Mayabird218

Welcome to my HubPage! I am a wife and mother from Long Island, NY. While daily to do lists keep me pretty busy, I, for the most part, believe in planning for the future but living for the moment. Life goes by too quick! I believe each day is a gift and I don’t want to waste any of them.

My free time is usually spent with family and friends at the beach, a park, the movies, library, mall, zoo, aquarium, or museums. I love literature, photography, writing, music, dancing, cooking, watching movies, swimming, bike riding, board games, and playing cards. We travel as often as we can; whether it is a weekend getaway Upstate or to New England or a week-long trip to a beach or lake or, if our children are really lucky, an amusement park.

Professionally, I have worked both in retail and as a teacher. I love to share my passion for writing and literature with my students. A career in teaching hasn’t always been easy, but the rewards tend to outweigh the stresses.

I am too young to call myself an “expert” at anything but have lived life long enough to have learned quite a few lessons. I hope what I share is insightful and entertaining. Life is full of journeys and I am looking forward to embarking on this one with you by my side.

~ Maya

In the Spotlight

The Giver by Lois Lowry: Lesson Plan Ideas

Is it possible to create a true utopian society? Lois Lowry’s novel The Giver explores the dangers of sacrificing joy in order to eliminate the evil. When the main character, Continue »

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  Middle School Lesson Plans

  The Giver by Lois Lowry: Lesson Plan Ideas

  2 years ago

  Is it possible to create a true utopian society? Lois Lowry’s novel The Giver explores the dangers of sacrificing joy in order to eliminate the evil. When the main character, Jonas, receives the memories, good and bad, from the Giver, he has a hard time keeping the truth hidden and accepting a...

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  Literature

  Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai: Lesson Plan Ideas

  7 years ago

  Thanhha Lai’s Inside Out & Back Again is the story of a young Vietnamese refugee girl, Ha, and her family’s escape from Vietnam at the end of the Vietnam War. While this novel is fictional, its historical and cultural content are very real. Lai’s own life experience shines through in creating an...

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  Elementary, Middle School & High School

  College Preparation: Essential Checklist for Junior Year of High School

  2 years ago

  High School is one of the most memorable times in our lives but it can also be a very stressful time. Many adolescents have a hard time balancing their school work, social life and family relationships. These years can be overwhelming when students do not have a clear, organized plan. Along...

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  Lesson Plans

  Teaching Lord of the Flies

  19 months ago

  60 years after the publication of Lord of the Flies students are still fascinated with William Golding's story of survival. These lesson plan ideas will help teachers engage students on a daily basis.

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  Lesson Plans

  Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson: Lesson Plan Ideas

  2 years ago

  The issues featured in Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak can be viewed as controversial for classroom subject. However, this is an important piece of literature that realistically portrays some common issues adolescents face in school today. As with any text, teachers should completely familiarize...

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  Theme Park Visits

  A Magical Journey through Universal Studio’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter

  2 years ago

  The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida is a must-see attraction for HP fans, as well as those discovering J.K. Rowling's magical world for the first time.