New School Year Begins!

Brag Tags!

I purchased some of these adorable brag tags from Miss Nelson's teacher store.  She has an amazing blog you definitely need to check out and follow too: "Run! Miss Nelson's Got the Camera."

Anyway, today I introduced my second graders to our Brag Tags.  They are so excited and thrilled to start collecting these!  I told them they could earn them for all kinds of reasons; knowing all of the sight words, perfect attendance, being kind...

I am letting them collect their Brag Tags on a ring which I have displayed on a bulletin board.  At the end of the school year, I am going to let them take all of their Brag Tags home on a 24" chain. 

I took a few pictures of the container I am storing all of the Brag Tags in, some of the Brag Tags I have prepped, and the bulletin board I am displaying them on.  Enjoy, and I hope you use these with your kiddos!  They will LOVE them!  =)

Brag Tags Container...

So adorable!

Our Bulletin Board...

Leave a Comment Brag Tags, Incentives

Balloon Count Down

Count down to Summer Vacation!

Normally I don't do a count down for the last day of school before vacation, but when I saw this idea on Pinterest which came from Jackie's blog called "Here We Go Loopty Loo", I knew I had to try it with my 4th graders.  

First, I typed up some fun notes to put inside the count down balloons.  Each day I picked one student to POP our balloon to see what activity we were going to do, or what little treat they might get.  My 4th graders LOVED this!!!  Everyday, they were begging to be the one to POP the balloon, and they even wanted to keep the little note that was inside.  =)  

Here are some of the pictures of the notes I came up with, and some pictures of our count down balloons.  

All the balloons hanging in our windows.

9 Days Left...

8 Days Left...

7 Days Left... This was a great review lesson on Median, Mode, and Range.

6 Days Left...

5 Days Left...

4 Days Left...

3 Days Left...  check out my post about our Camping Day here.

2 Days Left...

Last Day Balloon...

I have been on vacation for a week, and I already miss seeing my kiddos!  Hope they are enjoying their summer.  =)

 

2 comments Count down to summer, Incentives

Mystery Walker...

Mystery Walker Idea...

So I found this idea off of Pinterest, which was from Amy's very cute blog called "What Happens in First Grade."  My 4th graders LOVE it!  It has really helped with the chatting in line.  4th graders LOVE to talk with their friends!  ;)  

They are all so quiet when I come outside to pick them up.  I bought some cute Angry Bird erasers and Sock Monkey buttons that I have been using as a prize for the "Mystery Walker."  

Here are a couple of pictures of the little bucket I keep my "Mystery Walker" tokens in... 

Cute pail from Target...

Some ribbon and a sign...

Little red tokens...

Students' names...equals "Mystery Walker."

Leave a Comment Classroom Set Up, Incentives

Reward Cards...

Reward Cards for my 4th Graders!!!

I saw these rewards on various teacher blogs, and also from Mel D's blog and store, called Seusstastic Classroom Inspirations.

I love the little sea creature clip art.  I think my 4th graders will love to buy these in our classroom store as prizes.  It will also help me with not having to buy a lot of prizes to replenish our store.  =)

 

I also found this cute little pencil pouch that is in the shape of a pencil.  He is so adorable!!!  =)  I put special pens, highlighters, pencils, erasers, etc... inside, and I am using it for the Reward where students get to use the teacher's special supplies.  

 

2 comments Classroom Set Up, Incentives

"Compliment Clips"

Sweet Compliment Clips...

I found this idea from Colleen on her blog called, Totally Terrific in Texas.

I used to write the word Compliments on my white board, and add a tally mark each time our class received a compliment from other staff, teachers, principal, etc...  Once they earned 10 tally marks, I would take them outside and play a fun game. 
 
I love the bucket I decorated so much more than just writing the tally marks on the white board.  The clips were left over from the ones I bought from the Dollar Store.  

The little saying was from Colleen; I just added the octopus, because the theme in my classroom is beach/ocean.

My 4th graders will love to earn compliments and remove all 10 clips for some extra fun outside.  :)  Everyone should strive to give 10 compliments each day.  The compliments we give is also a great way to reinforce all the things I do around being a "Bucket Filler" as well.  

My compliment for all the teachers who have been sharing their ideas during their summer vacation; your hard work and creativity is inspiring to me.  

  

  

4 comments Classroom Set Up, Incentives, Room 12

Fun Friday Finds...

Shopping at Target!

After seeing so many teachers posting about the "Snap-Its," I found some at Target.  I think my 4th graders will love getting these as rewards.  I also found some cute Dr. Seuss bookmarks in Target's dollar bins.

The mini white board erasers will go inside my baskets for my Math Centers.  I finally found some straws for the Birthday Balloons I am making.  I will post pictures of my Birthday Balloons later.  It was a fun shopping day!  

Now time to clean and organize the kitchen.  I can't see my table top with all of the crafting and fun materials.  :)  Have a great day, and if you find some wonderful things from Target or other stores feel free to leave a comment about what you found.  

I am still looking for the stress light bulbs that Tara at 4th Grade Frolics, and others have posted on their blogs, but no such luck! 

Leave a Comment Fun Shopping Finds, Incentives

Cheerful Creatures

"Cheerful Creatures!"

I remember growing up and getting one of these little pom-pom guys from my 1st grade teacher.  I think they were called warm fuzzies or love bugs.  I was inspired to make my own version when I saw them again on Amanda's blog, called the Teaching Chick."

I do a lot with my 4th graders and the book called "How  Full is your Bucket," and being a happy, positive person, so I knew I had to call my little fuzzy guys, "Cheerful Creatures!"  

The sparkly pom-poms were so soft!  I cut the felt out in a heart shape, and then hot glued on the wiggly eyes, antennas, and heart-shaped feet.  I decorated a container I bought from the Container Store, and typed up a little sign and description that I put inside the jar.

They are so cute to look at.  I am excited to hand them out to my students that are showing our 7 virtues and being "bucket-fillers."

I think I like so much too, because they remind me of "Marcel the Shell."  I will try and link up the video of that on my post too.  It is so funny!  Have fun making them!  

Marcel The Shell With Shoes On, Two: video.

8 comments Classroom Set Up, Incentives, Room 12

Perfect Attendance Posters

Last year, my school had a "Perfect Attendance" competition between the primary grades and the upper grades.  We all started working on a certain phrase, and if our class had everyone there and on time, we would cross off a letter.  Whichever class finished crossing off all of the letters for that specific phrase, the students won a treat and extra recess, while the teacher won a gift card to Starbucks or Jamba Juice!  

These phrases are our 7 Virtues.

Some teachers wrote the phrase on their whiteboard, or on a sentence strip, but I created my "Perfect Attendance Posters."  I put each poster on decorative paper and slipped it inside of a plastic sleeve.  When my class had perfect attendance, I used an erasable marker to cross out the letter.  I also hung up all of the posters with a ring; that way when a class won and finished the phrase, I would just flip to the new phrase.  

It was a great competition involving our entire school; they would announce the winning class on "Tiger Talk," which is our morning announcements.  If this Perfect Attendance competition isn't done among the entire school, it would still be a fun classroom incentive, or a competition among a grade level.  Anyway, here are the pictures of my "Perfect Attendance Posters!"  

My "Perfect Attendance Posters" all ready to be hung up by the ring.

11 comments Incentives, Room 12