Creating paper lantern owls

Summer vacation = finally time to finish all those crafts for the classroom I don't have time for!


So I found the cutest owl paper lantern on Pinterest the other day:

...and I thought "Oooo, I could create some of those for the classroom!"  I scrumaged [is that a word?] through my basement and found some paper lanterns that were a wedding gift [4 years ago] that we'd never used.  I thought I'd hang them from our outside 'patio thing' but figured they'd get damaged by the weather.  So they've been in a box ever since!

Until now!

My lanterns aren't round... but I think it'll work anyways... here's an example for the first one I tried!  I painted it pink, I also painted some shades of brown and green [to match the material I'm putting in the classroom next year]  so I'll post pictures of those ones once they're done.

Here's how it turned out!

I changed the eyes a bit... and I'm going to create a 'brow' on some of the others too... but I also need to hotglue on each part since they'll be hanging in the classroom and that will help them to be more durable [hopefully]!

Really easy!!  I hope you can try them out too!

Officially Summer

It's officially summer... [yeah!  loud cheering and yelling] because I just spent 3 hours this afternoon 'getting updated' on the new common core state standards, so it wasn't official until after all 'school-related' things were done.

So, maybe it's because it is summer...
Or maybe it's because I have to scrapbook/craftize everything I do...

...but instead of diving into our new c.c.s.s. and figuring everything out, I decided to make my binders pretty instead!  I hated the look of the white, too official! 

I just finished adding little details.  Of course I couldn't forget to add an owl for my theme next year.

I know I'll continue to read the many 'school' books that I packed into my bag for the summer.  And I've already ran through another thing of ink printing off ideas for next year... but for now I'm going to try and relax and enjoy the time off for a bit.  We're taking a camping trip this upcoming weekend!  Driving Tyler's Mom's RV... should be interesting!  Meeting some friends on the westside of the state.  Let's just hope it doesn't rain [too much].


Here's the cute c.c.s.s. binders for next year:

E.L.A. 3rd and 4th

Bean Life Cycle flipchart

Ahhh.  That's a sigh of relief.  Having just spent the whole morning [6 hours to be exact] correcting end of trimester assessments in rdg and math then planning some science, I'm glad to be done.  For now.

Science has been slackin'.  With all our assessments, for the state, district, and end of units I have to admit that science took the wrath. [Tear]  Time to kick it into high gear!

I'd seen some flip books/charts on Pinterest [where else?] and I set the idea aside to use for later.  Well it's now later.  We're studying 'Structures of Life' in science and our first focus in the bean pod.  I wanted to create a flip chart to show the Bean Life Cycle.

Here's how it turned out!  I think I'll glue their 'flip piece' onto a colored sheet of construction paper to help give it some structure.

The cover piece that I'll cut out ahead of time:

They will write a brief description for each part of the bean cycle:

They will write a title, 'Bean Life Cycle' in the center and arrows to show the direction of the cycle:

Can't wait to see how they turn out!

Teacher Retirement Gift

This week has been so busy!  With Memorial Day on Monday (so no school) then I was subbed out 1/2 the morning on Tuesday then all day today... because tomorrow I have to rush out quickly after school to attend another teacher's retirement party! 

Long story short. 

I needed to put something together this afternoon.  Yikes!  I had an idea in mind that I'd see on Pinterest [of course].  Here's how it turned out:

Idea from Pinterest:
[the retirement party is for a teacher my mother-in-law has worked with for like the last 20 something years?!  We see her a lot during the summer at the lake...that's why I thought this idea would be perfect!]

The items I found:
[mug w/a Mike's, towel, magazine, candy, and a mini sunscreen]

Creating a tag. Summer Essentials [now that you're retired]
[I wanted to have a little explaination for each item.  Simple and sweet.  So I typed it up then taped the scrapbooking paper on top then ran it through the printer again.  I've never tried that before...but it worked out perfectly!]

Finished product. 
[tried to cover the 'Mikes' with the tag because the party's at the school... not sure about having drinks in there??]

Kitchen Frames

Years ago I found two cute red frames for like a dollar.  Of course I didn't know what I'd do with them...but I figured I'd make them into a gift/craft "one day".  Well that day finally came!

My older sister found some cute 'retro' kitchen scrapbooking paper and wanted to do something with it.  She's using red as an accent color in her kitchen so I cut the paper to create a matting, then cut out some of the design and attached them on the front.  Then just added a couple pictures of my nephews!  Glad to have another project done and space to start something else!


Frames:

Scrapbooking Paper and
Designs on the front:

Ready for a picture:

Voila!

Of course Mimi wanted to play while I was workin'...

Cork Keychains

Another pinterest idea of course.  I saw this as a wedding favor and decided to change it a bit. 

I used corks from our recent trip to France.  I had my sisters save their corks from the wine I brought them back.  I was thinking I could just put a cork from one of the many bottles we finished in Paris, but decided it'd be more fun to use the one they tried!  Also, I originally envisioned more 'charms' but they just weren't hanging right.  So I decided to just use a charm with their initials and a simple heart.  Hope they like 'em!

J for Janel:

K for Kelly (just needs to be screwed onto her cork):

S for Shelby (had to make one for myself! hee hee):

They turned out cute!  Guess we'll see how they hold up?

Next year...

Recently we've been having to make placements for next year... and for the FIRST time... I'm getting to loop-up with some of my current 3rd graders!  Eek! Mixtures of nervousness and excitement have overwhelmed me lately!

I sent home a letter yesterday letting parents know that I would be able to keep some of my current 3rd graders into the next year.  Long story short... A LOT of my parents still have the 'old combination stigma' in mind.  That their 4th grader would be learning some of the same things as this year.  Sad.  Because it's completely false.  State standards have evolved things into a whole new standard!  With that being said though... I think the families that want to keep with me into the next year are delightful!  I'm so lucky to see that families enjoy that consistency.  I know the others will be successful in their next year.  With that in mind, I'm already thinking ahead into September! 

In a couple weeks our school is doing a 'fly-up' where everyone will go to meet their next year's teacher! I've never experienced this and can't wait to see how it goes.  I'm going to fall in love with all of them!  Of course I already know half of my students [so lucky!].  We're going to do a fun activity together creating name plates for September.  They'll get to hang out and design their name tag for their desk in September.  I can't wait to see how they turn out!

I'm also going to try something new.  A summer reading log.  I'm going to send home with them a summer calendar to record any reading they do... fingers crossed... I hope they do!

We'll see how it goes!  Update soon.

With that being said... a new season of So You Think You Can Dance is starting... and I can't wait to see the new talent this season!!