creative classroom tools

3rd Grade Film Academy

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

The members of my 3rd grade Film Academy presented the final cut of their video to the school today! They were so excited and felt like true celebrities! I am so proud of their hard work. Our Academy host and director was AMAZING! I can't believe how much he was able to accomplish in such a small amount of time. Click here to check out our fabulous, 4 minute music video. :-)

(digital art by Melonheadz)

One of my favorite parts of the academy was how the director helped the students explore the multiple meanings of Jack Johnson's song, "Shot, Reverse Shot." Not only did they learn about filming techniques, they also developed a better understanding of empathy, point of view, and perspective.

Without a doubt, the Academies were my FAVORITE part of the 2013-14 school year! You can learn more about the interest-based, enrichment Academies here. Once summer begins, I hope to write about the Academies in greater detail and share more examples of student work. If you have any questions or there is something in particular you'd like to learn more about, let me know in the comments! Thanks for checking in!

Father's Day

A Father's Day Freebie

Monday, June 09, 2014

Hi All! I made this card to use with my little munchkins for Father's Day. I had grand plans of sharing photos of their completed cards with you, but the weekend got away from me. You know how it is!?@!

click here to download for free

Caitlin, my 4 year old, took it very seriously and put great thought into her earnest answers. Of course, that is what makes the final product so lovely - and hysterical! In her mind, her daddy is 100 years old, his favorite food is candy, and he always says "Watch out for your sister!" (The last one is so true! And the one about candy, for that matter. Hey . . . the girl knows her daddy!) Molly, my 1 1/2 year old, just scribbled happily all over hers.

My thought is that the girls will complete this card each year; part of the gift will be to see their responses grow over time. Caitlin could write some of her answers this year (with help); Molly could only scratch at the paper with crayons. I think it will be interesting to see not only what they can do, but how they "see" their daddy at the same time next year.

Any thoughts on prompts to add or change? Let me know your suggestions in the comments! I like the idea of multiple versions - or maybe an editable version?? Thanks for checking in!

editable

The Week at a Glance: Getting Organized!

Thursday, May 29, 2014

In my ongoing efforts to be more efficient and effective, I've created a tool to help me stay organized! Here's my new "week at a glance!"

I wanted to put all my appointments and "to do" lists in one place. I've been using it this week at school and home and, so far, I'm loving it! You can download a copy here for free.

download for free here!

If you're like me and you prefer to personalize your planners, I've also uploaded an editable version. To add your own text, just insert a text box where you want the words to appear and type away! (I used "happy monkey," a free Google font, in case you want to keep the formatting the same.)

Let me know what you think!

My Top Ten for Summer!

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

I can't resist a good TOP 10 list! A number of teachers have joined up with Deanna Jump to share their TOP 10 for summer 2014. Inspired by their great ideas, I've linked up to share my bucket list for summer 2014 as well!

NUMBER 1 and NUMBER 2: (without a doubt!) is to spend more time with my amazing girls, Cailtin (4) and Molly (21 months)!

The pictures above sum up their respective personalities PERFECTLY! Ha!

NUMBER 3: Learn how to stand up paddle board! We live 2 miles from the beach and even closer to the Intracoastal Waterway; this is a MUST! My husband and I may even try to make this into a weekly date!

NUMBER 4: Work on the house! My house is in a terrible state by the end of the school year!

I want to clean and organize and then dive into some projects I've had my eye on! (see below!)

(Chalkboard wall in the play room) (Rain Gutter Book Shelves!)

NUMBER 5: We are headed to Denver in July for my cousin's wedding. I grew up camping and hiking in California and I can't wait to get my girls out west. My goal is to find some mellow day hikes with beautiful scenery that everyone can enjoy.

NUMBER 6: Spend some quality time on my blog. I'd like to share some of my most favorite teaching tools and activities. Math Quest, developed by Interact, is the first on my list to share! An update on GENIUS HOUR and The AIG Academies are next!

NUMBER 7: Get organized for 2014-15 school year! Do you ever find yourself planning for the next year before the current one even ends? Me too! I already have so many organizational and instructional ideas that I want to implement in the new year!

NUMBER 8: Get back into a regular weekly yoga practice! If I can touch my toes (without groaning) by the end of summer, I will feel like this goal is a success!

NUMBER 9: Learn how to style my naturally curly, yet typically straightened, hair. This has been a long term and so far unsuccessful endeavor . . . ugh. If you have any tips, tricks, or products you would recommend, please leave a suggestion in the comments! I will love you forever!