1-2-3 Come Make A Father's Day Card With Me

I feel a bit sorry for dads when it comes to making special cards and keepsakes at school.  We seem to go all out for Mother's Day, and then because things get quite hectic at year's end, we often don't have the time or energy to whip something together.

Because we usually had a coupple of snow days to make up, and I was looking for a few things to plug in for that last week of school, it was easy for me to make time for my Y5's to create something for their daddies.  

Ever mindful that these creative endeavors still have to be standard-based and educational or some teachers won't be able to do them "just for fun," I designed the dynamite dad card. 

It's a wonderful way to review the cylinder shape and includes a writing prompt. 

Younger students can simply do the craft portion, or dictate why their father is a dynamite dad, while older students can complete that writing prompt on the stationery provided, trim and glue to the back of their card. 

Have them add some color with crayons or makers. Before hand, you may want to brainstorm with students, some of the reasons why they think their daddy is dynamite.  Write them on the board to help with spelling.

For the finishing touch, punch a hole in the top and attach a piece of yarn to the back.  Tape the Kaboom "fire" to the end of the yarn.  I added some gold glitter for a bit more pizzazz.

Click on the link to view/download the Dynamite Dad Craftivity.  If you're looking for more Father's Day FREEBIES click on the link to zip on over to that section of TeachWithMe. 

As always, feel free to PIN away.  My "Pin it" button is at the top on the menu bar.  Do you have a Father's Day activity you could share with us?  I'd really enjoy hearing from you: diane@teachwithme.com  or leave a comment below.  Thanks in advance.  I hope you and yours have a blessed Father's Day.

 "It doesn't matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was." -Anne Sexton

6 pages.

This is an easy and quick card to make for Father's Day. Younger students can simply make the dynamite stick craft, while older students can complete the writing prompt: "My dad is a dynamite dad because..." and glue it to the back of their creation.

1-2-3 Come Do Some Writing "Craftivities" With Me

My students really enjoyed Laura Numeroff's "If You..." books, particularly If You Take A Mouse To School.  Since it's especially popular as a back-to-school book, I wanted to dream something up that your current kiddos could do for your next year's students that had a mouse theme.  Thus the Nice Mice Advice packet was born. 

The packet is perfect for some end-of-the-year fun, as children write some helpful advice to your in-coming students. 

I've found that children really enjoy giving advice, as most of them feel that they are experienced experts on a variety of things. I'm sure you'll also enjoy reading what they have to share.

During the last week of school, I had my current kiddos make something for the new students that would soon be in my class.  I scattered their completed work on a bulletin board.

They were really excited to do this, and I could check off one more thing that I didn't have to get ready for the start of school. 

With that in mind, I wanted to design a quick and easy "craftivity" with a mouse that you could do, that would make a cute bulletin board.  

Use my mouse pattern and make a template out of an old file folder.  Trace once and then cut 3-6 mice out of a variety of colored construction paper. 

Students choose one and fold the "head" portion down so that it will "flip up" to reveal one piece of advice that they have for next year's kiddos. 

Have them glue on the ears, and add some wiggle eyes, a pom pom nose, and a yarn or ribbon "tail", for those finishing touches. 

Scatter them on your bulletin board and use the "If you take a mouse to school, he'll want to give you some advice" poster, as your center. 

A cheese border would be cute, as this advice comes from your former "all-knowing" students, who are now "big cheeses" in a higher grade.

After they have shared their projects, give them a bookmark from you, wishing them a nice summer.  Write students' names at the top and then sign the bottom.  You could jot a note on the back that says something like "Keep reading!" as your summer advice to them. 

I've also included a black and white bookmark, if you'd like to have your students color one to leave inside their desk, as a sweet surprise for your new students.

Click on the link to view/download the Nice Mice Advice packet.  This FREEBIE is part of my 58-page Mice Advice packet in my shop on TpT.  Click on the link to check out all the super-fun activities, goodies and crafts.  It's currently on sale for only $3.95.

Thanks for visiting today. I hope you have a simply wonderful last-week-of-school with your kiddos!

"Summer vacation is a time when some parents realize how grossly underpaid teachers are!" -Unknown

1-2-3 Come Do Some "M & M" Stuff With Me

I'm a firm believer in making things personal for students.  If you relate things to their world, you quickly grab their attention and enthusiasm for the activity follows. 

With that in mind, I wanted to design some sort of "me math," where students could use a variety of math concepts to answer questions about themselves. 

I find that most students really enjoy sharing this sort of information, and the result of showing them all the math that is a personal part of them, might be quite surprising to some.

The idea of "me math" led to doing something with an M&M theme.  I originally toyed with the idea of each student making a colorful M&M character and filling it with "me math" information, but after I made a list of all of the number-related things that I could think of, that students might be interested in sharing, my list was so long that the idea of getting this inside an M&M creature, was now out.

When I was researching "me math" to see if anyone else out there was doing something along that line, I found quite a few poster and pennant ideas, so I didn't want to go that route. 

No one had done a booklet, or delved into some deeper math extensions, thus my M&M Math & Me booklet was born.

To conserve paper, there are 2 pages on each master.  Pick and choose whatever is appropriate for your grade level. 

Your booklet can be a few pages, or add several math extensions to practice more standards and make a longer booklet, that students can work on a little bit each day for the first or last week of school. 

I've included basic counting, measuring, greater & less than, equations, addition, subtraction, ordinal numbers, time, odd & even, skip counting by 2's, place value, number sentences, comparison, tally marks, and even fractions!

From teeth to travels, I think you'll find the personal math questions interesting and fun.  I was especially excited to find a Scrabble and M&M font to use with the My Name Math pages. 

Choose simple math concepts for kinders, or add a few more difficult pages and send the booklet home to have parents help their child with.   Click on the link to view/download the M&M Math & Me booklet. 

If you're looking for a "me math" poster that your kiddos can make, click on the link to take a look at Melissa Machan's Math About Me FREEBIE.  I absolutely LOVE the poster poem she wrote.   It would be a wonderful introduction to any "me math" activity.

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away.  My "Pin it" button is at the top.  Do you have a "me math" activity you'd like to share with us?  Feel free to leave a comment or contact me at: diane@teachwithme.com

"Math may not teach me how to add love, or subtract hate, but it gives me every reason to hope that every problem has a solution." -Unknown

20 pages

This math and me "me math" booklet, is a wonderful end of the year activity, where students can put into practice all sorts of math concepts that they've learned.  It also works well as an icebreaker for the beginning of the year, to help everyone get to know each other.  This packet will be FREE for an entire year! Woo hoo.  After which time it will be up-dated and put in my TpT shop.  For your convenience, I've included some of the new pages in the PREVIEW.

1-2-3 Come Collect Autographs With Me

As the school year is winding down, and coming to a close for some of us, you may be in need of a few things for that last week of school. 

A quick, easy and fun activity for your kiddos, is to make an autograph book and then give them some time to collect signatures. 

With that in mind, I designed an "auto-graph" packet, using some cute little car clip art, to reinforce the play on words. 

You can simply run the cover off on white construction paper and have students color the automobile, or run the pattern off on a variety of colors of construction paper and have students cut and glue the car to the front of another sheet of construction paper.

I've included inside pages for your students to color and collect signatures on.  There's a page for classmates to sign, one for other friends, another for school staff, plus two teacher pages. 

Click on the link to view/download the Auto-graph Packet.  Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away.  My "Pin it"  button is at the top. 

"It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge." -Albert Einstein

7 pages.

Looking for something fun for your kiddos to do the last week of school?  How 'bout an autograph booklet.  Students can either color the car on the front cover, or run the pattern off on a variety of colors of construction paper.  Students trim and glue to another sheet of construction paper.  Includes inside pages for them to color and collect autographs on.

1-2-3 Come Do Some Anticipatory Writing With Me (Say what?)

All the while I was working on the ANTicipation packet, the 1979 Heinz ketchup commercial "Anticipation is making me wait" and the tune that accompanied it, kept running through my head; sort of like Disney's "It's a Small World" tune that plays incessantly even after you exit the ride. It's still there; buzzing through your brain like a pesky mosquito. 

Any hoo, as my frequent visitors know, I love putzing with word play, so anticipating the summer naturally led me to an ant craftivity.  Run the ant's head off on black construction paper.  Mine was light enough so that I could still see the graphics, which I embellished with crayons. 

Using and old file folder, make a template from my "body part" patterns.  Trace once and then cut 3-6 pieces at a time.  Students cut out the head and then glue the two body segments together. 

Wiggle eyes and black pipe cleaners added that extra bit of pizzazz.  I bent the pipe cleaner in half and spread it into a V and then bent up the ends to make the "feet." I attached to the back with Scotch tape. 

Explain to students that the definition of anticipation has to do with hopes and expectations for the future.  I've written a sample for you to share if you want, or create one of your own.  Children love hearing about their teachers.   Younger students can simply make a list.

Students complete the writing prompt: Some of the things I'm anticipating doing this summer . . .  glue it to a sheet of construction or scrapbook paper, and then attach their ant to the bottom. 

You can leave it at that, but for a bit more hands-on and that finishing touch, add the picnic basket to the top.  (There's one for summer and a generic one as well) To add a bit of 3D, you can cut brown strips of construction paper for the handles and attach them with brass brads. 

To give students another option, they could choose to write about what they are anticipating in the next grade that they'll be going into, or something else that they have expectations or hopes for.  

Completed projects make an awesome hallway display.  Hang up a plastic, red and white checkered tablecloth (they sell them at The Dollar Store) to use as a background.  Your caption can simply be ANTicipations!   Cut your letters out of brightly colored construction paper and add some clip art ants. 

Click on the link to view/download the ANTicipation Packet.  Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away.

"It takes a big heart to shape little minds." -Unknown

1-2-3 Come Get Your Groove On With Me!

Since the end of the year activities have been so popular, and since some of us have a lot of snow days to make up, I continue to design some interesting things to keep your energetic kiddos occupied, and your sanity in place.

Friday was hippos; today it's all about cows.  Have you heard the "moos?"   "We're Moo-vin' To A New Grade!"  I know that's a bit corny, but I really like diddling around with word play.  Once my older students caught on to my craziness, they enjoyed it too.

There are several ways to do this "craftivity."  You can simply have your students color the cow, cut him out and mount him to the writing prompt, or for a little more hands-on, run off the patterns on construction paper. 

Students trim, glue their cow together, and add details with crayons.  For extra pizzazz, I glued my sample to a sheet of checkered scrapbook paper.

Since students are moving on to a new grade, I thought it would be a good idea for them to reflect on that for awhile, before they complete their writing prompt page. 

Later, have them share their cows, so they get a chance to air their feelings, and you have an opportunity to reassure them. 

If you didn't catch the hippo article, I suggested that a great way to share, would be to ask a teacher in that grade, if your kiddos could come visit and read their work to their students.  

This gives them a chance to meet a new teacher, see that room, (perhaps even a different section of your school) and hear from the students in that grade, what they enjoyed the most about it.  Your students could also ask the older kids some questions.  I think it would be a wonderful experience for all.

Afterwards, give your students a bookmark celebrating their accomplishment.  I've included templates in color as well as black and white.  There's a set for kindergarten through 3rd grade, plus a blank one to fill in with whatever. 

Completed projects look great hanging on a hallway wall, or on students' lockers. 

I've included a poster to hang by their work or print two and glue them back to back and suspend from the ceiling.

Click on the link to view/download the Moovin' and a Groovin to a New Grade packet. 

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away.

 "Teaching kids to count is fine, but teaching them what counts is best." -Bob Talbert

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

As you're winding down the school year, and looking forward to a well-deserved summer vacation, are you still in need of a few things to plug into the last days of school? 

Because of the crazy winter, and the necessity for quite a few make up snow days, the home stretch may be a bit longer for some, so I've been busy designing lots of interesting end of the year activities.  

Today it's all about hippos.  I love drawing them.  Since being done with another school year is certainly something to cheer about, I thought the play on words "Hip Hippo Ray!"  would be appropriate.

I used it for a 100 Day packet and I'm revisiting that theme with "Hip Hippo Ray I'm On My Way!"  where students complete the writing prompts about the next grade that they'll be in. 

Here's How To Make One: Run off the hippo's head on a variety of colors of construction paper, along with the matching mouth section. 

Students choose a color and then add some finishing touches with crayons.  Wiggle eyes also look cute. Give students a color choice for the bows as well. Girls can put their bow on top of the hippo's head, boys can use it as a bowtie. 

There are 3 pages to choose from for the writing prompts.  Personally I would do all of them, as they are pretty simple. 

This would be a nice Daily 5 activity. There's also a blank page to use for autographs.

Staple the pages together at the nostrils and then glue just that portion to the hippo's head, so that their "booklet" flips up. 

After students have shared their work with the class, hang them in a row along a hallway wall.  Your caption could be: "Hip Hippo Ray!  We're Looking Forward To 2nd grade in a big way." 

A fun way to have your students share their hippos, would be to ask a teacher in the next grade if you could visit their class for 10-15 minutes and listen while your students shared their feelings about being in that grade. 

The older kiddos could then talk about what they enjoyed about being in that grade and dispel any worries or anxieties your students may have had.  It also gives them a chance to meet another teacher and see the room they might be in next year.  

I've also included a "Hip Hippo Ray it's the last day alphabet hunt. Students "spy" something that begins with the various letters of the alphabet, and color that letter when they find it.  On the back of their paper they write the numbers 1-26 in a list, so that when they find a letter, they can write down the word associated with it. 

After students have completed their activities, you can give them a bookmark.  I've made them in color as well as black and white.  They write their name on the top.

If you teach preschool or kindergarten, and have a graduation, I've included patterns to make a "Hip Hippo Ray!  It's graducation day hippo. 

Their writing prompt is why they are proud of themselves.  Include a graduation photo for that finishing touch.  

As with the above packet, I made matching bookmarks.  Click on the link to view/download the Hip Hippo Ray packet. 

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away.  If you'd like to see more end-of-the-year FREEBIES.  Click on the link to zip on over to that section of teachwithme.

“What a teacher writes on the blackboard of life can never be erased.”