Silence for Sandy Hook Elementary

Holiday Shopping

The CyberMonday Sales aren't only for holiday shopping. Teachers Pay Teachers is hosting their annual CyberMonday (+Bonus Tuesday) sale event. The entire site is participating and many teachers are marking everything 20% off which increases your discount to 28% off the original prices. Beat the rush and load up your cart tonight. 

This is one of the items you can snatch up at a bargain when you visit my store.  Don't forget to add your classroom wish list to your holiday shopping. Happy Holidays!!

DonorsChoose Link Up

If you're looking for a way to show your gratitude this holiday season, go check out this blog post.   Teachers have linked up their DonorsChoose projects. I've chosen 6 projects to help out but there were 27 great projects linked up that could all use some support. Help spread the word. Donating to classrooms through DonorsChoose is a great way to get those last minute tax deductions before the end of the year.

While you're there you can also check out the other posts that are packed with freebies and ideas.
Some of the newest items are the Bowling Ball Basics unit with fun characters like Murray the Maintenance Man, 5 E posters, Lesson Plan Templates, and lots more.

Boot Camp with Steve Spangler

You may have seen a recent post about the $50 gift certificates I gave 4 beginning teachers for Steve Spangler materials.  Surprising these teachers with the chance to start their teaching career with some great science resources was a highlight of my summer! As we head into the school year I have great news for you...

If you teach science in North Carolina or any neighboring state, you do NOT want to miss this!  Steve Spangler is holding a Science Boot Camp in Greensboro, NC on October 3, 2012.  If you don't know who he is, check out some of his videos on the  Sick Science Youtube Channel. Steve is an outstanding teacher of teachers. He will definitely get you energized about teaching science.

In July 2011, I was fortunate to attend Steve's 3 day Science in the Rockies event.
If you want to know what you can expect from a day with Steve,  read my blog posts.
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3

As soon as I found out Steve was coming to NC, I registered.  What a deal! A day with Steve for $199. How about a better deal?  That's right... let's all take $30 off the registration.  Just use this code when you register: BC20135  Don't wait too long. Steve's workshops fill up quickly!  Ready to find out more or register?  Click here! If you're planning to go, I'd love to meet up with you there.  Leave me a comment and we'll try to arrange a meet up the night before or something.

Back to School 2012

It's that time of year!



















Head over to my store and load up your shopping cart.






http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Techedoutteacher

Two brand new items discounted and on sale on top of that!  Now is definitely the time to snatch them up! The Nameplate Super Pack and Word Wall Sampler Pack are great for starting the new year.

Going Buggy

I got this email today and thought there might be some of my followers who would want to know about it.  If you teach insects, check into this.  I know I plan on checking it out!

Hello, 

I wanted to clue everyone in on an opportunity that I don't think many people know about. The Entomological Foundation is a non-profit that does insect education and outreach programs for K-12 students. Their website hosts some educational materials like lesson plans and activities for students. These "science projects" that teachers can do with their students are submitted by educators on an annual contest. Winners (there are always 5-10) each receive $100! I really feel that insect education is fascinating and holds great appeal to many students, but that many times insect biology gets shuffled to the back.  I know many of you have great insect activities that could be shared! Also, the foundation website is a good resource even if you don't participate. 

Details for the competition can be found at: 

http://www.entfdn.org/projectcontest.php

Examples of winning projects can be found at: 

http://www.entfdn.org/scienceprojects.php

Monday Mathematics: QR Code Measurement Fun

Who doesn't love a good mystery?  QR Codes are a fun way to infuse technology into a lesson along with a little mystery.  The code in and of itself provides the mystery. Here is one of my favorite QR Code projects from this past year.

Facebook Posting Party

A bunch of "Top Teachers" have gotten together to host a Facebook Posting Party.  Chances are you are here as a result of that.  Thanks for taking time to stop by.  I know some of you have yet to begin your summer vacation and others have just barely begun but if you are like all the other "Top Teachers" out there, you are already "Gearing Up" for what the 2012-2013 school year is going to bring.

With that in mind, I decided to pull together a bunch of my favorite creations to give you for FREE!  This 17 page PDF will give you a taste of the types of products I like to make.  I'm always glad to create new sets and I may already have elaborated on some of the ideas you will see.  I'd welcome your feedback in the comments section and would even consider doing some more custom design if you have a need.  Most of my design work results in a theme set that runs between $3.00 and $6.00 depending on what you want in it.

Don't forget to go back to the facebook page and click on some of the other Top Teachers to see what kinds of information they share on their blogs and what FREE item they may have posted.

Web 2.0 Tools - Weekly Update (weekly)

Weekly digest of Web 2.0 bookmarks.

Every Day Engineering - The World's Quietest Pencil Sharpener

A couple of months ago, I came across a blog post from another teacher that was just raving about "The World's Quietest Pencil Sharpener".  I gotta say, this caught my attention.  If there is one thing that gets on my nerves, it is someone sharpening a pencil during my class.  It didn't take me long to decide that I wanted to try one of these out for myself.  I was pretty excited to have the chance to try it for free in exchange for a review of the sharpener on my blog.  

Before I could even give it a whirl, I received an email asking me to hold off on my review because they were OUT OF STOCK!  Wow, I figured these must be awesome!  Then mine arrived and I got a chance to test it for myself.  I've been dying to tell you about it ever since and today I finally got the go ahead that they are back in stock and I could share my review.

So... here it is.

Web 2.0 Tools - Weekly Update (weekly)

Weekly digest of Web 2.0 bookmarks.

Web 2.0 Tools - Weekly Update (weekly)

Weekly digest of Web 2.0 bookmarks.

Monday Mathematics - Learning with a Lemonade Stand

One of my all time favorite online simulations is the lemonade stand game.  Just about everyone starts thinking about lemonade in the spring.  This game lends itself to some easy integration of mathematics and technology. With a little planning, you can create an excel spreadsheet that students can use to track their progress through the game. If you want to know how to do this with your students and get a free copy of the directions for creating the spreadsheet, keep reading.

Teacher Appreciation Jackpot - May 6th

Oh Man!  If you just found this post for the 1st time, you really missed out.




The teacher appreciation jackpot has ended. 


This was a 1 day only event. 


Fortunately, TpT is throwing a big Teacher Appreciation Sale too!  You can still get a great deal as long as you make your purchases before midnight PST on May 8th.  Don't forget to use the promo code TAD12 when you check out.


 You may want to check out the participants and consider hopping to their blogs on too.  Even though the jackpot is over, many of these bloggers have placed their store on sale until the 8th.

            PK - Grade 2 - April McNair on A Modern Teacher

·         Grades 3 - 6 - Laura Candler  on Corkboard Connections

·         Grades 7 - 12 - Adrianne Meldrum on The Tutor House

On May 6th, I gave away my

Even though it is no longer free, it is on sale.  Everyone who got their copy has been raving about it.  If this is a topic you teach, it is a great deal.  Hurry and get it while it is on sale. While you're at it, take a look around and see if there is anything else you need from my store since everything is marked down a total of 28% until May 8th at midnight PST. 

Thanks for all you do to ensure a bright future for the students of today!

  

Teachers - Thanks for All You Do!

Some of you may or may not know that I am one of the administrators of the Tchr2Tchr blog.
Our goal is to help share things that work in classrooms and highlight the teacher authors who publish materials on Teachers Pay Teachers.
In conjunction with the Teacher Appreciation Jackpot blog hop and Teacher Appreciation sale on TpT, we have created a link up for all the teacher authors who are offering deep discounts on their products from May 6th-8th.

In case you don't follow the Tchr2Tchr blog, I decided to post the link up here too so that you could get easy access to some of the best of the best.

I hope everyone feels the love and knows how much your contributions to education are appreciated!

Computers Can Be So Much More

Guest post by Heidi Raki

Often I come across teachers who use their computers as video game systems and televisions.  They only allow students on them to practice games and watch videos.  While both of these are valid ways to use computers - computers are so much more!

1.)  Computers are interactive.  Use blogs and wikkis to allow for interaction on your computer.  Post a daily question to your blog and allow students to answer it during their computer center.  Use a sight like www.wallwisher.com to let students add questions they have about a topic during their computer center.  There are so many ways to have interactive computer centers! 

2.)  Computers are creative.  Students can create so much using a computer.  Students can use computers to make: drawings, writings, graphs, interactive displays, brochures, posters, etc.   There's no age level on when creation can begin either, I have taught students all the way down to Kindergarten to create Powerpoints.

3.)  Computers hold amazing information.  With the internet these days, you can find information on just about anything.  Let your students use kid friendly search engines like www.askkids.com or bookmarked sites to find information on topics you are studying in science, social studies, or even math!  Students can use this information to complete tables or answer questions - like in this FREE Internet Scavenger Hunt on Geographical Features of the USA - http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Internet-Scavenger-Hunt-Fourth-Grade-Geographical-Features-USA

4.) Computers allow us to connect.  Using e-mail and skype, my class has connected with a class on another continent this year!  Set up e-pals or partner classrooms and allow students to use the computer to see a whole new world!

I'd like to thank Heidi Raki for guest blogging on Technology Thursday.  You can find more from Heidi by checking out these links.

www.rakisradresources.com

http://www.facebook.com/RakiRadResources

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Heidi-Raki

http://teachersnotebook.com/shop/RakiRadResources

If you'd like to be a guest blogger, just fill out this simple form.

ANNOUNCING the Teacher Appreciation Jackpot!

Teacher Appreciation Week is coming, and Sunday, May 6th is your lucky day! I'm excited to announce the very first Teacher Appreciation Jackpot, an amazing "blog hop" event involving over 130 bloggers!

We wanted to show our appreciation for you in a BIG way, so we've all agreed to give away one of our TeachersPayTeachers products for free on that day! Each free gift will be valued at between $3 and $8. That brings the total jackpot amount to more than $500! On Saturday, May 5th, we will share the "actual cash value."

Because this is such a huge event with so many bloggers, it is being divided into three grade level groups. Each of those smaller events is being coordinated by one blogger as shown below:

·         PK - Grade 2 - April McNair on A Modern Teacher

·         Grades 3 - 6 - Laura Candler  on Corkboard Connections

·         Grades 7 - 12 - Adrianne Meldrum on The Tutor House

I wish I could tell you more, but I can't share any more details just yet. Just be sure to check back each day this week to see the events unfold! Keep an eye out for more posts from your favorite bloggers, many of whom I'll bet have joined in to show how Teachers Appreciate Teachers!

While you're waiting, why not take a look at the items in my TeachersPayTeachers store and let me know which item you would like as your free gift? Keep in mind that the free item will be valued between $3 and $8. You can stop by my facebook page and vote for your favorite in my poll. I'm not making any promises, but I'd love to see what interests you!

Thanks so much for all you do! We appreciate your commitment to your students and your dedication as an educator!

Saturday Science - NC Science Festival

In case you haven't heard, we are smack in the middle of the North Carolina Science Festival.

 "The North Carolina Science Festival is a multi-day celebration showcasing science and technology. The Festival highlights the educational, cultural and financial impact of science in our state. Through hands-on activities, science talks, lab tours, nature experiences, exhibits and performances, the Festival engages a wide range of public audiences while inspiring future generations."

There is still plenty of time left to join in all the great activities!  Check out the calendar.

Monday Mathematics - Long Division Line-up

I don't know about you, but one of my primary recollections of 4th grade is a blackboard full of long division problems we were expected to copy and complete on a regular basis.  Tedious indeed!
Not a lot of fun, either.  But I definitely knew how to follow the steps to solve a long division problem by the time I went on to fifth grade.

As a teacher, I dread long division.  I want my students to learn how to do it but I don't want them to find it tedious like I did.  Is it possible for long division to be fun? Maybe.  I went on a search and here are some of the things I found.

How About a Break at Tax Time?

Most people I know are either early birds or procrastinators when it comes to filing taxes.  Personally, we tend to be early birds but for all those procrastinators out that (and everyone else too) I have decided to join in with some other teacher authors and offer a Tax Break Sale.

Everything in my store is 15% off for two days. Enjoy the break!

While you're at it, why not hop on over to Rockin' Teacher Materials and check out the Link Up going on.  You'll find other teacher authors who are offering Tax Breaks too.

Hope this brightens up your day!

Science Saturday - Tie Dye with a Twist

Last summer, I was lucky enough to spend 3 days with a very gifted science educator... Steve Spangler.
If you don't know who he is, you don't know what you've been missing!
Anyway, while I was participating in Science in the Rockies 2011, I learned that you don't have to get messy to tie dye a t-shirt.  Tie dying is one of those things that I think you really love to do or you avoid because you're afraid of it.  In my case, I avoided it like the plague.  That is until last summer.  Not only did I learn you could do it without the mess and hassle of rubberbands and buckets of dye but you can control the designs to create beautiful works of art!  That is if you're artistic.

Before I go any further, you may be thinking: "How is this science?"  It is the science of color.

Here's what you need:
a t-shirt (pre-washed)
Sharpie ™ markers
rubbing alcohol
pipettes
rubberbands
plastic cups

Here's what you do:
Choose a place to begin your design on the t-shirt.  Place a plastic cup under the cloth and use a rubberband to hold it in place. Using Sharpie ™ markers, make dots to create an outline of your design.  (Keep in mind the fact that the colors will run.)
Next use a pipette to drop rubbing alcohol in the center of the design.  This will cause the colors to run and blend. Give it a few minutes to dry out and then you can move the cup to a new location.  It is possible to set up more than one design area at a time if you want to work more quickly.

When you're finished designing your t-shirt, throw it in the dryer to "set" the colors.  Take a look at our first attempts.

By the way, Friday was the kick-off for the NC Science Festival.  There will be some really cool and mostly Free things going on across North Carolina from now until April 29th.  If you're in the area, check them out!

A Very Lovely Blog

I don't usually think of my blog as being lovely.  I just want it to serve a purpose and be a place for sharing some cool things I find and create. Even so,  Kimberly Collingwood at Science, Etc. has identified this little blog as "A Very Lovely Blog".

What a "lovely" surprise that was!

Here are the rules for this award:
1.  Link back to the person who gave it to you.
2.  Follow the person that sent it to you.
3.  Pass it along to 15 (ish) other lovely bloggers.

Here are some of my favorite blogs.  Check them out!

Teaching and Learning Community

The Teacher Organizer

Plug-n-Plan

Teacher Gone Digital

The Best of Teachers Pay Teachers

Science Stuff

Clutter Free Classroom

Rockin' Teacher Materials

Mr. G's Creative Classroom Resources

Kindergarten Monkey Business

Me and My Gang

Classroom Freebies

Doodlebugs Teaching

Peace Love Learning

Teaching Happily Ever After

S.T.E.M.

So I was thinking that I should be more systematic about blogging.  I figured that I've got some followers who probably wish they were hearing from me more often.  I don't like to post for the sake of posting.  I want to have something valuable to share, so I've been giving this a lot of thought.  Here's what I came up with.
I have allowed myself to get boxed in by the name I chose.  Just because I am "the Teched Out Teacher" doesn't mean that I can't share other things.  For the next month, I am going to try posting

according to the acronym STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).

You can look forward to Saturday Science, Technology Thursday, Everyday Engineering, and Monday Mathematics.  While 3 of these subject areas have specific days of the week, engineering is special in that it will appear on random days.

If this goes well, I will continue the pattern.  Since I teach in a STEM lab setting, I hope to have plenty of ideas to share.  Even so, I know that collaborating with others is much more powerful.  That is why I thought there might be others who would want to share their ideas too.  In an effort to build a more collaborative blog, I will begin offering Team Up Tuesday.  Every Tuesday, you will be able to join in the fun of sharing ideas and TpT products here on my blog.  If we all Team Up, everyone can benefit.

Now you know what to look for.  Make sure you stop by often to see what's new.

Spring Themed Stationary

Spring has sprung!

 If you're looking for some journal prompts, The Teachers Corner is a great place to start.  Once you've got your prompts....

How about some cute new writing papers for your classroom?  This set was so much fun to design.  There are 9 different backgrounds and each one comes in both a lined and blank version.

Only $4.50