Last Weeks of Summer

Another summer break is about finished.  Where did the time go?  

Oh yeah.  Weekends at the lake. Endless hours on the couch knitting.  Multiple days just relaxing without worry about the day or time.  It's been nice.  As much as I need each summer break to refuel and recharge for a new school year, I've also been using the time to create new resources for the upcoming school year.  

Welcome To Our Class Letter

First Day Jitters Activities 

I Dream of Being Activities

Growth Mindset Bulletin Board & Activity

1st Day of School Signs

Thanks for Poppin' In tags

See! All the things you need to start the school year, right? I always LOVED putting together the Welcome To Our Class letter and goodie bags.  The anticipation of waiting for my newest set of kids to walk in and see them waiting at their desk was so exciting for me.  

Having all my anchor charts pre-made and ready to be filled in with student responses. Even the popcorn bags for Open House or a Back-to-School Night all prepared with ribbons tied and tucked neatly in a basket.  It's like the CALM before the STORM.  

Of course this year will be different for me. Year 14 of teaching and I'm in MY OWN gym!  Yea! Last year I traveled between 4 different schools and shared the gym space with the other Health & Fitness teachers.  I'm SO lucky to be back at the school where I was teaching in the classroom.  I'm looking forward to seeing my colleagues, previous students, their families, and the community. Nothing like being back at home. 

With that said, I'm going to start transitioning from working on classroom resources to creating and focusing on Health & Fitness resources.  I've already started a handful of projects for back-to-school and look forward to creating many more.  

Here's a sneak peek! 

I'm working to create some FUN bulletin board ideas.

As well as creating some Fitness Measurements sheets and folders to organize ALL THE THINGS that we'll use when creating, monitoring, and reflecting on our SMART goals this year.  

More details to come soon! 

As much as I want to be back at school setting up my own space  [I CAN'T WAIT to reorganize the gym office and equipment. Can you say LABELS. ON. EVERY. THING!],  I'm going to try and soak up these last few weeks of summer without doing too much 'school' work.  I'm sure there'll be a little TpT'n in there.  There always is, but at least it's relaxing. 

As always, remember to Find your Balance!

Shelby 

End-of-the-Year Memory Book

We're in the homestretch.  

The countdown is underway... only 26 days until Summer Break! 

We can actually see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Every year is different and yet the same as well.  You start the year all cheerful and excited.  The holidays in the beginning help you to push through.  Then there's the hope of Spring Break to looks towards... and finally the long stretch until Summer Break!  

Somehow any craziness that happens throughout the year is blocked out and hidden away as you just put your head down and fight through the last weeks to finish.  Then by some secret magic or maybe a hidden talent we teachers have, the summer refuels our bodies and reenergizes us to start all over again!  Yes, we're probably a bit crazy to do this job day in and day out. It's draining, frustrating, and tiring every day.  But, OH SO REWARDING! 

So, how do we make it through these last weeks while maintaining our sanity?  FUN and EXCITING activities of course!  Every year I always looked forward to creating a Memory Book for students to fill out and reflect upon our year.  

Somehow students have the AMAZING capability to remember all those funny, embarrassing, and nothing to do with academics, moments that happen in our classrooms.  It's in activities like these that we're reminded of all the JOYS of teaching, and therefore reminded of how it's all worth it! 

Over the years I've mix and matched and recreated pages to put together for an end-of-the-year Memory Book for my students and their families.  I say their families because I included A LOT of pictures, art work, and other 'memorabilia' that create more of a keepsake of our year together.  

After starting to create resources on TpT, I knew I wanted to create a new Memory Book so others would have the chance to create these keepsakes for their students as well.  I'm hoping to add on to this resource with activities to complete throughout the entire school year, and not just remembering at the end of the year, but that'll have to wait until I have more free time. AKA Summer Break! 

So, what did I come up with?  14 different pages to complete as the end of the year comes to a close.  Each Memory Book includes a cover page for your specific grade level as well.  Simply print the pages and staple together for an easy NO PREP activity to use in the last weeks of school.  

OR.. you can step it up a notch and create more of a 'keepsake' for your students and their families by completing the cover first and then laminating and binding them into a booklet with the pages inside.   This option takes just a little prep on your part, but a handy volunteer can easily laminate covers if possible, as well as binding the booklets!  Then they're ready to hand out and have students work on the Memory Book pages inside.  

Here's a 4th grade Cover example:

After coloring:

Here's a 6th grade Cover example that's been laminated and bound into a booklet:

Memory Book pages:  (includes 2 autograph pages not pictured)

Memory Books are a fun way to wrap up at the end of the year.  Students enjoy filling out each page with their memories and reflect on all their learning.  It helps to give closure to the school year as well and beginning to think about next year.  

Having independent work that students actually want to complete is invaluable at this point in the school year!  Am I right?

Here's the link to check out this resource and start incorporating this fun activity to your end of the year traditions.  Plus it gives students and their families a keepsake to remember the year. Win win! 

End-of-the-Year Memory Book

Let me know if you check it out and how it works?  Are there pages you would like to have added?  Let me know that too, and I can always revise to make it better!  

Thanks for reading this far... enjoy the rest of the school year teacher friends.  We can do this, we're almost there!  

Find your balance,

Shelby

Motivational Testing Treat Tags

Looking to help MOTIVATE and INSPIRE your students for an upcoming test?  Look no further!  These simple, READY-TO-PRINT treat tags will do the trick!

I always LOVED creating treats for my students.  Both as an outlet for myself to do something creative, as well as helping to encourage my students too.

Whether it's just an end-of-the-unit test in class, or the ACTUAL state testing, little treats like these help to disguise the stress and anxiety of the situation and make it a little more memorable instead! 

When I started my TpT store I knew I wanted to recreate these fun tags that I've used for so many years in my classroom.  They're updated since my original versions of course.  Thank you modern fonts and electronic backgrounds!  I had fun creating the clipart for each of these tags too.  Thank you Procreate app and my iPad!  Making these designs is SO MUCH EASIER than it was before... or maybe I've just learned how to use these apps more efficiently?  Either way, I'm excited to be able to share them with others online too! 

If you're interested in creating these fun testing tags too, check out my resource here: 

Motivational Testing Tags

These are the 8 Ready-to-Print designs: 

Good luck as you continue to MOTIVATE, INSPIRE, and ENCOURAGE your students to do their best! 

We teach them to work hard without needing to earn a reward, but having a fun treat always makes it THAT much better right? 

Find your balance,

Shelby Oas