Tried It Tuesday (Facebook stumped!)

Time to Take on Tried It Tuesday!! How's that for alliteration? :)
I am loving all the ideas linked up each week by everyone.
Teachers are the BEST sharers (that's a word, right?) of knowledge!

What is Tried It Tuesday?  Read more about it here.

<center> <a href="http://fourthgradeflipper.blogspot.com/"><img src=" http://i593.photobucket.com/albums/tt15/04fallingstar/3AM%20Blog%20Design/3am_triedittuesday_3_zpsd7a240d4.png" width=225 height=225 border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></center> Awesome linky button above designed by the talented Michelle at The 3am Teacher! My Tried It: Facebook for My Blog! I finally started a facebook page for my blog.  I'm sure my personal Facebook friends were tired of seeing all my comments on teaching pages!  Haha!!   Thanks to the inspiration of some of my BBB's (Best Blogging Buddies) at Collaboration Cuties and their post HERE, I set up my page easily!  You have to check out their post if you would like to set up a page.  They have many screenshots and step-by-step instructions. WHAT I LOVE:   1.  I love being able to share little blurbs and shout-outs or links to recent posts on my facebook page.   2.  I love reading the news feed on my facebook page to see what my bloggy buddies are up to.  It is more appealing to the eye in my opinion than reading the feed on blogger.   3.  I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to change from my blog fb page back to my personal fb page.  It just takes a click of the button in the top right hand corner.  There is no entering of your username or password to go back and forth! 4.  Also, bloggers will often post a question or flash freebie on facebook that you won't see anywhere else. STUMPED! It really doesn't take much for me to get stumped when it comes to HTML code, but I spent way too much time trying to get a facebook pop up appear to new visitors on my blog!  I wanted something like this:

Was I successful?  I am not entirely sure, but I don't think so! I tried the html code from many websites (at least three) but could not get it to work.

I tried pasting the code directly in my template (by reverting to old blogger profile after backing it up and then pasting it after /body).  I made sure to type my facebook page where I was supposed to.  Then, to see if it worked, I cleared all my cookies and "reset Safari" so blogger wouldn't recognize me when I visited my blog.  It will only show the facebook pop up to viewers who have not visited my blog before.  So, after all that...NOTHING!

I tried code from all three websites above (and there may have been more but I can't remember now!).  Some codes asked to paste the code as a gadget and HTML script in your layout.  I tried it that way too and "reset Safari" again to check on it.  NOTHING!

I finally gave up.

If you are visiting my blog for the first time, could you write a comment and verify if you saw any pop up?  I still have it pasted as an HTML gadget but I don't think it works.

I am also stumped on how to get the correct "preview" picture when I post a link to a post in my comments.  I can't find how I would select that!  Help?!?

I would LOVE it if you "liked" my facebook page before you go!  Thanks friends!!

Spark Student Motivation Linky (music!) and Facebook page!

I am linking up for a quick Student Motivation strategy with the amazing Joanne at Head Over Heels for Teaching.  There are so many great ideas shared each week for motivating students.  I am really loving them!  Thanks Joanne for hosting:)

This week, we were working on Mother's Day projects and seemed to be able to relax a little since the ELA and Math state tests are OVER (we still have science yet to come but that one has barely any pressure compared to ELA and Math).  I was quickly reminded of how well the students work while listening to music.  I try to let them listen to music at snack time or during projects that involve coloring, cutting, etc.  However, the past couple months have been so demanding with the state tests drawing near that it seems like there is less and less time for these moments.  Even at snack time, sometimes I am busting my hump to get students caught up with late work and corrections. Yes, I feel like I am working HARDER than they are to get them caught up.

Okay, back on track to the MUSIC.

I use music as often as I can in lessons and try to find catchy songs on youtube for certain concepts we are working on.  Students love that.

However, this is a basic music motivator.

I am talking about playing top 40 hit songs (that I buy from iTunes) during those moments when students are working on a project, or having a snack, or at indoor recess.

The KEY?  Keep the music playing very softly and it is like magic!  The students work quietly and sing or hum to the music.  This helps to avoid inappropriate conversations and the noise level getting too loud.  As soon as it starts getting noisy, you hear students start saying, "Shhh, I can't hear the song."  

Sometimes another adult walks in my room and wonders why the students are listening and singing quietly to "Call Me Maybe".  

But, they really ARE working!  If they get off task, the music goes off.

There are not many teachers that I know of in our school that let the students listen often to songs they know and love from the radio.  I say, "Why not?"  

I know I love to work to music, so why wouldn't the students?

Students are even encouraged to give me song selections (clean versions, of course) that I will buy and download for the class.  That is a motivator in itself too.  When the students see that you care enough about them to spend your personal money to buy them songs, it goes a long way in building relationships with them.  I don't let the requests get out of hand and so far, in the five years I have been in 4th grade, no one has tried to abuse it.  This might be something I can add to my ClassDOJO trade in points day too!  Maybe they can pick the song selections for an activity or pick a few songs to add to the iTunes library!

I was busy today working on finishing up some new math fraction centers and adding a facebook page for Fourth Grade Flipper!  Yay!!  Thank you to Amanda and Stacia at Collaboration Cuties for their awesome tutorial!

If you are interested in following me on facebook, click here (I hope that works).  I need to get a button for my blog so I am not talking to myself on my new facebook page! Haha!

Also, don't forget to enter my giveaway that ends tomorrow at midnight!