Love my 4th graders! "Surf Buddies" Art.

I am so thrilled with the 4th graders I have in my class!  They are all so smart, funny, and sweet.  It has been a busy start to the year...had some class changes, but now things are settling down.  I have 34 students in my class, and they are really becoming close friends. 

I haven't posted for so long, and I need to get back to it.  =)  We have done some fun projects: Personalized our Pencil Boxes, made posters to go with our Read Aloud by Stephen Krensky called "My Teacher's Secret Life," created our "Surf Buddies," Puzzle Races, etc...  

The Puzzle Races we did the first week of school.  I can't remember whose blog I saw the idea on, but it was a really fun activity that helped my students learn how to be a team player.   (If you know whose blog it was from, please leave me a comment, so I can link it back to them).  

Our "Surf Buddies" are so cute too; thanks to the idea from Corrina at Surfin' Through Second. 

Here are some pictures of my 4th graders Personalized Pencil Boxes, and "Our Way Cool Surf Buddies!"  Enjoy =)

I love how they made them so realistic!

So cute!

My Surf Buddy! =)

Hung them up in the windows...

 Pictures of some of their Personalized Pencil Boxes:

Ocean theme...

How their desks looked for "Back to School Night."

Pretty Flowers...

Space and the Solar System...

Furry Pets...

Cove's pencil box is "Ocean" themed too... =)

Some Angry Birds and Sponge Bob =)

 

I had this student when I taught 2nd grade.  He started the school year with a different 4th grade teacher, but now after all of our class reshuffling, he is in my class!  

Sweet little note from Julian...

Leave a Comment Art, Back to School Fun, Room 12

50 Followers is a Sweet Thing...Thank You Everyone!

Sweet Little "Rolo" Candy Pencils...

I am so excited that I have 50 followers now!  I am glad that I started this blog this summer.  I have learned so many new things, and it is fun to be able to look back on the things I made or found on other teachers' fabulous blogs. =)

I wanted to share these Sweet little 'Rolo' Candy Pencils I made for my students on "Back to School Night."  I found the idea on Thrifty and Thriving, by Christy.  It was such a cute idea, and so easy.  

Here are the pictures of my Sweet Candy Pencils:

It was so easy...first I cut small pink pieces of paper and taped them around one end of the candy bar.  I also cut circles to tape on top to cover the end of the candy bar.  Then I glued on a hershey kiss.  
 






 

I folded yellow card stock to make the creases and taped that around the candy bar too.  I cut pieces of foil and taped that around to cover where the yellow and pink paper over lapped.  I wrote the #2 on with a sharpie, and tied on my little "Welcome to Back to School Night."  


 

I am going to have my 4th graders write a letter to their parents and leave it on their desk.  Then I will lay one of the candy pencils on top of their letters, to surprise them when they come to "Back to School Night."  

They are going to LOVE them, and they can eat them.  I think they are almost too cute to eat...I said almost...who can resist chocolate and caramel???  =) 

6 comments Back to School Fun, Home, Room 12

"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

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