Character Education Awards

I don't know about you all, but I was DYING on Thursday when Blogger was down!! Eek! I may have a slight problem... Then with some family stuff yesterday, I wasn't on again, so I knew as soon as I was up and moving on this cool Saturday morning, I was hittin' the blogs!! :-) It's good to be back!

At our school, we focus a lot on character education (after all, what good is a lot of knowledge if you can't be a productive member of society, right???). As part of our end-of-the-year festivities, we hand out Character Awards to our kiddos. These can also be used weekly in the classroom to really show off a student who is shining!! I have added them to my TpT store, but I'll be happy to send the ZIP file of 20 awards to the first 3 people who leave me a comment + their email addy letting me know you'd like them!

The files include an award for each of the following traits: caring, common sense, cooperation, courage, curiosity, effort, flexibility, friendship, initiative, integrity, no put downs, organization, patience, perseverance, personal best, problem solving, responsibility, sense of humor, trustworthiness, and truthfulness.

Here's a preview of a few:

Remember, first 3 people who let me know that they want them and leave me their email address, these babies are yours! I hope you find them useful!! :-)

How many days left...?

I can't believe it... only

So, of course, in true teacher fashion, I am deep into thinking/planning for next year!! :-) Here is the To-Do List I've already started for my summer... at least this is what I can remember. My real list is at school...!!

1) Reorganize my classroom library - you ladies have inspired me to make my library more functional and user-friendly for my kiddos! So, labels and reading levels on my books, here I come!

2) Rethink my indoor recess set-up - oh dear, indoor recess stresses me out!! I am looking to make it more organized and manageable next year... less of a free-for-all!!

3) Create new homework to correlate w/ Storytown.

4) Put up my new Focus Wall!

5) Move my room around to get ready for the THREE PARAS I will have in my room almost all day next year (1 student w/ autism, 1 student with microcephaly {small brain syndrome}, and 1 student with sever behavior issues).

6) Re-do my sub folder w/ fun labels and lots of easy-to-follow directions... I'm hoping to be needing a maternity sub here in the next few years to come, so I'd better start now getting it all organized!

7) Make new labels for my math manipulative storage tubs.

8) Create more early-finisher math activities that the kids can do independently.

I KNOW that there are a few more items on my list, so I'll update it when I get to school tomorrow! What's on your list to get ready for the new year ahead? Share your ideas here at Time4Kindergarten's Linky Party!

End of Year Poem and Picture Card

Here's another end of the year idea! I got this wonderful idea from my co-worker, and I can't wait to do it with my kiddos.

First, create a template (I used Power Point and my graphics) that you just love! Add the student's name and the poem (see the end of this post). Take an up-close pic of you with your kiddo, and put this picture into your template. If you save the whole shebang as a .jpg, you can upload it to Walmart.com or the like and get your poem cards printed off like a 4x6 picture that's nice and shiny! What a wonderful way to send your first graders off with a great memory of the two of you!

This is my template for this year:

This is the poem used (just found online in a simple search):

You’re a very special person,

And I wanted you to know,

How much I enjoyed being your teacher;

How fast the year did go!

Please come back to visit me

As through the grades you grow.

Try hard to learn all that you can,

There is so much to know!

The one thing I tried to teach you,

To last your whole life through,

Is to know that you are SPECIAL -

There is no one like you!

Book of Months *FREE* download!

Happy Sunday Evening, all! I hope your weekend was relaxing :-) As we wind down the year, I'll start posting some fun, yet still educational, activities that are easy to implement during those times where the Spring Fever/Summer Bug gets the better of the kids (or you!!).

First off, here is a Book of Months for download. Each month gets its own page and on each page, there's a place for holidays and birthdays, as well as a spot for describing words. Have fun!

(Cut out around the border, leaving a strip on the left for the staples! The pages are numbered in the bottom corner for ease!) :) 

PS... if this looks familiar, it's because I recreated it from a resource book I saw once. I can't remember the original source, so if you know, please let me know!!