CATCH MY WORDS to find help with teaching strategies, resources, or to enjoy a laugh or music. Blog connected to Catch My Products, the gifted department store with resources for K - 12.
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My humorous thoughts about life.
"My Humorous and Helpful Thoughts About Teaching / Educational Resources for Your
Classroom / Music and Random Fun"
I have teamed up with a group of top notch sellers to bring you two days of half price sales. This is a special and rare event with quality resources up for grabs. I even bought from another seller this morning.
I am offering TWO Logic Puzzle Packs at half price until early Wednesday morning. For half off the original price you can now buy:
Primary Logic Bundle This resource contains sixty pages of print or digital worksheets for first and second grade learners. This is a great resource for gifted and talented students or early finishers who need a challenge. It's on sale for 50% off it's value of $19.57. You can do the math or I'll tell you. That's just $9.79, before the sale ends.
Logic Problems for the Year Sometimes searching for the right seasonal challenge can be difficult and time consuming. This product contains twelve logic puzzles plus an accountable talk bonus passage for just $4.13. That's a steal, but if you want it, you must stop by my store today or tomorrow before the sale ends.
Since this is Labor Day, here are some fitting tunes for Monday Music Moves Me.
First up is a great tune from 1966, "Working in A Coal Mine," by Lee Dorsey.
Next up, here is another tune for the worker. This one is more recent because it's from the 1975 movie, "Car Wash" and features Rose Royce.
This last one is for all of the teachers dealing with a new school year, either with a lot of ppe concerns or teaching remotely. Here's a little encouragement from Devo with "Whip It."
About three weeks ago, my tube of toothpaste reached the point where I could no longer squeeze anything out of the uncapped top, so I took a scissors to the bottom and am still using it. No. I'm not just ignoring my teeth by covering them with a mask or staying home. I actually do brush at least twice a day. I do, however, follow a dental hygienist's advice by only using the tip of a pinky's worth. We've all seen those toothpaste commercials where they spread the paste across the entire brush and give it a cute little swirl at the top. That's what they want us to do. Waste it so we have to go out and buy more.
Brushing is important but flossing is even more so. We leave our floss picks in the den on a table near the couch. Every night when we watch the news, we pass the bag of flossers. I've noticed that if I skip just one night of flossing, the pick stinks after being in my mouth, so I try to do this every night. I've heard that the bacteria between the teeth are like ants building an ant hill. Flossing kicks them to the ground, so they must start over again the next day.
So just think, if you buy toothpaste less often, you have the funds to settle your tooth fairy debt. Back when my youngest was a teeth losing believer, her older siblings got in on the act. They would type notes to her along with the money, which of course did not come from their pockets! They even gave Erica's tooth fairy a name. At the time, she was good friends with a girl in my class and told her all about the tooth fairy's name. So, her mom called me to find out what the name is so that she too could partake in the game.
Since my son had named the tooth fairy, I hemmed and hawed before revealing this most embarrassing tidbit. Under bated breath I told her, "Tina Fartinkle." How's that for a name to tell to a child in your class' mother? Luckily, she too had an older son and understood. We both laughed.
If you like logic about teeth, I have a medical pack that has one of those in it.
Being at home has given me time to experiment with moving pins. Although they don't look at professional as some, I'm still proud to have figured this out. Click the links to see what I accomplished!
I've always heard that movie pins get the most traction. I hope these hold true to form. While young people are natives to Internet skills, I'm most certainly an immigrant.
Also, I recently had a huge Facebook/Instagram issue with a hacker. I lost my pages and am trying to climb out of the hole. My FB business page is still up, but I cannot access it. I started a new business page at Facebook Page and could use likes and followers. As for Instagram, I've lost my 500+ followers and am starting over from scratch there, too. I would love it if you'd do me the honor of a follow by clicking on the link to My New Instagram page.
In the spirit of Musical Monday, they don't write songs like they used to. Enjoy!
The TpT boost sale is back starting at midnight Eastern time. Stop by Catch My Products for 20% off of the entire store! Plus, with the code BTSBONUS20, you can add an additional 5%. How cool is that?
Yes, my entire store is on sale for 20% off, with the exception of this new product, Greater Than, Less Than PowerPoint Lesson. This resource is 50% off until the sale ends!
Don't forget to check your wish lists and stop on by Catch My Products!
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Prepare for Back to School with TpT Sitewide Sale!
Today and Wednesday are the dates of our Teachers Pay Teachers sitewide sale. My entire store will be set at 20% off and you can receive an additional 5% by adding BTS20 when you check out!
I also have two new resources that are currently set at 1/2 off for 24 hours from the appearance in the TpT mail notification.
This PowerPoint takes students through the gradual release teaching method with a well organized directed lesson that can be taught in person or screen shared for virtual learning.
Here are some of my personal favorite resources that you may purchase for 25% off, with the code, during the sale. They are great for in school or distance learning, due to TpT's Digital Activity button. I've already set these resources up for easy digital access, too.
I love my Accountable Talk Passages because they pique the kids interest. The students read a short story and then debate about statements that are either true, false, or they can't tell. This is a stimulating lesson that my kids always loved!
I've written a lot of Reading Passages for multiple grade levels. These resources work well for social studies classes, too.
A friend once referred to me as the "Logic Queen." Though I don't claim royalty, I have so many logic puzzles and logic bundles, that I don't know how many are in my store. Also, I keep making these fun tidbits. If you're into logic puzzles, check these out. I have puzzles for the itty bitty primary student all the way up to the elementary and tall teen kid. If you want to zero in on a specific grade level, just click the topic and grade.
I've been privy to many chats on back to school shoulds and shouldn'ts. It seems like the majority of teachers, I've heard from, are screaming for virtual options and new teaching strategies. This is no surprise. Anyone who has been a first year teacher will remember their constant sickness from being exposed to many kids at once. Then after a few years of teaching, we develop immunity. However, COVID 19 is different. This is a new disease that doctors still do not know a lot about. Teachers will also have issues following CDC guidelines and making kids follow them as well. We can offer suggestions and discussions with our kids, but do they get the point when so many adults fail to see the importance of keeping everyone healthy during novel coronavirus outbreaks? Is wearing a mask and social distancing enough? I understand that parents need childcare when going to work, but our basic need is to keep kids and society safe.
I refer to Israel's experiment with opening schools. Even though their numbers were lower than ours in the United States, when they opened, disease skyrocketed. If this happens with small spread, I don't want to think about what could happen in areas with out of control COVID 19 numbers. However, teachers definitely need help with teaching virtually or from a distance.
Whatever your district decides to do, I hope everyone will take precautions to remain safe. After all, we do not want another repeat of the types of suffering from Yellow Fever. Maslow's pyramid has always put safety as a basic need.
To help you with the beginning of school, I've been creating new resources. I am especially happy with my Grandparents' Day Activities because come October, I will become a grandma with the birth of a grandson! I'm beyond excited with the upcoming birth of Herkeberger. That's what they are calling him these days. Hopefully Herky will get a new name upon birth, but even if he doesn't, I'll still love him, forever.
Go to https://bit.ly/2UpT56s for a chance to win a $75 gift card before today ends! Just think of all you could do to get your school year off to a great start!
Dollar Deals Today and Tomorrow
Also, I am partnering with an amazing group of sellers to bring you our bi-annual dollar deals! Just go to TpT here! You will find 70 pages of resources priced at just $1 to get your school year off to a great start. I am offering two resources for one dollar:
After the deadly shooting of Rayshard Brooks at the Atlanta Wendy's my mind is a jumble with the thoughts about this. Here was a situation that never should have escalated to the point of Mr. Brooks' death, and it becomes clear that this was another case of racism.
Let's imagine that I was the sleeping person in the Wendy's line. Maybe I had too much to drink and Wendy's is so slow that yes, I fell asleep in the line. What if an employee of Wendy's saw this sleeping white woman blocking the order line in the parking lot? Would he or she have called the police on me? I imagine a Wendy's employee stepping beside my car, asking if I was okay, and then instructing me to move my car. End of story? No. They probably would have offered me a cup of water to make sure I was okay.
First off, everyone knows the way the police have treated black people. Even a nice cop will incite fear in the approached black person. There was no need to ever call the police, to begin with, on Mr. Brooks. But they did.
Mr. Brooks was found to have an alcohol level just slightly about the legal limit and placed under arrest for driving under the influence. He wasn't driving. He was parked. Maybe he knew the condition he was in and pulled into Wendy's to get food in his system to help to sober up. In other words, having been in a not great state of mind, he took precautions to fix it. I give him credit for that. He didn't continue to drive.
The argument here is that he had been driving or how would he have gotten to this spot. Fine. Would they have arrested me for the same act? I don't know, but my gut thinks, 'No.'
Although Mr. Brooks started with his "Yes, Sirs; No, Sirs" and full cooperation in the arrest, something changed. He resisted, grabbed the stun gun, and ran off. He pointed the stunner toward the policeman but never actually shot it. I read a defense from an officer stating that "IF" he had stunned the policeman, he could have taken his gun and have been a threat. But as I said, he didn't shoot it. Plus, the officer had a partner with him.
Different actions by the police were now needed.
Let him run away. They have his car, so it would not have been hard to find him.
Chase, at the risk of being stunned.
Use the other officers stunner to calm him.
Shoot the leg.
I had an officer friend who once told me that the police are trained to shoot to kill. I argued, why not injure him, in which he repeated, "We are trained to shoot to kill." Maybe it's time for some new training.
Finally, please do not take this as victim blaming, but I have to mention it. Every black parent trains their sons on how to act around the police. Everyone knows that some cops are racist and do not act as they should, so why did Rayshard Brooks resist arrest and run? Maybe he was scared. Maybe he was drunk and not thinking straight. Either way, I'm sure his mama is crying out in anguish, "Why didn't you listen to me! Why?"
Music
First up is Twisted Sister with, "We're Not Gonna Take It."
Next up, is Michael Jackson with "Black or White."
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👉 Raffle Ends at 12:00 AM Central Time, Monday June 15th (6/15/2020). The lucky winners will be announced as soon as they are confirmed on 6/16/2020.
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As Monday rolls around again, I'm tasked with giving you advice to motivate you; however, I'm struggling with motivation myself. There is so much trauma in today's world that many of us have a hard time focusing on what needs to be done. My post today is to tell you, that YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
I've seen people discussing failures in my health journey group as well as various
other groups such as focusing in business and work. There are so many difficult situations reported in the news, and I confess to being a news junkie who listens to it all.
An analysis of today shows us that we are reliving not one but three difficult historical times, all at once. First off, we are flashed back to the 1960s. This was a time of racial turmoil when individuals fought for black rights. I have to wonder, are we any better than we were in the 1960s? I hope so. For one, many people of a variety of races in cities around the world have joined together as one voice. This is huge since the mistreated people are no longer alone in their protests. But we have serious trouble with police violence toward black people. Sensitivity training, social workers helping people in trouble, or something else must be done! Twelve nights of protests have brought about some change, but we have so much further to go. How do we get motivated to do anything with these bigger concerns? I don't know.
We also have many living like post 1929. This was a time when many have found themselves out of work or struggling to make ends meet. People who have never sought out help or thought they would ever join a food line have come forth for a bag or groceries or a bite to eat. Furthermore, our government sent one bailout check to Americans in need. But for many, this is not nearly enough. If you don't know how to pay your bills, you're probably not motivated. I understand.
We are also fighting a pandemic, just as our grandparents or great grandparents fought in 1918. True that COVID-19 is different than the Spanish flu, but horrible, nonetheless. A main difference is the attitude about the disease that has killed over 110,000 people in our country. Many do not take this seriously because they do not believe the numbers are accurate or are convinced it is not a problem for them.
If you have no one close to you who has had the disease and hear only 1% or 2% of people die, maybe you think this is media hype, too. Please believe that being among the 20% with symptoms, and maybe even surviving, is no picnic, either. Back in March, my sister was sicker than she'd ever been in her life. We worried about her daily and wanted that text message or call telling us she was okay; however, there were some days when she was too weak to let us know about her health. Although she recovered from the disease after over two weeks, her cough lingered. She also had trouble regaining her sense of smell. Even in her days of recovery, she felt like she had just finished a marathon. If someone you care about is ill, or you worry about people who are compromised, it's tough to be motivated to do anything.
For these reasons, it's hard for me to get motivated to do anything. Hopefully, you have more motivation than me. Also, please understand that YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
Monday Music Moves Me
The theme for this week's Monday Music Moves Me is songs that start with /J/. One song immediately came to my mind, especially in light of how the world is today and what we need. We actually saw these old men perform in Tunica, Mississippi several months back.
Here is "Joy to the World" by Three Dog Night. Did you know that a three dog night is a night that is so cold that you have to sleep with three dogs to stay warm?
Next up is "Jaded" by Aerosmith. People become jaded when bored or annoyed, which seems to fit a lot of us these days. We have had too much bad news, so here is "Jaded."
Finally, here is a song by the Eagles called, "James Dean." Dean was an actor, known as a rebel, who tragically died way too young in a car wreck. Since so many are feeling rebellious, I saw this J song as fitting with my theme.
Yesterday, I saw a black man jogging through my neighborhood, and for the first time, I wondered if he was safe to do so. I thought about Ahmaud Arbery who innocently did the same in Atlanta and what I'd heard about a neighbor of mine who called the police on a worker because he was black. Each night, I watch images of the riots throughout the country due to a policeman kneeling on a man's neck even though he said that he couldn't breath. Why didn't the cop get off of him? Why would people come into a private home and start shooting? I've often felt confused about the injustice of different water fountains or people told to sit at the back of a bus, in the past, but we still have current ugliness that must not be tolerated.
Some people say that "All lives matter." Sure they do, but we don't need to be reminded about everyone. Police do not abuse white people. I am safe to walk down the street without being shot because of the color of my skin, so why even mention other lives when black lives are the ones in danger?
Although I do not agree with violent protests, I understand the anger. It's like the Boston Tea Party or the expression, "The squeaky wheel gets the oil." Now, are people squeaking enough to make a change?
How about a bit of music?
First up is Bob Marley with "Get Up, Stand Up." These little kids are sooo cute!
My daughter, Judy, sent me a great article that she wrote for a post. I am sharing it with you!
Guest Blogger
Hi everyone,
This Wellness Wednesday took me on quite an adventure. I wanted to do something fun and figured a wellness beverage could do the trick. Little did I know the history of the smoothie in America is a complex story intertwined with scientific breakthroughs and counter-culture. (You got stuck with a history major for this Wellness Wednesday!) The smoothie has been around in different cultures well before it made it to the US. India has the lassi which combines mango, yogurt and spices for its treat. Additionally, with their plethora of tropical fruits, blended fruit drinks have been around in Latin America for a long time often referred to as “fruit slushes”
The history of the “smoothie” is connected with the invention of the blender in the 1930s by Stephen Poplawski. The blender was then perfected in 1935 by Fred Osius and called the Waring Blender. Osius claimed his machine would “revolutionize American drinks!”
The popularization of smoothies also relates to the start of health food crazes and workouts popularized by Fred Lalanne. “Lalanne was the first person to open a combination health-food store and gym, the first to come up with a weight loss breakfast meal replacement drink and to advocate weight training and nutrition.”
But I know the most important question, and what brought along this research project in the first place is *drumroll* where did smoothies get their name!?
Steven Kuhnau opened his first Smoothie King in Louisiana in 1973. Kuhnau was lactose intolerant and felt a little jealous he couldn’t enjoy a milkshake like his friends. He decided to create a yummy beverage that was safe for his sensitive stomach. “Kuhnau didn’t invent the name. He just branded it, [he said] the first time he heard the word was in reference to fruit and fruit juice based drinks made by “hippies” in the late 60’s. Prior to Kuhnau’s “Smoothie King”, the name “smoothie was used to describe everything from women’s bras and girdles, to ball point pens, car paint and machinery. There was even a band named “The Smoothies”! It wasn’t until Kuhnau opened his health food store and called his drinks “smoothies”, to appeal to the already health conscious hippies who knew what the term meant, that the name took off.”
So as the weather gets warm and we start looking for some healthy treats, the smoothie drinkers in the fund development team would like to share our favorite smoothie recipes with you! Cheers! Feel free to send photos of all of your concoctions J
The Logan:
½ cup OJ
1 cup frozen berries
Handful of spinach
1 whole banana
The PJ Baytarian:
1 cup soy milk
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 banana, broken into chunks
14 frozen strawberries
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
The Judy (inspired by the Anna at Beyond Juice):
½ cup blueberries
½ cup of strawberries
½ banana
Coconut water
Squirt of lime juice
Scoop of peanut butter
A dash of Orange Juice
(honestly my measurements are guesstimates, use your best judgement!)
To read more on the fascinating topic, check out some of my resources J
Stay safe and healthy and enjoy this beautiful weather today. J
Judy Lansky
Director of Corporate Initiatives
Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan
Musical Monday Moves Me
Musical Monday's theme is flowers, so I'm posting a classic. There is no flower song more beautiful than the Waltz of the Flowers by Pyotr Ilyitch Tchaikovsky. Tchaikovsky was one of the best composers of all times, so I'm sure you've heard this one, even if it was on an episode of The Munsters. LOL! I'm curious to see if anyone else chooses Waltz of the Flowers for this theme. I hope you enjoy this classic!
Hurry in for our freebies and flash freebies. Even though my resources are forever free, some of my group mates are offering a limited time frame on their offers so check us out here.
