What does "Opes" mean?
Coining a title for a webpage can be a difficult feat. And never is one completely satisfied with the title chosen. I am generalizing; however, I refused to use the generic "Teacher so-and-so's Website." Being a grammaticus curiosus, I am always interested in the etymology of words. I often look for the Latin root or translation of words that pique my interest. So the Latin word for resources is opes. The main purpose of my Weebly is to offer teachers, students, and parents resources to learn.
I also find it important to think about other contexts of a word - the connotative and denotative meanings, the literal and figurative meanings, and the meanings we personally connect to the word (if such a connection exists). Opes also means wealth, means, abundance, and in some cases, power (Cawley, University of Notre Dame Archives). If one thinks about it, using resources to become more educated or increase language skills will enable learners to have "wealth," "means," "abundance," and even "power" in the future.
This website does not claim to have the best or most exhaustive list of resources; these are merely tidbits and helpful tools I have found on my ESL journey. I hope they can be helpful to you as they have helped me. If you have any really great ones, I'd love for you to add them. You can use the Contact Me form under the Contact Info tab to send me any resources you feel may be helpful to others.
As the year progresses, one can find ESL lesson plans adapted from the SIOP model and more resources. Please check out and have fun with the PSSA activities. These are nice review resources for students who will be taking the state-wide tests. Enjoy!
Read Across America
Guest reader Diane Kline, a retired school teacher, teaches Kindergarten and First Grade story elements with The Mixed-Up Chameleon and Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Magnets and movable pieces brought these stories to life and actively engaged the learners!
Chinese New Year
Oral Stories with Mrs. Caputo's classroom
A turkey is afoot in Mrs. Dongilla's classroom!
Students play the Hot/Cold game, trying to find where the turkey hid the pumpkin. Then students take turns hiding the pumpkin from each other, giving "burning, hot, warm" and "freezing, cold, chilly" clues to each other.
This is What "Metacognition" looks like