1-2-3 Come Make A Back To School Bulletin Board With Me!

I like using cute little fish to make a Welcome To Our School bulletin board, as the word "school" has that double meaning.  I designed a back to school fish packet incorporating interesting "fish talk" that I think you'll enjoy, starting with this bulletin board idea:

Here's what to do: Run off the fish printable on a variety of colors of construction paper. You can pre-cut these and write your students’ names on them and have your b. board all done, so children can look for their name, as part of a classroom treasure hunt; or you can allow students to pick their fish, trim it and write their name on it.  It would probably be fun for them to also choose a spot to place it on the bulletin board.

Use blue paper for the background.  If you want to add a bit of dimension, lay blue plastic wrap over the top.  You can buy a pack of small seashells at The Dollar store or Hobby Lobby.  Hot glue a few, so they look scattered, on strips of sandpaper, then staple the “sand” to the bottom of your board.

Twist green crepe paper into “seaweed” and staple to the bottom. Sprinkle on the fish, add some aluminum foil- bubbles and you’re set.  To make the board even more personal, take a group photo on the first day of school, print and cut faces into ovals and glue on top of their fish fin.

I can't take credit for the adorable play-on-words for "o-fish-ally" as I latched on to that, after viewing quite a few ideas on Pinterest. There's everything  from o-fish-ally on summer vacation, o-fish-ally survived 1st, o-fish-ally in school, to an 0-fish-al graduate.  I did come up with "fin-tastic" though, and decided to incorporate these sweet sayings with treat ideas, in a back to school fish packet.

So...if you want to carry the bulletin board theme a bit farther, with a little "welcome" surprise, print off the "Wishing you a cool school year" template on a variety of colors of construction paper.  Using an Exacto knife, cut slits on the lines and insert a liquid Popsicle.   I've also made a matching bookmark, as I tend to be a little "over the top" when it comes to the first day.

If you'd rather not mess with Popsicles, you can use the bookmark as a header for a Snack Baggie filled with Fishy Crackers.  I've also made a fish template as well, that you can run off on construction paper.

Click on the link to view/download the Welcome to our School fish packet.

Thanks for visiting.  As always, feel free to PIN anything you think others might enjoy.  My "Pin it" button is at the top. If you'd like to checkout all the cute educational stuff, that I spend way too much time pinning, simply click my "Follow me" heart to the right.

"Some students drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle." -E.C. McKenzie

1-2-3-Come Write With Me!

Are you looking for some quick, easy, and fun writing prompts for the end of the year, or perhaps a sweet bulletin board to end with a bang?

If so, I think you'll really enjoy this "Fin-tastic" End of the Year Writing Prompt packet.

Run off the large fish on a variety of colored construction paper.  Students choose one and cut it out. 

They can glue it to the top of a sheet of writing paper, or add more pizzazz by letting them choose a strip of colorful construction paper to write on.

Before hand, brainstorm with students why they think they will have a fantastic summer vacation. 

To help with spelling, make a list of things they are going to have fun doing and list them on the board.

For more "pow" have students add a wiggle eye and include their school photo on the fin.

Sprinkle their "fin-tastic" work on a bulletin board covered with blue paper.

To make it 3D add twirled creape paper "seaweed" in a variety of lengths and shades of green, to the bottom of the board.

Your caption can be: "We're Wishing You a Fin-tastic Summer!"

I think your students will also enjoy making the other fish and writing about why they had a "fin-tastic" school year. 

This prompt can also be brainstormed.  It's quite gratifying hearing all of the reasons why students enjoyed the year.

This "craftivity" can be hung back-to-back from the ceiling.

Finally, have students choose a partner to make a special card for. 

They write that child's name in the blank and then write why they think they have been a "fin-tastic" friend, classmate, student etc.

When they are done, they give it to their partner. Add a photo and wiggle eyes to make it even more special.

Click on the link to view/download the Fin-tastic Summer Writing Prompt Packet.

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN anything you think others may find useful.

Do you have an end of the year activity you enjoy doing with your kiddo's?  I'd love hearing from you! diane@teachwithme.com or simply leave a comment here.

"It is not the IQ, but the I Will, that is most important in education." -Unknown