Teacher’s Brain

Category: Teacher’s Pay Teachers

St. Patrick’s Day Classroom Ideas for Kids

Reading, St. Patrick's Day Ideas, Teacher's Pay Teachers

I was recently asked what I do for St. Patrick’s Day with students.  I am a huge fan of  engaging students through various holidays! St. Patrick’s Day has always been an exciting day with the students joining me in looking for a little trickster leprechaun on campus!

weather unit rainbow

I made a small pair of pants out of green fabric.  I would mess up the room when the kids where at lunch, sprinkle some glitter around the room (even in the toilets), and hang the pants on a cracked open window.  The students would look for the trickster everywhere.  When they would find the pants, we would laugh about how there was a little leprechaun running around without pants.  He would always leave a gold coin on the desk for the students.  Now, how does this fun tie into education?  First, we would read a book about a tricky leprechaun.  I also have a fantastic activity called The Paper Leprechaun where the kids have to make their own paper leprechaun using fine motor skills after listening to a poem, and the pot of gold goes missing.  They write out a personality for the paper leprechaun and then write about how to catch one!  For a home project, the students would make leprechaun traps working on problem solving skills at home with their parents.  These would be shared with the class during the week.  I would sometimes display them in the media center.  During centers, students made rainbow art. Each student would get to make their own LUCKY Shamrock Hat to wear for the day.

paper leprechaun cover      Leprchaun cover

For math, we would sort, count, graph, and eat Lucky Charm cereal. Who doesn’t like a little snack while learning!Lucky Charms Math long

Play some Irish traditional music while the kids are working using Pandora, YouTube, or Amazon.

ST. Patricks day headband

Need some great books to share with your students? Look below…

Read Across America Ideas

Craft Ideas, Dr. Seuss, Teacher's Pay Teachers

Dr. Seuss is the perfect author to inspire students of all ages to read.  As teachers, we love to share his work during Read Across America Week and to celebrate his birthday with March activities.

Here are some great ideas to help you inspire your students with reading themed activities.

Red fish

One Fish , Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish is a classic delightful book that helps students with colors and counting skills.  Have students make their own colored fish to display in the room.

Oh The Places

Read Oh, The Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss.  Then, have students make their own hot air balloon craft.  They can even write about where they would go.  I like to use tissue paper or wallpaper squares to decorate the balloon.

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Wacky Wednesday is a fun way to spend a Wednesday during Read Across America with Dr. Seuss.  While the students are at lunch or recess, make your classroom “wacky” by changing the clock, hanging things like shoes from the ceiling, putting socks inside the tissue box or turning a desk upside down.  Then, have students see how many “wacky” items they can find out of place.  They can play rhyming games this day or make a “wacky” animal using different animal body parts.

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How about these cute Halloween printable glasses?  You can easily turn them into something creative during the week for students to wear during reading time.  Tell them that the glasses are magical and help them to focus on the story you are reading.

Invite a guest in who dresses up like one of the characters from Dr. Seuss’ books to read to the class. Make sure to have a CRAZY SOCK day also to go with the Fox in Socks books.  I also like to ask students to send in their favorite Seuss books to share with each other during reading time.  I have them find rhyming words in the books.   They love it!

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Ask parents to send in a special treat for a day like these yummy Thing 1 and Thing 2 cupcakes.  Make task cards with Seuss colors like this WHAT CAN I DO WHEN I’M DONE for Early Finishers.

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Of course, no Read Across America celebration would be complete without making Green Eggs and Ham with your students. (Check for allergies first.)  I had my students make these hats out of paper plates.  No matter what, have fun with your students this week.  This is a great week for students to explore new words, use their imaginations, and feel inspired to read a good book!

 

Sources for Printables: http://bit.ly/2HLe8s3

Valentine’s Teacher Giveaway

Giveaway, Teacher's Pay Teachers

It’s time to show teachers a #LOTTALOVE with a giveaway!  We are giving away TWO $100 Teachers Pay Teachers Gift Cards, and ONE $100 Amazon gift card to THREE lucky teachers.  I’ve have joined with a few other fantastic teacher authors to bring this giveaway to you.  You just have to be a teacher and enter the raffle for a chance to win!

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Winners will be announced on the 15th.

Click the image or the link below to enter! Good LUCK!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

100th Day of School Ideas

Teacher's Pay Teachers

Here are some of my favorite ideas for the 100th Day of School that I use with K-1 students.  Let me know what fun activities you do for this day too!

1.Have student’s send in 100 items from home in zip lock bags to hang in your classroom.

2.Send a parent letter home encouraging students to wear t-shirts with 100 items glued, painted or pinned on the shirt.

3. Wear a t-shirt. Have students put 100 band aids on it, and have it say, “I survived 100th Day, and so did Mrs. ________.

4.Have students dress like they are 100 Years Old.

5. Use an app or web site to make the students look old.  Then let them do a self portrait from the app on drawing paper.

6. Use doughnut shaped cereal to make edible necklaces with yarn.  Have students group them by to using the included work mat.

7.Use Bulletin Board paper to have students design a 100th Day banner or mural to hang in the classroom.

8.Put 100 plastic cups out and let students  build  a building.100th Day of School Activities - 100 Gumballs

9.Put 100 Legos out and let students build a structure.  Then have them write about what they build.

10.Put out 5 different snacks (pretzels, cereal, mini chocolate chips, marshmallows, M&Ms) Have students count out 20 and make a trail mix using the included work mat and a zip lock to take home.

11.Using the printable, have student write 100 words in groups of 10.

12.Students can write about what they would do with 100 dollars.

13.Use the 100 chart to have students count out 100 sweet treats.

14.Use paint daubers to color 10 groups of gumballs using the printable.

15.Make 100th Day Glasses using the printable.100th Day of School Activity Glasses Craft

16.Have student count out 100 drops of water, make predictions and complete the printable.

17.Have students use the printable to make tally marks of 100 licks of a Tootsie Pop.  They can predict if they will get to the tootsie or not.

18.Incorporate fitness by having students do 100 exercises.