Summer Break/School Prep Part One!

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer break so far...I don't know about you but it is sooooo nice to get some extra sleep!  We have been very busy these first few weeks of summer but it has been nice to take a break from thinking about DIBELS, bus duty, grading work, etc.  It never fails, though, once I catch up on some sleep I start thinking about all the ways I need to get ready for the NEXT school year. I want to be prepared! 

Like all of you, there are so many things I like to do over the summer that will make next year run all the more smoothly.  For the first day of school, I give all of the children a Back To School Bag at the END of the day.  This isn't an original idea, of course, but I like to start gathering the bags, candy and other items over the next month and put these together before we head back for Teacher Workdays.  Once we go back for workdays, this is the kind of thing that falls by the wayside so I like to have them ready beforehand.  
There are many variations to this idea and you can find them by googling "back to school treat bag". 


We are the Providence Pirates so I like to have a friendly pirate theme to anything that I can.



I found these bags at Michael's last year so I had better start looking for them now!

For this script, you can change the clipart to coordinate with your school mascot
 or any other design you would like. 

Here are the items you will need to fill the bag:
lollipops
Tootsie Rolls
erasers
Lifesavers
paperclips
pencils
pennies
Smarties
Hershey Hugs

K Your Back to School Bag

Check back for other Back to School Prep ideas!

Famous Americans!

I thought I would share our finished Famous Americans books with you. 
 I really like their covers...I tell them that THE most Famous American that needs
to go on their cover is THEM!  They love it!! 



Ok, while I am happy with our finished product, I know I fell short on this book.  My aim for next year is to try and have one famous American that we study each month and then add to our book.   We'll see..if wishes were fishes and all that.  I had wanted to include a child (Ruby Bridges), Eric Carle (since we did study his work for a solid month!), women (Mae Jamison, Helen Keller-both from Alabama) and George Washington Carver (also from Alabama).  I have gathered books on all of these historical figures and will work to get my patterns, lessons, activities compiled over the summer.   That being said, I am still happy with all that we did accomplish with these books and how they tie in with our Course of Study.




The artwork for Martin Luther King Jr. is based on a TLC unit. The Johnny Appleseed
patterns were made based on a project that I saw in an Oriental Trading Co. catalog! 
I get some great ideas from them!! 



The George Washington and Abraham Lincoln artwork came
from Deanna Jump's American Symbols unit. 

OK,  for Dr. Seuss, I just used the same patterns that I used for Martin Luther King Jr.! 
I didn't think he would mind.  :)



Here is one of our favorite Famous Americans, Mrs. Lawson!  She selflessly has come to my room every Monday for the past two years to read to my students.  They absolutely love their time with her!  I cannot express what an invaluable gift this is that she so freely gives to these children.  Thank you, Mrs. Lawson!




Here is another Famous American, one of my fabulous Peer Mentors, Kionna!  This is a huge perk from having a K-8 school.  We are able to request some of the best middle school students to help in our classrooms for one period a day.  Kionna has been assisting in my room, however, since she was in the fourth grade!  How lucky am I?!




Brittney, another wonderful Peer Mentor, came to say goodbye after her 8th Grade Graduation. 
There were tears...




...and some laughter!  We will miss her terribly but wish her
well as she moves on to high school.