Talk about blogging withdraw. I have been without a computer at home for about a week, which may or may not have involved a 1 year old and a glass of water. All is fine now, so this post may be a little random because I have been making lists of things to include 🙂
First, I wanted to share a New Year’s activity. First, we read the book, Squirrel’s New Years Resolution.
After discussing New Year’s resolutions, we created a list of some of our own. Each student wrote their own resolution.
Then I passed out the numbers 2012, students glued them onto their papers and decorated them with crayons, glitter, and sequins.
This week, we also made our parent gifts. For the past couple of years, I had been making handprint calendars. Every year, I told myself, “I am not doing these next year” because they are so time consuming and then when students move away or move in, it was a nightmare trying to catch everyone up. This year, I finally chose a different project.
I’m sure you have seen these ornaments before.
They turned out SO cute and they were SO easy compared to the calendars. Here are some recommendations for making these. Use acrylic paint. I was the idiot that used tempera paint. After painting 21 little hands, I let the ornaments dry only to come back and see all of the paint had flaked off.
Tip number 2, if you can find blue plastic ornaments, do this with these instead of glass. The glass ones are shiny and pretty, but so fragile. One of the students broke hers before she made it out of the building.
I had the students decorate paper bags to place these in.
Sorry. The picture is sideways.
I really wanted to make these cute gift bags that I found on Pinterest, but we just ran out of time.
I decided to have my students measure their own strips since we just began working with rulers and inches. I gave each student five 12 inch strips. They had to measure a 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, and 2 inch strip for their tree.
Then they decorated the trees.
The last thing I wanted to share is another Pinterest idea.
This idea was originally created as a gift to give a neighbor, but I loved this idea to give my grade level companions. I just attached a gift tag that said, “Ho! Ho! Ho! From the Ding Dong next door! Merry Christmas!”
So, now it’s officially Christmas Break and I have 2 weeks off. I am very excited to spend tons of time with my family and relax.
I absolutely love Christmas. Even though it can be a stressful time, I think it is a holiday that has the potential to bring out the…
10 Comments
Thanks for the new title – I hadn't seen that one! I want to also thank you for your inspiration this summer when I was a newbie. Sending smiles and Christmas cheer,
OOOOOOhhhhh! We are going the first two days of next week- love the New Year's Resolution- and I am going to Books A Million tomorrow to see if they have the book!!!!
Your ornaments turned out great! And my neighbors will be getting ho-hos and ding dongs this year!!!!!
I just got that book from Scholastic and will be using it in a similar way! You know what they say. . .great minds and all. . . And I really love the tree. It's still not too late for me to use that idea in my class because we go up to and including a full day of Dec. 23!! Thanks a bunch and Merry Christmas! Dee First Impressions
I love the snowman ornaments. We have made those for several years, but didn't this year (too overwhelmed with graduate school to go buy the ornaments–pitiful, right??!)! One thing I always did was put a small squirt of liquid soap in the paint to help it wash off the kiddos easily.
I'm going to have to get that New Years book. Too cute! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the new title – I hadn't seen that one! I want to also thank you for your inspiration this summer when I was a newbie. Sending smiles and Christmas cheer,
Barbara
The Corner On Character
I am stealing the new year's idea thankyouverymuch!
and I love the ho ho ho from the ding dongs! HILARIOUS.
Tunstall's Teaching Tidbits
Glad to hear your computer is doing better. I made those same ornaments; just posted about it.
Love the 2012 idea. Have a great break!
http://www.learningwithmrsparker.blogspot.com
OOOOOOhhhhh! We are going the first two days of next week- love the New Year's Resolution- and I am going to Books A Million tomorrow to see if they have the book!!!!
Your ornaments turned out great!
And my neighbors will be getting ho-hos and ding dongs this year!!!!!
Going Nutty!
Staci
I love the rectangle Christmas tree – especially having students measure their own! I am adding that to my list for next year! Thanks!
Jennifer @ Herding Kats in Kindergarten
I just got that book from Scholastic and will be using it in a similar way! You know what they say. . .great minds and all. . . And I really love the tree. It's still not too late for me to use that idea in my class because we go up to and including a full day of Dec. 23!! Thanks a bunch and Merry Christmas!
Dee
First Impressions
I'm loving the New Year's Eve idea (though I won't be there to actually do it-poo), and we did the trees too! check it out –
http://theteacherscauldron.blogspot.com/2011/12/best-gift-of-christmas-our-visit-to.html
thanks for sharing– prepping for when we return after break!
I love the snowman ornaments. We have made those for several years, but didn't this year (too overwhelmed with graduate school to go buy the ornaments–pitiful, right??!)! One thing I always did was put a small squirt of liquid soap in the paint to help it wash off the kiddos easily.
I'm going to have to get that New Years book. Too cute! Thanks for sharing!
Live Laugh and Love to Learn
I would love it if you would link up to my New Year Linky Party at http://teachingisagift.blogspot.ca/2012/12/2013-new-year-linky-party.html. Let's ring in the new year with lots of great ideas to share and celebrate!