping with new evaluation systems.
     This made me think about a video that a colleague shared with me.  The video was created by a super trendy animation and design company called The Glossary (check their website...I'd like to use this to inspire my creative kids about the sweet, new kinds of jobs there are our there for them!).  The video "This is Water" hits the heart of Foster Wallace's commencement speech:  we have the power of choice, of decision.   Amid the frustration and mundane and overall exhaustion of the work ahead of us as a school climate team, I truly believe that an effective school climate team must model this attitude of choosing:  we exist to model deciding to be positive and making the choice to focus and build upon our assets.

      "This is Water" Speech by David Foster Wallace & Video by The Glossary