Happy Halloween! I love days like today when the students bring a lot of extra energy and enthusiasm to class that can be channeled into fun, exciting activities! I hope you're loving your day, too!

 

Sadly, it's been exactly 14 days since my last post . . . I've been off-line due to a computer crash. My previous computer was only 3 years old (yes, I know that's ancient to computer aficionados -- but still nearly new to me!) so I intended to have it repaired, not replaced. However, the cost of repairing the crashed computer was nearly the same as the cost of purchasing an entirely new system. So, what I thought would be a 3-hour gig at Geek Squad turned into days of shopping and endless waiting, waiting, and more waiting.

 

The good news: I finally have a (hopefully!) trusty and reliable new computer that should last until . . . well, until it crashes, which will be much sooner than I think it should and much later than the Geek Squad technicians think it should be!  

 

The reason I'm sharing this: I spend so much time on the computer that I have developed tendinitis. I spend countless hours icing my wrists and forearms, wearing braces, and doing physical therapy exercises to alleviate the pain. The physical therapist said it's important to keep the forearms parallel to the floor when keyboarding. She encouraged me to elevate my keyboard by placing it on a book and then rolling up a towel in front of the keyboard to use as a wrist rest. This was my old set-up -- it was ugly, but it made a significant difference! (Please excuse the visible scratches on the desk from my one-year-old cat, Frodo, who loves to visit me while I work at the computer! I threw in a bonus photo of him!)

When I upgraded my computer, I decided to splurge on an ergonomic keyboard and mouse. I purchased a split keyboard with a wrist rest and a separate number keypad . . .

 . . . and a mouse that has a thumb rest and a quick-key for Windows.

I use both with beaded wrist rests from IMAK. It's a pretty sweet set-up:

 

The sweetest thing about it is I've been pain-free since I started working with this keyboard and mouse! If you can relate to excessive pain in your hands, wrists, and/or forearms from excessive keyboarding, this might be worth a try! For me, being pain-free is SO worth the investment! I wish I'd purchased these a long  time ago! 

 

Bonus: Because the keyboard is elevated, I'm forced to sit up straighter to work on it comfortably, resulting in less back pain, as well! A win-win!

 

Oh, and I've finally been able to upload this year's spooky resource, which was put on hold due to being technology-free for a week. I realize it's too late to use it as a Halloween resource this year (my original intention) -- but any time is a good time for some Edgar Allen Poe! If you haven't included his creepy classic in your curriculum repertoire this year, give it a go! You -- and your students! -- will be glad you did! This interactive flip book contains everything you need to spend a day or two with this spooky story! 

Also, don't forget to check the 'Extras' page, which will be uploaded with lots of new treats now that I'm back on-line!

Happy Halloween!

"The Outsiders" by S.E. Hinton: Perfect for Summer!

Do you remember some of your favorite reads when you were a teen? Many of my students gush over "The Outsiders" by S.E. Hinton! Even my most reluctant readers claim it's their favorite book. Perhaps it's because S.E. Hinton was 16 years old when she wrote this story . . . there's just something about Ponyboy's voice that grabs my students' attention and leaves them wanting to "read ahead" -- a teacher's dream!  

 

Teaching summer school? "The Outsiders" is a perfect summer school unit! Students love the story, they will be engaged, and the planning is already done for you! I have a complete three-week unit on "The Outsiders" to get both you and your students through summer school while leaving you more time for YOUR summer! Here's a peek into the product . . .

 

 

This unit includes 15 step-by-step lessons:

 

 

Student worksheets and graphic organizers prompt careful reading, critical analysis, connections, and thoughtful, meaningful responses to the story:

 

 

 

Poetry analysis fosters analytic and critical skills and helps you integrate the study of poetry into this unit:





 

Fun and engaging activities, such as this "Are You Ready to Rumble?" relay race capture your students' attention and make this unit relevant to their world:

Answer Keys, Learning Objectives, Teaching Tips, and Common Core State Standards are all included so you can teach an academically rigorous unit this summer while spending less time prepping and more time enjoying the summer activities you love!

 

 

 

These plans also include several opportunities for writing, all of which prepare students for meaningful class discussions about the themes of exclusion vs. inclusion, equality vs. inequality, and tolerance vs. acceptance . . . I've always found my more reluctant readers to be more engaged in critical discussions within the context of a novel to which they can relate, such as "The Outsiders" by S.E. Hinton.

 

Of course, if you're not teaching summer school, this is a great unit to start your year off with a bang! Don't take my word for it . . . here's what other teachers say about this unit:

 

 

The work's done for you and can be purchased here . . . so kick your shoes off, grab a cold drink, and dive into that great book you've been waiting to read . . . and enjoy your summer!

 

Happy Reading!