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Great Canadian Cyber Monday Sale and Giveaway!



If you're anything like me, and teaching a new grade this year, you probably find yourself spending lots of money on downloadable classroom resources. 

Just in time for the Cyber-Monday Sale at TpT, I have joined together with fourteen other Canadian teacher authors to offer you an opportunity to win one of three $50 TpT gift cards!

My store will (along with many other stores) will be on sale on Monday and Tuesday. 

You can also post a comment on my Facebook post letting me know what'd you'd like from my TpT store. In addition to the three $50 gift cards, I will randomly select one winner to win an item of choice (maximum $10) from my TpT store

Good luck! Winners will be announced today after 9PM EST.


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The Breadwinner Contest: Enter to Win a Cineplex Pass!


When I worked as a Teacher-Librarian, Deborah Ellis's The Breadwinner was one of those books I couldn't seem to keep on the shelves for long. Imagine my delight to learn it's been made into an animated film, opening in theatres on December 1. 

I am even more excited to announce that two lucky blog readers will win passes to see The Breadwinner! These passes are admit two, and are valid at any Cineplex in Canada where the film is playing. Read to the bottom to find out how to win!

If you're not yet familiar with The Breadwinner, it's the story of a young girl's journey as she gives up everything to provide for her family and reunite with her father. The Breadwinner is a timely and inspiring tale about the transcendent power of stories, and their potential to unite and heal us all.

If you're planning to use The Breadwinner for lit circles or as a read aloud this school year, the film would make a great culminating activity. Did you know there's a a free study guide available? It's a great way to get students talking and sharing stories of their own!


Speaking about talking and sharing stories, there's another contest I want to share with you today. The "Share Your Stories" contest is run through the film's website. Students are encouraged to share their stories that aim to spark conversations about women's and girls empowerment. 

Enter below for a chance to win a pass for two to see The Breadwinner! Winners will be announced on my Facebook fan page when the contest closes on November 19.




a Rafflecopter giveaway

Readers' Theatre Scripts


I need to preface this by saying I despise round-robin (popcorn) reading from a basal! Instead, I like to put together a levelled duotang of readers' theatre plays that we can pull out to practice reading fluency. These are some of the free plays I've successfully used with second and third grade students. I will be on the hunt this week to add to my collection for this year's group of fourth graders. In the past, my students have been motivated by using Garage Band to record their plays. Some kids even download the .mp3 file onto their devices to listen at home!

Fairy Tales & Other Fiction

The Fourth Little Pig
Chicken Little
The City Mouse and the Country Mouse
Cinderella Bigfoot
Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Green Eggs and Ham
Hansel and Gretel
Henry and Mudge and the Starry Night
If You Take a Mouse to School
It Wasn't My Fault
Jack and the Beanstalk
Sheila Rae, the Brave
Sleeping Beauty
Sleeping Ugly
The Three Billy Goats Gruff
The Three Little Pigs
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Wemberly Worried
Where the Wild Things Are

(Readinga-z is a subscription site with levelled readers' theatre scripts available for download.)

Thematic

Frog or Toad?
Earth Day
Good Morning, Mammals
The Water Cycle
Groundhog Day

For Intermediate Students
I am the Most Important (Human Body Systems)
myPita.ca Drama Resources (includes some mock trials for fairy tale characters)





Remembrance Day Assembly Ideas




A couple of years ago, my third grade students were responsible for hosting a school-wide Remembrance Day Assembly. Of course, when I say my students were responsible for the assembly, what that really means is that my teaching partners and I did all of the planning. Now that I've done it once, it wouldn't be all that daunting to have to do it again. 

Here are some ideas for hosting your own Remembrance Day assembly:

Display a slide show of “Peace is…” drawings on the screen as everyone is being seated.

Everyone enters quietly and sits down.

Student: “Please rise for the national anthem.”

O' Canada

Student: “You may be seated.”

Choose one of the following songs to be sung by a group of students:

We Love this Country
We Remember
Amazing Grace
Grant us Peace
Go now in Peace
We sing for the Children
A Song of Peace

Student: “In 1914, 100 years ago a huge war started.  This war was called the First World War.  Lots of people were hurt or killed in the war. “

Student: “A young Canadian solider named John McCrae wrote a poem. He wrote the poem because he saw bright red poppies growing in the fields where the poppies had been.”

Student: “He called his poem, “In Flanders Fields”.  People all over the world really liked the poem and started wearing poppies as a way to remember the people who had fought in the war.”

In Flanders Fields
Recited by a group of students

Here is an online version you can use for practice.


Student: “The First World War ended on November 11th, 1918. It was 11 in the morning on the 11th day of the 11th month.  The war had lasted over four years."

Student: “The 11th of November every year is now called Remembrance Day. After the war, people started making paper poppies to sell to help those who fought in the war."

Why Wear a Poppy (video) 
Student: “On Remembrance Day people wear a poppy and at 11am, they stop what they are doing for a minute of silence. They do this so they can think about all of the people who fought in the war.  These people are called veterans.”

A Pittance of Time (video)

Student:  “The last post and reveille were two of a number of bugle calls in military tradition which marked the phases of the day. “

Student: “Reveille was played to signal the start of a soldier’s day and Last Post meant the day was over. “

Student: “These two calls are used at Remembrance Day Ceremonies to say a final farewell to the soldiers, so they can rest in peace.”

Student: “Now, the Last Post will be played, followed by a moment of silence, followed by the Reveille."


(Last Post)
Moment of silence
(Reveille)


Wreath procession


Remembrance Day
We wear a poppy

On Remembrance Day,

And at eleven

We stand and pray.

Wreaths are put

Upon a grave.

As we remember

Our soldiers brave.”

Student: “We would like to invite each class to lay their wreath.”


Highway of Heroes (video)
(audio playing during procession)



Little Poppy
Little poppy

Given to me,

Help me keep Canada

Safe and free.
I'll wear a little poppy,

As red as red can be,

To show that I remember

Those who fought for me.


Poppy

Poppy we are but children small,

We are too little to do it all.
Children you may do your part.

Love each other is how you start.
Play without fighting.

Share your games and toys.

Be kind and thoughtful,

To all girls and boys.

Student: “We would like to invite all of you to help close our ceremony by singing a song with us.”


Kids Peace Song (video)


Closing remarks and dismissal

Don't forget to click on the blog buttons below to see more Remembrance Day ideas from fellow Canadian teachers!



Teacher Feature: Northern Light



This week's featured teacher, Shelley, is a fellow Canadian who sells digital teaching resources at the TpT store, Northern Light. Shelley doesn't have a blog, but I am featuring her store because I learned that Shelley, who I know through a Facebook group for teachers,  is one of the many displaced residents from Fort McMurray, Alberta. Shelley recently lost her home to a devastating wildfire, and I know she could use the support of the teaching community.

Shelley's Story
On May 3rd, just two weeks ago today, my husband and I lost our Fort McMurray home of 28 years, as well as my son and his young family's home. We live(d) on the same street in an area that was especially hard. Many students whom attend the neighbourhood school lost everything.

Our beautiful city once again has come under siege from the fire named, "The Beast,".  Six thousand workers are currently being evacuated from the camps and sites, as this fire relentlessly continues it's journey of destruction.

The last two weeks have been dark times to say the least, but the light has been the generosity and kindness of Canadians towards our situation. These acts of generosity, whether they be a bottle of water, a meal, or fuel- given during evacuation, always bring me to tears.

Recently, my fellow TPT sellers have brought me to my knees. These sellers do not know me, or of me, for my store is very, very small. Yesterday, I was sent donations from TPT sellers whom are complete strangers. Today, I received feedback on an item - and I'm guessing it is a TPT seller supporting my store. Although this fire is far from being under control, looking for these 'lights' will make me eternally grateful to all Canadians and my TPT colleagues. Once we are on our feet again, I will pay it forward. Thank you so much to my TPT family.

How long have you been working in education? 16 years

What have you taught? I've taught grades one and two. Prior to teaching, I was an Educational Assistant with special needs children in grades K, 1, 2, and 6.

What is your favourite part about teaching? My favourite part about being a teacher is learning from my wise students.  They teach me something every single day.

What is your best advice for a beginning teacher? Recognize that you will not have all of the answers, and you never will.  Try your best to seek what you need for your students but also ensure that you take care of yourself.  Easier said than done but something we all strive for.

Shelley would like to share her Individual Reading Assessment Records from her TpT Store. You can download the file by clicking on the picture below.

If you download this freebie, don't forget to leave Shelley some feedback for her generosity. You can do this by clicking on "My Purchases" and finding the download in your "Free Downloads" tab. 

Thanks, Shelley, for participating in this week's Teacher Feature. In light of everything Shelley and her family are going through right now, I am honoured that Shelley found a few minutes to answer some questions for this blog post.

If you want to help those who have lost their homes and belongings, you can donate to the Red Cross Relief Fund for the residents of Fort McMurray. If you want to help Shelley and her family directly, please visit Northern Light to see if there's anything you would like to purchase for your classroom. I know that Shelley and her family would appreciate your support during this difficult time.


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