Christmas Questionnaire

I'm so happy to be linking up with Michelle over at Fabulous in First for a fun Christmas, get-to-know-you linky!

Hot Chocolate or Eggnog?
Without a doubt... hot chocolate, preferably with coffee in it, or is it coffee with hot chocolate in it! YUM!

Does Santa wrap presents of just set them under the tree?
In my house Santa does NOT wrap! Gift bags were the best invention of the 20th century. If it doesn't fit into a bag, Santa finds a bigger bag! LOL!

Colored lights or white?
I alternate years. This is colored light year. Last year was white light year.

When do you decorate?
I usually decorate the day after Thanksgiving at home, but not until the last week before Christmas break at school. We observe Advent at school as long as possible.

Real or Fake tree?
I have no choice: fake! I am terribly allergic to pine. Most of my family is as well so it's fake for all of us.

What tops your tree?
A lighted star that I bought at Dollar Tree (my fav store).

Favorite Christmas Memories or Traditions?
Singing, directing the choir(s), playing the bells, and/or playing my flute at Midnight Mass each year from the time I was ten. I have taken a sabbatical from this for the past two years and am getting the itch to return.

Do you remember your favorite gift as a child?

Yep, Little Kiddles dolls and clubhouse. I was in fourth grade and Santa brought it to my grandma's house. I can close my eyes and see them in my hands, playing with them for hours and hours!

Giving or Receiving?
Giving! I have nothing I need or want at this stage in my life. I LOVE to give to my grand niece and nephews!

Candy Canes? Yum or Yuck?
Yummy smell! Yucky taste! I'd rather eat chips. LOL!

Favorite Christmas Movie?
It's a Wonderful Life... I love the line: "Every time a bell rings, and angel gets its wings." I always got a kick out of telling my children's bell choir members that they were angel makers. Some of them are in their thirties and early forties and they still remember this!

Do you shop on line or at stores?
I do NOT shop anywhere but online! I HATE shopping!

Photo cards, letter, or store bought cards?
None, really! I don't send any. I do leave Facebook messages. Does that count?

Be sure you stop by Fabulous in First to read more bloggers' Christmas Questionnaires.

Merry Christmas,
Happy Teaching,
Angela
The Teacher's Desk 6

Five for Friday: More Advent FREEBIES

It's time to link up with Doodlebugs for...

First... The Cyber-Monday and Tuesday sale on TpT was tons of fun! My store was busy and my shopping cart was BUSY! I blogged about all the goodies that I found HERE but I'm posting the pic of my purchases once again.

Second... I learned how to create a form in Google Docs. I created a reading survey to help me complete a project on which I'm currently working. I am in need of teachers to complete the survey to help me collect information about what you and your students are reading. Please take a moment to visit this POST and fill-out just a couple of questions. There's a small gift waiting for you if you do!
Third... We are continuing to celebrate Advent (rather than Christmas) at school. I've tried to incorporate the Advent theme in fun and unique ways throughout my curriculum not just in Religion class. One way that I've added a touch of Advent is in my review and practice materials. ZAP! is a game that my kids LOVE to play. Here's a second Advent ZAP! game that I created. It helps students practice alphabetizing words.

Another way that I've been able to incorporate Advent within my content areas is via Mystery Pictures. In a mystery picture, students follow a key to match a word in a box with its respective function. They then color the box and eventually reveal a mystery picture. Here is an Advent wreath mystery picture wherein students practice identifying parts of speech (nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs). It is available in my TpT Store. 

I created a second Advent mystery picture. This one is a FREEBIE that you can download HERE or by clicking on the picture below. This mystery picture provides students practice with identifying prepositions, pronouns, and interjections. If you download this one, please provide feedback for it. Remember when you provide feedback for TpT products you earn promo points that you can redeem for discounts on products.

Fourth... My sixers and I went on a FANTASTIC field trip on Thursday! I blogged about it HERE so I won't go into the details too deeply. I'll just say that I stepped onto the Titanic in the guise of Henriette Yprois, explored several hundred artifacts, and learned many new interesting this about this popular topic. However, I did NOT survive the voyage! LOL!

Fifth... On Friday, we celebrated St. Nicholas Day with our annual tree lighting, pajama party, Read for 2014 activities. It is a GREAT day that all the students in K-6th grade really look forward to. We even had a special visit from St. Nicholas himself (shhh! It's really one of our high school teachers dressed to look like the kindly, merciful bishop from whom descends our modern Santa Claus) who left a bag of treats in each student's shoe.

A little later in the day we played a game of St. Nicholas ZAP! wherein students practiced identifying subjects and predicates while learning about the kindly saint. Even my eighth graders enjoyed this fun-filled learning game!

I then gave my fifth and sixth graders a little St. Nicholas Day gift... a St. Nicholas brag tag to help them remember our fun day. My kiddos LOVE brag tags! You can download a set of St. Nicholas brag tags for your students HERE or by clicking on the graphic below. 

Happy Teaching,

Angela

The Teacher's Desk 6

One TITANIC Field Trip!

You LOVE them! You HATE them! What is "them" you might ask? FIELD TRIPS! I wonder how many field trips I have been on in my 33 years of teaching! Some memorable, some quite forgettable. Today's field trip is definitely in the memorable column.



There is always so much to see and do at the Great Lakes Science Center. The hands-on science activities can't be beat. Not only are they fun, they are educational. I loved listening to my kiddos really try to figure out why something worked! 
Most of my sixers have been to the Science Center several times before. However, NONE of them had been to the special exhibit about the Titanic at which there were several hundred artifacts from the ship on display. They were SOOOOOO excited to go to this exhibition! Who didn't sleep the night before, who woke up really early? I chuckled at their comments and behavior! 
Unfortunately, we were unable to take photos within the exhibit itself. However, we all received a replica of the original boarding pass. 

On the back of the pass was a short biography of a passenger. 

I had the pass of a rather colorful character, a French model who was the paramour of the married man who was filming the ship's maiden voyage... sigh! My sixers had fun with this one all day. LOL! At the end of the exhibition, you were instructed to search the survivors' roster for your name. Alas, I did not survive the tragedy! Luckily, I survived the field trip! 
What made this trip so successful was that my sixers had read a fictional book about the tragedy and had done a LOT of research about the topic (Thanks to Jessica from Joy in the Journey for her great Titanic research unit and to Becky from Thrifty Third Grade for her book unit). We had viewed numerous video clips and had even learned a song about it! They could make considerable connections to the material they were seeing! The two docents who supervised our visit were incredulous at my kids' knowledge and excitement level. Both of them stated, unbeknownst to each other, that my class was so different than any other that they had seen in the exhibit, so into it,  and let me tell you: there have been hundreds at this exhibit in the past six months. I was VERY proud of them!
I can't wait to do a couple of follow-up items with my sixers tomorrow. We will write thank you cards to our two chaperones (who also had a terrific time) and letters to the Great Lakes Science Center recalling our experience and detailing what we liked and what we learned. We'll send our letters along with a copy of our video to the museum so they have feedback to help them do future planning.
Speaking of future planning... I am working on the next field trip for this group of sixers! They are just tooooo much fun to not take on another trip.
Happy Teaching, Angela The Teacher's Desk 6

Showing-off My Decorations

I'm linking up with Christina from Bunting, Books, and Bainbridge to show-off my holiday decorations (such as they are).

First, my tree...

It is a small, table top model, but it suits me well! Each year I change the color scheme. Last year I placed white lights and gold ornaments on it. This year there are colored lights and silver ornaments. What's underneath is what I like the best.

I had been intrigued by the image of Santa kneeling by Baby Jesus's manger when I first saw it aeons ago. The Christmas before my mother passed away she surprised me with this wonderful statue of the image crafted by artist Jim Shore. She also purchased the stature of the Holy Family by the same artist. Below you can see it in front of my fireplace next to my pine cone collection and twinkling bush.

I took the fireplace picture with no flash, just the lighting from the tree and the lights nestled among the greenery on the mantle.

My decorations are not complete until I show-off my ultimate ornament...

Daisy Mae LOVES to sit under the Christmas tree. My current tree is a tad too small for her to actually sit under it, but she gives it a try anyway. LOL!

I hope you'll link up and Show-off Your House as well!

Happy Teaching,
Angela
The Teacher's Desk 6

What I Bought... WOWZA!

It was all I could do today at school to not hop on my computer and start playing with all the great things I bought at the TpT Cyber Sale! For a split second (or two or three) I toyed with the idea of giving my sixers a Language Arts Mystery Picture to solve while I ogled my items. Alas, I was the good teacher and waited until after school!

I'm joining in the Show Us What You Bought linky party over at Blog Hoppin' to share the great products I grabbed during the sale.

Would'ya look at my stash?!?!?!

1. Elf Interactives - Template Set Great for Interactive Notebooks!
2. Sweet Interactives - Template Set Great for Interactive Notebooks!
3. Advent Wreath Clip Art Set
4. Christmas Reading Graphic Organizers {Use with ANY text} Common Core Aligned
5. Christmas and Winter Interactive Notebook Activities and Flipbooks BUNDLE
6. Flip Flap Template Set - Decorative - Great for Interactive Notebooks!
7. The Gift of the Magi Differentiated Unit for 4-8 with Craftivities & Centers!
8. Cell Organelle Mix & Match Game
9. Blue Jay Clip Art Set
10. Figurative Language Candy Craftivity or Interactive Notebook Activity
11. Inference Craftivity: Let's Make S'more Inferences with S'more Cocoa

I can NOT wait to REALLY get started using these items. I've already begun working on an Advent foldable for my fifth graders' notebooks. I'll probably be sharing it for Freebie Friday this week. And I've got a couple of ZAP! games planned for the bird clipart. Plus I want to have my sixers use the organelle matching game to help them learn their science vocabulary.

So, what all did you buy? I enjoy looking at everyone's purchases (I usually find more to buy!).

Happy Teaching,
Angela
The Teacher's Desk 6

Currently, Tried It Tuesday: Calling All Teachers, esp. Grs. 4-6

I love linking up with Holly over at Fourth Grade Flipper for her Tried It Tuesday linky! I'm a little ahead of myself this week. I realize that it is only Monday; however, I also wanted to join Farley over at Oh'Boy 4th Grade for her monthly Currently party, and I wanted to do it as quickly as possible (I missed the first day due to another post that was already long enough!)

CURRENTLY, I am enjoying the calm before the storm. The only thing that I hear right now is the computer fan and an occasional moan from Miss Daisy. Tomorrow it's back to school, LISTENING to 22 sixers telling me all at once about their Thanksgiving... I wouldn't have it any other way!

I don't know about you but I am LOVING the TpT Cyper Sale! I have found such great buys on terrific products... that's another blog post, later in the week!

I can't stop THINKING about returning to school tomorrow... Do I have everything ready? Did I set my alarm? Should I pack my lunch or buy lunch? And on it goes....

I really am WANTING someone to come and take over my Christmas shopping. I hate shopping, and I hate wrapping presents even more! Any takers? I'll grade papers for you, make you Chex Mix and carmel popcorn (my specialities)... sigh!

I am NEEDING nothing. I have more than I could ever need. There're things that I want (read the paragraph above... LOL!) and things that I'd like (read my Tried It Tuesday below), but there is nothing that I truly need.

FAVORITE TRADITION? Hands down without a doubt or second thought... our special Christmas dinner of pork roast, knodels (potato dumplings), and sweet/sour cabbage. This is a tradition that goes back to my grandfather's family when he was a boy living in Germany at the turn of the last century. There hasn't been a Christmas that we haven't had this dinner. I CAN NOT wait for it! YUM!

For Tried It Tuesday this week I am attempting a survey via Google Docs. The survey was SIMPLE, EASY PEASY to set-up. From your Google Drive Panel, select create, then form. You're given the choice of a few templates. Once you make your selection, it's a matter of filling in the blanks and answering questions. Save the form, then embed the code in a blog page or share the link by email to make it available for respondents. Here is the form that I created.

Would you take a few moments to complete this simple survey? I'm working on several projects and need a little help on which books I should focus. I'll keep the survey open until December 20, 2013. As a thank you for helping me out, I'll send each of you one of my new ELA Winter ZAP! games. Just follow the directions at the end of the survey (after you click the submit button). THANKS SOOOO MUCH for your help with this project!!!





Happy Teaching,
Angela
The Teacher's Desk 6

Must Read Mentor Text: Cat in the Manger

I couldn't wait to link up with Amanda and Stacia of Collaboration Cuties for this week's Must Read Mentor Text party! I don't teach Math or Social Studies so I really don't have texts to share those weeks... but give me Language Arts! This week I'm sharing a favorite story told in a book that is new to me.

A long time ago, in a faraway land, a cat lived in a barn. Of course, he had to share it with all the other animals: cows, goats, chickens, and mice! Then, one wintry night, the door flew open and in came a man and a woman on a donkey, to take shelter from the snow. Beautiful watercolors and the cat's simple words create a moving retelling of the story of the birth of Jesus.... Amazon.com

Told from the point of view of a furry feline who finds himself sharing the first Christmas with the Holy Family in the stable, this wonderful little story brings a freshness to a familiar tale. The pictures are ethereal in feeling with a blueness, a peacefulness, a mysteriousness that draws the reader/listener in. Who can resist a cat, right?

Since the story of Jesus's birth is so familiar to my students, having it told from a cat's point of view will be a nice change. I'm thinking that I will read the book to them without showing the pictures. They will quickly determine that this is a retelling of the Nativity story, but I wonder how long it will  take before they infer that the narrator is a cat. There is no direct information in the text that expressively tells a cat is the storyteller.

As part of the class during which I will present this story to my students we will also play Nativity Zap!, a game that's available in my TpT store, and will be offered at a 28% discount during the upcoming Cyber Monday and Tuesday sale at TpT.  My kids go wild for ZAP! and I've been hard pressed to keep up with making new games for them. Nativity Zap gives students practice identifying independent clauses, dependent clauses, and phrases within the context of the story of the First Christmas.

To go along with today's Must Read Mentor text, I made an additional set of five cards for my Nativity ZAP! game. The five cards contain reference to the story of the Cat in the Manger, and are only available HERE or by clicking on the graphic of them directly below. They make a nice addition to my original ZAP! game and tie in the mentor text well.

I have told the story of the manger kitty to hundreds of students over the years, not from this book that I just recently  purchased, but as a story that I learned after reading it in some woman's magazine around Christmas time. The story in the magazine explained how Tabby cats received the "M" mark on their heads: Mary was so happy that the little tabby cat had quieted and warmed Baby Jesus that she stroked his head in thanksgiving. Her hand left the mark as a sign of blessing for the little tabby... M for Madonna, M for Mary, and M for the miracle of Jesus's birth! I was intrigued since I owned my own Tabby named Felicity (named for the saint who is included in the Litany of the Saints) who had the "M" on her head, and ever since I first heard this story I have owned a Tabby.

My current Tabby, Daisy Mae, has spent 14 Christmases with me. She is most definitely a Manger Kitty! As soon as my tree is assembled, she hops up on the table where it is and plops down near it and waits to have her photo snapped. Here is this year's pose wherein you can see her "M" clearly, and see that she is sitting near the manger. You can just see Baby Jesus in the foreground. Santa is kneeling near him. Notice that Daisy's mouth is open. She was giving me the what-for since I was taking too long to set the shot.

I leave you with a bit of trivia...

Did you know that Leonardo da Vinci is actually credited with the inspiration for this quaint kitty legend? He loved to draw la Madonna del Gatto (The Madonna and the Cat) showing Mary, Jesus, and a furry feline friend and made numerous sketches of them in 1480 and 1481. One is pictured below.

Did Leonardo inspire the legend? Or did the legend really inspire Leonardo?

Happy Teaching,
Angela
The Teacher's Desk 6

Advent: Happy New Year {FREEBIES}

Advent, from the Latin "ad-venire" meaning "to come to", is the first season of the Church year. For Christians, New Year's Day then is this Sunday, Dec. 1st. Advent is the time leading up to Christmas, a time that is oft neglected in our consumer oriented world. In the rush to BUY, BUY, BUY for Christmas, we neglect to prepare for the sacredness of the holiday... the real reason for the season. This is what the season of Advent is for.

Because I teach in a Catholic school, I have the luxury of celebrating the Advent season, a time of expectant waiting. Santa is kept to a minimum and only in the guise of St. Nicholas, the actual man- a bishop in Turkey long, long ago- who eventually becomes our modern Santa. Christmas songs are overlooked in favor of Advent songs. Instead of reds and greens festooning everything, our halls are decked with purple and pink, the colors of Advent.

We have a Christmas tree in our gathering space at school on which hangs holy ornaments, and the wreath in our hallway is an Advent wreath. It won't be until the last few days prior to Christmas break, starting with our school Christmas program that our attention will focus more on Christmas. Until then, we must remain patient, waiting in joyful hope, preparing our hearts for the coming of Jesus on Christmas.

Even my lessons and activities next week will focus on Advent rather than on Christmas.

Next week's Spelling words...

... an editing practice lesson...

... and two graphic organizers...

... all have an Advent theme.

If you would like any of these Advent items to use in your classroom or homeschool, you can purchase the Scoot pack and Zap game HERE or by clicking on the pictures above. The spelling list, revising paper, and graphic organizers are a FREEBIE, and can be downloaded HERE or by clicking on the picture below.

Happy Advent,
Happy Teaching,
Angela
The Teacher's Desk 6