Volunteer Gifts and End of the Year Ideas

There's so much to do at the end of the year! Traditionally, I always wait unto the very last minute to thank my parent volunteers and always end up getting either something cheesy or spending way too much on gift cards. This year I am so excited to use my new tag pack to put together cute volunteer gifts and gifts for my kids. Check this out...




You can make your own gifts by picking up graham crackers, marshmallows, chocolate, and use this free tag!








Now, if only I can wait until Friday without opening these gifts up and enjoying S'mores with my own kiddos! What cute gift ideas do you give to your volunteers?

End of Year Writing Reflections

 
I can't believe the end of the year is so close!  We love to give students time to reflect on their writing growth by keeping their writing throughout the year and giving students time to notice their changes as a writer.
It's so easy!

First, we keep all writing throughout the year.  We feel it's important to keep parents informed on student work, so we send home copies of scored with rubrics each month.  We also believe in giving students an authentic audience so we mail copies or digital work to organizations as often as possible.  However, all the originals stay in a bucket in the corner of our classroom.

Last week, we passed this back to students.  They loved looking at their writing from August and September.  It was so fun to see them laughing about how much they've grown.  Students completed this quick reflection sheest (available for you to use!)

The came the best part.  We gave each student a pizza box, a clean pizza box.  Little Ceasar's donated them with just a phone call.  No questions asked!

Kids got to decorrate their pizza box as their portfolio and all of their writing (even the extra large pieces) fit nicely inside.  Parents and kids loved this and it was so easy!

What great ways do you help students reflect on their growth throughout the year?

Teacher Appreciation Freebies and Deals!

Do you like free stuff?  Dumb question.  ALL teachers like free stuff.

We are so blessed to be treated like queens and kings this next week. I did some research and found some of the best places to check out for teacher appreciation week.

1. These amazing  retailers appreciate teachers year round by offering discounts and deals just by showing your teacher ID.
2. This website has several free posters for classrooms.They have everything from nutrition to poetry. 
3. Free removable teacher's tape. I know it seems like nothing, but if you're like me this stuff is gold.  Just complete this form.
4. Click here for a few free samples and free magazines for your classroom.
5. The Incredible @rt Department has great forms and freebies for all teachers.
6. Click here for free calendars and teaching kits.
7. Go to Chipotle on Tuesday, May 7th for a Buy one/ Get one free salad, burrito, or tacos.

8. New York and company is giving teachers 30% off in stores May 2-8th.
9. Check out this link to get seven free things for teachers.
10. Finally, check out teachers notebook from May 4th- May 10th and teacherspayteachers on May 7th and May 8th for the site wide sales celebrating teachers.  Stock up for the next school year on items that over 25% off!

Do you know of any other awesome deals for teachers?

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Another Giveaway!

There are so many great math items...definitely worth trying!

Grades 3-5 Giveaway for the End of the Year!

Click on the image to enter to win 40 products!

A Little Piece of Magic in an Ordinary Writing Workshop

As I was looking around the classroom yesterday, I saw such an amazing site-- students actively writing without reminders! A writing workshop from my dreams :)

It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen and I had to blog about it.

We love to begin the year with mini lessons about how to read the rubric. After that, we have lengthy units of study looking critically at how writers write opinion pieces, poetry, nonfiction, and narrative pieces. Everything! Writing was like pulling teeth for some kids back in September.  Now, in late April, we are reviewing these mini lessons but this time we are looking critically at the advanced column and writing it in kid friendly language. For their final piece, students get to choose everything...the topic, the style, the organization, everything. Here is an image from our mini lesson:



Like always, we move from our mini lesson and begin our rotations. We use this chart to guide us and at this time of year, the kids have it down!


The first rotation I work with is the small group rotation. The kids love this and can almost guide themselves. It was so fun to watch them interacting about writing and I hardly had to facilitate a thing.


While this group was finishing their game, I began to look around the room and this is what I saw...



One boy is researching harp seals for his non-fiction piece while another is engaged in his choice writing.




This young lady is publishing her piece on the computer. My students regularly publish on Voicethread, Vocaroo, PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, and Mixbook is a class favorite this year! Please by sure to check out my guest post about other ways to offer an authentic audience to students on Rachel Lynette's Minds in Bloom.


This young man is revising his work using our revision cans. It amazes me how this simple tool can get even the most reluctant writer to revise!

Click below to set up these rotations in your classroom and watch the magic for yourself. You can also download my complete writing workshop management plan for the 21st century.







What are some amazing things you do to keep writing engaging throughout the year?

Five Ways to Make Your Last Week of School Memorable

It's hard to believe that we are already planning for the end of the year.  Four weeks left!  Four. Weeks.  That's only 20 days...but who's counting?

I love to make sure the last few weeks of school are memorable for students, especially the last day.  Here are a few things I love to do...

1.  Have each student create a memory book about the year.  It is a great keepsake for them and their parents love it!

2.  Give each child a special award recognizing their accomplishments.  This year, I plan to go big and roll out the red carpet (aka red butcher paper) during this celebration.

3.  Have each student complete a "top ten things about third grade."  This is great feedback to know which projects were the most memorable and it's a great thing to hang in the hallway for back to school night next fall.

4.  Show each kid how to make a tie-dye t-shirt and get signatures from their classmates.  It's the easiest thing in the world and I see kids wearing them for years afterward.

5.  Write a special note to parents thanking them for their support this year.

Here is a freebie you might like for your end of year celebrations.  I have created a t-shirt themed end of year pack and a super hero themed end of year pack.  If you like these ideas, check it out.  It's only $3.00.  

What great things do you do on your last day of school?