Inside Bell's Brain

  It's time for another Pick 3 Pinterest Party Linky with Inspired Owl's Corner !  Since it's full-swing back-to-school mode for many of us, we're posting pins for our classrooms this month.  Check mine out below.  I just had a great conversation the other day with my friend Davita about the difference between a topic and a theme .  I wanted to make sure I was doing my students justice on this standard when I explained it to them.  ( Academic language is SO important for our ELs.)  Then I ran across this anchor chart pin.  It's simple and to the point , but I really like the second half about how the authors suggest theme.  It gives students something more tangible in the story that they can grab and identify the evidence to support their claims.  I can definitely see myself using these ideas this year. Click on the photo above to pin on your own boards! Back-to-school means g...

It's hard to believe it's already August...I mean, where did the summer go?!  So here's my current situation ... Listening ...this morning I've been listening to an epi of GMA while I work. Only a few more days 'til it's no more GMA for me.  Loving ...how my diploma frame turned out!  I didn't want to have anything traditional . Not that there's anything wrong with traditional; I just wanted to think outside the box . I mean, it's only taken me four years to do it anyway!  I did know that I wanted something to hang my tassel to the right of my diploma.  A few weeks back I blogged about this really cool drawer shelf, and since then I've wanted something drawer-esque somewhere in my house. That wasn't my plan for the diploma frame, but then I saw this drawer photo frame at Hobby Lobby and fell in love. And it was 50% off !  Even better.  But I've rambled too long here anyway, so I will save the other deets for my ne...

Another Plan with Me Sundays link-up with Kreative in Kindergarten and Keeping Up with Mrs. Harris . This time we are talking all about supplies !  I enjoy planning and being organized , as well as shopping for school supplies , so it only makes logical sense that planner supplies would send me into teacher diva overload !  Of course, everything doesn't HAVE to be cute, but I have learned about myself that when something has visual appeal and I enjoy doing it, I am more likely to be consistent . So here are my faves for this year...(keep in mind I'm still waiting on my own planner so I already feel behind ...sad face)... Clearly, planners are for writing !  There is so much to do and record and document as a teacher that the right writing tools are so important.  I like to use different colors for different tasks/roles I have so that I can quickly scan my monthly/weekly spreads for which activities go with which of my life roles.  Bu...

When this summer began, there were so many things I wanted to accomplish !  Among them was reorganizing and decluttering my office and digging my way out of the piles of stuff that I had accumulated by not assigning each thing its proper home in my home.  So office overhaul was certainly on this summer's bucket list .  Joining my blogger/IG friends @laugheatlearn @proudtobeprimary @onesharpbunch to share my #summerbucketlist. #teachersofinstagram #teachersfollowteachers #teacherthoughts A photo posted by Erika Bell (@insidebellsbrain) on Jun 10, 2015 at 9:35am PDT I'm so thrilled that I can finally cross it off my list this week!  Of course, there are still a few small tasks left to accomplish, but I have significantly reduced the number of piles in the floor...and that's DEFINITELY progress in my book!  Take a look at my new spread . I am so excited at how well my inspiration wall came together.  I wanted a vinyl quote ...

I was so excited when I saw the offer that A+ Images had for teacher bloggers earlier this summer.  This company is so awesome !  I definitely wanted to work with them to print my brand new logo on a shirt of my very own . The quality was amazing !  It's so soft, and I felt like a real celebriteacher when I got it in the mail.  It came in perfect timing for me to take when I went to Vegas last week.  Isn't it just awesome ?! Don't forget to check out their site for your own shirts using the link above.  I saw their booth at the exhibit hall at the SDE conference last week, and all their work is incredible ! 

I'm still on cloud nine from my amazingly epic Las Vegas vacation .  Yes, I attended conferences the entire time I was there, and yes, I still consider that a vacation!  I had so much fun , and I feel like I've finally found "my tribe."  Here are some of my highlights from my trip.  I know I've posted about 50 pics here, but - trust me - these were the narrowed down choices !  I took over 400 in all, and I'd like to thank the Shutterfly app for immediate uploads that helped me keep my phone cleared off to capture all these awesome moments.   The conferences were at The Venetian , which was absolutely beautiful , but also absolutely pricey .  I stayed across the street at The Mirage and had a lovely time.  It also encouraged me to start and end each day with a little walk (since I had to walk across the street to the conference location), so that was good to balance all the sitting I did in the workshops.    ...