Classroom Freebies Too!

If you are like me, you are always looking for ways to change it up in the classroom. When you are excited about a new activity, your students will be too.  It's a win-win situation.

For new ideas that won't break the bank, check out Classroom Freebies Too! Several freebies are posted each and every day.

           

My "Be the Teacher" freebie is featured on there today. You can check it out here.

Turkeys - A Math Craft

Bulletin Boards are a big thing in elementary school. Last year I focused on Keeping It Simple with bulletin boards. I made it a point to display items that could stay up for several months. You can check out those posts here and here. I did not alway have a keep it simple mantra. There were many a year where I changed out my bulletin boards every month.  These turkeys were a particular November favorite.

As my district embraces the guided math model in grades K - 8, I am reevaluating all of my lessons/activities. Although this turkey activity would not be considered a traditional center activity, I see no reason why it couldn't be used during the week leading up to Thanksgiving. 

When we created these turkeys, we were learning about order of operations. But you could use them for just about any topic. You could put a fraction on the body and equivalent fractions on the feathers. You could use it during a measurement unit. Have the students write a number of meters on the body and the equivalent centimeters, kilometers, etc on the feathers. The possibilities are endless. 

Then instead of hanging them up, send them home. What better way to show parents what their children are learning than to send home a craft that highlights the current math topic. These turkeys could also be used as a formative assessment. They clearly show each child's level of understanding of the order of operations. 

Do you use seasonal guided math centers? I would love for you to share below.

Show and Tell Tuesday - September 20

I am excited to be joining Stephanie from Forever in 5th Grade for her Show and Tell Tuesday.

It's been a long time since I have blogged. At the beginning of the summer I applied for a job within my district. A job that would take me out of the classroom. I found out just before school started that I got the job! 

So this is were the majority of my classroom supplies ended up.

All my school stuff that I didn't throw away or leave for my replacement, ended up in the storage space under my kitchen. Ugh! Now what do I do with it?

Don't forget to head over to Forever in 5th Grade and check out what everyone else is up to.

Keep It Simple: Classroom Door Display

Last summer when I was searching for some inspiration on Pinterest, I found this adorable door display.

(click image to go to original pin)

I knew I just had to do it. 

I put this display up before Open House and kept it up all year.  This picture was taken at the end of the year so the flower had wilted a bit. I laminated the saying so I could use it again.

Our team is departmentalized so I teach math to all the fifth graders. I had each student decorated a hand print on the first day of school. They could decorate it any way they wanted. My only requirement was that they put their name on the front.  Prior to the last day of school, I had a student helper take down all the hand prints and return them to each student. The hand prints were a nice souvenir of our year together.

Do you decorate your classroom door? What is your favorite display?

Show and Tell Tuesday - June 22nd.

I am happy to be linking up again with Stephanie from over at Forever in 5th Grade. Her Show and Tell Tuesday is so much fun. I love getting a peek into what other teachers are up to in and outside the classroom.

After our first round of state testing I had my students take a break and make some play dough. We talked about how kneading the play dough can help relieve stress and tension from testing. I wasn't sure if my 5th graders would buy into it. Not only did they love it but also several parents commented on what a great idea it was and how the students would use it at home.

The recipe is very simple. Two parts cornstarch to one part conditioner. Any cheap scented conditioner works great. I added a few drops of food coloring to the bottle of conditioner to make the color a bit brighter. I students loved it and the classroom smelled amazing. That's a win-win in my book.

For a more detailed recipe description go here.

That's all I have this month. It has been super jam-packed and I have not had a second to think about taking pictures as I go. I hope to be better next month.

Don't forget to check out all the other show and tells over at Forever in 5th Grade!

Book Shares

Looking for a quick and easy assignment that is sure to get your students excited about reading? Head over to Focused on Fifth and check out my post on book shares.

Keep It Simple: Free Mother's Day Gift Ideas!

In my district, Mother's Day is the Sunday before our second and final wave of testing. To say to we have limited time to stop and do something creative is an understatement. At the same time, I don't want high stakes testing to suck the fun out of the school year any more that it does. Plus, moms deserve to be recognized!

So here are some simple Mother's Day ideas that won't take too much time but I'm sure any mother will appreciate. And they are all FREE!

This first idea comes for Adventures of a Schoolmarm. Her Mother's Day Mini Book is perfect for upper elementary students.

click on the image to get the freebie!

Your students can personalize the pages and add an unique cover. 

Valerie Steinhardt also has a free Mother's Day gift idea. Her Ice Cream Scoop Book is an adorable craft and writing project. 

click on the image to get the freebie!

For the younger grades, The Teacher Gene has this adorable Mother's Day Poem.

click on the image to get the freebie!

Just add the child's hand print and signature and you are done.

Here is a tried and true one. The Mother's Day Coupon Book.  Michelle Harper has a cute free printable you can use.

click on the image to get the freebie!

As sad as it is to think of, some students don't have mothers, so Mother's Day can be tricky. I usually speak to the child individually and suggest they make a Mother's Day card for another special woman in their life, such as a grandmother or aunt. But sometimes just having it say "Mother's Day" can be too much for a student. So in my Mother's Day freebie I included a card that reads "Happy Spring" and a blank one for students who prefer not to make a "Mother's Day" card.

 This one was made for the child's grandmother

Lifting the petal reveals the kind words underneath 

You can get this for free here.

How do you help your students celebrate Mother's Day? I would love for you share your Mother's Day gift ideas in the comment section below.