Spacie The Space Alien
When writing a sentence, my Y5's have difficulty remembering to put an appropriate space between each word. When I taught kindergarten and even first grade, this was still a problem for many of my students.
So that they would have enough space, I told students to simply put their pinkie finger after the word, and then begin the next word beside their finger.
This helped a few students, but it wasn't until I made "Spacie" that making a space between words with an object, became a "fun" thing to do, easy to remember and helped show them the correct space needed between words in an encouraging way.
My students simply choose a "space alien" named Spacie when they are writing a sentence, and place it between their words.
You can make a class set to be used every year, or you can make each of your students one as a special "writing gift" when you begin teaching that lesson.
Here's How:
- Use 3 3/4 length wooden clothespins that are flat and pre-painted.
- Using a toothpick and Elmer's Wood Glue put 2 dots of glue where you want to place 2 tiny wiggle eyes.
- Put the wiggle eyes on the drops of glue.
- Draw on a big smile with a black, fine-point Sharpie and you're done.
- If you want to give one to each of your students, write their name on the back with the Sharpie.
- Use a silver Sharpie for the purple clothespins.
- If you can't find pre-painted clothespins, you may want to opt for your students to make and paint their own Spacie, as a fun center activity.
- Painting just the top-front of the clothespin will expedite things.
- Spacie looks OK as plain wood if you don't want to hassle with painting.
Remind your students not to pick at the eyes, as they will come off.
I think the wiggle eyes really make "Spacie" look like a goofy little alien space creature, but you can also expedite things by simply using a Sharpie and drawing on the eyes.
Kingbridge International is a large wholesale company in California. They provide stores with "Dollar Day Deals".
I found the pack pictured at Staples Office Supply, (there's 12 in a pack), but Target, JoAnn Fabrics, and Michaels Crafts all offer Dollar Deals from some company or another.
I've also found clothespins at The Dollar Store, Big Lots, and the Dollar & More stores.
Click on the link for a large clothespin site that lists a variety of companies you can buy the flat clothespins from; however, they are not painted.
A down side to ordering Online is paying for shipping.
You could get together with other teachers if they want to make Spacies for their students too, and then split the cost of freight.
I hope you have enjoyed this series of back-to-school articles. Here in Michigan, we start public school the Tuesday after Labor Day.
I wish everyone a safe and relaxing weekend and a super new school year!
As always, if you have a tip you'd like to share with us, I'd enjoy hearing from you! diane@teachwithme.com
Final Winner Of Our Back-To-School Button Bracelet Blog Contest
Drum Roll Please...
Congratulations to the winner of this week's Back-To-School-Bracelet BLOG contest: pre-school teacher Bridgett, from the state of Texas.
Thanks to everyone who subscribed, bought something, commented, registered, or told a friend.
For complete details about the CONTEST, click on the link.
Our back-to-school contest has now ended!Can you believe how fast August went?
I hope everyone has their best year ever and that your students are terrific! Fun First-Day-Of-School Treat Bags
If you have the time, and want to whip together something special, I designed a really easy, brown lunch bag-owl, which takes just a few minutes to put together.
If you own circle punches things will go even faster. Even if you don’t want to make these as a treat bag, they make a fun and easy art project for your students.
Have them stuff their lunch bag with tissue. Children could write: Whooo is wise? on the owl’s tummy. When they flip up the bag it can say: __________ (child’s name) that’s whoooo!
If you want to skip filling a bag with treats, but would still like to do something, you can buy some M&M’s, Reese's Pieces, or Skittles in bulk at Sam’s Club, fill the tiny Baggies they sell at Hobby Lobby etc. and staple the Baggie to my owl card.
I also found teachers that simply put an apple on their students' desks with an apple die-cut note attached that said: “WELCOME! You are the apple of my eye.” How about a golden delicious apple with a note that says: “Wishing you a golden year filled with delicious learning!”
OR… how about cutting out construction paper apples, punch a hole in the side, make a slit to the hole and slide a candy bracelet through so it looks a bit like a worm. Write your students’ names on the apples + “A sweet treat for a neat student!”
OR… how about an orange or a small snack Baggie with 3 candy orange slices, with a note that says: “Orange you glad you’re in _____________________ grade! Wishing you a sweet year!”
OR… a bag of peanuts (making sure no one has allergies) that says: “ I hope you’ll go simply nuts over all of the exciting lessons we’ll be studying this year!”
OR…a bag of microwave popcorn (They sell individual treat-bag size packages) attach a note that says: “Poppin’ by with a friendly first-day Hi, to wish you a terrific school year!” You could list that month’s popcorn words on the back.
One Florida teacher gives her students water bottles with flip up caps. They decorate their bottles with markers & stickers, and re-fill them for the entire month. They keep them in their desk so they stay hydrated all day.
Because my first science unit was dinosaurs, I had a basket filled with multi-colored dinosaurs sitting on the table.
My students got to choose one when they completed their tabletop lesson. That’s a big thrill for them, as well as an incentive to stay focused and finish their first day’s lesson.
Click on the link to view/download Owl Treat Bags
I also revamped a Lucky Charms note that was posted a zillion ways on the Internet. Simply buy a box of Lucky Charms for your kiddo's to munch & crunch and include this sweet note.
Click on the link to view/download Lucky Charm Treat Bag Note.
I also have a cute treat bag note that I made up for some easy and inexpensive treat bags.
Click on the link to view/download Treat Bag Note.
For other treat bag ideas, including bags for reading and writing, click on the link to download the Treat Bag Idea packet.
Whatever you decide to do, I hope your year is as sweet as the treats you give your students!
Thanks for visiting. Feel free to PIN anything you think others might find useful.
Hope you can stop in tomorrow for more back to school ideas.
"Tell me and I forget. Show me and I remember. Involve me and I understand." -Chinese Proverb
It’s In The Bag!
There are pro’s and con’s about giving students a treat bag on the first day of school.
I LOVE making up little surprises for my students.
They are 4 or 5 and I think if I have a little something waiting for them on their desk it makes school especially fun for them.
When I taught other grades I did treat bags. My students could read the note, so they understood the symbolism behind some of the things I tucked in their bags.
The adorable treat bag pictured above was designed by Amanda. Her back-to-school snack consists of: Captain Crunch Treasures, Vanilla Yogurt Dipped Raisins and M&M's. Click on the link to visit her blog.
I used to make up a Reading Survival Kit as well as a Writing First Aid Kit and tucked the Baggies in my 1st , 2nd & 3rd grader’s desks at different times during the beginning of the year. They were thrilled. I ordered some of the things in the reading kit from Fun Express.
Click on the links to view/print them.
I also made a very simple treat bag, with just a few things in it and tucked a brief message in the Baggie for them to read on their first day of school.
Click on the link to view/print my first day of school treat bag.
I also found a cute Lucky Charms treat bag online that many teachers were doing. There were several different notes so I revamped one and made it my own.
For a sweet and easy treat, simply fill a small Baggie with the cereal, fold my note and attach it to the outside of the bag.
Click on the link to view/print the Lucky Charms treat bag.
When I started teaching Y5’s I opted to do a treasure box for open house instead, because the first day is rather hectic when I’m all by myself with as many as 19 four-year-olds, who may want to rip open a treat bag, even when I instruct them to take it to their locker to open at home.
I’ve had inquiries about treat bags, so I wanted to write a blog article and give you some ideas. I did a little research and found a plethora of Google listings for treat bags.
I compiled an alphabetical list of goodies teachers have tucked in their bags, as well as the symbolism behind them.
Click on the link to view/print the treat bag list and then pick and choose what you’d like to include and design your own treat bag.
Some teachers fill a large cup with goodies, some tuck their treats in Ziploc Baggies, and others use colored lunch bags.
Then there are those crafty teachers who design extra special bags.
One creative person made cute busses and hot-glued white buttons on the black wheels. (Adorable!)
So if you've got the time to be crafty... Click on the link to check out her bus treat bag YouTube video.
Because I like to tuck notes and special treats into several of my teacher friend's mailboxes, I made up a little treat bag for them as well.
Click on the link to view/print the teacher treat bag note.
Be sure and check back tomorrow for my quick and easy owl treat bags made from a lunch bag, as well as some other quick and easy ideas to make that first day special!
If you have one to share, I’d enjoy hearing from you. diane@teachwithme.com
Blasting Off To The First Day Of School
As I stated in the last article, counting down the last 10 days 'til school starts is a wonderful way to get children excited about going to school.
It also provides an opportunity to talk about this special time in their lives and dispel any fears or anxieties first timers may have.
Being able to actually SEE time going by helps a child. Unlike adults, children don't really have a concept of time yet.
This is why the paper chain that I hung up in my classroom is such a successful learning tool for children, as well as a terrific patterned decoration.
You may want to make a two-color, 10-link paper chain and hang it up in your child's room.
When they go to bed at night, let them tear off a link. When the last link is gone, they will be going to school the next day.
You can write a little note on that link and tuck it in their pocket or lunch box. "I love U" using a drawn heart for the word love is a great note, or simply a smilie face will recall the paper chain memories and time with you.
From my 1st class of Y5's, I always included a countdown page in my summer welcome letter.
Counting from 10 - 0 is one of our report card standards so I thought this would be a fun way to introduce that concept and get my students excited for their first day.
I designed 8 additional ones, so that you would have a selection to choose from. I tried to think of the various themes teachers cover in August-September that are popular with children.
There's an apple, baseball/bat, butterfly, caterpillar, crayons, dinosaur, frog and ladybug.
Click on the link to view/download 20 pages of Fun Countdowns.
If you have others you would like to see, please drop me a line and I will add them to my design list. I really enjoy hearing from my readers. diane@teachwithme.com
Thanks for visiting. I hope you can stop by tomorrow for more back to school ideas.
Feel free to PIN anything you think others might find helpful.
"Keep your eyes open and your feet moving and ou'll find what you need." -Unknown
