Father's Day Coupon Book

Every year I have the students make something for their dads for Father's Day.  I usually have the students paint flower pots for their dads. You can check them out on one of my past blog posts. This year I decided to make the dads coupon books.  The kids LOVED doing these.  All they have to do is pick out the tie that they want.  Then they choose which coupons they want to add to the tie.  Then they staple them to the tie with a title on the front.  I also included To Someone Special in case they do not have a dad at home. This gift is quick, easy, and FREE.  If you want a FREE copy of the template, click HERE.

Mother's Day Bookmarks

I saw some really cute bookmarks on pinterest and decided to create my own.  The kids use their fingerprints to make a flower for mom.  Then you just glue the paper to card stock to make it sturdy.  I then had mine laminated so they will last for many years.  They turned out really cute!  If you want a copy for FREE go to my TPT store or click HERE.

Leprechaun Writing

I posted 2 years ago about a writing activity that I do with my 2nd graders for St. Patrick's Day.  You can read about it HERE

I have made it into a PDF file on TPT if you would like to download it.  It is FREE.

Get your FREE leprechaun writing HERE.

Here are some examples of the writings I did a few years ago.

Conversation Heart Stories

I like to do writing activities to go with each holiday.  For Valentine's Day, I have the kids create stories using conversation hearts.  This year I had them pick out 5 conversation hearts that they wanted to use in their story.  Then I had them write away and glue the hearts where they go.  This is fun way to incorporate writing.  They also love it because they get to eat the left over candy.  :)  For some reason, conversation hearts were harder to find this year.  I found some in individual packets, but thought it would be nice to have a printable version just in case I can't find them in the future.  HERE is my printable packet!  It is FREE!!!  If you don't want to use the printable hearts, you can use the stationary with the candy hearts. :)

 Here is an example with the printable hearts and stationary from my packet.

Mooseltoe

It is that time of year when the students (and teachers) are getting restless and ready for break!  I wanted to do some fun activities with children's books to keep the kids interested.  I wanted to start with Mooseltoe, but I couldn't find anything age appropriate and that was free. So, I decided to create one and share with everyone.  It has a sequencing activity, writing pages, and a graphic organizer to review character, setting, problem, and solution.  If you want a copy for FREE, click HERE.

Groundhog Day Writing

Groundhog day is always a fun holiday to talk about in your classroom.  The kids always enjoy learning new facts about groundhogs, and they always get excited about watching Phil come out of his hole and giving us a weather report.  Yesterday we did a writing activity to go with Groundhog Day. First, I read the students Wake Up, Groundhog! Then, we talked about what it means if he sees his shadow and if he doesn't see his shadow.  After our discussion, I had them decide whether or not they wanted Phil to see his shadow and why.  They filled out a graphic organizer listing 5 reasons why they did or did not want Phil to see his shadow.  After they filled out the graphic organizer, they wrote their reasons in story form.  We also made groundhogs out of our fingerprints.

This activity will be included in my February Writing Packet.

Valetine's Day Coupons

Every year, for every holiday, I struggle with what to get my students. I hate to get them something that will be thrown away as soon as they get home or that other students bring in for the gift bags.  So, this year I decided to make my students Valentine's Day coupon books.  In their coupon books, I will put a homework pass (every kid loves those), bean bag during reading time, and other fun FREE things that my kids love.  I love this idea because the kids will enjoy it, it is different from their other gifts, and most importantly it is a free gift!!  You can get a FREE copy HERE at my tpt store.  Happy Valentine's Day!

Christmas Family Night

I know I am EXTREMELY late on this post.  I was very lazy over my Christmas break.  Better late than never. :)

Every year around Christmas I throw a Family Night.  This is my Christmas present to my parents.  I set a date the week before Christmas break for 2 hours after school.  I set up different stations in the classroom.  Some of the crafts are made from supplies I already have.  Some crafts I will buy the year before on clearance.  Some of the stations include

1. A station full of  holiday books for parents to read with their children. 
2.  Make a Christmas card for a friend or family member.
3.  An ornament for the tree.
4.  A picture craft of some kind.
5.  Painting station.  This can be for figurines or any other item to paint.
6.  Gingerbread house station.  This year I did Santa's workshop from oriental trading.  Usually I will buy gingerbread cookie dough and use a house cookie cutter to make gingerbread houses.  Then I will have different candy and icing on the table for students to decorate a house.

I send home a letter to the parents explaining what the night is all about.  I also explain that siblings are allowed to come, but I like to limit 1 craft (from each station) per family so that every student from my class gets a chance to do every craft. I also like to provide cookies, hot chocolate, and coffee as light refreshments.

My parents and students always enjoy family night.  It is a great way to get parents involved and give them fun time with their children.  There isn't a better gift than time with your child. 

You can download some of the resources for free at my TPT store.

 

-->This is an example of the flier I give to each parent at Family Night.  I explain what each craft is so there are no questions.
The pictures that I took at Family Night are of my students and their parents so I can't include those.  I am going to show you a few Christmas crafts that I make with my kids each year.

 I use the kids' fingerprints to make reindeer. The lights are from a special light hole punch.

This is a scrapbooking style card that I have out for family night.

 Paint the kid's hand white and have them put their hand print around the ornament.  Then have them turn their finger prints into snowmen.

Cookies for Santa plates

Christmas Symmetry

I found this cute and fun symmetry activity in a mailbox magazine.  All you do is pick out 4 different Christmas shapes.  I chose a snowman, tree, snowflake, and gingerbread man.  I used our die cuts and cut them out on white paper.  I talked to the students about how both sides have to be the exact same.  Then I handed out the shapes and had the students fold them in half.  Then I had them trace over the fold with a black crayon.  They glued the shapes on construction paper that they divided into 4 equal pieces.  Then they decorated their shapes.

They had a lot of fun with this activity.  They also loved that it was Christmas themed.  They felt like they were doing more of a craft than a math lesson.  This is one I will do each year!

Quick Christmas Craft

My kids were overloaded with assessments and work last week.  I had some extra time on one of the days and wanted to do a craft with them.  The problem was that I didn't have anything planned.  So, I went straight to my go to Christmas craft. (I got the idea from Oriental Trading)  This is an easy craft and the materials are ones that you always have on hand in a classroom.  The kids loved it and they turned out cute as always!

Popsicle Stick Snowman

Materials:  9 popsicle sticks (per child), black & white paint, red construction paper, googly eyes, orange foam, and yellow stars

Directions:

1.  Get 8 popsicle sticks.  Paint 3/4 of each stick white.  These can be painted straight across or at a slant.  Then paint 1 popsicle stick black.

2.  Paint the other part of the 8 sticks black.
3.  Push the 8 black and white sticks together.  Glue the the black stick straight across the 8 sticks.  This is going to be the rim of the snowman's hat.

4.  Cut the red construction paper in to strips.  Glue a strip above the black popsicle stick.
5.  Glue the star, googly eyes, and orange nose onto the snowman.
6.  Paint or draw (with a sharpie) the snowman's mouth.

Christmas Writing

It's already Christmas time!! I can't believe how fast this year is flying by.  The two weeks before Christmas break I like to review previous skills and spend time on writing.  We have done quite a few writing projects already this week.  The first writing activity was a persuasive writing.  They had to pretend they were a reindeer and convince Santa to choose them to guide the sleigh for Christmas Eve. This is a lot like the Thanksgiving Persuasive writing. Since it was a familiar skill, they really enjoyed it and really improved.  The other writing activity we did was a descriptive writing.  They had to color an ornament and then write a descriptive paragraph.  They really enjoyed guessing who colored each ornament.  These are a few of the many writing activities that are in my Christmas Writing Packet.  If you would like to check it out, head to my TPT store or click HERE.

Thanksgiving Writing and FREEBIE!!

I know I am a little late posting this on the blog, but I wanted to be able to display my students' writing examples!

For Thanksgiving, we only have a 2 day week.  I like to do writing activities during these 2 days.  We did a narrative story, a persuasive writing, and a descriptive writing.  For the narrative story, I gave the students the prompt "Pretend you wake up on Thanksgiving morning and you are a turkey...."  All of the stories turned out so good!  This was by far the best writing they have done all year!!  When they finished their writing, the colored turkeys to paste around the paper.  You can check out our Scaredy Cats that were very similar.  For the persuasive writing, they had to choose to have Tom the Turkey or Pat the Pig for Thanksgiving dinner.  They had to persuade me to want their choice for dinner.  This was a great time to explain why we should use a variety of descriptive words instead of just using good and bad.  Finally, for the descriptive writing, they had to create their own recipe for a turkey.  The ideas ranged from chocolate turkey to a fruit turkey recipe.  They glued the pages onto construction paper to take home to their parents.  All of these ideas are in my 21 page Thanksgiving Writing Packet.  You can get it at my TPT store.  Just click HERE.

Narrative

I woke up Thanksgiving morning and was a turkey....

Persuasive Writings

Turkey Recipes

Thanksgiving FREEBIE!!!!

Have students make a bracelet with colored beads to help them retell about the first Thanksgiving.  To download the story and directions from my TPT store, click HERE.

Crafty Thanksgiving Plates

For Thanksgiving, we made turkey plates.  I wanted something fun and cute for them to take home, but most importantly I wanted something that they wouldn't toss into the trash as soon as they got there.  The kids LOVED this craft, and the parents have enjoyed it too!!

Materials:  orange paint, green paint, yellow paint, brown paint, red paint, black paint, sharpies, plates (I got mine from the Dollar Tree for $1!!!), and high gloss finishing spray.

I brought the students back to my table one at a time.  I painted their palm and thumb brown and the other fingers orange, red, yellow, and green.  I placed their hand on the plate and pressed down.  Once the hand print dried, I had them write Happy Thanksgiving and their name in a sharpie.  Then they put their finishing touches on their turkeys. I let these dry for a day or so and then sprayed them with the finishing spray.

I am really excited about how these turned out!! I was also surprised with how excited the kids were.  I can't wait to start our Cookies For Santa plates!!!

Drug Free Week

I needed a door decorating idea for Drug Free Week.  I actually got this idea from Sunny Days in 2nd Grade.  It was too cute to pass up.  Just like the author from Sunny Days, I saw this cute spider on pinterest.   I did not know how I wanted to incorporate it in my classroom, but with the help of Sunny Days I do now!! I even used her sign that she has posted on her site for free!!  The only difference is I painted a web on my door and then taped the spiders up!

For the door sign click HERE.  To get the spider template, click HERE.

Pumpkin Art

We made these before Open House this year.  The kids did a really good job with them and followed directions really well.  They were a quick, easy, and fun art for them.  This is also a great activity to teach symmetry. 

Materials:  Black paper, orange paper, glue stick, scissors, and a pencil.

Step 1:  Cute the orange paper in half.  Give each student 1 piece of black paper and a 1/2 piece of orange paper.

Step 2:  Draw half of a pumpkin on the orange paper.

Step 3:  Cut out the pumpkin.

Step 4:  Glue the outline of the pumpkin onto the black paper.

Step 5:  Glue the pumpkin half on the black paper.  Be sure to match it up with the orange outline.

Step 6:  Glue the mouth, eye, and other half of the nose on to the black side.