PerfettoWritingRoom Goes Back to School!

           

So glad to be linking up with amazing secondary folks for a back to school Blog-Hop 

and Giveaway. It's fun, a great way to learn about fellow teachers, their ideas for 

"Back to School" and perhaps pick up some great tips and tricks along the way! 

The first week of school is crucial,  and if you are anything 

 like me, it can feel a little nerve-wracking. 


So what do I do? I over prepare. I love the saying "It's better

 to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it."



A Little Bit About Me:

Gina Perfetto

Teaching since: 1997  (yes, it really has been that long...)


Grades and subjects? Genre, American and British Literature,  Creative Writing, Essay 
                                      and Expository Writing, the Humanities, SAT, and more!

My Favorite Writers and Novels? Don Delillo (have you read White Noise? It's a fantastic satire and commentary on modern-day society);

 The Sun also Rises by Hemingway (a fantastic commentary on Post World War I society, plus, you know, Hemingway);

 and Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes (just genius writing all around about the self-conscious meta-cognitive awareness of your own intelligence in relationship to other people and how they view you...and how heart-wrenching that can be. Plays fantastically with the third person objective narrator, and also, to some degree, dramatic irony in that the reader often knows what will occur in order to heighten reader emotion).  



PerfettoWritingRoom

The Person!!! 

The LOGO and the Store! 

What to do the First Few Days of School?

Some GREAT IDEAS for YOU

1. FOR YOU. Always get a writing baseline. Why? You'll be FAR ahead of the game if at the very beginning  of the school year you know the writing strengths and weaknesses of your students. Once you know all of your lessons will be TARGETED ONES! 

           A fun, relatively easy writing prompt on the second or third day even on something as simple as: A. Discuss the MOST exciting thing you did this summer. If you did nothing exciting, you have permission to invent something. Make sure you use your best writing style and obey spelling and grammar rules. 

2. For YOU, and For Class Team Building. Set Firm Expectations but Make STUDENTS a Central Part of it. Why? Students are far more likely especially in the upper grades to get hung up on the idea of fairness. When they are able to argue, explain and rationalize the reasons why a rule is a "good" rule and the class can agree to it, the rule is much more likely to meet with agreement and COMPLIANCE, by both students. Later on, there will much less stress for you should an infraction occur.

What is more convincing than: "Every single student debated, then agreed upon, then wrote up, and then SIGNED this class rules agreement. Then, you as a parent signed it!" We all know you'd love to GET started on your year.... I'm telling you....TAKE THE TIME to set up your rules.

3. For Student Character. Do a Class Bonding or Get to Know You Activity. - Especially in Grade 9, or in classes where new students are coming in on the first day, it is important to focus on "how we are all similar." Sure, this seems "like a waste of time." I am ADAMANT and can assure you that is it NOT. As humans we are herd animals. When frightened and uncomfortable, we tend to pick on the weak to solidify our own position. I have seen GROWN people do this. As teachers it is our job to remind students of our unity, and to "demonstrate uniqueness in a positive way."  The middle of the year, the"anti-bullying assembly" is just TOO LATE.  

             A. Have Students Stand up. Ask questions they will agree or disagree with. Please note

                  you can add as many extra questions as you want.

You can also see this freebie in greater detail below.

GOAL: To find they have more in common with each person in the class. 

Directions: Divide class in two so that each half in on the left or right side of the classroom. AS you read each provided statement, students will move towards the CENTER of the class when they relate to, or agree with the statements posed.  You or the students may ask additional questions after the provided section concludes. Hopefully, students should find the information about each other revealing and interesting.  

            B. Once Finished with the Main Activity, Move on to the Discussion Question Section. 

                 Please note that despite the directions provided here, do whatever you feel most 

                 comfortable with. Here is what it looks like:

   

Directions: Students will fill out the Comment Section individually. When completed, hold a while group discussion. This is an opportunity for students to bond, explain what most surprised them about what makes similar. More importantly there is a section regarding the ideal behaviors they would like to see and model in the class during the year. This reinforces class character, rules and management (see #2).

   

If you see fit, use the questionnaire as a rewrite opportunity (see#1). Students take this discussion worksheet home after discussion day, rewrite and polish it as the writing sample mentioned in #1 above.

Would you like this for FREE? Available only here at my Blog...

 

Download a GREAT First Day Back to School Team Building Activity HERE

And now Great Peoples of the Blog Hop.....HOP ON.....HOP ON!!!!  and thanks for reading...  :) 

An InLinkz Link-up

Looking Ahead & Sale

One of my SCARIEST, but best teachers  EVER - did we not all have one of those? - had above her chalk board, in large cut out stencils:

"FAIL TO PLAN, PLAN TO FAIL."

In addition to being an antimetabole, and incurring a nearly "audible eye roll" from students, it just so happened to be true. She was a mentor, not my actual English Teacher, but she sure did teach me a lot. And every student she taught went in to her class hating her GUTS, but left smarter, and somehow, loving her. 

Me and Sister Alice, fundraising

# 1. In honor of Sister Alice Boyle, who is still kicking butt and taking names, let's do a little "Planning Ahead" - Here is a TIP:

***Use Your August wisely***** - make a "macro," semester schedule, and a "Micro" first month, or, first week schedule. Set aside just ONE WEEK to do it. But make sure you do.

WHY? 

The amount of time it takes to organize a semester schedule, and to then break down what you will do the first week (or the first four weeks) will NOT take that much time. But, it has the following benefits:

Did you ever feel this way? 

A. Eases the August "ughs." - you know, the creeping dread surrounding all the work you KNOW you have to do? Stop procrastinating, sit down, do the work. Then go back to your vacation. 



B. Builds a foundation for organization. Just a little bit of work now will improve the beginning of the year, and sets a good habit for the rest of the year, too.

C. May lead to inspiration! Once you sit down and have an overarching schedule you may break through the "writer's block" of simply dreading your task, and find great ideas on the other side of that wall. 

And #2. An essential, "Start the School Year Off 'Write' " Resource! 

The Complete Writer's Workshop - Grades 6 - 8 - 10 -12. My favorite all-time resource! Fully Common Core Aligned, it teaches students how to properly implement and use the Writer's Workshop Model. When done at the beginning of the year, the instructor can look forward to an entire year of student-centered writing growth and progress.  

                                                    

Keep on Learning and Teaching, Gina @ the PerfettoWritingRoom

Enjoy your SUMMER, and be sure to visit other great teachers who are LOOKING AHEAD and have great ideas and tips for you! 

SEE BELOW to join in the BLOG HOP FUN!

An InLinkz Link-up

Favorite Things Linky and SALE to say "Thank You"!

It is the Monthly "Favorite Things Linky" Hosted by the wonderful Teaching Trio, and joined by MANY effective and hardworking teachers in states across America, and across the pond, too!

Before I rattle, and prattle, on, here's some of MY favorite things!

In honor of the end of the school year....

PerfettoWritingRoom is having an ENTIRE STORE SALE. Just click to see some lovely low-to no-prep items to close out your year. 

PROPS AND KUDOS 

Thank you to Teaching Trio. Click their link to go back to their "Home" site. Once there, go to "Favorite things" and visit other great teachers and participants. 

AND THANK YOU for being a teacher, instructor, professor, homeschooler, or tutor, and so much more. What you do matters even more than you know. 

Gina, PerfettoWritingRoom

Sunday Scoop with Teaching Trio and SALE!!!

I'm so happy and feel blessed to join with the Teaching Trio in the Sunday Scoop. I know, it's Tuesday. What am I thinking? I am thinking that there's a lot of catching up I have to do! So without any further ado.... :

Three Things I Have to Do?

* Laundry, Laundry and more LAUNDRY.... pass the "Fels-Naphta" please (extra points for anyone who knows what that is!) 

*Whip up a homemade lentil soup with some uncured bacon from Aldi. If anyone shops at Aldi, give me a hollar. Is that place amazing or what?

*Finish planting and fertilizing the garden - I really want the honeyberries to fruit this year. 

Two Things I Hope to Do?

*Research information for my next Teachers Pay Teachers resource!

* Have some time to scope out some ranch homes in our area.

One Thing I am Happy to Do!

Throw a Sale, right now for all of my readers,

at my TPT store.

God Bless and happy teaching.

Sailing Into Summer Blog HOP-GIFT

Say Goodbye with this Fun 

and Thoughtful GIFT-IVITY!

AND DID I MENTION THAT IT IS FREE?????

If you love teaching like I love teaching, you often come across students that not only need to learn Shakespeare, Hawthorne and their tenses, but they need to learn kindness and how to express themselves. 

This one day resource will let students say good bye to your class, relive some class memories and reminisce with friends. 

                                             STEP ONE

For the Students - Grades 6-12, Hand out page 1, and of course page 2......

 THIS IS TOTALLY FREE for BLOG HOPPERS!

AFTER Students Fill OUT -  START

PART 2 - LET STUDENTS Discuss and Share!

. . .

VALUE and RATIONALE for USING

Otherwise known as the Benefit!!!

• Easy to use, print and go
• Lasts an entire period
• Use for craft/art
• Can be used with a computer - download photographs/collage
• Serves as a memento/ encourages closure

PART 3 - TEACHER's GIFT TO STUDENTS

Close the class with these short and sweet, personalized versions of exit tickets. Be sincere, make a joke, or be encouraging. Short and sweet, but do it your way!

Do you want it? Download this special freebie available only during the Sailing into Summer Blog Hop!  :) 

Thanks for stopping by on your way through the SAILING INTO SUMMER BLOG HOP!

- Visit my Store! PerfettoWritingRoom - Follow and Check out my Sale Going on DURING the SAILING INTO SUMMER BLOG HOP!!!



AND NOW..... HOP ON...HOP ON to the NEXT Wonderful Blog!!!!!!

Thanks for reading, as always, 

Gina at the PerfettoWritingRoom!

  

An InLinkz Link-up

TPT Collaboration! NY Meetup, & GIVEAWAY!

Collaboration is one of the many things setting TPT folks apart from other entrepreneurs in the cybermarket. (Yes, I coined that). Our willingness to create interstitial bridges of friendly competition, pure collaboration for mutual gain is what makes us unique and raises high the flag that says "we all succeed together." 

I'm pulling the plug. BLOWING THE WHISTLE on myself. Let's get to to POINT!

Collaboration Extraordinaire- (Hurry before you MISS IT!)

The MAY 2  New York Meet-Up!

In case you have not visited forums, FB, and have been otherwise engaged in the tomfoolery and stuff-and-nonsense that we call life. . . there is huge shindig in Binghamton, New York where meeting, collaborating, learning and overall idea exchange will be taking place. This is IDEAL for those who cannot make the huge haul out to the VEGAS event, who prefer a smaller venue, or who want to do multiple events. While I most sadly cannot make it, I want to get the word out to the rest of you!  Here's the INFORMATION!

The above is a JPEG. Sorry folks, DON'T CLICK YET.  Rather, let me take a quote from Sherri's last FB notification... At last update, on the 7th, Literary Sherri says that:

"collaboration is not only invigorating but essential for TpT success. We're so much better when we flock together! So let's get together to exchange ideas, network, connect, collaborate and take home loads of effective tips and strategies to grow our TpT businesses!"  

I couldn't have said it better myself. 

 Organizers Include:

• Literary Sherri  
• Ellen Weber 
• Brain Waves Instruction 
• Kinders in NY 
• The Math Spot
• Selma Dawani 
• Yay for Pre-K

With sessions and expenses tax-deductible for business purposes, this makes the trip to Binghamton truly enticing. 
Sherri says some sellers are coming from Ohio and Michigan, and spots are currently 1/3 filled, HOWEVER  . . . 

SPOTS ARE AVAILABLE, SO FILL OUT the GOOGLE FORM HERE!!!!

PART ONE TAKEAWAY

If you would like to join in on a wonderfully helpful and inspiring day with other teacher sellers, my advice is this: GET a MOVE ON, SALLY! Click on the Google docs link above!

. . . 

Let's take a walk 

*PART TWO - GRAND GIVEAWAYS!!!!

Collaboration is really fun when you host giveaways, participate as a seller, or are buying in and get to learn about sellers. Of course it's great to win, too. I want to trumpet and laud the latest giveaway hosted by Julie Faulkner and the Language Arts Classroom.

                                                   

                                 Language Arts Classroom                  Julie  Faulkner

Though it is too late to enter as a seller AS a buyer, you have many options to win, So what is being offered? In THIS PACKAGE......

IF you teach at a lower grade... how about Middle School? 

And of course... let's not forget MATH. 

THE GOAL of this PROMO? Consider entering.

There are myriad uses for these products if you win, plus fantastic opportunities for you learn more about Teachers Pay Teachers, and if you are a seller, about your fellow sellers and the work they do. 

ENTER MARCH 15-29      http://languageartsclassroom.com/

ANNOUNCEMENT OF WINNERS  APRIL 1, 2015 

 The Second Goal?  If you're reading this, you probably are wondering "Gee wiz, I sure as sass would love to enter my resource in a giveaway." And then, you're probably wondering "How did I end up in a Lassie episode?" 

Well here's a question. . . 

Why give away a great product for free?  I was in the dark about "Giveaways" for a while. At first I knew nothing about giveaways. Then, I was skeptical. 

BENEFITS are that you may get: followers who learn about your store and actually realize they could use your products; a residual or secondary purchase from a few of those followers who looked around your store while "admiring the beauty therein;" and best of all you slowly meet others and become familiar with the TPT-seller landscape.  For all of this? and probably more, the free product you offer is a small price to pay.

Keep your EYES to the sky... or more accurately to the forums for giveaway opportunities that match YOUR products best. 

Julie Faulkner says to look our for "more collaborative blog hop opportunities in the next months and our 2nd annual, secondary Back to School Giveaway in August 2015."


HEY READERS - Remember this, in order to COLLABORATE you must PARTICIPATE. So Let's Get Going! 

God Bless!
Gina, PerfettoWritingRoom

P.S. MY PICK OF THE WEEK!!!

Let's Start the Shakespeare Feud! PowerPoint Icebreaker Game! 

Writing Across the Curriculum, Humanities Style, with C.L.A.S.S!

Hey teachers, readers, and writers?

If you love collaborative arts, cross-disciplinary materials, intriguing lesson ideas and yes, FREE resources, I've got just the thing for you!

I've recently had the great fortune of joining the new Collaborative Language Arts and Social Studies Newsletter, or, C.L.A.S.S.  edited by Heather Barkley Ph.D.



Today, the newsletter is in it's second installation!!!
Here is my article...

Let’s Get Creative: Writing Across the Curriculum – Humanities Style!

                                                               

by

Gina Perfetto

PerfettoWritingRoom

Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) is an essential component in middle and high schools across the country for a number for reasons. But simply put: students learn to write well by writing often.

Interdisciplinary writing strengthens critical thinking, the ability to express complex thoughts on paper (and perhaps verbally), and prepares students for myriad future writing and professional scenarios, from college and vocational writing to professional documents.

But here’s a question: How do we make it fun and challenging?

Scoff at the Notion of Creative Writing as “Too Simple”!

What is great about this lesson is that it challenges students to write descriptively, figuratively, and creativity. Fun? Absolutely. Easy… not so much. So often people see this and other creative writing lessons that look fun, or even – dare I say simple? – and think that students aren’t learning or even worse, that because it is so fun, it cannot be suitable for middle or high school students. To that I say: do not judge a lesson plan by its props! Rather ask: “What skills are your students applying during this lesson?”

Writing Across the Curriculum: Critical Thinking through Creative Writing

This wonderfully challenging activity also happens to be a perennial creative writing favorite of my students. Since is it also adaptable for a multitude of Humanities and Science disciplines today I am sharing this lesson with you from a HUMANITIES PERSPECTIVE. Try this one day soon! I guarantee your students will love it. Here is what a free version, also available at my TPT store looks like.

                              

                             Click here to visit or download!                     

In Brief: Use four of the five senses, critical thinking skills, inference, estimation, literary devices, and other skills as they may apply to write through a series of steps, guided by the instructor, and given to you here.  Begin with a single paragraph, skipping lines through each step, and end with a full length story.

Materials/Time:

·       Minimum of one item for each student

·       One brown paper bag per item so that item are not visible.

·       Items chosen are dependent upon the lesson and discipline 

·       Instructions, step by step

·       Plenty of paper

·       One class period for this portion.

·       One class period for sharing 

·       Optional class period for draft writing, polishing, etc.

Skills: Description, expression, estimation, inference, using metaphor and simile, descriptive paragraph writing (nonfiction), writing a short story (draft, and optional final draft).

Ideal for: English Class; Humanities such as Archeology, Social Studies, Ancient History, World Cultures, etc.; Religion; Sciences such as biology; and others.

As an English teacher I already have some wonderful items in brown paper bags. Because it is essential that students utilize many of their senses, I am careful to include diverse items. Here’s a picture of some of my more confounding and exceptional finds, placed in separate bags over the years.

                                            

             

EXAMPLES of great items I have used in the past include: 

·       Old plastic film cases (remember those?) with something else inside

·       Beaded or charm bracelets

·       Natural items - pine cones, rocks that have odd crevices or stripes, a knot of wood, a shell, etc.

·       Magnifying glass 

·       Calculator 

·       Perfume vial or test tube with a cork

·       Fishing fly or lure (made safe)

·       Small camera (old, not a modern one)

·       Wooden 3-dimensional puzzle from the dollar store

Writing As an Archaeologist or Anthropologist! Get your Hats on!

By all means add a layer of excitement by bringing in some items on your own, but have students bring in items as well. This way, students will be excited about each other’s choices.

Regardless of Discipline, when choosing items, PLEASE consider: texture, weight, surface temperature, the sound the items make when struck lightly on a table, hollowness, solidity, smoothness, flexibility or rigidity, general size, dimension and angularity, and other features. Lastly, whenever you can place one item inside of another item. This adds a dimension of mystery to step one. I hope you are beginning to understand how this diversity of criteria stretches the mind’s ability to write, infer, and describe.

What you place in the mystery bags for the Archaeology or Anthropology Discovery Writing might depend on items that might actually fit in with a specific site or dig you’d like to discuss, or it could just go with the overall theme. In this case anything goes, and you could include some of these items.

·       old coins

·       shark teeth

·       pottery shards

·       worn brick

·       other building materials

·       sedimentary

·       igneous

·       shale rocks

·       shells

·       beads

·       metal bowls

·       glass vials

·       Jewelry

·       Stylus or writing implements

and more.

If you are going to take collections from the class beforehand, ask your students “What items might say something about a people or civilization and how they lived?” or “What items, if found, might reveal something about the landscape long ago?”

These questions might help students bring in more appropriate items in a brown paper bag. It will make your life easier, and make them more excited about the project.

GET STARTED

*WE All Like a Little Drama!*

When students enter, they must NOT sit. Rather, they will all walk around their desks, placing their hands inside each bag, quietly feeling the contents of each bag. No talking or peeking inside! Each student must choose the item they think would be the most interesting to write about. The mystery of the entire endeavor is what piques students' interest. Once each student has chosen, they will sit down with the bag and the item STILL safely inside. 

                                                

                                             

                                 

                                                

        Remember: Feel inside each bag… but no peeking!

Step One

While the students have one hand inside the bag: "Write a tactile description using your hand and all of your faculties. Oh, but definitely do not use your eyes!"

     This means they can weigh it, feel for texture, knock it on the desk, roll it around, shake it, etc. Also ask, after they have written for at least three minutes: “Class I also want you to do two more things. 1. Try to guess what it is. 2. Can you infer, based on the information you currently have, what color it might be?

Step one requires students to stretch their descriptive writing and critical thinking skills. This step also requires them to infer.

                         

Step Two

NOW students may take the item out of the bag. Tell them: "REALLY Look at it. Skip a line on your paper for Step Two.

1. What is the item, and is it what you thought it would be?

2. Was it the color you thought it would be, and explain!

3. Now, use your language skills to describe this item. Consider: color, length, weight, height or more. Where might it have come from? Speak like a/n archaeology, sociologist, anthropologist or paleontologist.

Step Three - Be Artistic!

Now students will use figurative language. Tell them that they are allowed to begin with silly or obvious similes or metaphors, but as a few minutes tick by, they should try to stretch their abilities. "Really push yourself. You may use simile, metaphor, personification, more, to describe the items color, shape, texture, or other features."

*Step Four – Blow Their Minds! *

Here is the surprise. The item you are looking at - well, I HATE TO TELL you this – the object isn't what you think it is AT ALL. It is... 

A. a KEY to unlock something of great potential/power 

B. an object with a secret history, held by someone who is only able

     to tell its story to one person on his or her deathbed 

C. a super-spy device of use in an important mission 

D. an object that will bring peace to a planet or a group 

E. essential for some civilization's utter survival . . .

F. An object whose carbon dating indicates it is much older and was

    Used for something so important, it may change our         understanding of things.

G. Open idea based specifically on this discipline. Teacher’s choice,     or students’ suggestions given in an open forum.

I have a FREEBIE of this lesson that has options that go up to the letter "N." Please feel free to download the entire freebie.

 The Student GOAL IS TO WRITE A STORY USING ONE OF THESE OPTIONS.  Have characters, a goal, plot, dialogue, etc.

Extension

Students will get at least to the beginning of Step Four by the End of the Period. For homework or for class work on Day Two, have students write that story, and then share it with the class! I hope you enjoy this free resource. I know your students will. Feel free to stop by, pick it up, and like it or rate it!

BIO -

I'm Gina, of PerfettoWritingRoom. I love writing, I love to teach writing, and there is nothing I love more that to see students' faces get that "aha!" moment when they're inspired with a unique idea that is all their own. And if you've ever felt the crushing agony of defeat that follows a failed writing prompt, you’ll know why I work so hard to make great writing products that are challenging, common-core aligned, and fun.  Pick up my free version of this product and visit my store for more great ideas!

Happy in a Bookstore, Of course!

Yours in Teaching and Writing Gina,  PerfettoWritingRoom Please Check out the C.L.A.S.S Newsletter, Featuring talented teachers and writers, all with wonderful ideas for YOU to use!