"one nation under guard, with liver, tea, and just this for all"

By the time I get students in the fifth grade, it is almost comical the words they substitute in the Pledge that make sense in their world. I review with children the Pledge of Allegiance and we'll do word studies on the vocabulary written in the Pledge.

I just finished some patriotic clipart to hang with our classroom flag.

Some resources I use to teach the vocabulary words are:

Pledge of Allegiance Activity

Scholastic Vocabulary: Pledge of Allegiance

Red Skelton's Pledge of Allegiance Youtube video

H-BDAY T4BU

I'm creating a new birthday board for my students. I figured if I really want to get their attention, I should TEXT them - -and I'm using this 3 foot cell phone to do just that!

I wrapped "treats" as in the past. No one ever gets too old for chocolate!

The bulletin board will read,

WOW

H-BDAY

T 4 BU

Here's a site to help anyone who hasn't mastered this vocabulary - Messaging and Chat Abbreviations.

Fluency Flexors

I am taking an online class this summer and today I learned a new term - fluency flexors. What are they? "Fluency flexors are short, focused exercises designed to flex reading muscles by reading, rereading, and rehearsing sentences to convey different meanings." Fluency in Focus

I am going to enlarge this muscle man and create a bulletin board titled Fluency Flexors. Middle school students should "get it." I'm certain with an explanation of fluency flexors, students will be motivated to do the drills. Reading is a muscle and they can build fluency.

Check out this great curriculum for fluency practice. These fluency readers use quality literature from texts found in school and classroom libraries and best seller lists.

Ten Posters Go On the Wall

My posters are complete. I have a BIG bulletin board to fill. Beth Newingham was my inspiration for the genre posters. She has created posters and made them available to print at her site (click on her Teacher Resources tab then Genre Posters).

After I completed my posters, I discovered a literature genre gaining popularity - - comic books. The arguments for teaching comics in the classroom are convincing. Check out this lesson plan at read▪write▪think.

Genre Posters

Before I began teaching, scrapbooking was a favorite pastime. In the classroom, I find the tools and gadgets of scrapbooking come in handy. These scrapbook papers were purchased at Hobby Lobby. Several packets of brads and eyelets followed me home too. The metal embellishments are new to me, so today I played. I guess embellishments are the craze right now and a way to add dimension to projects.

I’m making genre posters for my language arts classroom. Safari animals were found using Google Image.

It's a Jungle In Here!

Bulletin boards make a great teaching tool for your students.
They'll make your classroom visually appealing and stimulating.

I generally enlarge my clipart to a size of 3 or 4 feet. The larger sizes tend to pop out and get noticed.

Clipart has saved my life - - enlarge, reduce, be creative! I use clipart on my bulletin boards, portfolio covers, worksheets, instructional units . . . everywhere!

Google Image makes it so easy. Read about copyright restrictions here.

I'm counting on this gang to help with some interactive bulletin boards.

Swing On By

I found him this morning while googling a totally unrelated topic. I now find I must locate a spot for this guy in my classroom. He is just too cute to pass by.

One way to enlarge clip art is by making a copy on a transparency. I then project the image on a piece of butcher taped on the wall. You can make the image as large or small as you like. Once you have the size you want, trace the image onto the butcher paper. When you're done, color the image with markers, colors, or pastels. Laminate your projects for durability.

I generally enlarge my clipart to a size of 3 or 4 feet. The larger sizes tend to pop out and get noticed. My swinging friend will be in good company. He’ll join other safari animals I am creating for bulletin boards.