10 pages.

This is a versatile "craftivity."  Students can choose the "ANTicipating summer fun" writing prompt, the "ANTicipating their new grade", or they can use the blank template for something else. 

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.”

12 pages.

"Hip Hippo Ray! I'm on my way" is a sweet end of the year activity.  Choose whatever pages you want and have the students complete the writing prompts and then glue their booklet to the hippo.  There's also a pattern for "Hip Hippo Ray!  It's graduation day" appropriate for a preschool or kindergarten graduation. Glue on a photo for that finishing touch. 

21 pages.

Use this "craftivity" for the beginning of the school year and have students complete the summer writing prompt, or use it at the end of the year and have students make the "Taco" 'bout a great year ___________ (fill in grade) was excelente." template. 

1 2 3 Come Make Tacos With Me!

I'm not sure about you, but my "teacher hat" never really comes off.  I'm forever putzing with design ideas, crafts, research and reading. Whenever I'm out and about junking or stopping at a garage sale, my mantra has always been: "What educational thing can I do with this?"

I'm also an avid people watcher and while at the grocery story noticed a young person wearing a T-shirt that said: "Let's Taco 'Bout It."  written on a colorful taco shell with a smilie face on it. 

I LOVED the play on words.  Right a way my brain was going 90-miles-an-hour of how I could incorporate that idea into some sort of "craftivity."  Thus Taco Talk was born!

I hope you have as much fun making these with your kiddos as I did designing templates and making samples.  Taco Talk is very versatile.  

I made patterns for the end of the year, (there are several options here, including one where this year's kiddos, make a taco note for your in-coming students in the fall) as well as "tacos" for back-to-school.  Since the bucket fillers that I recently posted, have been so popular, I also made a compliment taco too.

Here's how to make a compliment one:

These "tacos" work well for the beginning or the end of the year, and are especially appropriate if you do the "Fill a bucket" program, as they are a wonderful way to build a child's self-esteem and reinforce the concept of being kind. 

Run off the “taco shell” on light brown construction paper.  Students cut it out, fold it in half and write their name in the blank.  For extra pizzazz add some dots with a brown crayon or marker.

To make the “lettuce”  I put a few sheets of green construction paper (one at a time) into my shredder. 

Have students rub some glue on the top and bottom of the inside of their “taco shell” and glue on some “lettuce”.

Cut strips of red, yellow, and orange construction paper.  Have students make an ABCABC pattern by gluing the strips INSIDE their “taco shell.”  Open up the shell, so that you can see the front and rip the ends of the strips at various lengths, so just a bit of the "taco stuffing" is peeking out around the edge.

Put students in groups of 8.  Children exchange their taco with someone in their group, who writes a compliment inside their taco on one of the colored strips.  They continue to pass the tacos around ’til everyone in the group has signed everybody’s taco.  Seven strips will have been signed. The 8th strip is for the teacher to write something on. 

Give students a few minutes to read their taco and then collect them.  Scatter them on a bulletin board, with bright yellow background, and a colorful fiesta or chili pepper border, or place each one on a variety of hot-colored paper plates and then scatter those, or use them as a border with the caption: “Taco Talk” in the middle.  

So that you can spell Taco Talk, I’ve included large 8x10 letters in the packet.  Run them off on a variety of colors of construction paper, trim and then arrange them to spell Taco Talk! 

For that finishing touch, hang a piñata from the ceiling, on the side of the board.  There's also a "Taco Talk" poster if you'd rather use that instead, plus a poster that says "Ola!" so that you can welcome your students with a friendly hello in Spanish.

The end of the school year or summer writing prompt taco is a little different than the compliment taco.  Give students a pile of "lettuce" and a strip of red, yellow and orange construction paper.

Students rub glue around the top edge of the inside of their taco, then rip and tear the colored strips into various lengths. 

They fold their taco back up and flip it over, gluing  the paper pieces in an ABCABC pattern around the TOP of the shell, so that a bit of “taco stuffing” is peeking out.

Use the circle pattern to make a template for the inside "taco".  Trace once and then cut 3-6 circles at a time.  Students glue the blank circle inside their taco shell, so that it covers the ragged edges of the “lettuce”.   This is where they write about their excellent year in school, or about their fabulous summer.  

After students have shared their taco with the class, make the bulletin board.  That's it.  Easy breezy, and a fun way to start or finish the year.

Don't feel crafty?  I've also included 3 "color me" writing prompt worksheets. No prep, just print & go. 

There's a generic "Taco 'bout".... prompt where you are the students decide what you want them to "talk about" as well as a "Here's a red-hot list of things I'd love to do, if price were no object and I could do anything!"  so that you could also do this simple activity for Daily 5 or during your writing block.   

For another easy-peasy writing prompt option, I've included 4 black and white bookmarks for students to color, then complete the prompt on the back. 

There are also 2 full-color ones for teachers to give their kiddos for back-to-school and at the end of the year.  That's it.  A nice variety-filled packet with lots of options.

You can find the 30-page "Taco'bout" writing prompt packet in my TpT shop for just $2.00.  Click on the link to pop on over.  

There are 3 FREEBIES from the packet: a writing prompt worksheet, bookmark and the "Ola!" poster to use as the center of your bulletin board display.  Click on the link to grab these 3 "Taco 'bout" FREEBIES today. 

Thanks for stopping by.  Wherever you are, and whatever you're doing, I hope it's absolutely "el terrifico!"

                                     "What we learn becomes a part of who we are." -Unknown

1-2-3 Come Read An End Of The Year Poem With Me

While doing research for the memory books I created this past week, I came across a farewell poem.  I found it on numerous sites and pin boards using various stationery, but all had an unknown author. 

I thought it was cute, but didn't quite fit what I had in mind, so I revamped it a bit, and completely changed letters H through Z.  I call it ABCDEF Good-bye. 

Since quite a few of my visitors teach kindergarten, I designed it with them in mind, and used the adorable clip art from dj inker's Kidoodlez Early Years CD.

Once I had it done though, I thought with a little tweaking, I could make a poem for preschool as well as one for 1st graders, and included color as well as black and white options. 

You can simply read the poem on the last day of school, tuck it in a summer packet that you're making to send home, or fill up a little extra time and have students color the black and white copy.  This would also make a nice page in a memory book that you may be making.

Click on the link to view/download the end of the year Good-bye Poem.  Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away.  

"To learn and never be filled, is wisdom; to teach and never be weary, is love.” -Unknown

9 pages.

I found a similar poem online being quoted in a variety of places, all with an unknown author. I revamped it and changed letters H through Z, then tweaked it for preschool, kindergarten and 1st grade. 

This end-of-the-year poem is a special FREEBIE in my TpT shop.  Click on the link to grab your copy today!

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. 

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away.  My "Pin it" button is at the top of the page on the menu bar.

"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. 

33 pages.

If you're a teacher and would cherish one of these, simply show the idea to a fellow teacher.  If they like it too, you can swap students for 15-20 minutes.  You make one for her, with her students, and she makes one for you, with your kiddos.