Silence for Sandy Hook Elementary

WARNING: Copyrights & Trademarks

  As the Internet has exploded, so has the copyright and trademark violations. You would think teachers would know better, right? There seems to be a misconception that if something can be downloaded for free from the original source, or if you pay for a product that it's okay to post it online. Perhaps you've posted copyrighted worksheets on secure servers for students or parents. Did you know that these "secure" worksheets can be found through Google, and downloaded by just about anyone who is even partially text savvy?
  Here is the scoop on what is acceptable and what crosses the line:

• If you find a free downloadable resource, you cannot post it on the Internet unless it is specifically stated in the terms of use. This includes posting it to your school website or district servers. You can provide a link to the original source. Please don't download a free resource from a site that doesn't have permission to post it. Just because it's free from the author and / or publisher, doesn't mean it's free to post online without permission! You can link, but you can't post.
• If you purchase a resource, it's generally for classroom use only. Read the terms of use. You cannot give copies to your colleagues or post the product on the Internet without express written permission from the author and / or publisher.
• If you want to brag about a product or book on your blog or website -go ahead! Post a link to the original source and give the author the credit, but don't post any of the pages without the author's (or publisher's) permission. Teacher-authors and children's authors are usually thrilled when other teachers brag about their work, so take a moment to contact them. They might even agree to guest blog!
• You cannot post pages or texts of picture books or novels on the Internet. I've actually run across teacher websites with entire copies of picture books copied into PowerPoint slideshows. That is illegal! It's generally accepted that you can post the cover of a book if it links to a site that sells the book (like Amazon or Barnes and Noble). Side note: If you are a teacher-author or blogger, you can set up an associate account with Amazon. You can legally post book cover pictures that link to Amazon within your product, or from your website, blog, or electronic newsletter. This is the best way to get access to legal copies of book covers for your literature units.)
• Yes, you can use short quotes from text. Cite your source!
• If in doubt -write the author and / or publisher and ask for permission.
• You cannot post graphics or clipart for free or in a commercial product unless you have rights (it's public domain, or you purchased rights of use or commercial rights). This is one of the reasons many teacher-authors sell their products as PDF files. They purchased the right to use the graphics in paid products, but only in a secure form!
• Here is a sticky one: reader's theatre. You can write (to use, give away, or sell) an original reader's theatre, but you cannot write (to give away or sell) a reader's theatre that is a retelling of a story protected by copyright. A retelling of a story that is not in the public domain, and is still protected by copyright is considered a derivative work. Reader's theatre scripts that are retellings of a story are considered derivative forms. You don't have the right to post derivative works in print or online, for free or as a paid commercial product. That's essentially plagiarism! Only the copyright holder has the right to create a derivative work. You can use a public domain story (like a fairy tale) as a reader's theatre (which is really a play, but that's another blog post for another day). 
• And a bigger sticky one: You cannot use anything that is trademarked without the express written permission of the trademark holder, including Daily Five, anything Dr. Seuss (even the word "Grinch" is trademarked), Disney, Pete the Cat, Rovio, Angry Birds, The Daily Cafe, and Thinking Maps. I think you get the picture. If it's under trademark, you can't create free or paid resources in association with it without permission. This includes making a hand drawn (or computer drawn) picture of the Grinch or Mickey Mouse to hang in your own classroom. I know...ouch!
• You can create (to give away or sell) literature units (original materials based on the book), as long as you don't violate the copyright of the book (like copy large chunks of text, or include whole text in your materials). The exception is books with trademarked titles or characters (like Dr. Seuss and Pete the Cat).

Read Margaret Whisnant's Top 5 Copyright Questions

Christmas Resources for Elementary Classrooms

50 TPT Teacher-Authors
50 Teaching Tips
100 FREE Classroom Resources

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Sugarplums are dancing in your student's heads, your shopping list is growing, and it's almost time for the class party. So much to do; so little time. I'm linking up all of my Christmas resources to help you along the way. Some cost a few dollars, but there are some great freebies in the mix as well.

The Ballet of Writing

Teaching writing is a lot like teaching ballet. I've watched for years as my daughter has grown up in the ballet world, and there are some similarities in the finer points of teaching ballet that I can't help but compare to teaching children to write.

I'm somewhat disturbed with the "just get something on paper" trend with younger writers. It's a lot like let's "just learn a dance for the recital" mentality. For years, my daughter danced at a school that focused on preparing for two yearly recitals. As a mom, I had no idea that not all ballet instruction was created equal. It wasn't until my daughter expressed the desire to dance professionally that we sought out a pre pro ballet school. What a shocker!

In a true pre professional ballet school, children spend the majority of their time focusing on technique. It's not about putting on pretty tutus and dancing on the stage. It's about hard work and discipline. As a writing teacher, I've noticed that children who come to me in the upper grades with a strong foundation in skills knows how to put a piece of writing together -whether it's an essay or a fiction story. Just like dancers who focus on technique first can pick up on choreography, writers who focus on skills first can write.

One of the major things I noticed when my daughter changed schools was the difference in the quality of dancers the school turned out. The dancers were not only technically better, they also learned and remembered choreography quickly, and were able to choreograph quality pieces by themselves! The focus on technique isn't always fun, but the results are amazing.

How can a student write an essay if they can barely put two sentences together? We expect this of kids, but how much time has been devoted to building a strong foundation in writing? We certainly don't want to squash a child's imagination and creativity, but who is to say that a writer won't write simply because they were asked to write a complete sentence before they wrote a fiction story? My daughter's creativity and imagination as a choreographer has blossomed since she has focused on technique and put more dance tools in her toolbox. She has the tools required to choreograph a piece. Writers need to learn the tools first, so that they too can choreograph a piece of writing on their own. Writing is a ballet of words, an art form that is both imaginative and built on a foundation of skills. Let's not let our student's writing skills slip through an hour glass filled with sand.

Teachers Are Appreciated

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!

School is winding down. Now is the time to clean up, throw out, and refresh. Take advantage of TPT's Teacher Appreciation Week 3 Day Sale May 6-8 and pick up the resources you need for the beginning of the 2012-2013 school year.

Everything in my TPT store is 20% off for 3 days only! On top of that you can use the promo code TAD12 at checkout to receive up to 28% off of your purchase. Check out the link ups below to see all of the TPT stores that are hosting additional sales along with promo code.

Get your FREE End of Year Memory Book!


Simply make a copy of this End of Year Memory Book for each of your students and let them capture their 2011-2012 school memories as a keepsake forever.

Get ready for Back to School with lots of great beginning of the year resources!


Check out the Back to School section of my TPT store for classroom themes, printables, stationary and more! Classroom theme packets include binder cover, job cards, mini chocolate candy bar wrappers, bookmarks, folder labels, name tags, desk plates, incentive chart, blank calendar, and more! Current themes available include: Hollywood, Rock n' Roll, Western, Camping, Frog, Garden, Chocolate, Space, Farming, and Americana. I will be adding new themes this summer. If you are looking for a specific theme, please email me with your ideas at effective teaching solutions @ yahoo dot com  (close the gaps to the email address). 

Six Steps to Superb Writing

Helping foster positive writing skills is an important pursuit. The Superb Writers' Blogathon, hosted by Grammarly grammar checker, offers practical advice for aspiring writers of all age-levels. 

Whether you are a writer, or a teacher of writing (or both), you can improve your writing (or your student's writing) by following these six steps:

Step 1: Read Like a Writer
How does a writer read? They pay attention. Think about what you would do if you wanted to landscape your yard. You would check out every yard you passed. You would notice the types of plants and flowers used in other people's yards. You would pay attention to how the landscaping is designed. You would notate the details of ideal yards. The same goes for writers. Writers pay attention when they read. They notice the subtle crafting, how a plot twists and turns, and where a comma is placed. Every book in a classroom or library is your personal mentor text.

Step 2: Write
There isn't any getting around this one. Writers write. The only way to get better at something is to do it over and over again. Writing volume increases fluency. Students should be given the opportunity to write freely in a journal every day, even if only for a few minutes per day. Encourage your young writers to write at home. Set goals, such as daily word counts. Adult writers often set their word count goal at a thousand words per day. This sounds like a lot, but once you get going, you will discover that it's not much at all. The important thing is that you write.

Step 3: Study the Craft of Writing
Whether you study the craft of writing in school, workshops, or by reading books, a writer needs to build on their foundation and learn their craft. As a writer, you are composing something out of nothing. You must learn how to take the seed of an idea and develop it in detail, how to craft a plot, organize an essay, structure a sentence, and choose your words carefully. And yes, you need to learn the basics: grammar and conventions.

Step 4: Read, Write, and Study Poetry
Poetry teaches a writer many things: how language is constructed, how to write precise and concise, figurative language, and how to create a mental image in the reader's mind. In order to get language out, you must first get language in. Reading and writing poetry year round is one way to take your word smithing to the next level.

Step 5: Request and Accept Feedback
Ultimately the writer writes alone. It is your story or article, but an effective writer understands the power of feedback. Step back from your work and let beta readers or critique partners take an objective look at your piece. Critique partners are peer writers who ideally write in the same genre. They give you feedback on everything from plot to misspelled words. Beta readers are people who read your work and give you feedback based on their natural reactions to your work, and questions you pose prior to their reading it. You make the final decision about any changes you make in your piece, but feedback can help you to see the things you missed. It's hard for writers to be subjective about their own work because they are so close to it on an emotional level.

Step 6: Self-Assess
In school, teachers use rubrics with defined criteria to assess young writers. The most effective way to use these assessments is to allow the writer to self- assess their own work using the rubric. As an independent writer, you can devise your own criteria or checklist to help you stay focused during the revision and editing process. Self-assessment is the key to growing as a writer. You need to identify your strengths and weaknesses, and create a specific set of goals for yourself to grow as a writer.

Rinse and Repeat
Learning to write is never done. Each new writing project is a journey to self-discovery. If you want to write, then continuously engage in all six steps for never-ending growth. A well-rounded writing curriculum puts all six steps into place in order help writers improve the quality of their writing.

Starting from Scratch (40 Scenes in 40 Days)

I'm making some changes to my plot. I'm adding an unexpected twist and a new conflict, but I still have one more important piece to my plot puzzle to figure out. I've been thinking on it for a few days now. I realized that this story should be told in first person, so I'm ripping my beginning and starting from scratch. I can either push my deadline into May or play catch up on the weekend. Considering that I'm in testing season (writing this week and reading coming up at the end of April), I'm inclined to push my self-imposed deadline out, rather than push myself while I'm tired from my school day.

Writing is hard work. Sometimes it feels as if you are giving blood, sweat, and tears to your manuscript. At times like this, I think about how kids feel. One page (which is equivalent to approximately 150-200 words) seems like a mountain to a nine year old -a mountain built by hand from the bottom up. It's not just the writing that makes it hard, but the thinking. You have to exercise the creative side of your brain, yet your story still needs logic, so both sides must work together. My students have to write to a prompt on demand Tuesday and Wednesday. Every time I go into state testing, I feel as if I'm taking 45 tests (2 classes) with no control over any of it. No wonder I'm exhausted from watching kids test all day! At least I can think on testing days (since I can't do anything else), so I will think about Melody and her journey, and perhaps I will figure out something new about my character and plot.

Scene 2, Day 2 (40 Scenes in 40 Days Writing Challenge)

Scene 2 came in at 1272 words. I went back and dropped the whip (kind of harsh, I know). In scene 2, I needed to get my main character Melody, in a new place, so the Queen of Tor arrived at the orphanage to select one of the older girls (Melody is the eldsest) as her ward. Melody's friend (who was just named Karilynn today) spilled the beans. She let the queen know that Melody has a token (gift, talent), or so she thinks. The queen selects Melody and tells her to pack her things. I wrote this scene before school today which frees me this evening to work on a nonfiction project (and blog, of course), but it also gives me a little daydream time. I need time to process the next scene -make it come alive in my mind. I'm heading to the castle in scene 3.

Scene 1, Day 1 (40 Scenes in 40 Days Writing Challenge)

Scene 1, Day 1

I set the coffee pot last night to begin brewing around 4:45 a.m. Coffee first. I confess I already had about 300 words drafted out for scene one, so I was ready to go. I sat down and started typing. An hour later, I had over 1200 words, and I was only halfway through the first scene. I originally thought my scenes would be somewhat short -around 1000 to 1500 words, but this scene took a turn on its own and headed in a different direction that I originally expected.

Power to pansters! Sometimes you just have to go on the journey with your character. Melody took me deep into the underground tunnels of the Kingdom of Tor. It was a late night adventure in a place where it's unlawful for citizens to be out in the streets at night, and she is an orphan. Melody risked everything to go in search of a runaway boy. I realized this wasn't the first time Melody took a trip to the deep downs. After all, she knows Rory, the leader of the street rats. This was the first surprise! I didn't know about Rory until he appeared on my stage. He's cocky and flirtatious, and now I'm going to have to weave him into the story.

Melody's adventure brings her token (gift, talent) to the surface. Music. The only problem -music is dead in the Kingdom of Tor. She is unaware of its existence, and even more unaware of its powers. I bet you want to know what happened? Well, yes, she finds Trey, is almost snatched by the night rebels, and discovers her gift, but I can't leave her in an a good place (as mild as that is). Melody, the boy, and her friend (who goes with her) are busted -by the mistress of the orphanage. Right now, the mistress has a whip in her hands and is waiting for an explanation.

Scene one consists of 2429 words. Now I just need to figure out how to get Melody out of one spot of trouble and into another. 

40 Scenes in 40 Days Writing Challenge

I have files and files of ideas, half written stories, and chapter threes. I'm a writer, but my biggest challenge is getting to the end of a book. I've been studying planning plots and crafting scenes, making notes, and now, I've finally fleshed out a plot from beginning to end, scene by scene. I'm ready to write.

How did this panster turn into a plotster? There is a reason we give kids graphic organizers. In order to get from point A to point B, you need to know where point B is located on the map. You need a clear route. I have absolutely no sense of direction. I need directions that say, "Turn left Revision Street. Go three chapters, U-turn around, and take the first right on Editor's Road." I'm lost without directions, so I'm not sure what made me think I was a panster.

You see -a lot of writers "just write". In fact, I recently posted questions about writing scenes on a writer's forum, and got a plenty of "just write" feedback. Some people can find a needle in a haystack. I can't even find the haystack.

So I plotted.

I'm fired up about my plot, so I've decided to challenge myself to write 40 scenes in 40 days. My goal is to finish my draft by April 27, 2012. I will update the blog every few days, and tweet each day using hashtag #40scenes to update you on my progress. Please follow me as I push myself forward on this journey. I'll see you at the end of the tunnel.

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy (with light romantic elements)
Title: Maestro
Blurb (subject to change): Melody joins Reed on a quest to find the maestro's murderer and restore the music to the Kingdom to Tor. Along the way, she discovers that she holds the key to the music realm, and the power to change everything.

 

LEAP DAY SALE!

28% off ALL OF MY TPT PRODUCTS
 ONE DAY ONLY
Use Promo Code L2P9Y

Valentine Blog Hop

 

  Welcome to the 

Valentine Blog Hop

TPT Bloggers: How to join the Valentine Blog Hop

• Create a blog hop page. Give one free Valentine resource away on TPT (Teachers Pay Teachers sellers only, please). Post a link to your resource on your page. 
• Host a contest giving away teaching resources from your TPT store and / or a TPT gift card. Post your giveaway rules on your blog page. The contest must be open February 1-14, 2012. Use random.org for your drawing. Announce your winner on your blog page on February 15, 2012.
• Add your page to the Valentine Blog Hop Linky Party.
• Post a link from your blog page to the host Valentine Blog Hop page (this page). Feel free to save the image and use it         on your blog. 
• Please use your social media connections to promote the Valentine Blog Hop.

How to Play:

• Visit each blog to find your free Valentine's Day teaching resource.
• Enter each blog's giveaway for a chance to win fabulous teaching resources from TPT.
• Help promote the Valentine Blog Hop to your colleagues and teacher friends through word of mouth and social networking.
• Bloggers love comments! Please take the time to check out the teacher-bloggers posts and leave relevant comments. 

Enter Effective Teaching Articles 

Valentine Blog Hop Giveaway!

• How to Enter: Simply read an article on the blog (Effective Teaching Articles) and leave a thoughtful and relevant comment. Please leave your email address as well so that I can notify you if you win. You can put "at" for @ and "dot" for the . to keep your email address from getting picked up by spam bots. One entry will be given for each comment left on the blog between February 1-14, 2012. I will use random.org to select the winner. 
• Winners: Three winners will win $25 worth of teaching resources from my Teachers Pay Teachers store. I have over 275 resources available!
• FREE for a LIMITED TIME! My Valentine's Day resources are free through February 14th! Grab them now! They will go back to paid on February 15th.
• FREE Valentine's Day Lined Writing Paper
• FREE Valentine's Day Reward Coupons
• FREE 8 Colorful Valentine's Day Bookmarks 

Follow the links to more free teaching resources and fabulous giveaways!

Grab the InLinkz code for your blog!

Poetry Slam!

I recently read a punch in the gut debut young adult novel by Colleen Hoover. She did an amazing job of integrating slam poetry into the book. The poetry added depth and emotional impact to the story. Colleen agreed to guest blog about how she used poetry in her book.

BUY SLAMMED ON AMAZON

  Slammed is a contemporary young adult novel that centers on the life of eighteen-year-old Layken Cohen.  Layken reluctantly moves to Michigan with her family and immediately forms an intense connection with her new neighbor, Will Cooper. Will introduces Layken to his passion for slam poetry, a medium used by the characters throughout the novel that expresses their thoughts and emotions on a level that normal dialogue wouldn’t properly portray. 

  Slam poetry, also known as spoken word, is a type of art where contestants read or recite original work on stage during a competition.  According to Wikipedia, in a poetry slam members of the audience are chosen by an M.C. or host to act as judges for the event. In the standard slam, there are five judges. After each poet performs, each judge awards a score to that poem. The original works performed by the contestants are powerful and emotional, written to deliver an emotional punch, and; depending on the subject, these poems can also be humorous and entertaining.  

  I decided to introduce slam poetry to readers through my novel because it is a beautiful form of art that I have enjoyed watching for years and feel it needs more recognition.  While I have never personally performed, I both envy and admire the passion and bravery these poets possess.  Slam poetry is a type of poetry that is meant to be seen rather than read, so I did find it challenging to incorporate this type of poetry in my novel.  I had a huge desire to do it justice, so I struggled with how exactly to portray the emotions onto paper as it would be if it were seen performed live.  

  The way poets use their bodies, the words they emphasize, and the speed at which they speak to lend to how the poems are perceived.  As I wrote the poetry for the novel, I had to imagine it as if it were being performed on the stage.  

  

  Here is an example of a slam poem that I wrote specifically for this guest post:

"Dear Teachers"

Students' minds are like clay

Our words used to mold them…

Our actions used to show them…

Our attitudes used to grow them…

But one day the clay will be hardened and set

Their minds closed off from whatever you present

You can wet it, you can press it, you can smash it with a hammer

But these balls of hardened clay will be impossible

to

enter.

The opportunity is now

to enable them to see

To set their minds free

Let them know that

they can be

Anything…

They set out to be

So do it today…

Go mold

Your clay

  The significance of the performance is amplified when reading the novel, once you are immersed with the characters and the circumstances surrounding them.  I admit, the poetry I wrote for the novel pales in comparison to actually seeing it performed live.  There are poetry slams held all across the country in every state, and are worth seeking out.

  The popularity of slam poetry is on the rise, specifically among our nation’s youth, with many organizations using it as a means to empower the next generation of leaders. Youth Speaks is the leading nonprofit presenter of Spoken Word performance, education, and youth development programs in the country. According to their website, they are “presenters of local and national youth poetry slams, festivals, reading series, and more, Youth Speaks also offers a comprehensive slate of literary arts education programs during the school day, in the after-school hours, on weekends and evenings, while providing numerous opportunities for youth to be published and heard. All told, Youth Speaks works with 45,000 teens per year in the Bay Area alone, and has helped create partner programs in 47 cities across the United States.”

  I am humbled that Slammed has received such positive feedback and reviews, and am grateful that I have been able to introduce the art of slam poetry to some of the readers that were not previously familiar with it.  I am currently working on a second novel, Afflicted.  It is based on the same characters introduced in Slammed and will also incorporate more slam poetry.  For more information regarding Slammed and Afflicted, please visit my website at www.colleenhoover.com.

Slammed by Colleen Hoover is FREE on Kindle for 3 days only: January 27-29, 2012.

Here is a really cool video I found on YouTube of a slam poet. This is a great video to use in secondary English classes.

After reading Slammed by Colleen Hoover, I played around with my own slam poetry. I wrote two poems. The first one is a character I imagined:

It's not fair!

It's not fair

that I was born

without a silver spoon

in my mouth.

It's not fair

that I have to fight

for ever scrap of food,

or the clothes

on my back.

It's not fair

that I look in the mirror,

and see what I see

looking back.

It's not fair

that I never get a break,

or peace of mind,

or time to myself,

or money to burn,

or anything I want.

Why do some people

have

everything?

And I

have nothing.

No One.

It's not fair!

The second poem I wrote is based on my own personal worries:

I don't like it

when you walk down the street

by yourself.

I don't like

how I feel 

waiting

for your text,

to know that you're home,

and the door is locked.

I don't like it

when you forget to call,

and I can't stop

to check.

I don't like waiting,

and waiting,

and waiting,

and waiting

to find out

if you're safe

or not.

I don't like it.

I encourage you to read Colleen's book, and give slam poetry a try. I hope you will consider introducing it to your students. Slam poetry has high impact, active engagement potential. Go slam!

End Piracy. Not Liberty. Stop SOPA

Today, websites across the Internet are going black in protest against a bill in Congress up for vote on January 24th called Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). The intention of this bill is to stop piracy, but the fallout could literally shut down thousands of legitimate websites on the whim of a government official. It is a dangerous bill that gives government too much power, and the backers opportunities to shut down the competition. It is harmful to all indie authors, musicians, and filmmakers. Please call your Congressman today and ask them to vote NO to SOPA. Twitter hashtag #stopsopa

STOP SOPA

The Joy of Books

I found this video on Yahoo. It is ridiculously cool. Your students will get a kick out of it.