Projects, Projects, Projects

August seems to always be the fastest month of the year for me.  I feel like it sneaks up on me and then sprints to the end of the summer, all the while, packing in doctor appointments, soccer practices, tournaments, camp, and trying to set up my classroom for the school year.  Why is that??  This year has proven to be no different.....I have been really busy with all of the above, hence the reason I haven't blogged in a while.  However, here are a few of the projects I've been working on.  They are all school related, but there are a few other crafty projects to be posted soon!  

My theme in my classroom this year is polka dots on chocolate....I think I already blogged about that.  :-)  I am also incorporating a few owls here and there because they are just so darn cute....I can't help it! 

Last year, I had a basket with a label, of course, titled Book Hospital.  I needed a place for my students to put damaged books for me to fix (and my desk is not an option).  It seemed the most logical solution.  I did like the basket, but I wanted something cuter this year....plus I really want to use that basket for something else.  :-)  This first picture is of my new Book Hospital.

Supplies Needed:
*Beverage Bucket.....Target $1 (fantastic deal!)
 *Baby Steps cartridge
 *Pink vinyl
 *Lots of ribbon

This next picture is of the step stool I am using in my classroom.  My students often use it to reach the top of our SMARTboard.  I had a red plastic step stool last year that I found at Target in the dollar section.  I think it cost me $2.50.  It held up great!  However.....it did break because of my clumsiness.  Boo!  So...I found this wooden one....at Target.  I just cut out some circles on my Cricut to jazz it up a bit.  Isn't it cute??

Supplies Needed:
*Wooden Step Stool
*Plantin Schoolbook cartridge---circles cut at various sizes.  I did use Roly Poly to get the empty middle.
*Vinyl--brown, pink, green

These next pictures show my new whisper phones.  These tools are used by students so they can hear themselves reading.  It's super neat how these work!  These are tools I have always wanted in my classroom, but have never had the money to purchase.  They are terribly expensive.  I think I found 12 for $70.  OUCH!  So....I went to Home Depot in pursuit of creating my own.  I had a friend who made hers, so it was rather easy for me to grab the supplies I needed.
Supplies Needed:
*PVC 3/4" Elbows (these came in a package---it was cheaper)-$2/pkg
*PVC pipe (which this great guy at Home Depot cut for me for free)-$1.50
I think for this whole project, I spent $20 and was able to make 30 whisper phones!  Much more affordable!

 

All I did was take two elbows and connected them with the pvc pipe.  Super easy! Then you get the following picture:

And because I like to have EVERYTHING organized in my classroom....I cut vinyl numbers (to match each student's number).  I put each number in the middle of the phone.  For the numbers, I used the Alphalicious cartridge.  I chose the short stack feature and cut the numbers at 2".

 This next project was Pinterest inspired.  I think I seriously have an addiction to Pinterest.  Oy!  So....here's the project I pinned...okay....never mind....I can't figure out how to post a picture from someone else's blog.  Any tips, please help!  Here's the link instead...http://whattheteacherwants.blogspot.com/2010/11/student-birthdays.html
I just thought these pixie stick birthday treats were adorable.....so here's my spin on the idea.

 For my birthday pixie stick treats, I decided to use the smaller pixie sticks.  I also decided to make a cute little bucket for the pixie sticks to go in.  I love it!

Supplies Needed:
*Create a Critter Cartridge--balloon (I used my gypsy to delete the face)
Alphalicious Cartridge--letters cut at 2"
*Peachy Keen Stamps--Everyday Character Face Assortment
*Bucket (I found these at Target last spring.  This was left over from some Easter baskets I made. They were $1 each, so I kinda stocked up.)
*Vinyl
*LOTS of ribbon 



And....my last project for tonight.....I really wanted a banner to hang back by my small group table.  It needed something fun and cheery.  I decided to make this READ banner, with polka dots and owls!

Supplies Needed:
Birthday Bash Cartridge--pennants cut at 6"
Create a Critter Cartridge--Owl cut at 4"
Alphalicious Cartridge--Letters and shadows cut at 4"
Ribbon

Thanks for hanging in there with me tonight!  Lots of projects going on!  I can't wait to share what I've done with some furniture!  Have a great night!

Classroom Craftiness

As promised...I am going to post some of the things I've made for my classroom and a few other classroom related pics.  I would love any feedback you can give me, additional ideas, etc.  When I'm back at school getting everything set up, I will post completed pics.  I can't help myself....I have to decorate my classroom in a theme.....and I like it to coordinate....part of my teacher OCD, I suppose.  :-)  This year's theme will be polka dots, more specifically, dots on chocolate (I'm using a lot of the Creative Teaching Press Products), and throwing in a few owls here and there.  I figured the owls would fit in......plus they're so darn cute!  :-)

This first picture is of the labels I will put on the student cubbies.  I made one for each cubby 1-30.  Each student is assigned a number.  When they put their names on things, they also write their number....it just helps me with organization and helps so I don't have to remake labels every year for files and such.

For these tags, I used the following:
-Creative Teaching Press Frame Cut-outs
-Cuttin' Up Cartridge-cartoon cut at 4"

This next picture is of the letters I'll use for my word wall.  I did all of the consonants in blue and the vowels in pink.

For these dots I used the following:
--Plantin Schoolbook Cartridge for the circles---shadow cut at 4", regular circle cut at 3"
-Cuttin' Up Cartridge for the letters--cut at 2"

This next picture is a poster I made.  I found this cute acrostic saying on a proteacher.net message board when I was searching for bulletin board titles with a polka dot theme.  I instantly fell in love with this!  I'm hoping to train my kiddos to say the poem after I prompt with "DOTS."  Cute, huh?!?!?

For this poster I used:
-Creative Teaching Press Dots on Chocolate posterboard
-Plantin Schoolbook Cartridge for the circles--cut at 4"
-Cuttin' Up Cartridge for the letters--large letters in the circles were cut at 3 3/4" and the rest of the letters were cut at 2 1/4"
          -I then used my Creative Memories punch to punch out different colored circles to add to the large letters.....these were cut at 3/4"

This next picture is of a poster with pockets labeled with numbers.  One way I keep my classroom library organized is by having these pockets.  Each student has a pocket (again, their number).  In each pocket will be 3ish sticks with a dot on top (also labeled with their number).  Each of my library baskets is labeled and has a pocket on the front of the basket.  I don't have a pic of that yet, but I will soon.  So...the student takes their dot stick and when they find a book they want to read, they put their stick in the pocket of the basket they took the book from.....that way when they go to return the book, they remember where they got it from.  Does that make sense???

For this poster:
-posterboard
-Dots on Chocolate library pockets

I like to use daily take home folders in my classroom.  I have found over the past 11 years of teaching (wow!  I can't believe it's been that long) that regular 2 pocket paper folders NEVER hold up.  So, I splurge and purchase the plastic 2-pocket folders for my students.  I tried this for the first time last year and they held up the ENTIRE YEAR!  LOVED IT!  There are a lot of cute acronyms for folders....I have found a variety of names for folders through proteacher.net. I think the original idea was a M.O.O.S.E. binder.   I don't have the money to create binders for my students, so I just stick to folders.  Plus....it works for me.  A lot of websites you can print folder / binder covers, but I knew the paper would never stick with glue to plastic.  So....I made my own and printed them on 2x4" labels.  The inside will have labels on each pocket....on the left.....Left at Home.....on the right....Bring Right Back to School.

This next picture is just a super cute lamp that had a kind of dot-ish type feel to it....and I love the color.  I'm thinking it will fit right in!  Classroom library maybe???  I got it at Target.  I think they're on sale this week for $12.

So I HAD to make a few owls.....they are so cute....I think I'm going to hang one in my classroom library.  I might have to make a few more and hang them about the room.  :-)

For these cute little critters, I used:
-Create a Critter---cut at 11 1/2"

And now for classroom pics.  I was able to get into my room on Monday, even though the carpet hasn't been cleaned and the tile still needs to be done.  But....I got in and decided to take a few shots to share.  Our classrooms are L-shaped, so bear with me as I explain.

View as you look in through the door.  Sink / cabinets directly to your right.  SMARTboard just beyond that.

This is the back part of the L-shape.  Classroom library will be in back left-hand corner.  My small group table will go right near the white board (I think).

 

View of the cubbies and a learning wall.

View of the front of the room from the back.

Well...I think that's all for today.....thanks for hanging in there with my super long post today.  :-)  Feel free to leave any comments / suggestions / ideas you might have.