Enormous Giveaway to Celebrate #CatchingFire

In case you haven't heard, I'm hosting a huge giveaway on my other blog, Hunger Games Lessons, to celebrate this week's release of "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire." So many of my great teaching friends donated prizes for this cause, so you won't want to miss it!

The deadline to enter is midnight Sunday the 24th. You can enter here or see my full post HERE.

Look at these marvelous prizes:

Tracee Orman

Giveaway: $25 shopping spree in my TpT store

www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Tracee-Orman

www.hungergameslessons.com




www.traceeorman.com

www.facebook.com/hungergameslessons

www.pinterest.com/MrsOrman

Secondary Solutions

Giveaway: $25 Gift Certificate towards any item in my TPT store

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/Secondary-Solutions

http://www.facebook.com/secondarysolutions

http://www.secondarysolutionsblog.com

http://www.pinterest.com/sec_solutions

Margaret Whisnant

Giveaway: Touching Spirit Bear: A Novel Teaching Pack

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Touching-Spirit-Bear-A-Novel-Teaching-Pack-173540

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Margaret-Whisnant

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Taking-Grades-for-Teachers/169127533236

http://takinggrades.blogspot.com/

http://www.pinterest.com/whiznut/

Wise Guys

Giveaway: The Lightning Thief Reading Guide

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Lightning-Thief-Reading-Comprehension-Activity-Guide-72764

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Wise-Guys

https://www.facebook.com/CreativityInTheCommonCoreClassroom

http://www.creativecommoncoreclassroom.com/

www.pinterest.com/thewiseguys/

Science Stuff

Giveaway: $20 shopping spree to Science Stuff store

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Science-Stuff

https://www.facebook.com/ScienceStuffAmy

http://sciencestuffbyamy.blogspot.com/

http://www.pinterest.com/sciencestuff

Juggling ELA

Giveaway: The Hunger Games Task Cards

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/The-Hunger-Games-Task-Cards-792245

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Juggling-Ela

https://www.facebook.com/JugglingEla

http://poetgrl78.blogspot.com/

http://www.pinterest.com/poetgrl78/

Smart Chick
Giveaway: STEM Challenge Pack #1
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Engineering-Challenge-Projects-TEN-PACK-1-709293

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Smart-Chick
https://www.facebook.com/smartchick.teachingresources
http://growingastemclassroom.blogspot.com/
http://www.pinterest.com/smartchick

The SuperHERO Teacher

Giveaway: Research Binder Projects: 170 Pages of Common Core Aligned Materials

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Research-Binder-Projects-170-pages-of-Common-Core-Aligned-materials-864452

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/The-Superhero-Teacher

https://www.facebook.com/TheSuperheroTeachersResources

http://thesuperheroteacher.blogspot.com/

http://www.pinterest.com/bwheato

Danielle Knight

Giveaway: Idioms: Enhanced Lesson, Plan, Video Clip, Task Cards, Printables

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Idioms-Enhanced-Lesson-Plan-Video-Clip-Task-Cards-Printables-658024

Giveaway: Poetry Postcards: Enhanced Lesson, Video, Handouts, Template, Rubric, and Plan

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Poetry-Postcards-Enhanced-Lesson-Video-Handouts-Template-Rubric-and-Plan-634760

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Danielle-Knight

https://www.facebook.com/StudyAllKnight

http://www.pinterest.com/daniellewknight/

2 Peas and a Dog

Giveaway: 12 Genre Based Book Reports

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/12-Different-Genre-Focused-Book-Reports-467917

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/2peasandadog

https://www.facebook.com/2peasandadog?ref=hl

http://www.2peasandadog.com

http://www.pinterest.com/2peasandadog/boards/

Created by MrHughes

Giveaway: Easy Teach Poetry Unit

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Easy-Teach-Poetry-Unit-576991

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Mrhughes

https://www.facebook.com/CreatedByMrHughes

http://educatorslife.blogspot.com/

http://www.pinterest.com/mrjhughes/boards/

SophistThoughts

Giveaway: A Rose for Emily Unit Resource

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/A-Rose-for-Emily-William-Faulkner-Short-Story-Common-Core-Literature-910729

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/James-Whitaker

https://www.facebook.com/SophistThoughts

http://www.pinterest.com/jwhitakerx/sophistthoughtstm/

Michele Luck's Social Studies

Giveaway: Holocaust Study Package

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Holocaust-Study-Package-Zip-File-with-8-Lessons-and-Activities-651405

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Michele-Lucks-Social-Studies

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Social-Studies-Language-Arts-at-Teachers-Pay-Teachers/214328211919585

http://www.alessonplanforteachers.blogspot.com/

http://www.pinterest.com/micki517/

Addie Williams

Giveaway: Novel Study Package for ANY Novel

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Novel-Study-Package-Can-be-used-with-ANY-NOVEL-241725

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Addie-Williams

https://www.facebook.com/AddieEducation

http://teachertalk-addie.blogspot.ca/

http://www.pinterest.com/addiewilliams

A Space to Create

Giveaway: Monster Creativity Workbook - Printable Writing Prompts and Activities

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Monster-Creativity-Workbook-Printable-Writing-Prompts-and-Activities-925936

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/A-Space-To-Create

https://m.facebook.com/ASpaceToCreateTeachingResources?__user=1266474904

http://www.artteacherblog-aspacetocreate.com/?m=1

http://www.pinterest.com/sabrinawingren/

The Extra Energetic Educator

Giveaway: KaBlooEy! A Game of Factors

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/KaBlooEy-A-Game-of-Factors-607779

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/The-Extra-Energetic-Educator

https://www.facebook.com/extraenergeticeducator?ref=hl

http://extraenergeticeducator.blogspot.com

http://www.pinterest.com/extraenergetic/boards/

PowerPoint Maniac's Teaching Resources

Giveaway: Anything Under $7

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Powerpoint-Maniac

Http://Facebook.com/powerpointmaniac

Http://www.powerpointmaniac.com

http://www.powerpointmaniac.com/home-page/blog/

Teaching FSL

Giveaway: French Comparison & Superlative with the Hunger Games

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Hunger-Games-TM-French-Comparison-and-Superlative-Package-229644

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Teachingfsl

https://www.facebook.com/TeachingFSL

http://teachingfsl.blogspot.com

http://www..pinterest/com/madameaiello

4mulaFun

Giveaway: 7th Grade Interactive Notebook Bundle- Expressions and Equations- Common Core

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/7th-Grade-Interactive-Notebook-Bundle-Expressions-and-Equations-Common-Core-850818

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/4mulaFun

http://www.facebook.com/4mulaFun

http://www.4mulaFun

http://www.pinterest.com/4mulaFun

Krystal Mills

Giveaway: Product of Choice

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Krystal-Mills

https://www.facebook.com/LessonsFromTheMiddle

http://www.lessonsfromthemiddle.com/

http://www.pinterest.com/krystalmills/

Teaching Math by Hart

Giveaway: Team Challenges - A collection of team building activities

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Team-Challenges-A-collection-of-team-building-activities-285629

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Teaching-Math-By-Hart

https://www.facebook.com/teachingmathbyhart

http://teachingmathbyhart.blogspot.com/

http://www.pinterest.com/teachingbyhart

For the Love of Teaching Math
Giveaway: Hunger Games Coordinate Graph
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Hunger-Games-Coordinate-Graph-227980

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/For-The-Love-Of-Teaching-Math

https://www.facebook.com/FTLOTMBlog

http://www.fortheloveofteachingmath.com/

http://www.pinterest.com/alkerr1975

21st Century Math Projects
Giveaway: Treasure Hunters

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Treasure-Hunters-System-of-Equations-Inequalities-Pirate-Project-782944
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/21st-Century-Math-Projects

http://www.21stcenturymathprojects.com
http://www.pinterest.com/21cmp/


The Creative Classroom
Giveaway: Common Core News Debate: Children and Reality TV
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Common-Core-Non-Fiction-News-Debate-Children-and-Reality-TV-885621
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/The-Creative-Classroom
https://www.facebook.com/thecreativeclassroom2013

http://thecreativeclassroom2013.blogspot.com/
http://www.pinterest.com/steph_harpole


Kate's Classroom Cafe
Giveaway: Scientific Method Inquiry and Experiment Design

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Scientific-Method-Inquiry-and-Experiment-Design-339338

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Kates-Classroom-Cafe
https://www.facebook.com/katesclassroomcafe

http://katesclassroomcafe.blogspot.com/
http://www.pinterest.com/katescafe/


The Tutor House
Giveaway: 6-8 Common Core Aligned Playing Card Math Mats
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/6-8-Common-Core-Aligned-Playing-Card-Math-Mats-Auto-Theme-529879
http://teacherspayteachers.com/Store/The-Tutor-House
http://www.facebook.com/thetutorhouse

http://thetutorhouse.blogspot.com
http://www.pinterest.com/adriannemeldrum

Now that you've followed all these great stores, entering the contest will be easy. 
Just fill out the form.
And you can tweet and pin about the giveaway EVERY DAY for extra entries.

May the odds be ever  in your favor!

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Allegiant: What I Liked, What I Hated...

I finished reading Allegiant, the third and final book in the Divergent trilogy by Veronica Roth, and would love to discuss it with you! We started a conversation on my Facebook page, but I thought the comment section below might lend more room for more discussion.

Tell us what you liked about the final novel AND what you didn't like (or hated). If you don't have an opinion you want to share, post anything about the series you'd like to share, or feel free to dispute mine (below).

** The following contains spoilers. **

Read no further if you don't want the novel/series ruined for you!

Here are the top four things I really liked and I kind of hated (maybe "hated" is too strong...definitely "disliked"):

1. LIKE: I like the "genetically damaged" vs. the "genetically pure" conflict that is exposed in Allegiant. It is a perfect example of how a group of people (i.e. the government) can convince a nation that one group is superior over the other.
  Sound familiar? White supremacists successfully delivered (and continue to deliver) the absurd message that all other races are inferior to whites and should not be allowed the same privileges. In fact, the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) is one of the leading groups in America that still preaches genetic purity.
  I think this conflict in the novel creates an opportunity to discuss how easily we can be manipulated into believing these warped ideologies. "Scientific proof" (i.e. the DNA analysis in Allegiant) can be extremely dangerous in promoting hatred toward a group of people. Science can prove many things; while it does show differences between people in DNA, it is the human interpretation of those differences that creates biases. For example, we can easily interpret the facts to show how diversity makes a person stronger rather than weaker.

Photo credit: Caroline Davis 2010

   HATE: While it offers up great discussions and learning opportunities, it can be confusing to the reader. Being "Divergent" (having a more diverse background that favors multiple factions/personality traits) is synonymous with being "genetically pure" (or "GP") in Allegiant. In real life, "genetic purity" (most often used in agriculture referring to seed quality) refers to genes that are not diverse–or have not diverged from their origins. It's confusing to reverse that thinking while you are reading.
  On top of that, the Bureau members don't treat Tris and the others differently. Why aren't they divided up into GPs and GDs? Why aren't they acting superior toward Caleb and Christina? We see Matthew acting that way toward Tobias, then Matthew turns out to be a supporter, so that doesn't really help reinforce that theme. The reader needs more examples of David or the other GP Bureau members acting superior to the GDs in Tris's group. For example, show us a scene in which Caleb is treated badly and Tris witnesses this. That would have helped Tris (and the reader) feel something other than disgust for her brother, and would have helped us hate the Bureau and eased the reader into Tris's final decision to sacrifice herself for him.
  I also think one of the GPs needed to address the fact that Marcus is GP, yet he's violent. How do they explain that? I would have liked Tris or Tobias to challenge David or Zoe or someone on this point.

~

2. LIKE: I like the idea of the dual narrative, having both Tobias and Tris's points-of-view. I kind of grew tired of Tris, so I welcomed seeing things from Tobias's perspective. That said...
   HATE: I can't tell the two narratives apart! Their voices are too similar, their thoughts practically interchangeable. I needed a more authentic "voice" for Tobias.
  Also, I don't think either perspective was deep enough (or deep at all). Often, Roth repeats facts after switching narrators, but is that really necessary? The repetition became so boring I really didn't want to continue reading.

~

3. LIKE: We find out what is outside the fence! And it's not Panem! ;)
   HATE: Perhaps Panem would have been more exciting... I felt like 500 pages were devoted to a bunch of teens hanging out in a hotel room not talking to one another. I mean, seriously, no one talks to each other. What is wrong with these kids?
  And what exactly does this hotel room look like? Is it one big room? Does it have a kitchenette? Do they all have cots or do some characters get the hotel beds? Why don't any of them confront Peter and Caleb for their past behavior? It's so uncharacteristic of teenagers.

~

4. LIKE: The ending. Yes, I am OK with Tris's fate. Perhaps it was because I grew so tired of her by the end. That sounds so cold, so let me say that I did cry when she died and when Tobias found out.
   HATE: The length of the book to get to the end. I think it could have been half the size or shorter. The whole time I kept thinking the book was a ploy to sell Four's short stories rather than a novel to finish telling Tris's story. It felt contrived.

  So now it's your turn! Please comment below and share what you like/don't like about Allegiant. And feel free to dispute any of my comments. I will not be offended!

Thanks for reading and sharing!

How To Spend Your Extra Hour This Weekend

I love getting an extra hour in the fall; it comes at the perfect time when I always feel so far behind at school and need an extra 60 minutes to grade or plan lessons.

But this year I decided I'm going to devote an extra hour just for myself to read a book. Of course, as I sat up late last night reading Insurgent by Veronica Roth–the second book in the Divergent trilogy–I wished I could have an extra hour every single day just to read. (I've been dying to read the final book, Allegiant, but hadn't made the time to read Insurgent.)

It made me wonder... Why do English teachers–the ones who stereotypically love to read literature the most–have the least amount of time to read? Case in point: the day I received Allegiant in the mail I lent it to one of my students knowing I wouldn't be able to read it yet. That same day one of our science teachers came in to my classroom at the end of the day to borrow a copy of Divergent (the first book in Roth's trilogy). Then he came back the next day and said, "OK, I need book two." What!? How did he have time to read an entire book in less than a day? And guess how long it took him to read Insurgent? Yep, less than a day. So he basically finished the entire trilogy in three days. Three school days, mind you.

Wanna know how I spent those three school days and nights? Skimming student responses to the novels we are reading in class, reading and offering suggestions for college application essays for some of my seniors, entering grades into our school's online grading application, uploading my online journal questions, typing up new bell-ringers for the week, and writing test questions for the novels we finished up in class last week. None of which I'd rather do than read.

So last night and today, my friends, I am going to READ. For pleasure. And the papers that need graded this weekend will have to wait one more day. Sorry kids.

So how will YOU spend your extra hour? 

Share in the comments below.

What are you reading, by the way? Share that, too!

Catching Fire Novel & Desk Set Giveaway

I'm running another giveaway on my Hunger Games Lessons website as we count down the days to the Catching Fire movie. This time you have double the chances to win a Catching Fire novel and desk set prize because I'm giving TWO away! :) You can enter here or check out the giveaway there. Good luck!

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Test Time #TeacherProblems

Hey kids...it's called READING. Pick up a book and try it sometime. :)

Do these images look (or sound) familiar?


There's nothing worse than a student who never pays attention in class, doesn't read the book, doesn't take notes or study for the test, then complains that the test is too hard or they didn't have time to study or it's the teacher's fault they fail.

This goes out to all those teachers who've had to deal with unmotivated and irresponsible students. I feel your pain!

Giveaway Time! Who wants some free stuff?

On my other blog, Hunger Games Lessons, I'm featuring great deals and giveaways for the next 30 days to celebrate the release of the new movie "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" on Nov. 22. You can enter to win the first of many prizes, a "The Hunger Games" DVD. (See entry form below.)

Stay tuned-in over the next few weeks because there are more prizes, teaching resources (for ALL content areas and not just for The Hunger Games trilogy), and additional surprises! You won't want to miss out. :)

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