CLASS MATTERS is Launched!

Just in time to be ready for a new year, but still kick back and enjoy summer.  Check it out!

CLASS MATTERS: Planning, Teaching, and Managing Secondary Classes includes handouts and printables to meet teachers' wants and needs in these three focus areas, and also offers posts that suggest how, when and why the various  focuses will be most useful to them.  Although some of the information here is self-explanatory to rookie and veteran teachers, other ideas become clearer with short discussions. And sometimes …sometimes we just need a heads-up on how to use a new item-especially during Teacher Week because of all of the meetings- when we just. don’t. have. a. free. brain. cell. to. think. about. it.

This 100-page teacher resource bundle is divided into sections: PLANNING, TEACHING, and MANAGING CLASS MATTERS. Within each segment I have interspersed blogs to show teachers how to efficiently create flexible lesson plans, classroom rules, and behavior standards. Numerous teaching ideas, handouts and classroom management forms will meet many of your wants and needs in ONE PLACE to save you searching time. In the final pages, I invite you to take a break from all of your planning and organizing, and to kick back and relax with two posts: A Labor Day Lesson: A Contemporary Tale, and In Defense of Teenagers.

This bundle includes Freebies and paid products from my TpT Store, posts from my website, and many new ideas and printables. Here is a summary of the planning, teaching and managing secondary classrooms that comprise this 100-page teacher resource:

PLANNING pages 3-22

·        Let's Begin- Classmart Lifesaver List

·        When Planning- The Rule of Three Rules

·        Plan Up! Getting Started

·        Common Core Anchor Charts Grades 6-12

·        Bloom's Taxonomy Wheel

·        Class Matters- Keeping Track: Assignments Form

·        Class Matters-Keeping Track: Grades Form

·        Plan Up! Creating the Agenda (Using Animal Farm, George Orwell)

ü  Teacher Notes

ü  Student Calendar-Animal Farm

ü  Unit Structure Sample Form

ü  Unit Structure-Blank Form

ü  Unit Structure Activities Plan-Blank Form

ü  Response Letters: Alternative Animal Farm Activity

TEACHING IDEAS pages 23-55

·        Quartet of Ideas – 4 Freebies from my TpT Store

ü  Ten Sentence Format

ü  Analyzing Novels using the Elements of Literature

ü  Reel in Readers with Magnetizing Hooks

ü  Just say, NO!" to Dull Writing

·        First Day Activities- 3 Freebies from my TpT Store

ü  First Day Writing Assignment

ü  First Day Activity- Four Corners

ü  Writing Activities (First Day)- What About Me?

·        Friday Night Lights- Hook Students with a football and fall Non-fiction Unit

·        Teaching Ideas- Teaching Tip #1

·        Teaching Ideas- Teaching Tip#2

MANAGING CLASS MATTERS- Proactive Prevails pages 56-93

·        Five Teaching Tips That Eliminate Classroom Chaos

·        Managing Student Behavior: Obligations & Expectations

·        Managing Student Behavior: Alleviating Off-Task Behavior

ü  UhOh Bag

ü  UhOh Bag Writing Consequence Form

ü  General Incident/Consequence Form

·        Managing Classroom Behavior: Proactive Prevails: 3 Teacher Survival Lessons

·        Managing Class Matters: Form, Function and Flexibility

ü  Getting to Know You: A Teacher's Back To School Assortment of First day Forms and Activities

ü  Teaching Lifesavers: Twelve Classroom Management Forms

1.      Lesson Launch: Writing Warm-Ups (Teachers)

2.      Lesson Launch: Writing Warm-Ups (Students)

3.      Honor Statements

4.      Book Sign-Up Sheets

5.      General Essay Grading Rubric

6.      Late Homework Request

7.      Tardy Sign-In Sheet

8.      Restroom Pass

9.      Hall Pass

10.   Completed Assignments/Graded Assignments Folders

11.   Incident Form

12.   Closure: Exit Pass

·       Class Matters: Oh No! I Need a Sub

Relax and Enjoy-Two Posts

·        A Labor Day Lesson- A Contemporary Tale

·        In defense of Teenagers

CLASS-MATTERS-Planning-Teaching-and-Managing-Secondary-Classrooms-Bundle-3935206

I sincerely hope that you are thrilled with these PLANNING,TEACHING and MANAGING CLASS MATTERS posts and printables. For more ideas, check out my products for the basic secondary English curriculum as well as for two of the most important electives –in my opinion- journalism and creative writing in my TpT Store -  Store/Connie. 

CLASS MATTERS

AND

CLASS MATTERS ALWAYS MATTER!

Enjoy a Teach It Now Day Every Day,

Connie

ALA's Banned Book Week ignites oral and written conversations

This Sunday, September 24th,  begins the American Library Association's week-long celebration of the "Right to Read."They are focusing this year's celebration on the First Amendment, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances," (https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/United_States_of_America_1992.


This is a perfect time for students to explore their right to read what they want, when they want. They are shocked when they hear that some schools ban fairy tales written by the Grimm brothers such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (violence and sexual innuendo-Snow White lives with seven men), and Little Red Riding Hood (violence and alcohol infractions-underaged Little Red carries wine to her Grandmother). Then their attention is hooked when they find out that they have probably read at least one banned book since they started their formal education, and more than that through their independent reading.

In many elementary, middle, and high schools, teachers are often required to offer a second "safe" book when a controversial fiction or nonfiction book will be taught. Some do so just to keep possible challenges at bay. I remember being shocked when I found out that a parent of a student at a magnet school for only extremely high achieving high school students challenged the teaching of Ken Follett's, Pillars of the Earth. Her upset began at the start of the book when a number of medieval men and women were traveling between towns on foot and one of the women stopped along the side of the road to give birth. She felt this description was too graphic for her high school senior involved in the study of geriatric illnesses.  In support of the right for teachers and administrators to choose what books their charges will study, many high schools in the same district started "We Read Banned Book" clubs for staff and students at their schools.

This list of the "Ten Most Commonly Banned Books" on the Butler University site (http://libguides.butler.edu/c.php?g=34189&p=217684) would decimate many middle and high school English program of studies if a person or group chose to challenge their inclusion in the district's students education. 

1.  1984 (George Orwell)
2. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Mark Twain)
3. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
4. The Color Purple (Alice Walker)
5. The Great Gatsby (F.Scott Fitzgerald)
6. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Maya Angelou)
7. Lord of the Flies (William Golding)
8. Of Mice and Men (John Steinbeck)
9. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (Ken Kesey)
10. To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee)

Although many books are challenged by a person or group, not all of these are restricted in some form, such as not permitted in the school library or kept to specific grade levels, nor do they end up being banned-not allowed in school libraries or programs of study.

My product, "Writing Activity - Banned Books Research Project," gives students the chance to choose a banned book to read-with parental permission- and to research the reason(s) it has been banned.  Students will explore various facets of book censorship in schools to become more proficient in their reading, critical thinking and writing skills. Whether they choose to investigate the legal, historical, moral or societal aspects of this issue is up to each individual student and his/her personal interest in this topic. In order to illustrate the points for book censorship in the schools, students will read a frequently banned or challenged novel, either from the included list, or a choice of their own. Next, they will research when, where and why it was challenged or banned.  In the last part of the paper, each student will develop his/her opinion on whether the book should be banned or restricted, using points from the paper to support his/her conclusion. 

Here is a student project and five websites for teachers to use to plan their introductory discussion. Students will not only find the sites informative for their research, but will also uncover other links that will aid them in their investigation. Besides Teacher Notes, this packet offers a Permission Slip form students must get signed for the book they will read and research, specific project requirements for students, a list of 60 commonly banned books, and much more. Here is the link: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Writing-Activity-Banned-Books-Research-Project-321767 $3.00

Banned Books links:

http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks

http://www.bannedbooksweek.org/censorship/bannedbooksthatshapedamerica

http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks

http://libguides.butler.edu/bannedbooks?p=217686

http://libguides.utoledo.edu/bannedbooks/banned-challenged-books

Students love to argue their viewpoint about the unfairness of restrictions- and they almost always find some aspect of a limitation unfair. This project 

Shows them how to research and support an argument by exploring the fundamental right to read, Helps them to determine the best places to find the reasoning behind Pro and Con challenged book arguments, and 

Lets them create and defend their opinions with logic and facts. 

After completing this project, they will  look at the books they read for class or for personal enjoyment with a clearer understanding of the controversy surrounding book banning.

Enjoy a Teach It Now Day Every Day.

Connie

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Connie

Check out this Back to School Round-Up of the TpT Sale, Linky Parties, and Newsletters

August has arrived! That means Back to School bells will soon be tolling for you. Teachers, to ease your classroom return, the next few weeks will be filled with an abundance of personal teaching tips, lesson ideas and suggestions for you to organize your classrooms. 

Back to School Blog Linky parties, newsletter posts and a secondary teacher collaborative  e-book offer many go-to opportunities for your to enjoy, and which will ease the time you spend planning for the 2015-2016 school year.

TEACHERS pay TEACHERS SALE

Your wallets will love Teachers Pay Teachers Love Back to School  Sale on Monday August 3rd-Tuesday August 4th.  Be sure to use 
CODE BTS15 when you check out.

Up in the morning & Off to School-

Top Secondary Teachers TpT Sale Link-Up

We love back to school time here in secondary! Join us to celebrate with the TpT Sale, August 3rd - 4th and get those lessons you need for up to 28% off! Check out the top secondary teachers below for some great deals on top lessons!

A Space to Create

The Classroom Sparrow

Room 213

Darlene Anne’s ELA Buffet

Danielle Knight (Study All Knight)

Michele Luck's Social Studies

Teaching FSL

Juggling ELA

Making It Teacher

James Whitaker's SophistThoughts

Created by MrHughes

Leah Cleary

Addie Williams

MissMathDork

The Creative Classroom

Mrs. Brosseau's Binder

Pamela Kranz

Getting Nerdy with Mel and Gerdy

ELA Everyday

The Creative Classroom

Kesler Science

Live Love Math

To the Square Inch- Kate Bing Coners

The Classroom Sparrow

Liz's Lessons

For the Love of Teaching Math

ELA Everyday

Chopsticks to Mason Jars

Connie

Charlene Tess
and
Amy Brown 
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Science-Stuff

My  TpT Sale Poster

In my store, all of my paid items are discounted 20%. That incentive, plus the TpT discount,gives you a total of 28% off!
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Connie

Also, you will treat yourself to the gift of less planning time with all of your new lessons and activities.

LINKY PARTIES  

Be sure to check out the following:

The First Day Tried and True Linky Party goes LIVE on AUGUST 2nd at 8:00 A.M. Easter Daylight Time. In it, 47 elementary and secondary teacher/bloggers share classroom teaching tips and First Day Activities that hook students into reading, thinking and writing. I'll post my blog link here tomorrow, after the Linky Party begins.



organized by
Chrissie Rissmiller http://undercoverclassroom.blogspot.com/  

and
Sarah Tighe http://educationelectrification.blogspot.com/

NEWSLETTERS

Weekly, Marjan Glavic publishes his awesome newsletter, The Busy Educator.  It is chock full of articles for teachers on all levels to read, and terrific teaching tips, lessons and activities from a variety of sources, including many teachers.

Here is the link to his newsletter http://news.thebusyeducator.com/. All you have to do to subscribe is type in your email address in the space provide.

Also, on August 2nd,  check out  the August Edition of this awesome newsletter http://us9.campaign-archive2.com/?u=d5224951c615ea59a4a31abb8&id=b6d3362c41&e=5cf4aeef71

C.L.A.S.S. Resources for Teachers  http://classresourcesforteachers.blogspot.com/.

As their header explains, this is a "Collaborative Language Arts and Social Studies resources for Secondary Teachers. Articles providing creative teaching ideas for ELA and Social Studies secondary classrooms. To subscribe, go to http://eepurl.com/ba-6I5

This newsletter was founded and is published by two teachers

History Editor~ Andrea Annas and, ELA Editor~ Dr. Heather Barkley.  

They accept submissions from any secondary social studies and ELA teachers.

Check out their TpT Stores:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/History-Gal    https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Ela-Resources-From-Dr-Barkley

                                              

Keep coming back- I'll be adding to this post as other opportunities to ease your Back to School entry arise.  with this opportunities, you can rest assured that for the 2015-2016 school year, you will be sure to...

Enjoy a Teach It Now Day, Every Day.