When Inspiration Strikes! My first linkup!

I've decided to try my hand at hosting my first linkup!

This weekly linkup really hits at the heart of my blog... Inspiration. All great ideas are inspired by something. I want to share what inspires my big ideas and I want to hear about yours. It doesn't matter if your idea was a huge success or an epic fail (because we've all been there!) This linkup is about coming together to support each other and share ideas!

My inspiration for this activity came after a LONG day spent researching for a project in one of my masters classes. We were given the task of creating a science or social studies themed unit that was entwined throughout all subjects in a self-contained classroom. WHEW! I was teaching 5th grade at the time and decided to create my unit on the American Revolution. I was scouring the internet for ideas and had never really thought of using YouTube in the classroom before when I stumbled across this gem...

And just like that, from this one little video, the floodgates of inspiration had opened and I was well on my way to creating a unit. (Isn't this video AWESOME?! This video is so good it makes me want to teach 5th grade again!)

I had decided right away that I would use this video to start the unit and again to wrap it up. The first activity I created was for the end of the unit. Students used the video as an example (along with a catchy American Revolution parody I wrote to Maroon 5's Misery) to write their own song parodies. Doing so showed me which students had a good grasp of what the American Revolution was all about and who needed more instruction.
My students were so engaged in this activity they started pairing up to write parodies the second the video ended. They even continued singing the song as they moved on to their next class!
Click on the image below to pick up this activity from my TpT store:

Your Turn: Linking up is simple!

1. Copy the three images from this post (linkup logo, lightbulb, idea title) to use in your post.
2. Write a post on your blog about your inspiration for great ideas in your classroom. 
3. Link your post back here by clicking on the InLinkz button below.
4. Visit at least 2 others who have linked up and get inspired by their great ideas!

An InLinkz Link-up