Thirty-One Gifts Online Party

You are invited to my Thirty-One Gifts Online Party!  With this party, you can shop from your own home and place all your orders online.  

My favorite product, the Super Organizing Tote, is actually the September special.  When you spend $35, you can get this tote for half off.  I use it to carry everything! I travel between schools, so it is the perfect bag for all my materials, laptop, snacks, etc.  It is big enough for everything you need but not too big to carry.  In fact, I love mine so much that I have another one on order.  

I hope you take time to view the new products and patterns.  Don't feel obligated to order, but I did want to make you aware since it is not always easy to find a consultant or arrange a time for a party.  The link for the party is http://www.mythirtyone.com/shop/eventhome.aspx?eventId=E3701409&from=DIRECTLINK. Thank you!

~Cara

Equity Sticks

How can we keep all students engaged?  How can we assure that we are calling on each student in our classroom rather than the "selected few?"  How can we make each child responsible for his own learning?  One trick I have found is equity sticks.

Equity sticks can be Popsicle sticks, index cards, bookmarks, etc.  On each stick, you write the name of a student in your class.  When you ask a question, you simply choose a stick and that student will answer.  After turn and talk, choose a stick and let that child answer.  This way, you are assuring equity during discussions.  

There is also an iPad app that can be used.  Stick Pick is an equity stick app, but it has a twist.  When setting your class roster, you can choose to include questioning stems for each student based on Bloom's taxonomy or ESL.  Therefore, you can differentiate instruction while questioning your students.  Cool! Although it is a paid app ($2.99), it is well worth its price.  

~Cara

I was in no way compensated for the Stick Pick review.  It was simply an app I found that we could all find useful in our classrooms.