Summer Adventure Writing - Back to School

My Summer Adventure Writing (Back to School) - I always love having my students share all about their summer adventures.  Visit my TPT store for this resource:  LINK Included is a graphic organizer using ordinal words, writing paper, cell phone to capture student drawings & frame to mount pictures students may bring in.  Sharing the summer adventure writings is a great way to build community and learn more about each other! 

Additional Teacher Suggestions: 
1.  Have students bring in a photo from their favorite summer adventure.  Use a glue stick to mount the picture in the frame.
2.  Have students use “cell phone” to draw pictures to match their summer adventure writing.  You can stack cell phones on top of each other and glue just along the left side.  You could put up a sign - Swipe to view photos!
3. You could use the frame - My Summer Adventure to have students draw and color their favorite summer adventure.  Mount on colored construction paper and hang on bulletin board with writing.

This resource can be found at my TPT store:  LINK

Love what you do... Do what you love!

Class Wishes

No Rules - Class Wishes Instead:  (Beginning of School)  I always love to start my school year by establishing our class culture.  I love telling my students that we have NO RULES in our classroom.  The students' faces look shocked - and excited.  I tell them that in our classroom we will have "wishes" instead.  We brainstorm together on chart paper the way we "wish" everyone would act in the classroom.  The students are amazing - they know exactly what they wish everyone would do.  I have the students pick their favorite wish and write it on a heart.  This gives them ownership.  I then have the students cut out their heart and glue it on the class chart labeled  - Class Wishes.  I then tally the wishes after school and come up with our top five wishes.  The next day we agree on the posted wishes and I have the kiddos each sign the chart showing their agreement.  It is a totally different feel when I approach a student and say... Janeen, you are not making our class wish of being kind to others when you pushed your friend.  You will need to pull your card.  Janeen realizes that our goal is to make our class wishes come true - it helps her understand our vision for the classroom.  Try it out!  You can download the Class Wishes - heart FREE at my TPT store!

Letter Writing Throughout the Year (Pen Pals)

FREE at my TPT Store

Letter Writing:  I love having my students practice their Friendly Letter writing skills throughout the school year.  One of my good friends is a 3rd-grade teacher at a neighboring elementary school.  We have been pen pals for many moons.  We have our 3rd-grade classes write to each other all year.  The last week of school we have a pen pal picnic.  We alternate which class will walk to the other classes' school.  We then exchange letters for the last time and enjoy lunch and games together as our final hurrah!

The exciting thing is that even though the students go to different elementary schools, they could end up in the same middle school together!  How fun!

I designed friendly letter writing paper for the students to use throughout the year.  I designed a couple of generic papers and some that match with the season/holiday for that month.  You can download the friendly letter-forms FREE here:  FREE at my TPT Store

Do what you love... Love what you do!

Pen Pal Picnic - Final Letter Exchange

Walking to meet our pen pals!

A Little About Me... #SELFIE

Back to School Idea - A Little About Me... #SELFIE:  I love building my classroom family the first week of school.  I want my class to learn as much as they can about their new classmates.  This "A Little About Me..." writing and selfie drawing should be fun!  My plan is to have my students brainstorm together interesting information they could include in their writing.  Then, they will add a "#SELFIE" to their writings.  My plan is to share out the writings to help us learn more about each other.  I think it will make a super cute bulletin board too.  Our chrome books at school have cameras - so I feel this would be a great time to show my students how they work and have them take a real selfie!   You can print the writing paper FREE at my TPT store.

Love what you do... Do what you love!

Classroom Items I LOVE from Amazon

Classroom Items I LOVE from Amazon:  When I first started teaching - there was no amazon!  I know that might sound shocking, but it is true!  I am so thankful for Amazon!  As a teacher I can find amazing products that - well - I just can't live without.  I thought I'd share my top 5!

Plastic Glue Bottles:  If you haven't noticed from my BLOG, I am a fan of red.  So when I saw these red plastic squeeze bottles I had to have them.  I put glue inside.  I never have to unjam glue bottles.  The cap is secured by a plastic strap keeping the glue airtight when not in use.  This was a brilliant purchase!  I ordered 6 for my classroom.  My parent helpers LOVE them too!  They are a must for any classroom.

• Amazon LINK 

BleuMoo 1Pc 16oz Plastic Squeeze Squirt Condiment Bottle with Twist On Cap Lids (Red)

Red Microphone:  This was an item my BTSA teacher introduced me to.  I use it in my classroom when my students are sharing orally in-front of the class.   It helps to take away the nerves that can come when presenting.  My students feel like big-shots when using it.  And... of course I purchased it in red.  Other colors are available. 

• Amazon LINK 

BONAOK Wireless Bluetooth Karaoke Microphone,3-in-1 Portable Handheld karaoke Mic Home Party birthday Speaker Machine for iPhone/Android/iPad/Sony,PC and All Smartphone(Red)

Name Badges:  I love that I can order 50 name badges for under $20!  I use these name badges all the time in class.  They are great for subs to use.  The badges are ready to use on field trips.  I love the clear plastic slot.  I can change the color to match field trip groups, science jobs, leadership rolls... I am planning on using them next year during our wheel time.  We will have 3 guest teachers rotating into our classrooms.  The name badges will be ready to use - making the guest teachers able to know all the students' names. (And they are reusable!)

•  Amazon LINK 

Aobear 50pcs Waterproof Transparent Transverse ID Label Badge and Sturdy Lanyard (red)

Magnetic Stars:  Talk about easy grouping.  These stars are magnetic.  They look super cute on my classroom door as a welcome - Mrs. Arvidson's Stars - and they also are perfect for forming groups.  My whiteboard is magnetic as are my cabinets - so these are perfect!  Very versatile! (And they are reusable - too!

•  Amazon LINK 

Student Name Star Label Magnets

Magnetic Hooks:  I purchased mine for $15 - so watch for sales!  These hooks are SO powerful.  They can hold a flip chart on my white board or metal cabinets.  They are so strong - that I have to use two hands to get them off the board.  Don't you hate when magnets are so weak that your items slide down the whiteboard!?  Not anymore!  XO

•  Amazon LINK 

Maskeny [BONUS 6 PACK] XL Super Strong Large Neodymium Magnetic Hook For Storage And Organization Each Heavy Duty Hook Holds 40Lb FREE 6 Buffer Pads - Indoor/Outdoor Multi Purpose Hanging Hooks

ME Bag & Tag (First Week of School Activity)

ME Bag & Tag:  (First Week of School Activity)  I love to start the first week of school by sending home a "Me Bag" with each student.  I have a cute little poem I staple on the front of each bag.  I place a "Tag" inside the bag for each student to fill out.  The poem says:

I ask the students to place items in the bag that tell us something that makes them unique.  I give them examples:  a rock from your rock collection, a baseball, a trophy, favorite book...  Students can place one or two items in the bag.  I then ask them to fill out a tag that looks like this:

I found that by having a simple tag with sentence frames helped my students feel less nervous.  Most of the kiddos used the tag as a guide and then added in their own words.  Since it is the beginning of the school year I feel it is important to lower any anxiety.  Below is a picture of 4 of my students who were ready to share.  We start in a large circle on the floor and each shared our special item(s).  I made sure to have a bag ready too!  Love what you do... Do what you love!

You can get a FREE PDF copy of my Me Bag by clicking this TPT LINK!  Enjoy!

Room Find (First Day of School Activity)

Room Find (First Day of School Activity):  I always love to start my school year with a class room find.  I put together a list of 30 items that I would like my students (detectives) to find.  I pump it up and tell them that they are going to become "room detectives" and find all of the items listed, checking them off as they go.  I tell them they can only speak to me if they have a question or need help reading an item.  Students are given clipboards, a pencil, and a room find sheet.  I usually set a timer for 10-15 minutes and allow the students to explore their new classroom!  When time is up, we then work together to find all of the items on our room find list.  The activity really helps to bring us together as a classroom family!  You can find a FREE editable copy of my room find at my TPT site.   You can change it to find your classroom.   Enjoy!  Love what you do... Do what you love!

Students in action!

Class Pets

Class Pets:  Ever since my first year of teaching - I have always had class pets.  You name it, and I have had it.  Right now my class has a pet guinea pig named In"fur"no (Yes, the kiddos named him.  They said his little backside looked like it was on fire like an inferno - so they made a play on words with "fur" and he became Infurno.  Class pets bring LIFE to any classrooms.  Kiddos learn responsibility in caring for a living creature.  My students love reading to the guinea pig.  Infurno is non judgmental and loves all of my 3rd graders.  I would recommend a guinea pig to any teacher who is thinking of adding a class pet to their classroom!

Artwork at the Fair

Artwork at the Fair:  Nothing says summer like a visit to the fair.  One of my highlights every year is seeing my students' artwork on display at the fair.  This year my class sent in our 3D bugs.  My students took pictures with their bugs and I printed and mounted them to the back of their entomologist writings.  I told them to look shocked - like they had just discovered this new type of bug,. Every time I see their faces - I have to smile!  They just make me laugh!  Thank you to The San Diego County Fair for displaying student artwork!  It looked amazing!

Shocking Discovery!

Last Day of School

Last Day of School:  It is always so bitter sweet to say good-bye at the end of the school year.  You fall in love with your students and don't want them to go!  So... to soften the blow of losing all my lovely 3rd graders I end the school year with Minute to Win It! games.  I divide the class into 4 teams of 6.  Each team thinks of their own team name.  (Rainbows, Minecraft... you can only imagine the silly names...)  I have 7 games the kids go wild about.  The games use simple supplies that are readily available. (very needed at the end of the school year!)  I emailed a list to my room mom extraordinaire and she was able to rally the troops and get the supplies sent in.  So here are the 7 events I used:  Puzzling Breakfast, Blow Your Top, Cotton Nose,  Tweeze It, It's a Wrap, Noodle Up, Unicorn Horn & Oreo Slide.  Also, Reagan Tunstall from Texas has FREE directions to various Minute to Win it games on TPT.  Here is the LINK:  Minute to Win it Games FREE TPT  Check them out!  Each year I pick and choose different games and adapt them to the resources I have available.  Here are examples of three we played this year:

Puzzling Breakfast:  I took 4 cereal boxes - different kinds - cut the front panel off and used the paper cutter to cut it into 16 pieces.   Students raced to put the cereal box cover back together!  (PS I put the cards back in individual baggies and save them in my file for  the next year!)

Blow Your Top:  Students race to blow 3 cups using a straw across the desk and off the other side!  

Cotton Nose:  I place an empty bowl in front of each student along with 10 cotton balls on the floor next to the bowl.  Now comes the fun part.  I spread Vaseline on the tip of each competitors nose.  On my go, students have to use only their nose to move the cotton balls from the floor to the bowl.

Do what you love...Love what you do!