I have been busy digitizing this week! I am hoping all this work will pay off and everything will work seamlessly once school starts! So far I have been able to take more of my staple classroom forms and find a way to make them accessible to my students on their computers. The one I would like to share today is my Daily Learning Log. I use this everyday as a way to ease my students into the day's agenda and gives me a chance to take roll, etc. I have them copy down the date and learning objective and then they close the day by copying dow the day's inspirational quote. It is all done through Google Slides and can easily be shared through Google Classroom or edited to suit your needs. Click here if interested and let me know what you think!

Summer is almost over.....aaahhhhhh!!!!!!! My district is launching a 1:1 program this year, which means every student will be assigned a laptop that they will also take home. I am gearing up to go almost entirely digital and with this, I am going to have to take many of my classroom staples digital. Being an AVID teacher I knew this would mean create a Cornell Notes Template that would allow my students to continue to take notes in all of their core classes and submit them through Google Classroom. I am really hoping that it will bridge the gap as we all acclimate to this new digital environment! For the template, click here. I also included in the description how Cornell Notes are used and why they work!

I have let this blog slip by the wayside, but I am happy to report that I am slowly emerging from underneath the "mom of three" rock and am finding more time to devote to myself and my career. I am slowly taking inventory of the near decade-worth of social studies resources that I have created and it feels great. The first resource that I would like to share are an adapted version of Cornell Notes. I wanted to teach my middle school students how to take effective and valuable notes, but they have always struggled at the beginning of the year. Q-notes give students a guiding question to help them focus on the content that is most important. The first set that I have pieced together covers Medieval Islam. The bundled set that covers the founding of Islam through the spread, can be found here.

Daily Learning Log

I use this daily learning log as bellwork. Students enter each day and use the first 2 minutes of class to copy down the daily learning objective. At the end of class, I then have them take it out and write down one thing they learned from the day's lesson. It also includes weekly closure questions to help students reflect on what they have learned throughout the week. You can find it here!

Medieval Islam PowerPoint

A comprehensive PowerPoint on the founding and eventual spread of the Islamic Empire. Begins with the rise of Islam, including Muhammad and his teachings and the 5 Pillars of Islam. Then explores how Islam spread as a both an empire and a religion and finally concludes with the lasting contributions of the Islamic Empire. PowerPoint has built in assignments within each of the three sections. A great way to introduce the main concepts and events of the Islamic Empire. This is mine master PowerPoint that I use throughout the entire unit. I usually have my students take Cornell Notes as I move through each section. It is very simple and easy for students at all levels to follow along. You can find it here!

Rome Unit Authentic Assessment

The Roman Newspaper Project is a fun and engaging project for students to demonstrate what they learned about the rise and fall of Rome. The project gives them a focus area, but also allows them to report on events that they found most interesting. Each year I use this project as an authentic assessment following the end of the Rome unit. I have structured the assignment handout as a sample for students to see what a completed project should like. With this project, I introduce all the elements and requirements to the class and then devote the rest of class to planning using the Roman Newspaper Planner. I provide them with the blank Newspaper Template for their final draft, but I also allow students to turn in their own creations. Students really enjoy this project, as it is focused on the content, yet still allows them some creative freedoms. You can find this project here....Enjoy!

Oldie, but a goodie!

I have used this ice breaker for years and my students really enjoy it. I give them time to explore and meet new classmates and then once they are done, I go through each category and let them share a little about themselves and their summer. Enjoy!