Getting Ready for an Author Visit!

In a few weeks, middle grades author Alan Gratz will spend a week in my district, visiting five different schools.  He will be with us on Thursday, October 20, and our whole school is getting ready for him!

Most of the teachers are reading either part of one of his books or the whole thing, which is so awesome.  Prisoner B-3087 was a favorite of our sixth and seventh graders last year, so many of them are already familiar with his work.

A few of the teachers said they didn't have time (or the inclination, sigh...) to do a read-aloud, so I offered to do a "quick and dirty" author visit preparation class for their students.  I think it's gone pretty well so far--tomorrow I'll be doing it with eighth graders, who are the true test!

I start the class off by booktalking Prisoner B and Code of Honor, and briefly mentioning The Brooklyn Nine and the League of Seven series.  Then we watch a quick YouTube video that Alan posted of his office at home.  He specifically mentions that he'll be seeing the kids soon a couple of times, so it's a great intro to him.

After that, I introduce the stations I've designed for the kids to get to know him, his books, and his website.

Station 1: Prisoner B readers' theatre

Station 2: Code of Honor readers' theatre

Station 3: League of Seven interview (segment)

Station 7: I Have/Who Has question game

Stations 4-6

• Station 1: Prisoner B-3087 readers' theatre (six characters)
• Station 2: Code of Honor readers' theatre (four characters)
• Station 3: League of Seven/steampunk info--author interview segment
• Station 4: Alan Gratz biography--website scavenger hunt and number game
• Station 5: Alan Gratz's first six books--website scavenger hunt and word search
• Station 6: AlanGratz's newest six books--website scavenger hunt and word search
• Station 7: Author Biography (from website)--I Have/Who Has questions
• Station 8: Listening station--Prisoner B on audible.com (segment)

The students have free choice of which stations they'd like to do, the only restriction being that they can't do the two word searches right in a row.  The kids are dying to check out his books after each class, so I take that as a great sign that our visit will be successful! 

I hope to run my creation by Alan when he's with us, and if I get permission, I will make it available on TpT for free.  Or you can contact me here and I'm happy to share.

I think I joined a cult.

The Erin Condren cult!!! I ordered a teacher planner for this coming year.  So excited and nervous.  Of course, the fact that it is a million dollars is what makes me nervous, but it just looks so beautiful.  It is much happier than the one I made for myself this past year.

In case you want to order something, go through this link.  Everything is just so pretty.  And happy.  I know I've used that word HAPPY a lot.

I really don't know much about the whole EC phenomenon, but from what I researched, it is all speaking to me--as a person of style and as a fashion-forward thinker.  And in fact, I wasn't sure where to blog about this--on my teacher blog or my crafter blog.  The lines are fuzzy.  Perhaps I'll post it in both places.

This is what I ordered--the ready-to-ship option, which has a generic cover (still super-cute, though!).  It comes with a coupon for a free personalized cover, so I'll get the one I really want once this one comes.

I also ordered some markers (I'm a pen connoisseur) that I hope I'll love, and a case for the planner, which of course, I'll need since the notebook will accompany me everywhere.  This is the case I ordered, and the cover I plan to get will match AND be one of my school colors.  (Squeeeee!!!)

It's that time of year when I start thinking about school and start to get that squiggly feeling in my stomach.  Only 5 1/2 weeks to go!!!

January thoughts

Well, we've already had 5 snowdays and 2 or 3 late openings because of the winter weather.  Actually, some of the days were "ice" days, and we had one "cold" day during the polar vortex.  I love myself some snowdays, but when we're down to two banked days and it's not even mid-January, I start to worry.  We'll be making up any days over our banked time, and that means we'll work federal holidays and that our early dismissal work days will be gone.

One of my colleagues shared with me a wonderful tool called www.planbook.com.  I am in love with this online resource! One of my January resolutions was to beef up my lesson plans, as the current four-word phrases I put in my calendar probably wouldn't stand up to my principal's scrutiny.  Not that he has ever asked for them--and before you judge, know that I have lesson plans typed up in the format we use at my school, but it's not often that I consult them and update them.  After 14 years of being a librarian, I kind of have it down--I hope that doesn't sound arrogant.  When I write down "atlas--week 2" in my plans, I know exactly what that means I'll be doing.  I follow my curriculum map, which is complete with SOL correlations, so it's not at all like I'm just flying by the seat of my pants.

Anyway, with my new online planbook, I have everything in one place--calendar, state standards, a template that I designed, a place for notes, and lots of flexibility to accommodate my 6-day rotation and our wacky schedule with extended day classes, early dismissal schedules, etc.  I can send a link to my plans to a substitute (although I usually write much more detailed plans for a sub), and I can add files to the plans, and even print them out for my principal (if he ever asks).  I think I can post a link to it when I get it all filled out and ready to go, so look for that soon.

We're predicted to get a little snow here on Wednesday, and anyone who lives in the south knows that it doesn't take much to call off school.  Here's hoping for another snow day!!