1-2-3 Come Write About Apples With Me!

Increase your students' writing skills with this quick and easy apple "craftivity."   Before hand, brainstorm a list of adjectives that describe apples.  For a source of correct spelling, as well as ideas, write the words on the board to be used as a word bank, for your students to refer to as they write their "Apple Sense."  Encourage them to use at least one adjective for each section. 

Review what the 5 senses are and discuss them as they apply to apples.  So students know what to do, and can independently get to work, make an example of your own to share.

To add that finishing touch, have students glue their school picture to the leaf.  These make an "apple-icious" bulletin board.  Your caption could be:  A Crop/Bushel of Great Work or Mr(s). _______________ 's Students Get To The Core Of Writing. You could also punch a hole in the stem, and suspend the apples back-to-back from the ceiling.

Click on the link to view/download the Apple Sense Writing Activity. This activity will be FREE for an entire year, after which time it will be up-dated & become part of my 30-page, Apple Sense: Science & Writing Craftivities packet in my TpT shop.

Thanks for visiting today.  As always, feel free to PIN away.  I'm off to enjoy some summer sunshine.

"I find that a great part of the information I have acquired, was by looking up something and finding something else along the way." -Franklin P. Adams  

(This is so true for me, especially when I'm researching something on the Internet or Pinerest!  One thing definitely leads to another as the day flies by!)

3 pages.

Quick, easy and inexpensive treat for your kiddo's on their 1st day of school.  Matching back to school bulletin board template too. To add pizzazz to the board, surround it with flashing twinkle lights or rope lighting.

1-2-3 Come Rave On With Me!

Are you looking for some quick and easy back to school things?  I love doing activities that can be made into a student-generated bulletin board, which helps check one more thing off my long "to do" list.  If you need help with that too, you'll enjoy my Quoth The Raven packet filled with fun.

I don't know of any teacher who does not cover rules and regulations on the 1st day of school; seems like that takes up the better part of the day and can be a bit boring for the average kiddo.  Why not let your students have a say in the rules?  With a little teacher guidance, you can pretty much steer your students into thinking up everything you'd have put on a list anyway. 

I thought a cool way to do this was with Edgar Allan Poe's "nevermore raven".  If your school mascot is a raven, you'll find this even more appropriate.  Choose one of my "Nevermore" headers and then ask students what they think should NOT happen in their class.  Examples for older students would be texting, put-downs, having cell phones ring, and checking Facebook on their laptops.  Younger children will think of name calling, kicking, biting, spitting, pinching, pushing, hitting etc. 

Jot down things as they come up with them.  Have a discussion of why they think avoiding this kind of behavior will be helpful to the class.  After you have made and voted upon things that need to be on your classes' Nevermore List, type it up, laminate and post it.  Employing student participation, makes children feel important and part of the process.  You may want them to sign the document, as further reinforcement of your class's rule commitment. Red ink anyone?

To expand on the "Nevermore" theme, discuss why it's important to try and do your best and improve throughout the year.  Discuss your students' goals and what they want to accomplish. Afterwards, discuss any behavior that might get in the way of reaching those goals. i.e. missing assignments, not doing homework, not studying, not reading, procrastinating, etc.

Have students reflect on their own personal goals and things they'd like NOT to do anymore. Have them write their thoughts down on the template.  Make a copy of their 1st day photo and have them glue it to their paper to make it extra special.

Another interesting writing prompt for the 1st few days of school is done with word art.

I absolutely LOVE Tagxedo.  It's a FREE, and an extremely easy word-art program.  I have a multitude of ideas of how to use this site that is never ending.  With the help of an adult, even a young 5 or kindergartner can make a word picture.  Since most of us have a computer in the classroom to use as a center, this offers relevant technology time.  I call this writing "craftivity" Quoth the Student Forever More. Run off the raven holding a sign so each of your students has one.

If you'd like to cut and paste your students' photo and type in their name, as I've done on the sample, visit the very creative and generous Tidbits and Trinkets for the raven graphic.  If you like the font I used, it's called Kelly Ann Gothic.  You can find it for free by clicking on the link. Otherwise, simply use my template and have students glue their photo in the frame and write their name. 

Play around with Tagxedo before you demonstrate it to your class.  I suggest making your own sample.  Students always enjoy learning things about their teacher.  For your convenience, I've included my raven silhouette so that you can import it.  I didn't want to make this blog too long, so I've included a Tagxedo "how to" with the packet.  There's also a word art "Nevermore" raven poster.

Have students think of adjectives that describe themselves. These are qualities that are worth "raving" about, and the words that they will type into the "load" section of Tagxedo. 

Explain to students that quoth is an old English way of saying "said." This is why they'll be attaching their raven with the sign to their word art. i.e. Kelli is raving about the wonderful qualities she possesses, that make her special.

I've also designed a hanging tag to help make your bulletin board pop.  Explain to your students that they "earn" one of these when they have given their best effort and completed the activity.  The portrait of Poe is from a real US postage stamp.  I got the free digital clipart tag over at Granny Enchanted.  I stumbled upon her wonderful site late last night and am thrilled to be using some digital clip art now. My wheels are turning of all sorts of things I want to create!

Students print out their word art ravens, attach them to a sheet of black construction paper, along with their photo-name.  Punch a hole somewhere and tie on their tag.  After students share their work, scatter them over a b. board covered with aluminum foil, newsprint, or wrapping paper with a vintage look. I've provided a header that says: "Writing worth raving about." as well as one that says: "Here's something to rave about: ___________'s new students!" Insert your name.

If this is too crafty for you, I've also made a 5-point "rave on" writing extension. Students could also comment or write about Poe's quote that I used in a mini poster, that you can throw up on the bulletin board There are bookmarks to match as well. 

If you have older students, (8th -12th) have them listen to a rendition of The Raven  poem on YouTube.  I've given you a list of 4 of my all-time favorites, complete with spooky sound affects.  I've also included a writing prompt for this activity + 2 awesome raven photographs, that students can also ponder about.

Click on the link to view/download the Quoth The Raven packet.

Thanks for visiting. Feel free to PIN anything you think others may find helpful.  My "Pin it" button is at the top.  If you'd like to see the other awesome educational things I while away the hours pinning, click on the "Follow me" heart to the right.

"Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things, which escape those who dream only by night." -Edgar Allan Poe

1-2-3 Come Make A Class Family Tree With Me!

Going to school can sometimes cause separation anxiety in young children; this doesn’t just happen to “first timers” who have never been to school.  No matter what the grade, students often miss their families at some point during the day. Sometimes all it takes to comfort a lonely child, is to look at a photograph of their loved ones.

With that in mind, I thought it would be fun to decorate a class family tree, where children could go to catch a glimpse of mom, dad, siblings and even pets.

You can include the instructions and leaf in your summer letter, or open house packet, or you can wait, and allow students a color choice and then send the leaf and note home on their first day of school.

Run off the maple leaf template, on a large variety of colors of construction paper.  Make only 2 of every color, to avoid a mostly pink and purple tree, due to the fact that little girls are very likely to choose only those 2 colors.  By offering weird color choices for leaves, you will get a whimsical and very colorful tree, that won't look out of place when fall is over.

Run off copies of the instruction letter asking parents to please take a picture of their family, including pets. They will also glue the photo to their leaf and cut it out.  Children fill in the blank with their name.  i.e. Kelli's family.

Write in a due date for the leaves, as students will be showing and sharing them with their classmates, and then putting their leaf on your big family tree. A good place to put your tree is on a wall in the hallway.

Use brown bulletin board paper, or butcher block paper to make your tree.  I liked to make my trees flat, but I've also seen teachers make trees by twisting paper, for a 3D effect.  Cut out a large red paper heart and glue the "Our Class Family Tree" sign on it.  You could also diecut letters to spell: "Come and see, our class family tree!"

I hope you and your students enjoy this back to school activity and that it helps alleviate those first-day blues. Click on the link to view/download the Class Family Tree packet.

Thanks for visiting.  Feel free to PIN anything you think others may find helpful.  My "Pin it" button is at the top.  If you'd like to take a look at all of the other wonderful educational items I PIN, simply click on the "Follow me" heart button to the right.

Sign on a high school bulletin board in Dallas: "FREE knowlege every Monday through Friday; bring your own container."

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

Are you looking for an inexpensive little something to give your students as a welcome treat on the first day of school?

You've come to the right place.

I've designed several money templates that you might enjoy: A "You're going to have a grand time in (grade)" and "Welcome to school. You're worth a million!" that make sweet bookmarks.

The US never created a million dollar bill, but some novelty shops sell them for gag gifts.

They feature everything from The Statue of Liberty, to various presidents and even Betty Boop!)

There was however, a real thousand dollar bill (featuring Grover Cleveland).

The largest bill the government ever made was for 100 thousand dollars (featuring Woodrow Wilson).

Whenever I'm designing something, I love doing a little research. I found an excellent article telling the stories behind large-denominaton currency. Click on the link to learn some fascinating facts.

How To Make A Back-To-School Bookmark:

Print a copy of the template of your choice. I've made one for every grade from preschool to high school.

Trim a photo of yourself so that it fits into the oval. Run the template off on light green construction paper.

If you want, buy a 100 Grand candy bar for each child and include that as an extra special TAKE IT HOME treat.

You can also wait, and take a first-day photo of each student.

To make cutting ovals of student photos quick and easy, make an oval template by printing off mine.

Trim and then trace onto a sheet of clear contact paper, lamination scrap or overhead projector paper, and trim.

You can now place the clear oval on your students’ pix, trace and cut out.

Run off the blank money template on green construction paper. 

Print, trim and glue their photo inside the oval.  Laminate the page to make a bookmark that's sure to become a special keepsake.

You may want to make extra copies and turn this into a back-to-school bulletin board.

Die cut black and green letters to say: "We’re having a grand time in (grade)." Alternate the letters in an ABAB color pattern.  A yellow background will really make your board pop.

Click on the link for the Back-to-school money bookmark templates.

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN anything you think others might find helpful. My "Pin it" button is at the top.

"We are all capable of climbing so much higher than we usually permit ourselves to suppose." -Octavia Butler