FUN = New Math + Connections

We needed a break from our current unit, "Forbidden Foods" so when I came across Craig Damrauer's site, New Math, I thought what better way for a language arts teacher to incorporate math and equations in the classroom? Before we even looked at the site, we reviewed the components of equations and I asked the students for some examples of equations. I got everything from:
1+1=2, butter+fly = butterfly, and 2x=18. Then I told the students we were going to do some "New Math" and they groaned. At first they didn't get Mr. Damrauer's newest equation- "March+Optimism=April." However, after discussing what optimism means and how horrible the weather was here in Sparta in March, they GOT it and begged for more. Some they were able to get right away, others they really needed to analyze. Check out Mr. Damraurer's other equations to see for yourself. Next, my 6th graders wrote their own and put them up on the Smartboard. Here are some of our best equations:
time*love = relationship
evil + annoying = little brother
coffee=happiness-sleep
school = learning-fun
hotwheels^5 = race car
black eye = fist + face
log cabin = lincoln logs^5
fish tank^2 = aquarium
disaster = money/economy
After class, I decided to email Mr. Damrauer the equations and guess what? He loved them and wants more.
I only did this with 2 classes, can't wait to see what my other 3 classes do. Will post more equations tomorrow, but I have to admit my favorite one by Mike V. in Section 2 was "Connections = Mrs. Hartman+Fun"

Press Play @your library -Teen Tech Week 2009

Next week, March 8-14, is Teen Tech Week and we have some great events going down in the Media Center at Sparta Middle School. There will be classes on databases, digital books, audio books, videos and dvds, listening libraries, flip cameras, etc. It's all about advertising our media center's non-print resources.
Students can sign up for classes during their lunch periods.
Here is our list of classes:
Monday - Become a Google Guru
Tuesday- Garage Band
Wednesday- Flip for Flip Videos
Thursday- iMovie
Friday- Teen Screen Festival Viewing.
Also, after school on Wednesday is a Dance, Dance Revolution contest and Thursday is a Guitar Hero contest.
There will be door prizes for students who sign up for the classes and raffles such as graphic novels, tutor.com tutoring minutes, google pens, and gift certificates to various establishments in Sparta.

Letters to Baghdad

A little before Christmas,I received an email from a mother whose son was stationed in Baghdad over the holidays. My students jumped at the idea of sending him cards and they especially wanted to let him know who won the election, what football teams were winning and how the economic crisis was effecting the world.
Last week, Lt. Robert Forrester emailed me thanking the students for the letters, but even better, he wanted to come in and talk to them about his experiences in Iraq.
Here is the slide show Lt. Forrester made and some pictures from today's event.

Be the Change in Darfur

The 6th graders in our middle school just completed a unit called, "Be the Change." They chose to help Darfur refugees in Sudan by raising money to purchase solar cookers. When the NJ Coalition for Darfur found out we were doing this, they were very interested because we were the first middle school to help. They wanted us to create curriculum and a presentation to show to other middle schools. The curriculum is not complete yet, but here is a slide show:

The students were amazing; whether it was figuring out the marketing plan for the bracelets, making posters and flyers, giving up their lunch to sell bracelets, dancing for bracelets, counting money, we never heard one complaint. They always wanted to do more. We have sold almost 1000 bracelets and made enough money to buy about 80 solar cookers.

Mr. Barkley Calkins, Director of the Nonprofit Sector Resource Institute, a funded arm of Seton Hall University’s Center for Public Service, is coming to speak to our 6th graders about public service and the situation in Darfur.

We cannot wait until warm weather, we are going to build an attempt to use solar cookers in the parking lot!

Military Madness

Let me start out by saying that my post today surprisingly, is not about technology. Its about the good ol'fashioned skills of letter writing and sewing!
The theme of this month has been "military madness." At the end of January I found out a student of mine earned first place in a holiday card contest for Veteran Hospitals sponsored by the NJ Elks called the "Kids Care Holiday Cards." Leslie A. embroidered felt and turned it into a holiday card using cardboard backing. It was the most beautiful holiday card I had ever seen. The message on the inside was even more beautiful than the outside if that is possible. It involved no technology at all, embroidery is a skill passed down by many generations in her family. However, the Elks reluctantly added a new category this year for cards designed on the computer (not even close in competition). The pictures I have here don't do it any justice. When we submitted it in November, I kept hoping to hear from the Elks, but surprisingly they didn't notify winners until after the holidays. We had forgotten all about it.
Winning this contest was a great honor for Leslie. Leslie struggles with academics and is very introverted. It was so nice to see a student be honored for something non-academic. Her parents told me this was the first award she has ever won. Sometimes as teachers we get so wrapped up in grades and homework and progress reports...it was nice to recognize Leslie for the great talent she possesses.

Another surprise was an email I received from Mr. Forrester. Before Christmas we adopted him as our soldier overseas and wrote holiday wishes to him. We could only hope that he received our letters before Christmas. We never expected to hear back from him. Then I received an email from him this week:

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED

Caveats: NONE

Mrs. Hartman,

While I was over in Baghdad over the holidays, I received a HUGE bunch of letters from your students! Well, I made it back a few weeks ago, and wanted to see if maybe I’d be able to stop by personally to thank the class for the great gift! I actually took them around and showed a lot of people, and it made them all smile. I even have a slide show I put together for a Boy Scout troop I talked to with some pictures and stories and whatnot that I’d be more than happy to share with your class and/or anyone you would care to invite. Anyway, just an option, but I’d definitely like to stop in some day to say “thanks!” if possible!

Please let me know!"

Our soldier is coming in next Wednesday and the students can't be more excited. They have touched the lives of other people and made connections to people they would never have met. Our theme this marking period is "Be the Change" and my students have definitely achieved the objectives.

Where have I been?

So much has been going on that I had to take a time out from blogging, well on a personal level. My class blog, Hartmanhoolpa, has been going strong. Between our "Be the Change Unit" and the inauguration we have been crazy busy. Our anewbirthoffreedom google site is hopping with action. I was hesitant about doing the whole wiki/google site thing because I was dreading the teaching of wiki and all the responsibility that comes along with it, but luckily 3/4 of my students wikied last year, so life is good. The students are crazy about updating the google site. Not only are they researching and discussing the inauguration, but we are also tracking the first 40 days of his presidency and analyzing every move using google maps, calendar, and sites. During the actual inauguration they were live blogging with students from CIS 339 in the Bronx.
More importantly is the work we are doing to raise $ to buy solar cooker for Darfur refugees. I bookmarked a NJ Darfur site from the NJEA magazine (yes, I actually read it) in October and then this idea formed. We are actually now in contact with the organization and are in the process of setting up Skype chats with Darfur refugees. The hardest part of this is teaching empathy, if that is possible.

Also, I have been busy teaching my Google Guru classes and attending conferences. For the first time I co-presented with Patrick Higgins at the Classroom 2.0 Learning Institute. We had a great time.

7 Things You Didn't Need to Know About Me

Lisa Thumann tagged me in the 7 Things you didn't need to know about me meme. Lisa told me I better post something new on my blog so here we go:
1. I have never skied or snowboarded.
2. I have never ridden a roller coaster that goes upside down.
3. The day I decided to transfer out of my TCNJ teaching program to go to the Fashion Institute of Technology, I got in a near fatal car accident that forced me to stay in central New Jersey, so in turn I decided to finish my teaching degree- and here I am.
4. I have lost 30 pounds over the past 3 years by doing Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred and following the Abs Diet for Women.
5. I have very sensitive ears.
6. I have seen Tiger Woods in his underwear - I was working at a private golf course where Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, and Roy Jones, Jr. were golfing and staying. MJ was upset that Tiger overslept and carried him down the stairs in his underwear. I got to be their waitress for the day, which meant I was allowed to follow them in a golf cart and watch them golf for 6 hours while making sure there was enough "beverages."
7. My dad created Smart Balance. I started working at the company when I was 12 filing, sorting mail and sorting redeemed coupons back in the day before there were coupon clearinghouses. I'm not sure why I didn't decide to make it my career.

I going to tag:
Patrick Chodkiewicz
Brad Davis
Edwin Wargo