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! 

Even 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. 

There 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.

"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. 

"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.  

"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. 

There 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.

I'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. 

Since 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. 

I'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. 

If 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. 

There's a similar writing prompt with a different frog, that may be more appealing for older students. 

I'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. 

In 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. 

I 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".

Besides 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.  

"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! 

If 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". 

These 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.

I'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?) 

I'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. 

Another "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.  

Well 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. 

As 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.

To 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! 

I 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 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 Have A Blast With Me!

Now that Mother's Day is over, it seems that attention has turned to looking for end-of the-year activities, as school begins to wind down for many.   With that in mind, I designed the "I Had A Blast In School" packet.  

I've included writing prompt-templates for preschool through 8th grade, plus a blank one to fill in with whatever. 

Students can simply fill in the page, or they can wrap a toilet paper tube with scrapbook or wrapping paper to make a "firecracker" and add some 3D pizzazz.  I mounted everything on a sheet of scrapbook paper to make it more colorful as well.

I've included a fireworks pattern that students can sprinkle glitter on and then glue to the top of their firecracker, or tuck in a wad of tinsel for a sparkling effect.  Add a school photo for that finishing touch.  

Completed projects make an awesome end-of-the-year bulletin board and are a nice alternative to a school memory book.  

After your students share their creation with their classmates, give them a choice of the four bookmarks.  "I hope you have an absolute blast this summer."  Teachers write a student's name at the top and then sign the bottom. 

You could also ask students if you can keep their "blast" craftivity to give to your next year's kiddos. 

Have them fill in the "I hope you have a blast too." note and glue it to the back of their work. 

What a nice surprise for your new class to find in/on their desks in the fall. 

If they want to take their work home, but would still like to make something for next year's class, have them color and complete the writing prompt bookmark: "You're going to have a blast in _________ because..." 

As with the above prompt, I've included templates for preschool through 8th grade, with a blank one (pictured) to fill in with whatever.  Encourage students to write more on the back.

Click on the link to view/download the I Had A Blast In School  packet. 

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away.  My "Pin it" button is at the top.

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

1-2-3 Come Make A Cupcake With Me

Since the end-of-the-year writing prompts have been such popular downloads, I decided to make a few more. I hope you enjoy these new FREEBIES.

"Sweet!" has come to mean wonderful, awesome, great, as well as a sugary taste, so I thought I'd create the prompt: "_____________ (fill in your grade level) was really sweet because..." 

It didn't take long to decide that a cupcake would be the perfect "craftivity"for this June writing prompt. 

Your students can make the cupcake for themselves or for one of your new students who will be coming in the fall.  What a nice surprise for them to find this cute card in/on their desk the first day of school, with a note from a former student. 

I've included templates for preschool through 3rd grade, plus a blank one to fill in with whatever. 

If you don't want to do the cupcake craft, I've also included a simpler option.

Run off the black and white cupcake bookmark that says: "Wishing you a sweet year!"  Students color the cupcake and write something underneath the greeting. 

If you'd like to give your students more practice, have them write why they thought this grade was sweet, on the back.  To make this even more personal, print off your class composite, cut the students' heads into ovals, and have them glue their photo somewhere on the bookmark next to their name.

The packet also includes 4 different, full color, cupcake bookmarks from the teacher, that say: "Wishing you a sweet summer." 

Write your students' names at the top, and sign yours under the note.  You may want to include the bookmark with a mini muffin as a special treat.

Click on the link to view/download the It Was A Sweet Year  writing prompt, craftivity and cupcake bookmarks.

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away.  Do you have an end-of-the-year activity that you could share with us?  You can e-mail me at diane@teachwithme.com  or leave a comment below.

"Striving to be a beautiful and sweet cupcake, in a world full of muffins."  -Unknown