Valentines for Students

Printable Valentines for Your Students

I have always disliked those goofy boxed Valentine cards sold at the stores.  They never really say what I want them to say, especially when it comes to giving them to my students. Plus, you have to tear them apart,  fold them in half, and then they expect you to put them in the dinkiest little envelope. So, what's my solution?  Make them myself, of course!

These Valentine cards are perfect for your students.  I made a set for the girls and one for the boys.

And, They are....

OH

SO

G*r*O*O*v*Y!

and Guess What!..........They are a FREEBIE!

Pretty cute, ah?

Don't forget to attach a piece of Valentine candy!

Click here to print the Valentines for your students

If you choose to download this FREE activity, please share the sweetness by liking us on facebook.

I appreciate you helping to spread the word about Classroom Confections!

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For more fun and creative ideas, click the above picture to go to my store

Valentine's Day Activities

I Heart Valentine's Day!

I don't know what it is about Valentine's Day in the classroom, but I just love it. I even enjoy it more than the Christmas holiday celebrations.  Maybe it's because everything during the Valentine's Day holiday  is pink and red and all fun with hearts and candy. 

I mean, who doesn't like hearts and candy!

Whatever the reason, I like to incorporate the Valentine holiday into my lessons.  It really makes for a fun day.  I have had many Valentine lessons in my Teachers Pay Teacher's store, but I have done something that I think you will LOVE.  You now have two choices.  You can buy the fun Valentine's activities individually, or you can buy them as a bundled deal.  If you buy them individually, it would cost you twice as much as with this packaged deal.  That's right!  It's basically like getting 9 Valentine's activities for half price.  Here is a snapshot of a few of the activities.

For all of the details on this wonderful deal, visit my Teacher's Pay Teachers store.

Click here for Fun Valentine's Day Activities

I appreciate you helping to spread the word about Classroom Confections!

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For more fun and creative ideas, click the above picture to go to my store.

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One Little Word

New Year... One Little Word

I know, I have posted all kinds of New Year's activities here on Classroom Confections, but I have one more to share. (Imagine that!) This is an activity I did with my kids today, which was their first day back from the Christmas holiday.  Instead of doing the typical resolution, I took an idea shared on the blog Ali Edwards and turned it into a full blown lesson. Ali encourages you to choose a word for yourself and embrace it for the year. Head over to her site and read all the details.

Here is what I did for my lesson.  First we talked about what a resolution is.  Remember, I teach 4th graders, so they have heard the word many times.  They then shared some typical resolutions, such as, "I plan to make good grades."  After many common resolutions had been shared, I put up a list of character traits, such as this one HERE, and I said something like, "If your resolution was to make good grades, what kind of word would you use to describe that?"  They said something like, "hardworking".  We then went through the character trait list and circled all of the words that we thought were positive words.  I then explained to them that sometimes it might be best to have one little word that helps us remember what we strive to be like. 

After students had chosen their own one little word, they wrote a paragraph that started something like, "For 2012, the word I will focus on is lovable."  They then wrote details depicting some of the things they will try to focus on related to their one little word.  And of course, kids always like to add their own artistic touch, so I gave them a number one to decorate however they wanted.They included their one little word along the bottom of the number.  I then stapled the number to the writing.  Here is what they look like.....

If you would like to do this One Little Word activity with your students, here are the Freebies.

Posters for The One Little Word Activity

Number One for Students to Color

If you choose to download this FREE activity, please share the sweetness by liking us on facebook.

I appreciate you helping to spread the word about Classroom Confections!

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For more fun and creative ideas, click the above picture to go to my store

Printable Hundred's Charts

Themed Hundred's Counting Chart

Chart....

Board....

Whatever you want to call them.  They equal 100.

I have put together some themed hundred's boards for my TpT store.  With the 100th day of school coming up, it seemed fitting. These boards can be used for lots of different things.  For starters, use them with your preK-K students to assess their progress of couting to 100.  Use them for holidays or with specific units.  For example, use the heart board for Valentine's Day.  Use it as a math center activity, and have the students use candy hearts to place over each heart on the chart as they count aloud or with a friend. This would be a great little 'what do I do when I am done activity' for the little ones.  Put a laminated counting board in a baggie with one hundred manipulatives (cubes, Hershey Kisses, candy hearts, etc.) and the kids can grab it from a basket and take it to their seat to practice counting.  

There are a hundred ways you could use these boards!

As always, be creative!

Click here: Themed Hundred's Charts

I appreciate you helping to spread the word about Classroom Confections!

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For more fun and creative ideas, click the above picture to go to my store.

If you are a teacher and you like what you see, please visit often.

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One Extra Degree

212 degrees... Just One Extra Degree

It wasn't so long ago that I heard about One Extra Degree and was intrigued by it. My husband actually used the concept with his basketball team this year, having 212 degrees put on the back of their shooting jerseys.  Then, as I returned to work today, we were presented with the concept at our faculty meeting. The comparison between the boiling point of water and striving to be  someone that stands above the rest is an analogy that can really make you think.  It can help you to take a step back and look at yourself and ask, "What can I do to create that steam?"  If you don't know what I'm talking about, then watch this video.

So, with that said, it seems fitting that my newest Featured Teacher Blog is called One Extra Degree

and they are officially awarded the:

Amanda is the third grade teacher behind the scenes at the teacher blog One Extra Degree.  She makes all of the great teacher resources, which tend to meet the grade range from  k-4.   I know Amanda from Teachers Pay Teachers where she is a top seller.  Take a moment to check out her blog and TpT store.  You are sure to find a few items you can take back to the classroom.

One Extra Degree TpT Store

One Extra Degree Blog

As you celebrate ringing in the 2012 with your students, strive to be a 212 degrees kind of teacher.



For more fun and creative ideas for the classroom, click the above picture to go to my store.

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Movie Themed Bulletin Board

Grab Your Popcorn!

{ Update on this blog post... please check out my Hollywood/Movie Bulletin Board Printables by clicking this link:  Hollywood Bulletin Board }

If you read my blog two days ago, you know that I made a movie themed behavior incentive card to start the new year.  Well, I went back to work today and got it all put together.  Check it out.

Remember, the basic chart was a freebie file.  The top right hand corners of the bulletin board are 3-D. I used pop corn containers I got from Target.  I then just copied some other graphics, laminated them, and placed them around the charts.

If you didn't get the freebie file, click HERE to read my other blog post.

If you choose to download this FREE activity, please share the sweetness by liking us on facebook.

I appreciate you helping to spread the word about Classroom Confections!

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For more fun and creative ideas, click the above picture to go to my store.

If you are a teacher and you like what you see, please visit often.

Also, please click the facebook link to 'like' us

Christmas Gift Thank You Notes

Thank You Notes with a New Year's Theme

Call me a slacker! 

 Over this Christmas break, I had every intention of mailing thank you cards to my students and their parents for all of the wonderful gifts I received.  But, it simply didn't work out. Oh well!  I know some teachers get the thank you notes written on the last day of school before the holiday break, but I just don't ever seem to be able to sit down long enough to get it done. I don't know what was going on in your classroom, but we had benchmark tests the last day, and we had our Chirstmas party. It was a crazy day!  So, what is the plan at this point?  I shall fill out a small Happy New Year card that is really a Christmas thank-you note......kill two birds with one stone.... Wish them a Happy New Year and say thank you, too.  I will staple the note inside their agenda/homework notebook so their parents will see it. 

Are you a slacker too? 

 (I know we aren't really slackers!)

But if you are running behind on your holiday thank you cards, feel free to print my card out and use it.

New Year's Themed Christmas Thank You Note

If you choose to download this FREE activity, please share the sweetness by liking us on facebook.

I appreciate you helping to spread the word about Classroom Confections!

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For more fun and creative ideas, click the above picture to go to my store.

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Fun Friday Movie Day Freebie

It's a Fun Friday Freebie

As I go into the second half of the school year, I figured I would try a new behavior incentive.  My teaching neighbor and I are going to hold a movie day the last Friday of the month in order to encourage good behavior.  I am going to print one of these for each student, and put them on my bulletin board.  They will use it like a standard sticker chart.  This will add something fun to start off the new year.  Feel free to try it in your classroom, as I am including it as a freebie:  Fun Friday Movie Chart

You can also click on the image to download.

If you choose to download this FREE activity, please share the sweetness by liking us on facebook.

I appreciate you helping to spread the word about Classroom Confections!

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For more fun and creative ideas, click the above picture to go to my store.

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Persuasive Writing Lesson Activity

Writing a Persuasive Paper

I really need to go to the mall!  I need a cookie!........

Kids use persuasion all the time. 

H*e*Y....guess what???

I even use it quite a bit myself!

I am sitting here doing my writing lesson plans for next week and put together a chart I will project on the board to use for my mini lesson on Author's Purpose.  We will actually be talking about this in reading and writing, with the main focus being on persuasive writing.  I thought I would share in case you would like to use.  The author's purpose chart is a FREE download below.

Before I display this chart, I will probably say something like, "Did you know authors love PIE?" and then I will probably say, "Oh yes... look... I am an author and I love PIE!", and then I will open a Little Debbie Oatmeal Pie and take a bite....HA!... something like that always gets their attention.  Then of course, I will display the chart and we will discuss it, and then I will probably give them a half of a pie to reinforce that they too are authors, and so they will get some pie.  (nice teacher, ah?) 

Click HERE to download the Author's Purpose Pie

Looking for a fun way to introduce Persuasive Writing in particular.  Try this activity below. Just click on the link.
Click HERE to see my Persuasive Writing with Oreo Cookies.

If you choose to download the FREE activity, please share the sweetness by liking us on facebook.

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For more fun and creative ideas, click the above picture to go to my store.

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Free Printable Teacher To-Do List

Printable To-Do List

If you are like me, then you are a list kind of girl!  

I know... some people can't stand lists and they equate it to just having....

 o*N*e  

m*O*r*E 

t*H*i*N*G 

t*O

d*O. 

Not me!

To-do lists help keep me straight and help me prioritize what needs to get done.  My life is so extremely active. I have two teenagers and a twenty month old, so you can imagine that I have a lot on my plate.  I try to look at the whole picture of what I need to accomplish, but sometimes as a teacher it can get very overwhelming.  You know what I'm talking about...... things like:  have this ready for the meeting on Tuesday, turn this paper in on Monday, calculate this data by Friday, gather this for the IEP on Wednesday.... it's a wonder we get anything done at all due to brain overload! 

I try to make a list in the morning when I get to school of the things I have to get accomplished for that particular day. Sometimes I do it on the note section of my lesson plans and other times I just use a scratch piece of paper.  To start off my 2012, I decided to throw out the scratch paper and actually put a sheet together to help me prioritize what needs to get done each day.  I am including it as  a freebie if you would like to use it.  I plan to run one for each day.  Like I said, I know that this may seem like an added chore for some people, especially rewriting a few things from day to day, but for me, writing things down each day also helps me to remember what I need to get accomplished.

If you are a list kind of girl, then feel free to download it here:  FREE Printable Teacher To-Do List

Remember:  Be Wise... Prioritize!

If you choose to download this activity, share the sweetness by liking us on facebook.

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FREE New Year's Resolution Writing Activity

It's a New Year's Napkin Resolution Activity

I know, call me CrAzY!  I was shopping in Target when I came across one of their sale racks.  You know the ones I am talking about on the end of the isles.  Well, they had some of the cutest napkins marked down to .65 a pack.  Can you say "BARGAIN"?  Of course I had to buy some!

So, what to do with the napkins????? Hmmm.....

Actually, I was supposed to be cleaning the bathroom, but instead I put together this little paper napkin booklet that I am going to make with my kids the first day back from school.  The napkin works perfectly as the cover to the mini booklet, which I cleverly titled "Coming Clean" with my New Year's Napkin Resolution.  We will talk about 'coming clean' being a figure of speech, and then come clean about some improvements or goals, AKA resolutions, that they need to make. They will then do a short writing about their resolution and expand on their ideas. 

If you would like to try this activity with your kids, start searching for some cute napkins. I am including the file for FREE if you would like to download it here : printable New Year's Activity.

Here is a sample:

If you choose to download this activity, share the sweetness by liking us on facebook.

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Responding to Literature

Responding to Literature

Responding to literature is communicating what you think and understand about what you have read.  Responding to literature doesn't just have to be the same 'ole writer's notebook using readers' response letters. There are lots of ways to respond to literature.  Here is a very thorough list of ways to share a book that would be considered responding to literature: Responding to Literature

And of course, for the younger elementary students, teaching them to respond to literature may first mean getting them to connect with the text. They need to learn to find things they find interesting. Here is a sheet I made to do exactly that. They will write down two things they find interesting about the text. This can be used while reading a text aloud as a whole class, or even aloud in a small group.  It can also be used as a literacy center activity with the books students are reading independently.

 Use however you would like.  Be creative!

If you choose to download this activity, share the sweetness by liking us on facebook.

Click HERE to download this FREE Responding to Literature Activity.

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Teaching Blog Addict

It's time that I come clean and admit that I'm an addict..........

a blogging addict! 

It's not just any 'ole blogging addiction though, it's........

Teacher Blogging!

And this week's featured teacher blog goes right along with my addiction.

Yep, you guessed it... It's a blog for us teaching blog addicts to fess up about our little problem.
It's a place where we can take ownership of our addiction.

 

The Teaching Blog Addict teacher blog is officially awarded the:

If you haven't visited their blog before, take a moment to do so.  You don't have to be a teacher blogger to appreciate their site. Any teacher is sure to enjoy their daily blog posts. One of my favorite pages on their blog is the list of other teacher bloggers. It can be found by clicking HERE. Subscribe to their RSS feed so you won't miss a beat when it comes to updates. Enjoy!

Oh, and just in case you were wondering...
I really am an official ADDICT! I have my membership care to prove it.





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New Year's Classroom Activities

New Year's Printable Game and More

In order to celebrate the New Year, I have put together a few activities for the classroom. I have already mentioned two other activities in previous blog posts, so I will put links at the bottom of this post to those.  This newest one is a New Year's game board.  This is a generic game board and can be used with cards you already have in the classroom, or you can make your own game cards using the blank New Year's themed cards I have included.   Make some addition cards or review math vocabulary. Practice some test review questions. Be creative!

Click HERE to purchase this New Year's Game.

Click on the below links to see other New Year's related activities:

•  New Year's morning work packet
• New Year's ABC Order Center
• FREE New Year's Bookmarks
• FREE New Year's Parent Signature Labels
• FREE New Year's Resolution Writing Paper

If you download any of the FREE activities, please share the sweetness by giving us a 'like' on facebook.

For more fun and creative ideas, click the above picture to go to my store.

If you are a teacher and you like what you see, please visit often.

Also, please click the facebook link to 'like' us

Top Ten Teacher Tips for 2012

1.   Prioritize what needs to get done.  Look at the whole picture, but also keep in mind what needs to get done TODAY!  It’s okay to put some things off until tomorrow.   
2.  Don’t let your grading get the best of you.  Grade a little each day and it won’t pile up.
3.  Make the day fun for you and your students. Get creative!  Search for fun lessons on the Internet by visiting websites like Teachers Pay Teachers.
4.    Collaborate with your coworkers.  The best ideas might be hiding out in the room next door. Participate in a ‘get on, give one’ lesson exchange.  You take a lesson and then you get a lesson in return.
5.   Make a student feel special. Pick a child each day and tell them something positive.   Put a smile on their face by leaving them an award on their desk or even just a sticker to display. Sometimes we get so caught up in the negative, we forget to focus on the positive.
6.   Don’t stay late every day!  Remember, you either have a family to get home to, or you need to have some ‘me’ time.  I used to be a stay-later and then I got my priorities straight.  I am a 100% teacher from 7:30-4:00 and then I have one stay-late day per week.  It can make you a better teacher if you leave!!  J
7.  Don’t get caught up in what I call teacher-gripe!  Some things that we teachers want to gripe about will simply not change, no matter how much we dislike it and no matter how much time goes by.  
8.  Get that room clean. As the kids come back after the start of the New Year, have them clean their desks out.  I mean really clean them.  I have students take the Lysol wipes to the inside of the desk.  A clean desk can help clear the mind.  Kids will be ready to perform in 2012.
9. Change something up in the classroom for the second half of the year.  Whether it’s your discipline program, your bulletin board, or something else.  It will add excitement to the remainder of the year.  My teaching neighbor and I are going to start doing a fun Friday the last Friday of the month for good behavior. 
10.  Teach!……oh yeah, that’s the number one tip, right?  Teach with your heart and everything else will fall in place.

For more fun and creative ideas, click the above picture to go to my store.

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New Year's Resolution Writing Paper

Looking for New Year's Writing Paper?  How about trying this one!  It's a freebie download compliments of ME. Students will fill in their name at the top.  They can then write a few things they would like to improve upon on the outside of the light bulb, sort of spidering out from the shine lines, or they could write words to describe themselves on the outside of the bulb (turn it into an adjective lesson). They would then focus on one resolution/improvement for the inside of the bulb.  For example, "I will shine in 2012 by studying for all of my tests. I will remember to take home all my study material."  Be creative and use it however you would like. Mount on some colored paper and hang with a cute title card outside your classroom for a creative New Year's display.

If you choose to download this file, please share the sweetness by spreading the word about Classroom Confections on facebook.  Thanks.

Click HERE to download this FREE New Year's Resolution Writing Paper.

For more fun and creative ideas, click the above picture to go to my store.

If you are a teacher and you like what you see, please visit often.

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What the Teacher Wants

I would like to share my newest Featured Teacher blog..... What the Teacher Wants.  It's no surprise that this blog is growing like wild fire because they offer such fun and useful ideas for the classroom.  The two authors, Natalie and Rachelle, are teachers in Utah. They not only feature their own ideas, but like me, they feature creative ideas by other teachers.  Rachelle is making her way to the top of  Teachers Pay Teachers with some of her creative themed units, so all of you k-2 teaches, do check out her store by clicking here.  You can check out Natalie's store here. One example of a fun activity they recently showcased on their blog is a snow globe art project.  I am looking forward to doing this activity with my fourth graders when we return after the holiday break.  I will combine it with a writing activity, and they will love it. Check out their blog, as you are sure to become a follower.



For more fun and creative ideas for the classroom, click the above picture to go to my store.

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