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

Monday Motivation: What will be your next NSV?

Screw the Scale.

Seriously.  We know better.  It's one measurement - one way of keeping us on track, but you know what?  It's the NSVs (non-scale victories) that keep me rolling, that keep me motivated, and that's what I was reminded of this week.

I'm lucky enough to be on my weight loss journey with someone.  In fact it's my favorite someone -  my hubby Luis.  This weekend, we went shopping for a couple of new shirts just to update the wardrobe for some springy colors, and that's when I got to witness his first NSV on tihs jourey - he was a whole shirt size smaller!  

Seeing the flush in his cheeks and the beaming smile on his face made me so proud and so happy for him, but it also reminded me of my own things to look forward.  I'm so excited for new clothes to fit and to be ablel to do things in the gym that I can't do right now.

If you're on a weight loss journey too, keep an eye out for your NSVs.  Jeans feel a bit looser?  Have you stopped craving that late night bowl of ice cream?  Pay attention to the little things that make you feel good along the journey - not just the number on the scale.  Follow the hashtag #nsv on Instagram to see examples of others on this journey, too!  

Live your journey with anticipation:  what will my next NSV be?

xoxo,

Amanda

P.S.  Don't forget to check out Monday Motivation from my buddies below!

                        

Monday Motivation!

Welcome to our very first MONDAY MOTIVATION post!  My friends Myranda from Keep Calm and Teach 5th Grade and Kristen from Eat. Pray. Travel. Teach are teaming up to bring our readers some much needed Monday Motivation.  You can look forward to a new one each Monday!

This week, I want to talk about long term vision.  One thing that keeps me motivated (especially in the nasty winters in Chicagoland!) is keeping in mind the big picture - why am I on this journey in the first place?  Why am I working so hard to log meals in MFP and get to the gym six days a week?  Why am I saying no to massive, beautiful cupcakes at Mariano's?

MY FUTURE FAMILY

For me, that's my future family and future travel.  These are two things I want more than anything.  I want to be, first of all, healthy enough to have kiddos.  And if, God willing, that all works out, I want to be an active mom that sets a great example for her kiddos.  At my current weight, I'm not there yet, but each day that I put in an extra step at school and an extra half mile at the gym, I'm just that much closer to that goal - something that will make life better for the people I love!

TRAVEL

And then there's travel.  If you know me or have read some of my Facebook posts, my husband and I have a ten year goal to leave our jobs and take our family on a year long road trip from Alaska to Argentina.  We want to do a lot more traveling besides that, but so much of what we want to do I am uncomfortable doing or flat out can't do because I'm too heavy.  I want to be comfortable on an airplane.  I want to go ziplining.  All of these things ARE POSSIBILITIES FOR ME when I reach my goals.  

So if you're struggling today, zoom out.  Remind yourself about the big picture.  What do you want in the end?  How will today's good choices get you just a bit closer to realizing your dreams?

Be sure to check out my Monday Meal Plan if you need help getting back on track :-)

xoxo,

Amanda

P.S.  Don't forget to check out Monday Motivation from my buddies below!

                        

#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!

Turkey Meatloaf Recipe: Use up your leftovers

As you all know by now, I am constantly in search of ways to make my teaching life easier AND my nutrition and lifestyle full of decisions that are good for my body.  Teaching is so demanding and it is so easy for me to focus ONLY on my classroom and neglect my health.  This is my go-to recipe that I love - TURKEY MEATLOAF!  I always keep ground turkey in the freezer so that when I want this meal, I'm ready to go.  The only other ingredients that you might need to plan for (if you don't keep them in your pantry regularly) are breadcrumbs (or crackers).  The rest of what you include can be any of the veggies and goodies leftover in the fridge that you need to use up.  This meal can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge until you're ready to heat it up, too.  So many benefits to this delish meal!

Let's get started!

You'll need:

• A mixing bowl
• Cutting board and sharp knife
• A safe place for your rings!  You're gonna be mixing this raw meat with your hands, so prepare for that!

Begin by placing all of your ingredients in the mixing bowl.  The core of this recipe requires ground turkey, one egg, one half cub breadcrumbs, and salt & pepper to taste.  That's the baseline.  The rest?  Mix, match, and play!  Pictured below is what I made most recently:  a handful of cheese, chopped spinach, vidalia onion, scallions, mushrooms, and a package of the dry french onion seasoning mix.  Smoosh everythign together by hand...

Then form a log!  I've used the bread loaf pans before, but "loafing" it by hand and placing it in a bitter casserole dish makes it a bit easier to cut and serve.  

Bake the turkey meatloaf in the oven a 375 degrees for 35 minutes.  With about 10 minutes remaining, remove the loaf and spread ketchup on top.  Place the loaf back in the oven to continue cooking.   When it comes out and your house smells amazing, it will look something like this!

Whip up some mashed potatoes (because that's what we had to finish up on this leftover day!) and serve! My honey and I can unapologetically  finish almost this entire loaf ourselves.  If you're cooking for a crowd, consider doubling the recipe and making two meatloaves!

I hope this recipe helps you conquer your nutrition goals and still leave you time to grade papers once it's all done.  After all, that's what I'm here to help you do!

Recipe Review - Oatmeal Banana Pumpkin Muffins

Happy Saturday, friends!

Since Luis proposed, I can't think of the last Saturday we didn't have something major to do or somewhere important to be.  Today is the first day in over a year that I am doing nothing with no apologies!  Plus, my back has been killing me since sand volleyball, so I decided to meander through a few loads of laundry and try a new muffin recipe I've been eyeballing on my Kitchen 526 board for a long time.  The recpie in question?  PUMPKIN. BANANA. OATMEAL. MUFFINS.  YES PLEASE!

Fall is basically code for PUMPKIN in my kitchen.  So here's how Mom Endeavors' recipe turned out for me in my little northern Illinois apartment :-)

Here's a look at the dry ingredients:  oatmeal "flour", cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, and I added about 1/4 cup of dried cranberries and 1/4 cup of walnuts that I had on hand.

After mixing that up real good, I added my wet ingredients:  eggs, pumpkin puree (YUMMM!!), two ripe bananas (OHH YEAH!!!), some oil (I didn't have applesauce), and vanilla.  Are you drooling yet?

I greased up my pan and popped these babies into a hot oven.  They made my house smell amazing, by the way.

And presto!  Here's now they came out 20 minutes later!

My rating?  The muffins were reeeeally good!  They were a delicious blend of sweet and savory and just the most wonderful fall treat.  If you've got these ingredients tucked in your cabinets, go for it and give this great recipe a try.

xoxo,

Amanda

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

Meals: Planning, Pinning, Cooking, Shopping,...Who Does What?!

I can hardly believe Luis and I are embarking on week four of married life already...time really does
fly!  It's crazy!

I wanted to share with you all a great system that we've worked out together for meal planning and prepping; this system could work with roommates or a much bigger family, too!

When it comes to planning and preparing meals for the week, there are a few decisions to be made.  Who does the shopping?  What's the weekly budget?  Who does the prepping?  The cooking?  The planning and selecting of meals?  Who cleans up?  There's a lot to think about, and we've spend the past three months in trial-and-error-mode.  Here's what we found out:

1. It turns out (as I suspected), that I LOVE to grocery shop, but I REALLY LOVE to grocery shop ALONE!! Ha!  I spent several years on my own as a single lady building systems and routines that worked for me, and when it comes to grocery shopping, it's so much better for my family if I do that by myself.  It's actually such a relaxing time for me.  I like to go early on Saturday or Sunday mornings, coffee in hand, iPhone grocery list in the other.
2. Luis is a picky eater.  He won't admit it, but his pallate is extremely narrow.  For the most part, he likes things plain and mild.  I, on the other hand, enjoy savory, super spicy, and experimental kinds of dishes from all over the world.  Luis would be happy on a diet of Panda Express and Popeyes for life.  So, after I told him no more fast food, I put him in charge of a shared Pinterest board (did I forget to mention that he might actually love Pinterest more than me?  He posted all kinds of cool things on our wedding board when we were planning, too!).  It is Luis' job to find the recipes that he thinks look tasty, put them on the board, and I choose meals from the pins he's shared.  He's waaaay more open minded to food when HE finds it on Pinterest rather than me!  We've had some seriously good meals, meals that we've already repeated, using this system.  Hooray!!  
3. I also love to cook AND prep.  Luis?  Eh...he respects the work, but it doesn't call him unless it's meat on the smoker or on the grill.  So, I cook.  I prep on Sundays.  And I feel accomplished.  And I need to do these things to feel good for the week, so they're my job.   And it's great!
4. Luis and I both like to go to bed with a clean kitchen.   When we finish eating, we share in the cleaning/putting away food duties to make sure everything is done before we go to bed. 

All in all, I still do most of the work, but it's not because I feel obligated to, it's because I genuinely enjoy it.  Getting your hubby or family in on the Pinterest pinning part of the planning is sooooo highly recommended!  That part, which I also love, can be the most overwhelming part sometimes, so it's nice to just have 10 to pick through already narrowed down.  Try it and let me know how it works out for ya!

Here are a few from previous weeks that Luis found, we've tested, and we've had multiple times since!  

Have a wonderful fall weekend!  

xoxoxo,

Amanda

Biscuit Pot Pie

Drunken Chicken Marsala

Easy Beef Enchiladas

"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.