DonorsChoose Classroom Projects!!

I just received my 2 iPad minis from my classroom project on DonorsChoose.org!!  I am absolutely THRILLED to start using them with my students in class!!  For any of you that may not know what DonorsChoose is, I will go ahead an explain it for you.

DonorsChoose.org is an amazing website for teachers in public schools across the country help raise money to receive materials for their classroom!   Teachers first decide what kind of project they want to start - technology-based, materials, field trips, guest speakers, etc.  The teacher then 'goes shopping' for the resources they are requesting.  DonorsChoose negotiates the best prices for teachers/education so that money is being optimized.  DonorsChoose.org then does an amazing job of taking teachers step-by-step in how to describe their students, the ways they are going to use the requested resources in their classroom, and how the students will benefit from them.  Once the project has been submitted, the DonorsChoose team reviews it for accuracy and materials' pricing before it is posted!  Teachers then have 4 months to raise funds to complete their project!  The great thing about DonorsChoose is that anyone can donate to the project!!  They also give you a promo code (INSPIRE) to have every donation matched dollar-for-dollar (up to $100) by anonymous donors that help fund the site.

(Here's more about 'How it Works')

Last year, I posted a project including an AppleTV, and HD Projector.  It was funded by multiple donors that I am very grateful for!  It took the entire 4 months to fund (this project literally got the last amount funded the last day of my project window), but my classroom definitely benefited from it!  My students were able to watch videos, share learning, and share projects through presentations in class.

Just this year, I have already gotten 2 iPad Minis funded.  It was funded in part by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for Education during a period of which they funded 50% of the needed amount for every project that was posted during a specific time frame!  I took advantage of that the second I learned of it, as I know how difficult it is to get funding!

This last week, I decided to post another project for an additional 2 iPad Minis as well as protective OtterBox cases for all four iPad Minis.  If you would like to visit my classroom site, please follow this link:

http://www.donorschoose.org/chelsea.schwartz

If you would like to see my most recent project, or would like to help my classroom out by donating, please follow this link:

iPads for Students in Today's Classroom


Thanks for reading my blogposts!!  If you would like to request a topic or would like to share what your classroom does for funding, leave a comment below!!

Raising Awareness - One Bucket At A Time!!

Yesterday, I was nominated to do the ice bucket challenge to raise awareness for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease.

Today, I accepted and completed that challenge!!

I had hoped to film at school, but I just couldn't find time during the day with such short notice!  Instead, I am going to be using this social media phenomenon to address the disease and all the good the Ice Bucket challenge has done for the ALSA!!

Tomorrow, I plan on having HALF of my 6th and 7th grade students do a close read of the ALS Disease, and the other HALF of them will be doing a close read of the Ice Bucket Challenge impact on the ALSA!  I have high hopes for great academic discussion and would love to be able to have my students complete the challenge as well (even if I can only share it with my staff and not on social media).

I also showed an amazing video that completely brought this cause and disease to reality with me and my students.  You can read all you want about it, but until you hear someone's story who is actually living with ALS and dealing with it, it doesn't really 'click.'  Here is the video that I found on YouTube.

If you haven't completed the challenge, and are reading this, I CHALLENGE YOU to not only complete the Ice Bucket Challenge, but also to donate at least $10 to the ALSA using this link!!  If you accept my challenge, please post it to facebook/instagram using #MiddleSchoolMadnessALS so that I can see all your videos!!!

What ways are you connecting Social Media and Pop Culture into your classroom?

It has arrived...

The school year has officially began for me.  This last Monday, marked the first day of Returning Teacher Week at Canyon Breeze Elementary School in Avondale, AZ!!  It was so amazing to see so many familiar faces, and so many new faces, of my amazing coworkers!!

I can't lie, I've been coming into school nearly every day since July 7th to get my classroom started and I can't say that I feel any more prepared than I have for previous years where I didn't start early.  How is that possible?  I feel so far behind this year and completely unprepared... but nevertheless, tomorrow is the first day of school and I am still pretty excited about it!!

The last 3 years, I had taught 7th grade Science and I absolutely loved it!!  Though it came with challenges, it was always a rewarding learning experience for me.  This year, our staff was cut down and we lost our 4th teacher in 7th grade, which in turn led me to change my position to being the Science teacher for both 6th and 7th grade.  I have been battling in my mind about whether I am actually excited about the addition or terrified about teaching two grade levels' full-year content, in half the time.... I still haven't decided how I really feel.  What I do know, is that my classroom is as done as it is going to be before school starts.  I still have small things to add to my Focus Wall bulletin boards for them to function as they should, but I'm pretty happy about it overall.  Here are some pictures of the room!!

 (The front of the room)

 (Thinking Maps - 'Organizing Our Thoughts')

(The Back of the Room)

 (Weekly Agenda)

 (My desk)

(Another view of my desk)

This past week has been a lot of work with my coworkers.  This year's theme was "What do You see? - it's not what your looking at that matters, but what you see."  We did a bunch of things that related back to this theme, but my favorite was a 'blank canvas' activity.  We were given this picture:

We were told to paint what we saw on our canvas that was given to us.  Thankfully I was in a group with our art teacher and we did a pretty good job!!

(Final product)

Every group was given a part of a larger picture (of a kaleidoscope image) and together we made a unique visual based on what we saw in our pictures.  Needless to say it didn't look like the picture that was separated and given to us, but it did look pretty unique!!

I am as ready for the school year as I'm going to be.  I have my plans for this week done, copies of my syllabus printed, and my "About the Teacher" video updated and ready to show my kids.  If only I had another weekend tacked on to  this one, I'm pretty sure I would be rested and ready... but ready or not here they come!!!

I have put in my About the Teacher video if you would like to take a peak.  I made it using Stupeflix last year and just added a few edits to pertain to this year.  To my fellow teachers out there who still have a few ounces of summer, I am envious - enjoy the rest of it.

Operation: Classroom

I am constantly trying to rack my brain to have my classroom become more organized, functional, and fun.  I feel like as a middle school teacher, this is a much more difficult task than a lower grade teacher.  Should it be?  Is there a difference in how it should be set up?

I feel there are a few ways that make it different.  The students are at an age where they want to be treated as adults, yet still enjoy 'kid things' like stickers and bulletin boards and story-time (yes, I incorporate children's books into my classroom of 7th graders!!).  But I still struggle on where to draw that line.  I also feel like because social media is SO relevant in our student's lives, I try and pull those resources in as well.  Then my mind gets all jumbled on things that I could do, and I get super overwhelmed and stop thinking about it altogether.... back to square one.

This fall, since I am adding 6th grade into my curriculum, I feel that I need to appeal to the 'younger' aspect of everything, while still keeping true to the middle school 'feel' of things.  I also need to become a TON more organized than I ever have been before so that I can really make this year work - especially considering I am adding Student Council,Outdoor Ed Club, and team lead to my plate!!

What do you use to organize your classroom?

The beginning of my 'Happily Ever After'

Today is a special day for my husband and I.  6 years ago, Ryan took me on a vacation that will forever be the start of something so much bigger than we realized at the time.  On Thursday, June 12, 2008, we arrived in Daytona Beach, FL for our first vacation together.  I was completely thrilled to be there with a guy I had grown to love over the past year (we had been dating since March 27, 2007).  We were staying at an amazing hotel resort on the beach (Wyndham's Ocean Walk Resort), and I was in paradise!!

We went to the store and got some groceries to last us the 5 days we were there and then crashed since we were so exhausted from the travelling that day!  The next day, we had a great time on the beach.  We enjoyed the water, and got some much needed sun.  That night we went to an amazing dinner at the Chart House.  Ryan seemed a bit fidgety but I didn't read too much into it since I was so hungry and could only think about the delicious meal and dessert that were in front of me.  When we returned back to the hotel, we decided we wanted to take a stroll on the beach down to the Pier to watch the sunset.  (I didn't take as many pictures as I had liked to during this trip - in retrospect I would have taken a TON more!!)  We decided to take a seat on the beach on our way back and just watch the sun set over the water, and that is when it happened....

Ryan turned to me and said these words:

"Soooo... I kinda like you a whole lot... and wanna keep you around for a long time... soooo will you marry me?!" 

(that might sound childish, but it is totally him and it was absolutely PERFECT!)

(Here is the ring - I took the picture the next day after 

SOO many people were asking me post a picture of it!!)

I freaked out!!  I was so excited and couldn't be more thrilled about everything!  Right after he proposed, there were fireworks going off at the Pier (I would love to brag and say that Ryan had planned that out, but he didn't).  We went back to the hotel, and called EVERYONE!!  It wasn't until the next morning that I realized it had happened on Friday the 13th!!  We had a really good laugh about that one!

We enjoyed the beach for a few more days, got WAY sun-burnt and headed back home.  We always talk about going back there, but haven't made our way just yet - maybe next year.

Sweet Home, Illinois

This week I have had taken the opportunity to visit some extremely important people in my life, as well as knocking some things that have been on my 'to-do' list for a few years!!

Cubs Game
I have been a Chicago Cubs fan since I met my husband in 2007.  I have always been a fan of baseball, but never really had loyalty to a specific team.  After moving to Chicago to do my student teaching, I got to attend games at Wrigley Field, more and more frequently, to a point where I too was converted into a fan.  My husband wasn't able to come with during this trip, but I was able to go to a game and enjoy the day with a few of my friends from college!!  It was a beautiful day, and the Cubs came away with a W (not a usual occurrence - I like to think they won since I was in town)!!

Baby Shower
My friend Jen is pregnant with her first baby and due in August of this year!!  I am so incredibly excited for her and the adventure that will be!!  Her baby shower (the main reason for my trip) was on Saturday, and let me tell you - Madisyn Faith is SOO loved beyond belief!!  Jen opened up a TON of gifts for her baby girl and had a hard time finding a place for everything!!  We were all asked to guess when she was going to have Madisyn - I guessed August 2 (4 days before her due date)... we will see when she arrives!!

Family Visit

As it is with most people ( I imagine), I try and maximize my trips with as much as I possibly can so as to not make multiple trips and only spend what is necessary on airfare.  While I was visiting my family, I was able to attend my church that I grew up going to (and see everywhere there), celebrate the ordination of an extraordinary woman who I have known since Junior High, visit with friends that still live in the area, help my aunt surprise my mother for her birthday (she flew in from Dallas to Chicago and then drove 2 hours to surprise her for the evening before heading back to Chicago for a conference), get 7 inches cut off my hair (I have a problem trusting people with cutting my hair and haven't gotten my hair cut by anyone else but Mary for 15 years!!), and was able to have lunch with a very good friend and her two children (one of which I met for the first time this trip)!!  I was able to get sooo much accomplished in this trip and more!!  Here is a picture after my haircut - while I am enjoying my (month late) Birthday Peppermint Hot Chocolate from Starbucks on this gloomy day in Central Illinois!!

The Best Part

My favorite part of my trip was getting to see my nephew!!  He is six years old and just finished Kindergarten!!  I love him to pieces and treasure every moment I have with him, because they are few and far between since I live so far away!!

He is participating in the Summer Reading Program (PAWS to Read) at the local library and we spent some quality time with books during my visit.  One of my favorite things to do is read to children (even though I teach middle school)!!  I shared some of my favorites with him, including a few poems by Shel Silverstein from Where the Sidewalk Ends.  Here is his reaction from "Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me Too."  He absolutely loved it - and thought it was hysterical!!

We also enjoyed building with his Legos while watching Frozen (a favorite of both of ours) and hanging out in the living room watching Polar Express in 3D (just because it's June doesn't mean we can't immerse ourselves in the Christmas Spirit) - we also had a mini-photoshoot in our 3D glasses!  I will miss him SOO much!!!

The Rest...

Tomorrow, I will leave my parents' house to head back up to Chicago on the train.  I will be spending some more time with Jen and her husband (and ALLLL the new baby things - I'm sleeping in the nursery as long as there is room for me on the floor) before attending a wedding of another friend from college on Saturday evening.  And finally will be flying back home to The Valley of the Sun on Sunday evening!  So far it has been great and should be a pretty great ending of the trip as well!! 

(Sorry for the lengthy post, so many great things happening and I have been SUPER busy since my last post!!)  Enjoy!!

DIY Fabric-Covered Cork Board

As any teacher knows, the end of the school year means the purging of unnecessary things in your classroom.  At my school, this means a free-for-all of unwanted things left out in the hallway!!  I always try and pick through some of the things to find little treasures that I could use somewhere in my classroom or elsewhere.  I came across an unwanted cork board that was ugly (because what cork board isn't ugly)...  I decided to take this ugly cork board and up-cycle it into something I could be proud of displaying somewhere - possibly my classroom!!

Originally I wanted to make a functional cork board/chalk board that I could hang in my classroom, but after finishing everything, i decided I wanted to keep it at home, hang it in my kitchen, and make a different one to use in my classroom this upcoming year!!

Since I had a cork board with a frame on it, I had to get the frame off.  I thought this would be easy, just take the frame off... definitely easier said than done!!  After trying to get the frame off for about 30 minutes, I decided to just use a box cutter and cut the cork board out of the frame.  Since the frame I was going to mount the cork board in was bigger than the original size, this thankfully wasn't an issue!!

My first step after cutting the board out, was to paint it with chalk board paint.  I decided to paint the entire surface with the chalkboard paint because I still wasn't sure how much fabric I wanted to use.  I did two coats (one horizontal and one vertical) using Craftsmart 'black acrylic chalkboard paint.'

Then I painted the frame.  I did two coats of paint on the frame - even though I was planning on distressing the frame a bit... I wanted the parts that didn't end up distressed to be even.  I used Americana Decor: Chalky Finish in 'Treasure.'

After allowing for the paint to dry (both the cork board and the frame), I used 120 grit sandpaper to distress the frame.  Then I used adhesive spray (Elmer's Craftbond) to secure the fabric on part of the frame.  I didn't worry too much about how straight the fabric went on since I had planned on hiding the edge under silver thumbtacks.

I secured the cork board in the frame using hot glue (since there were no fasteners on the back of the frame).  After securing the board in the frame, I covered the line of the fabric with silver thumbtacks.

I love the finished product and plan on writing cute quotes on it every now and then!!

Love the end result!!  I am planning on making a much bigger version for my classroom - possibly just a chalkboard!  I am having a fun time crafting this summer - in addition to this I have also made a few mason jar vases in preparation of a 4th of July get-together we will be hosting!

Enjoy your summer!!