tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50527463297983707752024-03-14T00:34:58.403-04:00From Classroom to CounselorThird Grade in the First State is a teaching blog that offers ideas and insights relevant to education. All opinions are my own.meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07601059640778499239noreply@blogger.comBlogger166125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052746329798370775.post-18902169532499220742015-08-11T23:31:00.002-04:002015-08-11T23:31:11.268-04:00Oh, Toodles!<div style="text-align: center;">
I start school on Monday, but I'm kind of in denial.</div>
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Because of that, I'm going to share something crafty but not school related!</div>
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In May, we gave my super cute nephew a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 1st Birthday Party! As you may know, I don't have any kids of my own just yet, so I do whatever I can to light up this kid's life. I mean, look at him. Seriously.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RvZZf6MHzHY/VcqzSuUy9NI/AAAAAAAABnk/fdx-tZDKJmg/s1600/ky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RvZZf6MHzHY/VcqzSuUy9NI/AAAAAAAABnk/fdx-tZDKJmg/s200/ky.jpg" width="146" /></a></div>
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So, clearly, my arm had to be twisted to pull out the ol' Cameo and get to work! One thing I knew I wanted to make was a Mickey head garland! I searched Pinterest and came upon a tutorial on a blog called <a href="http://www.thatswhatchesaid.net/" target="_blank">That's What {Che} Said</a>. (Cute name, right!) Click <a href="http://www.thatswhatchesaid.net/2012/how-to-create-a-mickey-mouse-shape-using-your-silhouette-software/" target="_blank">HERE</a> for her tutorial on how to make Mickey heads using your Cameo!<br />
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Here is how mine turned out!</h2>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CJFzHDMvF3U/Vcq3SOBgBRI/AAAAAAAABoI/WDDclq_jsZI/s1600/mickey4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CJFzHDMvF3U/Vcq3SOBgBRI/AAAAAAAABoI/WDDclq_jsZI/s400/mickey4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZV35oq8zzXI/Vcq349hAaLI/AAAAAAAABoQ/N-ycsfUL2t4/s1600/mickey5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZV35oq8zzXI/Vcq349hAaLI/AAAAAAAABoQ/N-ycsfUL2t4/s400/mickey5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Next, I was inspired by a pin from a website called Catch My Party. Click <a href="http://catchmyparty.com/photos/150230" target="_blank">HERE</a> for the original idea! Again, I used my Cameo for a majority of it. The Mickeys are stickers from Michaels, and "we've got" is also made up of stickers. You may notice that all capital letters were used in the first picture, while some were substituted in the other. We had a few sticker casualties in transport, but crisis averted. I had extra lowercase.<br />
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What do you think?</h2>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BRiaedkbE0w/Vcq5uPq00oI/AAAAAAAABoc/VBeF94KQrJg/s1600/mickey6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BRiaedkbE0w/Vcq5uPq00oI/AAAAAAAABoc/VBeF94KQrJg/s400/mickey6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Last, we had a little photo booth going! I bought the chalkboard speech bubbles and chalk pen from Michaels. My sister, who does not fancy herself a craft person, made the Mickey frame from cardboard. I was one proud sis!<br />
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On the work front, I'm going into school tomorrow to get started on my office and to turn in my first comprehensive school counseling plan. [YIKES!]<br />
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Before pictures coming soon. After pics... hopefully soon after!</h2>
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meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07601059640778499239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052746329798370775.post-8282467039131867052015-08-03T01:14:00.001-04:002015-08-03T01:53:53.298-04:00Assess Me Linky: Week Two<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.thetattooedteacher.com/2015/08/assess-me-linky-week-2-this-or-that/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EQfc7HhylyI/VbU_LmBpNmI/AAAAAAAABmg/7EXC_hC-MMM/s320/assess2.png" width="292" /></a></div>
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I'm back to link up with <a href="http://www.thetattooedteacher.com/2015/08/assess-me-linky-week-2-this-or-that/" target="_blank">The Tattooed Teacher</a> for week two of the assess me linky! </div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d;"> Let me explain!</span></h2>
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You'll never catch me in a skirt! I'm a pants kind of girl for work & jeans kind of girl for dress down.<br />
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For someone who's had many different piercings, I don't really wear earrings anymore. I've had several ear piercings, including two in each lobe, my tragus, rook, and industrial. For professional reasons, I decided to let my tragus and industrial close up a few years ago. I rarely, if ever, wear any earrings in my lobes, but my rook stays in. Choosing necklace was even tough, because I'm not much of a jewelry person anyway, but at times I'll grab something to coordinate with an outfit.<br />
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I'm kind of a master at late 90s, early 2000s rap. NBD.<br />
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Like I said, not much of a jewelry person. But with the stuff I do wear, I don't discriminate!<br />
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I was born & raised in the suburbs. I love being close enough to the city (most preferably Philly!) to come and go as I please, but be able to come home to my neighborhood.<br />
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I prefer to buy clothes/shoes in store, but everything else online.<br />
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Definitely shower. I can't even tell you the last time I got in a bath. Yuck.<br />
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Ya know the people at work who you know EVERYTHING about, including their drama. That's not me. I'm pretty private.<br />
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I'm a homebody, but I like to keep myself busy enough to not be bored!<br />
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Let's be real. Unless its a work day, I'm not even up in time for breakfast. But I do love breakfast food!<br />
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Iced coffee, please!<br />
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This post is being typed at 1:15 AM. Also, I've been called Garfield. I hate mornings!<br />
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I'm a low maintenance gal.<br />
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I love the sound of rain, but I can do without the thunder and lightning!<br />
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Heels are my nemesis. I wear them if necessary, like for weddings and class picture day. =)<br />
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I have great memories taking the train. I frequented the train in and around Philly when I lived closer. I've done NYC and DC by train. I've done Colorado to Utah on a gorgeous ride. I love the dining cars on long rides and just the whole feel!<br />
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I love Girls! However, I don't have HBO, so I wait until Comcast has their free weekend on demand and watch the entire season in one weekend. #noshame<br />
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I'm an indoor person, but if the weather is right I love the park! I've only been to Central Park once, though.<br />
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<span style="color: #6aa84f;"> Click the image at the top to link up!</span></h2>
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<span style="text-align: start;">P.S. My store is all ready for the big B2S sale on TPT. I've recently updated a few of my free and paid products.</span><br />
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meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07601059640778499239noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052746329798370775.post-74076437132759095972015-08-01T22:33:00.001-04:002015-08-02T13:49:59.570-04:00Currently AugustHey everyone! I'm back to link up with Farley for this month's currently!<br />
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<a href="http://ohboy3rdgrade.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i593.photobucket.com/albums/tt15/04fallingstar/Custom%20Blog%20Design/Meghan%20Farley/3am_MF_button2_zps7f6923d7.png" height="auto" width="200" /></a></center>
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Listening: I'm not really sure why I always choose to watch things like 48 Hours, Criminal Minds, and Unsolved Mysteries in the middle of the night.</div>
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Loving: Ah, I love my planner! I'll be posting soon about it & the cute stickers that I also ordered from Etsy!</div>
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Thinking: Moving on...</div>
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Wanting: My blog design is in its final stages, and I can't wait for it to go live. (It's live now! Don't you love it!) Kristen did an amazing job!</div>
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Needing: New job means new apartment. I'm moving about an hour north next weekend. Still have lots of packing to do. My cat, however, would much rather me leave all of the boxes empty so that she can pretend it's a fort.</div>
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B2S RAK: As the new school counselor, I'll be working with all of the staff in the building pretty closely. I'll be leaving them a welcome treat. =)</div>
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Click Farley's button above to link up!</div>
meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07601059640778499239noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052746329798370775.post-9014188804479377552015-07-26T16:19:00.001-04:002015-07-26T16:19:20.457-04:00Assess Me! Linky<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.thetattooedteacher.com/2015/07/assess-me-a-get-to-know-you-linky/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EQfc7HhylyI/VbU_LmBpNmI/AAAAAAAABmY/xR8E84r7DGU/s320/assess2.png" width="292" /></a></div>
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What a fun idea for a linky! Assessment is one of those words that should not be spoken in my general direction during the summer time. We get enough of that during the school year, amiright?! But in this case, it's okay.</div>
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I've gotten quite a few new followers over the past month, so I thought I'd participate so you can get to know the girl behind the blog!</div>
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1. Yep, mostly when I'm anxious. I practice a little self-talk here and there!</div>
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2. Not at all.</div>
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3. I crack everything. Fingers, toes, ankles, neck. It isn't cute, I know. I can't help it!</div>
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4. Eh, I'm good.</div>
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5. Heck yes! My last place Phillies are on somewhat of a hot streak.</div>
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6. Yep.</div>
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7. Moving on...</div>
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8. I went to Disney World a handful of times as a kid. Haven't been back in over a decade.</div>
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9. Since 6th grade. I'm sort of known for my specks.</div>
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10. No, but I'm only one state over and within driving distance!</div>
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Head over to <a href="http://www.thetattooedteacher.com/2015/07/assess-me-a-get-to-know-you-linky/" target="_blank">The Tattooed Teacher </a>to link up!</div>
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<br />meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07601059640778499239noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052746329798370775.post-32307064671289220442015-07-21T15:14:00.001-04:002015-07-21T15:14:54.353-04:00Blog LimboMy blog has been a lot quieter than I'd like lately. I'm in sort of a blog limbo, with a few things on the horizon but nothing quite ready to share!<br />
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I'm in the process of a blog redesign by Kristin at Teaching in a Nutshell Designs. After looking around for a designer, I loved her portfolio and went with her! With that design change will be a name change. So scary! I'll officially be a school counselor blogger! I hope that my teacher followers will stick with me, though. I don't think you'll be disappointed.<br />
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<a href="http://www.teachinginanutshelldesigns.com/"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LiMCNarFalo/VRwSkhxgLuI/AAAAAAAABwk/AdC1Y84stYk/s1600/TINDesignLogo-01.png" /></a></center>
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I ordered a planner from Plum Paper that just shipped! I actually chose a student planner instead of the teacher planner. As a school counselor, I won't need the extra section that is in the back of the teacher planner. The student planner gives me the teacher layout, but without that. I'm hoping that this will fit my needs better. There is a section for quizzes/tests, but I bought stickers to cover that section title. I can't wait to show you when it gets here! Here is the design that I chose, but I chose to get rid of the monogram.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/PlumPaperDesigns" target="_blank">Please do not pin this image. Click the image to visit the store. =)</a></td></tr>
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I'm also in office limbo! I'm hoping to get into my new office tomorrow while I'm at school for a meeting. I hope to post before and after pictures once I get settled. Going from classroom to office, I have to downsize my belongings. (I. HAVE. SO. MUCH. STUFF.) I'm looking forward to getting in there and getting started!<br />
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Well, that's it! Hopefully one of the three above will be ready to post about within the week.meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07601059640778499239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052746329798370775.post-87347887550984837292015-07-01T18:43:00.001-04:002015-07-01T18:46:55.431-04:00Currently July<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Listening: Nothing makes you feel like more of a bum that when the "Are you still watching..." notification pops up mid-binge.</div>
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Loving: Self-explanatory.</div>
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Thinking: Picture is worth a thousand words.</div>
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Wanting: Every time I hang out with my work friends, it makes me more sad to leave them next school year. I know this change is for the best, but that doesn't make it less painful! They are the best!</div>
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Needing: I've lost about ten pounds in the last month by cleaning up my diet. I have much more to lose, and I need to incorporate exercise to make up for my sedentary summer lifestyle!</div>
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All Star: I've always been told that I'm a great listener. So much so that I'm a popular person to vent to in various aspects of my life. This skill solidifies my career choice as a school counselor. =)</div>
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Click her button at the top of this post to link up! =)</div>
meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07601059640778499239noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052746329798370775.post-40580195800602723552015-06-28T20:20:00.002-04:002015-08-02T22:15:34.264-04:00Summer Reading RecommendationsI LOVE posting about what I'm reading. (Hence my posts <a href="http://thirdgrade-firststate.blogspot.com/2014/08/goodreads-purge-part-two-fiction.html" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="http://thirdgrade-firststate.blogspot.com/2014/07/goodreads-purge-part-one-nonfiction.html" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="http://thirdgrade-firststate.blogspot.com/2013/08/my-summer-reading.html" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="http://thirdgrade-firststate.blogspot.com/2012/06/my-non-educational-summer-reading.html" target="_blank">here</a>, and <a href="http://thirdgrade-firststate.blogspot.com/2011/11/my-bookshelf.html" target="_blank">here</a>! Yikes. Click those links for more book recommendations!) What I love even more is reading about what others are reading! Because of that, my to-read list on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/10127032-meg" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> is a mile long and always expanding. Darn you, talented authors!<br />
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<a href="http://www.luckytobeinfirst.com/2015/06/summer-reading-list-for-teachers-linky.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="280" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BArEVnnO75U/VZCIzAYKdxI/AAAAAAAABks/eN2P7zneez0/s400/readinglinky3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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So I'm linking up (a little late!) with <a href="http://www.luckytobeinfirst.com/2015/06/summer-reading-list-for-teachers-linky.html" target="_blank">Lucky to Be in First</a> for a Summer Reading Linky! These lists are obviously abbreviated. Enjoy!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Qlkc6UD9MTQ/VZCIzxPsZMI/AAAAAAAABk4/5-G-vtuvEZI/s1600/readinglinky1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Qlkc6UD9MTQ/VZCIzxPsZMI/AAAAAAAABk4/5-G-vtuvEZI/s400/readinglinky1.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Prisoner B-3087: I saw this book on another blogger's list, and it looks pretty interesting.<br />
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Me Before You: I bought this book on my Kindle a while ago but haven't gotten to it. What better time than the summer!<br />
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Wonder: I started this book during D.E.A.R. time with my students, but toward the end of the year, I used that time to catch up on paper work. Bad teacher! So, I brought this hard copy home to finish!<br />
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101 Solutions & How Children Succeed: Some professional reading for <a href="http://thirdgrade-firststate.blogspot.com/2015/06/counseling-in-first-state.html" target="_blank">my new job</a>.<br />
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Life in a Jar: I loved this book for a couple reasons. Number one, I love narrative nonfiction. One of my favorite genres! Also, the secondary plot is about how a teacher ignites a love of learning in a group of girls, which leads them to learn more about this historical, yet widely unknown, woman, Irena Sendler.<br />
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And the Mountains Echoed: From the author of Kite Runner & Thousand Splendid Suns. The stories he writes are just so beautiful, and they are always a tangled web of characters. I gave this one 4 stars, only because I kind of needed to draw a character map to keep track of all of the connections between them! But it is worth the read!<br />
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The Martian: So stoked that this is going to be a movie. With Matt Damon. Bonus. All about a guy getting left on Mars. Loved it!<br />
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Up the Down Staircase: I'm reading this now, and I can't put it down. It was written in the 60s, and it is proof that much about teaching has not changed much! It is about a young woman who is a fictional teacher in an urban high school. It chronicles her relationships, struggles, and successes. 110% recommend! Apparently, it was made into a movie a few decades ago that I might need to track down and check out.<br />
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Tuck Everlasting: I read this with my above level students this year, and we fell in love. We watched the movie during the last week of school, and they were so excited! Don't you love when that happens?<br />
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<b>Thanks for reading. Any other suggestions? Comment below!</b></div>
meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07601059640778499239noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052746329798370775.post-43978944596145005962015-06-24T17:17:00.000-04:002015-06-24T17:17:18.013-04:00Greek and Latin Root CenterThis product is truly a labor of love, and I am so looking forward to sharing it with you! I have been working on it all school year, adding to it as I've been using it. It is finally prepped and ready for all of you to check out!<br />
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Greek-and-Latin-Root-Center-1921596" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ooELv6CyEfQ/VYsbpz5aZRI/AAAAAAAABkQ/xgsc-dXAfq0/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2015-06-24%2Bat%2B4.47.46%2BPM.png" width="234" /></a></div>
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This product includes root posters, vocabulary maps, worksheets, and flash cards for 37 of the most common Greek and Latin roots. It is meant to aid in introducing and enforcing a root per week in a mid/upper elementary classroom. This worked really well for me in an gifted/talented third grade classroom, so the target audience would probably be third through fifth grade. However, if you have a group of well above level learners in second grade, they would enjoy this, too. It can also be adapted for middle school review. The roots vary in difficulty, so you could give younger students the most common roots, such as aqua, multi, or phon. You don't have to go in alphabetical order, so you can go in any order that you think will work for your students!<br />
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Here is a closer look at what is included in the download.<br />
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Greek-and-Latin-Root-Center-1921596" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M1hT2EGXhHs/VYscE0E-cFI/AAAAAAAABkY/kmbpqWsmQM4/s400/Slide002.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Not pictured, but also included, is an editable document so that you may add additional roots that are not in the 37 that I included. I only tried to include roots that had 5-6 developmentally appropriate words that corresponded, but I'm sure there are more that you teach in your classroom!<br />
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Full disclosure, I'm SO sad that I won't be using this product next year due to accepting my new position as the school counselor. My kids l-o-v-e-d this center, and it really motivated them to break apart words to decipher their meanings. It also made them "feel like big kids!"<br />
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This product is on sale for 20% off for the time being. That is only $8 for a routine/center that will last you the ENTIRE year! Click one of the pictures or <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Greek-and-Latin-Root-Center-1921596" target="_blank">HERE</a> to check it out. Let me know what you think if you download! I also put the rest of my store on sale, too.meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07601059640778499239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052746329798370775.post-13705011613036215222015-06-18T22:40:00.001-04:002015-06-18T22:40:44.565-04:00Freebie MakeoverThings are a little crazy around these parts due to <a href="http://thirdgrade-firststate.blogspot.com/2015/06/counseling-in-first-state.html" target="_blank">my new job</a> and moving out of my classroom. So while I am not taking part in the whole TPT challenge (it is wayyyy too involved!), I was inspired to make over one of my free products.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s-HX5ya1g78/VYN9u4pfYbI/AAAAAAAABjw/yCoQe8d4O2g/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2015-06-18%2Bat%2B10.24.49%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s-HX5ya1g78/VYN9u4pfYbI/AAAAAAAABjw/yCoQe8d4O2g/s400/Screen%2BShot%2B2015-06-18%2Bat%2B10.24.49%2BPM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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That's pretty depressing, no? No cover. No directions. Tons of downloads, but only 2 ratings. Since I posted that freebie ages ago, I've made a few more variations that ease my students into more difficult concepts. The layout stays the same, but different elements are replaced each time. Some elements stay, such as the fact family triangle, because it is versatile. In the first marking period, I do addition/subtraction. After that, I start with simple multiplication, working my way up to more difficult numbers.<br />
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Here is the cover update!<br />
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Calendar-Math-Freebie-357379" target="_blank"><img alt=" calendar math" border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n1RD2q3o7Ks/VYN-gJ3mIHI/AAAAAAAABj4/S57RbBJxv4s/s320/Slide1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Now, the download includes three calendar math templates and a suggested use page. Muuuuuch better! Click the cover page to head over to TPT and check out how I incorporate calendar math!</div>
<br />meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07601059640778499239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052746329798370775.post-52386531782915031682015-06-17T17:00:00.001-04:002015-06-17T17:00:24.604-04:00Counseling... in the First State?I am so happy to announce that I've accepted a position as an Elementary School Counselor in upstate Delaware.<br />
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The interview alluded to in my Currently post was followed up by teaching a couple of guidance lessons in front of students, the principal, and out-going school counselor.<br />
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I am very anxious to start this new chapter in my career. I will miss being a classroom teacher more than I can express. However, I've always known that my true calling was to be a counselor. So, I'm trading in my reading and math binders for McKinney-Vento and 504 binders.<br />
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As far as Third Grade in the First State goes, I want to keep blogging at this address. A name change will come over the summer. Suggestions are welcome! I'm thinking "From Classroom to Counselor" or something along those lines?<br />
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As far as content, you can take the girl out of third grade, but you can't take third grade out of the girl! I still plan on posting relevant content for elementary educators. The only difference will be that now, counseling/guidance content will be the main focus.<br />
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I hope that you stick with me through this journey! I'm excited to share everything I learn as I begin my new career!meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07601059640778499239noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052746329798370775.post-82932043523276488882015-06-04T19:07:00.004-04:002015-06-04T19:07:57.574-04:00June CurrentlyIt has been a hot minute since I participated in a <a href="http://ohboy3rdgrade.blogspot.com/2015/06/currently-june-2015-and-helping.html" target="_blank">Currently</a>, and since I have the day off today, I thought I'd jump in!<br />
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Listening: My poor, poor Phillies. We are in rebuilding mode, and it is painful. We've somehow won the past two in exciting, walk off fashion. It is exciting, though, to watch our future get their first chances in the big leagues.</div>
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Loving: Only 4.5 left with students. Only 7.5 til sweet, sweet summertime!</div>
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Thinking: End of the year obligations are bananas. So much paperwork. More just got dropped on my plate today that has to be sent to the school my kids go to next year. Looks like my teacher bag is going to be full this weekend.</div>
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Wanting: I had the day off today because I had an interview for a school counseling position upstate. Please send good vibes my way! I want this one, badly!</div>
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Needing: This week has been so rainy and blah. We took our annual trip to Washington, DC and had to eat lunch on the bus because it was just gross outside. Now, I'm not saying it needs to jump back to 90 degrees like it was this week, but 70s and sunny would be a great way to end the school year!</div>
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Summer Lovin': I can't wait to have more time to spend with my nephew, who had a first birthday a couple of weeks ago! My summer TV line up is <strike>a little</strike> ridiculous. This summer will include: Orange in the New Black, Orphan Black, Graceland, Extant, Under the Dome, unReal, Wet Hot American Summer, SYTYCD, Bachelorette, The Walking Dead spin off, and probably more I'm forgetting. I DVR everything and watch most of it while my boyfriend is at work. Because I'm nice.</div>
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Also, if you're a long time reader, you know that animal rescue is near and dear to my heart. I've been a foster mom for about five years, taking a break recently because I adopted one of my foster cats. I support anyone who is helping to make a difference in the lives of those with four paws! So, I made a donation to help WAG in Wimberley. I can't imagine losing everything, but losing a pet would just break me to the core. Think about donating to help board these displaced animals. Click over to Farley's site using her linked button below and help out. Every dollar helps. Thank you, Farley, for championing this cause!</div>
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I have a few posts that I'm finishing up, so you'll see me soon!</div>
meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07601059640778499239noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052746329798370775.post-61493875398691800332015-04-26T20:08:00.000-04:002015-04-26T20:10:40.993-04:00A "Thank You" FreebieI logged in to Blogger to see this today:<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WfJ11UNx2lY/VT15prBXhXI/AAAAAAAABik/lXnetHdlBVQ/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2015-04-26%2Bat%2B7.40.48%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WfJ11UNx2lY/VT15prBXhXI/AAAAAAAABik/lXnetHdlBVQ/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2015-04-26%2Bat%2B7.40.48%2BPM.png" height="76" width="400" /></a></div>
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Whether you are a follower who reads every post or a visitor who found me via <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/megfezby/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>, I thank you for stopping by. This statistic may seem small to some of the more popular bloggers, but to me, it means the world.<br />
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As a thank you, I'd like to share a freebie. As we all know, a big part of close reading is annotating text. In my class, I call it "leaving tracks."<br />
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When first introducing annotation, I ask my students to close their eyes and imagine themselves in a snowy forest. I ask them to imagine a deer passing in front of them. The deer quietly walks off in to the distance. We talk about what the deer leaves behind. The answer is tracks. Just like an animal leaves tracks as proof of where it has been, good readers leave tracks in order to prove they/ve read a text closely and understand (or do not understand) it.<br />
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At the beginning of the year, I print and laminate these bookmarks. They look bright and beautiful when printed in color, but they also look nice when printed in black/white on bright paper.<br />
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I give my students many different tracks that they can use, and I encourage them to create their own if they'd like. These are just a few of the "tracks" I encourage my students to leave, sort of a jumping off point. Others include LOL for something funny, a heart for something they love, a happy or sad face for something they liked or did not like, etc. (If you can't tell, my symbol for a connection is the infinity symbol.)<br />
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Click the image below if you'd like to download the freebie in Google Docs. Please comment if it is something you'll use in your classroom. =)<br />
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<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwJTc_69C8P4X3hoZEpmS1JqTm8/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank"><img alt="close reading annotation bookmark" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yv9QnC5Bzg0/VT18jMpo2VI/AAAAAAAABiw/Q6frQzaKkqQ/s1600/Slide1.jpg" height="240" title="" width="320" /></a></div>
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Thank you again to my followers and visitors!<br />
<br />meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07601059640778499239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052746329798370775.post-85182426978025701452015-04-18T22:56:00.001-04:002015-04-18T22:56:23.466-04:00Updated Research Writing FreebieAlmost three years ago (YIKES, I've been blogging a long time!), I posted about my research writing endeavors. Writing can be tricky to teach, but I've always looked forward to showing my students research techniques!<br />
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That post is one of my most popular posts! Back then, when I had no idea what I was doing, I posted a freebie used Scribd. Whaaaat? So at the request of a commenter, I updated the post so that you can download the freebie in Google Docs. I gave it a facelift, as well. =)<br />
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I'm actually about to begin this project in my classroom this year. My kids have learned to research using both print and digital sources, and we are finishing up our <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Research-Writing-Project-Jobs-and-Careers-769058" target="_blank">career research </a>projects. The animal research project (and craft!) is one they will do with less guidance.<br />
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Visit the old post <a href="http://thirdgrade-firststate.blogspot.com/2012/06/research.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> to read more about the project details and download the freebie. =)meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07601059640778499239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052746329798370775.post-9103085799812358452015-04-07T01:20:00.001-04:002015-04-07T01:25:57.057-04:00Let's Talk About: SchedulesHey everyone! Like many of you, I am currently on Spring Break! Luckily, we didn't lose any days due to snow, so I'm off 4/3 through 4/12. It has been great so far. Definitely the recharge I need! While I have time, I thought I'd link up with <a href="http://www.schroedershenanigansin2nd.com/2015/04/2gether-we-are-better-my-2nd-grade.html" target="_blank">Schroeder Shenanigans</a> to talk about my daily schedule. It has been really interesting to see how others put together their day and how much time is allocated for certain things.<br />
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<a href="http://www.schroedershenanigansin2nd.com/2015/04/2gether-we-are-better-my-2nd-grade.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UJDOkPom-PQ/VSNbLulzplI/AAAAAAAABhg/2z09CkVzLSw/s1600/2gether%2Bbanner.jpg" height="192" width="640" /></a></div>
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I don't have much say in my schedule. My day is structured by our administration, and we must stick to it. A lot of that is because we have scheduled RTI times (for both reading and math) where we have paraprofessionals and our special teachers (art, music, etc.) take groups. They are usually given the on/above level groups, and we are expected to prepare materials and lessons for them to present. I'm very thankful that we have push in help. It helps in differentiation and in meeting time requirements for RTI.<br />
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I was also taken back by how many of you do not have a planning period daily. On weeks we have PLC (which is most weeks), we have planning four of the five days. But even on that one day, I still have recess free. I already stay at work for an extra hour and half every day. If I didn't have planning, I would need to live there. I feel for you guys.<br />
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Anyway, here's my schedule with some elaboration afterward.<br />
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Our doors open at 8 am. Students may either come right down to the classroom or visit the cafeteria for free breakfast. During this time, some third grade students are hallway monitors and kindergarten volunteers. Morning work is completed as well. I have my students complete spelling activities (in leu of spelling homework). Students are marked late if they have not arrived by 8:25. Morning routine is finished up with announcements that are video streamed live.<br />
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Next is our main reading block. This time is spent working on our current skill in a variety of different ways. We do not have a reading series, so this looks different on any given day. Sometimes we are working in our INBs or using Storyworks for high interest text. It might be whole group instruction or working in partners. Just depends. Each day, I try to allocate at least 10 minutes for students to drop everything and read (DEAR) with a book on their level. Sometimes they get more or less. Again, it just depends. =)<br />
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For both Math and Reading RTI, I have a two session rotation. I posted about my math rotations <a href="http://thirdgrade-firststate.blogspot.com/2013/08/math-workshop.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>, although that was a couple years ago so it has changed a little. Now, I do rotations all five days and changed some things, but that post can paint a general picture. My two reading rotations are back to back, but my math rotations are split by lunch.<br />
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Brain Break=Go Noodle=My kids are obsessed. My school has a grant that allows us to get fresh fruits and veggies a few days a week. If there is a delivery that day, we enjoy our snack at this time.<br />
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My writing block involves explicit instruction on various types of writing and taking writing pieces through the writing process. We did mentor sentences for the first half of the year, and my kids loooved it. However, since Christmas, this block has been spent doing SBAC test prep. No comment. But I have been doing performance task prep, so at least writing is being integrated.<br />
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Whole group math involves a lot of notebooking, manipulatives, anchor charts, and partner work. Math instruction is my fave! Again, we don't have a series, so this block looks different depending on the day and the concept.<br />
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I have duty-free lunch every day. I have recess duty every third week. My teammates and I are on a rotating schedule, so it is nice to get a little extra time to get things done every now and then.<br />
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For science and social studies, I typically teach a half of a marking period of science, then switch to social studies for the remainder. Not ideal. I integrate both into reading as much as possible.<br />
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From there, my students go to special, and I've made it to my planning period! Whoooop! Like I said, I have planning four out of five days of the week. Having planning at the end of the day has its pros and cons. It makes for a looooong day, but it also allows me to get started cleaning up the chaos from the past day and prepping for the day ahead!<br />
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Well, there it is! Looking forward to hear more about your schedules, too!meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07601059640778499239noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052746329798370775.post-3390816386626104832015-02-27T18:06:00.002-05:002015-08-02T22:16:08.983-04:00Kate DiCamilloSo far this year, my class has read three of Kate DiCamillo's books. I bought a box set of her books at the beginning of the year from Scholastic because I was interested in building my library. I knew I wanted several books by the same author so that kids could fall in love with a style of writing. Right now, I have DiCamillo, Dahl, Clements, Blume, Cleary, Polacco, and Bunting bins.<br />
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Anyway, we started off the year with Because of Winn Dixie as our first literature circle book. All of the groups did the same book so that we could learn our routine. My students loved it and couldn't wait to blog about it and discuss it every week. I'm about to send permission slips home so that we can watch the movie. My kids deserve it, being that we've pretty much had inside recess every day for the past two months.<span style="text-align: center;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>(cover pictures from http://www.katedicamillo.com/)</i></span></div>
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After that, we began The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane as a read aloud. I can't say enough about this book. My kids were hanging on to every word and would beg to hear more. They were so sad when we finished it! I like this as a read aloud; I probably wouldn't use it as a literature circle book. Not saying it is bad for that purpose, but I feel like the kids enjoy it more as listeners, without assignments attached.<br />
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Today, we finished "The Tiger Rising." Meh. Most of kids were so into it, but I wasn't! Some of them even said it was their favorite of the three. <i>Whhhaaaat?! </i>But, that's why they pay me the big bucks, to act enthusiastic. Don't get me wrong, the writing was beautiful. I just wasn't 100% invested in the characters or plot.<br />
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So I'm trying to decide if we should read another of Ms. DiCamillo's books or try another author. Many of my students had Tale of Despereaux read aloud to them last year by their second grade teacher, so I don't want to do that one.<br />
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Has anyone read "The Magician's Elephant" or "Flora and Ulysses?" Are either similar to any of her other books?meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07601059640778499239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052746329798370775.post-64327182923648752962015-02-20T21:41:00.000-05:002015-02-20T21:46:36.281-05:00Discussion Groups in the Classroom (& a freebie!)I love it when my students are engaged in high quality discussions about the text we are working with. At this point in the school year, our discussions are on topic and flowing smoothly. What a beautiful thing! Music to a teacher's ears!<br />
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We all have different ways of structuring class discussions. I've come up with a structure that works really well in my classroom. It can be difficult to harness the thoughts and words of a eight/nine year old, but I've found that this does the job for me.<br />
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I've found that the best discussions happen when everyone has a job to do. When a discussion is a free-for-all, you all know what happens. The same 1-2 kids take monopoly of the entire conversation, while the wallflower types just listen. Listening is a great skill to have, but I feel that every student should voice their opinion, even if it is just to agree or disagree with what another student said. And all of that is assuming that the conversation is even on topic. I don't know about you, but I feel like the speaking/listening standards are way too important (and underutilized) for these scenarios to become the norm.<br />
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I've always arranged my room using tables. I do a lot of group work, investigations, and discussions, and it just wouldn't work if I used rows and columns. This year, I have 25 students, so I have desks arranged in six groups. One group with five students and the rest with four. This year, I used <a href="http://www.thebrownbagteacher.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Brown Bag Teacher</a>'s <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Editable-Desk-Tags-for-Cooperative-Learning-1289703" target="_blank">editable desk tags</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1SHkIRp7Lzk/VOes1Keg14I/AAAAAAAABeI/y3NaWoc2F48/s1600/editable%2Bdesk%2Btags.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1SHkIRp7Lzk/VOes1Keg14I/AAAAAAAABeI/y3NaWoc2F48/s1600/editable%2Bdesk%2Btags.png" height="200" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Do not pin this image. Visit TPT to view/pin the product.</span></i></td></tr>
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This allows me to categorize my students in several different ways. When lining up, I can call tables by color. I could also call all "A" or "B" students or "1s" or "2s". When summarizing a lessons, I often have As discuss with the other A at their table, and Bs doing the same. If I change student seats, I just reassign the tags accordingly. They are not taped down. You can assign students strategically so that you control groups and partners. The product is very versatile. Couldn't recommend enough!<br />
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<b>So, how do I use all of this to conduct discussion groups in my classroom? </b></div>
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Students know that their number signifies their discussion group. I have all ones go to a spot in the room, twos go to other spot, and so on. One group gets the carpet, another at my small group table, another on the floor at the front of the room, and another at a table. The groups are spaced far enough apart so that they can focus on their discussion. Each student needs to bring their text (the book, article, or passage we are working with). If their group is on the floor or carpet, they may grab a clipboard.<br />
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<img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5vV1tZiCUnk/VOfrjaB991I/AAAAAAAABfs/fZPU0TABcvU/s1600/discussion3.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></div>
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Once in their group, I give each student a card which is their discussion role assignment. There are four roles, and they are all modeling and practiced so that expectations are clear. The roles are Discussion Leader, Speaker, Notetaker, and Team Member. Each group has one discussion leader, one speaker, one notetaker, and 3 team members. These posters are hung as a reminder of discussion expectations.<br />
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<img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pxh_KNi8o1c/VOfenYRybbI/AAAAAAAABfE/1x-d7xkRJl4/s1600/Slide07.jpg" height="200" width="150" /> <img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OVvOF6rpmMU/VOfeVI8Hy7I/AAAAAAAABe8/-ovvAN1ULz0/s1600/Slide06.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></div>
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<img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xcCSQF8cDx0/VOffnXzpvBI/AAAAAAAABfU/H-xti6qDdKM/s1600/Slide09.jpg" height="200" width="150" /> <img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dGFyOeAEMlU/VOffekDNd9I/AAAAAAAABfM/9FSMdtVpeSk/s1600/Slide08.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></div>
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Our favorite texts to discuss are articles from Storyworks (by Scholastic). The subscription comes with critical thinking questions, and sometimes, questions are imbedded right into the text. Instead of writing responses, we discuss them. But, this can used with any text, as long as your discussion topics/questions involve higher order thinking. They obviously shouldn't be yes/no questions!<br />
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As students are discussing the text, I simply walk around and listen. If you wanted to be more formal, you could develop a checklist to track student responses and participation or use a form and take anecdotal notes. To keep time, I use a countdown timer on the smart board, and I give 2-3 minutes per question.<br />
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<img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I00iR1VDoa8/VOfr6Ch6zJI/AAAAAAAABf0/BVmBz-aKGBE/s1600/discussion1.jpg" height="168" width="200" /> <img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xmw9l8uU38A/VOfr6zmbxOI/AAAAAAAABf8/D-pcbcHQ5Ro/s1600/discussion2.jpg" height="172" width="200" /></div>
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Are you interested in trying out this method of running discussion groups? Download the freebie by clicking the picture below. It includes discussion cards and expectation posters. Please leave feedback! =)<br />
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Classroom-Discussion-Structure-Kit-1720803" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c-zTfKUfCQk/VOfgDSLBTjI/AAAAAAAABfc/uaY1wgYo1Qk/s1600/Slide01.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></div>
<br />meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07601059640778499239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052746329798370775.post-13710180203493482922015-02-13T22:36:00.000-05:002015-02-13T22:36:53.918-05:00Teacher In Search Of Clip Art!Popping in real quick for a request for some help!<br />
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I am working on a product that centers around Greek and Latin roots.<br />
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It is a vocabulary center that students visit once a week in my classroom during reading center rotations. Each week, students learn a new root and 5-6 corresponding words. Students complete a vocabulary model where they write the definition, a sentence, and an illustration for each word. Then, they complete a "skill check" where they use the words in context.<br />
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My students LOVE this center. It makes them feel so successful when they find a word in their reading and are able to figure out its meaning based on a root (or "chunk" as we sometimes call it!). They feel like big kids! Anddddd, it makes their dear teacher happy when I walk around while they are taking their STAR test and see them apply their learning!<br />
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I am really excited to share this product because it it working so well in my classroom. Right now, I'm making the product as I go, adding a new root each week. Over spring break, I'd like to finish it and make it available on TPT.<br />
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Anyway, the real reason for this post is that I am in search of a clip art set that would include the images I would need to jazz up the product a little bit. I'm looking for a set that has simple images for the most popular Greek/Latin roots. For example, a gavel for "leg," a camera for "photo," and a water droplet for "aqua." Get the gist?<br />
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Maybe you know of a set that would fit the bill? Or you know of a clip art artist who takes requests? Please comment! If your suggestion leads to me finding what I need, I will send you a free copy of the product when it is finished!<br />
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Thanks in advance!meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07601059640778499239noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052746329798370775.post-82651703232875599582014-12-28T01:29:00.002-05:002014-12-28T01:29:51.015-05:0014 in 14!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm linking up with some of my blogging inspirations to reflect upon 2014. Thank you Hadar, Kristin, & Traci for hosting, and thanks to Traci for supplying the super cute headings for the countdown in a super easy download! <a href="http://www.dragonfliesinfirst.com/2014/12/14-in-14.html" target="_blank">Visit her post</a> to download them for yourself and link up. =)</div>
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Working on this!</div>
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I read an awesome blog called <a href="http://brittanyherself.com/" target="_blank">Brittany, Herself</a> -- which is a love-your-body-the-way-it-is type of blog. It is my favorite non-teaching blog... she's hilarious! Anyway, she posted about <a href="http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?pid=122355052&vid=1&locale=en_US&kwid=1&sem=false&sdReferer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F" target="_blank">this flannel from Old Navy</a>, and I had to have it! We have similar body types and fashion taste, so I trust her. I ordered it in XXL Buffalo Plaid (which is no longer available online, sorry!). It is oversized and comfy, just like I wanted! I also shopped in store and bought a black/white plaid in XL. Annnd, I bought my sister one for Christmas. #clearlyobsessed.</div>
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This is a hard one! I love movies! I've watched quite a few that are based on books I've read this year (If I Stay, Gone Girl, Mockingjay, Divergent, Giver, etc.), and they were great. Well, I didn't really like The Giver. But anyway, for my favorite movie, I'll go outside of that realm!</div>
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I'm not big on comic book movies, but my boyfriend wanted to see this, so I took this opportunity to see something that HE wanted so that I would be able to drag him to something I wanted to see later. That's normal, right? Well, it turns out that I loved it! Mostly the 80s references and Chris Pratt. And the raccoon.</div>
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This year, I binge-watched The Walking Dead on Netflix so that I was ready to watch with the rest of the world at the beginning of this season! I was so hesitant to start watching it. I didn't think I'd be into the whole zombie thing, but if you're a viewer, you know the show isn't all about that. So now, I'm obsessed and <strike>patiently</strike> waiting for February for new episodes!</div>
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Honestly, don't really have one. There aren't many choices around here, and I haven't ventured out and about much this year!</div>
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Kidblog! My students logged on every Friday to blog about their reading of 2-3 chapters of Because of Winn Dixie. I used<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Kid-Blog-Literature-Circles-Technology-Centered-1210165" target="_blank"> this product by Where The Wild Things Learn</a> to give students different jobs to blog about each week. Because we only have access to the mobile lab once a week, it didn't exactly work like I wanted it to, so I'll definitely be tweaking our routine when we return from break. But most of my kids were so motivated to blog, and it practiced their keyboarding skills, as well!</div>
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The happiness and healthiness of those who mean the most to be, both of the human and animal variety. I know that sounds cheesy, but we had an incident over the holiday that reminded me of this.</div>
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I traveled home for the holidays, and on Christmas Day, my sister and I noticed that one of our 9 year old cats (we rescued a set of brothers when they were babies) was breathing irregularly. We brought him in to the emergency vet, which is thankfully only about 15 minutes from my dad's house. It turns out that his chest was full of fluid. He stayed overnight and was treated, but he was diagnosed with possible heart failure. We were able to bring him home yesterday with some medicine that will help the fluid not come back and to help his sweet heart. Here he is a few Christmases ago.</div>
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My gift is that I am able to spend more time with him. I live over an hour from him, but I make it back there about once a month. I'll cherish each snuggle! We are so hopeful that this medication works and his quality of life remains high for as long as possible. We love him oh so much. <3</div>
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I've always wanted to make apps with little cups like these, but I always thought you had to make them yourself. They are a game changer!</div>
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Well, I fell off the blogging wagon in the beginning quarter of the year, and I only averaged about one post a month since then. That makes it pretty tough to pick a favorite post of my own! I guess I would choose my two recent posts about <a href="http://thirdgrade-firststate.blogspot.com/2014/09/brag-tag-display.html" target="_blank">my brag tag display</a> and my <a href="http://thirdgrade-firststate.blogspot.com/2014/10/estimating-sums-and-differences-resource.html" target="_blank">estimating sums and differences resource</a>. These posts are what I truly love about blogging, sharing ideas that others can use!</div>
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I have two! Earlier this year, I was named Teacher of the Year in my building. I'd only been teaching for five years at that point, so it was really nice recognition. I also graduated with my Masters degree in School Counseling. Two years of hard work were all worth it when I walked across that stage!</div>
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My nephew at a local fall hot spot. LOL.</div>
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It happened on May 21st, 2014. I became an Auntie. I'll never forget that night. I drove from Dover, DE to Chester, PA to the hospital at around midnight on a Tuesday night/Wednesday morning. (Thank goodness I was team-teaching, so I didn't have to worry about detailed sub plans. I just emailed my partner from the hospital.) I got there around 1:30 and waited around until around 4 am when we got word that the baby was coming. At around 4:30, Kiyan William was here. After he was born, we went in to see him. We went home to get a few hours of sleep, then came back and spent the day with the new little family in the hospital. I'll never forget it!</div>
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(This year has been full of memories! One of my best friend's had her first child. My second best friend announced she was having her first child, & we hosted her baby shower (she's due Jan. 11). And my third best friend is getting married on the very last day of 2014, New Year's Eve!)</div>
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To accept whatever comes my way in my professional life. I am hoping that I will find a school counseling position. I put a lot of work into my degree, and I am so ready for a new challenge professionally! However, if I don't I hope to continue honing my skills as a third grade teacher through practice and professional development. My goal is to accept whatever happens and work hard to be the best educator I can be. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">*patience*</span></div>
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This kind of goes along with my goal. If I don't end up as a school counselor in the '15-'16 SY, I will accept that and patiently await positions to open the following year. I also want to practice patience in my personal life. When you are a 28 year-old in a long-term relationship, every other question is, "When are you getting married?" or "Where's the ring?" I want to work hard to not let that affect me. When it is meant to happen, it'll happen. =)</div>
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I look forward to reading everyone else's reflections. I wish all of my readers (over 500 now, wow!) a happy and healthy start to the new year!</div>
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meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07601059640778499239noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052746329798370775.post-82266765482816177932014-12-22T18:13:00.000-05:002014-12-23T18:19:55.590-05:00Holiday Traditions in the ClassroomGrowing up, my family never really developed any holiday traditions. My parents are divorced, so every year was spent at a different place, visiting different family members, trying to squeeze in time with everyone. Not a lot of time for yearly traditions!<br />
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I think that's why I was eager to start my own traditions in my classroom during the holidays. This is my fifth year as a homeroom teacher (sixth year overall), and each year I do a few holiday activities. I've had students design the North Pole, study Wilson Bentley, etc. Those change from year to year. (What doesn't change is that I stink at taking pictures of all of this!)<br />
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But, there are two things that I have done every year since 2010 that I'd like to share!<br />
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<i><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">Tradition #1: Puzzle Piece Ornaments</span></i></div>
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Fun fact: I made this ornament in 2nd grade, which is why I chose it to make with my students. I swipe it from my dad's tree to show to my students every year. Of course, I left it in my desk, but I'll add the photo to this post when I return to school! Mine is still intact, except all but one of the sequins have fallen off! My sister also made it because she had the same 2nd grade teacher a few years after I did. =)<br />
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By looking at the ornament, it is pretty self-explanatory as to how to make it, but here are the steps I take, and it works for me. I make it over three days, for about a half hour each day.<br />
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<u>Materials Needed</u>: cheap gift boxes (for the base of the ornament), cheap puzzle with small pieces, bottled glue, sequins, yarn/ribbon, spray paint (I used green or gold), glitter spray<br />
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Prior to crafting, I cut out all of the trees from gift boxes. You could have your kids do the cutting, but I don't know about your kids, but mine always lack the skill of cutting in straight lines in an efficient manner. I also hole punch the top of each tree for the ribbon.<br />
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<u>Day 1</u>: Students use bottled glue (not stick glue!) to glue puzzle pieces to the backing. I instruct them to glue the ornaments "puzzle picture side down." That way, the spray paint will go over the pieces evenly, and I don't have to worry about the puzzle picture peeking through. They are instructed to cover the ornament with one layer of puzzle pieces, then they may overlap if they'd like. After school on Day 1, I spray paint each tree gold or green. I let the students tell me which color they'd like beforehand. I let the trees dry overnight.<br />
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<u>Day 2</u>: Students use bottled glue to decorate their ornament with sequins. You could use any decor you'd like. Pipe cleaner tinsel might be cute. =) I make sure to tell students to leave a space in the middle of the tree for their picture. When students are finished, I give each tree a few sprays of craft glitter if the students want it. I let them dry overnight.<br />
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<u>Day 3:</u> I put each student's school picture in the middle of the tree and tie ribbon for the ornament. I give each student a white paper bag to decorate like wrapping paper. They put their ornament inside, and I staple it shut with a bag topper. Here is a finished product:<br />
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Adorable, right?! If you don't like the Christmas tree, you could do this same technique with any shape you want. I think it would look cute with whatever! I just love the "old school" look of these. Nothing flashy, just a good old fashioned keepsake. =)<br />
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<i><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">Tradition #2: Miniature Stockings</span></i></div>
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I work in a low income area, and I really don't know how many students have a stocking to call their own at home. So, I make them a personalized one at school! On Monday, they see their stocking hanging, and each day after than until break I put a little treat in there. I add things like crazy straws, candy canes, pencils, stickers, homework passes, etc.<br />
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I purchase the stockings at the Dollar Tree. The sassy sequin stockings pictured are from 2012. This year, I did a mixture of snowmen, gingerbread men, and Santa. They also have traditional white/red stockings. To make sure I get the ones that I want, I start stalking the local Dollar Trees right after Thanksgiving. =)<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c1zuLY3eCT8/VJidlqull2I/AAAAAAAABZ4/hfLl8GUGPOs/s1600/xmas_stockings1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c1zuLY3eCT8/VJidlqull2I/AAAAAAAABZ4/hfLl8GUGPOs/s1600/xmas_stockings1.jpg" height="197" width="320" /></a></div>
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I have two windows in my classroom, so I put up two curtain rods. I use pipe cleaners to attach the stockings to the rod, making for easy put up and take down. The kids are always so excited to take these home!<br />
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I'm linking this post up with Ashley at <a href="http://justreed-ashley.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Just Reed</a> for her Christmas Crafting linky!<br />
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Now that I've graduated with my Masters in School Counseling and am actively looking for a position in that field, every Christmas may be my last one with a homeroom. That makes me so sad! Any else recently leave the classroom and had to deal with this?!<br />
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Do you have any holiday traditions that you try to do in your classroom. Tell me in the comments! I hope everyone has a safe and joyful holiday!meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07601059640778499239noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052746329798370775.post-56922549238522041072014-10-15T20:12:00.000-04:002014-10-15T20:12:01.470-04:00Estimating Sums and Differences ResourceHey everyone!<br />
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I hope everyone's year is off to a great start. I can't believe we are halfway through October already!<br />
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My class is absolutely amazing this year, and I am having such a fantastic time accelerating them and meeting their needs. I can only hope that their scores on all of the lovely assessments reflect all of the learning going on!<br />
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Besides the actual "teaching" part of teaching, I'm struggling to keep up with the demands that keep piling up. I know you all can relate. Paperwork for this, keeping a log for that. A committee for this, growth goals for that. I'm very grateful that my classroom is running so smoothly. Otherwise, all of the extra stuff would probably push me over the edge.<br />
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We are wrapping up our study of place value, addition, subtraction, and estimation. These skills take up the entire first marking period so that we are certain that students have a solid foundation before moving on to other concepts. Side note: I am SO excited to get these kids rolling with multiplication and division. I'm anxious to see how far I can push them!<br />
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I've always found estimating sums and differences a pretty dry concept to teach.<br />
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What is a teacher to do?<br />
Add dice, point values, and call it a game, of course!<br />
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My students had a great time playing this game, which I dubbed Estimating Extravaganza! It turned out to be a great way to practice this skill. I saw a few games similar to this when I was browsing, but I wanted to make it a little more involved. Each round has a different set of directions. The rounds include both two and three digit numbers, and it calls for estimating both sums and differences.<br />
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Click the picture or link to download. Please let me know what you think! =)<br />
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<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwJTc_69C8P4MzdYY2ZnMUIzRE0/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TaVSxcqlwEw/VD8M0cLYpXI/AAAAAAAABZQ/lszVWFedkqo/s1600/estimatingsumsanddifferences.png" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwJTc_69C8P4MzdYY2ZnMUIzRE0/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Estimating Extravaganza</a></div>
meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07601059640778499239noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052746329798370775.post-54495187236015287392014-09-14T17:07:00.000-04:002014-09-14T17:07:20.577-04:00Brag Tag DisplayI'm starting my fourth week with students tomorrow, and this year has been so different from years past. As I've said before, I've gone from teaching two years of general ed. third grade, to two years of co-teaching third grade, to this year teaching accelerated third grade.<br />
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My students are SO eager to learn. They eat up every bit of information I give. Behavior has been on point, aside from a few small instances. I tell everyone who will listen in my building that I am truly blessed this year.<br />
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<i>They are most likely annoyed with me.</i><br />
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But anyway, like many of you, I use brag tags in my room. I actually have to use them, as we adopted them last year as a part of PBS. The school purchased a few tags that we can all use, like honor roll, student of the month, and perfect attendance. It is up to use how we display and use the tags.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Fzz7ONd1BMA/VBX9bFfj9_I/AAAAAAAABYo/NaXWLWSdmxc/s1600/brag1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Fzz7ONd1BMA/VBX9bFfj9_I/AAAAAAAABYo/NaXWLWSdmxc/s1600/brag1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here is how I display my brag tags. The PBS team loved it so much last year, they took pictures and showed it to others in my building, so many others have a similar display. I do not let the students wear their tags because I don't want anyone to lose their necklace. Last year, I hung my necklaces with tiny command hooks. This year, I purchased <a href="http://pinhooks.com/" target="_blank">Pin Hooks</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://pinhooks.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8eSKNSDY7N4/VBX71w5OhgI/AAAAAAAABYY/RoC3Qx0A2bw/s1600/dream-pack-new.png" height="200" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://pinhooks.com/" target="_blank">image from pinhooks.com</a></td></tr>
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I like them much better than the command hooks because I can reposition them without ripping my background paper. This year, I have a career high (and building high) 25 students. This way, if my numbers go down next year, I can adjust accordingly. You can purchase them in primary colors, bright colors, clear, or black and white. I clearly went for the brights! The only issue is that the pins stick out a little bit because my cork boards are shallow. (For the record, I was not compensated for telling you all about PinHooks. I just wanted to share a cute product!) The small labels were a freebie that I sized down considerably. The creator's name is not in the download, so if it belongs to you, leave a comment and I will link! I love my chevron border, and I use it on every board in my room with a black background!<br />
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<i>I do not love my photography skills. Sorry.</i><br />
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I started everyone out with a "First Day of School" brag tag, which I downloaded for free from TPT from <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Brag-Tags-First-Day-of-School-FREEBIE-1314463" target="_blank">Teaching Rock Stars</a>. As the year goes on, I will add brag tags that the school supplies, as well as some of my own. Throughout the year, I introduce new ways to fill your necklace, mostly using pony beads. For example, I declare February "Fe'blue'ary. Blue is the highest color you can get on our clip chart, school wide. Any time a students reaches blue in February, they will get a blue pony bead on their necklace. Once I introduce different pony beads, I will add a key/legend in the blank space on the bulletin board that will explain the meaning for the different colors.<br />
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I'm currently nursing what feels like a budding sinus infection, so I'm kind of in a sudafed-daze. Looking forward to a good night's sleep so that I can be ready for a full week of school and open house on Thursday night!meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07601059640778499239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052746329798370775.post-43937890191643683222014-08-14T00:48:00.000-04:002014-08-14T00:48:56.024-04:00Meet the Teacher Blogger LinkyI am probably the last to this party! I've added a bunch of new blogs to my feed recently, and it has been great to get to know everyone a little better! So I knew I had to join in on the fun.<br />
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In case you're new here, here's a little intro! My name is Meg, and I'm a 28 year old third grade teacher in Delaware. This will be my sixth year as a teacher. I can't believe it! My first year (2009) was spent as a writing specialist. Followed by that were two years in a general ed third grade classroom, then two years in a co-taught inclusion third grade classroom. This year, I'm in for another change, as I'll be teaching the accelerated third grade class. I'm pretty sure I could rattle off most of the third grade Common Core Standards by heart. #embarrassing #sorrynotsorry<br />
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Let's get personal! I currently live with my boyfriend of two years and my cat, Mona. She started out as a foster, but her cuteness convinced me to make it permanent. I mean, how can you resist?<br />
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Now to the Q & A portion!<br />
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">These are a few of my favorite things..</span></b></div>
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My nephew (pictured. you're welcome.)<br />
Chai Tea Lattes<br />
My magic machine a.k.a. Silhouette Cameo<br />
Sleeping in<br />
Hashtagging to the point of annoyance<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>If you weren't a teacher, what would you want to be?</b></span></div>
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I went into college as a journalism major, with dreams of being a news anchor. That kind of career involves moving around the world though, and I'm pretty family oriented, so that kind of lifestyle just wouldn't work for me. I've always wanted to work in higher education, and I still see myself doing that someday. I guess for something completely different than education, I'd be an optometrist. (Even though I just had to google it to make sure I spelled it right.)<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Three little words that describe you.</b></span></div>
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Passionate. Loyal. Goal-oriented.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Finish the sentence, "_____, said no teacher ever!"</span></b></div>
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"I'm in it for the money!" said no teacher ever!<br />
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">It's your birthday and you can invite anyone (dead or alive) to the party. Who are you inviting?</span></b></div>
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Jennifer Lawrence and Emma Stone seem like they'd be a good time. Or maybe a few cast members of Saturday Night Live, past and present, like Gilda Radner or Bill Hader.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">If someone wrote a book about your life, what would be the title?</span></b></div>
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This is a tough one! Maybe "A Work In Progress." I feel like I have SO much more to accomplish, both personally and professionally!<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>You get to pick one superpower. What is it?</b></span></div>
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Teleportation! My family lives all over the US, and I'm over an hour from my immediate family and friends. Being able to see them whenever I want, without having to worry about travel time or expenses, would be amazing. Also, I hate commuting to work, even if it is only 40 minutes, so I'd use it for that, too!<br />
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">What's your favorite quote or saying?</span></b></div>
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"I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something." I just love this saying, especially in our profession. Sometimes, we feel hopeless, unappreciated, and overwhelmed. But we do "something" every day. We need to remember that when we're in the thick of it this year!<br />
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">If you had to sing one song on American Idol, what would it be?</span></b></div>
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"Somebody to Love" by Queen. It is my absolute favorite song to belt! If you are unfamiliar, go listen, now! The Glee version is great, too!<br />
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Are you a morning person or a night owl?</span></b></div>
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Night owl, for sure. Although I'll probably be in bed by 8 at the latest during the first couple weeks of school. No judging!<br />
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">What's your favorite resource that you've created in your TPT shop?</span></b></div>
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I don't have the biggest or best shop, but I put things in there that I use and love. I love using this product with my students!<br />
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Written-Math-Assessments-Third-Grade-810238" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x5fGHZ_ue4s/Uf8vgLLX4WI/AAAAAAAABJM/Z8tWEjiJzzM/s1600/Slide1.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Written-Math-Assessments-Third-Grade-810238" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8xhddbGrUGE/U-w2dYUmqEI/AAAAAAAABXA/63S9azo_Yf4/s1600/model.png" height="320" width="238" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Share something we might not know about you!</span></b></div>
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Well, you definitely won't know this. My hair doesn't look like the picture above anymore! I went to my back to school hair appointment today (you all have those, right?) and got about 4 inches chopped off and went a few shades darker to my natural color (see roots in the picture above). I miss it already!<br />
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That's it! If you haven't linked up yet (I can't be the ONLY one!), here's the place to go! =)<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Teachers in my district go back to school Monday. I've been in to my room a couple times here and there to start setting up, but expect pictures of the finished product next week sometime!</span></div>
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meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07601059640778499239noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052746329798370775.post-69830089605385595232014-08-06T01:06:00.001-04:002014-08-06T01:07:50.140-04:00What I Bought!Did you take advantage of the Teachers Pay Teachers sale? I put <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Meghan-Feby" target="_blank">my store</a> (my tiny store!) on sale for the event, and I want to say thank you to anyone who purchased any of my items. Please let me know how they work for you!<br />
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Now, what did I buy? I'm glad you asked because I made a snazzy graphic.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zQ8u0eGnA5M/U-Gzsb2WbPI/AAAAAAAABWM/JNxqvwUMvEc/s1600/Slide1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zQ8u0eGnA5M/U-Gzsb2WbPI/AAAAAAAABWM/JNxqvwUMvEc/s1600/Slide1.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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I mentioned that I will be teaching the accelerated class in third grade this year. In other words, I have the highest achieving students in my room. Aside from literally "accelerating," I clearly want to up the rigor and introduce higher level skills and concepts. To do that, I purchased:<br />
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Kid-Blog-Literature-Circles-Technology-Centered-1210165" target="_blank">Blogging Literature Circles by Where the Wild Things Learn</a><br />
<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Mentor-Sentences-Unit-First-Ten-Weeks-656005" target="_blank">Mentor Sentences by Jivey</a><br />
<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Greek-and-Latin-Root-of-the-Week-Rolodex-Daily-Practice-Activities-1210433" target="_blank">Root of the Week by The Brown Bag Teacher</a><br />
<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Morphology-Dictionary-Ready-Made-Spelling-Lists-and-Student-Dictionaries-680661" target="_blank">Morphology Dictionary by Ladybugs Teacher Files</a><br />
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My room doesn't have a theme, just a color scheme. I love brights on black. To update my decor, I purchased:<br />
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Classroom-Rules-Quotes-Subway-Art-1338803" target="_blank">Desire to Inspire Subway Art by Hope King</a><br />
<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Simply-Iconic-Customizable-Library-Labels-1367784" target="_blank">Simple Iconic Library Labels by Ladybugs Teacher Files</a><br />
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I also purchased <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Dealing-with-Math-Homework-3rd-Grade-Math-Card-Games-Unit-1332789" target="_blank">Math Homework Card Games by Teachers Clubhouse</a>. I'm not entirely sure how I'm going to use them yet. I may use them as a choice during math centers. I might also have the students keep the games in their binders (as Amanda suggests in <a href="http://www.teachingmaddeness.com/2014/07/im-lovin-homework-math-mini-series.html" target="_blank">this blog post</a>) for extra practice.<br />
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The last item I purchased was the <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Editable-Desk-Tags-for-Cooperative-Learning-1289703" target="_blank">Editable Desk Tags by The Brown Bag Teacher</a>. I'm always looking for ways to streamline transitions. I do a ton of partner work, so I'm going to give this Kagan strategy a shot.<br />
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Link up with Blog Hoppin'!<br />
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Did you buy/create anything that you think would help me accelerate and really push my above level third graders? Leave me a comment so I can check it out!meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07601059640778499239noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052746329798370775.post-30801712055425103902014-08-04T17:46:00.001-04:002014-08-04T17:47:55.898-04:00Goodreads Purge Part Two: Fiction<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm back with the rest of my recent reads. This time, I'm sharing fiction! If you have Goodreads, feel free to visit <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/10127032-meg" target="_blank">my profile</a> and add me as a friend! I love seeing what everyone is reading.</span><br />
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<u><b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">John Green</span></b></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VRNoVEnrB4o/U98AhcYuceI/AAAAAAAABUU/_lZIMEMzANg/s1600/book_alaska.jpg" height="200" width="132" /> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oP3Z53nPl40/U98AiabTR-I/AAAAAAAABUg/sPd2lHEFouc/s1600/book_katherine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oP3Z53nPl40/U98AiabTR-I/AAAAAAAABUg/sPd2lHEFouc/s1600/book_katherine.jpg" height="200" width="129" /></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FqNAlHHKtCI/U98AjqWsl2I/AAAAAAAABU0/2FlpAMlo2q4/s1600/book_papertown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FqNAlHHKtCI/U98AjqWsl2I/AAAAAAAABU0/2FlpAMlo2q4/s1600/book_papertown.jpg" height="200" width="131" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I had already read & loved The Fault in our Stars. It was a quick, entertaining read, so I immediately set out to read more from this amazing author! These books did not disappoint, either! They are all young adult and deal with the relationships frequently encountered in that time of life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Looking for Alaska (5/5; this one was my favorite!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">An Abundance of Katherines (3.5/5; not bad, just not as good as the others)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Paper Towns (4/5)</span><br />
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<u><b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Rainbow Rowell</span></b></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JdRDpBmKtEA/U98AiEv1x1I/AAAAAAAABV0/9W4hdARXMAE/s1600/book_fangirl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JdRDpBmKtEA/U98AiEv1x1I/AAAAAAAABV0/9W4hdARXMAE/s1600/book_fangirl.jpg" height="200" width="134" /></a><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FCY0oMPsk5Q/U98AhT2DOJI/AAAAAAAABUQ/3Nex46PoF_4/s1600/book_attachments.jpg" height="200" width="133" /> <img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lw8x1ZBQAfg/U98AjOeOHKI/AAAAAAAABUo/2XRUzdlxfWY/s1600/book_landline.jpg" height="200" width="135" /> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The first experience I had with Ms. Rowell was Eleanor & Park, and that was one of the best books I've ever read! The style reminded me of John Green. The rest of her books (above) are a little more adult in content, and they read wonderfully! They are all light reads about relationships. Great for the summertime.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Attachments (4.5/5)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Landline (4/5; this one just came out!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Fangirl (5/5; this one was my favorite!)</span><br />
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<u><b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The Program & The Treatment</span></b></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TJ26RcWzT4A/U98Aj2qPmdI/AAAAAAAABU4/tLJAT0GDzWA/s1600/book_program.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TJ26RcWzT4A/U98Aj2qPmdI/AAAAAAAABU4/tLJAT0GDzWA/s1600/book_program.jpg" height="200" width="131" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Sdtp9E15peU/U98AlKUhl7I/AAAAAAAABVE/obqkYZ-3N_M/s1600/book_treatment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Sdtp9E15peU/U98AlKUhl7I/AAAAAAAABVE/obqkYZ-3N_M/s1600/book_treatment.jpg" height="200" width="132" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I clearly love dystopian YA! The premise of this series is that suicide has become an epidemic. If you show any signs of depression, you get sent to "The Program," where your memory is wiped. The Treatment follows how a group of teens fight back against the program. It was a good book to read; I couldn't wait to read what happened next!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The Program (4.5/5)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The Treatment (4/5)</span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Gone Girl</span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">This book was recommended to me a few times, but I'm not into mysteries, and that's what I thought this book was. Um, it isn't! Well, not really. About half way through, everything you thought was happening gets turned upside down. I can't wait to see the movie!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Gone Girl (5/5)</span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Ready Player One</span></u></b></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SzXL2a-c1iM/U98AkJSoLpI/AAAAAAAABU8/L3tomgQva4E/s1600/book_ready.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SzXL2a-c1iM/U98AkJSoLpI/AAAAAAAABU8/L3tomgQva4E/s1600/book_ready.jpg" height="200" width="131" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Another dystopian, but the backstory here does not seem too far from where technology is headed. The back story is that the economy has crashed and people escape to the "OASIS," which is a virtual reality that is free to access using a headset. The creator of the OASIS died, and he has left a quest (based on 80s pop culture). The first person to solve it wins the creator's fortune. It is impossible for me to paint the picture of the OASIS in a short summary, so you should definitely check out this book. If you grew up in the 80's and know a lot about the pop culture of that time (movies, video games, music), you'll really enjoy this book.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Ready Player One (4.5/5)</span><br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Where'd You Go, Bernadette?</span></u></b></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AGM43gi-fo4/U98AhR6l2xI/AAAAAAAABUM/T_BupKSOM8k/s1600/book_bernadette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AGM43gi-fo4/U98AhR6l2xI/AAAAAAAABUM/T_BupKSOM8k/s1600/book_bernadette.jpg" height="200" style="text-align: center;" width="128" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">This is old fashioned chick-lit. Bernadette is an eccentric mother (with an incredibly strange past) who goes missing. The text is mostly made up of emails, documents, and other correspondences that tell the story of the main characters. (I previously read Love, Rosie and enjoyed the format, which is why I read this book.) All of the characters were so out there, so I couldn't really attach myself to them. But, it was an entertaining story that I was able to finish, and I did like the format.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Where'd You Go, Bernadette (3/5)</span><br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The Book Thief</span></u></b></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3Nz_o2X-LY8/U98Akh4Lv6I/AAAAAAAABVA/bwv4Z2xVUFU/s1600/book_thief.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3Nz_o2X-LY8/U98Akh4Lv6I/AAAAAAAABVA/bwv4Z2xVUFU/s1600/book_thief.jpg" height="200" width="131" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">This booooooook. I just loved it. It tells a story of the Holocaust from the point of view of Liesel Meminger, a young German girl who is sent to live with a foster family in Munich. She learns to read and so much more. I watched the movie (it is on Amazon Instant), but it didn't do the book justice at all. It is such a long, deep book that it was impossible to fit everything into a film. But I definitely recommend it!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The Book Thief (5/5)</span><br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">A Long Way Down</span></u></b></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MdRTkucFtzk/U98Ajf1Nv1I/AAAAAAAABUs/-qmezFS1Y1k/s1600/book_longway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MdRTkucFtzk/U98Ajf1Nv1I/AAAAAAAABUs/-qmezFS1Y1k/s1600/book_longway.jpg" height="200" width="131" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">A Long Way Down focuses on four people who end up at the same location on New Year's Eve. Sounds great. But the place where they meet is actually the top of a building that is famous for people committing suicide. The book sounds dark, but it really isn't. The story is told from all of their points of view on how the next few days are spent. This is also a movie, but I haven't gotten around to watching it yet (with Pierce Brosnan, Toni Collette & Aaron Paul).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">A Long Way Down (3.5/5)</span><br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The Kite Runner</span></u></b></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A3JX9gQMzaE/U98Ai8uF9vI/AAAAAAAABUk/WI1s2GgF1bc/s1600/book_kiterunner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A3JX9gQMzaE/U98Ai8uF9vI/AAAAAAAABUk/WI1s2GgF1bc/s1600/book_kiterunner.jpg" height="200" width="122" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Another great book. This is a story of an unlikely pair, a rich child and his servant's son, who live in Afghanistan. The story chronicles their lives, as Afghanistan crumbles and their relationship is tested. It is a really long book, but worth the read!</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">The Kite Runner (5/5)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Thanks for indulging me in my summer Goodreads purge!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">My reading with no doubt slow down once I go back to school in two weeks, but I hope to try to keep up with it. Right now, I'm reading Life in a Jar (on my Kindle) and This Is Where I Leave You (on audiobook while I'm walking on the treadmill). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">What did you read this summer? Anything to recommend to me?!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">During my blogging hiatus, I picked up the pace on reading for pleasure! This continued through the first half of my summer, as well. I loved reading when I was in elementary school, but once middle school/high school/college came around, I rarely picked up a book for fun. </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">I love my new-found motivation! </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is going to be a two-part Goodreads purge! I'll start with nonfiction.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u>A Thousand Lives: The Untold Stories of Hope, Deception, and Survival at Jonestown</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Thousand-Lives-Deception-Survival-Jonestown-ebook/dp/B004T4KRU6/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-obxcyYhX2ZA/U88cMyc8IZI/AAAAAAAABSo/xR2bWuZ8VhI/s1600/book_thousandlives.jpg" height="200" width="131" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><i>Goodreads says: <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.600000381469727px;">In 1954, a pastor named Jim Jones opened a church in Indianapolis called People's Temple Full Gospel Church. He was a charismatic preacher with idealistic beliefs, and he quickly filled his pews with an audience eager to hear his sermons on social justice. After Jones moved his church to Northern California in 1965, he became a major player in Northern California politics; he provided vital support in electing friendly political candidates to office, and they in turn offered him a protective shield that kept stories of abuse and fraud out of the papers. Even as Jones’s behavior became erratic and his message more ominous, his followers found it increasingly difficult to pull away from the church. By the time Jones relocated the Peoples Temple a final time to a remote jungle in Guyana and the U.S. Government decided to investigate allegations of abuse and false imprisonment in Jonestown, it was too late.</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 19.600000381469727px;">Meg says: I became interested in learning more about Jonestown after my friend took an entire course on it in her masters program. I was really interested in how people decided to give up everything, leave their families, and join the mission in Jonestown. This book is well-researched, and it answered a lot of my questions. The text reads like a timeline, and it takes you from the very beginning of the movement to the very end. I learned so much from this book, but it didn't feel like it because it also read as a narrative. I recommend this book if you'd like to learn more about this kind of thing! Very eye opening. [5/5 stars]</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><u><b>The Naked Lady Who Stood on Her Head: A Psychiatrist's Stories of His Most Bizarre Cases</b></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Naked-Lady-Stood-Head-Psychiatrists-ebook/dp/B003VIWRNG/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zccWPL-0DvQ/U88eWBY-naI/AAAAAAAABS0/LqSZnIIqFhI/s1600/book_nakedlady.jpg" height="200" width="135" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Goodreads says: <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">True stories are more bizarre than any fiction, and Dr. Gary Small knows this best. After thirty distinguished years of psychiatry and groundbreaking research on the human brain, Dr. Small has seen it all—now he is ready to open his office doors for the first time and tell all about the most mysterious, intriguing, and bizarre patients of his career. </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">The Naked Lady Who Stood on Her Head</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;"> is a spellbinding record of the doctor's most bewildering cases, from naked headstands and hysterical blindness to fainting schoolgirls and self-amputations. It is an illuminating journey into the mind of a practicing psychiatrist and his life in medicine as it evolves over time—a behind-the-scenes look at the field and a variety of mental diseases as they've never been seen or diagnosed before. You'll find yourself exploring the puzzling eccentricities that make us human.</span></i></span><br /><br />Meg says: A few years ago, I read Weekends at Bellevue, and I really enjoyed putting myself in the shoes of a psychiatrist. Don't let the title scare you away from this book! Although this text kind of leads you through the career of the doctor, the main focus is interesting cases that he has come across in his work (one of which is cited in the title). It reads like a short story anthology, and it was easy to get through. I've always been interested in psychology, and I enjoyed the road to diagnoses in each one of the cases. The book is more for entertainment, not for information, but it was definitely entertaining and worth the read. There are many books out there that follow this sort of template. [3.5/5]</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><u><b>The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog: And Other Stories from a Child Psychiatrist's Notebook--What Traumatized Children Can Teach Us About Loss, Love, and Healing</b></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><i>Goodreads says: <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">What happens when a young brain is traumatized? How does terror, abuse, or disaster affect a child's mind--and how can that mind recover? Child psychiatrist Bruce Perry has helped children faced with unimaginable horror: genocide survivors, murder witnesses, kidnapped teenagers, and victims of family violence. In </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">, he tells their stories of trauma and transformation through the lens of science, revealing the brain's astonishing capacity for healing. Deftly combining unforgettable case histories with his own compassionate, insightful strategies for rehabilitation, Perry explains what exactly happens to the brain when a child is exposed to extreme stress-and reveals the unexpected measures that can be taken to ease a child's pain and help him grow into a healthy adult. Through the stories of children who recover-physically, mentally, and emotionally-from the most devastating circumstances, Perry shows how simple things like surroundings, affection, language, and touch can deeply impact the developing brain, for better or for worse. In this deeply informed and moving book, Bruce Perry dramatically demonstrates that only when we understand the science of the mind can we hope to heal the spirit of even the most wounded child.</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Meg says: Like the previous book, this is also the story of a </span></span><span style="line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">psychiatrist</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 19.31999969482422px;"> and the interesting cases he has seen on his journey. However, I was able to relate to this text much more because it is based on the trauma of children. In my graduate counseling courses, I've learned a lot about how trauma can have a profound impact on children and how its effects can present themselves very differently in each child. To me, this was more informative than the latter book, but it was still entertaining. It was also quite sad to hear how children are mistreated, but that was not really the focus. The focus was more about the effects of trauma, the reasons behind the effects, and treatment. [4/5]</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u>Inside Scientology: The Story of America's Most Secretive Religion</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Inside-Scientology-Americas-Secretive-Religion-ebook/dp/B004X7TLU6/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LDqpaBMcIIM/U88gG4ETH0I/AAAAAAAABTI/LG_vPfqrZlM/s1600/book_scien.jpg" height="200" width="132" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Goodreads says: <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Scientology, created in 1954 by a prolific sci-fi writer named L. Ron Hubbard, claims to be the world’s fastest growing religion, with millions of members around the world and huge financial holdings. Its celebrity believers keep its profile high, and its teams of “volunteer ministers” offer aid at disaster sites such as Haiti and the World Trade Center. But Scientology is also a notably closed faith, harassing journalists and others through litigation and intimidation, even infiltrating the highest levels of the government to further its goals. Its attacks on psychiatry and its requirement that believers pay as much as tens and even hundreds of thousands of dollars for salvation have drawn scrutiny and skepticism. And ex-members use the Internet to share stories of harassment and abuse. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Now Janet Reitman offers the first full journalistic history of the Church of Scientology, in an evenhanded account that at last establishes the astonishing truth about the controversial religion. She traces Scientology’s development from the birth of Dianetics to today, following its metamorphosis from a pseudoscientific self-help group to a worldwide spiritual corporation with profound control over its followers and even ex-followers.</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Meg says: Let me assure you that I AM NOT interested in joining the Scientology movement! Because as soon as I told my boyfriend I was reading this book, he seemed concerned. No worries. Like my interest in Jonestown, I was intrigued by how seemingly intelligent people get roped into things like this. My questions were definitely answered. This book tells about all angles of Scientology: the history, the scandals, the celebrities, the techniques, etc. And let me tell you, the celebrity side of it is pretty interesting! My only qualm with this book would be that it jumped around a little in terms of time. I understand why it was needed, but I'm the kind of person who likes things in order. <strike>Shocker</strike>. Like the Jonestown book, I recommend this if you are looking to learn something new. [4/5]</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u>Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stiff-Curious-Lives-Human-Cadavers-ebook/dp/B00421BN2C" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fup1ZaRKB0Q/U88hMb66bXI/AAAAAAAABTU/dTPyvM1qu94/s1600/book_stiff.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><i>Goodreads says: <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Stiff is an oddly compelling, often hilarious exploration of the strange lives of our bodies postmortem. For two thousand years, cadavers some willingly, some unwittingly have been involved in science's boldest strides and weirdest undertakings. In this fascinating account, Mary Roach visits the good deeds of cadavers over the centuries and tells the engrossing story of our bodies when we are no longer with them.</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Meg says: I realize that I've read a lot about pretty bleak topics. Sorry. But this book was both informative and entertaining. Have you ever wondered what happens if you donate your body to science? Have you ever wondered about the history of testing on human cadavers? If not, this book probably isn't for you. Mary Roach visits all kinds of experts in the field to learn about these questions. She asks the tough questions and supplies awkward commentary. I laughed out loud a couple of times. Some of the reviews I read knocked Roach's writing style, but I enjoyed it. [4.5/5]</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u>I Didn't Come Here to Make Friends: Confessions of a Reality Show Villain</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Didnt-Come-Here-Make-Friends-ebook/dp/B00FJ3CHX6/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x_8Ptq2IybY/U88hTxjDhLI/AAAAAAAABTc/HllBnI7txnQ/s1600/book_bach.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></span></div>
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<i style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Goodreads says: <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Courtney Robertson joined season 16 of </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">The Bachelor</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;"> looking for love. A working model and newly single, Courtney fit the casting call: She was young, beautiful, and a natural in front of the cameras. Although she may have been there for all the right reasons, as the season unfolded and sparks began to fly something else was clear: She was not there to make friends. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Courtney quickly became one of the biggest villains in </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Bachelor</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;"> franchise history. She unapologetically pursued her man, steamrolled her competition, and broke the rules—including partaking in an illicit skinny-dip that sealed her proposal. Now, after a very public breakup with her Bachelor, Ben Flajnik, Courtney opens up and tells her own story—from her first loves to her first moments in the limo. She dishes on life before, during, and after the </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Bachelor,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;"> including Ben's romantic proposal to her on a Swiss mountaintop and the tabloid frenzy that continued after the cameras stopped rolling. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">For the first time ever, a former </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Bachelor</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;"> contestant takes us along on her journey to find love and reveals that “happily ever after” isn't always what it seems. Complete with stories, tips, tricks, and advice from your favorite</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Bachelor</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;"> alumni, and filled with all the juicy details Courtney fans and foes alike want to know, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">I Didn’t Come Here to</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Make Friends </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">is a must-read for every member of </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Bachelor</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;"> nation.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Meg says: No judging on this last one, okay?! I've been a Bachelor/Bachelorette fan for a few years. [Since Jake Pavelka's season for fellow fans!] The show is ridiculous. We can all admit that. I'm an even bigger fan of </span><a href="http://realitysteve.com/" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Reality Steve</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">, a well-known spoiler site for the show. I probably wouldn't even watch the show if it weren't for this site. Anyway, knowing "behind the scenes" type of info makes this show even more fun to watch. When Courtney was on the show, I hated her (as much as you can hate a TV </span>caricature<span style="font-family: inherit;"> that you don't really know, of course.) I thought Ben was getting played like a fool. But reading this gave me a new perspective of Ben and Courtney, along with juicy behind the scenes gossip and information. Warning, though, she doesn't hold back in the language department, and it is full of adult content, so it is for adult eyes only. I didn't really care about Courtney's back story, but the rest of the book made up for it! [4/5]</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Do you have any nonfiction books to recommend? I'm not really into biographies; I'm more interested in topics or events. My to-read list is super full, but what's one (or ten) more, right?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strike>Are there any linky parties going on right now about summer reading? I haven't seen any, but just wanted to make sure. I'd be happy to start one if anyone is interested. Let me know in the comments! =)</strike></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Edit: Found somewhere to link up! Join Beth by clicking the image below!</span><br />
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<a href="http://thinkingofteaching.blogspot.com/2014/07/its-summer-and-ill-read-if-i-want-to.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vQWnEYhZpHE/U9SLlBqCEAI/AAAAAAAABT8/wqTmABbtZAQ/s1600/summer+books+linky.jpg" height="225" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I'll be back with my Fiction list soon!</span></div>
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meghanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07601059640778499239noreply@blogger.com0