I know it's summer "vacation" but teachers never stop working or thinking about their classrooms. Every school year is a fresh start and a chance to revamp the way you have done things in the past. I love that I have that opportunity every year. For the past couple years we have used some "Brain Breaks" interactive notebook activities that I had created. They worked really well to help the students review what they were learning in class and I've wanted to expand on that this year. Back in the spring I came across Lee Ferguson and I was inspired by the Interactive notebooks that her AP Bio students create. I highly recommend that at some point this summer you go to her website and check it out. There are some amazing resources and ideas on her site . Lee Ferguson interactive notebooks in AP Bio Before you go to her site, let me show you what I have been doing. I have a belief that as a teacher if I am going to expect my students to do something...

This year instead of the typical "rules roundup" I plan to do something a little different on the first day of school.  We will be making some growth mindset posters for our classroom. I often find that my students at some point in the year encounter a setback and have a tough time getting past it. Sooo...this year each class will work together to create a poster for our classroom wall showing a celebrity that has encountered setbacks and through hard work has overcome these obstacles. I created this poster set so that all students in the class receive a part of the poster and have a part in creating the large poster. Poster of Michael Jordan student coloring a page Famous Faces Poster Set Details: • There are 6 different posters and all can be combined into one large poster.  • There are 5 rows and 5 columns for each poster. (some are blank…check the key) • Each poster is approx. 35” x 50” when complete. Combined as one large banner poster it is approximately ...

In my biology classes I have been using vocabulary cards with my students for many years. This summer I redesigned the template and I'll show you how I am using them and how I'm incorporating them into their Interactive Notebooks. Our Interactive Notebooks are actually 2 composition notebooks taped together and have many different components in them. One of which is Buzzwords flashcards. Interactive Notebook I give the students all of the handouts for an entire unit. This is an example from one page from the Biotechnology unit. They cut out the "BuzzWords" cards on the dotted lines and put a small piece of tape at the top of each card and tape them into a file folder or on a specific page in their interactive notebooks. The cards are made to stack on top of one another and if the student makes sure that the "bees are lined up" then they will all be visible and will be able to be flipped easily. The student then adds a definition, any k...

     Last year several advertising companies in New York City realized that they could put Post-it notes on their window and communicate from one building to another and the idea exploded.  I saw a Twitter post about this and was very excited to use this in my classroom. I first tweeted to the Post-it company and begged them for supplies. My current classroom faces a courtyard with over 30 classrooms.  My students and I came up with a saying and a design with a positive message. The Post-it company eventually sent us a really cool briefcase filled with Post-its. I can't wait to get into school and get started...

So I was reading this blog yesterday http://www.meandmyinklings.com/index.php/2014/11/24/ugly-sweater-garland-with-free-printable/ and saw this cute holiday decoration where you cut out and color paper decorations of ugly sweaters (like the ugly Christmas sweaters that my mom used to wear in the 1980's) and thought it would be fun to do with my students..with a twist.          ​ So each student gets a handout that asks them to design and color an ugly sweater that is based on a vocabulary term that we have used in class this year. Can you guess the Vocabulary word I used for the example?       yep...photosynthesis. You can get the FREE handout at my Teachers Pay Teachers page... https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Amy-Balling/Order:Most-Recently-Posted#seller_details_tabs Enjoy! and Happy Holidays!

On the website Teacherspayteachers a teacher can put in an idea or a request for something that they are looking for. This morning I checked the website and somebody requested a timeline that they can print and then post on their classroom wall to show the evolution of life on Earth.  All I could think was "what a great idea" and I wanted one too...so I got to work. Sure, it took me several hours but I'm excited to hang it on the big empty space in my new classroom. Yeah, teachers really know how to relax over our seasonal unemployment, right? I'll be sure to post pictures when it's up but there is some asbestos abatement going on now so that won't be for a while.  Here is what the file looks like: and here is where you can buy it: Evolutionary Timeline of Life on Earth For a limited time I have marked it down and given you a $3 discount for being my loyal blog reader. Enjoy those la...