tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70620698618165666802024-03-13T10:05:28.728-07:00The Puzzling World of AutismA blog about the puzzling and amazing world of autism!Amy Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789091877946417303noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7062069861816566680.post-34340533209098410892013-02-04T20:12:00.001-08:002013-02-04T20:12:35.271-08:00Trying to get back on the posting wagon!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Alright, so I'm going to use this post to catch up on things a bit including February Currently, my Liebster Nomination, and some happenings in my classroom.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Listening:</b> My husband is watching It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia on Netflix while I am spending some time blogging.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Loving:</b> While I love my students, it has been very busy since we got back from Winter break and I can't wait for mid-winter break!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Thinking: This one is obvious...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Wanting:</b> It to stop snowing- It's been snowing on and off here in Michigan for days now and I'm ready for it to stop!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Needing:</b> A haircut- I keep procrastinating making an appointment but I need to get on it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Pet Peeve:</b> This was something that happened today. I quickly asked a teacher a yes/no questions and in front of other students the teacher gave a very offensive response. I understand if not all teachers fully understand my students but regardless of their understanding they should be considerate of the affect that their words might have on their students.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here is a peek at our winter wonderland. We had a door decorating contest in our building. Ours didn't win but I'm enjoying leaving it up until Spring:) The idea is of course from Pinterest and my students helped with painting the snowman and they made the snowflakes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I decorated my tree this year with books and wrote on the star "Reading- a gift to treasure forever." I used a color copier and minimized the size of the books, laminated them then hot glued a hook into them. I also added these Peppermint lights that I got at Target last year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And this is our bulletin board. I've put our tree away and sent the snow globes home but I keep switching out what is in the snow.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And now for the Liebster Award! I am very excited and I hope it will help keep me blogging! I was nominated by Erin over at <a href="http://awesomenessandautism.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2013-01-27T18:59:00-08:00&max-results=1&start=2&by-date=false" target="_blank">Autism and Awesomeness</a>. Erin is another newer blogger and fellow teacher of kiddos with Autism. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>The Rules:</b></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1. Post 11 random things about yourself.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />2. Answer the questions the nominator set for you.<br />3. Create 11 questions for your nominees.<br />4. Choose 11 other blogs with fewer than 200 followers to nominate and link them to your post.<br />5. Leave a comment on this post if you were nominated so I can learn more about you and see who you nominate.<br /></span><b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">11 Random Things about Me:</b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1. My husband and I just went on an amazing trip to Hawaii for our honeymoon over Christmas break. We went on a doors off helicopter ride and took surfing lessons!!</span><div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2. My friend Katie and I are training for our 1st 1/2 marathon . I never thought I would be saying that because just 2 years ago I was afraid of running a 5k.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. I am a vegetarian.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4. I have 1 brother and 1 sister.</span><div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">5. I taught 1st grade for one very challenging year in Detroit at a poorly organized Charter before receiving my position that I currently have teaching students with Autism.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />6. Every year my friend and I plan a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eU7IK-wPgGQ" target="_blank">Double Dare</a> themed party. This years will be the 5th annual. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">7. I am taking my students on an awesome field trip this month to <a href="http://www.friendshipcircle.org/weinberg-village/" target="_blank">Weinberg Village</a>. It's a community center's basement that has been renovated to look just like a real town. The kids get to go through the town and purchase items at a drugstore, see a movie, ride a bike, get their nails painted, and so many other fun things. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">8. I eat out way too much. I love cooking but always make excuses for why not to cook.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">9. I have been to 4 European countries: Sweden, Germany, France, & Spain!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">10. I'm a night owl.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">11. I decided to get my Special Ed Master's after doing a long term in a resource room and loving it!</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /><br />Nominators Questions:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">1. What made you decide to work in the field of Special Education? </b><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">While working a 6 month long term subbing position in a Resource room I fell in love with the Special Ed world and immediately changed Master's programs.</span><br style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;" /><b style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">2. What is your favorite animal and why? </b><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">I always find favorite questions to be really hard to answer because I usually don't have a favorite. I do like cats though and I have two.</span><br style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;" /><b style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">3. How do you like your eggs cooked? </b><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Over medium</span><br style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;" /><b style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">4. What is your favorite childhood memory? </b><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Another hard one...I used to enjoy being silly with my friends, dancing, and making home videos.</span><br style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;" /><b style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">5. What was your favorite subject in school? </b><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">English</span><br style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;" /><b style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">6. What is your favorite drink? </b><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Red wine</span><br style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;" /><b style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">7. What genre of book do you like most?</b><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> I like a lot of genres but lately I've been reading a lot of historical fiction.</span><br style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;" /><b style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">8. If you could have any superpower, what would it be? </b><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Freezing time</span><br style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;" /><b style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">9. If you were able to travel anywhere in the world, money and safety are guaranteed, where would it be? </b><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">I would love to visit New Zealand and Australia.</span><br style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;" /><b style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">10. Where is the furthest you've traveled from home? </b><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Hawaii</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">11. Sweet or Salty? </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b> </b>Sweet</span></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /><br /><b>Nominations:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is really hard to do! I searched and searched and almost every blog I clicked on did not fit the rules. I even tried just googling it! Here's who I found but I could not find 11 (if I come across more I will nominate them but I want to post and it's time to get to bed).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. <a href="http://missallisonsclass.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Miss Allison's Class</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. <a href="http://www.mswuteach.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Diary of a First Grade Teacher</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Questions:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. Why did you decide to become a teacher?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. Why did you decide to start blogging?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. Do you find it hard to keep up your blog? Any tips and trick that are helping you keep with it?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4. If you could travel anywhere in the world where would it be?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">5. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">6. What is a funny story you will always remember from your teaching career?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">7. Teaching tool you cannot live without?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">8. Name one thing that is on your 'bucket list' and why?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">9. Are you teaching in your dream grade? If no where would you like to end up?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">10. What do you like about Valentine's Day?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">11. Favorite Teacher Resource Book?</span></div>
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Amy Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789091877946417303noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7062069861816566680.post-32583278644754112692013-01-24T13:34:00.000-08:002013-01-24T13:34:33.774-08:00HELP!! We have some iPad obsessions<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I know I have been absent from the blogging for quite some time but I've still been reading all of your great blogs!! I promise at some point soon I will post some of the fun things we've been doing but for now I just have a question: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Many of my students are OBSESSED with the iPAD. I know they are awesome, I'm obsessed too:) However, it's beginning to be less of a motivator and more of a meltdown issue if they can't have them when they ask for them. I try to do everything the way I've been 'taught.' The iPad is used both as an educational tool and as a free choice option during free choice times in our classroom. They also each have iPad on their schedule once throughout their day in case they are not able to get one during free choice time for whatever reason. But it's still causing problems! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: cyan; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What would you do??</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'm thinking of having an iPad free week and then gradually reintroducing them back into our room again. I'm worried though that this will just cause a week of meltdowns and then once they are able to use them again we won't have made any progress. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: magenta; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Help!!</span></div>
Amy Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789091877946417303noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7062069861816566680.post-11138172905218019982012-10-17T14:53:00.003-07:002012-10-17T14:53:45.012-07:00I've been Boo'd!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> I've been Boo'd by Allison over at </span><a href="http://missallisonsclass.blogspot.com/" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;" target="_blank">Miss Allison's Class</a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">! How fun! Thanks Allison for Boo'ing me and for always sharing your great ideas on your blog!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here are the rules:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">Cynthia at <a href="http://www.2ndgradepad.blogspot.com/2012/10/who-will-be-bood.html" style="color: #a91512; text-decoration: none;">2nd Grade Pad</a> is hosting this BOO'D linky. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 28px;">1. Choose a fellow blogger that has MORE followers.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. A blogger that has about the SAME number of followers .</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 28px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. Someone that has LESS followers.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 28px;">4. Highlight their blogs with links to encourage others to check them out.</span><br style="background-color: #f3f2ee;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 28px;">5. Don't forget to let your fellow bloggers know that you shared about them. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 28px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 28px;">6. Lastly, leave them some love by offering them a goody from your store as their "treat." (Unfortunately, I don't have a store yet so I don't have a freebie to offer-sorry!)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: center;"><b>More Followers:</b> Sasha over at </span><a href="http://theautismhelper.com/" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: center;" target="_blank">The Autism Helper</a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: center;">. I love all the videos she shares and I am envious of how organized she is. I get a lot of great ideas by reading her blog and look forward to getting many more!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Same Followers: </b>This one is hard to find because I don't have many followers yet and most people have more than me. So, I'm going with Kate at <a href="http://funinecse.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Fun in ECSE</a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">(who also has more followers than me but I tried to find someone who was <i>close</i>)</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">. She is not only a fellow Special Ed teacher but she also teaches in Michigan like me! She does a lot of great lessons and activities with her students that she shares on her blog.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Less Followers: </b>Hailey over at <a href="http://autismtank.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Autism Tank</a> is a newer blogger like me. She has lots of great ideas for tasks and she includes Freebies!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I promise to have a real update soon. I keep bringing my camera to work and forgetting to take pictures!</span></div>
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Amy Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789091877946417303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7062069861816566680.post-25470128403640950502012-10-09T16:57:00.002-07:002012-10-09T17:04:58.393-07:00Adapted Listening Center<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I recently revamped my listening center. I felt like some of my students would just sit at it without much focus on the book they were listening to. Some would even sit for a while after the story was over, lost in their own thoughts. I wanted my Listening Center to be more structured and also last for one switch of our reading centers. (Next year my goal is to make question sheets for the books that a majority of my students would be able to do independently.) So here's what I came up with:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I numbered 4 bins (I don't think I'd ever need more than 4 stories to fill a 10 or 15 minute rotation.) I uploaded all of my Books on CD to my computer. I copied 3 or 4 books to a CD (depending on the length of the stories). Then the students don't have to switch CD's between stories!! I also put numbers on each bin and made a pull off card for the students to keep themselves on the correct book. 1/2 of my students can follow along with the right book fairly independently but I'm wishing I had put a little clip on each CD that says, "now pick up the next book." I'm sure the prompt could be faded but it would help the students who struggle with when to go on to the next book. It's really helping though. I've also added visual "rules" to the center to help them follow the routine or for a visual reminder if someone is off task. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When I started this center I had one of my aides sitting with each student to practice the routine. The amount of days someone sat with them depended on how independent they were able to be. When I was able to fade my aide, I added an additional center that will not be independent. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is our first year doing reading centers in this way and I'm finding this as a successful way to teach my students the centers that will be independent before adding all of the "manned" centers. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here's a quick pic of my Read to Self center. 4 of my 6 students are able to at least look at books independently and 2 of them need to be read to. I practiced reading independently with each of my 4 independent students so that this could be independent as well. These are the bins from Lakeshore that I spent a ton of money on a few years ago but find that I'm not so good at keeping organized. Therefore, I've re-purposed them as reading bins. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Does anyone have any other tips for making Listening center and Read to Self independent?</span></div>
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Amy Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789091877946417303noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7062069861816566680.post-55731638668089717822012-10-07T10:10:00.001-07:002012-10-08T19:46:54.382-07:00October Currently & Monday Made It<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Happy <i>October</i> Everyone! I can't believe it's here already. My class is finally getting into the groove of our routines and the weather has been perfect lately. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Realized after I had already saved this as an image (and didn't save it any other way) that the book was supposed to be my favorite October Season book! Whoops- the answer to that would be "There was an Old Lady who Swallowed some Leaves." The books in this series are good for engaging my students in literacy and also for sequencing activities.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I bought a bunch of stuff at Target the other day for Fall and Halloween. Here are some of my goodies and the activities I made to go with them:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Apple, pumpkin, ghost & leaf foam cut outs for something I haven't thought of yet- any ideas?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Halloween, turkey, leaf stickers for patterning and counting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Pine cones-I think I'd like to do a sorting activity with these if I can find another size.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Skeleton erasers for counting activites.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The foam stickers are sea/ocean themed but were on clearance so I grabbed them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mini clothespins- they were just so cute!</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eEycTN7I6eA/UHG0KumMF1I/AAAAAAAABtQ/hRy2JpfmVeU/s1600/october+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eEycTN7I6eA/UHG0KumMF1I/AAAAAAAABtQ/hRy2JpfmVeU/s320/october+001.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I also bought a pack of each of these table scatters. I made this sorting activity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> And this sorting activity for my kids who can read to work on vocabulary.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And I hot glued a bunch to clothespins for patterning activities that will also work on fine motor!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Don't forget to link up for October Currently with <a href="http://ohboy3rdgrade.blogspot.com/2012/10/currently-october-for-classroom-and-you.html" target="_blank">Farley</a> and check out <a href="http://4thgradefrolics.blogspot.com/2012/10/time-for-monday-made-it-monthly-edition.html" target="_blank">Monday Made It</a> over at 4th grade Frolics!</span></div>
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<br />Amy Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789091877946417303noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7062069861816566680.post-59336644862198921992012-10-02T17:20:00.001-07:002012-10-02T20:23:25.906-07:00How our stations work<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The last time I made a post I showed you our schedules. Today I thought I would show you how I help my kids complete the tasks as independently as possible. We use number matching 4 of 6 students. There are numbers that correspond to the number of activities to be completed at each station. The kids match the number to the number on the shelf or drawer. We consistently use TEACCH methods to set up tasks and work systems. This means that we work from Left to Right and Up to Down. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The following are examples of what their independent work stations look like. These have been decided based on the furniture I have and which students would work best at each spot. The large connected desks are great. Plenty of space and the shelf helps fit more work tasks. There is a finished basket by each independent station for students to put each task in as they finish. We mostly incorporate folder tasks and paperwork at independent work. However, we sometimes put puzzles or other similar tasks as well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I needed a 5th independent work spot this year and I was really trying to avoid taking up more valuable space so I bought a folder storage pocket chart and hung it next to my most flexible student's desk. It works great! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One of my students uses a color matching system instead. He is most successful with matching colors so it works better for him. He still needs prompts to use it correctly, he often wants to match all of them to their partner before completing any of the work:) His work tasks are mostly tasks that we have made to fit his needs and academic abilities. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here is our choice area. This was not set up last year. There was more structure needed for my new students so I made pull-offs (Velcro pictures that can be pulled off) for each choice activity the students can pick from. They are able to match the pull-off to the desired task. Once they clean up one task they can make another choice. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I also took a picture of how we organize the pictures visuals we need each day. They are alphabetized so they can be found quickly. I believe this was an old calendar pocket chart and it works perfectly!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Also, What Happened in First is having a 100 Follower giveaway! Check it out here:</span><br />
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Amy Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789091877946417303noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7062069861816566680.post-31550422882738085462012-09-22T12:03:00.000-07:002012-09-22T12:03:55.944-07:00Still Here!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Well, hello! I am so impressed by all of you bloggers who manage to start their school years and keep up on blogging. Every night over the last few weeks that I've gotten home I've wanted to make an update but haven't managed to make myself follow through. So here I am finally updating because I finally have a relaxing weekend. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This school year has been challenging so far. Last year was my first year teaching in a classroom for students with Autism but I was lucky to have kids that already had routines down and most of them were fairly flexible and able to transition to me, a new teacher, and the new ideas I had for the classroom. However, this year I have a kindergartner who is struggling with the transition to a new classroom. She is adorable but exhausting! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My class is very different this year and I've spent a lot of time making my classroom fit the needs of my new students. I have my kindergartner that I mentioned and a 3rd grader (both girls!) as well as 4 students that I had last year. All but two of them have different schedule needs. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is the schedule that two of my students follow. It has two pages, one for the morning and one for the afternoon. They are both able to follow it independently and know to switch from AM to PM on their own. The blue chip can be moved from item to item in order to help keep track of where they are in their day. While I put it on both of their schedules only one of them uses it consistently. The other impresses us all the time with the memorization of his schedule. He may not always go where he should go next but he can most often tell us where he should be:) And it usually doesn't take more than a verbal prompt to get him to go where he should be. Neither of these boys need to pull off the pictures and take them to where they are going. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Kelly's schedule looks very similar to the boys but she needs 4 pages so that she only has one row of items. She is still getting used to following a schedule and needs support to take the top item and take it to where she is going. While there is a strip of velcro for a chip on the schedule, currently she is not using the schedule in this way. Kelly cracks us up because it takes numerous prompts to get her to her schedule and then when she finally gets there she doesn't take the correct item, she turns to a page with "choice" on it and takes that instead. It proves to me that she has the ability to understand how to correctly follow the schedule. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As for checking in where she needs to be it looks like this and when she arrives she puts the picture in the corner on the velcro:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is the schedule I use with Gabby. She is my kindergartner and this is the schedule she used in preschool and she was not able to transition to the schedule I use with the other kiddos. We prep the items for the whole day and put in the new ones once she has completed all 5. Over the last few weeks she is becoming more independent in checking the schedule herself and transitioning to where she needs to be. However, there are still lots of times that she refuses to go where she should be. We are working on it! Gabby does take each card wither her to where she is going and she puts it in a matching card holder that looks like this: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is the "schedule" that one of my other students uses. We hand him the clothespin when it is time to go to a station and he matches it to the color cardboard hanging at the different stations around the room. Previous teachers have tried numerous other schedules/ways to help him transition with him and this is what they found to work best so it's what I've stuck with. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here is what the stations look like once the students arrive. There is a check in for everyone who needs it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It takes a while to set up everyone's schedule each day but it's worth it to make our day run more smoothly. Most days we have the schedules ready for the next day before we leave which helps a ton!</span></div>
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Amy Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789091877946417303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7062069861816566680.post-21896332654380549742012-09-05T17:16:00.001-07:002012-09-05T17:16:56.482-07:00Getting back in the swing<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Well, I survived the first day and a half of students! I'm feeling quite exhausted today but overall they went well. My kiddos that were in my class last year have transitioned nicely back to the routine of school. It's definitely one of the perks of having kids for multiple years- they know the routine of my room and can come back with little trouble getting back in the swing of school routines. The little changes I've made for the year have not seemed to through any of them off so far because I've stuck with the same basic structure to my day. I have two new students this year but can't seem to get one of them to come to school! I talked to her dad and he said she would be in school today but that didn't happen:( I met her last year and she's a sweetie though. I also have another new girl in my room (2 girls out of 6 kids-we're beating the odds in my room!) and while she's also a cutie she has sure been pushing her limits! I keep adding more and more visuals to try to meet her needs and I know that within the next week or so she will get the flow of the room. She had me <b>RUNNING</b> today though and boy did she think it was hilarious! </span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So here's my plan for this school year as far as my schedule goes:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>8:20-8:45-</b> Breakfast and work for my students who are at school. <span style="font-size: x-small;">(We consistently have bussing problems. 3 of my students come from another school district that does not have their own ASD programming. There are 22 students on the bus that needs to get to 8 schools ALL AT THE SAME TIME. The poor kids are on the bus for 2 hours and are still almost an hour late to school!)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>8:45-9:35</b> - Specials (My kids get music & gym)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>9:40</b>- Breakfast for students who were on bus, Gen Ed Special for my Kinder, classroom centers (these are ABC center, Fine Motor, Job Skills, Independent Work, Work with Teacher)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>10:25</b>- Everyone will be in the room!! We are going to do a reading block for as long as possible- fingers crossed for a full hour:)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>11:30</b>- Leisure time</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>12:05</b>- Lunch</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>12:35</b>- Calendar (I wanted to do this in the morning but I only have one period with everyone in the am and I've decided that Reading is more important)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>1:00</b> Outdoor recess if the weather permits</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>1:30</b> Afternoon Centers (same as morning but most kids don't get through all of them in the morning)- at some point my 3rd grader will be in Specials at this time when she is ready</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>2:00-2:40</b> Math Centers</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>2:40</b>- 4th grader in Gen Ed specials, Rest of class finishing afternoon centers, group project like cooking, game, or art project</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>3:15</b> Classroom Jobs (once we get into a good routine with our bus dismissal time)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>3:20-3:35</b> Home</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I did not have a Math or Reading block last year. I did Math in the morning at Independent work and Work with the Teacher and Reading in the afternoon for the same. However, this summer I felt I really could beef up my Math and Reading time with my students. I've also been considering changing how I do my Morning and Afternoon centers to what I saw on <a href="http://theautismhelper.com/classroom-photos-video-tour/" target="_blank">The Autism Helper</a>. It would be amazing because I'm constantly struggling with a good way to differentiate at these time or simply find something that all my kids can do without some speeding through them. As I get my Reading and Math blocks fully figured out I will explain what's working and what's inevitably not working. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If you're still reading I also wanted to share something non-teaching related. I have tried making fish in foil a few times recently and both times it turned out amazing! It is so easy. I'm going to try to get my husband on board so in the winter when he doesn't travel as often he can make dinner! Here's an example from Pinterest although it's not the recipe I made:</span></div>
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Amy Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789091877946417303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7062069861816566680.post-29835123864830090402012-09-03T10:31:00.000-07:002012-09-03T10:33:00.344-07:00September Currently<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is my first currently since I've been blogging!! If you're checking me out from the linky please consider following my blog:) I'm a newbie blogger and appreciate all of my readers!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Listening:</b> We just got home from brunch at a little French restaurant in Detroit and I wanted to link up quickly before we go enjoy the perfect weather. So, I'm listening to silence.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Loving:</b> My husband is home for a week before he'll be gone for about a month without a chance to come home. He travels for work and this is one of his busiest times because he will be working on all of the baseball post season shows this year. I wish he were home a different week because I will be torn each day between staying at work (this will be my first week) or coming home to see him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Thinking:</b> I keep posting about all of the things left on my "To Do List" and while I've managed to cross some off I keep thinking of more. I know that once the school year really gets going it will be harder and harder to get them done.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Wanting:</b> There is this ice cream place near us that has <i>homemade</i> ice cream. Our favorite flavor is honey cinnamon. I think today is the perfect day to indulge:)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Needing:</b> I think this needs no explanation!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Favorites:</b> 1. I've been obsessively using my new laminator.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. I went shopping the other day and found some cute stuff to start the year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. I love riding my bike and we are going to ride around Belle Isle today!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Thanks for reading!!</span></div>
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Amy Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789091877946417303noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7062069861816566680.post-71852157494203236982012-09-02T10:59:00.000-07:002012-09-02T10:59:05.380-07:00Common Core, Shopping, & Prepping<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I made a post the other day but I skipped talking about my Professional Development I spent Thursday in. We had a Common Core Math Crosswalk hosted by one of our CI (Cognitively Impaired) teachers and while of course I was itching to be in my classroom I did find it to be helpful. I was unaware of the Common Core <a href="http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/Math_Overview_388018_7.pdf" target="_blank">Essential Elements</a> that have been established for us Special Education teachers to follow in Michigan. In the document I have linked there is a list of the other states that are currently following these standards as well. The Essential Elements are in most cases a simpler form of the Standard. For example, instead of needing to count to 100 by ones and tens in Kinder, students need to count to 10 by ones. </span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">At the PD we were also given an index card for each standard with ideas for activities, an assessment for our students to be given twice a year that relates to the math standards, and best of all a bin FULL of the materials needed to teach the standards in the way were being asked to! What a great PD, we actually walked away with everything that we needed to begin instantly applying what we learned. Oh, we also walked away with a 2" binder FULL of <i>every</i> Common Core Standard and it's relating Essential Element(s) for Math and Language Arts. The binder is a bit much because I would more commonly turn to the internet to find standards but it was helpful to look at the different standards together as a group. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On to shopping....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I found this set of two posters with position words on one and opposites on the other! The position words will be hung right away, my kids are always working on better understanding these words. I also grabbed another pencil box, 2 plastic file holders for center materials, and a thermometer that I hope works. I had a really hard time making weather concrete for some of my students last year. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One of my kiddos cracks us up because when it's time to put the weather up each day he gets insistent that it's actually something else. For a while each day he wanted to put up "stormy" and would practically wrestle us to put stormy on our weather chart instead of whatever the actual weather is. I showed videos of what a storm was and pointed out the window to the fact that it was not storming it was sunny (or whatever). I took him to the window with the picture of the weather and tried to show him how it looked similar outside. Unfortunately, it did not seem to click. We will keep trying though and this year I've moved my calendar area over to the side of the room with windows so we can consistently look out the window to check the weather and I will be adding this thermometer to window as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I went in to Staples yesterday in need of making a poster size image. (I'm freaking out because I thought I had all of the months printed for my calendar but I'm missing September and October. To fit on my calendar they need to be quite large!) I am unwilling to pay what they are charging so instead, I wandered around the aisles. There were indeed things on my list I needed and I managed to find almost all of them on sale. It's time for some new crayons, glue sticks, erasers, and we can always use folders. I'm stealing an idea from <a href="http://missallisonsclass.blogspot.com/2012/08/paraprofessional-survival-kit-freebie.html" target="_blank">Miss Allison</a> and making welcome back gift bags for my aides. So I bought the items needed for the gift bags. I also grabbed those two pencil boxes for just a penny each! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have been laminating like <i><b>crazy</b>! </i>I hope that as the school year picks up my laminating habit will slow down:) I love how thick the lamination is though and that I can get stuff done from home instead of waiting to go into work and laminate. I am of course saving stuff to laminate there too. But things that I think will be used again and again and last better with this thick lamination I'm going for. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I also just peaked on Pinterest a minute ago and these caught my eye:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Musgrave-Pencil-Fidgets-Set-Pencils/dp/B0042ST1EM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346605630&sr=8-1&keywords=pencil+fidgets" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3etQvHN40E4/UEOdlc0HWcI/AAAAAAAABlY/TW6iyx69Ook/s1600/PencilFidgets.jpg" style="cursor: move;" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">They would be great for my kiddos when they are mainstreaming (click the picture for a link to them at amazon). A fidget that doesn't stand out. I could also see every kid in the class wanting one of their own:)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Have an enjoyable Labor Day everyone!</span></div>
Amy Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789091877946417303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7062069861816566680.post-40134206628646115412012-08-30T20:58:00.000-07:002012-08-30T20:58:17.424-07:00Getting Ready<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Well I've been in my classroom everyday this week and I still don't feel even close to being ready. There are so many things I want to have done before Tuesday! My to do list seems to keep getting longer instead of shorter. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I need to make my daily schedule or at least a flexible one for now in order to not have to get too angry if the specials schedule changes. It's often frustrating that my class is last on the list of priorities when it comes to scheduling specials!! Kids with autism need structure so why are my kiddos last on the list when it comes to scheduling specials. To make matters worse our specials keep getting scheduled first thing in the morning (except for one special that is the second period which makes things even more confusing) and many of my students arrive at school 15-30 minutes late because they ride a bus for over an hour. Then my student who relies most on routines never knows what's going to happen when he arrives because he could get to eat breakfast or he could have to go right to Specials. -Sorry for the mini-rant!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My to do list includes:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">-Making a schedule.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">-Finishing putting things away in my classroom.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">-Making assessment binders for each of my students for their IEP goals that can be assessed via paper.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">-Finish getting info together for my Gen Ed teachers I will be working with about the kiddos. (I'm also going to get folders together for my specials teachers which I didn't do last year.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">-Have my September lesson plans ready.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">-the list goes on and on but those are some of the main items</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I did get some stuff done this week though and I'm liking some things about my room a lot but wishing I could find more time to make other things better. Slowly but surely I guess:)</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7ILOxKghSHw/UEAx4mQLvsI/AAAAAAAABjk/RuRrPr0ThLE/s1600/IMG_5480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7ILOxKghSHw/UEAx4mQLvsI/AAAAAAAABjk/RuRrPr0ThLE/s320/IMG_5480.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My Word Wall! I love it! I painted my bulletin board black and I think the border is so cute:) </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hDdqQc6HSNA/UEAx7G_-TZI/AAAAAAAABjs/_yDb3F3PDyo/s1600/IMG_5481.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hDdqQc6HSNA/UEAx7G_-TZI/AAAAAAAABjs/_yDb3F3PDyo/s320/IMG_5481.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is a close up of the border.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IyYqyc7byrw/UEAx_iZY-xI/AAAAAAAABj8/6NfFhmv6Jus/s1600/IMG_5483.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IyYqyc7byrw/UEAx_iZY-xI/AAAAAAAABj8/6NfFhmv6Jus/s320/IMG_5483.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This bulletin board sometimes gets ripped down by students so I kept it simple and put my feelings posters up. We also use an old calendar pocket chart to organize our PECs for daily schedules. These bulletin boards were painted blue by a previous teacher and they are ready for a fresh coat of paint but I think that will be a project for next summer.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bE2D3LRKvlw/UEAyCzbc4-I/AAAAAAAABkE/RZINB0dPnpk/s1600/IMG_5484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bE2D3LRKvlw/UEAyCzbc4-I/AAAAAAAABkE/RZINB0dPnpk/s320/IMG_5484.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is my calendar area. I'm going to add shapes on the left but I haven't printed them yet. I'm trying to decide what to add along the top but I don't want to overwhelm my kiddos. Even though I like displaying lots for calendar time I think visually it can be overwhelming so I'm trying to keep it simple. I also bought that blue dot in a set a while ago, they are dry erase stickers that can be stuck anywhere! </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wDmifZNt8hc/UEAyFg6FG1I/AAAAAAAABkM/87sx-_L_-sc/s1600/IMG_5485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wDmifZNt8hc/UEAyFg6FG1I/AAAAAAAABkM/87sx-_L_-sc/s320/IMG_5485.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is my calendar and I think it is perfect for my kiddos. They really like the routine. I got it at a workshop I went to and it's made by the county I work for. However, I realized recently that I don't have September printed!!! I must do that before Tuesday!!! (another list to add to the list!)</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Yg6glvyqT6U/UEAyIWF-m7I/AAAAAAAABkU/z5OHj38sxiU/s1600/IMG_5486.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Yg6glvyqT6U/UEAyIWF-m7I/AAAAAAAABkU/z5OHj38sxiU/s320/IMG_5486.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here is the bulletin board in the hallway. I saw an idea somewhere of putting the kids pictures by their names and I think I will do that next week. The little owls have their names and the big owl says, "Mrs. Kaltz's class is READY!"</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZEewiKTImME/UEAyLKsmu6I/AAAAAAAABkc/LdHeJzJWyMA/s1600/IMG_5487.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZEewiKTImME/UEAyLKsmu6I/AAAAAAAABkc/LdHeJzJWyMA/s320/IMG_5487.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I bought these <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Cookie-Sheet-Challenge-Volume-1-ABC-Order-Rhyme-Making-Words" target="_blank">Cookie Sheet Challenge Sheets</a> from TPT and I think they're so cute. In the corner is a spice container that I bought at IKEA without a clear plan when I purchased them but this will be a perfect way to use them because they are magnetic! With the help of my aides and my sister I've been slowly prepping all of them (I bought 2 sets).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Well, I'm going to get some sleep so I can go back in tomorrow and then do some School Clothes Shopping!! I was joking with some friends tonight about how it's fun that I get to go School Clothes Shopping for so long:) </span></div>
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Amy Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789091877946417303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7062069861816566680.post-43662142802538520492012-08-26T12:12:00.000-07:002012-08-26T12:12:00.953-07:00One School One Book<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This year will be my third experience with the <a href="http://readtothem.org/our-programs/one-school-one-book/" target="_blank">One School, One Book Program</a>. The program is put together by<a href="http://readtothem.org/" target="_blank"> Read to Them</a>, a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to have families reading together at home!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My first year of teaching was in a 1st grade classroom in Detroit, MI. It was a constant struggle to get parents involved in their children's education in a more proactive way. However, our reading specialist got a grant to have the One School, One Book program. The book she chose was Because of Winn-Dixie and the families <i>loved </i>it! The program was getting the exact result that it intended, parents who wouldn't normally read with their kids were reading with them every night and really enjoying it (who knew!). While this program did not change every parent's focus on reading with their kids, it did change some and that's huge!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On top of the families reading the book, schools are encouraged to have a daily trivia question or questions. During both experiences with the program, this was the case. At my current school they really hyped it up and the kids were into it! If you haven't read Frindle, it's about kids changing the name of a pencil to a Frindle. Kids and teachers all throughout the school were calling pens and pencils Frindles. There were also posters throughout the building about the book. During lunch time teachers volunteered part of their lunch hour to read to any students who were not caught up at home. Families filled out a survey at the end and many of them asked for a new book each month! (The program is intended to be for one book to be read over the course of a month.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Last year I taught at another Title 1 school and they were doing One School, One Book for the first time. The book they chose was Frindle (another great book!) and while my parents did not get as involved in this program the school was very happy with the results. While I will be encouraging some of my parents more this year to read the book to their children it is not practical for all of my students to listen to a chapter from a chapter book at this time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That brings us to this year. This year our reading specialist got a running start and chose the book and had it purchased for all of us in June! It's our summer reading and she's asking for us to get involved in writing questions. I recently finished the book, The Lemonade Stand, and it was very cute. It seems like the kind of book that all kids can relate to in some way. There are also a lot of topics that can be discussed with students from character traits to math concepts. I'm excited to see how it goes this year.</span></div>
Amy Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789091877946417303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7062069861816566680.post-69952610083369052022012-08-24T19:57:00.003-07:002012-08-24T19:57:39.234-07:00Wishful Thinking <div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Happy Friday Everyone!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I'm having a lazy Friday evening at home catching up on blog reading, <a href="http://imbloghoppin.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Friday Freebies</a> (one day I will have one to share too:), and making a wishlist for my classroom. I'm sure I'm not alone in wishing that I had an endless budget to buy all of my dream classroom items. There are soooooo many things I want that I know would get used. I think I could spend $1000 on Melissa and Doug products alone. I'm browsing through their products right now and slowly making a dream classroom list. I'm sure I will purchase a few things once I receive my classroom budget for the year but I will also prioritize and many of my wishes will not be granted. Leave a comment with what is on your dream classroom wishlist! Here's some of what is on mine:</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I_qD9IEFrAU/UDg9PEwHILI/AAAAAAAABiw/11j6KybcNhw/s1600/md1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I_qD9IEFrAU/UDg9PEwHILI/AAAAAAAABiw/11j6KybcNhw/s1600/md1.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I saw this at Lakeshore today and I almost bought it but I've gotten into the habit of searching on Amazon on my phone before purchasing things to see if they're cheaper and of course it was. I will probably buy this soon. I have another thing that has these tasks on it but I think this one is more cute.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> I would buy ALL of their community helpers dress up clothing. I don't have any dress up stuff and I think it would really be great for my students to help them make connections to what we're learning. They may not understand pretend play but they can better understand what a vet does through demonstration using the items with teacher demonstrations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I think this is super cute and it teaches a bit of cause and effect. I have some students who are very low cognitively and I'm constantly looking for good ideas to help them learn new things.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aYT9CT-RXxs/UDg9QB0zOCI/AAAAAAAABjI/ztiZ7FUDIH0/s1600/md4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aYT9CT-RXxs/UDg9QB0zOCI/AAAAAAAABjI/ztiZ7FUDIH0/s1600/md4.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I like that this puzzle is two steps for each piece. It would be good for my kiddos who are good at basic puzzles but struggle with puzzles where they are putting pictures together. </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TqcO9tsjOrg/UDg9QhMnIwI/AAAAAAAABjQ/-htWJq2CB5w/s1600/md5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TqcO9tsjOrg/UDg9QhMnIwI/AAAAAAAABjQ/-htWJq2CB5w/s1600/md5.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I'm sure I could create this myself using things I have but I think this is fun. This would be one I would talk myself out of.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Well, my list could go on and on. Don't forget to comment and let me know what you would buy for your classroom!</span></div>
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Amy Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789091877946417303noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7062069861816566680.post-76857147405587909432012-08-23T17:43:00.002-07:002012-08-23T17:43:19.379-07:00Therapeutic Thursday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">What do I do when I have a loooonnnnggg day? The first thing on my list is usually to get together with some friends. That always seems to change my mood. I don't know what I would do without these people and many others that aren't in this picture. Sometimes just with my nephew who is holding my hand in the picture will turn my day around as well. He is the cutest!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There are times though where a relaxing bath or catching up on the long list of TV shows I'm addicted to will do the trick instead. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">No matter what after a long day you will find me with one of these (and even plenty that aren't):</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5Z76uZvSDC0/UDbMtWNYFhI/AAAAAAAABig/JHHG4DcGxaE/s1600/Red_Wine_Glas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5Z76uZvSDC0/UDbMtWNYFhI/AAAAAAAABig/JHHG4DcGxaE/s320/Red_Wine_Glas.jpg" width="171" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On another note I will be working in my classroom again. I think will stop at Lakeshore Learning before hand. I'm jumping on the chevron theme bandwagon and I think I'm going to combine it with small polka dots and owls. But stick with a similar color scheme. Hopefully it all comes together well:) I will post pictures when I get it done.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Link up for <a href="http://imbloghoppin.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Teacher Week</a> at Blog Hoppin'!</span></div>
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Amy Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789091877946417303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7062069861816566680.post-11294699845523892272012-08-22T22:27:00.001-07:002012-08-22T22:27:30.109-07:00Where I Teach Wednesday<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I finally got in my room!!! My husband kept saying he wanted to get things done around the house before he heads back on the road but I could not stay away another day! We made a deal and we will work on the house all day tomorrow. It felt good to put things back together and it's perfect timing for Where I Teach Wednesday:) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For starters, I teach in Michigan near Detroit. My classroom is a categorical room for students K-5 with autism. The set up of my classroom depends a lot on what my students needs are. This somewhat limits how I can use the space but I do my best to make it work. Here are some pictures of what my room looked like when I left today (I still have to do all the cutesy stuff Friday and next week but just setting up the room makes me feel relieved.).</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gsv1E6H8sL0/UDW5j0JcV4I/AAAAAAAABgg/o6kiOmzOonU/s1600/IMG_5473.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gsv1E6H8sL0/UDW5j0JcV4I/AAAAAAAABgg/o6kiOmzOonU/s320/IMG_5473.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here are two of my student's independent work areas. My desk is in the background. My desk is in an L shape and I'm able to use the side for what we call 1:1 work in my classroom. </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Fqi616J7s9g/UDW5mfslh3I/AAAAAAAABgo/pceQWwszzoQ/s1600/IMG_5474.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Fqi616J7s9g/UDW5mfslh3I/AAAAAAAABgo/pceQWwszzoQ/s320/IMG_5474.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Last year the round table was my kidney table and we had snack and group at the table but this year I've moved my kidney table and I think I will still prefer having snack in this area. The bulletin boards are still up from last year and most of them will be changed out over the next week. I've mentioned a few times that I got my job right before the start of the school year last year and I put stuff up on the walls but it was not my priority This year I'm really looking forward to making it more pulled together.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6-TGgYhlPvU/UDW5opGLjzI/AAAAAAAABgw/jkwjz1iN4cs/s1600/IMG_5475.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6-TGgYhlPvU/UDW5opGLjzI/AAAAAAAABgw/jkwjz1iN4cs/s320/IMG_5475.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here is where my kidney table is now. My students sit for group activities much better if they have are in a chair with a table in front of them. I'm also able to easily use this area for numerous activities. My calendar things will move to the space behind the chair and part of the reason I've moved this area is so I can use my Smartboard more!! (It's just to the right in this picture.) I also inherited that almost bare bookcase at the end of last year and I'm sure it will be full before Sept. 4th (the start of the school year). Last year I kept that other bookcase covered and had all the books that were in the room when I arrived on it (my books are organized in a separate area). My students who could read independently were allowed to take use the books but because one of my other students tends to grab things and throw them on the floor the bookcase was covered. Hopefully, I can avoid covering it this year and organize it before the start of school.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m9buXTGwLLQ/UDW5shoLE6I/AAAAAAAABhA/ggLLfJbrKkU/s1600/IMG_5477.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m9buXTGwLLQ/UDW5shoLE6I/AAAAAAAABhA/ggLLfJbrKkU/s320/IMG_5477.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is an area for one of my students. We are working hard to teach him not to grab every thing and throw it on the floor but at times he makes it very difficult for us to do anything other than follow him around so we put him in this area. It's like a giant playpen, he has toys he likes in there, the couch is not a mess like it is in the picture, and the furniture is low so he can see us and we can see him. He generally manages to get out so it's not seclusion just distraction. It's also right next to my desk so when I'm working with other students he is right there.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BR2MpL8onVk/UDW5uvQpeZI/AAAAAAAABhI/7TQyik_WESE/s1600/IMG_5478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BR2MpL8onVk/UDW5uvQpeZI/AAAAAAAABhI/7TQyik_WESE/s320/IMG_5478.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here's a picture of my room from the back of the class. I use these barriers to separate spaces in my room or separate two center areas from each other. On the other side of the green one is an identical set up with a table and a 3 drawer cart. In the back corner my husband is jumping on the trampoline. I'd really like to get some cuter fabric for the cart on the left before the start of the year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I will post updated photos when I'm done. Let me know if you have any questions about my set up. Please consider following if you haven't already. Thanks for reading:)</span></div>
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Amy Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789091877946417303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7062069861816566680.post-60202841459478239882012-08-21T19:39:00.003-07:002012-08-21T19:39:36.715-07:00Catching up with Teacher Week<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I missed Must Haves Monday (I was enjoying my last day in NYC before returning to reality). So I am doing both before I'm 3 days behind!</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My Must Haves</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. Flats! I have a pair in every basic color and also a few fun colors:) I wear them to work almost every day and they are perfect. I tend to pick pairs that have rubber soles so they are easy to move around in. My MUST HAVE color is definitely silver because I can wear them with almost every color of pants. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. 3 drawer carts- I use them for storage all over my room. I have a drawer for each student's personal goal work. I have one for puzzles. I have some for student task storage. I also use them at my center areas. At the center areas the drawers have pull off numbers and the students know to go through the tasks in numerical order. This also makes it easy for task areas to be cleaned up independently by the students. (I'll post pictures of my classroom soon!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. Velcro- I bet this is on every special ed teacher's list of must haves! I use it like CRAZY! I Velcro tasks, I Velcro signs, I Velcro PECS around the room, I make adapted books using Velcro, there's Velcro everywhere and I can't imagine how my classroom would be without Velcro!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My Technology Tip</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Fortunately, I have an iPad for my classroom and also one at home! I use my iPad everyday in my classroom and it really helps engage my students.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here are some of my favorite apps:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">HBO GO- you can watch full seasons of ALL of their shows, even new episodes!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Netflix</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hulu Plus</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Vtok- this is basically GoogleChat for iPad</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Flixster</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Pandora</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">AppsGoneFree- a daily list of apps that are free, they are often apps that aren't very useful but keep checking because once in a while there's a great educational one</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">grasshopperapps.com- All of their apps are great and a lot of them are free. They also give options for differentiation on many of them!</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sight Words-Photo Touch</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Things that go Together</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I Like Books (a collection of 30 books!)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Tell Time</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Bugs & Buttons- a ton of great games that teach fine motor skills, matching, patterns, and etc. This app is worth the few dollars it costs.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Fisher Price apps- they're all cute and educational</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Adding Apples </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Subtracting Sardines</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I Can Write 2</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Toy Story Interactive Book</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">TocaBoca apps -these are student favorites and they often go free you just have to keep an eye out</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Toca Store</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Toca Hair Salon</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Monster Kitchen</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A great newsletter to subscribe to for free & discounted apps is: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/siva.techined" target="_blank">Technology in Special Education </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Link up at Blog Hoppin' for Teacher Week!</span></div>
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<a href="http://imbloghoppin.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8g0_-NY92d0/UDRGQqHLkZI/AAAAAAAABgQ/JHJoNjw2Ruw/s1600/teacher+week.jpeg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There are some great giveaways going on right now. Click below to enter yourself!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Thanks for reading and please consider becoming a follower if you're not already. My app is new but I am excited to be entering the world of blogging as a blogger.</span></div>
Amy Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789091877946417303noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7062069861816566680.post-3605189472108736302012-08-16T09:04:00.004-07:002012-08-16T09:11:26.352-07:00Thirsty Thursday<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Not that kind of thirsty.... I'm thirsting to get into my classroom! My husband and I got married on July 28 and since then we've been all over the map. We had a mini honeymoon in Traverse City (our favorite place to be and also where we got married!!)! And now I'm following him on the road for work, first we were in Toronto and now we're in New York. I'm sure it sounds fun and it's great spending time with him but as it gets closer to the school year beginning I just want to be home getting ready. I've bought so many great products that I can't wait to make and I have an idea of the theme I want in my classroom and I've been collecting ideas of how to pull it off! I also know from my brother, who is house-sitting, that all of my great buys from Amazon have been slowly arriving. So, I'm calling today Thirsty Thursday!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There are also a gazillion pins on Pinterest that I'd like to create for new tasks for my students. Here are my Top 3 that I'd really like to get done before September 4th when school starts for my kiddos:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Token Economy Boxes- This idea came from <a href="http://classroominthecorner.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Classroom in the Corner</a> and I think it's perfect for my students. She has one for herself and each of her paraprofessionals. They are filled with all the things that motivate her students as well as visuals for expectations and the coins they can earn while working. I could see it being a good place for a social story about behavior as well. </span></div>
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<a href="http://pinterest.com/amylou52684/pbs/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6_Cw8kIozSA/UC0U4aHFXXI/AAAAAAAABfQ/Kan5dLsgnh4/s1600/tokenbox.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Getting to know you activity:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Student & Staff Memory- This idea I came across last year from <a href="http://aplacecalledkindergarten.blogspot.com/2011/07/kindergarten-memory.html" target="_blank">A Place called Kindergarten</a> but I never used it. This year I'm going to use it in two ways. First, I will create a memory game of just the students and staff from our classroom. Then, I will create a memory game of the other important staff members my students should know around the building. With my more verbal students I will urge them to say the student/staff members name each time they flip a card. For my non-verbal students I will work on having them match the picture to the actual person in the room (this will most likely be a hand over hand activity but that's okay), hoping to help them make the connection. </span></div>
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<a href="http://pinterest.com/amylou52684/september/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kwGZtbqcwIs/UC0WwpRo7WI/AAAAAAAABfY/XP3M5WI-FS0/s1600/studentmemory.JPG" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(click the picture to get to my September pinboard)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Reading Area/Break Area:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have a lot of limitations in my classroom as far as set up because there are many things that need to be accounted for. I would love a cozy reading area like the ones I see in everyone's classroom pictures but for now that is just not possible in my room. However, I think I found something that can serve two purposes:</span></div>
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<a href="http://pinterest.com/amylou52684/classroom-setup/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vcQOZznUlws/UC0Y0Sz8a4I/AAAAAAAABfg/52Gcc8O9lLM/s1600/readingpool.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(click the picture to get to my classroom setup pinboard)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I also want to share that Erin & Leslie at <a href="http://firstgradefanatics.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">First Grade Fanatic</a>s are having a great back to school giveaway and I'm really hoping I win! I find lower elementary curriculum to be perfect to use or modify for my class. Click the picture to get enter yourself!</span></div>
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<a href="http://firstgradefanatics.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fiDgVkEW2N0/UC0Z9-3Z-qI/AAAAAAAABfo/qSJKjERYigk/s1600/b2sgiveaway.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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Amy Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789091877946417303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7062069861816566680.post-83737151035834225202012-08-14T19:26:00.001-07:002012-08-14T19:28:37.381-07:00Unique learning system<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Let me start by celebrating the fact that I just found out that <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008587M7I/ref=oh_details_o00_s01_i00" target="_blank">Scotch Laminators</a> are on sale!! I couldn't help myself and I bought one (I chose the one I did because it comes with a variety of sleeves for laminating and I figure I can decide which works best for me and invest in them in bulk in the future) as well as these goodies for the upcoming school year:</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cOckKnViZMQ/UCsAaC0LiMI/AAAAAAAABdw/2z3vc73U388/s1600/mannersbook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cOckKnViZMQ/UCsAaC0LiMI/AAAAAAAABdw/2z3vc73U388/s1600/mannersbook.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've decided to teach manners in September alongside Rules and People in our school. Hopefully I get through it all! I have a plan but my students may not agree with it (behaviors often limit how much I get through)!</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zmk8AW6Zv2o/UCsAiWVa-FI/AAAAAAAABd4/IPUKoxRZhLk/s1600/lightbright.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zmk8AW6Zv2o/UCsAiWVa-FI/AAAAAAAABd4/IPUKoxRZhLk/s1600/lightbright.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Lite Brite!!! I'd like to use this for my stations (in my classroom it's basically centers). I've seen some great ideas on blogs and Pinterest and I'm excited to use some.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FHK0Otb6sjo/UCsAm7Gwq9I/AAAAAAAABeA/3ZAG5HlWuj0/s1600/bbbook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FHK0Otb6sjo/UCsAm7Gwq9I/AAAAAAAABeA/3ZAG5HlWuj0/s1600/bbbook.jpg" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9Xy0l2qBxyY/UCsAnaraI1I/AAAAAAAABeQ/01Y5a2zCvI8/s1600/wordsbook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9Xy0l2qBxyY/UCsAnaraI1I/AAAAAAAABeQ/01Y5a2zCvI8/s1600/wordsbook.jpg" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I saw one of these books at Target and immediately bought one but ended up gifting it to my nephew because he liked it so much. They will be great for my kiddos because they are very reinforcing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-exL9OeUUXUs/UCsAnLdOjbI/AAAAAAAABeI/KgCGxErnQvM/s1600/magnify.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-exL9OeUUXUs/UCsAnLdOjbI/AAAAAAAABeI/KgCGxErnQvM/s1600/magnify.jpg" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I bought these to go with I Spy activities in this <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Top-Bananas-A-Letter-Mastery-Unit-Aligned-to-Common-Core" target="_blank">packet</a> I bought from the sale at Marsha McGuire's TPT store. It's way more than I need (I only have 6 students) but I'm sure some will get lost throughout the years.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">ALRIGHT, onto some more helpful information for those of you reading (I hope there's some!). Last year when I got my job I was starting from scratch. While there were plenty of resources in my room for teaching from they were all over the place and I wasn't sure where to start but I just did my best until...I found out my district purchased this amazing curriculum: <a href="http://unique.n2y.com/samples/ElementarySample.pdf" target="_blank">Unique Learning Systems</a> (the link will take you to a sample Elementary unit). This curriculum is put together by the same company that publishes <a href="http://news2you.n2y.com/" target="_blank">News2You</a> if you're familiar with them. If you're not, they're pretty great.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Why do I love Unique Learning Systems (ULS)?!?!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*The lessons are aligned with the Common Core Standards!! Each lesson tells which CCS(s) is being addressed!!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*They incorporate Science, Social Studies, Math, & Language Arts</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*They include 3 levels for many of the lessons (and the levels fit most CI or ASD students!!!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*There is a new theme each month that I can easily supplement if necessary. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*The curriculum is revolving- there are 3 years worth of lessons and then you can either repeat them or move up to the next level.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*They have a lot of literacy experiences for the kiddos. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*Recipes, science experiments, games, and etc.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*Many of the lessons also have online options.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*I could go on and on with all the great features of this curriculum. And I'm not writing this to promote the company for any reason other than it's a great curriculum and I am so much better off because of it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Let me know if you have any questions and I can do my best to answer them!</span></div>
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Amy Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789091877946417303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7062069861816566680.post-65069216350938854362012-08-12T09:16:00.000-07:002012-08-15T16:20:59.295-07:00Back to School Shopping!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I just bought 8 items! My wishlist was twice that size but I decided to hold off (8/12-I may give in and buy the rest tomorrow- 8/15- I did buy more before the sale ended!).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here are some highlights (please excuse the images, I'm playing around with <a href="http://www.picmonkey.com/" target="_blank">PicMonkey</a>):</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Playdough-Fun-Literacy-and-Math-Center-Activities" target="_blank"><img alt="Playdough Fun! (Literacy and Math Center Activities)" src="http://datax.teacherspayteachers.com/thumbitem/Playdough-Fun-Literacy-and-Math-Center-Activities-1344748086/home-133413-1.jpg" /></a>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've had this on my wishlist since I came across it in June in <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Alessia-Albanese" target="_blank">Alessia Albanese's Store</a>. My students last year loved play dough. It was an activity that would keep them engaged for quite some time. I never gave the activity too much structure because I was surprised by how freely they were able to explore and create on their own. Often times students with Autism struggle with open ended activities. This year I'm going to try to balance free play with some more structured time with play dough to take advantage of how much they like the stuff!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Scoopin-Up-Sight-Words-Programmable-Word-Wall" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KZSQ2eB80mU/UCwm1eeWfcI/AAAAAAAABeg/pPykzG8DAq0/s1600/scoopin.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Here's another item that's been on my wishlist for months. Last year I was hired for my classroom <i>RIGHT BEFORE</i> the start of year. I was in another mind set (I was going to be teaching K in a different district) and I didn't do a word wall!! I know it sounds crazy but I was not sure of what my students would be like and how many were reading and etc. This year I WILL HAVE A WORDWALL and this product is going to help make it super cute! I started fooling around with it and it's very easy to edit so I can use all the Dolch words that I get to this year and beyond!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Junior-SCIENTIST" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oYyW5WMMFv8/UCwoxXDjsfI/AAAAAAAABew/bpDLfNM-JlI/s1600/science.png" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I came across this unit Friday at <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Kreative-In-Kinder" target="_blank">Kreative in Kinder's Store</a> and I think it will be perfect. I don't have a science curriculum of </span><i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">any </i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">sort so I'm always looking for new resources. I think this will be perfect!</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Bead-It-Complete-Differentiated-Dolch-Lists-1-11-Word-Fun-Common-Core-Standards" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VP8DRmK096M/UCwowjcJ1mI/AAAAAAAABeo/XZppl6YKUWg/s1600/beadit.png" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I bought Bead It from <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Marsha-Mcguire" target="_blank">Marsha McGuire's Store</a>, to extend and give more structure to the center activity. I usually just write words or sentences on index cards for the kids to bead but this takes things a step further. I look forward to starting this at my Fine Motor station in the fall!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've been waiting for this sale all summer and I'm glad that I was able to take advantage of a lot of great deals. Thanks to all the creators of these great products. Maybe I will eventually get to the point that I can create such amazing curriculum too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There are still some sales going on so it's not too late!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Happy Shopping:)</span><br />
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<a href="http://imbloghoppin.blogspot.com/2012/08/sneak-peek-linky-party.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FdeHub+%28Blog+Hoppin%27%29&utm_content=FaceBook" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8B2OUUHxH_E/UCwuSUb-zgI/AAAAAAAABfA/msF11qtM6_4/s320/b2slinky.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(click the images!)</span></div>
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Amy Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789091877946417303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7062069861816566680.post-85857888944436619212012-08-11T12:22:00.001-07:002012-08-11T12:28:56.050-07:00Hello Blog World!<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I've been wanting to start my own blog for a while but decided to wait until I was no longer planning a wedding (I got married July 28th!). Well, it's been a few weeks since then so I think it's time. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I discovered the teaching blog world in June 2011 and was upset I was missing out on all the wonderful resources and people for so long! However, now that I've been a blog reader for over a year I feel that I am a better teacher because of all of the amazing teachers who are sharing their knowledge and ideas. I hope that I can be as inspirational to others as other have been to me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am currently sitting in a hotel room while my husband (crazy using that word!) is at work. He travels for his job and I decided to come along for a little while to keep him company. I've been taking advantage of all of this time on my hands to get ready for next school year (it's been on my mind since before I finished last school year but I had to focus on the wedding). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I started reading the <a href="http://livelovelaughkindergarten.blogspot.ca/2012/06/kd5-book-study-chapter-1-introduction.html" target="_blank">link-up for Daily 5</a> and I was especially interested in the Special Ed teachers with self-contained classrooms who were finding it to be a successful teaching tool. As a teacher of students with Autism I'm constantly looking for new ways to help my students learn and make connections. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> I've been working on finding a way to incorporate the Daily 5 with this amazing curriculum my district has purchased for us: <a href="http://unique.n2y.com/" target="_blank">Unique Learning Systems</a> and I think I can do it! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I feel like my first blog post is already too long but I will make my next few posts about how I will be improving my classroom for next year (last year was my first year teaching in an ASD room)!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Thanks for reading,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Amy</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Amy Louisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02789091877946417303noreply@blogger.com3