Classroom Christmas Tree

Duly reprimanded and actually really honored to Katy's shout-out in her sidebar list, I am including some more teaching ideas on my blog.

Christmas decorations and fast finishers--the perfect blend. Above is a picture of a tree you can make with kid's handprints. I am kicking myself for not taking a picture of the one my classroom made, as it really outdoes this picture, but you get the general idea.

My suggestions, and what made our tree fantastic, was this:
1. Outline the desired tree shape with masking tape (we made ours on our door, but any wall will do)
2. Show kids how to cut out hands. Some of them will get brilliant and realize that you can cut out about ten hands at a time. Depending on how long you make this activity, you might want to let them do that. For me, I said that five at a time was the limit. I had the paper pre-cut into hand-sized rectangles.
3. Tape the hands so that the fingers are at the bottom (unlike this picture, where the hands go up and out). Make fringed rows of handprints to create the illusion of a fir tree. The picture I have here (from online) has maybe 50-60 hands. In my classroom, we used well over four hundred. It looked as real as a paper tree could look.
4. Your students make the ornaments on the tree. This was a fun activity they could work on whenever they had finished their work early. We also scheduled in some time for completing the tree before Christmas.

I Have the Key!

Yesterday I got the key to my classroom. There was something genuinely exciting about putting that key in the lock, turning it right--no wait... that didn't unlock it. Left--oh, maybe it was the other way...well--third time's the charm, and I am into my classroom.

There were no lights, and seeing a quiet classroom by windowlight, desks lined up, and white board in front of me was a special feeling. This is it, and I can't wait.

Walking around the school last night, I saw a few teachers and what they are doing to set up their rooms. I had to remind myself that they've been teaching for over 5 years, and there's no way I am supposed to have as much amazing stuff as they do. They were great about giving ideas and sharing resources, though.

One of the best tips I got last night? Set up an extra desk with a blank name card, materials, etc. That way, if you get a new student the first day, they can see that you are ready for them with all of their supplies, and all they have to do is put their name on them. The 3rd grade teacher, from which this recommendation came, says that in the past few years she's done this, she's noticed that it contributes more to excitement and less to first-day anxiety.

A random tip that I got? When putting kids to sleep who are scared of monsters, have them use the "Monster Spray" (a mixture of water with a little fabric softener). That way, the kids can spray their closets and beds, and they can smell the light fragrance and know that no monsters will get out from under the beds.

Gotta love teaching in an elementary school.