Thursday, December 10, 2015

Five for Friday with FREEBIES and a CHEAPIE!

Oh my!!! I have missed you my blog. I'm so sorry for neglecting you for so long. Please don't hate me. The truth is I have so many ideas to share that sometimes I get writers block not knowing what to share. Especially at this time of the year. Anyway, here we go...

{1} Gifts for Students
If any of you still need an idea or two for teacher to student gifts, here's what I do. 
First I make this cool word search wrapping paper with all of their names on it. 
Did I hear you say, you want to know how to do that??? Then just go HERE and you too can have personalized word search wrapping paper or whatever for your kiddos.

Next, I get a fabulous book from Scholastic Reading Clubs for each of my kinders. Did you know that you can just type in $1 in the Scholastic search box and up pops the choices? I didn't either, until this year when I just tried it! These are regular size books too...wow so fun! This year I chose this adorbable story.
 Last, I make my little ones a fun reindeer candy cane as a gift topper.

{2} All Aboard! 

 We are planning for our last day before the break. We'll be taking a trip to the North Pole on the Polar Express. 

{3} Regular Ole School Stuff
We've been working on ways to make "6"...
...and practicing...
 ...so we could write reindeer reports using Little Minds at Work's ideas and free printables
Thanks Tara!

{4} Editable Stocking Freebie

You can use these stockings for whatever. We practice our sight words with a shell game. Pick up the freebie HERE.

{5} The Cheapie
No, I'm not referring to my ex-boyfriend. This would be a product to bring joy into your classroom while practicing decomposing. Hands on fun for all with Snowballs in the Igloo!
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Decomposing-5-6-7-8-9-1665346
Click below and grab it now for just $2.
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Decomposing-5-6-7-8-9-1665346

  Now go check out other fabulous teacher blogs HERE
http://doodlebugsteaching.blogspot.com/2015/12/five-for-friday-linky-party-december.html
 

    


Thursday, August 20, 2015

Hand Hewn Love {aka: Teachers with Power Tools}


What did you do this summer?  
{1} I did escape for a week to my favorite beach, but my summer wasn't all sand and surf. It started with a big crack in my kitchen ceiling, which was failing sheetrock holding up crumbling lathe and plaster and ancient insulation, not to mention more than a century of attic dirt. Hmmm...to fix or demo?  Demo it was!
{2} Although I loved the look of the original rough sawn timbers, they all had to be covered with insulation. So, I saw this photo of these exposed collar ties ... ooooooo!
I already had school house lamps (don't all teachers?) in the dining area, and my contractor, Juan Franco Construction, was game, so off I went to a fabulous reclaimed lumber retailer...
http://heritagesalvage.com/
{3} ...and found these 2 bad boys.
{4} Here are the results of my talented contractor's magic.
Sa-Wooooooon!
{5} 
Now go link up with Kasey and her fabulous Five for Friday!

Thursday, May 7, 2015

Five Steps to a Card with Flower Power!

Link up time! 
Thanks for this awesome linky party Kacey!
http://doodlebugsteaching.blogspot.com/2015/05/five-for-friday-linky-party-may-8th.html
Today I am sharing a fun photo card idea. I love the illusion that these sweet cards create. When you think the arm and fist have jumped right out of the photo, you'll be doing a double take!
 
Step 1/Pose
Have your subject stand with an outstretched arm and tight fist. Their arm should angle upward, with your camera being higher than their head. 
Step 2/Shoot
To enhance the illusion, take your shot with your camera close to their fist, so that it looks out of proportion to the size of their head.
Step 3/Cut
After printing your 4X6 photo, using a utility knife, cut small slots, slightly inside the top and bottom of the fist.
Step 4/Insert
 Weave a flower, handmade or real, through the two openings. 

Step 5
Mount the photo on cardstock or construction paper for a finished touch.
My students made these cards for Mother's Day. They would also make great birthday cards, get well cards, thank you cards etc.  I have seen them with lollipops for Valentines' Day as well. What other ideas do you have? How about a candy cane at Christmas time?

Thanks for stopping by and have a Happy Mother's Day! 

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Easter/Spring Ideas with Chicks, Eggs and Peeps

Link up time!
http://doodlebugsteaching.blogspot.com/2015/03/five-for-friday-linky-party-march-27th.html
{1} First up, the FREEBIE!
My kinders love to play this sight word game. You can find more information on this product with EDITABLE words HERE.
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Editable-Chick-FREEBIE-for-Sight-Word-Shell-Game-etc-1778854

{2} Come on baby...let's do the twist!!!
With a few addend combinations on the left side of a plastic egg and one sum on the right side, students twist the eggs until they find the correct equation. They then record their results on paper.

{3} Scrambled Eggs
Another way we like to practice sight words is with sight word letters inside of eggs. Don't have time to prep it? I have students who finish their work early do the prep. They get the benefit of extra practice with sight word spelling. Everybody gets time to crack open an eggs, "unscramble" them, and write words. They refer to our word wall as needed.

{4} Hatching Chick Art
I found this adorbs chick art over at Crayons & Cuties Kindergarten's Facebook Page.
We did them
on 12" X 18" white paper. With black crayon and a little yellow and orange paint, we created cuteness galore!
I couldn't decide if we should mount them or not, so I let my kinders decide. Just 2 girls chose to mount. One chose purple and one chose pink!

{5} Cruis'n Peeps
How cute are these pink Peeps in their roadsters??? 
http://www.keyingredient.com/recipes/2029415036/easter-bunny-racers/utm_source=from_pinterest_overlay
HERE is the recipe.

Party time:)

Thanks for stopping by and have a nice weekend (and spring break for some of us:))!


Tuesday, March 24, 2015

FREEBIE ~ Editable Chicks for Sight Word Game

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Editable-Chick-FREEBIE-for-Sight-Word-Shell-Game-etc-1778854

Sight Word Shell Game
Here's our sight word shell game for this month.
My students LOVE this game. Unlike the traditional shell game I don't shuffle the boxes. Instead we work on reading and memory. I (or one of my parent volunteers) hide the chick and they must read the word before I lift the box. This is very motivating for students who need more practice on sight words! If you would like to play this game, you can pick up these adorable EDITABLE chicks HERE. Thank you to Cutesy Clickables for their talent and oh-so-cute clip art!
I scored the wind up chick from the Dollar Tree store, but any toy or colorful egg will work. Use what you have!

I found the ice cream cups in the party section at the Dollar Tree at just 8 for $1. You can also do the same game with colorful take out boxes found in packages at the Dollar Tree or large styrofoam or paper cups. 

This product can be used for oodles of other games as well. Make two sets of sight words chicks and you have a matching (memory) game. Sorting, ABC order, number sequencing would all work. Type in CVC or CVCE words or numbers and let your imagination run wild! 

Enjoy and Happy Spring!

 

Friday, March 20, 2015

Hoppin' Along {{{Ideas for Easter and Spring}}}

Link up time!
http://doodlebugsteaching.blogspot.com/2015/03/five-for-friday-linky-party-march-20th.html
{1}Eggs in the Basket 
This is a super engaging activity that combines math with fine motor concentration. There is something about moving jelly beans around in a plastic bag, that has a calming effect. We could all use a little of that effect in our classrooms! I'm so proud of my students. Every one of them was able to decompose 10 this year using this manipulative bag.
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Decomposing-5-through-20-with-Eggs-in-the-Basket-1765467
The printables for decomposing 5-20 are available HERE.
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Decomposing-5-through-20-with-Eggs-in-the-Basket-1765467
You can read about other fun ways to use the printables HERE.
http://www.breninroom10.com/2015/03/eggs-in-basketfive-for-friday.html

{2} Free Easter and Spring Fonts
Hop over HERE to Lil' Luna pick these up.
http://lilluna.com/free-easter-spring-fonts/

{3} Sculpture for Kindergarten
I have to try this cool art. Hop over HERE to Art Actually to find out more. 

{4} Easter Recipes
Hop over to The Frugal Girls.com to find some treats for the classroom or home.
http://thefrugalgirls.com/easy-easter-recipes

{5} T-Shirts of the Week
St. Patrick's Day seems like eons ago, but my kinders came sporting such adorbs Irish spirit, I had to share a wee bit.
!!!HAPPY SPRING!!!