Life Lesson #18 (Be Dance Like)...

Be Dance Like

*It is Thursday and that means it is time for another "Life Lesson" video clip.

*Most of my life lessons can be on the heavy side with some pretty meaningful messages.

*I also want my students to "enjoy" their life and get the most out of it.

*This video clip is fun and reminds us to take some time in our busy lives to just "dance".

*I'm always trying to find ways to help my students reach their full potential.  

*Each Thursday I feature a different video with a "life lesson" in it.  

*After viewing the video once or twice, we chat a bit about it as a group.

*I then have the writers record their thoughts in their writer's notebooks.

*They can write their thoughts, reactions, connections, wonderings, learnings, or whatever is on their mind regarding the video.

*Encouragement is also given to reflect on the "message" of the clip.

*After about 5-10 minutes of writing, we listen to a few of the students share what they wrote.

*It is my hope that through these "life lessons", my students can become the best young people they can be.

Life Lessons (2015-2016)...

Lesson #1 - Be Courageous 

Lesson #2 - Be Kind
Lesson #3 - Be Courageous (part two)
Lesson #4 - Be Motivated
Lesson #5 - Be a Buddy, Not a Bully
Lesson #6 - Be Inspired
Lesson #7 - Be Spooky (Halloween Edition)
Lesson #8:  Be Kind (Kindness Retreat)
Lesson #9:  Be Shoutful
Lesson #10:  Be Happy
Lesson #11:  Be a Reader
Lesson #12:  Be Powerful
Lesson #13:  Be Merry
Lesson #14:  Be a Team
Lesson #15:  Be Giving
Lesson #16:  Be Brave (part two)
Lesson #17:  Be Positive

Wonder Wednesday #126 (#TitleTalk)...

Wonder Wednesday - #Titletalk Top Five

*This past Sunday night I joined in on the most recent #titletalk.

*This monthly chat occurs on Twitter and is run by Donalyn Miller and Colby Sharp.

*Each month they present a topic of conversation with educators, administrators, and librarians joining in on the "chat".

*This month's topic was "Collaboration."  The conversation was from 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM (CT)

*The hour always goes by so quickly and by the end my mind is swimming with new information.

*I thought I would share my top-five moments, quotes, or ideas that came from the hour.

*These come from my memory so I'm not listing who said it and may not get it word for word. 

Top-Five Moments...

-Most people collaborate online via Twitter, Facebook, Voxer, Googledocs, and Blogs.

-One goal of collaboration is to connect our students to the world outside of our own four walls.

-It is difficult to collaborate with colleagues that don't share the same views or teaching practices as you might hold close to your heart.

-Sometimes it is ok to collaborate alone which in turn makes you a better collaborator with others.

-You can't force collaboration!

-We need to keep a balance in our lives and can't collaborate in all ways with all people.  

(I know this is six statements, but I couldn't just stop at five.)

Picture Wednesday #20 (Winter Castle)...

"Winter Castle"

*I saw this photograph online and thought it was really cool.  

*I try to use different types of photos each Wednesday.  We haven't written about a picture like this one.

*This is such a beautiful photo and I think my students will have fun writing about it.  

*Each Wednesday we write in our writer's notebooks about a particular image.

*They can record their thoughts, reactions, connections, likes/dislikes, reminders, noticings, or anything else they would like.  

*Some of the writers choose to write a fiction story based on the picture.

*We write between five and ten minutes and then do a quick share at the end.  

*The photos always lead to lots of conversation and the sharing of ideas.  I try to get them to write first and then we can share what we wrote and what we were thinking.

*The writers are really enjoying writing and talking about these photographs.

Treat Tuesday #126 (Salsa Chicken Casserole)...

Treat Tuesday - Salsa Chicken Casserole

*A family member made this and it was delicious.

*I asked for the recipe and she pointed me to this site.  

The Recipe Site Can Be Found Here...

Serves 6
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients...

– 1 cup uncooked basmati rice, rinsed
– 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
– 1-15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
– 1-16-ounce jar salsa
– 1 cup chicken broth
– 1-½ teaspoons ground cayenne pepper
– 1 teaspoon oregano
– ½ teaspoon salt
– ¼ teaspoon black pepper
– 2 large chicken breasts (about 1-1/2 pounds), thawed
– 1 cup shredded cheese blend
– 2 green onions, sliced

Directions...

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In an 8-inch-by-8-inch baking dish, add the rice, black beans, corn, salsa, chicken broth, chili powder and oregano. Stir to combine.
3. Cut the chicken breasts into 3 pieces and submerge into the liquid in the baking dish as far as possible.
4. Cover the casserole dish tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour, until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed.
5. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with cheese. Return to the oven and bake just until the cheese has melted.
6. Top with green onions and serve.

Treat Tuesday:  Middle-Grade Novel

Treat Tuesday:  Young-Adult Novel














Treat Tuesday:  Adult Novel

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (2/1/16)...

Thanks to Jen and Kellee for hosting this idea on their site.  Here is a link to their site...

                

 http://www.teachmentortexts.com/

Books I Read this Past Week… 

The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens

*5 STARS out of 5 Stars!  (Adult Novel)

My Book Review

The War that Saved by Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

*5 STARS out of 5 Stars!  (Middle-Grade Novel)

My Book Review

Counting Thyme by Melanie Conklin

*5 STARS out of 5 Stars!  (Middle-Grade Novel)

My Book Review

Take Me With You by Catherine Ryan Hyde

*3 STARS out of 5 Stars!  (Adult Novel)

My Book Review

I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios

*5 STARS out of 5 Stars!  (Young-Adult Novel)

My Book Review

Books I Will (continue to) Read this Week… 

Magruder's Curiosity Cabinet by H.P. Wood

*My adult ARC novel

A History of Loneliness by John Boyne

*My adult novel (Audio)

The Tiara on the Terrace by Kristen Kittscher

*My Middle-Grade Novel

The Water Will Catch You by Chase Potter

*My young-adult novel

I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios...

How I Heard About It:  As I begin this review I'm not really sure where or how I heard about this novel?  It could have been on Twitter or a book review in a magazine.  It could have been an online friend.  Somehow it ended up on my TBR list and I ordered it along with several other books via a gift card I got from Christmas.  However I heard about it, I'm sure glad I did because it was an excellent read.  

What It Is About:  Skylar is seventeen and has just graduated from high school.  Josh is nineteen and has just returned from Afghanistan where he lost a leg during combat.  They both have grown up in Creek View which is a very small town with not much going for it.  Skylar has big dreams of getting out of Creek View and going to college in San Francisco to study art.  She has a natural talent.  All she has to get through is her summer in Creek View before she heads out into the world.  When her mother loses her job, turns to alcohol and a man, Skylar isn't sure this is the time to leave town.  She and Josh both work at the Paradise hotel which is a goofy little hotel in town.  As the summer progresses Skylar and Josh begin to spend more time with each other.  Skylar is frustrated with her home life and Josh is struggling to find some sort of normalcy after being in Afghanistan.  They lean on each for support and find a special kind of friendship.  The friendship is tested on more than one occasion and they must find a way to deal with "life" and move forward in the directions that are right for each of them.  

What I Thought Of It:  This was a wonderful story and I'm so incredibly happy that I read it.  I enjoyed the writing style.  The narration changed between Skylar and Josh.  What I liked about Josh's perspective was that he was writing a series of letters to a buddy from the war.  It was an interesting twist on writing style.  The characters of Skylar and Josh were so life-like and real.  There were many times when I felt like I was right there with them.  I also found the supporting "cast" of characters to be an essential part of the story.  They all supported Skylar and Josh to the very end.  It was heart-warming.  The background of the war and its effects on Josh were honest, raw, and compelling.  He was such a wounded man (both physically and emotionally) and it was touching how he found comfort with Skylar.  There really wasn't anything I didn't like about this book and when you hit about the last third of it, good luck putting it down.  I couldn't!  

Who Should Read It:  This is the perfect book for both young-adults and adults.  It isn't your typical high school "romance" type story.  There was so much more to it.  If you have know someone that has served in the armed forces, this would be such a relatable story.  I could tell the author did her research on it.  Readers will find this to be a top-notch A+ novel that will stay with them long after they finish it.  Happy Reading!  

Rating:  5 STARS out of 5 Stars

Music Monday #17 1/2 (An Adele Parody)...

"Snow" by Mary Morris (Adele "Hello" Parody)

*We don't have students today because it is a "grading" day.

*I saw this video on Facebook the other day and thought it was so clever and fun.  

*I know the song "Hello" by Adele is being played quite a bit, but I must say I'm a fan.

*If you haven't seen this "version", take a few minutes and watch.  Pretty darn good!  

Music Monday Selections (2015-2016)…

Week #1:  What I Am by will.i.am
Week #2:  Proud by Heather Small
Week #3:  Dreamer by Chris Brown
Week #4:  Live Like a Warrior by Matisyahu
Week #5:  Sunshine by Matisyahu
Week #6:  Better When I'm Dancin' by Megan Trainor
Week #7:  Thriller by Michael Jackson
Week #8:  Hopeful by Bars and Melody
Week #9:  Keep Your Head Up by Andy Grammar
Week #10:  The Rainbow Connection from The Muppets
Week #11:  What Does the Fox Say by Ylvis
Week #12:  Hall of Fame by The Script
Week #13:  Clouds by Zach Sobiech
Week #14:  Do They Know Its Christmas by Band Aid
Week #15:  What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong
Week #16:  Am I Wrong by Nico & Vinz
Week #17:  Humble and Kind by Tim McGraw