February Fun!

 It has been such a long time since I have posted and I apologize for that!  I have been teaching for over twenty years and this was the year I finally realized how fast life passes by!  My son is a high school senior this year and it has been a year full of goodbyes and hellos!  Goodbye to the last cross country race, hello to college admission forms, goodbye to the first day of school, hello to those college visits.  It has been a year that has opened my eyes and pulled at my heart.  Teaching has always been my passion but right now I am savoring the last few days of being a mother to my son.  It has been a blessing and an honor and I appreciate every moment of it.  If you have read this far, thank you!  Now on to February fun in a first grade classroom!  My firsties always love making these little monkey holders and the dollar store has these little monkey cuties in stock for a dollar a piece to hand out as fun valentines for my students.

 We have also been celebrating the abundance of snow this season by creating painted snowmen and decorating our classroom door.  Happy February and I look forward to updating this blog more consistently in the days to come!  Enjoy each day!

Happy New Year!

The teacher across the hall did this little craft and writing activity which I thought was amazing!!!  She bought plastic gold Christmas ornaments for 50% off at the after Christmas sales and look at the idea SHE came up with!!!  She tied the ornaments onto a piece of clear string and paper punched a hole midway down the page.  The students wrote 2014, decorated the sheet with confetti and wrote about their new year.  The string can be manipulated to show the ball dropping!  WOW!  I am sure her students loved this activity and my students are just wishing that they could do this too!  Believe me, next year I will be looking for those little plastic balls.  Happy 2014!

Holiday Gifts....Completed!

As of last Sunday, I had no idea what my first grade students were going to create for their families.  I wandered around Walmart aimlessly as I searched through my Pinterest account on my cell phone.  Nothing was coming together, my brain was tired, my creativity was zapped, I was at an all time holiday low.  But then, my dear husband called.  He was at Home Depot......did I need anything?   Poor thing, he had to listen to crazy me rattle on and on like only an exhausted, old first grade teacher could, in the midst of the holiday bustle.  Out of desperation, he mentioned that I could paint blocks and create a snowman like he had seen one day when I was looking at my Pinterest boards.  Maybe he had a thought here.  He told me to get stuff to decorate wood blocks while he tracked somebody down to cut 2 by 4 boards into 6 inch blocks.  I easily found paint, felt, buttons, ribbon, and women's ankle socks.  As you can see, his idea turned out to be one of the cutest family gifts my students have ever made.  My students painted the blocks one day, and then decorated them the next.  They cannot wait to take these little cuties home and I have once again found holiday cheer!   Happy Holidays!  

Kindness Tree

I love the month of December because it gives my first graders an opportunity to share acts of kindness with others.  One way we do this is with our Kindness Tree.  On the first day of December I bring in an undecorated tree.  The students are usually surprised and baffled by the empty tree and they often want to quickly decorate it.  I let them know that we will add one ornament everyday to the tree.   The ornament is a plain, white plastic ball.  We think of a word that we can write on the ornament that would show kindness.  I write the words with a black Sharpie marker and then we hang it on the tree.  For example, if our word is smile, we will practice that word all day in the classroom, throughout the school, and at home.  We are finding that when we share these kind acts in our classroom, school, and home, we are giving the gift of kindness to others.  These gifts don't cost a penny but rather come from the heart and are worth more than we may ever know.  The students also begin to realize that as we add each ornament to the tree, the tree grows more beautiful.....just as we do when we share our gifts with others.  

Five Minute Time Filler

I am sure you have experienced those times when you have five minutes until the bell rings and if you do not fill it with an activity, chaos will surely follow!  This game is perfect....no prep, basically no materials, and once the students learn how to play it, it can be played over and over again.  In our classroom we use the smartboard but it can also be played on the chalkboard or a large easel.  I write a three letter word and then highlight the letter that needs to be changed.  For example, in the top photo I wrote kit and highlighted the k.  A student will need to think of a word that keeps the it ending but changes the first letter.  The student I selected responded with sit.  I then highlighted another letter in sit that needs to be changed and so on.  I hope this makes sense.  It is a great game and so easy to play.  The sad thing is the only title we could come up with for the game is the One Letter Change Game.  So that is the title we use in our classroom!

Spring? I Don't Think So!!!

Spring arrived this past week but as I write this, we are under a Winter Storm Warning.  Really?  A Winter Storm Warning at the end of March?  That is Ohio for you.  I am trying to busy myself with creating some special little surprises for my adorable first graders.  I made these cute little carrots last year and they were a hit.  All you need are some triangle plastic bags, an orange snack filler, and pretty green ribbon.  You can use any orange snack food such as Cheetos, cheese balls, Goldfish crackers, orange jelly beans, etc.  Easy, easy...25 bags were created in like fifteen minutes!

I found a great big container of Cheese Balls at Sam's Club and I was able to make exactly 25 bags from the one container and that was even after sneaking a few cheese balls for myself!

I will carry them to school in my little basket and pass them out right before Spring Break!  

I also had to share this little craft that is so cute and easy.  Trace a large egg pattern on white card stock or construction paper.  Each child will need two large eggs.  After students cut out the eggs, staple them together on the top.  Students decorate the top egg to look like an easter egg.  Cut the top egg in half, students then decorate the inside to look like a bunny.  The kids love this!  On the back of the project, the students wrote "Some Bunny Loves You" and could share it with someone at home.  I know, no educational value but great for those Ohio inside recesses right before Spring Break.  Have a great week!

Valentine's Day Fun!

We had our Valentine's Day celebration today and we did not monkey around when we made our bags to collect our valentines.    The students were so proud of themselves as they delivered valentines.  I love this day!  

We also had the best time frosting and decorating cookies.  How simple it was, yet even after all these years teaching I had never had a cookie decorating party before.  I sent home a donation sheet requesting frosting and a variety of sprinkles, sugars and candies.  We set up a table where the students could create their own creations.  What fun it was.  A decorated sugar cookie and a Capri Sun was all that was needed for treats.    It was a very simple activity but the kids loved it!  Now it is time for a wonderful three day weekend.  Happy Valentine's Day everyone!