October Teaching Themes and Ideas 2009

Teaching Calendar of Themes October, 2009

Sep 15, Tue -Oct 15, Thu National Hispanic Heritage Month (continued from previous month) TeachersFirst's Resources for National Hispanic Heritage Month

Oct 01, Thu -Oct 31, Sat International Dinosaur Month TeachersFirst's Dinosaur Resources

Oct 04, Sun -Oct 10, Sat National Fire Prevention Week TeachersFirst's Fire Prevention and Safety Resources

Oct 04, Sun -Oct 10, Sat National Bullying Prevention Week TeachersFirst's Resources for Bullying and Cyberbullying

Oct 12, Monday Columbus Day TeachersFirst's Resources for Columbus Day

Oct 28, Wed -Nov 05, Thu Major League Baseball World Series TeachersFirst's Resources for Baseball Season

Oct 31, Saturday Fall/Halloween TeachersFirst's Resources for Fall and Halloween

Source at http://www.teachersfirst.com/calendar/TeachersFirst Classroom Planning Calendar

More Resources at http://www.geocities.com/mrsjacksonsclass/octoberthemes.htm

Caleb's Country Corner Graphics at http://our.homewithGod.com/ewerluvd/3cindex.html

October Lesson Plan Ideas

Lesson Plan Ideas For October

By: Teachnology Staff @ http://www.teachnology.com/

Thinking of Lessons for October? Here are a number of October events / themes you will want to include in your lessons.

1. On October 1st Henry Ford introduced the Model T.

2. On October 2nd Mahatma Gandhi was born.

3. October 4th through the 10th is Love Your Pets Week and World Space Week.

4. On October 6th Thomas Edison introduced motion pictures.

5. On October 11th Eleanor Roosevelt was born.

6. October 12th is Columbus Day.

7. On October 14th Dwight D. Eisenhower was born.

8. October 12th is World Food Day.

9. October 18th through the 24th is Teen Read Week.

10. October 19th is What's Your Invention Day.

11. October 24th is United Nations Day.

12. On October 26th Hillary Rodham Clinton was born.

13. On October 27th Theodore Roosevelt was born.

14. October 31st is Halloween.

15. October is National Book Month, Scientist Appreciation Month, International Dinosaur Month, Children's Health Month, and Energy Awareness Month.

This Week in History

1834: Charles Darwin returns to Valparaiso.
1916: The first Native American Day was celebrated.

Inspiring Teacher Quote

"There is no education like adversity." Will Durant

Source: Teachnology Staff @ http://www.teachnology.com/

This newsletter is brought to you by Teachnology.com, a free and valuable resource for teachers.

For More Resources: http://www.geocities.com/mrsjacksonsclass/octoberthemes.htm

Caleb' Country Corner Graphics @ http://our.homewithGod.com/ewerluvd/3cindex.html

National Punctuation Day 9-24

National Punctuation Day 9-24

September 24th, 2009 is the sixth annual National Punctuation Day! According to the official NPD website, this most auspicious day is: "A celebration of the lowly comma, correctly used quotes, and other proper uses of periods, semicolons, and the ever-mysterious ellipsis."

Jeff Rubin, 59, a former copy editor determined to rid the world of dangling participles, successfully bid for Sept. 24 to be listed as a holiday in Chase's Calendar of Events in 2004. Since then, he and his wife have cooked a meatloaf shaped like a question mark, performed in classrooms and dedicated a Web site to good grammar (nationalpunctuationday.com).

Sources:
http://www.nationalpunctuationday.com/ National Punctuation Day 9-24 Jeff Rubin

http://grammar.about.com/b/2009/09/21/punctuation-day-special-pause-and-reflect.htm Blog

http://bugsandbunnies.blogspot.com/2009/09/party-time-for-people-with-penchant-for.html Blog

http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzzlog/93035 Punctuation Day Blog

http://geocities.com/mrsjacksonsclass/writingandreadinglinks.htm Writing and Reading

Party Time for People With a Penchant for Proper Punctuation

Party Time for People With a Penchant for Proper Punctuation

Reflection

reflection: a thought, idea, or opinion formed or a remark made as a result of meditation
I have been reflecting on how wonderfully blessed I am in my life. There is joy, pain, weariness, mourning, laughter, family bonds, friendships, music, dancing...many parts that make up the whole of my life. I am blessed beyond words to feel the emotions all these blessings bring to my life. Thankyou to those dear ones who have brought me such gifts.
"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. [Ecclesiastes 3:1]"
~~~~~~~~
"There is a harmony in autumn, and a luster in its sky, which through the summer is not heard or seen, as if it could not be, as if it had not been!"

Shelley, Percy Bysshe

Autumn or Fall Teaching Ideas

Mid-September has passed, and the first official day of fall is here. Don't lose sight of the great ideas you had before school started. The official start of fall is prime time. Seize it while you can! The students are still fresh, the review and placement activities are done, and the fall harvest of new ideas is just ripening for your students to pluck a new project from the tree. For more helpful suggestions from TeachersFirst users for upcoming events, go to the source at http://www.teachersfirst.com/update.cfm or get ideas from the following links:http://www.teachersfirst.com/calendar/ TeachersFirst's Classroom Planning Calendarhttp://www.teachersfirst.com/holiday/halloween.cfm TeachersFirst's Teacher Resources for Fall
More Resources can be found at http://www.geocities.com/mrsjacksonsclass/autumnfall.htm .

Government Gives Teachers Free Resources

Government Gives Teachers Free Resources http://bit.ly/Y3N47

100 Ways to Improve Your Blog

100 Ways To Improve Your Blog http://bit.ly/3AesVc

Transfer

On Tuesday Dad was transferred from the hospital to the Care Home. It is a FAR better place for him. He has his own room and is in the Special Care wing, so he can come and go as he pleases, without the danger of wandering into harms way. We are very impressed with the entire facility and relieved that Dad is not stuck in a hospital bed anymore. Since this Care home is in Pouce Coupe, an hour and half drive away, we're hoping that he'll be transfered back into the Care Home here in town, but otherwise we love that he is in such a nice place.
Mom continues to recoup after her second stroke and just has a slight slur of speech and fatigue remaining.

12

Happy Birthday Tyson!! Enjoy the final year before turning into a teen :) We are very proud of you Grandson!

Constitution Day or Citizenship Day 9-17

Constitution Day (or Citizenship Day) is an American federal observance that recognizes the ratification of the United States Constitution and those who have become U.S. citizens. It is observed on September 17, the day the U.S. Constitutional Convention signed the Constitution in 1787.
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_Day_(United_States) Constitution Day History

Resources:

http://www.history.com/content/citizen_quiz/citizenship-quiz Citizenship Quiz

http://www.ed.gov/policy/fund/guid/constitutionday07.html Info-Links

http://constitutioncenter.org/naturalization-test/ Naturalization Test

http://constitutioncenter.org/ncc_progs_Elementary_School.aspx Elementary School Links

http://www.powayusd.com/projects/edtechcentralnew/ConstitutionDay.htm Resources

http://www.trumbull.k12.oh.us/teachers/resources/Themes/constitution.htm Constitution

http://www.atozteacherstuff.com/Themes/Constitution_Day/ Themes, Lessons, Resources

http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson/lesson347.shtml Resouces and Activities

http://edhelper.com/Constitution_Day.htm Constitution Day and Week Activities

http://www.teach-nology.com/themes/social/consit/ Teaching Theme

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjacksonsclass/constitutiondayweek.htm Theme Activities

Books:
Colman, Warren. The Bill of Rights

Colman, Warren. The Constitution

Fritz, Jean. Shh! We're Writing the Constitution

Johnson, Linda Carlson. Our Constitution

Maestro, Betsy. A More Perfect Union

Spier, Peter. We the People: The Story of Our Constitution

Patriots' Day to Remember 9-11

Remember and Never Forget September 11, 2001 on Patriots' Day

Resources: http://geocities.com/mrsjacksonsclass/sept11.htm

25 Essential Google Chrome Tips for Digital Learners

25 Essential Google Chrome Tips for Digital Learners

To Remember Us....

 

I mae this lay-out for Dad and hung it where he can see it often to help him remember us. Maybe this is just for my sake, since I know that eventually he won't recognize us, but...
Since tis is the first day back to school for our B.C. kids, my grandson is entering grade 7 and my grand-daughter is entering grade 2. My youngest grandson is entering grade 1. Wow!!! Even though the first day of school is typically a 1/2 day, I heard lots of excited voices in the school yard this morning :)

President Obama's Speech

My Education, My Future

On Tuesday, September 8 the President will talk directly to students across the country on the importance of taking responsibility for their education, challenging them to set goals and do everything they can to succeed. Help get America’s students engaged! Get all the information or read his remarks.

Prepared Remarks of President Barack Obama Back to School Event http://www.whitehouse.gov/MediaResources/PreparedSchoolRemarks/

http://www.whitehouse.gov/mediaresources/
When-Tuesday, September 8th, at 12:00 PM (EDT)

http://www.ed.gov/teachers/how/lessons/prek-6.pdf Lessons-Class Activities PreK-6

http://www.ed.gov/teachers/how/lessons/7-12.pdf Classroom Activities Grades 7-12

How to Watch

• 
  The President's message will be streamed live on WhiteHouse.gov/live, and broadcast live on C-Span
• 
  Downloadable video of the speech will be made available on this page later that day as it becomes available
• 
  Source: http://www.whitehouse.gov/

Goal Setting Rules for Success

Top 10 Rules for Back-to-School Success

Special thanks to John Bishop of Goal Setting for Students.com

These ten life skills will help your children develop a YES! Count On Me attitude that you can use in the classroom and in life. Good luck!

1. Use the "YES! Count On Me" words: yes, I can, and I will.
2. To get ahead in school and in life - read more, learn more, do more.
3. Learn how to set and achieve goals and how to use these principles in the classroom.
4. No Vision = No Direction. Write down what you want to accomplish in the first four weeks of the school year. Repeat for the next month.
5. Don't find a fault; find a solution.
6. Minimizing the Bummer Words - no, can't, won't, never, maybe, and if. These six words will hold you back from reaching your full potential.
7. Eliminating excuses.
8. Regularly ask yourself: "Did I give my best effort to today's activities?"
9. Help others.
10. Remember: Luck comes to those who work hard.

More Resources: http://www.geocities.com/mrsjacksonsclass/

This is your life, your goals and your success. You are a WINNER!

Happy Labor Day Cards

http://www.123greetings.com/events/labor_day/happy/happy3.html Click This Link for Happy Labor Day Card

Wishes for an easy, relaxing, glorious, and memorable Labor Day weekend. Add fun to your friend's, colleague's, or dear one's Labor Day with this cute wish.

http://www.bluemountain.com/category.pd?path=35207 Labor Day Cards

http://www.123greetings.com/events/labor_day/happy/ 32 Cards

More Resources, Ideas, Activities : http://geocities.com/mrsjacksonsclass/laborday.htm Labor Day

The Path that Twists and Turns

Life is like that path. We never know what is around the next corner....sometimes there is a steep hill down into a shadowed valley, sometimes it meaners along a green meadow, sometimes we hear the thunder of a waterfall or rushing river we need to cross and other times just around the corner there is a rainbow, that reminds us that God is always there.
These past several days have taken me and my family down a path that was very difficult to walk along. Last month my Mom had a small stroke, but bounced back fairly quickly, but last Thursday she had another one, but this time the slurred speech and difficulty walking or using her hands have lingered. Mom was still taking care of my Dad, who has Ahlzheimer's, but acknowledged that she was not coping anymore. Consequently Dad had to be admitted into the hospital until a bed is open in the Care Home. I have four Brothers living in the same town as I and one of my three sisters was here to visit our parents. We all pulled together to make sure both parents are receiving the care they need. While making the mundane arrangements for their care, there is also grief and heart ache that is undescribable. The worst part???...we cannot see around the next corner, even though we can hear a storm approaching...but we look up into the sky and also see the rainbow :)