So...Most teachers are back to school and maybe even nearing a Fall break! Where did the days go? I know around these parts, teachers have had their Back to School Nights and are pretty much ready to dig a little deeper; whether it be 6 weeks of modeling and practicing expected behaviors for daily routines or digging deep into teaching, introducing homework or whatever your district is expecting you to do!
Well...I thought I might just give you a few ideas for September that are tried and true by the enthusiasm of my past students or that i have researched and found especially for YOU!! (being retired, I have tons of time to search and find!) Who am I kidding?...I have less time now than I did when I was teaching full time! But that is a story for another time!😍
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As we gear up for another exciting school year, it's time to embrace the spirit of unity and camaraderie as we return to school.
Building a strong and supportive community is the foundation for fostering a positive learning environment where your students can all feel welcome and an important member of your classroom community.
By coming together, sharing experiences, and celebrating diversity, we pave the way for a memorable and rewarding educational journey. As we embark on this new chapter, let's embrace the power of togetherness and create lasting connections that will enrich our lives both inside and outside the classroom. Welcome back to school, where community is key!
But before diving into some Back to School ideas that support classroom community building, you might want to take a look at a blog post I created a few years back, that still holds true today. 3 Ways to Help Students Become Active Members of Your Classroom Community or Feel Included
That being said, here are five back-to-school craft ideas that can help build a sense of community for your primary students:
Friendship Bracelets:
Have the kids create friendship bracelets with colorful beads and strings or use the paper bracelets with friendship sayings on, which I have included below. Simply color, punch holes on each end and use partner sticks to pick partners and encourage students to exchange bracelets with their classmates as a way to foster friendship and community.
Getting to Know You Craft:
Have students make a replica of themselves with templates that have specific prompts so every student and teacher can get to know a bit more about the each other. I would suggest that teachers also create one ahead of time. After each project is created. have students share one thing from their project that they want their teachers and peers to know about them.
My granddaughter, who is entering first grade this year, created this craft of herself and decided that she wanted to glue ideas about herself on a sentence strip instead of creating a mobile and of course, I said, "That's a great idea and much easier than the mobile!" I LOVE to encourage creativity when I teach to promote self confidence, critical thinking nd creativity!
Welcome Banner:
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Have you first graders fill in a Banner flag writing in specific information about themselves, such as; favorite color, number, hobbies, etc. Students can partner share or museum share their flags and then hang them in the hallway as a banner or glue each flag on construction paper and hang across the hallway outside your classroom. These Banners are included in the Getting to Know YOU Craft activity as a BONUS.
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Me Bags:
Each child decorates a brown paper bag and places objects, pictures, drawings and pretty much anything that gives information about themselves. They can think about hobbies, sports, favorite colors, favorite books, favorite trips, places etc. For this edition of ME BAGSI printed out images with words so students can cut, color and write on the pictures that most tell about them. This makes a great first week project!
Story Book Sharing:
Encourage your first graders to use the Back to school booklet that shares information about themselves or experiences. Then, have a story-sharing session where they can read their stories aloud to the class, promoting listening skills and empathy. You can also have a partner share and then have a few students share about their partner each day throughout the week.
These craft activities will not only be fun but also provide an opportunity for first graders to connect, communicate, and build a strong sense of community as they begin the new school year.
Happy Learning!
Let's create friendships, one craft at a time.
New school year, new friends, and new memories!
Introducing your first graders to the world of writing is a journey that lays the foundation for a lifetime of literacy. I am a firm believer that the more you write the better you read and more you read the better you write.
Reading and writing are intertwined and together form the bedrock of literacy. These comprehensive processes reinforce and amplify one another as well as enhance a life-long journey of communication and self expression.
The importance of starting writing early in the school year cannot be overstated, as it encourages key skills, nurtures creativity, and ignites a passion for communication through writing. With each pencil stroke and every word formed, these budding writers set sail on a voyage of self-discovery and growth, unlocking the power of their imagination and paving the way for future academic success. Not to mention that daily writing and having students share with partners will nurture friendships and a classroom community of writers.
Three to four students would meet every morning at the writing station to write and add to their "book" about their weekend sports and activities over the weekend.
That being said, every morning after greeting each student at the door, they had a choice time and could choose a morning activity until we met on the rug. (Of course there were a few housekeeping activities etc for which each child or groups of students were responsible for or were required to complete.) I was known to run a tight, fun ship where each student was valued for their contributions and were an important part of our classroom family. Why am I writing about these students? Where they the only students choosing writing each morning? NO, but they were writing together pretty much EVERYDAY about a topic they could ALL relate to...creating bonds and collaborating through writing.
Writing Everyday is Important for First Graders and all Students for Several Reasons:
1. Language Development:
Daily writing practice helps young children develop and refine their language skills. It enhances their vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure, enabling them to express their thoughts and ideas more effectively.
2. Communication Skills:
Writing encourages children to articulate their ideas and feelings in a structured and coherent manner. Regular practice allows them to become better communicators, both in writing and verbally, as they gain confidence in expressing themselves.
3. Creativity and Imagination:
Writing fosters creativity and imagination in first graders. By engaging in daily writing activities, they are encouraged to think critically, problem-solve, and explore new ideas. Writing provides an outlet for their imagination and allows them to create stories, poems, letters, notes, lists and descriptions, fostering their creative thinking skills.
4. Literacy Development:
Writing is closely linked to reading and literacy development. By writing daily, first graders reinforce their understanding of letters, words, and sentence structures. It helps them recognize and apply phonics rules, develop spelling skills, and improve their overall reading comprehension.
5. Cognitive Development:
Writing involves various cognitive processes, such as planning, organizing, and sequencing thoughts. Regular writing practice enhances a child's cognitive abilities, including attention span, memory, and logical thinking. It also promotes problem-solving skills as they learn to convey information in a clear and logical manner.
These reasons highlight the importance of daily writing for first graders, as it contributes to their overall language development, communication skills, creativity, literacy, and cognitive growth.
I cannot emphasize enough the importance of daily writing from the beginning of the school year. You will be amazed as you watch your students' writing develop and grow throughout the year.
TIP: I love to see my first graders look back at their first piece of writing from September and compare it to a piece written at the end of the year! So, I have them choose a journal entry from September and one from the last month or school and compare and contrast write what they notice. There is laughter, giggles, smiles and pride with how much each has improved.
You might also be interested in this Writing Blog post: 3 Ideas to Encourage Kids to Write at Home and at School
The End of the school year is here! That's right and some school district's are actually DONE for the year...and what a year it was and for some still is. YOU'RE Tired...exhausted...ready for summer....can just about drag yourself out of bed in time to grab a cup of coffee before you head out to school...AND...you still have 3 weeks of school left...or more!
If your year was or is a bit...well...let's just say a bit of a challenge, then why not end the year with a BANG using a few of my all time favorite crafts and activities that will be fun for everyone?
ANNNNDDDDD...they will lessen the load for YOU since they are all ready to go! NO THINKING required...no lost sleep trying to figure out what to do. All integrate skills learned and MORE!
🌞 Think about the Amazing 2024 Summer
With a school year that has had more challenges that anyone realizes, the weather warming up and kids ready to play more than learn, let's encourage our kiddos to think about the end of the school year and SUMMER!
I am pretty sure that many children will be heading to a pool or the beach at some point this summer even if it is simply a above ground blow up pool in the backyard.
So let's float into summer with this cute summer craft idea!
These can be used for an end of year celebration, bulletin board or just for fun. Send them home with your students to hang in a room in their house to remind them of some of the activities they would like to accomplish over the summer. There are many choices included and you can choose a writing activity or a mobile to hang!
☀️ ABC'S OF OUR YEAR TOGETHER
Feel like counting down the days with the alphabet? Try this great idea to end the year and get your kiddos thinking about this school year using letters of the alphabet!
Easy to use and fun for all.
Brainstorm ideas with your class for each letter of the alphabet and do a letter a day or if you teach older students, give the the pages and let them come with their own ideas. It is FUN and challenging for ALL ages...even you!
ABC's of our Year
ABC's of our Year
🌞Summer Charades
Looking for a great end of year game for Morning Meetings, Fun Fridays or just for fun...Summer Charades is a great activity to focus your students and get them thinking about SUMMER!
☀️A Letter FROM MY Teacher
Here are 2 great ideas from YOU , which can be added to a Memory Book or just give to each student A Letter from YOU! Your students will LOVE receiving a personalized letter from you. Just simply add each name, change a few words and copy! EASY PEASY!
This idea has always been cherished by students and teachers!
It is completely editable except for the clipart due to copyright issues. You can choose black and white or color copies. It is FREE and is yours to use!
This one is BEST for Grades 1-through 4
🌞 Have your Students Write a Letter to Next Year's Class
Simply brainstorm some ideas of what the class loved about school this year and have each student write a letter to next year's class about all the fun they had during the 2020-21 school year! SIMPLE and FUN! In September you can share a few letters to give your new students a soft landing on the first day of school!
Another way to do this is to write a class letter on chart paper that you can have each student sign and then use it as your morning message for the first day of school.
Any way you choose is sure to be fun and exciting for your current students and your new students!
☀️ END OF YEAR FEELINGS STORY AND MINI BOOKS
The End of the year can be an emotional time for many students. They can be overwhelmed with the many feelings they experience when school is ending.
✅ This social story shows students that feelings come, and feelings go, and your feelings may be different than your peers and that is okay.
✅ This social emotional story addresses some feelings children may experience from excitement to sadness and even those unsure feelings.
✅ It reviews the feeling that students may have and gives them a strategy to think of positive activities that can happen next year, such as, learning new skills and meeting new friends and keeping old friends TXMM23
✅ The social story includes places to stop and give kids an opportunity to turn and talk about how they feel about the year ending.
✅ Allows students to discuss and share their feelings, lets them see firsthand that they are not alone, they can more effectively navigate relationships, calm down and understand that everyone has different feelings and experiences.
🌞 Last BUT NOT LEAST A GOOD OLE' MEMORY BOOK!
Memory books are always a great idea to get your students thinking about all they have learned during the school year and what they might to looking forward to next school year!
And the one below is best for Kindergarten and First grade.
These 2 Memory books have been tried and true and a big hit with my students and a great way to think back on the year! What I LOVE most is after the year is over and the books have gone home and maybe tucked away in the attic for a few years, your students will find them and read them with a totally different perspective and that's the wonderment of making memories and recording those memories to cherish from year to year!
I HOPE THESE IDEAS BRING A BIT OF SUNSHINE YOUR WAY!
Have a Great Summer!
If you are interested in receiving lots of great ideas, free resources and be notified of new resources, add your name to my list!
The Mother's Day gifts were completed this morning with my daughter's Kinders like 7years ago! Yes you read that correctly...
I LOVE how they turned out then and looking back they are to darn cute not to share again!
They were soooooo adorable. You should have seen how proud each child was when they completed the project. A few just kept walking up to the display with a huge toothless smile and could not stop staring at them. We had to place them on the windowsill for ALL to see!
So, here are the details and directions on how to create the cutest Mother's Day Gift ever...Oh did I tell you how proud the kiddos were and how cute it is? #canthelpmyselftsodarncute!
I just had to update this post in order to share it with all of you!
It is quick and easy if you have all the materials ready to go.
This cute heart thumbprint treasure can be used for any special occasion with your own children like Aunt Katie's birthday, or Great Aunt Mary's or maybe Mimi's #hinthint (If my daughters are reading this, did you get that last part???)
So Here are some pictures of this amazing, dazzling, sweet, not too sparkly cutest Mother's Day Gift EVER!!!!!
Materials Needed:
1. 5X7 Thin Canvases or white/colored construction drawing paper.
2. Various Colors of acrylic paints.
3. Heart stencil (I cut one from card stock)
4. Kiddos thumbprints
5. A poem for the back, which you can copy the one I wrote or make up your own.
6. Frames from the dollar store (optional).
Directions:
1. Tape stencil onto the canvas/paper.
2. Use paint and have each child dot their thumbprints inside the heart shape.
3. It might look like this...PERFECT or not, but that is okay...it looks cute no matter what!
4. Take the stencil off and here is what you have!!!
5. Have the students, if they can, use a Sharpie of their choice and write Happy Mother's Day Across
the top and the year. Write Love, at the bottom and then they can sign their name OR you can
write the top and love at the bottom. and have them select a sharpie and write their name.
This all depends on the OT needs of each child.
6. Put the canvases/papers in a frame and glue the poem above to the back of the frame!
And there you have it...the cutest Mother's Day Gift EVER!!
You can pick up inexpensive frames at Hobby Lobby, Joanne's Fabrics and the Dollar Store or many other craft stores.
No...we are not done yet!
Here is another cute idea for Mother's Day...a little harder so it might be better for older students. I am thinking 2nd grade or above!
This is also a treasure that can be framed and kept for years to come. The hearts are on popscicle sticks that can be removed or kept in. for a 3-D effect!
All the directions and materials can be found right here!
Here is all that is included!
IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO DO A CRAFT, Here is another easy peasy idea for Mother's Day!
Grab some pre-potted flowers. Have students decorate a small pot, decorate it with markers, add the potted flower and the poem included above and you are ready to celebrate Mother's Day in a flash!
Another craft idea you can create for mom, Mimi, Nana, Grandma, Aunt or whomever you want.
This can easily be mounted and turned into a card or booklet
There is also a brainstorming sheet to think of ideas to include.
If all else fails, here's the easiest one of all!
Just fill it out or have young students dictate their answers
for the questions and an adult can scribe for them. Easy and cute!
I have to admit...whatever you decide to create for Mother's Day, mom's will love it because it is from their child or children!
Happy Mother's Day...May this Mother's Day be the Best Ever!!!
