Sample Love Letter

To the one who can always make me smile,

I am writing this letter to tell you how simply amazing you are, and how your presence in my life makes everyday a little better. I just want you to know that you are truly an amazing person, and I love you so much I don't know how it is possible to feel this much love.

When I see you it is like the first time I have seen the sunrise reflected upon the ocean; it is miraculously beautiful. When you touch me it is electric; it is always like the first time. When you are with me I have no doubt that everything is going to be okay.

You are the person who adds the fire to my soul, and you are the person who is my shelter when this world gets too terrifying. You are the sunshine that breaks through the clouds when I am a thunderstorm.

I love you so much that my words are nothing compared to your breathe on my neck when we fall asleep. I love you so much that my heart dances at the thought of you. I love you so much that I would rather kiss you only once than never kiss you again.

You are my love, and my life; you are my heart and my soul; you are the reason I wake up and smile, and life with is more than a sweet dream.

With ever endearing love, 

Quick, Simple, and Easy No Bake Cookie Recipe

Quick, Simple, and Easy No Bake Cookie Recipe
By Sarah Ganly

Everyone loves cookies, but not everyone has time to bake. With increasing job demands, travel time, bringing the kids back and forth from school and extracurricular activities there is not always enough time to wait for your cookies to bake in the oven. I have compiled a couple of easy, quick, no bake cookie recipes for all of those of you out there who love to make cookies but don't have enough time to bake.

The first recipe is for butterscotch oatmeal cookies. You will need one small package of butterscotch instant pudding mix; you can substitute this with chocolate, vanilla, or any of your other favorite flavors of pudding to mix it up a bit. You will also need 2 cups of white sugar, 5/8 cup of butter,2 and a 1/3 cup of instant oats or oatmeal, and 5 ounces of evaporated milk. All you have to do is bring all of the ingredients except for the oats to a boil; then you will stir in the oats. Finally you will line a cookie sheet with wax paper and drop small amounts of the mixture onto the wax paper. Refrigerate for an hour and the cookies are ready to eat!

Another quick and easy cookie recipe that does not require baking is for chocolate peanut clusters, and all you will need for this recipe is 2 cups of chocolate chips, 1 and a half cup of peanuts, 1 and ¾ cups of butterscotch chips, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, and 2 cups of chow mien noodles. In a double boiler melt the butterscotch and the chocolate chips. When all of the chips are melted remove from heat and mix the rest of the ingredients into the melted mix. Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper and refrigerate until hardened.

These recipes are simple, quick and require no baking time whatsoever, so everyone out there can keep up with their busy schedules and still be able to enjoy delicious homemade cookies!

Remedies for Poison Ivy You Can Find in Your Kitchen

by Sarah Ganly

So you have been waiting all winter for spring to finally arrive so you can get in your garden, but after a long day of playing in the dirt you end up with a red blistery rash. Poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac are a huge kill-joy in the winter, but with a few household remedies you can be rid of the rash in no time.

1. Baking soda and vinegar can be mixed together into a paste. The paste should be applied to the infected area. A dry washcloth should be used to scrub the area thoroughly. When the paste dries rinse it off with cool water.

2. Oatmeal can be put in a bath in order to sooth the itch from the rash. It can also be mixed with hot water and used as a mask for the affected area. It will dry out the area as it dries.

3. Banana peels can be smeared on the infected area. The inside of the peel can be scraped and used, or the whole peel can be rubbed on the wound.

4. Dish detergent is another way to treat this nasty rash. Its degreasing properties rid your skin of the oils that are produced by the rash. This method also helps stop the spreading of the rash. Apply the dish detergent directly on the rash, let sit a few minutes, and rinse with cool water.

5. Watermelon is delicious and helps get rid of poison ivy. Take an entire piece rind and meat and rub it lightly over the rash. Let is air dry and the rash will lessen in a day.

6. Tofu may not be in everyone's refrigerator, but it can help heal poison ivy quickly. Just rub lightly over rash and let dry by air. The rash should be noticeably less the next day.

7. Regular table salt can also help with poison ivy. Add a little water to the salt and rub it on the rash. If the itching remains use the salt again. This may seem like it will sting, but it actually has a relieving feeling.

Poison ivy is the dreaded enemy of spring time gardening enthusiasts and nature lovers alike, but the terrible rash it causes can be stopped short with these simple home remedies. All of these cures can be found in most homes, and can be a great relief for those who have been subjected to poison ivy.

Tips on How to Make Inexpensive Homemade Wedding Favors

Weddings are that special day where everything from the flowers to your shoes has to be just right, and all of the little details can start to add up to a number a lot higher than your budget. Are many things one can do in order to lessen the cost of their wedding. Here is a list of inexpensive wedding favors you can make in the comfort of your own home.

Chocolate dipped marshmallows are another budget friendly option for your wedding. Simply melt some chocolate chips in a microwave for a few sections and stir to make smooth. Stick marshmallows on lollipop sticks and dip and roll in the chocolate. Then roll the marshmallow in sprinkles or cookie crumbles. Allow to dry and put in small cellophane bags tied with ribbon. 

Another easy and inexpensive wedding favor can be made right in your kitchen. The ingredients you will need are Jordan almonds, dried fruit such as apricots and cranberries, a couple yards of netting, and ribbons with the couples names and wedding date printed on them. Mix the ingredients together and cut the tool into squares. Fill the squares, bunch up the netting and tie it with the ribbons. You can add candies or chocolates to these favors, and you can also tie little flowers around the favors if you like.

A very unique and inexpensive favor can be made for weddings happening in the spring or fall. For fall weddings all you need is some flower bulbs, ribbon, fake flowers, and squares of netting. Place a couple of bulbs in the squares of netting and tie them up with the ribbons and flowers. Another good idea is filling the netting squares with flower seed packets. These favors are frugal, and when planted your wedding will be remembered for a long time to come.

Weddings are wonderful events that should be cherished for years to come, and it can be celebrated in a way that is not expensive but still perfect with these little tips!

written by Sarah Ganly

How to Plan Age-Appropriate Math Lessons Using Classroom Items

Math is one of the subjects a person either loves or hates when they are in school. Math classes can be really boring or really interesting. It is important to make math classes interactive and fun if you want your students to find math interesting. It is also important to take the age level of a student into consideration when designing instructional lesson plans for math classes. If both of these factors are taken into consideration math classes can be exciting and educational.

Teaching strategies and instructional methods in the mathematics classroom should be age appropriate. In order to teach the mathematical concept of measurement to students in a lower elementary grade there are
certain methods that should be used.

The concept of measurement in lower grades can be explained by using wooden blocks. Kids can be asked to compare the blocks to see the difference in sizes. They can figure out which are bigger or smaller. They can also observe the height differences and the differences in width.

Rulers are also necessary tools for children in lower elementary grades, and they can be used in many mathematical lesson plans. The kids can use the ruler to measure the amount of a difference between the blocks. Students do not have to be limited to using the blocks and the ruler.

It would also be fun to use other objects found around the classroom in order to complete this assignment. Students can look around and pick different toys and objects in the classroom that can be compared and measured. Any objects the student find they can measure, and that helps get the students involved.

In middle school measurement is more complex, but rulers are still an essential. As students move into middle school they can learn about measuring as well. Now that they already understand size differences they can learn how to add and subtract measurements as well. As a project that illustrates this point the kids can all pick different items and measure them.

The students can than practice adding the lengths together; they can also subtract them apart as well. This lesson can help work students into learning about volume and mass which is an important lesson for middle school children. Letting the students use their own abilities to determine the size, volume, and mass of objects can keep the students involved and interested.

When teaching mathematical concepts to children in is key to keep in mind the education level of the students. It is also important to construct activities that help get the students to participate. Using simple tools that you can find around the classroom is easy and beneficial and should be applied to all math classes.

written by Sarah Ganly

The Mold Terrarium: Perfect Fourth-Grade Scientific Experiment

The mold terrarium is an awesome scientific experiment for fourth-grade students. This experiment is excellent for a class that is discussing the scientific topic of how food is degraded into nutrients into the soil. The mold terrarium is a great project that is not only fun, but it is also easy.

In order to create a mold terrarium I would need container that is clear, has a lid, and can be thrown away after the experiment is over. Water and adhesive tape are also necessary to complete this experiment. Some leftover food is the final ingredient needed and can be brought from home by the students. The food should vary, but fish, poultry, and meat should not be used because they will start to smell badly.

In order to be safe make sure to let students know that the terrarium should not be opened. The entire project must be thrown away after the experiment is over. It is important to let the students know that it is bad for people to breathe in mold, and it may make students sick. It is important to stress that the jar not be opened. It is also important to emphasize that the lid will be taped so that it cannot be opened. The jar should also be placed in a safe spot where it will not get broken.

In order to complete this experiment; students must bring in pieces of food from their homes. All of the food items should be cut into 1-inch pieces, unless they are already smaller than an inch. If you are using a jar lay it on its side so there is more surface area to cover with food. Take the food pieces and dip them in water. Next lay them in the glass jar so that they are close to each other, but not touching. Close the lid on the container and tape it shut. Label your mold terrarium and put a sign on it that says do not open. Students can check the mold terrarium everyday for about 2 weeks, and they will see the various changes in the food. They will see how mold grows, and how food decomposes.

In order to monitor student performance, I can have them keep a journal about their thoughts on the mold terrarium. Through this journal I can observe if the student has accurately observed the concept, if the student has theorized about the cause and effect of this experiment, and I can judge if the student is trying to collect data on this assignment. I can also have the student make a drawing of one piece of food in the terrarium every couple of days in order to help visualize the concept of how mold grows. These ideas will not only help reflect the student's performance, but they will create opportunities for cross-disciplinary learning as well.

In order to assess this lesson I will question whether or not the students enjoyed the lesson and participated in it. I will also assess whether or not students seemed to grasp the concept of this lesson, and whether or not the experiment helped. I will also assess the use of journals, and have the students do oral presentations in order to see what they have learned. I will also assess whether or not all of my safety precautions were enough or not.

This project is fun for children, and it is hands on so I think it will help to get students involved. It presents cross-disciplinary opportunities and allows for students to watch how something grows. Overall I think a mold terrarium is an interesting and fun science project that has much learning potential.

written by Sarah Ganly

The Value of Assessment in the Classroom

Assessment is the process and procedures used to gather data, utilizing a variety of factors, about student performance.

Assessment is a very important factor in education. An educational professional must be able to effectively evaluate and assess the students progress and knowledge of the subjects being taught. A teacher must also be able to assess how a student learns and if the methods the teacher is using is effective.

In order to assess a student's classroom success many processes and procedures must be used to gather data (Lemlech, 2006). This data can be used to evaluate the performance of the student and determine the students grade in the classroom. There are many ways to assess a student's progress in the classroom, and there are many factors that reflect a student's progress in the classroom.

Assessment is a necessary tool in a classroom that all teachers must master. Performance assessment and grading rubrics are both means of assessing a students performance, and they are effective for use in a classroom.

Performance assessment is a very common and effective method of evaluating the progress of a student. This method of evaluating a student's performance does not rely only on tests grades so that students who are not always good at tests can reflect their understanding of the material. "The use of performance assessment helps teachers gain insight that informs curricular and pedagogical decisions" (Lemlech, 2006, p.166).

There are many strategies that are used in performance assessment, and the performance of a student can be assessed during many classroom activities. Group work, oral presentations, tests, artwork, and student made projects are all tools that can be used to to assess the performance of students. An important part of performance assessment is that students have the means of showing the teacher how well they have retained the knowledge in the classroom.

Grading rubrics are also important means of assessing the retention of a child's knowledge of the classroom work. Grading rubrics are not only useful for the teacher, but they can be useful for the student as well. With grading rubrics a child is aware of exactly what a teacher is looking for in an assignment, and a teacher can easily judge an assignment by comparing it to the standards set in the grading rubrics.

As a teacher it is important to be aware of a student's performance in the classroom for many reasons. If a teacher is accurately able to assess a students progress the teacher will know if the teaching methods are working, and if and where the students need help. Assessment is a necessary factor in the educational system, and all teachers should be aware of the many means and methods of assessing.

Reference:
Lemlech, J.K. (2006). Curriculum and instructional methods for the elementary and middle school. [University of Phoenix Custom Edition e-Text]. , : Prentice-Hall/Merrill. Retrieved November 4, 2007, from University of Phoenix, rEsource, Classroom Instruction Web site.

written by Sarah Ganly

Home, School and Society Affect Educational Goals

Educational goals and standards are directly affected by the goals and standards of the society in which the school exists. Home, society and schools play many similar and different roles in the educational systems of today, and educational professionals have to use these relationships to benefit the students.

Home plays a huge role in education because students come into the classroom with thoughts and situations that they have acquired from their homes. Some students have preconceived notions of values and morals that they learn from home (Lamlech, 2006). Some of these ideas can be positive and some can be negative, but the teacher has to figure out how to use these ideas and views to bring the class together instead of apart. Some students do not have stable homes, and this can cause many problems in the child's ability to be educated. The teacher must get to know each child and establish a healthy relationship (Lamlech, 2006). If this occurs than the student will be able to talk to the teacher and look for help. The home lays the foundation for the child's educational experience.

Society also plays a role in a child's educational goals and standards because it also provides students with a sense of values and beliefs. Society provides children with a picture of how they are suppose to act. Society also sets standards in which students and the American population are suppose to be educated (Lamlech, 2006). Because of societal views the government has passed many laws establishing standards for students, and educational institutes are supposed to meet these requirements (Lamlech, 2006) . As a teacher I would take advantage of the government programs that help with the education of society, and I would inform my students of them because there are many programs such as financial aid, that can help increase a student's ability to learn.

School plays a role in educational standards and goals as well. Schools directly implement the standards and goals of a student (Lamlech, 2006). Schools provide programs for students such as tutoring and math clubs, and these programs help promote education. Teachers must take full advantage of these programs, help create and volunteer for these programs, and inform the children of these programs in order to truly benefit from them.

There are many levels that influence the standards of students, and they should all be optimized in order to optimize the educational level of today's classrooms.

References:

Lamlech, J. K. (2006). Curriculum and instructional methods for the elementary and middle school (6h ed.). , : Prentice-Hall/Merrit.

by Sarah Ganly

No Egg Pie Crust

I am the type person who always wants to cook, but I never have the right ingredients. Its like I will have peanut butter but no jelly, or I will be trying to make bread pudding, but I will have no milk or cream. This happens to me all the time, so I have started to develop recipes that can be made without the obvious ingredients. This recipe is for no egg pie crust because sometimes you have all the fruit and delicious treats for the filling, but you have no eggs to make a crust!

First of all you will need your ingredients, but there are only four ingredients so do not get worried! The ingredients needed are two and a third cups of flour, a teaspoon of salt, half of a cup of vegetable oil, and half a cup of milk. The milk can be substituted for cream or buttermilk, but in those cases add a little less oil!

Now that you have all your ingredients gathered up mix the milk and vegetable oil together. Get a good blend into them so they mix well. Now sift the flour and mix the salt into the flour; remember to mix the dry ingredients separately. Add the liquid concoction you just made to the dry ingredients all at once. Mix all of the ingredients well.

The dough might seem a little strange at first, but it will taste delicious. The texture may be a little crumbly, but if this is the case add a little more oil until the dough will form and stay in a ball. The next step is to wrap the dough in plastic wrap, or if you are like me and never have everything you need you can use wax paper. Refrigerate the dough ball for about fifteen minutes.

After the ball is removed from the refrigerator it is ready to form a pie crust. Since there are no eggs in this recipe the dough will be harder to roll, so I suggest starting with a flattened ball and pressing the dough into the pie plate. The pie dish will not have to be greased because the dough has enough oil in it! You can try to roll the dough if you like, and if you do recommend rolling it in between two pieces of wax paper.

Now that you have your pie crust you can go ahead and start baking. You can bake the shell alone for cold pies like chocolate mouse, or you can fill it and bake it like you would any other pie crust!

By Sarah Ganly

Best Practices for Teaching Diverse Learners

The classrooms of today are extremely diverse. There are many teachers who do not take into consideration the diversity of the students they teach. There are many types of diverse learning groups, such as gender, cultural and linguistic. Students all come from different backgrounds, have different interests and have different learning structures that they are accustomed to. It is important to use the best methods of teaching a diverse student population as possible in order to be an effective teacher.

In order to effectively teach students of different genders it is important to encourage equal participation in all classes. If one gender is called on more often than anther there may be confidence issues. It is also beneficial to make sure presentations are done by both sexes in all different subjects, and to not expect certain genders to focus on certain subjects. When planning lesson plans it is valuable to present men and women in roles that are not stereotypical; this will help enforce the idea that gender is not a restriction. It is also a good practice to encourage males and females to pursue careers in non stereotypical roles; this will help students use their talents and skills in areas they are interested in. All of these methods are beneficial ways to help break down fears and stereotypes associated with gender. When these walls are broken down students will be more capable to learn and achieve.

It is important to take into account the diversity of cultures in a classroom in order to be the best teacher you can possibly be. When in a classroom it is very helpful to create a friendly environment in the classroom and encourage all students to participate. If there is a friendly environment where everyone is respected for their differences instead of feared or ridiculed real learning can be achieved. If the classroom environment is a friendly environment than students will be more excited to learn; they will also be less shy and afraid to contribute their own ideas to the class. In the case of English Language Learners and students who are not familiar with American culture it is important to use many concrete examples such as pictures to help teach the lessons. It is also beneficial to assign learning partners to help assist the learning process in culturally diverse classrooms.

Encouraging all students to participate can be applied to both types of learner identified. Interaction is the best method of learning. When a student participates in the classroom they are not only hearing or seeing the lesson be explained; they are interacting and learning the lesson through their own involvement. This has a much stronger impact on a child and leaves a much longer lasting effect on the child. I feel this single strategy can be effective for all learners because interaction is the best method of learning, and when a student is encouraged to participate they will have more confidence in themselves. I think confidence will help a student be capable of learning.

All of these ideas are important when teaching in a diverse classroom environment, and should be taken advantage of when trying to become the best teacher you can possibly be.

By Sarah Ganly