Tracking Outs

"Miss Thompson! Miss Thompson! Can I go to the bathroom?"

I don't know about you, but I'm encountering a bathroom breaks epidemic in my classroom. My syllabus says three breaks per semester, but in the busy whirlwind that was the beginning of the year, I sort of abandoned tracking outs. Well, now I'm regretting abandoning it and trying to fix my laissez-faire attitude toward bathroom breaks. My problem is that I know what it's like to be a student who really needs to go, so I try to be sympathetic and let them take an out, but some kids area asking to go two times a day nearly every day in my class. No high schooler should need to pee that many times in one hour. And if they do, then they should probably visit the school nurse.

So now I'm trying to secretly fix the problem without nixing all breaks. For now, I've created an Outs Tracker where students have to sign out and in EVERY time they leave the classroom. This will work for now until I get the permanent solution made up and handed out.

This will be hanging on a clipboard right by the door.

What's the permanent solution, you ask? Well, lucky you, I just created it. I am going to print out and laminate business-type cards. Each card has the student's name and five outs listed on it. I've noticed that clearly three isn't enough for a semester, so I've upped it to five. Plus, I like the way five sounds better. Each time a student wants to leave the room, they'll have to give me their card, which I will hole punch on the appropriate out that they are on. This way THEY are responsible for tracking their outs and not me. If they don't have their card, they can't go. Liberty High School used this type of system when I was student teaching, and it had lots of potential to work. Another thing I like about this system is that if the student forgets their card, it's their fault they can't go to the bathroom and I don't have to suffer through their angry wrath that I said no. I'll collect the cards at the end of the semester for extra credit or a homework pass or something. I made cards for girls and boys, and I'll get them printed out, laminated, and distributed at the beginning of next semester.

All I have to do now is have my TA type in names, print, cut, laminate, and put into class piles

I am perpetually annoyed that I cannot link word documents on here. If you want the word versions of these so you can steal them, leave me a comment and I'll email them to you. 

 

Homonyms

     In an effort to revamp my bulletin board and be semi-productive without actually planning lessons like I should be, I'm putting my pinteresting to work! I recently discovered this wonderful time-sucker, and unlike reading celebrity gossip or playing Tetris,which is what I usually do on my phone, I've been finding inspiring ideas and pin-pin-pinning away. The idea for my homonyms posters came from a Grammar Guide Wall display that originally came from this website. Because my kids struggle A LOT with homonyms, I chose to focus on only homonyms with this display. I'll add in the other stuff along the way.
     If you too (homonym!) would like these handy-dandy little gems, you can find them in GoogleDoc form, which didn't keep all of my formatting, here. Open the link and download the original in order to see my formatting and add in your very own homonyms .I'm going to print them out on bright paper, laminate them with my shiny new laminating machine, and really wow my students next week.

Deliciously-Delectable Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

I made these yesterday. They are amazing, and if you like chocolate, then you need to get out the mixer and get to work. This recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies, depending on the size you prefer.

What you need: 

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

2 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats

1 3/4 cups all-purpose or unbleached flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

How you make 'em: 

1. Heat oven to 350°F.

2. In large bowl, beat brown sugar and butter with a mixer until blended. 

3. Add in vanilla and egg and beat on low-medium until light and fluffy (about a minute). 

4. Add in oats, flour, baking soda and salt and mix on low until blended. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour and oatmeal.

5. Stir in chocolate chips. 

6. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto an ungreased baking sheet. 

7.  Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Don't be afraid to take them out a when they aren't quite done in the middle. They will continue to cook after they come out, and you will have deliciously gooey cookies that stay soft for days! 

8. Cool slightly on the baking sheet, and then transfer to paper towels on the counter to cool. My cookies are always softer if I cool them on paper towels instead of cooling racks. I don't even think I own cooling racks anymore. After they are cool (if you have any left!) store them in a giant ziploc or airtight container.  

You. Are. Welcome.