I have been wanting to whitewash brick for a really long time. Problem is….I don’t have any brick at my house. But what I do have is an amazing client that said, “Can you whitewash my brick fireplace?” Ummmmm let me think about it….YEAH! UPDATE-I did a quick video in THIS POST. Click to watch and...

What would you say if I said that I use 7UP and M&M's on the first day of school? You're probably thinking that I'm crazy, wanting to fill my students with sugar on the first day. Well, maybe you won't think I'm so crazy after you find out what I do with them. Some of our best ideas come from our colleagues, don't they? My blog post today is a share of two ideas that I've picked up along the way. The first, the M&M activity, was first introduced to me by the teacher that I student taught for. I'm not sure where it originated as I know she had learned it from somewhere else and I've seen other teachers do it in various forms, but when she did it, I knew it would be a staple in my classroom too! The second part of this was introduced to me by the wonderful Ms. Kitchen, one of my favorite colleagues when I was teaching in Washington. Ms. Kitchen was a 4th grade teacher stuck in a 5th grade pod with 3 new 5th grade teachers. I learned a TON from her and picked up a lot of her activities along the way. The 7up sentences are just one of her fabulous ideas that I "stole"! I've combined the ideas of two super teachers to make for one fantastic back to school activity. This activity will help you to discuss consequences, get a sample of student writing (as well as an idea of what they are ready for), learn about your students through their writing, and leave students with a memory of the first day that they will still be talking about on the last. My suggestion is to do this after lunch, so you know they've at least filled their bellies with something good first.Here's the details: Items Needed: A can (I use the ½ can size when I can find it) of 7up for each student* (Use 7-Up Ten if worried about calorie content) A giant bag of M&M’s/Skittles (if allergies are present)/a large box of rainbow Goldfish if looking for a healthy alternative. Plastic gloves or a small baggie for each student to use as a glove As an alternative (and to avoid students choosing way too many M&M's), bring in measuring cups in two or three different sizes or just a coffee scoop and give them a maximum amount of scoops A napkin or paper towel Lined paper and a pencil Directions Ask students what a consequence is. Write the word on the board and explain that there is a consequence for all of our actions. Sometimes the consequence is good, and sometimes it isn’t. Use examples such as “What could be a consequence of not coming home on time?” or “What could be a consequence of studying really hard for a test?” Use examples of good and bad consequences. Tell students that our activity will involve consequences. Pass out the gloves (if using gloves) Bring out the large bag of M&M’s (keep it in hiding until this point). Tell students that they will each get one glove and that once they have it on, you will come to their desk with the bag. They are allowed to take up to one handful, but they can take as few as they want as well, with a minimum of at least 5. They should place their handful on a paper towel They cannot eat them YET! Remind students that this activity will end with a consequence and that you can’t say whether it is a good one or a bad one. If you are using the measuring cup instead, hold up the measuring cups and tell students they will have to choose one size to scoop out some M&M’s. They can fill the cup, but do not have to. Everything else is the same as the directions above. Pass out the 7up. Explain to students that as they enter this new grade, they will be expected to write 7up sentences. What is a 7up sentence? Well, it’s a sentence with 7 words or more, of course! So instead of saying, “I play football,” I might say, “I am a quarterback for the Green Bay Packers.”* (If you are teaching younger kids, you can omit this part of the activity). Now pass out lined paper to each student. Tell your students to write their name at the top then count all of their M&M’s. They should write the number of M&M’s that they have on the top right hand corner of their paper. Go around and make sure everyone has written down their number before you unveil the next direction. Give each student a “Marvelous to Meet You” paper. Say: “Ok students, now that you’ve got your M&M’s and 7up and you know all about 7up sentences, I am ready to present you with your consequence. I’d like to learn about you and get a chance to see your 7up sentences in action. You are each going to write me a sentence that tells me something about you FOR EACH M&M that you have.” Read over the different topics for the different colors and write an example for each topic on the board. Say: This might be a good consequence for some of you, while some of you are wishing you could put some of your M&M’s back! The good news is, for each sentence you complete, you may eat one of your M&M’s. You may enjoy your 7up throughout your writing. Time to get started!” Now, this is meant to be a fun activity, so I don’t push students that took 65 M&M's to write 65 sentences, though I will let them sweat it out a little. If they are a fairly strong writer, I might stop them at 25. If they are struggling to write or come up with ideas, I might stop them at 10. It's the first day of school, you want this to be fun, so use your best judgement on when to stop them. I get the colorful smiley incentive stickers and put those next to each sentence and then display these in my room. For that reason, you might not want your students to write on the back of their paper. Now don't you want to do this activity with your students during the first week? I'm all stocked up and ready to go. I can't wait to see their excitement when I pull out that big bag of M&M's!! You can print the directions for this activity and the Marvelous to Meet You reproducible by clicking on the image below.

Completed kindergarten masterpieces. That's right, I said kindergarten. The under-6 set is knockin' it outta the park, er, art room so far this year and I couldn't be more thrilled. What I'm about to

So when I first heard about 'The Balkan Trail' and saw its inviting advertisement pop up on my screen I was pretty much immediately sold. As soon as Christof got home from work I squealed "WE HAVE TO DO THIS!". And fortunately he was quickly convinced after explaining the concept to him.

Easy and fun crochet hat pattern is simple to make and great for beginners. Crochet a cozy hat that is comfortable and warm to wear!

Chef Jean-Pierre never fails to amaze us with his simple recipes and this one is a must.

The other day I was talking about obstacles to unschooling. I said, "So I wonder if there are things about unschooling that bother you, It can be a useful exercise to think about what it is that's stopping you from unschooling. Write it down. It might be that those things which you don't like about

I know a lot about running. Even so, there are a few things I don’t understand about running. Things that don’t make sense to me, and likely never will

I love the books "I Can't Believe You Said That!" by Julia Cook and "Being Frank" by Donna Earnhardt but have struggled to find meaningful examples for my students to practice using their social filter with. This product is a set of sorting activity cards with 16 different situations/thoughts for students to sort into: "Keep it in your head", "Say it out loud", and "Filter it". There is also a set of blank cards that you can either add your own scenarios to or have your students create their own with. *This resource is also available as part of my Positive Communication Lessons Bundle.* ************************************************************************************************************* ✨Glowing Praise for This Resource✨ “I use this resource with my small groups […]. Great resource, really kept my students engaged!” ~Sanya G. “I used this resource with in a whole class lesson and the kids were very engaged! It was a great fit as a companion to our book!!” ~Jessica T. ************************************************************************************************************* ★ Open the preview for more details! ★

Dang that's a long title But yeah basically what I said. My basically getting parts from chapters from my favorite fanfics it will mostly be a sin And yes I will be putting the actual book in it and the website. Enjoy! I do not own Miraculous Ladybug Cover by @thefalsevyper go follow her Instagram and Twitter!

Chocolate. Enough said. No, but really, edible chocolate slime is another fun edible slime that you can feel safe letting your kids play with (and eat)! Did you see the Edible Starburst Slime I shared earlier?

Free Alphabet Bingo Printable for Kids is a great option to use for keeping kids busy while learning at the same time! An ideal car game for travel!

A music education blog with lesson plans and ideas for the elementary music classroom.

Print Friendly Version Sonny – “Frankenstein, what do you want?” Julian – “30 packets of ketchup.” From the movie Big Daddy starring Adam Sandler My friend Sandy is so sweet! She sent me this YUMMY recipe for rhubarb ketchup. I know what you might be thinking….Rhubarb KETCHUP? Well, that’s what Jeff said…and then he tried…Read more →

I was wondering how to describe what it's like living with chronic pain the other day because the hospital nurse asked me. I knew what it felt like but had never really put it into words for someone who doesn't experience it. WHAT IS IT LIKE LIVING WITH CHRONIC PAIN? Living with pain that has become persistent, and lasting longer than 3 months causes both physical and emotional stress. Whatever condition or accident that caused the initial pain has now become a condition in its own right because it has changed the nervous system of the body and so many other day to day things. I have collected some quotes from people living with chronic pain caused by arthritis, fibromyalgia, nerve pain and migraines. What they said is shared here so others will understand, a little more about, the impact of living with pain that is chronic. CHRONIC PAIN QUOTES Please understand that being able to stand up for five minutes, doesn’t necessarily mean that I can stand up for ten minutes, or an hour. It’s quite likely that doing that five minutes has exhausted my resources and I’ll need to recover. ~ Gerri Kassel, My Journey to find my health. I’d rather not take this medication, or any medication for that matter, but it is the only one that controls my pain adequately enough to allow me to function on a daily basis... I take the smallest dose possible to enable me to remain as clear-headed as possible to do what I need to do each day... Even with the minimal opioids I take, I still have pain all the time, 24 hours a day; without opioids, life would be torture. ~ Alison Moore, author. Most people assume: That because I don’t admit to being in pain each day, I must have pain-free days. I don’t. My last pain-free day was November 2002. Every day since then has held at least a moderate level of pain. ~ Life With A Pebble I hate all pain, Given or received; we have enough within us. ~ Lord Byron. Our already chronic condition becomes worse for a time, symptoms become more pronounced and this then triggers a whole host of accompanying issues from migraine, muscle & joint pain, fatigue……..the list goes on. ~ Tracey Marinelli, Fibro Fantastic. The trouble with chronic pain is that it is so easy to become accustomed to it, both mentally and physically. At first it's absolutely agonizing; it's the only thing you think about, like a rock in your shoe that rubs your foot raw with every step. ~ Robert J. Wiersema, author. For many people living with chronic pain, opioid medications are a critical component to managing their pain and overall quality of life. However, the nationwide crackdown on opioids has put chronic pain sufferers in an impossible situation. ~ Sue, Fibro Daze. Few things a doctor does are more important than relieving pain. . . pain is soul destroying. No patient should have to endure intense pain unnecessarily. The quality of mercy is essential to the practice of medicine; here, of all places, it should not be strained. ~ Marcia Angell, The Truth about the Drug Companies. I was always in pain. I called the pain at the time "stress neck" since it often flared during deadlines, some of them self-imposed. ~ Kathleen Mueller, Fibroworks I often wished that more people understood the invisible side of things. Even the people who seemed to understand, didn't really. ~ Jennifer Starzec, Determination Many a day I’ve felt despair, rage and profound disappointment that I could not do certain jobs. My life has changed so much over the years that I can hardly believe it. ~ Barbara McLullich, Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Pain. There is a saying in Tibetan, 'Tragedy should be utilized as a source of strength.' No matter what sort of difficulties, how painful experience is, if we lose our hope, that's our real disaster. ~ Dalai Lama XIV I wish I could experience that blissful feeling again when your whole body relaxes and melts into the bed and all the tension of the day just evaporates. I wish I could lay in my bed without experiencing pain. ~ Fighting Fibromyalgia Few things a doctor does are more important than relieving pain... pain is soul destroying. No patient should have to endure intense pain unnecessarily. The quality of mercy is essential to the practice of medicine; here, of all places, it should not be strained. ~ Marcia Angell We all want to be able to live pain-free, to enjoy our lives. Sometimes you have to think outside the box. ~ Cynthia Baughman, My Inspired Fibro Life You just do it. You force yourself to get up. You force yourself to put one foot before the other and you refuse to let it get to you. You fight. You cry. Then you go about the business of living. That’s how I’ve done it. There’s no other way. ~ Elizabeth Taylor We now have limitations and before there were none. We now look at life in a totally different way. Even when the pain levels subside there is a place within us that knows it's only a matter of time before it will rear its ugly head again. ~ Rosemary Lee, Seeking Equilibrium. Don't build a wall around your own suffering - it may devour you from the inside. ~ Frida Kahlo Chronic pain has a massive impact in our lives. And it is important to remember that pain doesn’t exist in a vacuum all by itself… it has symptoms. And these impact our functionality along with the pain itself. ~ Nikki Albert, Brainless Blogger Any practice of prayer and meditation can kick start your healing journey and your path to reducing pain. ~ Sue Ingebretson, Rebuilding Wellness. Sometimes chronic pain can get to a point where it is getting in the way of the life you want to live. I have dreams and things I want to achieve, but it is starting to feel as if my pain and fatigue are getting in the way. ~ Beverley, Blooming Mindfulness On bad pain and fatigue days, it may be a tough mental battle, but you can do it! Remember my favorite word? Hope. Never give up HOPE! ~ Amy, The Fibro Frog. The pain turns into little to no sleep which turns into depression which turns into difficulty being a friendly human which turns into stress which turns into more pain! That cycle is so forked up… but in the midst of all that, there are some good times. ~ Tamiko, my foggy brain. Recovery begins with embracing our pain and taking the risk to share it with others. We do this by joining a group and talking about our pain. ~ John Bradshaw When you have chronic illness, the slightest thing can have a knock-on effect. Just one day of significantly overdoing things can leave you with weeks of symptoms – more fatigue, increased pain and a reduction in stamina. ~ Katie Cupcake. I will stand up and have my voice be heard, continue to raise awareness, fight for a cure, inspire those who feel like their world is now over, and be a voice for the voiceless sufferers because I know you’re out there... Michelle Morales, Living Extra Ordinary These symptoms are genuine, and they are life-changing. ~ Susan, Living Creatively With Fibro. People assume you aren’t sick unless they see the sickness on your skin like scars forming a map of all the ways you’re hurting. My heart is a prison of Have you tried?s Have you tried exercising? Have you tried eating better? Have you tried not being sad, not being sick? Have you tried being more like me? Have you tried shutting up? Yes, I have tried. Yes, I am still trying, and yes, I am still sick. Sometimes monsters are invisible, and sometimes demons attack you from the inside. Just because you cannot see the claws and the teeth does not mean they aren’t ripping through me. Pain does not need to be seen to be felt. Telling me there is no problem won’t solve the problem. This is not how miracles are born. This is not how sickness works. ~ Emm Roy, The First Step

Looking to add some fun and creativity to your classroom presentations? My Valentines PowerPoint slide templates are the perfect solution! With their eye-catching designs and vibrant colors, they'll engage your students and make learning more exciting. Plus, they're easy to use and customizable to fit any lesson. WHAT'S INCLUDED: 1 PPTX (powerpoint) containing editable slides 1 PDF containing a google slides link NOTE: Some fonts may not be available for use in Google Slides. DISCLAIMER: All cutesy fonts are embedded into my products, meaning you will not be able to use them or move them around. In order to get the same fonts that I used you will need to refer to the Font List provided with this resource and purchase said fonts from the font creators. Thanks for supporting them and understanding! DIGITAL ITEM: This item is a digital file, meaning you get INSTANT DELIVERY, you can get started on decorating your classroom right away from your own home! No physical product will be shipped to you. TERMS OF USE: Duplication for a friend, another staff member, entire school or commercial purpose without purchase of an additional license is strictly prohibited. This resource is intended for one person, the purchaser, to reproduce pages in limited quantities for SINGLE classroom or homeschool use only. Copying any part of this resource and placing it on the internet in any form (even a personal or classroom website/ school server) is an infringement of copyright laws. Rights do not transfer at the point of sale. All rights reserved to Sadie Piper Designs. LOVE THIS? If you love this item please be sure to check out my store for all the other matching and coordination classroom resources! :) © Sadie Piper Designs

Used my own mint from my garden! My son loves mint and he is the one who actually grew this herb. He loves mint chocolate chip ice cream and milk shakes. Thought I'd try this mint jelly on pork and lamb, and maybe even thumb print cookies at Christmas. For step by step directions: ohiothoughtsblog.blogspot.com/2014/05/mint-jelly.html Mint Jelly Ingredients 1 1/2 cups packed fresh mint leaves and stems 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 1/4 cups boiling water 1 drop green food color 3 1/2 cups white sugar 1 package liquid pectin Directions 1.Rinse off the mint leaves, and place them into a large saucepan. Crush with a potato masher or the bottom of a jar or glass. Add water, and bring the mint to a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 10 minutes. Strain, and measure out 1 2/3 cups of the mint. 2.Place 1 2/3 cups mint into a saucepan. Stir in the lemon juice and food coloring. Mix in the sugar, and place the pan over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Once the mixture is boiling, stir in the pectin. Boil the mixture for a full minute while stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and skim foam off the top using a large metal spoon. Transfer the mixture to hot sterile jars, and seal. 3.Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 10 minutes.

If you are headed to any vacation, amusement park, water park, festival or fair this year and you are taking small people, this post is for you! These DIY Safety Custom Temporary Tattoos are the

**THIS IS TO PURCHASE THE DIGITAL FILE TO PRINT THE ORIGAMI SECRET HEARTS**Please read this description carefully.When you purchase this item, you will receive the digital file/s containing the design to create the Origami Secret Hearts. There will be one pdf file with the front and back compiled in one (2 pages)The file is to print on A4 paper size. Please familiarise yourself with your own printer and understand how to print double-sided. The design will have to be printed front and back in order to get the result that you see in the image gallery above.Instruction is not included in the file, you will have to go to our Instagram page for the How to video:https://www.instagram.com/melancholymemento/ Before you print the design, PLEASE ADJUST THE SCALE TO 100%. If you fail to do so, the design will not fall in line. Please also understand that different paper suppliers will have size deviations between other suppliers (usually by one or two mm). This means that the way the design falls into place will differ, I have ensure that the artwork is more fluid to accommodate this but I can't predict every single paper brands out there. Having said that, the art should not shift too far if that's the case. This origami can be a bit finicky but it isn't complicated, if you follow the steps correctly. Lastly, the image that you see in the gallery is a sample of what you can do to it. You can print on different paper colors and tie it up with a string (the heart will not fully close on its own).Any issues at all you can email: [email protected]

I did something I said I wouldn't do! Check out my epic Azure Standard Haul. You won't believe my total bill for what I got.

Hours of fun and inspiration Let your kids build their own custom Marie Curie figure out of paper with incredible detail. Designed to give children a sense of achievement and helps boost their confidence! Karen D, USA Verified Buyer Super fun! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ My son said: "I really enjoyed building this kit, it was super fun!" Win the Nobel? No Problem :) Start young by introducing your kids to the world’s greatest minds. Teaches your kids that everything is possible! Marie Curie could not attend the university because she was a woman (how backward is that??), so she studied on her own, discovered radioactivity, and won the Nobel Prize (twice!). Encourages Multiple Skills Marie Curie’s DIY set encourages multiple developmental traits such as fine motor skills, following instructions, overcoming hurdles, imaginary play, and more Exceptional Gift For Kids Anyone over the age of 5 old will enjoy building their own Marie Curie figure and play the part of this 2 times Nobel Prize winner. 100% Happiness Guaranteed We design every toy to the highest quality standard to inspire the minds of children. If your kid is not happy with our products, please let us know and we’ll make it right. Susan T, UK Verified Buyer What an amazing woman! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ My 8yo girl didn't know Marie before but now she's a big fan Description: What’s included: 3 printed sets: 3D model of Marie Curie MegaGeex character, her lab, and a variety of elements. Age: 5+ Requirements: scissors and glue Hours of fun, inspiring screen-free activity!

T-D-A. My learning support students would cringe when I said those three letters during ELA. Honestly, I would too! Having them read, and then re-read, and then make connections, and then state their claim, and then support their claim, and then turn all of that into a written response. Yikes! I didn't want my learning support students, or even the other students in the ELA room I co-teach in, to become discouraged and give up before they started - when having to answer a Text Dependent Analysis question. My TDA Flip Folder breaks having to answer a Text Dependent Analysis question down into simpler steps. Students use the folder not only as a reference guide, but also as a place to organize all of their thoughts before putting them on to paper. It does take some time to assemble, BUT one of the best parts about the folder is once they're put together they're good throughout the year! I allow my students to use their folders any time they are completing a TDA written response. They are perfect to use at centers, independently at their seats, or even to take home! What's Included... - covers for the front of the folder - pre-made notes to be put on the inside of the folder that include: ・What is a TDA Question ・Understanding the Writing Prompt ・What Should be Included in the Response ・Textual Evidence Sentence Starters ・Transition Words and Phrases ・ Steps to Develop a Claim - a blank copy of the notes to customize yourself - a place for students to organize their ideas that includes... ・a place for writing your thesis statement/claim ・listing your reasons and evidence to support your reasons ・your conclusion ・TDA Writer's Checklist - strips for students to write their thesis statement/claim - squares to write their reasons, evidence, and conclusion (w/the option of printing on sticky notes) - an optional writer's checklist, as well as a blank version to customize on your own You will be receiving this as a PDF and as a Powerpoint that includes editable slides. On all "editable" slides you will are able to insert text boxes for the text you would like to appear. Want to see more of my ELA Tools? Adapted Materials: ELA If you have any questions do not hesitate to ask! Email: [email protected] Want to see this resource and others put to use in my classroom? Follow my blog!

Administration is always telling teachers to use data to drive instruction. That's easier said than done. After hours of analyzing data, I've finally found some ways to use it in a meaningful way. Use these tips to use data in your classroom.

We spent two weeks on Crete in the summer of 2021. We felt it was an opportunity to experience summer in Greece without the crowds that descend on Greece most summers. Crete did not disappoint. We swam in the warm Mediterranean Sea, hiked in the White Mountains of western and central Crete, explored Ancient Sites and ate incredibly delicious meals. I have listed here what I consider to be the best of the best restaurants on Crete. That being said, we never ate a bad meal the entire time we wer

It's been a long time since shell suits were in fashion but the colourful outfits from the 80s appear to be making an unexpected comeback.