Are you looking for a fun and engaging way to end the school year with your students? Look no further than the SPY Day School LAB theme day, available on TeachersPayTeachers! My students love when I add a theme to our end of the year celebrations!
This end-of-the-year theme day is designed to get students excited and engaged as they work together to complete a series of spy-themed challenges. Teachers can structure the day like a spy mission, with each challenge building on the skills and knowledge learned in the previous challenge. You can add some spy themed music while they solve clues.
The SPY Day School LAB includes everything you need to run a successful theme day. It includes detailed instructions, printable worksheets, and engaging activities. I love challenges that are designed to be age-appropriate and can be easily adapted to suit different grade levels and classroom settings.
Benefits
One of the key benefits of the SPY Day School LAB is that it encourages students to work together. The challenges require students to communicate effectively, collaborate, and support each other as they work towards a common goal. This can be a great way to build a sense of community and connection among your students as the school year comes to a close.
Another benefit of the SPY Day School LAB is that it is highly engaging and fun for students. The challenges are designed to be exciting and interactive, which can help to motivate students and keep them focused on their learning. This can be especially important as the school year winds down and students may be feeling restless or distracted.
Overall, the SPY Day School LAB is a great option for teachers who want to end the school year on a high note. It is a fun and engaging way to build teamwork skills. The activities also promote community building, and keep students motivated and focused on their learning. Check it out on TeachersPayTeachers today and get ready for a thrilling end-of-year adventure!
Can you believe Mother’s Day is just around the corner? This school year has absolutely flown by. As elementary school teachers, we have a golden opportunity to help our students show their love and appreciation for their amazing moms through fun and creative Mother’s Day crafts and Mother’s Day activities.
Are you planning to make some DIY Mother’s Day crafts with your students this year? If you are and aren’t sure what to make, I have you covered!
What kind of activities can be done on Mother’s Day in school?
Here are a few ideas for some awesome DIY crafts and Mother’s Day gift ideas you can do with your students to celebrate all of the amazing mamas in their lives:
Homemade Cards
There’s nothing quite like a personalized card to show someone you care. Have your students create their own cards for their moms using all kinds of art supplies such as markers, stickers, glitter, and construction paper. You can check out my Mother’s Day card resource here!
Flower Bouquets
Who doesn’t love flowers? Have your students create their own bouquets using tissue paper or construction paper. They can choose their mom’s favorite colors and types of flowers, and then arrange them in a vase or jar. Check out my flower card resource here!
Photo Frames
Help your students create their own photo frames for their moms using materials such as popsicle sticks, cardboard, and paint. Encourage them to get creative with decorations and messages that express their love.
Who doesn’t love a good tea party? Host one in your classroom for moms and their children. Have your students prepare and serve tea and snacks, and create a warm and inviting atmosphere for this special occasion.
Even if you can’t do a tea party, this craft makes a great DIY Mother’s Day craft for kids to give to their mothers.
Here’s what’s included:
Pg. 1 Cover
Pg. 2 Table of Contents
Pg. 3 Directions
Pg. 4 Mom with Hair
Pg. 5 Mom Without Hair (add yarn to personalize)
Pg. 6 Tea Pot for Front Cover of Lapbook
Pg. 7 Arms and Title for Lapbook
Pg. 8 Coupon Book
Pg. 9 Cup of Tea (add a tea bag)
Pg. 10 Notes to add to Lapbook
Pg. 11 – 12 Mother’s Day Flap Book
Pg. 13 Pocket full of REASONS (with phones)
Pg. 14 Adjectives to describe MOM (This is an extra sheet I did not use in the Lapbook example. I added it in case you might want to be creative and change things around.)
Pg. 15 Photo of Lapbook Cover
Pg. 16 Photo of Lapbook Inside
Pg. 17 Photo of Extra Flower Adjective Activity
Pg. 18 Credits
These are just a few ideas to get you started. Remember, the key is to encourage creativity and heartfelt expressions of love and appreciation. Let’s help our students celebrate their moms in a fun and meaningful way this Mother’s Day!
Does that sound familiar? This is a phrase you might hear while out and about on May 4th, and for a good reason! If you are a Star Wars fan, (and honestly, who isn’t?) you probably know the phrase “May the force be with you”. It is something commonly said in the movies as a way for people to wish each other well when they part ways or when they are preparing to partake in something heroic or even dangerous.
Thanks to this date sounding so much like the popular phrase, it has become dubbed Star Wars Day! How fun is that? If you are looking for some Star Wars activities that you can do with your elementary-age students, don’t worry. I have you covered! This is a day that students usually love and get very engaged with because it’s just fun- plain and simple!
How do you celebrate Star Wars Day at school?
If you’re ready to become the most memorable teacher of your students’ lives this year by celebrating Star Wars Day in 2023, I have the perfect ideas for you so that you can have a full day of fun with a Star Wars-themed day at school that your students will remember forever.
Dress up as your favorite Star Wars characters. These movies have become so popular that the characters and costumes are recognizable even to people who haven’t seen them. Tell your students that they can dress like their favorite character or even wear a Star Wars t-shirt or hairstyle.
Make DIY Lightsabers. Pull out those craft supplies and let students get creative by making their own lightsabers!
Watch Star Wars clips or read Star Wars books. If you’re looking for an on-theme brain break for your students, consider watching some popular clips from the movies (not too scary, preferably) or reading a Star Wars book together as a class.
Make some Star Wars-themed treats. Create some easy-to-make galactic treats for your classroom for extra fun. Everyone loves snacks!
Learn about planets and stars. What better opportunity to teach students about stars, moons, planets, and galaxies?
This download is full of everything you need to have a great May the 4th Be With YOU-themed celebration! It’s packed with tons of resources that will make this day not only fun but easy and low-stress for you.
Here’s what’s included:
What is in this download?
Cover
Table of Contents
A Note To Teachers
Lesson Plans Introduction
Standards Met
Home Connections Project Letter for Parents
Donations Please Page for Parents
Create a Space Creature
Glue your creature together
Give your space creature a personality
Sweet Fighter Treats (EASY to Make)
Venn Diagram Earth (VS any other Planet you Choose)
A Venn Diagram EARTH vs STAR
Venn Diagram ANSWER KEY to Earth vs Star
I SPY Planets (Circle and X planets and stars, count and Tally)
ODA SODA (Ingredients and Directions to make PUNCH)
This is a great way for your students to review planets, and problem-solving. Digital Escapes™ is a fun way to get students to learn without even realizing it. NO Printing and No Prep needed for this digital escape! Star Wars-inspired challenges students will love!
During the escape, students will be tasked with solving 4 lock clues in order to escape the room. There is a pdf included in this download with directions, the link to the site, an answer key, and an optional note-taking worksheet for students. This activity takes about 30 to 40 minutes to complete.
Students will:
Listen to short audio directions
Watch a Video with a Problem (1st clue)
Click to reveal 3 tasks for students to solve.
Solve a Riddle to Discover What Planet they crash-landed on.
Answer Space Questions to rebuild their ship and to get FUEL
Work on problem-solving as a group or individually
Answer comprehension questions about the video to get the Life-Saving Sword.
Meet some life form on Mars.
End with a treat of your choice, a Party, a Wookie Cookie, some Oda Soda, or recess after they Escape
Check out the video preview!
Are you celebrating Star Wars Day with your elementary students? Let me know in the comments!
Have you ever stopped to think about just how important scissor skills are for our early elementary students? While it may seem like such a tiny part of their education, the ability to cut with scissors is actually a critical life skill that can have a significant impact on their overall development!
What skills do scissors develop?
Not only does it help our little ones develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, but it can also:
Boost their creativity
Increase bilateral coordination
Boost self-esteem
Increase academic performance
If you’re wondering how exactly to teach this crucial fine motor skill to your elementary students, I have you covered. Get ready to snip, snip, snip your way to success!
Choose the right scissors: It’s important to choose the right type of scissors for your students based on their age and skill level. With our younger elementary-level students, it’s best to aim for scissors with blunt tips and smaller handles.
Demonstrate proper technique: Before your students start cutting, make sure to demonstrate the proper technique by holding the scissors correctly, showing them where to put their thumb and finger, and using a smooth, controlled motion. Spend some time on this topic and encourage students to ask questions if they’re unsure about what to do. Don’t forget to clearly demonstrate how to hold scissors while walking! This is an important safety step you don’t want to forget. Also, make sure to explain that we don’t cut anything that isn’t paper.
Practice, practice, practice: Like any skill, learning to use scissors takes practice. Provide plenty of opportunities for your students to practice cutting different shapes and lines, and be sure to offer positive feedback and encouragement along the way!
Start with simple shapes: To help build confidence and avoid frustration, start with simple shapes like straight lines or basic curves. As your students become more comfortable, you can gradually increase the difficulty level by introducing more complex shapes and designs.
Incorporate scissors skills into other activities: You can help your students build their cutting skills by incorporating them into other activities like crafts, art projects, and even math activities.
Move into more advanced cutting strategies. You can allow them to cut out more complex shapes or teach them new techniques for cutting like folding a paper in half to cut a hole in the center.
If you’re looking for a simple and fun scissors activity for kids that will help your students practice and perfect this important fine motor skill, I have you covered!
This download starts out with simple straight lines and moves into more advanced cutting skills. It is a perfect way to get students to increase their hand and eye coordination using scissors.
What’s in this download?
22 pages of cutting skills that include straight lines, zigzags, shapes, spirals, and interior cutting. Each page gradually gets more difficult.
Some can be colored and added to construction paper as artwork, but the main purpose of these printables is to practice cutting skills!
