How to Make an Eye Patch (and a kid smile)!

One of my students needs to wear an eye patch.  He had a hard time getting used to the idea because he was afraid the other kids would make fun of him.  So, to help things be a little bit more bearable for him I made him this eye patch (he still wears a band aid like patch underneath).  I asked him before hand if he would like a special fun patch he could wear at school.  He wasn't too thrilled until I asked him what he would like on it and his face lit up when he said "A shark!"  I instantly thought how am I going to do THAT? So I came up with a solution that didn't cost me a dime! I had it all at home - yay! 

Here is what you need:

-a headband

-felt

-glue gun

-scissors

-googly eye

I cut out the blue ("water") patch and glued it to the headband.  Then I drew a shark on a piece of paper and cut it out for a template.  I drew the gills on with a black sharpie.  I cut out a small piece of red felt for the mouth.  Then I used sewing scissors to cut out the teeth (that was the hardest part.)  Then glued on a small googly eye.  That's it!  When I gave it to him the next day he was SO happy!!!!   

Class Dojo / Giveaway Reminder!

If you like using technology in your classroom you should definitely check out Class Dojo.  I have been using it this year for my classroom management system.  It's AWESOME and FREE!!!! It also works great with an interactive whiteboard (I have a Promethean board in my classroom.)  So here's how it works.  When you set up your account you can create your classroom and enter students' names.  Each student has an avatar.  You can select the avatars or they can be randomly selected.  When I started I set all the avatars to be the same.  I tell students can earn a "new" avatar if they reach 5+ points in a day.  Oh how they LOVE a new avatar!  

Students can earn positive points and negative points.  When a student receives a positive point they hear a happy reward sound and a bubble pops up on the board with the student's name who got the point and what they got it for.  The same goes for a negative point but they hear a sad sound instead of a happy one. Of course, you can turn the sound off.  What I love about this program is that I can use my smart phone as a Class Dojo remote!  I can be anywhere in the room and give students points.  Sometimes I'll take out my phone in our school library or walking down the hall and give students points - or at least they think I am (hehe.)  It's been working so well - I really just have to take my phone out of my pocket, look at the kids, finger peck at my phone and you can hear a pin drop.  They want those points SO BAD. (BTW I also do an end of the week reward for weekly percentage points.) With this program I can also set what I can give points for.  It has been really handy for students who need daily/weekly behavior reports too.  You can also email the reports to parents instead of printing it out.  Parents can see exactly what kinds of points they get - it's great!  Anyone else Dojo?      

Giveaway!!!

If you haven't already, head over to First Upon A Time to enter our great giveaway!  Hurry, it ends Thursday April 19th!!!

When I Am Old with You Mom

Here is my new Mother's Day project just posted on Tpt.  It uses When I Am Old with You by Angela Johnson as a mentor text.  It is a story about a boy who tells his granddaddy all the things they will do when they are old together - so cute!  When I Am Old with You Mom comes with a writing project and two craftivities - a perfect gift for moms!

Hoping for 100 Giveaway! KPM Doodles Clip Art!!!

Hoping for 100 Giveaway!  My friend Mike at First Upon A Time and I are hoping to get to 100 followers each!  So what does this mean for you? A GIVEAWAY! Kirsten at KPM Doodles  has graciously offered a gift certificate for this giveaway. Her work is amazing and SO cute. Visit her Etsy shop KPM Doodles at Esty and her blog as well KPM Doodles Blog.
So here is what is at stake:
A gift certificate from KPM Doodles good for 3 combo sets or 6 single sets.

My Ocean Animal Invertebrates Writing Unit.

Mike’s Tree House Passport to Adventure.

Tree House Passport to AdventureHere is how to enter (each is worth one entry):
1. Follow both our blogs and leave a comment on Mike's blog saying that you do!  Here is Mike's blog: First Upon A Time
2. Blog about the giveaway and leave a comment on Mike's blog when you do!
3. Follow both of our Teachers Pay Teachers stores and leave a comment on Mike's blog when you do!
Over the 1st Grade Rainbow @ TPT
First Upon A Time @ TPT
Good luck to everybody who takes the time to enter. We will random draw for a winner on Thursday, April 19th.

Ocean Animal Invertebrates

I finally finished by first unit!!! It is focused on common core writing standard W.1.2 for first grade.  It also has elements of science and art.  The unit is about three ocean animal invertebrates: squid, jellyfish, and the octopus.  Included for each animal is a nonfiction reader, parts of a (squid) diagram, graphic organizer, 2 writing planners, 2 options for writing paper, and a super cute art project!  LOTS of reproducibles.

 I made this anchor chart to go along with this unit.  There is a reproducible graphic organizer llike this included for each animal.

Anyone heard of the Come With Me Science Series by Pat Perea?  It's an oldie but a goodie!  It has some adorable science songs that I teach my students every year and it goes perfectly with my ocean invertebrates unit. I made this anchor chart for the squid song.  Students love it! 

5 Days = 5 Giveaways at Finally in First

Wow, there is an AWESOME giveaway over at Finally in First.  The first giveaway is a Purple Cow laminator!!! Click on the button below to get to Jenn's blog and enter!