One of the subjects I never let go of despite pressure from above is art. Our school is fortunate to have an Art Walk every year and we still have art on the report card. I don't feel guilty for including this in my weekly plans.
Once a week I teach an art lesson. I often integrate it with something else we are learning. For example, the piece shown above teaches students about rotational symmetry. Click here for this lesson.
Next, I give time during the week to work on the projects. I have a two drawer filing cabinet with hanging folders and students are responsible for maintaining their own art portfolios. Some years I have made filing art in portfolios a class job, but I found that if students have responsibility for filing their own work fewer pieces go missing without names.
Below is my Pinterest board with art projects for school. I use this board in class with my students. If you have favorite art projects you do with upper elementary students, I would love to read about them.
Follow Mary Bauer's board art projects for school on Pinterest.
This post isn't entirely school related. My house and yard are so out of control right now, I struggled to find a photo I was willing to post publicly. I gave up. The overflowing dishwasher above is symbolic.
This is my summer plan...get more organized.
So far all I've managed to do is organize my pins on Pinterest. I humbly share them with you now.
Follow Mary Bauer's board Household Projects on Pinterest.
I think the next step is to pick one or two realistic projects and start there.
What's on your summer to do list?
Just a short post because I'm working on report cards this week.
I wanted to share my Pinterest Board where I'm collecting ideas for February. I teach fourth grade, so I try to find ideas that fit the 3-5 grade band. A few of the ideas I will have to adjust for my age group.
(Are you like me and don't ever teach a lesson the way it is planned? I can never follow a recipe when I cook either.)
Happy February!
Follow Mary Bauer's board School Ideas: February on Pinterest.
We go back to school today after winter break. I spent some time on Pinterest collecting ideas for teaching math. I have just a few paid products on this board. The majority of pins are ideas and freebies from mine and other blogs.
Follow Mary Bauer's board Math Ideas on Pinterest.
I hope you find some ideas to engage your students this winter.
We have three weeks until winter break. It's time to pull out some winter time activities that are not specifically attached to a holiday.
(You know your community's culture. We can do snowmen and gingerbread houses, but nothing that represents any one religion.)
I thought I would share with you my Pinterest board where I'm collecting teaching ideas for the month. As of this writing all of them are free.
Follow Mary Bauer's board School Ideas: December on Pinterest.
When I first started teaching, I was a substitute for several years. I loved visiting other classrooms and collecting ideas for my future classroom. This was before computers in every room, no internet, and no Pinterest. (I could never go back to that.)
Lately, I have been collecting and creating anchor charts and graphic organizers to teach and practice reading comprehension. I have collected far more ideas than I will ever use. While a few of the items are paid products (full disclosure here), many are free downloads or amazing charts created by some talented teachers.
Follow Mary Bauer's board Reading Strategies on Pinterest.
I would love to have you visit my board and maybe find a strategy or two that will work for you.
One of my favorite things to do in the summer is try recipes I have collected over the school year. I usually mess up pork chops, but I found a rub from Alton Brown and I learned how to sear them in olive oil over medium high heat. They were delicious.
Alton Brown recommended 8 parts brown sugar, 3 parts kosher salt, 1 part chili powder, and 1 part whatever spices you like. We eat a lot of garlic at our house. I also added black pepper to that last part. I used tablespoons as my measurement. The rub keeps in a clean dry jar in my cupboard.
I also tried the rub on salmon. It helps to leave it on the meat for an hour before cooking.
I served my new favorite salad from Hye Thyme Café: watermelon, cucumber, mint and lime. He adds salt and a dash of chili powder. I loved it without the last two ingredients.
If you are curious about what other recipes I have actually tried, visit my Pinterest Board by that name.
Follow Mary Bauer's board Recipes I've Actually Tried on Pinterest.
I would also love it if you would share in the comments recipes you are trying out this summer.
I love teaching drama. During our after school programs, I taught two sessions. This summer I will help out with a Summer Theater workshop for middle school and high school students.
As a result, I have been collecting resources to use with these students and I'm finding that many of the activities are appropriate for my general education classes.
Below is a link to my Drama Club board on Pinterest. Most of the activities are free and require very little prep. I am consistently adding to this resource.
Follow Mary Bauer's board Drama Club on Pinterest.
I've been using Pinterest to find and sort projects and recipes I want to try out this summer. I have learned to click through to the actual website before I pin, to see if the blog post really gives me the information I need. I have been fooled more than once by the picture and the description.
Here are some pet peeves:
1. A blog post that just has pictures of projects but no materials list or directions.
2. A blog post that is advertised as a recipe, but first I have to wade through family photos of a trip to Chicago.
3. The website crashes my computer with long scripts and pop-ups.
4. A blog post that rehashes someone else's post. The original was more focused and succinct. (See #2.)
5. TMI (never relevant information).
It got me thinking. I know there are people who feel that they should only post once a day. I have to say as a reader that I would prefer two clearly labeled posts that are short and to the point over one long post with multiple topics.
I'm just saying...
Is anyone else with me on this?
