I went into my classroom earlier this week, just to get a few things ready for the new year. I always move student desks around to give them fresh beginning. I also give them some fresh school supplies. I throw away old pencils and replace with new sharpened ones. I give every kiddo a new eraser, etc.
Our grade level asks students to bring in 2 boxes of crayons for school supplies at the beginning of the year. I always give them one, and then put the other box away for the new year.
When students arrive back to school next week, they will have a fresh box of crayons to use. You would think it's Christmas all over again... they get so excited about all the new supplies.
It's just something small, but this helps my students get excited after a long winter break and ready to begin school fresh!
How do YOU start fresh in YOUR classroom for the New Year?
I just uploaded the latest in my series of Math Journal packets onto TPT. We are getting ready to teach comparing numbers after winter break, so I made up this set of math journals for my class to work on for daily practice as we progress through the unit.
My kiddos have been loving completing a daily math journal each day, so I know they will love working on this new set in January. I will post some pictures of them in use once we head back to school. For now, you can take a look at the preview in my shop...
We completed our gifts for parents today! This is the first year that I've made these cute little snowman votives and I LOVE the way they turned out! Each snowman has its own little personality.
I found the votives for just 77 cents at WalMart. Before we began this project, I used a blue sharpie to write each student's name and the year on each votive.
To make these, I poured a little white craft paint on a paper plate. You can get this at WalMart. Students used their thumb to make two thumbprints for the snowman. We let these dry overnight.
The next day, we used these painters pens to paint on the eyes, nose, mouth, buttons, and stick arms. These were extremely easy to use, just make sure you explain to the kids that it is paint and not to smear it. We didn't have any mistakes at all... a very simple project for my 1st graders.
I picked up these painters at WalMart when I got the votives. I think they were like $1.96 each and they come in lots of colors.
That's it! We let those dry, put in a tealight candle, and they were ready to wrap.
To wrap these, we colored white paper bags to look like snowmen. Want to take a guess where I picked up the white paper bags? You guessed it... WalMart. One stop shopping for this project, people!
Beforehand, I cut out the corners from the bags so that the top could be colored like a hat. Then, the kids got creative in coloring them and wrote their "To" and "From" on the other side.
We wrapped our votives in tissue paper, put them in the bags, and that's it. Done and done!
I will definitely be replicating this little gift next year. Probably the cutest, fastest, easiest gift I've done with my kiddos to date.
I hope you can use this idea, if not this year, then someday!
Thanks for stopping by!
***FREE! Today only! Follow my blog, TPT store, Instagram, and/or Facebook page and download my brand new Money Match cards for FREE!***
This week we have been learning all about money. We began with coin identification and values, then moved into counting and sorting like coins.
On Friday, we began counting mixed sets of coins. I made up these Money Match cards to help us count and sort various coin amounts. My kids love the challenge of completing a match. They will literally rush to get it completed before clean up time. It's a great motivator, for sure!
These cards have 14 different coin values represented on the green cards. These cards match up with 3 red cards, each representing a different way to make that coin value.
My kids loved working with these this week, so in the interest of holiday spirit I'm making them FREE to you today only! All I'm asking in return is that you follow me: on my blog , TPT, Instagram, and/or Facebook page! I'm trying my best to get my name and products out there amongst so many other teacher bloggers and TPT'ers! Thanks for your support!
Get your Money Match cards for FREE, today only! After that, they will be available for sale in my TPT shop here.
I hope they are helpful to you and your students!
Have a Super Saturday!
Just posted a new Math Journal to TPT! I have been creating sets of Math Journals as I progress through 1st grade curriculum this year. We have just finished this math unit in my classroom and I compiled these math journal problems from the addition and subtraction strategies we've been learning about. I'm happy to share them with you!
The strategies covered are:
Adding and Subtracting 10
Ways to Make 10
Making 10 to Add (compensation)
Doubles
Addition with 3 Addends
Fact Families
If these are strategies you use in your classroom, hop on over to TPT to take a look!
