Augmenter App

The school year has started and it's been crazy already! always feel like I am on the go, energizer bunny style!

Anyway, I wanted to talk about an ipad app that is absolutely incredible. Its called Augmenter. It has 3-D simulations of various objects like the human brain, dinosaurs, flowers, etc. which works out well with my Biology students. I have only used the science portion of the app but it has other features for math and history. My favorite one is the human brain which is an important part of the end of course exam my students take. It helps with labels, they can take the brain apart, make certain parts invisible, etc.

It offers a really cool feature where you place a "marker" on the table and it gives you the impression of having the item on the table in front of you in 3D. Similar to the Nintendo DS Augmented Reality Cards where you scan them with your Nintendo DS and you see a character appear and interact on your screen on top of the card.

There is a free version of the app with some of the explorations for free, but the paid version offers more than 300 models to use. I currently only use the free one because most of what I want to demonstrate is easily done on the free app and projected on the big screen. 

By far a very interesting way to learn various concepts and a definite thumbs up!

Check out the demo video below :)

The Fairchild Challenge! 2015-2016

Since I started at the new middle school I am at, I have been a part of the Fairchild Challenge. It's an environmental competition between schools in the district where we complete different events or challenges and receive points for it. This will be my 3rd year in the competition and also running the program at my school site. The students love it and the program has some remote locations throughout the US and internationally where some of the challenges are open to those schools known as the Global Challenge.

This years focus is on the Voyage of plants! We will be working together with NASA on challenges that focus on cultivating edible plants in small spaces and indoors to promote the research of growing in space. Here are a few pictures below of some of the set ups we will be using this year and of course of myself in front of a sign! 

check out the Fairchild Challenge! 

Classroom reveal! 2015-2016

Hello! I knew when classes started posting would be difficult! I wanted to post my classroom for this year. It's dinosaur theme and it feels inviting! Our overall school theme is "Discovery 'A' New World" and we decided to make it centered around Jurassic Park. All of the teachers have cool name plates in front of the classroom that are Jurassic Park theme. 

 I decided to put up some of my posters and decorations rather than ALL of them like I have done in the past. I felt that with all them up it looks like someone threw up information everywhere. Very messy. I tried my best to make this years walls look organized. I also made vines to give it a bit of a jungle feel.

I also have a biology word wall with QR codes that I created myself. The kids love that it is interactive and it helps them remember the meaning of many of the words. These are the words that the district provided my school, but of course there are many other ones that can be used. You can buy them at my tpt store. 

This is where the data wall is and where I place information after they take their test! Data driven instruction is a huge part of our classrooms and I like to show the kids how the classroom as a team is doing on their concepts. It sparks a little competition as well between class periods to do better. 

I have labels for each lab station that are Dino themed as well and you can find them on my tpt store! I have 8 lab stations and I have them available in dinosaurs that are colored and those that are black and white.

I made cute cutouts of dinosaurs to place around the room. The kids so far seem to enjoy it and like the simplicity of it. I teach Biology to 2 classes a day and it fits nicely into some of what we are learning. 

I also teach Physical Science and I can't leave those kids out! I have a wall with some educational posters and vocabulary words that they can reference for concepts we focus on.

I am excited for this year! So far it has been a great first week!

Interactive Science Notebooks!

I can't believe I am back at work next week! Monday is our new student orientation where we introduce new students to the school and give them a tour. Then Tuesday and Wednesday is set up day! Thurs-Fri ALL DAY MEETINGS! I think I might need some stretch breaks throughout the day! Anyways, because we are starting so soon, I started to buckle down and plan out the first few weeks (maybe months lol). 

Last year I used interactive notebooks for the first time. I have done lab notebooks before, but it was only for labs and it stayed in the classroom. I wanted to try out having everything in one spot. I think last year was a success with a few things I felt worked and didn't work. 

this years INB: Teacher Editions, planning sheets, a foldable on units

what worked:

• organized table of contents was great! when the students actually had their pages numbered it was perfect. Some even went a step further and would put a string as a bookmark or a post it tab so I knew where the most recent assignment was. 

• course guide in the front of the book - I had a folded paper with all the info for the class in like a mini guide where they can refer to when they needed help! I forgot where I got the template from but the person who made it is amazing

• storage pocket in the back - I made them create a pocket from some back pages to hold anything they did not finish in class to make sure it wouldn't get lost. It was magical. 

• decorating - they were given creative freedom in decorating the notebook to show their personality. Mine was a little crazy I am not going to lie. 

• which leads me to "teacher edition" - I made one at the same time the students did. Yes, I had to pretend to be a student and complete the assignment in the notebook just like they did. It was time consuming but worth it. If a student was absent, I showed them mine. It modeled what I was looking for and how it should be organized. It was fun!

what didn't work:

• the vocabulary index was a fail. It was extremely time consuming and we had so many vocabulary words for both Biology and 8th grade science it was hard to keep up. Maybe in the future I can find an easy way to incorporate it.

• Vocabulary pocket - we never made flash cards like I wanted because again lack of time so the pocket just sat there all sad. See, he looks very sad. 

• Input/output on left and right side of the pages - I found that the students would run out of space and start writing on the back of the wrong side. Some wrote more than others and honestly, I felt like I was wasting paper if I didn't use both sides and let the notes run continually. I am tree loving hippie so I believe in saving trees. 
• grading with stamps/stickers in the table of contents - this wasn't too bad, it was the collecting of the notebooks in my large class and stamping/grading the assignments that took lots of time. I need to make sure I did notebook checks on days they were working independently. In one class I had 40. yes 40. In a 55 minute class period. That was obviously graded over multiple days. I also felt that some assignments in the notebook deserved a separate grade rather than just having it averaged into the notebook grade.  

INB changes for the 2015-2016 school year: 

• this year the students are going to have 2 composition notebooks. Our department orders enough to give the students their notebooks so they don't have to buy them and we get started from day one. 
• one notebook for labs that stays in the classroom 
• the other is an interactive notebook that stays with them at all times! 
• planning sheets - I didn't use these last year but I created one that matches the table of contents to make it easier for me to use when I am planning and not mess up my teacher edition.
• I am creating a teacher edition. again. I am teaching a new subject and one from last year so I need to make one to stay up to date. 
• foldables and activities are going to get graded before we paste them into the notebook. I like this idea because I can give them a grade for assignments they worked hard on rather than having it grouped in with a notebook grade. I can have the notebook grade at the end of the 9 weeks worth a smaller grade. 

I am hoping the notebooks are successful again this year! 

Weekly Summer Link Up! Favorite Sites

good morning! I'm back for the next weekly summer link up! I am getting over a cold so I am stuck at home in pajamas until I feel better, which makes it a great time to blog. 

Here are my favorite sites in no particular order: 

Pinterest 

Pinterest is my go to spot for ideas on everything you can imagine. Don't know what to cook? I pinterest. How should my bulletin board look this year? pinterest. You name it, its there and I absolutely love it. I also like to go back and see the pins I posted in the past kind of like a time capsule. 

Teachers Pay Teachers

Teachers Pay Teachers is amazing and dangerous because I end up spending wayyyyy too much money buying different activities or decorations. When I discovered it a few years ago I was in shock with what they had to offer teachers. I never thought I would have time to sell my resources on there, but I did it last year and I love being able to share with other teachers and help them out!

Edmodo

When I first started teaching a few years ago I found this site that is used as a classroom page but is setup similar to the interface of facebook. The kids love it and it has come a long way! there are so many features that can be included and used in the classroom. It stores your files in an unlimited cloud like service, you can connect google drive, students can have discussions, turn in assignments, etc.! the list goes on! I also use it for professional developments to communicate with other teachers and stay connected. 

Facebook

I just like facebook. I like to look at photos and to be honest its one of the only ways I can share photos with my grandma :), yes she has one too, and can use it better than I can!

what are your favorite sites?

Weekly Summer Link up: Random Act of Kindness

This weeks summer link up is about a random act of kindness. I try my best to be kind to everyone (including animals lol) because you never know what they may be going through. My random act of kindness occurred this past year with one of my students. This girl was my student for 2 years and this was her final year with me. We grew close and it was great to feel like a mentor to her. As a gift to tell her thank you for such a wonderful 2 years as a student, as a friend, and for teaching me many things about myself, I decided to buy her 8th grade dance ticket. She mentioned she was unable to go but wouldn't tell me why. A coworker and I spoke to her parents and mentioned how we had wanted to surprise her with her dance ticket to give her the chance to go and celebrate her last year in the school. She was extremely grateful and excited. She had an amazing time at the dance and made wonderful memories. One of the many reasons being a teacher makes me happy! :) We still keep in touch and I can't wait to see her follow her dreams! 

Assess Me Linky: Week 2

Week 2 of getting to know me with the Assess Me Linky thanks to The Tattooed Teacher!

this week was a this or that sheet!

1. I live in jeans, all the time, if I'm not in jeans I am in jean shorts. Living in Miami means trying to beat the heat! (weather wise, not basketball). 5. I live in the suburbs of a city but anytime I travel the country side is so beautiful! 11. I started drinking coffee within the last year or so and now I can't stop. It's absolutely delicious and I can't believe I didn't like it before, I was missing out. 15. FLATS everywhere. No matter where I go, I am in flats. I can't remember the last time I wore heels, even to weddings, I take them off after the ceremony. 18. Again, living in Miami means that its summer here most of the year and even though Central Park is lovely, I think life would be tough here without central air. 

Currently August!

Since its August and I love linky parties, here is the August link up from Oh' Boy 4th Grade. Summer is ending soon and I go back into the classroom in 2 weeks! I feel like summer just started! Anyways, Edmodocon 2015 yesterday was awesome I loved all the speakers and new ideas. They will be posting the videos and resources on their site soon so check it out! 

Apparently I was having a chocolate craving when I made this .... lol 

Assess Me! Get to know you Linky

Alright, linking up is too much fun! here is a link up for back to school to get to know each other. 

Here is my assess me sheet:

Yes, I talk to myself all the time, which I think is totally normal! I've been cracking my knuckles since I was in middle school, I eat ALL the time, I live in Florida which means I have been to Disney a 1,000 times and love every time I go like its the first time, and I still live in the same state and same city too :) 

Technology Thursday!: Common Curriculum

I decided to link up with the Teaching Trio for Technology Thursdays!

I love using technology in the classroom. I grew up using technology in school and it has evolved into an incredible resource that can change learning for the better. Here is my first weekly feature on technology! every Tuesday I am going to try my best to post some sort of technology (website, equipment, app, etc.) that can make out lives as teachers a little easier and stress free. This week I am reviewing a site I discovered last year called Common Curriculum. 

here's the main page

I used to do all of my lesson plans on Microsoft word and print them out, but it drove me crazy when I had to change something in my lesson plan making me go back and change the document and print it out again for my lesson plan binder (I hate wasting paper!). Last summer, in an attempt to become paperless, I found this site. Its FREE for teachers (anything free is awesome) and very user friendly. 

lesson planning page

I teach different subjects and this site makes it easy for me to have lesson plans for all the subjects on one page. I also have each day divided into different headings to have a spot for my objective, the essential question, etc., all which can be customized to what you want! You can edit anywhere since its saved online, you can download PDF versions of you plans, you can organize them to be shown monthly, weekly, daily, whatever is easiest for you! Best part is the inclusion of the standards. Instead of typing out the state standard, you can search for it and it places it within the lesson plan for you. 

where to add your standards

You can also share your "planbook" which is basically your lesson plans with up to 3 other teachers. I share mine with a fellow coworker in the science department. We collaborate on most of our assignments and activities so this site made life wayyyyy easier. 

Of course if you want to share with the entire department or school, then a membership needs to be purchased. For now I share with the teachers that teach the same subjects I do to try and stay on the same page. Absolutely love this resource and definitely recommend it to everyone!

Summer Weekly Link-Up: My Talents

This was a tough one! I can be artistic, which I think can be a great talent, when creativity strikes! Here are few drawings that I made a few years ago to decorate my home:

I like to create things and this was done as a Sunday project with my husband a few years ago to decorate the house. I made them with water colors using only shades of black. :) I am sure I have other talents but this one is a favorite of mine! 

thanks to I Heart Grade 3 for such a fun summer link up! go follow and link up :) 

Monday Made it! - July 27th

My first ever Monday Made it! after reading and seeing what a few bloggers have been doing, I got excited and decided to post a few things I made today or worked on. 

1st thing I worked on is a planner for the blog! I went to Target and got "trapped" inside because of a crazy storm which can be dangerous because Target is wormhole. Anyway, I found this super cute planner in the Dollar Spot section of Target! best place in the store. Picked it up with a few stickers and voila! a planner for the blog :)

My 2nd made it are some decorations for the upcoming school year. Our overall school theme is Jurassic Park so everything is going to focus on Dinosaurs and Discovering that 'A'. I made these using my Silhouette Cameo. My sister and I got one last year to make classroom decorations and we have discovered a new found love for it!. Which leads to 3 and 4 ....

My little sister is having her baby shower this weekend and we are playing a "guess the baby food" game. Of course we wanted to label the different foods in a cute way and decided to use out Silhouette Cameo to make these tags for the baby food jars. Aren't they adorable!?!?

Since those tags came out so awesome, I decided to make similar ones for the back to school gifts I am giving my co-workers (hopefully they don't check this out and find it!). I am giving them little jars with mints in them and the tag says "you were 'mint' to teach". something simple as a welcome back! Tags again were made on the Silhouette Cameo, jars were purchased from the dollar spot at target along with the red bakers twine. Simple. Easy. Affordable. 

My last Monday made it is slowcooker mac and cheese! I have been pretty obsessed lately with creating meals in the slowcooker and so far I have been making some delicious dinners! I found this recipe at 101 Cooking For Two. Very simple and only takes about 2 1/2 hours in total. It came out amazing! I just wish I would of made more for tomorrow! 

Summer Weekly Link-Up: My Favorite Picture

Hello everyone! this is my first link-up party for the summer and this weeks focuses on your favorite picture. This is a tough one since I take A LOT of pictures and its tough just to pick one. So I attempted to narrow it down and I picked this one: 

This is a photo from my engagement shoot about a year and a half ago. My best friend took the photos for me and they came out amazing :) This picture captures how silly my husband and I are. We like to randomly slow dance when we have conversations, run around like kids, and just be crazy together. 

Bonus photo: Our fur babies at a bulldog birthday party enjoying some doggie cupcakes and ice cream.

aside from marrying my best friend, adopting these two were the best thing that has ever happened to me!

whats your favorite picture? join the weekly summer link up at I Heart Grade 3!

Dinosaur filled year!

Good morning! It's great to wake up late in the summer. I hibernate and catch up on all the sleep I lose during the year. 

Every year our school changes its theme to make it exciting for students to come back and start the year fresh. This year we are doing a Jurassic Park theme and our slogan is "Discovering 'A' New World" we try to put the 'A' in our slogans every year because our school district grades each school based on test scores. Of course, we strive to be an A school. 

To keep with the school theme, my classroom will be dinosaur theme! I want dinosaur decorations that middle school students would enjoy so in my spare time last week I made a cardboard pterodactyl ! 

What's your classroom theme this year?

Make Your Masterpiece!

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the TPT Sellers challenge is still on! this week was the "Make your Masterpiece" challenge. We needed to create a new product for our TPT store then swap with another user for some helpful edits. I decided to work on a Power Point notes presentation that I used for my Biology class last year that the students really enjoyed. I made it more student friendly and focused on placing photos and graphics that were from the public domain or easily credited. This is one of the first topics we get into at the beginning of the year and I thought it would be great to fix it up for this coming school year. Check out the product here.

Thanks to Angela from Fun in Fourth, Michelle from Mrs. Broseeau's Binder, and Kristina from Adventures in ISTEM, I received some great pointers for the product! (I swapped more than I had to! but it was worth it.) It really helped to have another set of eyes (or 3 lol) look at the product. They found things that I would have never noticed. Thank you to these lovely ladies for helping out ;) 

Keeping up with the Seller Challenge! thanks to these lovely ladies for hosting!