Winter Projects

Winter break.  The long awaited week and a half (give or take) that we get to rest, re-group, and relax.  Well, this year, I got hit with a sickness.  BIG.  TIME.  

So far, I spent five of these six days bed-ridden with my family taking care of me.  Merry Christmas to me!  But, I have to say, I'm very thankful that it happened over break and that I didn't have to miss any teaching days.  

Anyways, I set my sights very high for my winter break and had gigantic plans to get all kinds of fun projects done for my own classroom.  I've got a file started of a list of projects.  Looks like that will be postponed a little longer.  However, I have gotten a few projects done:

(1) Erasable To-Do List

It's so easy and so useful!  All you need is a picture frame (with decent glass), cute paper, and a dry erase marker.  I like to be crafty so I also bought fun stick-on metallic letters and glitter embellishments.  At the very least, have notebook paper to put inside the frame to give you helpful guidelines.  If you don't have a dry-erase eraser handy, just hot glue a pom-pom ball at the end of the marker and VOILE, an eraser for your marker!

2) Dull and Sharp Pencil Cups

This may be the end to my misery.  Pencil sharpeners are noisy.  Even if you buy the "extra-quiet pencil sharpeners" or the machines that claim to be "classroom friendly".  It always seems like one of my kiddos needs to sharpen their pencil at an inopportune moment - as if it were life or death!  I've seen this idea many places and didn't really think about how helpful it could be until now.  So, I plan on putting them in my room after break so students can trade their dull pencil for a sharp one.  During free time or before school, I will have a student sharpen the dull pencils for me.  Such a simple solution!

All you need are two cans/jars/containers that have a sturdy side and bottom (so they don't wear out).  I used old peach cans for one set and peanut containers for a gift set.  Using Modge Podge, create a fun design that matches your classroom or personality and you've got a fancy, useful classroom tool!

I'm sure you've got a big project wish-list like I do.  Here's hoping you will be motivated to do at LEAST one of them.  But don't stop there, keep going!

Enjoy your winter break, everyone!  And STAY healthy!

Emily   :)