Back to school treats

1-2-3 Come Do Some Alphabet & Number Activities With Me

Make learning letters & numbers especially fun with this “something different” packet.

alphabet activities, alphabet games, alphabet centers, alphabet assessments, number games, number activities, number centers, math centers, back to school treats, end of the year gifts for students While waiting for “my turn” at the ophthalmology office, I was staring at a framed print of an old-fashioned eye chart, wondering how I could use that in my classroom. The result of that long wait, is this “ABC the letters & numbers” packet, with C (see) being a play-on-words.

It took some time to design the eye charts, so that they not only looked like the “real deal”, but included all of the uppercase letters, so they can be used as a unique teaching tool, plus help practice letter identification & recognition. Easy-peasy for you & fun for your students.

You can use the traditional “E at the top” chart, or the one that says “I Spy!”

alphabet activities, alphabet games, alphabet centers, alphabet assessments, number games, number activities, number centers, math centers, back to school treats, end of the year gifts for students Besides the eye charts, the packet also includes a variety of “Eye Spy” alphabet & number worksheets & games, plus 26, mini puzzle glasses, where students match the uppercase letter to the lowercase one, along with 21 matching numeric puzzles, which help practice numbers 0-20, sequencing, subitizing & simple addition.

alphabet activities, alphabet games, alphabet centers, alphabet assessments, number games, number activities, number centers, math centers, back to school treats, end of the year gifts for students I’ve also included an assessment mat & recording sheet for both upper & lowercase letters. 

alphabet activities, alphabet games, alphabet centers, alphabet assessments, number games, number activities, number centers, math centers, back to school treats, end of the year gifts for students A set of upper & lowercase "eyeball" cards, can be used in a variety of activities and games.  I've included a 3-page tip list of what you can do with them.  

alphabet activities, alphabet games, alphabet centers, alphabet assessments, number games, number activities, number centers, math centers, back to school treats, end of the year gifts for students There's also a set of "I Spy My Name" color-me worksheets, if your students are learning to write their names and identify those letters.

There are 4 boys & 4 girl options children can choose from, plus a colorful pattern you can use to quickly & easiy make a sample to share.

About the CHARTS:

alphabet activities, alphabet games, alphabet centers, alphabet assessments, number games, number activities, number centers, math centers, back to school treats, end of the year gifts for students My Y5s absolutely love pretending, and talking about what they want to be when they grow up, so “becoming” a real eye doctor is right up their alley.

Print and laminate the eye chart so it can become a part of your pretend play area. I keep a copy in our “doctor kit” tub.

If you don’t have an “imagination station” set up in your classroom as part of your daily routine, that’s fine too, as being able to “play eye doctor” will be even more exciting, as children don’t normally get to have this as a center activity.

Pair up a strong student with a struggler, so that they can each take turns being the patient, as well as the eye doctor. If you have older reading buddies that come in to help with your youngsters, this is also a fun activity for that time slot.

alphabet activities, alphabet games, alphabet centers, alphabet assessments, number games, number activities, number centers, math centers, back to school treats, end of the year gifts for students The “doctor” asks the “patient” to read the various lines. My kiddos use a “pencil pointer”, so they are specifically pointing to each letter. Having a pointer is also a “cool tool” and adds to the fun.

Besides the “Partner Pretend” practice game, you can also use the eye chart poster as an alternative assessment tool, where students point to each letter and say it.

The eye chart also works as a fun ”I spy!” worksheet game. Run them off, then choose a student to call out a letter. Children find it and circle it. You can see at a glance who is having difficulty.

Another idea for the eye chart is using it for a “whole group” activity. Using a dry erase marker, have a child come up and circle a letter that you ask for. You could also point to a letter and call on children to tell you what that letter is.

The numbered lines are also helpful, so you can reinforce number recognition as well. i.e. “Please read the letters on line 5” or point to a number and ask the name of it; or “Please show me the number 3”

The chart can also be used for ordinal number practice. “What is the third letter on line 2?”  I love it when I can use a visual for more than one thing, and thought you’d appreciate that too. 

alphabet activities, alphabet games, alphabet centers, alphabet assessments, number games, number activities, number centers, math centers, back to school treats, end of the year gifts for students Today's featured FREEBIE is a versatile "Fan Sailboat Craftivity" that's suitable for the end of the year: “Have fun sailing into summer. I hope it’s fantastic!”, as well as for back-to-school“Have fun sailing into a new school year. I hope it’s fantastic!”

alphabet activities, alphabet games, alphabet centers, alphabet assessments, number games, number activities, number centers, math centers, back to school treats, end of the year gifts for students Inserting a pencil, pen, marker, glow stick or Pixie candy stick for a mast, is an inexpensive little gift you can give your new or departing students as well. 

alphabet activities, alphabet games, alphabet centers, alphabet assessments, number games, number activities, number centers, math centers, back to school treats, end of the year gifts for students That's it for today.  Thanks for stopping by. 

Time to go soak up some sunshine as I water my garden.

Wishing you a carefree day.

"Like a welcome summer rain, humor may suddenly cleanse and cool the earth, the air, and you." -Langston Hughes

Like a welcome summer rain, humor may suddenly cleanse and cool the earth, the air and you. Langston Hughes
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/l/langstonhu121611.html?src=t_summer"Like
Like a welcome summer rain, humor may suddenly cleanse and cool the earth, the air and you. Langston Hughes
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/l/langstonhu121611.html?src=t_summer

1-2-3 Come Do Some End Of The Year Activities With Me 

As the year winds down and I had all of my assessments done, I was always looking for some fun things my students would enjoy doing, for those last few weeks of school. 

With that in mind, I designed some cute writing prompts with a little bit of craftiness, to grab their attention and get them excited to write.

I'm featuring 3 on the blog today, along with a sweet treat for today's featured FREEBIE.

cow activities, cow crafts, end of the year writing promtps, end of the year bulletin boards, end of the year activities, back to school treat, end of the year treatFirst up is a cow-themed craftivity, great for anyone, but especially perfect if you had a farm or animal theme for your classroom.

"Moo-vin' On Up To A New Grade!"  has several options. Students can simply color the cow, (there are 3 options) cut it out and glue it to the top of their writing prompt, or you can run off the cow parts on construction paper.

cow activities, cow crafts, end of the year writing promtps, end of the year bulletin boards, end of the year activities, back to school treat, end of the year treatChildren trim, glue their cow together, add some pizzazz with crayons, then glue it to the top of their writing prompt.

(There are 2, plus a blank template to program with whatever).

Preschoolers can dictate their answers to a volunteer, or send the paper home for parents to help complete the writing prompt portion, then do the cow craftivity in class.

cow activities, cow crafts, end of the year writing promtps, end of the year bulletin boards, end of the year activities, back to school treat, end of the year treatCompleted projects make an adorable bulletin board.

I’ve included 2 posters for your display, as well as a cow bell pattern.

For that finishing touch, have students sign their name & glue a school picture on the bell.

cow activities, cow crafts, end of the year writing promtps, end of the year bulletin boards, end of the year activities, back to school treat, end of the year treatThere are color as well as black and white bookmarks for you to give your students as well, with patterns for preschool-3rd grade, plus a blank template to fill in a different grade.

Next up is a self-esteem "Compliment Cat!"   "Filling buckets" or being a "bucket filler" seems to have really caught on in a lot of schools.

cow activities, cow crafts, cat activities, fill a bucket activities, end of the year writing promtps, end of the year bulletin boards, end of the year activities, back to school treat, end of the year treatWe have this program in ours. The idea is to encourage positive behavior. Children catch on fast and see how easy and rewarding it is to express sincere kindness, appreciation, and caring about others on a daily basis.

With that in mind, I wanted to think up a quick and easy end-of-the-year "bucket filler" so to speak, that would help promote a child's self-esteem.

Thus, the Classmate Compliment Cat Craftivity was born.  I chose a cat not only because of the alliteration, but because my kiddos absolutely love Pete the Cat, so it was no surprise to me when many of them colored their kitty various shades of blue.

Students accordion fold the template following the lines, which provides wonderful fine motor practice, then they color and glue their cat to the top of their folded paper.

Decide on a direction, and have children pass their "compliment cat" to another child to write something nice about them on one of the accordion-folded sections.
They continue passing 'til everyone has signed all of their classmates’ cats, and end up with their own.

So students get a special compliment from their teacher, make sure you are part of the signing, or write a personal note to each child on the colorful, (4-on-a-page) note.  Add the finishing touch by having students glue a piece of colorful border to the top.

cow activities, cow crafts, cat activities, fill a bucket activities, end of the year writing promtps, end of the year bulletin boards, end of the year activities, back to school treat, end of the year treatThe cats make a wonderful bulletin board, or look cute hung as a border along a hallway wall.  I’ve included two posters for your display.

The packet also includes 5 colorful bookmarks that you can pass out to everyone after they have completed their projects.

I’ve also included a different, black and white bookmark option, if you want this year’s students to color it and then write a note to next year’s kiddos wishing them a “purr-featly wonderful year”. 

cow activities, cow crafts, cat activities, fill a bucket activities, end of the year writing promtps, end of the year bulletin boards, end of the year activities, back to school treat, end of the year treatFinally, when I think of summer, I think of picnics, and anticipate a wonderful vacation.  Thus, the ANTicipation writing prompt craftivity came about.    

Anticipation is very versatile, as I’ve included a variety of writing prompts suitable for the beginning and end of the year, as well as a summer prompt entitled “The Perfect Picnic” which can be a short story, or simply a list of things that a child would want to have, take, eat, and do on a picnic.

There are also blank patterns for you to program with something else, as well as a completed sample so you can quickly and easily make an example to share.

Completed projects make an awesome and interesting bulletin board or border along a hallway wall. I’ve included 3 posters for your display.

cow activities, cow crafts, cat activities, fill a bucket activities, end of the year writing promtps, end of the year bulletin boards, end of the year activities, back to school treat, end of the year treatChildren cut out their ant head, add details with crayons and then glue it to the other 2 body segments. I purposely made this ant with 3 parts because I wanted to reinforce science information about insects.

Because of limited time, it’s often difficult to plug in some science, so I try to incorporate it with our reading and writing.

I’ve included “Parts of an ant” posters (realistic & cutesy) plus worksheets, as well as a writing prompt and posters for “Ants can: have: are” if you want to do that too.

Share the poster, write the vocabulary on the board, then have students label these parts on their ant with a white crayon.

Adding pipe cleaner legs and antennae will also give you the opportunity to explain more science vocabulary, at the same time giving the craftivity a 3D look.

cow activities, cow crafts, cat activities, fill a bucket activities, end of the year writing promtps, end of the year bulletin boards, end of the year activities, back to school treat, end of the year treatI also read the informational, non-fiction book, Ants Ants And More Ants, which we discuss afterwards.

This book is a level G, 1st grade reader, if you want your students to read it themselves & get in that non-fiction genre requirement.

To test their comprehension, I write some of the facts on the board as they share them, then they fill out their “Ants Can: Have: Are:" worksheet. 

cow activities, cow crafts, cat activities, fill a bucket activities, end of the year writing promtps, end of the year bulletin boards, end of the year activities, back to school treat, end of the year treatToday's featured FREEBIE serves a dual purpose, as you can use if for the beginning or end of the year.  

To turn it into an inexpensive treat, stick on a pencil, pen, marker, glow stick (bracelet), pixie stick, (filled with powdered candy), or an individually wrapped piece of licorice as the mast, to add that little something extra.

There are two sail patterns.  One is for the end of the year:“Have fun sailing into summer. I hope it’s fantastic!”

The 2nd one is for back to school: “Have fun sailing into a new school year. I hope it’s fantastic!”

cow activities, cow crafts, cat activities, fill a bucket activities, end of the year writing promtps, end of the year bulletin boards, end of the year activities, back to school treat, end of the year treatWell that's it for today.  I hope you found something useful to make those last few weeks of school fly by. 

Everything is finally greening up here in Michigan!  Woo hoo; the sunshine is calling me. Wishing you a fun-filled day.

"In school, you're taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you're given a test that teaches you a lesson." -Tom Bodett

 1-2-3 Come Make Some 1st Day Of School Gifts With Me

icebreakers, back to school, back to school gifts, back to school treats, water activities, water poems, words for water, adjective activities,Throughout my many years of teaching, I made all sorts of cute little gifts and treat bags for my students.  I especially wanted to have a little surprise to delight them on that first day.  

Because I had two classes of Young Fives, which usually added up to 40 students, I was always on the look out for something that was quick and easy, but also rather inexpensive.

ideas for the first day of school, gift ideas for students, back to school gift ideas, inexpensive back to school gifts, first day activities, back to school writing promtps, water facts, water bottle labels, the value of drinking water, the importance of hydrating kids, water facts, water poster, One of the things I gave my kiddos every year, was a mini bottle of water.  I made labels with their names on them and stuck them to the front, and to make sure they stayed intact, I put a clear piece of contact paper over them. 

As a great fine motor skill, I let students decorate their bottle with stickers.  Because I think keeping children hydrated is extremely important, I allowed them to keep their bottles on their desks for those often hot, first few weeks of school. 

We'd rinse them out at the end of the day and then fill them up.  I had a tiny refrigerator in my room and we'd set them inside. First thing in the morning, I put them back on the tables.  This could be a room-helper job if you wanted, as it’s a great way to help children learn to read each other's names.

spilled water, ideas for the first day of school, gift ideas for students, back to school gift ideas, inexpensive back to school gifts, first day activities, back to school writing promtps, water facts, water bottle labels, the value of drinking water, the importance of hydrating kids, water facts, water poster, If you're wondering about spills, I only had one mishap in the 10 years I taught young fives.   I paid a bit more, to have the caps that didn't have to be unscrewed. 

They had the "pull up" things to sip out of, where you shoved the cap back down.  No taking caps on and off, and if they forgot to push it back down, only a little water trickled out if they tipped over.  At the beginning of the year I simply told my students not to remove the caps, and if they misused their water bottle, they would lose the privilege of having one.  No one ever lost the privilege! 

And even if I would have had some problems, the good of keeping students hydrated, far out weighs the worry about spilling (unless of course they're sitting at a computer.)  If you teach little ones, you know what a time drain it is getting everyone lined up and down the hall to get drinks throughout the day.

icebreakers, back to school, back to school gifts, back to school treats, water activities, water poems, words for water, adjective activities,The need for water can hardly be overstated.  I did a few hours of research on the wonders of water.  "You don't slosh when you walk, or gurgle when you talk, but most of you is water." (60-70% depending on the source you're reading.) 

I read all sorts of studies, and articles about articles; the gist of it all, is that water has been proven to be extremely beneficial, "So don't say no to H2O!"

If you're interested in how beneficial, you can read the summary of my findings, which is included in the packet; like research showing that dehydration can affect mood and make people grumpy and confused.  If drinking water helps my kiddos think more clearly and be less cranky, then bottoms up! 

The bottom line here is that if we do something as simple as giving our students access to drinking water throughout the day, we help them avoid fatigue, headaches, irritability, confusion, dizziness, inability to concentrate and make decisions,  and a myriad of other maladies that a simple sip helps deter.

smiling kids, water bottle icebreakers, icebreakers for back to school, icebreaker ideas, first day icebreakers, ideas for the first day of school, gift ideas for students, back to school gift ideas, inexpensive back to school gifts, first day activities, back to school writing promtps, water facts, water bottle labels, the value of drinking water, the importance of hydrating kids, water facts, water poster, When the body is functioning at its best, students will feel better, which translates into happy campers. Let’s face it, if our students are content and focused, things run smoothly and teachers are happier as well. 

One study even showed that students who were offered water three to four times throughout the day had a boost in brain power.  Another, saw a dramatic decrease in challenging classroom behavior!  Woo hoo for water... 

All that smiling has its own benefits: "When you smile, neuropeptides are released throughout the brain that send messages to your body. Some of these feel-good neuropeptides are dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins. They help your body relax, lower your heart rate and blood pressure, plus give you an energized happy feeling!"

smiling kids, water bottle icebreakers, icebreakers for back to school, icebreaker ideas, first day icebreakers, ideas for the first day of school, gift ideas for students, back to school gift ideas, inexpensive back to school gifts, first day activities, back to school writing promtps, water facts, water bottle labels, the value of drinking water, the importance of hydrating kids, water poems, 125 words that describe water, water facts, water poster, Enough said on the merits of giving your kiddos this beneficial gift. I’ve covered the “sense” of it, now here’s the dollar part.  This is such an inexpensive gift! 

You can get a case of forty 16.9 oz bottles of water (Members Mark) from Sam's Club, for only $3.98.  That's less than 10 cents a bottle!  What else can you get a child for only ten cents?

smiling kids, water bottle icebreakers, icebreakers for back to school, icebreaker ideas, first day icebreakers, ideas for the first day of school, gift ideas for students, back to school gift ideas, inexpensive back to school gifts, first day activities, back to school writing promtps, water facts, water bottle labels, the value of drinking water, the importance of hydrating kids, I cant spell success without u, water facts, water poster, If you'd like to jazz up your bottles, take the labels off.  They are not glued on, and fall off as soon as you cut them in half.   Run off my "labels" on a variety of different colors of copy paper. The first line says: "I can't spell success without u."

Cut the "labels" out (but don't trim the left and right edges, as they fit around a water bottle perfectly.) A simple piece of tape keeps them snuggly in place. 

smiling kids, water bottle icebreakers, icebreakers for back to school, icebreaker ideas, first day icebreakers, ideas for the first day of school, gift ideas for students, back to school gift ideas, inexpensive back to school gifts, first day activities, back to school writing promtps, water facts, water bottle labels, the value of drinking water, the importance of hydrating kids, water poems, 125 words that describe water, water facts, water poster, Besides the generic one above, I have 3 others to choose from.  If you visit often, you know I LOVE goofing around with word play.  I substituted the word WATER for "What are" and came up with a few interesting questions. 

Thus the water bottles are not only a refreshing gift, they are an icebreaker as well.  Choose whichever question you like best, or give your students a choice, by the water bottle that they pick. Go around the room having everyone share their answer.

I personally like "'Water' you thinking you'd like to be when you grow up?" as it's super simple and students can answer with just a few words. 

To incorporate some writing, you could have older students write "Water" their goals, or "Water" the things they want to learn, and use those labels on their water bottles.  My husband gave me that "you've got to be kidding" look, when I excitedly shared my “water” word play with him.  (Heavy) sigh...

I hope I'm not the only one who thinks this is sort of cute.  Your students may roll their eyes as well, but it's all in the name of hydrating fun and getting to know one another.  Click on the link to view/download the Water Bottle Packet.

smiling kids, water bottle icebreakers, icebreakers for back to school, icebreaker ideas, first day icebreakers, ideas for the first day of school, gift ideas for students, back to school gift ideas, inexpensive back to school gifts, first day activities, back to school writing promtps, water facts, water bottle labels, the value of drinking water, the importance of hydrating kids, water poems, 125 words that describe water, water facts, water poster, If the "water" sharing and writing don't fit the bill, I also putzed with some picture poetry and came up with a water drop poem. 

I made a large one to use as an example and anchor chart, as well as a small one (5 on a page) that you can run off on blue construction paper, trim and attach to older students' water bottles. 

After reading mine, and/or a sample of your own, challenge students to write their own water drop poem. 

smiling kids, water bottle icebreakers, icebreakers for back to school, icebreaker ideas, first day icebreakers, ideas for the first day of school, gift ideas for students, back to school gift ideas, inexpensive back to school gifts, first day activities, back to school writing promtps, water facts, water bottle labels, the value of drinking water, the importance of hydrating kids, water poems, 125 words that describe water, water facts, water poster, Since using “describing words” is a standard, and helps improve student writing, I also made up an alphabetical list of 125 words that describe water. 

As a whole-group activity, brainstorm a list of your own, and then have students alphabetize the list, or challenge them to come up with their own, awarding a prize of some sort to the one who thinks up the most appropriate answers. 

Can you top my list of 125?  Afterwards, you can share mine.  If you think of more, I'd really enjoy hearing from you.  dianehen@teachwithme.com or post a comment below. 

Click on the link to view/download the Water Bottle Gift packet

smiling kids, water bottle icebreakers, icebreakers for back to school, icebreaker ideas, first day icebreakers, ideas for the first day of school, gift ideas for students, back to school gift ideas, inexpensive back to school gifts, first day activities, back to school writing promtps, water facts, water bottle labels, the value of drinking water, the importance of hydrating kids, water poems, 125 words that describe water, water facts, water poster, Well that's it for today.  I sure learned a few interesting tid-bits about water consumption and hope you did too. 

All this thinking, typing, and looking at tantaliizing pictures of icy-cold water, has made me thirsty, which is a sign that I'm already dehydrated!  So let's drink chug-a-lug!

1-2-3 Come Do Some Frog-Themed Craftivities With Me

Woo hoo for some of you lucky duckies who are now basking in the sunshine, enjoying the start of your vacation.  For those of you who are still in school for a few more days, or even weeks, boy have I got a super-fun, frog-themed packet for you! 

look whos leaping activities, frog crafts, frog writing prompts, back to school crafts, back to school treats, back to school ideas, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, back to school writing prompts, end of the year writing prompts, end of the year activities, end of they year memory books, end of the year bulletin boards, summer writing prompts, end of the year crafts, free school certificates, certificates, brag bracelets, slap bracelets, bookmarks, free bookmarks, coloring pagesEven the vacationers can enjoy it, as this whopping packet not only features end-of-the-year stuff, but matching back-to-school activities as well! 

The versatility continues because it includes templates for Pre K4 through 3rd grade, so you can make things specific to your grade level! 

Getting students to WANT to write and really enjoy it, is one of my hot buttons.  With that in mind, I stuffed the packet with lots of creative writing prompt choices with an adorable frog theme that encompasses "leaping" into summer, a new grade, and a new year in school. 

look whos leaping activities, frog crafts, frog writing prompts, back to school crafts, back to school treats, back to school ideas, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, back to school writing prompts, end of the year writing prompts, end of the year activities, end of they year memory books, end of the year bulletin boards, summer writing prompts, end of the year crafts, free school certificates, certificates, bookmarks, free bookmarks, coloring pagesThere are 18 writing prompt craftivities in all, with lots of options for both the end of the year, as well as for back-to-school.   I enjoy drawing frogs; and had a fun time creating some real cuties.  "Ferdinand" is a fat and sassy frog that's a "peek-over". 

Run him off on lime green construction paper.  Students trim and add colorful details with crayons, then glue him to the top of their "I'm leaping" writing prompt for the end of the year, or choose another topic and use the blank frog pattern, for back-to-school.  I've included a "Look Who's Leaping" poster to use in the center of your bulletin board when you display your students' finished projects.

look whos leaping activities, frog crafts, frog writing prompts, back to school crafts, back to school treats, back to school ideas, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, back to school writing prompts, end of the year writing prompts, end of the year activities, end of they year memory books, end of the year bulletin boards, summer writing prompts, end of the year crafts, free school certificates, certificates, brag bracelets, slap bracelets, bookmarks, free bookmarks, coloring pages"Fred" is another fun-frog craft.  Here the writing prompt is written on his "tongue".  You can display Fred with a "flat tongue" or include some great fine-motor practice, and have students curl it, by rolling the paper strip on a crayon. 

For that finishing touch, I've included some "flies".  There's a "This stuff stuck. Look what I learned!" end-of-the-year pattern, as well as one that says: "I had a delicious summer.This is what I did..." for back-to-school

look whos leaping activities, frog crafts, frog writing prompts, back to school crafts, back to school treats, back to school ideas, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, back to school writing prompts, end of the year writing prompts, end of the year activities, end of they year memory books, end of the year bulletin boards, summer writing prompts, end of the year crafts, free school certificates, certificates, brag bracelets, slap bracelets, bookmarks, free bookmarks, coloring pages"Jose'" is a "belly flipping" writing prompt frog.  There are 8 cover options.  Four for the end-of-the-year, and 4 for back-to-school

Jose' can be done as a whole-group, class-made book, where everyone contributes a "belly page"  or as an independent writing prompt, where each child makes their own booklet.  The "Before We Go We'd Like You To Know" booklet gives advice to next year's kiddos. 

The "Frogtastic Memories" can be turned into a quick, easy and fun end-of-the-year Memory Book, by simply having students write pages about the favorite things that they did in school or during the summer.  

look whos leaping activities, frog crafts, frog writing prompts, back to school crafts, back to school treats, back to school ideas, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, back to school writing prompts, end of the year writing prompts, end of the year activities, end of they year memory books, end of the year bulletin boards, summer writing prompts, end of the year crafts, free school certificates, certificates, brag bracelets, slap bracelets, bookmarks, free bookmarks, coloring pages"Frankie" and "Fern" are the cute Frog Face Flip book twins.  Frankie sports a bowtie, while Fern wears a bow on top of her head.  Their "face" flips up to reveal a writing prompt. 

hoppy to b meThere are 5 to choose from, plus a blank one to program with whatever, and a sample for you to share to help explain to your students what you want them to do. 

As with "Fred" this too can be done independently, or as a whole-group, class-made booklet.  The back-to-school "I'm 'hoppy' to be me" writing prompt is a personal favorite.

look whos leaping activities, frog crafts, frog writing prompts, back to school crafts, back to school treats, back to school ideas, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, back to school writing prompts, end of the year writing prompts, end of the year activities, end of they year memory books, end of the year bulletin boards, summer writing prompts, end of the year crafts, free school certificates, certificates, brag bracelets, slap bracelets, bookmarks, free bookmarks, coloring pagesI've also included a "We're flipping over leaping into a new grade!" poster that you can use for the center of your bulletin board display

There's a poster for pre k4 through 3rd grade, plus a blank one to fill in with whatever. 

If you've followed me, you know that I like to incorporate things with a play-on-words.  It's a fun way to expand horizons and build vocabulary. 

look whos leaping activities, frog crafts, frog writing prompts, back to school crafts, back to school treats, back to school ideas, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, back to school writing prompts, end of the year writing prompts, end of the year activities, end of they year memory books, end of the year bulletin boards, summer writing prompts, end of the year crafts, free school certificates, certificates, brag bracelets, slap bracelets, bookmarks, free bookmarks, coloring pagesSince a frog says "Ribbit!" I decided to make a "Ribbit, Write It, Read It" writing prompt using the word "riveting" as the twist.

Students write about their "ribbiting" summer or "ribbiting" things that they enjoyed during the school year, inside "Rodney's" circular-frog belly. 

look whos leaping activities, frog crafts, frog writing prompts, back to school crafts, back to school treats, back to school ideas, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, back to school writing prompts, end of the year writing prompts, end of the year activities, end of they year memory books, end of the year bulletin boards, summer writing prompts, end of the year crafts, free school certificates, certificates, brag bracelets, slap bracelets, bookmarks, free bookmarks, coloring pagesI've included a definition-poster for introducing the word riviting, along with a "Ribbit; Write It; Read It" poster for the center of your display. 

look whos leaping activities, frog crafts, frog writing prompts, back to school crafts, back to school treats, back to school ideas, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, back to school writing prompts, end of the year writing prompts, end of the year activities, end of they year memory books, end of the year bulletin boards, summer writing prompts, end of the year crafts, free school certificates, certificates, brag bracelets, slap bracelets, bookmarks, free bookmarks, coloring pagesIf you're not into "craftivities" I've also included lots of quick, easy and fun coloring-page, writing prompt worksheets. Simply print and go.

There's a sampling of some of them in the photo.  The "So long school, hello summer" or "So long summer, hello school" worksheets, where the froggy is opening a 3D school door to reveal the writing prompt are especially cute. 

Tlook whos leaping activities, frog crafts, frog writing prompts, back to school crafts, back to school treats, back to school ideas, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, back to school writing prompts, end of the year writing prompts, end of the year activities, end of they year memory books, end of the year bulletin boards, summer writing prompts, end of the year crafts, free school certificates, certificates, brag bracelets, slap bracelets, bookmarks, free bookmarks, coloring pageshere's a similar writing prompt with a different frog, that may be more appealing for older students. 

look whos leaping activities, frog crafts, frog writing prompts, back to school crafts, back to school treats, back to school ideas, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, back to school writing prompts, end of the year writing prompts, end of the year activities, end of they year memory books, end of the year bulletin boards, summer writing prompts, end of the year crafts, free school certificates, certificates, brag bracelets, slap bracelets, bookmarks, free bookmarks, coloring pagesI've included samples for both, and each one has prompts for both seasons. Completed projects make darling bulletin boards too.

One bulletin board display that's especially adorable, is the frog on a lily pad.  I made the water lily flower out of a coffee filter.  In the top photo I simply scrunched the filter. 

look whos leaping activities, frog crafts, frog writing prompts, back to school crafts, back to school treats, back to school ideas, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, back to school writing prompts, end of the year writing prompts, end of the year activities, end of they year memory books, end of the year bulletin boards, summer writing prompts, end of the year crafts, free school certificates, certificates, brag bracelets, slap bracelets, bookmarks, free bookmarks, coloring pagesIn the bottom picture I folded it into 1/8ths, then folded it one more time, snipping the end to create scallops. When you open it, it looks just like a large flat water lily. 

I edged it with a pink watercolor marker, then spritzed it with water so it smudged into the paper.  Easy-peasy with awesome results. 

You have a nice teachable moment to discuss fractions, while children are following your step-by-step directions and folding their filter.   The final writing prompt craftivity features "Fritz".  This frog sits on a pail of sand. 

look whos leaping activities, frog crafts, frog writing prompts, back to school crafts, back to school treats, back to school ideas, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, back to school writing prompts, end of the year writing prompts, end of the year activities, end of they year memory books, end of the year bulletin boards, summer writing prompts, end of the year crafts, free school certificates, certificates, brag bracelets, slap bracelets, bookmarks, free bookmarks, coloring pagesI cut an oval out of sandpaper and glued it to the bucket, so that it looks filled!  Children write things they'd like to do over the summer.  The back-to-school writing prompt option tells what they've done during the summer and what they'd like to do in school. 

I realize this "bucket list" idea is all over Pinterest, but I've been doing it way before TpT or Pinterest came into being.  Click on the link for my original "Summer Bucket List" FREEBIE. It's in a FREE summer writing prompt packet with 6 other fun "craftivities".

look whos leaping activities, frog crafts, frog writing prompts, back to school crafts, back to school treats, back to school ideas, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, back to school writing prompts, end of the year writing prompts, end of the year activities, end of they year memory books, end of the year bulletin boards, summer writing prompts, end of the year crafts, free school certificates, certificates, brag bracelets, slap bracelets, bookmarks, free bookmarks, coloring pagesBesides writing prompts, there are lots of end-of-the-year AND back-to-school themed "goodies" stuffed into the packet, with templates for Pre K4 through 3rd grade.

One group features another play-on-words using "toad-ally" for totally, which fits in perfect with my frog/toad theme. 

I had fun designing a few writing prompts, as well as goodies using this fun word.   There are color, as well as black & white covers for the mini-flip booklets and notes, as well as 2 posters and some labels.  

look whos leaping activities, frog crafts, frog writing prompts, back to school crafts, back to school treats, back to school ideas, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, back to school writing prompts, end of the year writing prompts, end of the year activities, end of they year memory books, end of the year bulletin boards, summer writing prompts, end of the year crafts, free school certificates, certificates, brag bracelets, slap bracelets, bookmarks, free bookmarks, coloring pages "Brag Bracelets" are another "goodie". They are super-fun to make and wear.  I designed one that says: "I'm Leaping!" and another with "Welcome!" on it. 

Simply run off the pattern and trim using a paper cutter.  Slit a toilet paper roll up the side and cut it into sections, the width of the pattern. Children glue to their "slap bracelet" folding the edges under.  It's the perfect size for little ones, and the bent shape keeps it on their arm!  When other kiddos ask them about their bracelet, they can "brag" that they made it and are "leaping" into a new grade. Nice little self-esteem builder! 

look whos leaping activities, frog crafts, frog writing prompts, back to school crafts, back to school treats, back to school ideas, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, back to school writing prompts, end of the year writing prompts, end of the year activities, end of they year memory books, end of the year bulletin boards, summer writing prompts, end of the year crafts, free school certificates, certificates, brag bracelets, slap bracelets, bookmarks, free bookmarks, coloring pagesIf you're looking for a quick, easy and inexpensive little end-of-the-year, or back-to-school treat to give your students, take a look at my "tiny tags"

look whos leaping activities, frog crafts, frog writing prompts, back to school crafts, back to school treats, back to school ideas, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, back to school writing prompts, end of the year writing prompts, end of the year activities, end of they year memory books, end of the year bulletin boards, summer writing prompts, end of the year crafts, free school certificates, certificates, brag bracelets, slap bracelets, bookmarks, free bookmarks, coloring pagesThese are sweet little notes from the teacher, that you can attach to a "Flavor Ice" Popsicle (They sell them 50 to a pack for only $2.95!).

Putting them on a  Fruit Roll Up (sticky frog tongue!) or attaching to a Snack Baggie is also fun.  The Dollar Store sells a package of 12 gummi rainbow frogs that would also work.

look whos leaping activities, frog crafts, frog writing prompts, back to school crafts, back to school treats, back to school ideas, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, back to school writing prompts, end of the year writing prompts, end of the year activities, end of they year memory books, end of the year bulletin boards, summer writing prompts, end of the year crafts, free school certificates, certificates, brag bracelets, slap bracelets, bookmarks, free bookmarks, coloring pagesI've also created a cute, keepsake-photo magnet.   Laminate them for durability.  The Dollar Store also sells magnet strip.  (I'm a frequent shopper there; can ya tell?) 

look whos leaping activities, frog crafts, frog writing prompts, back to school crafts, back to school treats, back to school ideas, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, back to school writing prompts, end of the year writing prompts, end of the year activities, end of they year memory books, end of the year bulletin boards, summer writing prompts, end of the year crafts, free school certificates, certificates, brag bracelets, slap bracelets, bookmarks, free bookmarks, coloring pagesI've also included a variety of bookmarks suitable for the beginning, as well as the end of they year.  They come in color, as well as black and white. 

One is a writing prompt that students complete (nice bucket-filler activity), while another they color for one of your in-coming students.  

My personal favorite is the keepsake photo bookmark, but the foreign language (Hello-Goodbye) ones are also really cute. 

look whos leaping activities, frog crafts, frog writing prompts, back to school crafts, back to school treats, back to school ideas, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, back to school writing prompts, end of the year writing prompts, end of the year activities, end of they year memory books, end of the year bulletin boards, summer writing prompts, end of the year crafts, free school certificates, certificates, brag bracelets, slap bracelets, bookmarks, free bookmarks, coloring pagesAnother "goodie" in the packet are the "color-me" certificates for pre K4 through 3rd grade, (there are 4 styles to choose from, or give your kiddos a choice), plus there are 2 word-art frog-shaped posters that I created using Tagxedo.com.  I've included my silhouettes, so that your kiddos can also make their own.  

look whos leaping activities, frog crafts, frog writing prompts, back to school crafts, back to school treats, back to school ideas, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, back to school writing prompts, end of the year writing prompts, end of the year activities, end of they year memory books, end of the year bulletin boards, summer writing prompts, end of the year crafts, free school certificates, certificates, brag bracelets, slap bracelets, bookmarks, free bookmarks, coloring pagesWell that about covers this frog-themed packet, which is a whopping 201 pages (!) and on sale now for just $6.95 (regularly $8.95).  It took me a zillion hours to finish, but I think it was well worth the time. Click on the link to pop on over to my TpT shop and let the fun begin. 

look whos leaping activities, frog crafts, welcome banners for back to school, frog banners, pennant templates, frog writing prompts, back to school crafts, back to school treats, back to school ideas, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, back to school writing prompts, end of the year writing prompts, end of the year activities, end of they year memory books, end of the year bulletin boards, summer writing prompts, end of the year crafts, free school certificates, certificates, brag bracelets, slap bracelets, bookmarks, free bookmarks, coloring pagesAs always, I try to include a few FREEBIES from the packet as well.   You can get the frog-word art posters, the word-art certificates (for pre-K4 through 3rd grade) stars and labels, plus the brag bracelets by clicking on the link: frog-themed end-of-the year mini packet.

look whos leaping activities, frog crafts, welcome banners for back to school, frog banners, pennant templates, frog writing prompts, back to school crafts, back to school treats, back to school ideas, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, back to school writing prompts, end of the year writing prompts, end of the year activities, end of they year memory books, end of the year bulletin boards, summer writing prompts, end of the year crafts, free school certificates, certificates, brag bracelets, slap bracelets, bookmarks, free bookmarks, coloring pagesTo grab the FREE frog back-to-school banners, click on this link. The end pennants come in color as well as black line, and have templates for Pre K4 through 3rd grade.  The frog-face pennants spell out "Welcome" and are in black and white, so that your kiddos can color them, taking ownership of helping to decorate their new home-away-from-home classroom.

This year's kiddos can make the banner to welcome your new students in the fall, or the new kids on the block can do it.  Either way, it's kid-made and will look awww-dorable. Well that's it!  Whew! That's a lot of frog stuff! 

look whos leaping activities, frog crafts, welcome banners for back to school, frog banners, pennant templates, frog writing prompts, back to school crafts, back to school treats, back to school ideas, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, back to school writing prompts, end of the year writing prompts, end of the year activities, end of they year memory books, end of the year bulletin boards, summer writing prompts, end of the year crafts, free school certificates, certificates, brag bracelets, slap bracelets, bookmarks, free bookmarks, coloring pagesI apologize for such a long post.  Thanks for hanging in there if you've read to the end.  I'm just so excited to share my latest "mess-terpiece".  You should see my office; it's a pile of craft supplies and samples...everywhere! 

Thanks for visiting today.  It's clean up time.  Maybe I'll hum the "clean-up song" that my Y5's used to love singing.  On second thought, the sun is shining and a warm breeze is beckoning to me to come play.  I think I will. Wishing you a delightful day, crammed with creativity.

"For life to get easier, you have to get better." -Billy Cox

1-2-3 Come Do Some Super-Fun End-of-the-Year Stuff With Me

end of the year activities, activities for if you take a mouse to school, activities for if you give a mouse a cookie, Laura numeroff activities, advice for next years students, end of the year activities, end of the year crafts, end of the year bulletin boards, end of the year writing prompts, mice crafts, mice activities, back to school treats, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, rules for school, class made books, classroom rules, rule postersMy students LOVE Laura Numeroff’s books: “If You Take A Mouse To School” and “If You Give A Mouse A Cookie.”  With those stories in mind, I designed the “Nice Mice Advice” packet.

end of the year activities, activities for if you take a mouse to school, activities for if you give a mouse a cookie, Laura numeroff activities, advice for next years students, end of the year activities, end of the year crafts, end of the year bulletin boards, end of the year writing prompts, mice crafts, mice activities, back to school treats, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, rules for school, class made books, classroom rules, rule postersIt will help you check off some “To Do” activities for next year, with the help of this year’s kiddos!

The packet is loaded with fun end-of the-year activities that will keep your students happily engaged, while helping you make some special things for the fall.

There are 4 class-made “Advice” booklets for you to choose from.  
Pick one and have your students write advice to the in-coming children.  Collect & collate.  

 end of the year activities, activities for if you take a mouse to school, activities for if you give a mouse a cookie, Laura numeroff activities, advice for next years students, end of the year activities, end of the year crafts, end of the year bulletin boards, end of the year writing prompts, mice crafts, mice activities, back to school treats, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, rules for school, class made books, classroom rules, rule postersThis year’s kiddos can share their page when you read the book aloud, then tuck it away to share with your new class in the fall. 

My personal favorite is the circle-shaped Cookie Book. 

It's a perfect go-along with the "If You Give A Mouse a Cookie" story, and includes advice from the teacher, principal and each student.  For that finishing touch, add a school photo.  I've included a sample page to help explain things to your kiddos.

end of the year activities, activities for if you take a mouse to school, activities for if you give a mouse a cookie, Laura numeroff activities, advice for next years students, end of the year activities, end of the year crafts, end of the year bulletin boards, end of the year writing prompts, mice crafts, mice activities, back to school treats, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, rules for school, class made books, classroom rules, rule postersIf you'd like each of your students to make a mini-advice booklet for your new students, then you'll like the small, advice- flip booklet, with 2 different cover options in black & white, plus color, with 4 inside writing-promt pages. 

end of the year activities, activities for if you take a mouse to school, activities for if you give a mouse a cookie, Laura numeroff activities, advice for next years students, end of the year activities, end of the year crafts, end of the year bulletin boards, end of the year writing prompts, mice crafts, mice activities, back to school treats, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, rules for school, class made books, classroom rules, rule postersThe other two class book options feature the creative clip art of Scrappin Doodles and D. J. Inkers. 

end of the year activities, activities for if you take a mouse to school, activities for if you give a mouse a cookie, Laura numeroff activities, advice for next years students, end of the year activities, end of the year crafts, end of the year bulletin boards, end of the year writing prompts, mice crafts, mice activities, back to school treats, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, rules for school, class made books, classroom rules, rule postersAs you can see there are plenty of options.  You can choose, or show the samples and have your students vote on which one they'd like to do. 

Since a lot of advice has to do with following the rules, this is an interesting and fun way to present them.

end of the year activities, activities for if you take a mouse to school, activities for if you give a mouse a cookie, Laura numeroff activities, advice for next years students, end of the year activities, end of the year crafts, end of the year bulletin boards, end of the year writing prompts, mice crafts, mice activities, back to school treats, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, rules for school, class made books, classroom rules, rule postersCheck another thing off your list.  I've included a set of 25 "Advice Rules!" pocket chart cards that you can use as well, plus a blank set for you to program with whatever.

 end of the year activities, activities for if you take a mouse to school, activities for if you give a mouse a cookie, Laura numeroff activities, advice for next years students, end of the year activities, end of the year crafts, end of the year bulletin boards, end of the year writing prompts, mice crafts, mice activities, back to school treats, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, rules for school, class made books, classroom rules, rule postersI've also included an advice definition poster incase your students are not familiar with this word, along with a sweet "If you give a kid some advice, they should take it." poster to start things off.

end of the year activities, activities for if you take a mouse to school, activities for if you give a mouse a cookie, Laura numeroff activities, advice for next years students, end of the year activities, end of the year crafts, end of the year bulletin boards, end of the year writing prompts, mice crafts, mice activities, back to school treats, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, rules for school, class made books, classroom rules, rule postersDo you give your students a little treat on the first day?  Cross that off your list too because I’ve included several “treats” they can make as well. 

end of the year activities, activities for if you take a mouse to school, activities for if you give a mouse a cookie, Laura numeroff activities, advice for next years students, end of the year activities, end of the year crafts, end of the year bulletin boards, end of the year writing prompts, mice crafts, mice activities, back to school treats, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, rules for school, class made books, classroom rules, rule postersThere is an assortment of bookmarks and a lollipop-nosed mouse: (“A sweet treat for someone they’d like to meet.”)
The bookmarks come in black and white, as well as full color.

end of the year activities, activities for if you take a mouse to school, activities for if you give a mouse a cookie, Laura numeroff activities, advice for next years students, end of the year activities, end of the year crafts, end of the year bulletin boards, end of the year writing prompts, mice crafts, mice activities, back to school treats, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, rules for school, class made books, classroom rules, bookmarks, rule postersThere are several for this year's kiddos, as well as one for them to color and give to the in-coming cuties, along with a sweet "peek over" mouse bookmark that you can make and use as a pointer when you read Numeroff's stories.

end of the year activities, activities for if you take a mouse to school, activities for if you give a mouse a cookie, Laura numeroff activities, advice for next years students, end of the year activities, end of the year crafts, end of the year bulletin boards, end of the year writing prompts, mice crafts, mice activities, back to school treats, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, rules for school, class made books, classroom rules, rule postersThe mouse, writing-prompt craftivity makes an adorable back-to-school bulletin board. so check that off your list as well. 

Simply run off the super-simple mouse pattern on a variety of colors of construction paper.

Students trim, fold the "head" section over and write some "nice mice advice" under the "flap". For that finishing touch, add some ears, wiggle eyes, a pom pom nose, and a yarn "tail".

end of the year activities, activities for if you take a mouse to school, activities for if you give a mouse a cookie, Laura numeroff activities, advice for next years students, end of the year activities, end of the year crafts, end of the year bulletin boards, end of the year writing prompts, mice crafts, mice activities, back to school treats, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, rules for school, class made books, classroom rules, rule postersThe packet also includes:

  • A “Hip Hip Hooray! We’ll follow the good advice each day” poster contract. Students feel important signing their name, which makes them more accountable too.
  • A “Tips and Tidbits” poster.  Review what students have learned and jot down the highlights.
  • 2 “If you take a mouse to school he’ll want to give you some advice!” posters. And . . .
  • A mouse, reading pointer bookmark craft.

end of the year activities, activities for if you take a mouse to school, activities for if you give a mouse a cookie, Laura numeroff activities, advice for next years students, end of the year activities, end of the year crafts, end of the year bulletin boards, end of the year writing prompts, mice crafts, mice activities, back to school treats, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, rules for school, class made books, classroom rules, rule postersFinally, there's a "welcome card" that everyone signs. What fun ways to help your in-coming students feel special and chase away those first day jitters.

This 58-page packet is on sale in my TpT store for just $3.95.  Click on the link to pop on over to my shop.  I still can't believe that I have a little store.  Hopefully I'll make enough to help pay for all of the clip art and fonts that I buy!  That would definitely make my husband happy. 

end of the year activities, activities for if you take a mouse to school, activities for if you give a mouse a cookie, Laura numeroff activities, advice for next years students, end of the year activities, end of the year crafts, end of the year bulletin boards, end of the year writing prompts, mice crafts, mice activities, back to school treats, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, rules for school, class made books, classroom rules, rule postersAnd now for the FREEBIES  from this packet.  I've included the "Mice Advice" writing prompt mouse craft, several bookmarks, and a poster. Click on the link to grab them.

end of the year activities, activities for if you take a mouse to school, activities for if you give a mouse a cookie, Laura numeroff activities, advice for next years students, end of the year activities, end of the year crafts, end of the year bulletin boards, end of the year writing prompts, mice crafts, mice activities, back to school treats, back to school bulletin boards, back to school activities, rules for school, class made books, classroom rules, rule postersWell that's it for today.  Thanks for stopping by. It's going to be in the 80's this afternoon, so it's time to take my grandbabies swimming. 

Wishing you a delightful day filled with everything you enjoy the most. 

"Sometimes you never know the value of a moment, until it becomes a memory." -Unknown

1-2-3 Come Make A Sweet Keepsake Card With Me

mother's day activities, mothers day crafts, "berry" special activities, berry special play on words, ideas for berry special. mothers day cards for kids to make, mothers day writing promtps, may writing prompts, mothers day gifts for kids to make, ideas for mothers day, end of the year activities, end of the year gifts, ideas for end of the year gifts, welcome to school gifts, back to school gifts, back to school ideas, I really enjoy designing things that incorporate standards at the same time creating a keepsake that families will enjoy.  With that in mind, I came up with a "berry" special packet.

Strawberries are one of my favorite fruits, and were also popular with my Y5's.  They are fun and easy to draw and provide a great play on words. 

In the "Berry" Special Packet, I've included templates for both a mom and dad, so you can use this "craftivity" for Mother's Day or Father's Day.  There's also a generic one that says: "You are 'berry' special" so students can make this for another significant person as well.  This would be fun for Grandparents' Day too.

mother's day activities, mothers day crafts, "berry" special activities, berry special play on words, ideas for berry special. mothers day cards for kids to make, mothers day writing promtps, may writing prompts, mothers day gifts for kids to make, ideas for mothers day, end of the year activities, end of the year gifts, ideas for end of the year gifts, welcome to school gifts, back to school gifts, back to school ideas, I've included a pattern to make the leafy portion.  Add a bit more pizzazz by making the leaves 3D.  Have students cut out two and then fold one in half.  Match up the leaves and glue only one section on top of the other. 

If you look closely at the photo you'll be able to see how the leaves pop up.  Adding a stem and strawberry blossom, gives the card that finishing touch.

Older students can add a second strawberry and "hinge" their card with a small piece of Scotch tape.  Children complete the writing prompt, add a bit of color, trim and glue to the inside.  Younger students can simply complete just the sentence on the front.

To make things extra special, have students glue on their school picture and make a heart using their thumbprints (see photo).

mother's day activities, mothers day crafts, "berry" special activities, berry special play on words, ideas for berry special. mothers day cards for kids to make, mothers day writing promtps, may writing prompts, mothers day gifts for kids to make, ideas for mothers day, end of the year activities, end of the year gifts, ideas for end of the year gifts, welcome to school gifts, back to school gifts, back to school ideas, Leaves can also be made by tracing a child's handprints.   I made an example of both, so you can see how they turned out.   Click on the link to view/download the "Berry" Special Craftivity.  

While I was making my sample, I thought that a mini version of this would make a quick, easy and inexpensive end or beginning of the year gift for students.  mother's day activities, mothers day crafts, "berry" special activities, berry special play on words, ideas for berry special. mothers day cards for kids to make, mothers day writing promtps, may writing prompts, mothers day gifts for kids to make, ideas for mothers day, end of the year activities, end of the year gifts, ideas for end of the year gifts, welcome to school gifts, back to school gifts, back to school ideas,

"I hope your summer is 'berry' special.  Just like you!" or "I'm wishing you a 'berry' special school year!"

Turn this into a sweet treat by attaching your card to a berry-flavored juice box, or package of Wild Berry Skittles and you're set!

Click on the link to view/download the "Berry Special Summer/School Year Gift. 

mother's day activities, mothers day crafts, "berry" special activities, berry special play on words, ideas for berry special. mothers day cards for kids to make, mothers day writing promtps, may writing prompts, mothers day gifts for kids to make, ideas for mothers day, end of the year activities, end of the year gifts, ideas for end of the year gifts, welcome to school gifts, back to school gifts, back to school ideas, Thanks for visiting today.  If you'd like to see more Mother's Day FREEBIES, click on the link to pop over to that section of TeachWithMe.  I also have a "pinteresting" pin board with more free Mother's Day ideas, crafts, and activities.

 "When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child." -Sophia Loren

3 pages.

A quick, easy and rather inexpensive treat bag to give your students on the 1st day of school.

 

Fun Recipes For August and...
Back-To-School!

PBJ apple cookie cutter sandwich, special treats for the first day of school, ideas for back to school, recipes for back to schoolA Back-To-School-Lunch Surprise:

This is for all the moms, who are like me, who have to make that first–day-of-school lunch special. I enjoyed tucking in little "I Love You!" or "Have a nice day!" notes or some sort of treat in my children's lunch bags when they were little. Here’s an adorable PBJ sandwich that was cut out from an apple cookie cutter!  Too cute!  The template for the sweet bag can be found at Family FunClick on the link.

 

Sugar Free Jell-O recipe, easy summer dessert recipe, great summer dessert recipe, back to school recipes, 7-Up recipesKelli’s Cherry Smash

My daughter brought this to our family potluck and it was a “smash” hit.

Kelli doesn’t claim to be a cook, so when something turns out it’s a big deal!

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups boiling water
  • 1 ¼ cups DIET 7 Up
  • 1 can cherry pie filling
  • 2 small boxes of SUGAR –FREE cherry Jell-O

sugar free Jell-O recipes, 7-Up recipes, great summer recipes, children's recipes, back to school recipes, great summer dessert recipes, easy summer dessert recipes, cooking with kids recipesOptional:

  • Cool Whip
  • Maraschino cherries

Directions:

  1. Follow the normal directions on the Jell-O box with the above ingredients.
  2. Add the 7-Up to the dissolved Jell-O
  3. Then add the pie filling.
  4. Blend and pour into a greased 8x8 glass dish.
  5. Chill in fridge ‘til set.
  6. Cut into squares
  7. Yummy dessert for summer.
  8. Can add a dollop of cool whip and a maraschino cherry to the top if you want a bit of pizzazz.

 

fruit salad, back to school ideas, back to school snack, ideas for snacks for back to school, ideas for the first day of school, behavior modification technique, recipes for children, summer recipes for kidsBack-To-School

First-Day Friendship Fruit Salad

Make this for the first day or during the first week of school when you are teaching your students about rules, manners, sharing etc.

Ingredients:

  • Fresh fruit: My personal favorites:
  • Apples
  • Strawberries
  • Blueberries
  • Cantaloupe
  • Raspberries
  • Blackberries
  • Watermelon
  • Honey Dew Melon
  • Grapes (red &/or green)

  • How much is determined by the size of your class and how much you want to give them.
  • I cut everything up into small bite-size squares and make sure everyone has at least one of everything.  
  • Children love fruit and this is a very healthy and refreshing snack for them.
  • If this is not in your budget, have parents sign up at open house to bring an ingredient and explain what you'll be doing.  They'll love the idea.
  • Click on the link to view/print some notes.  Friendship Fruit Salad

rotten apple behavior modification, friendship fruit salad, ideas for the first day of school, back to school ideas, recipes for kids, fun summer recipes, recipes for august, cooking with kidsPLUS…

  • Large bowl
  • Large spoon
  • Paper plates
  • Plastic spoons
  • And the star of the show: A very rotten apple.  I simply buy one 2 months before school starts and let it sit out. If yours is not getting rotten enough, leave it in a Baggie in the sun.

Directions:

back to school ideas, first day of shool ideas, cooking with kids, ideas for snacks for the first day of school, ideas for snack for back to school, easy desserts, summer desserts, recipes for kidsHere’s a little scenario of how you can bring home good behavior by making this Friendship Fruit Salad:

  • Explain to the children that the fruit symbolizes all of the students.
  • The bowl symbolizes the classroom.
  • Add some fresh chunks of fruit.
  • These are the well-behaved children.
  • They follow the rules.
  • Does anyone remember our rules?
  • Call on children ‘til you have reviewed all of them.
  • Toss in another kind of fruit.
  • These are the children who share.
  • Who knows how to share? Raise your hand if you are kind and are good at sharing.
  • That’s wonderful.
  • Toss in another kind of fruit.
  • These are the children who say nice things and cooperate.
  • Who does that?
  • Toss in another kind of fruit.
  • These are the children who have a positive attitude and try their best.
  • Who’s going to do that?
  • Sprinkle on the blueberries.
  • This is the happiness we feel when everyone is nice, and obeys the rules so we can have fun, and play and learn.
  • behavior modification, classroom management, ideas for back to school, ideas for the first day of school, cooking with kids, recipes for children, desserts for summer, ideas for back to school lunches, Now pick up the rotten apple.
  • This is the student who does not obey the rules.
  • This is the student who does not share.
  • He doesn’t have any manners.
  • She causes trouble and hurts others.
  • Should we add it to our delicious salad?
  • Why?
  • Give students an opportunity to explain.
  • back to school ideas, friendship salad, behavior modification, classroom management tips, ideas for the first day of school, cooking with kids, recipes for kids, summer desserts,Summarize:
  • One rotten apple really can spoil the whole bunch.
  • Should we throw this rotten apple away for good and promise not ever to be a rotten apple?
  • Throw the apple away.
  • Have children raise their left hand and put their right hand over their heart.
  • “I promise not to have rotten apple behavior, because this class is filled with friendship and fun. Now it’s time for friendship fruit salad! Yum Yum!
I hope you have fun with these recipes!
Until next time...bon appetit!