1-2-3 Come Make An Adorable Keepsake Ornament With Me

Making fingerprint snowmen, is not my original idea.  Several mail rings I follow were talking about them, so I Googled snowmen fingerprint ornaments and found a dozen or so examples, thus I don’t know who to give credit to. The idea is to paint the top of a child’s hand with white paint and press it on a clear plastic or blue glass ornament. They then turn their fingerprints into snowmen by adding details. 

I know many teachers have 30+ students or teach 2 classes of Y5’s or K, so this could get a bit expensive, as well as tricky sending home something that could possibly break.  I thought why not try this with paper to see how it would turn out and the results were darling, inexpensive and extremely easy for a 4-year-old to work on.  You can jazz them up a bit by adding aluminum foil tops, flat-backed jewels and scrapbook paper hats! My hats are a triangle, square and oval shape, with rectangle brims, and the ornament is a circle, so you can have a mini-shape review and cover a report card standard. (Woo hoo!)  To make this easier, I also painted only the 1st 3 fingers.

Here’s How:

• Make a circle template and run it off on blue construction paper.
• Have children cut out their circle ornament.
• Students write their name on the back.

• Glue a sheet of aluminum foil on cardstock.
• Make an ornament topper template out of cardstock from my master.
• Trace it on the aluminum foil card stock.

• Give each student a topper to cut out.  You may want these pre-cut for younger children, or to expedite the project.
• Students glue the topper to their ornament.
• Hole punch the top and put a reinforcement hole over it.

• Add a yarn tie so they can hang their ornament on the tree.
• Allow children to choose 3 flat-backed jewels and have them stick them across the topper with glue dots.

• Paint students first 3 fingers (4 if they have a small hand) and the very top of their palm with white acrylic paint.
• I use metallic white because it gives an opalescent frosty glow.
• Have students count to 5 before you lift up their fingers.
• Set aside to dry. (Takes about 5-10 minutes.)

• Pre-cut hat pieces. One sheet of scrapbook paper per color, will be enough for an entire class. 
• I chose red, black and green paper.  You can’t really tell on the photo, but the paper is pin dot, striped, and printed.

• Children choose hats and glue them to their snowmen. (Review shapes with them as a mini-lesson.)
• Children use Flair markers to make eyes, noses, mouths, scarves, and buttons on their snowmen.  (Markers: Orange, black, green, red, blue, pink, & purple)

• Just an FYI: Tell your students to use DIFFERENT colors for each snowman’s scarf, and that their eyes should be different than their nose, mouth & buttons or you’ll have some students using one color for everything.
• You might want to let students practice making a snowman on a sheet of scratch paper while their ornament is drying and doodle different designs while they wait, then choose which one they like best.
• Make an example to show them so you have a sample.

Click on the link to view/print the snowman fingerprint ornament pattern.  So that parents will know that these snowmen are made from their child’s fingerprints, I also wrote a poem.  One year we made a different fingerprint piece of art and one mom didn’t have a clue that it was her daughter’s prints until someone happened to mention it.  “I loved it because she made it, now I love it even more!”

I put the color poem in DOC format so you can change the date in case you want to use it every year as an annual ornament activity. Click on the link to view/print the snowman fingerprint poem.  Otherwise, there are two fill-in-the-blank options in the packet. One is in color, the other is in black and white, so your students can color it themselves. 

If you still want to make the handprint idea into a gift, rather than just a paper keepsake. but are worried about the glass aspect of an ornament or want to keep the expense down, why not put their prints on a painted blue tin can and fill with peppermints or put their prints on a baby food jar and insert a tea light and tie a bow around the top, or make it into a picture frame and make the frames out of Popsicle sticks.

I've also made adorable banners by gluing a Popsicle stick to the top of a 4x6 piece of felt. The yarn hanger is glued under the Popsicle stick. These snowman prints would look darling on navy blue felt too.  Once the paint has dried they'd be easy to paint. Hats & scarves can be dabbed on with Q-tips.  These would look sweet suspended from a doorknob, making this a nice January craftivity when things aren't quite so hectic.

If you'd like to make a gift for grandma, ask mommy to donate a potholder.  You can get them in pairs at The Dollar store if you can handle the cost.  These prints would be adorable on those.  The Dollar Store also sells hot pad coasters in pairs in navy, red and dark green.  A Q-tip dabbed in white would add a nice little "blizzard" to round out the snow scene!

Thanks for visiting. I have a bit more shopping to do, so it's time to go warm up the car and brave the hustle bustle.  Wishing you a cozy day filled with wonder.

"Do the thing you fear and the death of fear is certain." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

I wondered if getting a personal letter from Santa would help improve my students’ energetic December behavior (they are soooo excited!) and add to the wonder of Christmas.

So one afternoon 12 years ago, I decided to sit down and become Santa for an hour and I composed a letter for a boy and one for a girl, then I put each of my student’s names in, put some Christmas - printed paper in my copier and within 10 minutes I had 40 personal letters from Santa!

•  I designed some adorable North Pole address labels, + a sticker that said: A Letter From SANTA

• Xeroxed off a coloring page,
• Tucked in a sticker and took it a step farther...

• I bought a box of Quaker Oats at the grocery store and a big bottle of blue glitter and I made up an enticing batch of “reindeer food” for Rudolph and the gang.
• Craft stores sell the little clear Ziploc bags in packs of 100 for $1.49, so with spoon in hand I was in business scooping 1 spoon of oats and 1/4 teaspoon of glitter into a tiny bag. (Mix thoroughly.)
• A Christmas Stamp printed in green on the envelope was the finishing touch.

• I wrote everything with a green and red marker and tucked in a note explaining about the bag of glitter oats.
• Anything we send to students our school pays the postage for, so my total investment was around $7.00.
• Buy everything when things are deeply discounted after Christmas and you'll save even more!

• My students are thrilled. They get the cards in a day;  some of them even bring them in to share with me.
• The looks of excitement and the sparkle in their eyes make the extra time and effort definitely worth it!
• The thing that’s amazing is that each year that I’ve done this, is that right after the children receive their cards their behavior really does IMPROVE! I don't know if it's because of the card or not, and I don't really care, but I will continue to do it for as long as I teach. 
• I now send them to my grandchildren. 

• One year I had a mom ask if she could have a copy to run off for the rest of her children.  So now I keep extra's available for parents who request it.

• I have a girl and a boy version for you. Simply write your students names in and put the Christmas paper face down in your copy machine, or face up depending on your copier.

• For those of you who are subscription members you can print my Santa address labels by putting my master in your printer with a sheet of 30-count Avery labels in the paper tray (one sheet at a time.) My HP printer has the labels face down. Follow the directions for yours.
• The labels and Reindeer food insert are available in A Letter From Santa Extra's.

• Click on the link to view/print a copy of the Letter from Santa for Boys pdf and the Letter from Santa for Girls pdf
• I have it in a pdf or a doc so that you can easily add your own names if you want to type them rather than write them.  Enjoy!
• Letter from Santa for Boys doc and the Letter from Santa for Girls doc

Get To The Point!

A Lovely December Bulletin Board Idea

Cover your bulletin board with black paper.  If you want to add a 3-D effect, twirl some green crepe paper and use it as a border.

Run off the leaf pattern on green construction paper.  Each student needs two leaves.  One they will add “veins” to with a green marker or crayon.

On the other leaf they will complete the sentence: In December I like to…

Before hand, assemble your students in front of the board and brainstorm things they like to do in December.

Write the list of activities on the board so that children can choose several and compose a sentence that they will write on their second leaf.

Students cut out their leaves and glue them to the back of their poinsettia flower after they have glued it together.

Run off the petal template on red construction paper. Each student will need 12.

This is a lot of cutting for younger students, so you might want them pre-cut and folded by a room helper.  Older students will have no problem.

I think these poinsettias are prettiest when run off on red construction paper, but you could also shrink the pattern and have your students make a smaller white version with less petals as well.

When you scatter both the large red and smaller white blooms on the black background you will have a really striking December bulletin board.

Students rub glue on the folded part of the petal and glue it to another folded part of another petal continuing until they have connected all 12 petals so they have a huge poinsettia flower.

The day before, make gold glitter blobs on yellow construction paper.  Children or a room helper can cut these into circles.

Students make a 3-circle clump and using glue dots, stick it to the center of their poinsettia.

One big yellow pom pom also works well, but I think the glitter is more striking.

Using an Ellison die cut machine, cut letters out for your caption and run it above your bulletin board:  “Our Writing is Blooming!”  “Wishing you a Brrrr-illiant December!”  “A Bouquet of December Thoughts.” “Our Writing Skills Have Blossomed!”

Click on the link to view/print Poinsettia December bulletin board pattern.

Click on the link to view/print History of the Poinsettia.  You can print this off and hang it on or next to your December Bulletin board.

Be sure to check out the other December Bulletin board ideas by scrolling down!

As always, if you have a December bulletin board idea you'd like to share, I'd enjoy hearing from you! diane@teachwithme.com

December Does Double Duty

A Snowflake December Bulletin Board Idea You Can Keep Up For Your January Bulletin Board!

Since December seems to simply fly by, I like to make one of my bulletin boards wintry so that I can leave it up through January. 

This snowflake bulletin board does the trick, gets your students writing as well + involves their families!

Here’s how:

Click on the link to view/print a copy of the “My family is ‘snow’ special!” Snowflake December Bulletin Board pattern.

If you'd like a copy of my sample, click on the December bulletin board Family Snowflake sample link.

Run off copies on white construction paper and send home along with a note to families explaining the December bulletin board.

Click on the link to view/print December Bulletin board snowflake letter home to parents.

Cover the bulletin board with royal blue or navy paper and spray with silver or opalescent glitter.

They sell it by the can in most craft stores for less than $2.00 a can.

The smell can be a bit over powering, as it's alcohol-based, so you may want to run a fan, or open a window briefly, and then follow up with a few spritzes of cinnamon air freshener. The sparkling effect will be worth it!

To add a 3-D effect, twist some silver or white crepe paper around the edges or add white sparkly garland.  Twinkle lights look festive, if you have a plug nearby.

Tissue paper, plastic, or white tag board-die cut snowflakes, that are suspended from fish line and dangling from the ceiling, just above your bulletin board, will also add interest and pop.  I have a dozen like the ones pictured, that I purchased in a package at The Dollar store.

Hang your December bulletin board “caption” above the board.  Use an Ellison die cut machine to cut out black letters that spell:  Brrrr-illiant work! Or “_________________’s class is ‘snow’ special!” OR “Snow special sentiments from ________________’s class.” OR “Let is snow!” OR “A blizzard of Brrr-illiant writing!”

Sprinkle your students’ snowflakes in an interesting pattern across the bright blue background.  Your students will enjoy seeing their family's pictures displayed through out the month, as well as have their self-esteem built by having their wonderful writing up on the wall!

Be sure and check out the other December bulletin board ideas in more blog articles by scrolling down. Tomorrow I'll have one last one that's just beautiful, so be sure and pop in!

As always, if you have a December bulletin board idea you'd like to share, I'd enjoy hearing from you!  diane@teachwithme.com

A December Bulletin Board Idea That Will Get Your Students Writing!

Here is a quick, easy and eye-catching December bulletin board idea:

Dear Santa:

Have students practice their writing skills by composing a letter to Santa.

Gather children in front of the board and brainstorm a “wish list” of things they want for Christmas and write them down.

Have them select two things.  Choose a form letter you like, and run off copies.

Have students use red or green markers or crayons and printing as neatly as they can, fill in the rest.

They can also color in the holly at the top to add a bit of pizzazz to their paper.

Click on the link to view/print a Dear Santa Letter for December bulletin board ideas.

If you like, tell your little ones that they will be making two copies: one to send to Santa and one for your December bulletin board.

Mount their letters on red and green construction paper.

Cover your bulletin board with white paper and scatter their letters around the board in an interesting pattern.

Add a triangular piece of white paper on the top of the bulletin board so that the entire board looks like a huge envelope.

If you want to add a bit more pizzazz print off my jumbo stamps, cut the edges with a pinking sheers, mount them on hot pink, turquoise, lime green and neon yellow construction paper and dangle them from the ceiling with fish line, over the top of your bulletin board.

Click on the link to view/print Christmas stamps for December bulletin board

You could also dangle tissue paper, or white tag board snowflakes that you can buy pre-cut at any party store.

Using an Ellison die cut machine, cut Dear Santa letters out of black construction paper and stick them in the middle-center of the triangular part of the white envelope at the top of your bulletin board.

For a teachable moment, have them put the second copy of their letter in a large manila envelope and show them how you properly address an envelope. 

I do a mini lesson of how to address our valentines when we walk to the post office in February to mail them. If you do that too, this would be nice recall.

For more December bulletin board ideas scroll down to the next article.

Behavior Modification For December

The snow will soon be flying, temps will dip, and the wind will blow at a fierce rate, making recess not so fun.  Keeping little ones cooped up can add to a sometimes crazy day, when children are excited about snow, the season, holidays, Santa and whatever else they may be celebrating or participating in.

To keep things running smoothly and my students on their best behavior, I try to have a few fun-filled behavior modification techniques that I incorporate into my day,  no matter how filled with energy and excitement they are brimming over with.

I've compiled my favorites in this free booklet entitled December Behavior Modification.  Peruse through it to see what fits your needs and teaching practices.

I hope you find some helpful tips to make your days stress free and less frantic and frazzled.

I'd enjoy hearing how you handle the month of December and any behavior tips you have! diane@teachwithme.com

May you have a delightful December!

Have Fun With Dolch Words!

Since the CVC word Bingo Cards were such a tremendous hit, I decided to make sets of Bingo cards for the Dolch words as well.

Here's what to do:

Run each set off on a DIFFERENT color of construction paper. This way you can tell that those color cards deal with a specific set of  25 words.

Laminate and cut out the cards.

Make an extra white set to cut into pieces.

There are 25 words per set.  Because of the FREE space, there are only 24 words used on each card.

Glue the white pieces onto the matching color construction paper for each set of Dolch Bingo cards.

These pieces will be the cards that you draw so that students can put their “markers” on their bingo cards.

Keep the pieces in Snack Baggies.

Put the matching Snack Baggie in a file folder with the matching set of Dolch bingo cards.

Dried beans are an inexpensive “marker”.

When your students have learned those Dolch words, challenge them to a higher level and move to a different set of cards from the next grade level.

For an explanation of 2 other fun things to do with the cards, click on the link to check out the CVC Bingo article!

After the game, award certicates to all participants. 

Click on the links below to view/print the Dolch Word Bingo Bonanza's of your choice.

Pre-Primer Dolch Word Bingo Bonanza,

Kindergarten Dolch Word Bingo Bonanza,

1st Grade Dolch Word Bingo Bonanza,

2nd Grade Dolch Word Bingo Bonanza,

3rd Grade Dolch Word Bingo Bonanza 

I also have a 53-page Dolch Word Help book that includes traceable word cards for all of the Dolch words from the pre-primer through the 2nd grade lists, as well as traceable cards for the Dolch noun, with matching picture cards + a story that includes all 220 words!

Click on the link to view/print a copy.  Dolch Word Help Book

Pop back tomorrow for bulletin board ideas!

CVC Words On A Roll-Another FUN Way To Teach CVC Words!

Run off copies of the game boards on card stock and laminate them.

Click on the link to view/print a copy of the CVC Game Boards. 

There are 5 different game boards using 222 different CVC words!

For a nice group activity, print off a double set, so that all of your students can play with a partner at the same time.

You’ll also need dice and tokens.

Students choose a partner.  Give each child some sort of token to use to move around the board, a mini racecar is fun even for girls.

I sometimes use a Skittle or M&M and then let students eat it at the end of the game as a sweet treat.

I like to use large foam dice to keep the noise level down.  They also stay on the table better.

There are five different game boards.  Have students swap if they finish before the timer rings, or make the game last longer by taping two game boards together.

Children take turns rolling the dice. Whatever number they roll they move their token that many spaces.  When they land on a word they must read it. If they can’t, they move back that many spaces.

Just a “heads up” to remind students NOT to pick up the dice until their partner has READ the word, or they might forget what number they rolled and not know how many spaces to go backwards, if they are unable to read the word.

If their partner lands on the same word square that they do, that player must go back 3 spaces.

If they can read the word they land on, they can move ahead 1 space as a reward.

The game can get more interesting and even silly if you add the rule that if they roll a 6 they yell “Six & Switch!” and they take their partner’s place if it is to their advantage. i.e. their partner is ahead of them.

Show students that there are "short cuts" on the game board, so that if they land on a word that has another path under it, depending on the number they roll they can opt to take the "short cut" to get to the finish line quicker.

Play continues ‘til one child lands on the smilie-finish line or when the timer rings the child who is closest to the finish line wins the game.

To make the game last longer, you can tell the students they have to roll an exact number to finish.  i.e., if they have 1 space left to go out, they must roll a 1.

Give everyone a sticker for participating and a CVC Champion bookmark to the winners.

If you missed the FREE 101-page CVC Word Bingo Bonanza or the 338 traceable CVC word cards in past articles, simple scroll down to check them out.  

Since the CVC Bingo cards were such a tremendous hit, check back tomorrow, for 60 FREE Dolch Word Bingo cards for each of the 5 Dolch word lists from Pre-primer through 3rd grade!

More CVC Word Tips

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

As promised, I just finished some more fun activities to help your students learn CVC words.

Cutting & Gluing:

I like to have my Y5’s cut and glue things every day. This fine motor activity strengthens their finger muscles and helps prepare them for those sorts of “testing” activities in kindergarten and first grade.

Thus, Cut & Glue Letter Tiles For CVC Words was designed.  It’s a great way to reinforce consonants and vowels, as well as spelling.

Encourage your students to guess the CVC word by looking at the picture clue, then have them say each letter as they spell, cut and glue the tiles to the word boxes next to the appropriate pictures.

After they are done, have them read and repeat the word.  What a fun way to reinforce a variety of concepts.

Have your students TRACE the letters with a variety of colored markers to make things even more interesting and enjoyable.

Click on the link to view/print a Cut & Glue CVC free sample skill sheet.   

Click on the bolded book to check that out.  Cut & Glue CVC Words

There's also a certificate of praise included in this booket. 

If you missed the FREE 101-page CVC Bingo Bonanza Game Book or the 338 FREE traceable CVC word cards in Teaching CVC Words part 1 and CVC Words part 2, simply scroll down to check these articles out! 

Be sure to pop back tomorrow for 5 FREE CVC board games (CVC Words On A Roll!) including a championship bookmark to give to the winners.