1-2-3 Come Make A Thank You Card With Me

As Bob Hope was fond of singing: "Thanks for the memories." The end of the school year is near!  Woo hoo.   I always found myself with a bit of time on my hands for that last week of school, particularly when we had to make up a bunch of snow days.

Making some thank you cards to show your appreciation for staff and others that have helped you through the year, is an educationally relevant activity, plus a great way to teach this valuable life skill. Letting people know you care, especially fits in with those schools who have taken part in a bucket-filling program.  

I find that children are anxious to make something for these individuals, as they have really come to care for them.  With that in mind, I designed the "Thank You! End-Of-The-Year Appreciation Packet", which includes a nice variety of "craftivities" for you to choose from.

The "Thanks a Bunch Bouquet" is a quick, easy and lovely thank you card for a room helper, librarian, secretary, student teacher, or whomever else you’d like to show your appreciation for.  A parent could also make this for the teacher.

Simply print off the vase of flowers, along with a color or black and white copy of your class’s group picture.  Cut the children’s head shots into circles. You or they can glue to the center of the flowers. 

I made enough centers for 30 students and one teacher.  I’d put your photo in the flower that’s fallen, as it stands out.  For a less feminine option, I’ve also included a "Thanks a bunch!" pattern, with a set of  balloons. 

I’ve also written a little thank you poem that generically fits just about anyone.  You can glue this inside the card as well, then sign Love, Mr(s) ______________’s  2015 kindergarten class etc. (You fill in your name, the year and grade.)

If you want this activity to include some writing practice, students can also complete the “Thank you for . . .” writing prompt worksheets or bookmarks that can be glued inside, or on the back of the card as well.   Each child simply writes one sentence. 

This can be done at an independent center, or you can fill in the page as a whole group.  For preschool children, have each child dictate what they’d like to thank that person for and you write it down.

Another option is the Thank you acrostic poem.  Older students can each do one.  I’ve included a completed sample for you to share.  This is a great activity to reinforce adjectives.  A helpful adjective site is: http://adjectivesstarting.com/  

To make things easier, I allow students to write a "sentence" or phrase, if they can’t think of an adjective that starts with that letter; such as "A" = “Always there for us.” or for the letter "Y", “You are great!”

Younger students can do this with you during a whole-group brainstorming session.   Choose children to color in the letters.  This too, is another little something that can be glued inside the card along with the heart that says: "Thank you! Thank you! You're so nice.  Simply had to say it twice."

For another option, I’ve also included large 8x10 letter cards that took me quite awhile to design.  They spell out “Thank you!” .  Break up your children into small groups and have them color their group's letter.  For a truly awesome-looking stained-glass appearance, remind them to color each section a different color.

Glue each letter to a variety of colors of construction paper. Arrange your students in a group.  The front nine children each hold a letter and the exclamation point card, so that they spell “Thank you!”  Take a picture.  Use this photo to glue to the inside, or for the cover, of your thank you card(s).

I also used these letter tiles to design several sizes for a "stained-glass" Thank you” template.  These too can be used as a cover, or an inside page.

If you have the time, why not thank the bus drivers?

Simply run off the bus pattern on yellow construction paper.  Children trim and “hinge” the "grill" to the matching section of the larger bus, so that it flips open to reveal a handwritten message from the child. 

For that finishing touch, add a photo of themselves in the bus seat. I cannot begin to tell you how many of my students' bus drivers LOVED this card.  Theirs is often a thankless job (I certainly couldn't do it!) and they were truly touched.  Some taped them inside the bus!

And now for some FREEBIES.  One of the really quick and easy cards to make in the packet, is the "Thank you 'berry' much for lending a helping hand!" strawberry card.  It's especially "sweet" for secretaries and classroom volunteers. 

Trace one of your student's hands to make the leaves, flip the card up, add that group "Thank you!" photo and have all of your kiddos sign the back.  Click on the link to grab the strawberry thank you card.

Finally, teachers definitely need to be thanked for all they've done throughout the year. 

The "Teachers take a hand, open a mind, and touch a heart" poster, makes a wonderful keepsake card. 

Simply mount it on construction paper and have all of the children sign it, or send the note home to parents and enlist their help. 

They trace their child's hand and jot down a message on it.  You glue the hands around the poster, or inside, as additional pages to a stapled card.  Click on the link for the teacher thank you poster.  If you'd like the entire Appreciation Packet click here.

These simple acts of kindness, go a long way in touching an individual’s heart and making them feel truly appreciated.  I hope you make the time to "pay it forward" today. You just never know how far that "ripple" of joy grows. 

Thanks for visiting. I popped out of bed early because a zillion "want-to-do things" are buzzing through my brain.  Fun, fun, fun in the sun!  These will definitely be taking precedent over the "should-really-dos".

Wishing you a happy day, filled with light-hearted moments and lots of giggles.

"Direction is so much more important than speed.  Many people are going nowhere fast!" -Unknown 

1-2-3 Come Make Something For The Teacher With Me

I know that Teacher Appreciation Day/Week  is over.  I personally think Hallmark, or whomever thought of this wonderful concept, needs to rethink the time frame.  

Let's face it, today's families are operating at the speed of light, with so many activities and things to do, that they can't even write them all in a square on the calendar.  Consequently, Teacher Appreciation Day,  often slips by without people even being aware of it.

However, parents' minds often turn to thinking of something kind to do for their child's teacher the last week or day of school. 

With that in mind, I designed several keepsake gifts that are very heartfelt.  If you happen to volunteer in the classroom, you could spearhead making a surprise memory book for the teacher.  Since it involves writing, it's certainly educational.

I've included a note home to parents to help expedite things.  "Paper love" is something that I always appreciated and have cherished over the years.  Click on the link to view/download the Teacher Memory book. 

For my sample, I glued the pages in a notebook, but you could mount them on construction paper, laminate, trim and collate into a sweet booklet.

Another option, is a keepsake card.  Print the poster and mount it on a large sheet of construction paper. 

Send the note home (I've included one for this packet too.) Include a piece of construction paper, so that parents can trace and cut out their child's hand print and help them write a note on it.  

They send it back in the envelope provided and you arrange them around the card.  Click on the link to view/download the Teacher Appreciation Card. 

If you're a teacher reading this, and would enjoy a Memory Book from your kiddos, share the idea with a fellow teacher. 

If they like it too, you could swap classes for 15-20 minutes.  You make a memory book for them, with her/his students and (s)he makes one for you with your children. 

The 1st three pages are in color, as well as black and white. Have students each choose a different color marker to write their name on the "This book was created by" paper, which acts like an autograph page too.

So there's plenty of variety, I've also included 15 different clip art options, for students to choose from to complete their writing prompt page. 

There are some for boys and some for girls.  All are in black and white so that they can color them. 

For that finishing touch, have them glue their school photo and sign their name at the bottom. 

The book ends with a special thank you, surrounded by appropriate quotes. 

Click on the link to view/download the Teacher Memory Book. 

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"A teacher is a compass that activates the magnets of curiosity, knowledge, and wisdom in the pupils." -Ever Garrison

3 pages.

This is a quick and easy keepsake card for the teacher.  Packet includes a note home to parents.  Include a sheet of construction paper, so they can trace and cut out their child's hand.  Students write a special note to their teacher and sign it, returning their handprint in the envelope. 

Let's Get To The Point: Edible Pencils!

Even easier than the “Owl Miss You” gift for students, is this pencil treat.

I first saw it last September on Pinterest as a back to school lunch box tuck in, as well as a teacher gift.

So if you are looking for a teacher appreciation gift, or wanting to make something for all of the volunteers that helped you, this would fit the bill for that too.

Again, I saw it pinned about a dozen times, tweaked in different ways, by different people, being used for different things, so if this was your original idea, please let me know and I will give you credit and link to your site.

I too, am tweaking it, to be used as an end-of-the-year gift for your kiddo’s, and adding a poetic note that you can attach.

The above people all used Rolo’s, but I found that there are several other rolls of things that you can wrap with yellow construction paper to make the pencil.

I used Sweetarts, because I found them at Walgreens on special 2 for $1.

You can buy the 2 different flavors of Mentos as well as Rolo’s by the box at Sam’s Club too.

If you use card stock instead of construction paper and pre-make the rolls instead of wrapping a candy roll, you can really cut down the cost, by dropping 7-8 Hershey kisses down the tube, or bubble gum or whatever other candy you find on sale.

If you do use a roll of candy, measure your candy roll so that you can wrap it.

Leave enough room at the “pencil writing end” to insert a Hershey’s kiss.  The eraser end will simply remain open.

Cut strips of pink construction paper for the eraser part and glue the strip to the end of the pencil BEFORE you wrap the candy.

Snip off the flag of the kiss and put it at the other end of the pencil.

Just an FYI, when you are making your rolls, make sure that you are not wrapping them too tightly around the roll of candy, otherwise the kiss will not fit in the end.

I had a hard time shoving my kiss into the point after I wrapped the sweetarts.

The Mentos were a bit wider, but still not as wide as a kiss.  You also don’t want it too loose, or the kiss will drop out.

I ended up adding a glue dot to the end to make sure the kisses stayed put.

For a bit more pizzazz, print off the U R Sharp! labels.  Put a sheet of Avery (30-on-a-page) labels in your printer.  Trim and press on the pencils.

Run off the notes, sign them and tuck everything in a Baggie.  You may even want to include a real pencil. 

I also made "You're sharp!" 10-on-a-page praise cards that you can cut 2 slits in and insert a pencil.  This is the sweet clip art of Laura Strickland from My Cute Graphics.

Click on the link to view/download U R Sharp Candy Pencil Gift

Do you have an end-of-the-year gift that you give your students?  I’d enjoy hearing from you! diane@teachwithme.com or post a comment here.

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Thanks for visiting; hope you can pop in tomorrow for more interesting teaching tips.