Amazon is a teacher's best friend! Each year my list of must haves for the classroom grows so I'm here to share more of my Amazon classroom finds!

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I LOVE Libraryland! Have I mentioned that before? I have always been an avid volunteer, one that likes to try new things.. and I love connecting. Now, is libraryland overwhelming.. it sure is! Another thing I love is learning from others (and having a space to offer to different activities is great as well) The title of this blog is collaboration.. but when rethinking and writing it, I realize that the collaboration that I had with my art teacher was bouncing ideas off of each other.. and making sure the space was ready for various activities. That is still collaboration..right?? Before I became a librarian.. I was already following some amazing librarians (some that I will actually get to meet in person soon!!!) So, one awesome librarian/tech facilitator Nikki Robertson posted this way cool picture that she had found (if you are the original poster of this.. would you please let me know so I can thank you for the wonderful idea.. and give you credit!) How absolutely beautiful is this! So, I talked to my amazing art teacher on campus.. and the conversation went something like this: "Hey Mrs. R... want to work on something like this for the first of the year? The feathers can be students hopes, dreams, wishes and resolutions." "Sure! That is great!" A couple of weeks later.. Mrs. R approaches me and shows me the bag of beautiful feathers. "Yes, Mrs. R.. these are PERFECT! How can I help!?" "I am still getting feathers" We decided to hang this up for science night (as what better time to talk about wishes and dreams) "Hey Mrs. R.. what can I do to help with these wings?" "Help me hang them!" In other words.. I had nothing to do with this! (Well.. I did make the poster above the wings.. and I helped hang them) Seriously.. they are beautiful! She created a generic feather and then asked each student in the school to create/decorate their own and then combined them with this wonderfulness.These wings are right across the hall from the library, so I loved hearing the conversations that students had with their parents about their goals and dreams (and of course it was a perfect photo opp!) Mrs. R. the rocking art teacher At the beginning of January, Mrs. R. came to me and asked if I would like to help with a Chinese New Year Celebration. She did tell me that there would be no glitter! (Side note.. I love seeing things being created in the library.. and I don't mind mess. HOWEVER.. I HATE using glitter.. that is the one thing not allowed) Of course I said yes.. as the library is a great space to have people! We set a date, got it on the calendar.. and like before I asked what can I do to help. The space is how I helped (and help somewhat monitor the stations) The Chinese New Celebration ran much like the Late Night in the Library. It was an extended time with several stations set up. I read a short story in the middle of the time, but the hightlight.. the Dragon Dance! Stations: -Rooster stamp -Paper lanterns (like this idea.. but of course there are tons of ways that you can make them) -Chinese Plastic Spoon Dancing Dragon (like this idea, but did it with plastic spoons, string and paper pieces) -Chinese drum (much like this idea) -Write Happy New Year in Chinese (this was a super cool station because she had put out thin paper and brushes with the black paint) The art club students ran the stations, and we had over 30 attendees for a Friday afternoon. These art club students are also the ones who did the Dragon Dance. We are already talking about next year for this! We are going to do the Dragon Dance to end the day.. but before the event starts as almost a parade to the library. Did you celebrate Chinese New Year? How do you collaborate? Upcoming blogs- -how my lesson plans are evolving -February happenings (I just finished my first actual display!)

G.S.C. "Where Northwest meets Midwest" designed by Blake McDivitt. Connect with them on Dribbble; the global community for designers and creative professionals.

This is an amazing art and math lesson that I got from a teacher at a conference who did teach a district over from me, but is now getting her PhD. She always had amazing stuff to present at conference. (You're amazing, Mary Franco!) Anyway, this lesson involves Paul Klee and multiplication. I made a little three page Smart Notebook lesson about Klee's work "Once Emerged From the Gray of Night" (where I used to show a poster of it) and have the students talk about what's more important--the words of the poem or the colors and composition? Then we talk about putting two things (like writing and art, or math and art together). It's SUCH an amazing lesson, here's a sneak peek: So, students get a little background knowledge of Klee, then we talk about tessellations and multiplication (and practice on the Smart Board). Then, students get a page of one-inch graph paper and write out a one digit by one digit multiplication problem with a two digit answer. I tell them to choose one that's hard for them to remember, or their favorite one. They then repeat that problem seven times, dropping down and over one square for 4 times, then down and back a square for three times, making them into interlocking tessellation shapes: After they've drawn it all out in pencil and I've checked it, they choose ONE color of fine-tip marker to trace it with, then use colored pencil or watercolor pencil to color. The coloring is a bit of a challenge for them, because they need to forget that they're numbers and only look at the space. They then color it in patterns/designs to make it visually interesting and play with people's minds ('math? I dont' see any math!') It's an awesome lesson that really challenges their thinking. This one really shows the patterns and designs. Oh, it's also important that their numbers COMPLETELY fill the one inch box of the graph paper. I always try to do this lesson at a time of the year when classroom teachers are complaining about students not remembering their math facts. I usually do it with fifth grade, but I did it with sixth one year at the teachers' request.

Rillettes aux deux saumons, façon Joël Robuchon Quelle mère ne se décarcasse pas pour faire plaisir à son fils ? (Gabrielle, si tu me lis, ne te moque pas de moi). J’ai découvert l’été dernier que Noé est fou de rillettes de saumon et il me réclame ce mets depuis...

Please note: This product is a digital download. Nothing will be shipped to you and the cork board is not included. About this product: This product contains 18 retro/groovy-themed speech sound cards. Each card is 4in x 5in. Use these cards to decorate a bulletin board, or print and laminate them to take with you on the go! A card is included for each of the following sounds: /k/, /s/, /l/, /sh/, /r/, /g/, /t/, /m/, /n/, /d/, /p/, /v/, /ch/, /b/, /f/, /th/, /j/, and /z/. This product is for PERSONAL USE only. Do not share or send this copy to anyone else. Once you purchase the product, you will be directed to download your files. You can also access your files by going to Your Account > Purchases. For a more in depth explanation, please go to: https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/115013328108-Downloading-a-Digital-Item?segment=shopping

Good pick, Finn! Pattern by Amigurumi Fair, available via Ravelry. More Patterns From This Designer: This post contains affiliate links.

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These kindergarten anchor charts will give you the tools you need to teach math, reading, friendship skills, and much more!