End of the Year Gifts {Free Download}

First, I must apologize for my lack of blogging.  It just takes so darn long to write a post!  I am getting spoiled with the ease of posting on Instagram and Facebook.  Plus, I took every request for word wall headers and now have 19 variations in my store!

The end of the year is finally in sight!   Next week, we will have our end of the year party and I will be presenting all 26 students with an adorable little bug catching kit from Dollar Tree!  What a steal!   I created a new add your own text variation of the bug themed tags, that I made last year.  Just make sure to download and then open them with Adobe Reader.  Preview for Mac does not want to use the embedded font. 

*I apologize if this is too late for some of you.  There is always pinning and using for next year, right?

  Click any of the pictures to download from Google Docs.

 I used a 3 inch scallop punch to punch out the circles.  Click here to check out the punch on Amazon.com.

I have made circles for Kindergarten, first, and second grade.  I LOVE and appreciate all of your comments and feedback.  I just want to put this out there, that before anyone wastes any of their precious time asking and waiting for a reply; I do not plan on making these for the upper grades, making any changes, or taking any special requests.  Sorry!  I have a mile long "To Do List!"  

Here is last year's gift.  Click on the image to hop over to that post.

Here are some other great end of the year ideas from my blogging buddies!  Just click to check out their posts.

From my sweet and talented friend Lindsey of The Teacher Wife, an end of the year gift for parent volunteers:

Lindsey just came out with digital papers, too!  Gorgeous stuff - I just had to share!  I know I will be using some of these to make Word Wall Headers and Word Wall Cards.

These are from my lovely friend, Anna of Crazy for First Grade.  Swedish fish are my favorite candy!   I won't buy them for myself because I know I won't stop eating them until the package is done.   I know the kids will love this!

Here is another awesome parent volunteer gift idea from the lovely, Rachelle of What the Teacher Wants:

I think it is so cool that they have parent volunteers!

And this cute gift is for her students:

Amazing, Cara Carrol, of The First Grade Parade made her students these adorable gifts:

Amy of Step into Second with Mrs. Lemons, takes the prize for making each one of her students a personalized water bottle!  She used her cameo.  I have one, too.  I just think it would have taken me ten years to make each student a personalized water bottle.  I am utterly impressed, Amy!   I hope your students went crazy for these. 

If you are looking for a variety of gifts, I suggest checking out my friend, Michelle (Fabulous in First) Oakes' Dollar Store Superlatives Packet.  It is so cute and uses items that can be found in The Dollar Tree!

On another note, I met a fellow TpT seller at a baby shower this Sunday.  Random!  Her name is Dana Hagan and her store is called SLP for Me.  She knew all about me, my dogs, and my shoes.  It was so much fun chatting with her, but it was also kind of weird because she knew all about me and I really did not know anything about her!  I suddenly felt so exposed.  I know it says 3,914 followers over to the right, but I never really felt like random strangers would know who I am or what I do in my spare time.  I wonder if this is how celebrities feel?  ;)  Anyway, please, check out her store.  Dana, it was a pleasure meeting you and I am really impressed with products.    

Do you want to meet me too and make me feel like a weirdo?  Well, you can meet me and many of my awesome blogging buddies this summer in Vegas!  Click the picture below for more details.

Thank you to The Teacher Wife for the cute button!

Five For Friday - May 24th and Hugs to Oklahoma

Hi, everyone!  First, I want to let everyone in Oklahoma know that I am thinking of you.  My heart breaks for all the tragic loss of lives and for those who have had their homes and businesses destroyed.  I did not get a chance to donate a product to the Teachers heart Oklahoma fundraiser, but I am happy to promote it.  Please, click on the image below to check it out.  Another way you can help is by donating directly to the Red Cross.   As an animal lover, I am going to also suggest you donate to the Oklahoma Humane Society.  Have you seen this video of the woman who finds her dog during the interview buried in the rubble?  You will need tissues!

I am linking up with Kacey from Doodle Bugs again for Five for Friday!  Here are five random things about my week.

1.   Spring Exhibit was on Tuesday!  It was muggy out and nothing would stick to the walls.  My classroom aide and I had to resort to desperate measures: we hot glued those ants to the wall!  Don't worry, the glue just peels off.   Click on the pictures to check out the TpT products utilized.

Inside my classroom:

My door (This is a free AS IS download):

2. Other Spring Exhibit Projects:

Gel ant farms are the BEST!  Read my horrific experience last year with a sand one!

I am so proud of their writing!  I used some Scholastic Science Readers to model voice in informational writing.  This kiddo nailed it with his polar bear informational writing.  Not sure why he colored the bear blue and orange, but I am not going to complain!

 This is the Original Me on the Map project, by Jennifer Bates.  The Circle Map Project is genius!

3. I think I have found a replacement for my destroyed polka dot storage cubes:

They are $17 dollars each, then I used my Red Card and got 5% off.  I ordered Scotchgard from Amazon for them!

4.  I have a few new products up:

Some teachers said that they needed really big word wall words to hang above closets and such.  These are four to a page and include editable PDF pages. 

I also made a little ladybug door decor.  I really love making decor packets! 

5.  I love Very Jane and they "favorited" this photo on Instagram.  Hashtags are cool like that! 

PS - You can add stuff to Instagram photos using various free photo apps, like Instaframe and Overgram. 

Enjoy the weekend!

Visual Plans, What I Bought During the BIG TPT Sale, and Shape Centers

This Plane and Solid Shape Math Centers and More! packet just kept growing and growing!  So glad it is finally finished.  My students are having a blast with these math centers and learning at the same time.  I am so proud of them, they are using words like "vertices" and "two-dimensional."  Click the image above to check out the packet on TpT.

Construction Center - Working with their "construction crew," the  students combine shapes to create a structure.  Then they record the solid shapes they used to create the structure and draw a picture.  

Toothpick Shapes - The students use toothpicks and marshmallows to build shapes.  They use my plane shape posters as a guide. They then place a tag on their toothpick shape and label what the shape is, how many vertices it has, and how many sides.  

We do not end school until June 21st with students, so I am still very much in school mode.  This week is our spring exhibit and I am cramming in Ant projects!  Here are my plans for the week:

 *This plan book format is called "Erica."  Click here to check it out in Ms. M's A Teacher's Plan Store.

**My visual plans are inspired by DeeDee Wills' visual plans.  

  

Now, on to my Big TpT Sale Purchases!!

I am finally linking up to my post over at Blog Hoppin'.   I am so not a blogging super star and struggle with blogging on three separate blogs!   Yet, I would love to start a "shoes/shopping/pets/home blog."  I think I just like making more work for myself!

Here are some of my awesome finds.  Just click on the pictures to check them out on TpT!

I purchased this product last year and I am so excited because Alisha updated it.  So cute!!

I went graphics crazy and bought a ton!