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Spring Break... Explorations!

It is that wonderful time of the year when teachers and students alike get to take a HUGE break from school and relax.  For us, its time to sweep out the cobwebs, shove in some creativity, and of course get some much deserved R&R.

I look all over for inspiration because lets face it... sometimes my brain is fried!  All the classroom management, grading, test making, lesson planning, I get excited when I'm on target and look all over the internet to find great ideas for making it even better.  There is no shame in this!  Ok... I have no shame about doing this! HA!

Today, I'm going to share my awesome resources :)




Teachers Pay Teachers is a great resource for finding all types of lesson plans, activities, power points, tests, Common Core Resources, and so much more.  The cool thing is this stuff is MADE BY TEACHERS, and tested out in their classrooms.  Prices for your favorite selections range from FREE on up.  You can earn credits for free products by leaving feedback of your purchases.  TPT has been a great resource for me, giving me ideas, and introducing me to some great educators that have some pretty awesome blogs.

Here area  few of those awesome blogs:


Lessons from the middle is an awe inspiring blog giving out great resources, ideas, and this educator also has some great stuff to purchase on TPT.  My newest resource from her is Educational Menus.  I'm making Math Menus to help in differentiating my instruction, offering choice to my students, and put the discovery in their hands as well.  There are lots of giveaways and great advice and it isn't just math related content either.  Check it out!
Yes, I think everyone has figured out I'm a math dork, but this is the original "Miss Math Dork".  I began following this blog when I read about it on Lessons from the Middle.  Needless to say I also had to follow on Facebook and I love all the cute nerdy math ecards posted throughout the day.  This is where I also find out about great deals in TPT and free resources.  This blog is very easy going and I like the personal stuff added in with the professional.  It's definitely a go to blog.
I met THE "Mathy Kathy" at the NCTM conference in Dallas, TX this past year.  We were both browsing books in the NCTM store and we struck up friendly conversation about what books we thought we'd might like to get.  In our conversation we discovered that we both teach on campus' that have a 1:1 iPad ratio.  I knew right then I'd have to get this educators opinions and she generously gave me her card.  She said she was working on starting a "little blog" and was trying to get her information out there.  IMAGINE my surprise when I found so much awesome stuff to read about.  GREAT resources and technology to boot!  And for those that are creatively stifled like me, Mathy Cathy also sells great resources on TPT.

Technology for the Week:

I'm getting together some really cool resources and I can't help but share that my students always get a kick out of what Crazy Mrs. Ryan has come up with for the week.  In my classroom this upcoming week we will be doing:

Math Menus (Idea courtesy of Lessons From The Middle)

QR codes withing my Math Menus (Courtesy of my IT tech)

Glogs filled with information (Courtesy of our History Teacher)

Prezi's to break up the power point monotony ( Courtesy of an awesome professor while getting my Master's degree)

Do you like how I'm siting my sources?  Like I said from the beginning "I ain't too proud to beg"... for great ideas and incorporate them into my lessons.... of course :)


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