Who Needs Common Core Resources?

Who needs Common Core resources? Click to grab tons of freebies!

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If you've been wondering what happened to my blogs this summer, well...I've been a little bit busy. But the time spent was well worth it! My fellow online teacher-authors at TeachersPayTeachers put together these fabulous back-to-school eBooks chock full of tips for implementing the Common Core State Standards. Not only that, each page includes a link to a free download that is aligned to a specific standard (or standards). If you need additional materials, there's more links to priced products and each page states which standards they practice.

It can't get any easier than this for finding all the Common Core resources you'll need this school year. 

So click on the links below to start downloading some fabulous materials:

FREE Grades 6-12 English/Language Arts Common Core State Standards Resources eBook by TpT Teacher-Authors


6-12 Science Common Core Resources



6-12 Social Studies Common Core Resources


6-12 Math Common Core Resources


3-5 ELA Common Core Resources


3-5 Math Common Core Resources


K-2 Math Common Core Resources


K-2 ELA Common Core Resources


Special thanks to all the contributors to the eBooks and the clip artists, as well.  
We hope you all have a great school year!

Yikes! Did I Pin That?

Be careful what you pin... From "Yikes! Did I Pin That?" www.traceeorman.com

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Even though I stress this to my students, I have to admit I do not always verify and check all of my sources. ("What!? You're a teacher!" I know, I know... I think, as I hang my head in shame.)

Case in point: pinning on Pinterest. I have been known to become mesmerized by pretty or eye-popping pins that have funny, helpful, or thought-provoking quotes. I'll pin them onto my boards without clicking on them to see if they are legit or just links to SPAM or phishing sites. While Pinterest does a great job of alerting me to some of these pins, some are pretty sneaky about it.

Look at the example in the image above. The pin seems like a valuable resource for teachers: "The Ultimate List of Educational Websites." A quick glance at some of the sites (TED.com, gutenburg.org) makes you think it's legit. Clicking on it just takes you to a Pinterest link where the original pinner posted it, not the "source" site. It's not connected to a SPAM site, so it must be OK, right? No. Or, at least for me, definitely not something I want to hang up in my classroom.

As I looked closer, I noticed a few things that alerted me that the creator of this is probably not a teacher. The first tip was noticing "Poemhunter.com" as a website for books. It seemed a little out of place, plus I really despise "poemhunter.com" as a poetry resource. Poets.org,  Modern American Poetry, and Poetry Foundation are so much better.

The second (and third) examples are under the "Random Knowledge" websites. Hmmm....not the names of websites I've ever directed my students to go to. I can't imagine what our tech guys would say if I had a class full of teens trying to access "f***inghomepage" or "bada**oftheweek."

So I looked at the bottom to find the "source" of this image and found it, which is also listed as a great "Random Knowledge" website. Now, I don't know who these sexy Russians are, and they may have a perfectly legitimate website chock-full of useful educational information. But can you imagine your students' reactions (let alone a parent's reaction) upon seeing this list? Yikes! That's when I went back and deleted it from my board.

The moral of the lesson? Be careful what you pin. Oh, and follow the same instructions you give your students. Because I can already hear mine lecturing me, "Mrs. Orman! I thought you told us to ALWAYS check our sources!"

I know, I know...


Eight Awesome Ed Tech Boards to Follow on Pinterest

The Best Ed Tech Boards to Follow on Pinterest - My Top 8

Pinterest is an excellent tool for curating links, which makes it ideal for teachers to use. I teach in a 1:1 Mac school and am always looking for educational technology resources to incorporate into my curriculum. I've compiled a list of my top eight boards based on their content.

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My criteria for board selection: 

1. Quality of pins: the links need to work, aren't spammy, and are geared for teachers to use in their classrooms.

2. Variety of pins: the links should cover multiple grades, levels, and subjects; this makes it easy for a technology coordinator, librarian/media specialist, and/or administrator to find resources to share with all their teachers.

3. Number of pins: in order to offer the wide variety and good quality, the boards needed at least 100 pins.

My Top 8 Ed Tech Boards to Follow on Pinterest
Listed in order of the number of pins (as of June 23, 2013):

1. All Things Technology by Mrs. Lirette's Learning Detectives (Mary Lirette) (6,198 followers; 812 pins) This collaborative board is comprised of a wide variety of teachers who have curated an astounding number of links that may take you days to peruse, but well worth it!

2. Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne  (3,076 followers; 729 pins) If you follow Richard's Free Technology for Teachers blog (and if you don't, you should!), this is an excellent collection of links to complement it. 

Technology Links for Teachers (http://pinterest.com/mrsorman/11-technology/)3. 1:1 Technology by Mrs Orman (4,341 followers; 468 pins) OK, so this is my own board, but there has to be some perks in writing the blog post, right? I promise it's worthy of the criteria.

4. EduTech Resources by Erin Klein (5,268 followers, 443 pins) All Kleinspiration fans should follow Erin on Pinterest, too. Her boards are as rich in content as her blog.

5. Classroom Technology by We Are Teachers (7,746 followers; 180 pins) You know they have teachers in mind when you browse their pin boards. Make sure to follow their Teacher Humor board, as well.

6. Teaching Ideas and Apps by Cool Cat Teacher (Vicki Davis)  (5,808 followers; 177 pins) Vicki's board always contains informative and resourceful links.

7. What the Tech by Toby -Wan Kenobi (Toby Price) (663 followers; 147 pins) The Jedipadmaster is just as entertaining, thought-provoking, and rewarding to follow on Pinterest as he is on Twitter. All schools should have an administrator like Toby.

8. Technology by The OC Blog (Charity Preston) (23,493 followers; 140 pins) Charity is the queen of organized classrooms and her technology board is no exception! 


I have an honorable mention list I will post at another time. These may not have excelled in all three areas of criteria, but they're still pretty darn good boards to follow.

What are your favorite educational technology boards? 
Link your favorites in the comments below.

What's on Your Summer Bucket List?

One would think that teachers would have plenty of time to do all those wonderful things we've been compiling on our bucket lists. And some teachers may. But most of us have second jobs when we aren't teaching (we aren't paid for our vacation time), or are taking classes to maintain our certificates, and have families with busy schedules like everyone else. 

This summer I'll be going to my son's baseball games (which I do love) and taking a class (which I don't). So I won't be doing a whole lot of crossing off my bucket list, except for this, perhaps:

My Summer Bucket List: 1. Ice, 2. Beer

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:D

Last year, however, we were able to take an amazing road trip west. We saw so many things I had never seen before, like...

The Badlands, South Dakota

The Badlands of South Dakota...

Mount Rushmore from www.traceeorman.com

Mount Rushmore...

Bighorn National Forest www.traceeorman.com

Bighorn National Forest in Wyoming...


Old Faithful from www.traceeorman.com

Witnessing Old Faithful at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming...

Old Faithful from www.traceeorman.com

(It was truly amazing and lasted much longer than I expected.)

Yellowstone National Park from www.traceeorman.comYellowstone National Park from www.traceeorman.com

Soaking up the gorgeous views on the most beautiful and serene lakes in Yellowstone.

Yellowstone National Park Buffalo from www.traceeorman.com

Ummm...not on my bucket list, but the buffalo in Yellowstone are pretty amazing, too!

Yellowstone National Park Buffalo from www.traceeorman.com

And a little frightening when they come right up to your vehicle...

Welcome to Idaho from www.traceeorman.com

Driving through both Montana and Idaho - two states I had always wanted to visit...


Rose at Manito Park and Botanical Gardens from www.traceeorman.com

Enjoying the most beautiful rose garden (and so many other flowers) in Spokane, Washington at Manito Park and Botanical Gardens.

I guess it's OK I'm not doing much traveling this summer since we packed so much in last year, but I'd love to hear about your adventures. Feel free to comment and post a link. And have a wonderful summer!

Top Secondary Teachers to Follow on Pinterest

Top Secondary Teachers to Follow on Pinterest!

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Happy Summer, Friends! 
I don't know about you, but one of my favorite things to do in the summer is relax with a cup of coffee while listening to the Today show and pin away on Pinterest! Yep, it's definitely a time suck, but in the summer, who cares, right?

So here's a great list of my fellow secondary teachers that you should ALL follow on Pinterest!  OK, so there's really 18 secondary teachers featured, but since I'm telling YOU about them, we won't count me. :) All of these bloggers/pinners are active online and have a lot to offer secondary teachers. I hope you'll check out their pinboards & blogs. And in case you need a link to my Pinterest boards, I pin from my Mrs. Orman account and my Hunger Games Lessons account. To see the latest pins from either account just click here: Mrs. Orman's Pins and here: Hunger Games Lessons Pins.

Thanks for taking time to follow us! You can download a free activity (link at end of post) to use at the end of your school year or anytime! (I usually repeat it several times throughout the year.)


Meet The Tutor House!

The Tutor House


Bio:  Hi!  I'm Adrianne from The Tutor House.  I love tutoring and creating engaging lessons for math in reading for grades 3-8!  If you've ever thought about starting your own tutoring business, you should come on over to The Tutor House!

Follow Adrianne of The Tutor House on Pinterest. {Special thanks to Adrianne for putting together this  list for all of us!}


Meet Science Stuff! 




Bio:  Hi there!  My name is Amy Brown and I write a blog called "Science Stuff."  I am a 29-year teaching veteran of biology, chemistry and AP biology.  I love science and I love kids, so I have the best job in the world!  Hopefully, I have passed my love of nature and the environment on to many students.  My blog has tips and tricks for teaching science as well as a lot of free science teaching materials.  I hope to see you there!

Follow Amy of Science Stuff on Pinterest. {Amy is a great friend and the one who introduced me to Pinterest and showed me the ropes. Thanks, Amy!}



Meet Addie Education!


Addie Education ñ Teacher Talk


Bio:  I'm a middle / high-school teacher and I love to create ELA, Social Studies and Geography related resources.  I blog at Addie Education - Teacher Talk... come on by and see some of the fun things I do with my students.

Follow Addie Education on Pinterest.



Meet Charlene Tess!



Bio:  Hello, there. Iím Charlene Tess from Simple Steps to Sentence Sense. Grammar is my specialty. I have always loved taking sentences apart and putting them back together, and I successfully taught my students using the simple steps method for over three decades. Visit my blog to get helpful tips on grammar, usage, and writing.

Follow Charlene of Simple Steps to Sentence Sense on Pinterest.


Meet Tammy Manor!

Bio:  Hi my name is Tammy and I've been teaching high school English for 13 years now. I know that teaching can be very stressful. My school is constantly changing the book list and I've taught every grade 6-12 as well. As a result I have unit plans for a large variety of novels, plays and memoirs. Come check out my store on TpT for a variety of ELA materials. Follow my blog for teaching related posts.

Follow Tammy on Pinterest.  


Meet Teach It Write!

TeachitWritelogo photo chalkboard-apple2_zps1805ea76.png 


Bio: Welcome! I am Connie from Teach it Write. I am a retired English teacher and Iím thrilled to now write curriculum full time that I love to share on my site http://teachitwrite.blogspot.com. My book, The House of Comprehension, shows how the elements of literature form the structure of any fiction or non-fiction text. Check it out on my blog site or on www.teachitwrite.com.

Follow Connie of Teach it Write on Pinterest.


Meet Innovative Connections!

Innovative Connections

Bio:  Hey! I am Ann Marie from Innovative Connections. I enjoy blogging about various topics: Projects and lessons going on in my classroom, ideas I've learned or ideas I've thought of at the most random of moments (At 2 a.m. when I can't sleep, I can come up with some stellar ideas), teaching resources I find beneficial to fellow teachers and/or bloggers. Due to the wide range of grades I've had the pleasure of teaching, Innovative Connections caters mostly to language arts but loves to share and collaborate with teachers/bloggers of various grade levels.

Follow Ann Marie of Innovative Connections on Pinterest.


Meet 4mulaFun!

4mulaFun Blog Fan

Bio:  Hello, my name is Jennifer Smith-Sloane. I am a Middle School Math and Special Education teacher. I have a strong passion for differentiated instruction to meet the needs of each learner in and out of my classroom. I love seeing the light in a student's eyes when something finally clicks and I do everything that I can to make that happen as often as it can.  Visit my blog 4mulaFun!

Follow Jennifer of 4mulaFun on Pinterest.


Meet Miss Math Dork!

MissMathDork


Bio:  Hiya there!  I'm Jamie but you may know me as MissMathDork! I am a lover of all things mathematical!  Patterns, sequences, geometric shapes, if it's mathematical, I'll find a way to make it fun!  Want to see some of my ideas? Check out my ideas and pictures at www.missmathdork.com!  You won't be disappointed!

Follow Jaime of Miss Math Dork on Pinterest.


Meet A Space to Create!


Bio:  Meet Sabrina, author of A Space to Create.  Find teaching resources for art teachers and classroom teachers alike. My art lessons teach students the creative process enabling them to build confidence and have amazing results.  Come visit my blog A Space to Create! (K-12)

Follow Sabrina of A Space to Create on Pinterest.


Meet All Things Algebra!

All Things Algebra

Bio: Hi there!  I'm Gina from All Things Algebra.  I have taught Algebra and Pre-Algebra for seven years and have a passion for creating activites and games that engage my students.  If you are interested in finding ways to have more fun in math class, head on over and check out my blog!

Follow Gina of All Things Algebra on Pinterest.


Meet Numbers Rule My World!

Numbers Rule My World


Bio: Hi! I'm Krystina from Numbers Rule My World. I love incorporating hands-on activities and technology into the classroom for Math: grades 7-9. If you're looking for great ideas about math then you should come on over and check it out at Numbers Rule My World!

Follow Krystina of Numbers Rule My World on Pinterest.



Meet Liz's Lessons!


Liz's Lessons
Bio:  Bonjour! Hola! I'm Liz from Liz's Lessons. Languages are one of my passions, and I love teaching with technology. I create fun lessons for teaching secondary French, and Spanish. I also make formative assessments and technology activities in English, that can be used in any secondary classroom. If you are looking for some engaging activities for your classes, be sure to stop by Liz's Lessons!

Follow Liz of Liz's Lessons on Pinterest.


Meet Teaching FSL!



Bio:  This is Madame Aiello, author of Teaching FSL. Although I've taught other subjects as well, French as a Second Language has always been my passion. My focus is the higher grades, since I taught high school originally but teach grade 7 & 8 since six years ago. I share lots of resources, blog about second language teacher specific topics as well as those that apply to all teachers.

Follow Madame Aiello of Teaching FSL on Pinterest.



Meet For the Love of Teaching Math!

For the Love of Teaching Math
Bio: I'm Andrea Kerr from For the Love of Teaching Math. It is my mission to change traditional math classrooms one game and activity at a time. If you like to incorporate hands-on, group activities and games into your classroom, check out For the Love of Teaching Math!

Follow Andrea of For the Love of Teaching Math on Pinterest.


Meet 2 Peas and a Dog!


2PeasAndADog Blog


Bio:  Hi Everyone! It's Kristy from 2 Peas and a Dog. I am a Canadian middle school teacher who loves to pin and blog about things related to Grades 6 and up.

Follow Kristy of 2 Peas and a Dog on Pinterest.


Meet Teaching Math by Hart!



Bio:  Hi! I'm Kim from Teaching Math by Hart. I am forever planning and thinking of new and innovative ways to teach math to my students. Why, you ask? Believe it or not, I think learning Math should be FUN and it should be REAL! If you are looking for some ideas to engage your students in math class, come check out Teaching Math by Hart - in the middle years classroom!

Follow Kim on Pinterest.

FREE ACTIVITY WITH PRINTABLES
If you are one of the unfortunate who are still in school (believe me, I will be jealous of you come August when we go back & you're still off!), here's one of my favorite activities to share with my students. (It's a FREE download, by the way!)

Live and Learn End-of-the-Year (Or Anytime) Free Download Activity

Free Live & Learn End-of-the-Year (Or Anytime) Activity for ALL Ages


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It's very simple, but the results are memorable. 
You can read more about it on my Hunger Games Lessons blog HERE.

Teacher Appreciation and End-of-the-Year Gifts

Favorite Teacher Gifts

It's that time of year when teachers' desks (mostly elementary teachers, that is) fill up with gifts from their students in appreciation for the year.

As a high school teacher, the gifts we most frequently receive are invitations to graduation parties in which we are fed wonderful meals and delicious cake. I can never complain about free food!

But once in awhile we receive more tangible gifts and they are always a welcome surprise. This year I received a creative package from one of my graduating seniors that included a cup & straw that said, "Thank you for quenching my thirst for knowledge." She included some yummy Crystal Light flavor drops and hand sanitizer in fruity scents--definitely useful for any teacher.

Other cute ideas for teacher gifts include the chocolate pencil we received from NHS members this year. The students covered a package of Rolos with a sleeve that looked like a pencil. It said, "Thanks for sharpening our minds." They used a Hershey's Kiss for the tip of the pencil.

Of course, I always like word clouds. So receiving one from a student is always special. They can be made in a word processing app. or using design software. Or use a website like www.tagxedo.com or www.wordle.net to create them for you.

So what are your favorite teacher gifts you've received? Comment below or share a link.

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Teachers: You Are Appreciated!


Happy Teacher Appreciation Week, Teachers!

The quotes above are to remind you that you ARE appreciated! Here are some others that make me laugh. (Either because they are so absurd, or because they are sad but true. 
Or because they are just funny.):

“The only thing that surprises me is the characterization of teachers as lazy and greedy. Only someone with very little understanding of what teaching requires would say such a thing.” 
― Taylor Mali


“It's weird when you hear teachers call each other by their first names. It's like they're friends or something.” 
― Brian Francis


And this last one makes me laugh because I find myself talking to myself aloud more and more the longer I teach (and the older I get). And, yes, I'd say I'm a little weird...but maybe not so much? ;)

“In my ten years of teaching I’ve noticed that teachers tend to have a bad habit of talking to themselves. I hypothesize that this is because we talk for a living, and we feel safe speaking our feelings aloud. Or it could be that most of us, especially the high school teacher variety, are just weird as shit.” 
― P.C. Cast, Divine By Mistake


And let's not forget to thank parents this week, because they are so important in a child's life.

To THANK all of you fabulous teachers, head to my teacher store to enjoy 20% off, plus an extra 10% when you use code TAD13 at checkout. The sale begins tonight at midnight and ends Wednesday at midnight. 

Happy Birthday, Harper Lee!

Happy 87th Birthday, Harper Lee!

Happy Birthday, Harper Lee! 

Harper Lee, the author of To Kill a Mockingbird, turns 87 today. Will you do anything special in class to mark the occasion this week? (Or perhaps you did last week, along with William Shakespeare on the 23rd?)

Here's a free journal prompt from my A Year of Journal Prompts to mark the occasion:

Harper Lee's Birthday (April 28th) Writing Prompt www.traceeorman.com

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The text:


Harper Lee, the author of To Kill a Mockingbird, turned 87 on April 28, 2013. 
  The Pulitzer-winning To Kill a Mockingbird is the only novel Lee has written, though some speculate that she has written additional unpublished works. She also helped her friend Truman Capote research and write his nonfiction book, In Cold Blood.
  As a private person, perhaps Lee does not wish to be placed, once again, into the limelight by publishing a new novel. 
  Would you like to be famous even if it meant losing your privacy? How would your life change if you were sought by reporters and fans every day? Would you still wish to have fame? Why or why not?

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