Center Rotation Cards Using Paint Card Samples and So Much More!

So Many Uses For Paint Card Samples!

Hello everyone, I'm Fern from Fern Smith's Classroom Ideas. Today I wanted to share some of my favorite uses for paint swatches, paint sample cards, paint chip cards, paint color cards.... Whatever you call them, I ♥love them. I am a "cheapie" by nature and these cards call to me, I can seriously hear them saying "Fern, Fern, Fern..." when the hubby and I go to Home Depot. We enter and he goes one way and I turn into the paint department.
SIDE NOTE: I am a big believer in asking for them and not just opening your purse up and knocking over the entire display. I have never been told no. :)

Paint Card Examples

{Click on any of the pictures to go to my blog post for more details!}

Daily Five Organizational Bookmarks

A Mickey Mouse Spin on Triangular Flash Cards

Somebody Wanted But So Reading Strategy

Whole Class Answer Cards and I Need Help Cards

 St. Valentine's Day Cards

 

 Four to a Card - Fact Family Cards

More FREE Ideas for Disney Paint Sample Flash Cards

Different colors for the different fact families!

  Easy Make and Take Centers

Place two matching stickers on the back of the cards so the children can check their own answers!

Please visit my blog any time, I ♥love my readers!

9

Back to School Prep: Using Duct Tape for Making Mini-Books Last Longer

Making Mini-Books Last Longer for Mini-Fingers!

Hello everyone, I'm Fern from Fern Smith's Classroom Ideas. While you're prepping for back to school I would love to share one of my favorite tips. Once you invest in the paper and ink for printing mini-books and mini-readers, duct tape helps to make them last longer.

I like to use duck tape as a 
side binder OVER the staples.

Four Reasons:

1. It keeps the book together longer.

2. The BACK page is not as quick to rip off.

3. Little people don't start crying when little fingers get snagged on the back part of the staple!

Oh.the.Drama!

4. Teacher stays happy! :)

Guided Reading Groups and Fluency

You can also print 6 to 8 of the same mini-books to make sets to use again and again during your guided reading instruction. The students can use the books with white boards and white board markers. 

Another Favorite Tip: Use one color of duct tape for the binding to keep all the same titles of a book easy to find and organized. 

Click here for Michelle at Teach123 camping mini-books. 

Click here for my phonics mini-books.

Please follow me for more tips, tricks, resources and freebies!

1

Self-Adhesive Labels: Stick to Making Life Easier

Hey everyone!


I'm sure most of you have seen the Target self-adhesive labels. I couldn't get any (boo!), but I found some on Amazon that fit business card size labels or cards. I know it's not the same as Target, not the same price etc, but I am really excited to use them.

This is what the pack looks like. 

Here are some of my labels. These will be labels on the students' book boxes. I'm making a second set to go on their mailboxes. This is the first year I'm using numbers instead of names and I think it'll save me lots of time and frustration on things. 

I wasn't sure of the size and I'm happy to see I can make them even larger if I want. 

I think any that I have left I'll put on my book tubs. 

I love the ease of these pockets!

Do you use adhesive pockets? How do you use yours? Share below!

9

Back-To-School Teammate Gifts

Hi friends!  It's Amanda here from Teaching Maddeness.  I wanted to share a couple of quick and easy back-to-school teammate gift ideas with you.

Everyone needs a little pick me up at back-to-school time, but especially TEACHERS, right?  Go ahead and prep now to be able to give your colleagues a little love on those first few exhausting days.  Who doesn't love a little nail polish?!   Tie the bottle together with a nail file and you have a perfect little treat.  You can grab this freebie gift tag HERE.

Perhaps you have male co-workers who actually may not appreciate the nail polish ;)  or are looking for something extremely cheap because, let's face it, you're already in debt thanks to your school supply shopping addiction.  If that's the case, how cute are these?


A set of sticky notes (these are from the Target Dollar Spot) and a flair pen.  You can grab this freebie tag HERE.  Super easy.  Super cheap.  Super useful.

I hope these are ideas you can use!  Be sure to find Owlways Be Inspired on Instagram for more back to school pics!

32

Fern Smith's Classroom Ideas FREE Printable Lunch Box Love Notes!

FREE Lunch Box Love Notes!

While you're planning and getting ready for back to school, here's one of my favorite freebies for you. Lunch Box Love Notes. For Teacher-Moms, as tired as we are once August and September hits, we don't want to short change our own children. I remember I really wanted my children to have a good day at school, listen to the teacher. learn a lot and make new friends. But mornings for Teacher-Moms are not like something out of the Full House TV show....many a morning at my house SOMEONE crying over SOMETHING because they weren't the center of attention at that given moment. SOMETIMES it was even me! {Just kidding, OK, no, maybe not....}

These love notes are a quick and easy way for you to show them some love when they are away from you in that big, ole' school cafetorium, as they call it in my district.  BUT no lie, a very easy prep, I would write five on Saturday afternoon or Sunday night and hide them in my bedroom. That way I was ready to slip one in their lunch box each morning and if they wanted to buy their lunch that day, I had it ready to slip into their backpack. My FREEBIE has enough for 24 notes, that way you can use a different one each school day for a month! 

These Love Notes are also perfect for teachers to use as an End Of The Day student note! ♥

My favorite author, Erma Bombeck once said something about school notes....If they are typed on nice paper and signed in pen, they have been forged by the child, a real Mom has to grab a red crayon and writes on a kitchen napkin. :)

Some mornings, showing your love with a red crayon on a napkin is just terrific too! Enjoy!

Click here to download it!

Please follow me for more tips, tricks, resources and freebies!

3

Keep the Kiddos Reading! {Reading Incentive Freebie}

Reading is crucial, but more importantly it's FUN!

Whether you're a teacher looking for a fun, 100th day reading incentive or a parent 

looking for a fun, summer reading incentive, these bookmarks could do the trick!

They come in both color and black/white versions.

Once printed, the kids can use the bookmark to keep track of how many books 

they've read.  Every time they read five books, they will color a star.  After all 

the stars are colored, they will have read 100 books!

You can snag the bookmarks HERE or by clicking any of the pics above.  :)

I hope you and your kiddos have a blast reading!

0

May Desktop Calendar

Hey there! It’s Megan from I Teach. What’s Your Superpower?  I’m here with another desktop calendar for you.  I’m so happy April is here!  We’re moving this month, and I can’t believe April has finally arrived.

The graphics are from Bloomsical, and they are gorgeous!

Happy May!

1

Keeping Kids Going With State Testing

Hey everyone!

My kids are on a week break from state testing. I don't know how your schools/state does it, but in my school, it's all on the computers. My school also has it arranged so they have 3 days for the ELA main portion then a break, then 3 days for the performance task. We're on a break before we do the math test and then there'll be another break and the math performance task. Which means we'll have tested in both April and May.


The kids have been pretty great, but it's also a stressful time. To help with things, I've made sure to do some easy activities or stress relieving moments. One day we drew and colored for 25 minutes. It was very much needed and they were fine.

I ask fun questions on my easel or have them finish a quote.

Yesterday while learning about decimals, I threw in a quick matching game. They ran up to me and said it was so much fun.

                                                                             I got these cards here.

We all can't wait for testing to be over, but I know we'll make it by throwing some fun, stress-relieving activities in there.

0

Testing Treat Freebies

Testing season is upon us.  Teachers are stressed.  Kids are anxious.  Pencils are scarce.  Everyone could use a pick me up about this time of year. 

Leave your children little pick-me-ups each day of testing to let them know that someone is in their corner, cheering them on!  If your children don't test, let your class pay-it-forward by leaving small treats and notes for students in a testing class. 

Here are a few pictures of the treats from Learning in Wonderland's Instagram.  Her treats are ready to go for testing days!

Grab this FREEBIE packet here!

0