"A Christmas Story," "I, Frankenstein," and Random Memes

HAPPY FESTIVUS! (Yes, today celebrates Festivus, but I won't be airing my grievances...)

It's holiday break, so I hope you are enjoying some much-needed rest and relaxation, my teacher friends! As you can see, I have slacked off blogging this month. But with finals given, my grades posted, and my Christmas shopping almost all done, I thought I would have a little fun and make some memes for you to enjoy. Feel free to share, pin, and post. A link back would be great, but as long as you don't crop out my url, you're good. Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

Above, I thought I would have fun with Ralphie from "A Christmas Story" and Katniss from "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire." And below, another variation...

Katniss thinks Ralphie should shoot a bow and arrow instead of a Red Ryder BB Gun:

Did you see the trailer to "I, Frankenstein" when you went to "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire"? If so, what do you think of the monster referring to himself as Frankenstein? English teachers know that Frankenstein was actually the doctor who created the monster. But according to "A Dictionary of Modern American Usage" published by the Oxford University Press, the use of Frankenstein to refer to the monster is now acceptable. What do you think, English teachers? Does it bother you at all?

I also posted this on my Instagram and Mrs. Orman's Classroom blog. When I gave my students their final exam over Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, it included a nice little typo. I was completely unaware because my spell check has already learned the word "mockingjay," of course. Had I read it aloud as I tell my students to do before they turn things in, I would have caught it. Instead, one of my 5th period sophomores pointed out the mistake when he asked me if he should write about Katniss. ;)

This is for my Pinterest Grammar Errors board. My nephew was so kind to allow me to photograph his shirt, in which he had printed that he was his classmate's #1 fan. But they forgot to put the apostrophe in "Owen's".  *cringe*

Here's another image from my Instagram. After seeing a similar "Phone Jail" on Pinterest, I decided to make my own.

 But the problem is...

Yep, my 5th period English class is overflowing. This is only about half of the students. Guess I need a bigger jail. (Disclaimer: My students all have laptops, so they still have immediate access to technology. During tests, however, I do require they leave them with me. Also if I catch them SnapChatting.)

And a couple of images to leave you to wish you a Holly Jolly Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Wonderful Holiday, whatever you celebrate! And if you are a Festivus worshiper, here's something special for you...

Replace your Festivus pole with a wrecking ball. :) Same thing, right?

This image was made by one of our students and displayed in our commons in December. 

I laughed every time I walked past it.

Sources:
Images were taken/created by ©Tracee Orman. All Rights Reserved. 
Images used in depictions by Lion Gate® Entertainment and MGM/UA Entertainment Company
Wrecking Ball Christmas made by an Erie High School student
Citation for Frankenstein usage: Bryan Garner, "A Dictionary of Modern American Usage", New York, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998

Four Calling Birds! Day 4 of The 12 Days of Gift-mas for Secondary Teachers

Welcome to The Twelve Days of Gift-mas blog hop for secondary teachers! Each day you'll find a fantastic freebie that can be used in a middle or high school classroom. Thanks for coming by to Mrs. Orman's Classroom and Hunger Games Lessons for Day 4 (I run both blogs, so decided to post both places.)

"Four Calling Birds" is appropriate for my free gifts to you because I have FOUR priced items to fit that theme that will be FREE for 24 hours only, beginning at 6 a.m. (CST) today (Tuesday, Dec. 4th) until 6 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 5th.

I teach English/Language Arts, so my special gifts are the following (click on the images of the products to get the free download):

One mockingbird + three mockingjays = four calling birds!

This "bird" related activity is my review activities for The Hunger Games characters, setting, and events in preparation of Catching Fire (you can also use it as an alternative final assessment of The Hunger Games, though it is just a simple review of characters and plot):

The Hunger Games Review Activities

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Hunger-Games-Review-Lessons-Characters-Setting

The Hunger Games Meaning of Panem Activity

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Hunger-Games-Trilogy-Meaning-of-Panem-Lesson

And switching to another "bird" are my activities for To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee...
To Kill a Mockingbird Introduction KWL Activity

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-Introduction-Guided-KWL-Activity

To Kill a Mockingbird Trial Organizer and Inferencing Activity for Chapters 17-19

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-Trial-Organizer-Activity-Ch-17-19

A fifth calling bird?? What?

Finally, here's a BONUS freebie that can be used with any book or story (fiction or non-fiction), any time! It's my Twitter Tweet Chapter or Lesson Review Activity. Use it with any content area to review a reading passage or lesson for the day!

Twitter Tweet Summary or Review Activity

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Twitter-Tweet-Story-or-Chapter-Summary

Tomorrow you'll be heading to Liz's Lessons for the 5th day of Gift-mas! You can check out all the pages in the link-up (below).

Happy Holidays & THANK YOU for all you do each and every day. You are appreciated! :)

Special thanks to Michelle Lundy from Making It as a Middle School Teacher for organizing and facilitating this blog hop!

Banned Books Week 2012

Celebrate Banned Books Week Sept. 30-Oct. 6.

This week kicks off the American Library Association's (ALA) Banned Books Week to celebrate our freedom to read and educate people about censorship.

I thought it would be worth noting that The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is number three on the list of frequently challenged books for 2011, up from number five last year. (Challenged means that someone objected to the book and asked that it be removed from either the shelves/library or classroom and/or from the curriculum in school.)

Other books making the list included ttyl by Lauren Myracle, Gossip Girl (series) by Cecily Von Ziegesar, and classics like To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley.

Image from http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged/21stcenturychallenged

Also worth noting is why these books are challenged. The reasons given for The Hunger Games included "anti-ethnic" and "anti-family." And To Kill a Mockingbird? "Offensive language" and "racism."

From: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged/21stcenturychallenged

I believe that parents have the right to decide what they do or do not want their children to read. If they are offended by the material, their child should be given the opportunity to read an alternative book. But I do not think those parents have the right to remove materials for all students. I do not want another parent telling me what is right for my son.

Censorship only breeds more censorship, and societies that begin to censor materials are preventing the population from becoming informed and educated citizens. Leaders such as Adolf Hitler used censorship to promote his own views. Freedom of speech includes the right to read materials of our choosing. We don't have to like what others are reading, but it is not our place to take away that freedom from anyone else just because it may offend us. If we don't believe in freedom of speech for everyone, then we simply do not believe in it. Period.

Spread the word about Banned Books Week and check out all the great resources on the ALA's website.

I have a pinboard on Pinterest for Banned Books Week. You can also browse my other book-related pinboards:
All Things Books
Book Community Board
Bookish News and Fun
Books Worth Reading

I'll be posting about my all-time favorite novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, on my other blog www.traceeorman.com. Check it out later this week to see what I have in store for you!

Now Shipping to Canada

 Are you a teacher from Canada who wishes to teach The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins to your students? If so, TeachersPayTeachers.com has opened up hard-goods shipping to Canadians, which means you can purchase my Hunger Games Teaching Unit on CD directly from the website. Previously, Canadian residents could only purchase my digital download unit (which is still a great deal!), or contact me to go directly through PayPal (which was a hassle).

Shipping to Canada takes anywhere from one week to a little over a month to some locations. I ship the CD (with some extra goodies) from Illinois. Canadians should select the $5 shipping option; US residents should select the $3 shipping option.

I also offer these units on CD:
Catching Fire
Mockingjay
SAVE: Hunger Games Trilogy (Includes all 3 CDs)
To Kill a Mockingbird
Poetry Resources
Literature Resources
Coming soon: Writing Resources (Both Creative and Expository/Academic Writing, and Journalism Resources)

And these items are shipped, as well:
Beaded Bookmarks

*FOR ALL CUSTOMERS (US & CANADIAN):  TYPE HG Lessons Post in the "note to seller" spot when you purchase any CD and I will include a FREE bonus CD that includes various language arts lessons (both Hunger Games and general ELA) and the "Best of TpT Sellers'" lessons. This offer never expires (unless I no longer sell CDs, of course).

Picturing the Characters: Do Movie Adaptations Ruin It For Readers?

Original image from Hunger Games Movie.

Imagine you are reading a captivating novel and are picturing the characters, setting, and events in your mind, just as the author intended. And then you see a trailer for the movie adaptation and the characters look nothing like you imagined. You are crushed.

So, here's my dilemma: Do I show my students pictures and trailer videos (OK, just one video for now) of The Hunger Games as we are reading, or do I allow them to picture the characters and setting first, then reveal Lionsgate's vision later?

Last spring I couldn't contain myself as we were getting movie casting news practically daily. We happened to be reading the novel in my class at the time, and each new cast member received a prominent spot on my white board. My students would rush into class each day to look at the board to see if I put up any new pictures. It was exciting; thrilling, actually. To see students who normally hated to read looking at the board and reading the articles about each casting...that was priceless. It also seemed to help students who had trouble picturing the story and characters.

But this year, I wonder if I should reveal the look of the characters first? Granted, if students want to find out who is cast in each role, a simple Google search will bring up gobs of pictures. (Although, some will be "dream casts" not featuring the true actors.) But there's been a few "that's not how I pictured Katniss" and "Peeta's blond in the book" comments that make me wonder whether I'm doing them a disservice showing them pictures of the movie actors.

On the other hand, I also have images of Scout, Atticus, Jem, and Tom from the movie "To Kill a Mockingbird" on my walls, and I never thought twice about those images tainting the picture in our minds as we read the classic novel by Harper Lee. Is it because I wasn't alive when the movie was being cast and have always known those actors in those roles? (Even though Dill doesn't have white-blonde hair, like his description in the book?) 

What do you think? Do the actors' images stifle the student's creative thought while reading? Or does it enhance the reading experience? Comment below or reply on Twitter (@MrsOrman) with your thoughts! I'd love to know what you think and how you handle it in your classroom. And if any readers here are students, I'd love to hear from you, as well.

Congrats to the Winner in The OC Blog Giveaway!

Congratulations, Karen!

Congratulations to Karen K., who won my Hunger Games Trilogy Teaching Unit 3-pack with bookmarks & pencils!

And thank you ALL who entered The Organized Classroom Blog Giveaway! This just shows that Suzanne Collins has created a very powerful novel series with numerous teaching opportunities.And a big thanks to Charity Preston for putting this all together!

If you missed the opportunity to enter the giveaway, or was one of the 294 who did not win, to show my appreciation I'm going to have my Hunger Games Trilogy Writing Prompt activity listed as FREE for 24 hours.

No matter which novel in the series you are teaching, this expository writing compare and contrast prompt will challenge your students to make connections to events and people in real life to Katniss's world. It's an excellent way to connect history with the novels. To focus on the theme of killing people to show one's power, I have my students connect The Hunger Games trilogy with events such as the Holocaust and lynching in America. Because we read To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, as well, these two connections in history show students that it was not that long ago in our own history that we allowed this to happen. No, we didn't make the victims compete on reality TV, but many deaths were photographed and used for propaganda purposes.

The download includes the writing prompt, a graphic organizer, and a teacher's guide. It is also aligned with the Common Core Standards, with each standard listed in the teacher's notes.

The Hunger Games Trilogy Writing Prompt activity will be listed free from noon 8/27/11 to noon 8/28/11. It is normally listed for $1.75 on www.teacherspayteachers.com.  Please rate the activity if you are happy with the product. Thanks for your support!

Back to School Bonus: Free CD of Lessons with Any CD Purchase

Don't miss out on my back-to-school bonus!

Starting today (July 23rd) through July 31st at midnight, purchase any CD from my teacher store and get a FREE Bonus Lessons CD! This is the same CD that Charity Preston from The Organized Classroom Blog shows you in her video. It is packed with great lessons from so many talented teacher-authors!

The CDs you have to choose from include:
Literature Activities and Resources (grades 6-12)
Poetry Activities and Resources (grades 6-12)
To Kill a Mockingbird Teaching Unit (grades 8-12, college)
The Hunger Games Teaching Unit (grades 6-12, college)
Catching Fire Teaching Unit (grades 7-12, college)
Mockingjay Teaching Unit (grades 7-12, college)
The Hunger Games Trilogy (3-CD pack) (grades 6-12, college) +EXTRA Bonus Lesson CD with even more great products when you purchase the 3-pack (that's 5 total CDs in this package)!

INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS:
If you are one of my Canadian, Australian, or other international teacher friends, contact me at hungergameslessons@gmail.com if you'd like to purchase a CD. TeachersPayTeachers does not support non-U.S. shipped goods sales, but you can buy directly through PayPal.

Gift how-to for Students, Teachers, Staff, Parents

It's nearing the end of another school year and you realize that there are several people you'd like to thank for their help, service, or hard work throughout the school year. So what can you give them that is meaningful, yet won't cost you a ton of money?

I love giving out my handmade beaded bookmarks. I first started making these book "thongs" (named because they fit in the "crack" of your book) several years ago after buying one for $8 in a local bookstore for my mom. Since she and I always shared a love of reading, giving her a bookmark each year for holidays was a tradition. I was intrigued by these book "thongs." Of course, the frugal side of me thought, "I could make something like this!"

STEP ONE: Supplies Needed
To make your own book "thong", the first thing you will need is cord. Waxed linen works the best: the wax allows the beads to slide easier when stringing and it won't fray as easily over time. However, elastic cord and even hemp cord will work. They just aren't as easy to work with, in my opinion.

Most craft stores carry waxed linen cord; even Wal-Mart has it in their craft/beading section. Of course, if you are making a lot and value high quality, I suggest ordering larger spools of Irish waxed linen from Basket Maker's Catalog (they do offer it by the yard, as well). There really is a difference between the quality–the wax doesn't dry out or goop up and it's easier to string beads. I've had spools that are at least 8 years old that have not dried or lost their quality. I like the 4-ply best; it seems to be the right weight to hold heavier beads and last longer. Three-ply is fine, just a little skinnier. If you use small, light beads (plastic), it would be fine.

Beads are pretty easy to find in craft stores and large local retailers. One of my favorite online suppliers is Fire Mountain Gems. They have a great selection of beads and the price falls the more quantities you buy. You can find huge bargains on bead assortments and charms. Use letter charms to create personalized bookmarks (below, I used "EHS" for our high school).

Other supplies you'll want to keep on hand are: scissors (sewing scissors work wonderfully) and clear nail polish.

Once you have the supplies you need, it's nice to use a small bowl or cup for the beads you've selected for your bookmark(s). If you've read my previous posts, you know that I love finding uses for things we may normally discard. My dog loves Cesar's dog food, but I hate throwing away those little plastic containers. So I've found tons of uses for them; one great use is for holding the beads for your current project. They would be excellent little containers for art and elementary teachers for distributing paint, glue, and other small items to students. They also stack nicely, as well. (Make sure you wash before using, of course!)

 

STEP TWO: Stringing the Beads
Next, you will need to cut the cord to the length you want. Most hard-back books are larger than paperbacks. I usually cut about 15 inches or so, which gives me plenty of room if I need it. If you don't have a ruler, use a book or a piece of paper as your guide and keep in mind you need enough room for your beads and to tie the last knot.

Tie a knot at one end of the cord. This will keep your beads from falling off. You will want to start with a smaller bead to ensure this. If you start with a bead with too big of a hole, it will slide right over the knot. I've used seed beads for this purpose; just make sure the next bead isn't going to slide over your first one.

String the rest of your beads on the cord. Keep in mind that putting too many on one end will be too bulky for the bookmark. I usually try not to go over 1.5 to 2 inches maximum.

When you finish stringing your beads, tie a knot at the end, making sure to get it as close to the last bead as possible so they don't slide around.

Then, you will want to do the other end. Tie another knot further down the cord. You will need to measure out how much room you need between knots; a good way is to put it alongside a book to see where you should tie it. You want the knots to hit just above the spine on each end. Books vary in sizes, so it is better to be slightly long rather than short (if it's too short, it can't be used). If I am just making these with no particular book in mind, I use a standard 9.5 inches for hardbacks, 8.5 inches for paperbacks (the width of a piece of paper).

After you tie the knot, string the rest of your beads. You can duplicate the other end or you can do something completely different. Try not to have one end outweigh the other by too much.

Tie your knot after stringing the last bead. Then you can clip the extra cord from both ends. Make sure your knots are tied tightly and clip as close to the knot as possible without actually cutting the knot.

STEP THREE: Seal the Beads
The final thing I like to do is seal the knots so they won't come unstrung or fray. A simple and inexpensive product I use is clear nail polish. Most people have this around the house (I use it to stop runs in my nylons from running further, too). If not, you can purchase a small bottle for a dollar or less at your local pharmacy or retail grocery store. It usually dries pretty quickly and if the polish soaked in, you might want to put another coat on it after it dries. It gives the knot a nice shiny quality that almost makes it look like a tiny bead.

That's it! You're done. You can stick it in the crack of a book to test it out.

Wasn't that easy? Probably the hardest part (for me, anyway) is selecting which beads to use. There are plenty of pre-made kits out there you can use, but I do think part of the fun of this project is making unique bookmarks for others.

Here are some examples of beaded bookmarks I've made:

Using the cross charms are great for making bible bookmarks. They make a simple, yet beautiful, gift idea for a religious-ed teacher, someone who is being confirmed or celebrating a first communion, or for anyone celebrating a Christian event.

Use other charms to represent other events or people (such as apple charms for a teacher, book charms for a librarian or reading teacher, flip-flops to celebrate summer, etc.). Of course, adding charms is another how-to, but a relatively simple process. And you can even make your own charms, like I have for my favorite novels:

 

 But I'll save those instructions for another post...